Once again it’s that time of year when children prepare their wish list for Santa and get ready for the holidays. With those preparations come holiday rituals including building snowmen out of the first great snow fall, sipping hot chocolate after a day out in the cold and Christmas shopping. One of the best parts of these holiday traditions is when families can get together and go looking at holiday light displays. Thankfully, with New Jersey being a larger state with many busy cities, they have some of the best holiday light displays around.
While many towns in New Jersey get in on the celebrations, we’ve decided to gather up a list of only the best holiday light displays in New Jersey to make that holiday tradition even more fun and take the guess work of finding out when these great events are going on. For those who are in the Egg Harbor Township you can find Storybook Land’s Christmas Fantasy with Lights. Held from November 20th until December 30th, families will be able to enjoy a great time with special guest Santa Clause himself! This large display is captivating with over one million lights illuminating the area and children able to visit with Mr. and Mrs. Clause until December 23rd to get those last minute Christmas list wishes in. All rides, attractions and the snack bar will also be open during this time of celebration.
For New Jersey residents who live in or around the Augusta area you can come and enjoy the Christmas celebrations at Skyland’s Stadium Christmas Light Show from November 20th until January 3rd. The second year this display has been going, visitors have the option of driving through a mile long looking at their display of lights that is choreographed with music. With over two million lights on display, visitors are welcome to stop in and see Santa for a photo in Christmas village as well as partake in activities and top it all off with a snack.
In Galloway Township located in Smithville the Holiday Lights Spectacular at Turtle Back Zoo has a great Christmas event that lasts from November 27th until January 3rd. By visiting the park after dark you’re able to see the animals which looks entirely different combined with the beautiful lights. Their spectacular show includes lights in both the traditional and animal shapes. The zoo mascot as well as others dressed up will also be out and about during this event to greet the seasons visitors. While visiting, the park will be grateful to those who would like to donate unwrapped toys, or canned good products as well.
Citizens in Cranbury can see the Cranbury Christmas Lights from November 28th until December 31st. Citizens who’re looking to do something on a much smaller scale than many of the other holiday celebration sites, this one is a great event to attend. The Shaw home located in Cranbury is lit up with a hundred and twenty lights that move to music. While this event is completely free, donations are welcome to help our local charity organizations. Visitors are welcome to come and see the lights every night from six until nine.
In Wall, New Jersey they have the Christmas light Show which is also free and open from December 12th-13th as well as the 19th. A huge light show that is completely free however, they do accept donations at the door to benefit youth challenged sports program. Hosts of this event advises that you want to arrive early enough to make sure you have room to park as it fills up fast, and then walk over to the show.
Anyone who lives in Hollis County, we recommend you get on this event as soon as possible because tickets sell out fast. While this area is usually chalked with so much history it can take some time to view it all, they decorate all these great sites with Christmas lights and decorations which can make it so much more fun. By purchasing a ticket, you get to ride the holiday express train to all of these sites and experience the holiday festivities. It takes place December 6th from noon until five pm. Santa will make a guest appearance the Sunday following Thanksgiving and continues until New Year’s Eve. Likewise, nearby those who love musicals can also view the lights and then go and see The Nut Cracker performance.
The Sea of Lights Festivities offers a great experience for young kid’s in the Central Shore region of New Jersey as the aquarium is covered in holiday lights to bring some festive cheer to the marine animals there. Covered in hundreds of Christmas lights and decorations there are plenty of activities for children to partake in while there. Starting on December 18th-19th, 26th-28th it promptly starts at six in the evening and ends at nine. The gift shop and pavilion arcade will also be open at this time as well.
Different areas of New Jersey have so much to offer both locals and visitors around the Christmas season. From cruises that are decked out in festive Christmas lights and decorations to tree farms that offer the perfect Christmas tree for the season it can be hard to find the right event to attend. We highly recommend that before you attend any event in your area it’s a good idea to call ahead and find out what the age recommendation is. Many young children don’t do to well with staying up later than normal even for holiday festivities, and some may not have age appropriate activities. In the spirit of giving, it would be nice for those that do attend these events to consider donating canned goods, coats, and presents to show support for local organizations doing fundraisers in the area. Just a small donation could mean and do so much for a person or their family during the holiday season, and more so when the weather is getting so cold.
For all of your travel needs, call Exclusive Taxi and Car Service at 732-350-8294, or visit us on the web at www.exclusivetaxiandcarservice.com