TRAVEL10Best Readers' Choice: Best Public Holiday Lights DisplayThis year’s installment of the Festival of Lights in Downtown Riverside, Calif. takes place between Nov. 28 and Jan. 6 and will feature more than 3.5 million lights adorning the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, Mission Inn Avenue and several municipal buildings.The Mission Inn Hotel & SpaVisitors to the Riverside Festival of Lights can visit Santa, skate at the Inland Empire’s first outdoor ice rink and gawk at the world’s largest man-made mistletoe, measuring 12 by 8 feet.The Mission Inn Hotel & SpaSt. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city, draws inspiration from its Spanish heritage during Night of Lights, taking place from Nov. 22 to Feb. 1.FloridasHistoricCoast.comWhere the Spanish once put white candles in the windows during the holiday season, St. Augustine’s 144-square-block historic district gets decked out in 2 million twinkling white lights.FloridasHistoricCoast.comCharleston’s James Island County Park hosts its annual Holiday Festival of Lights from Nov. 14 to Jan. 1. The event features 700 displays using over 2 million bulbs.Piwakawaka PhotoWhile primarily a drive through event, the Holiday Festival of Lights also offers visitors a chance to hop out of the car and see lights on a holiday train, munch on seasonal treats and admire handmade gingerbread houses.Piwakawaka PhotoThe Holiday Lights Show, America’s largest on-the-water lights display, takes place at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho from Nov. 28 to Jan. 4.Coeur D’Alene CVBAt the Holiday Lights Show, guests board a 40-minute Journey to the North Pole lake cruise to visit Santa’s waterfront toy workshop and see one of the world’s tallest Christmas trees.Dustin Weed From Quicksilver StudiosIt takes workers at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga. 3,900 man hours spread over six weeks to install the 8 million twinkling lights for the annual Fantasy in Lights event.Callaway GardensFrom Nov. 21 to Dec. 30, visitors to Callaway Gardens can witness 15 dazzling holiday scenes, take photos with Santa or do some holiday shopping in the on-site Christmas Village.Callaway GardensDuring Magic Christmas in Lights (Nov. 38 to Jan. 3), Bellingrath Gardens near Mobile, Ala. is transformed into a holiday wonderland complete with 1000 displays using more than 3 million lights.Bellingrath GardensMagic Christmas in Lights also features live choral performances and cheerful decorations within the Bellingrath estate.Bellingrath GardensChristmas on Main Street.Silver Dollar CityFor the first time in 2014, visitors to Christmas on Main Street can watch Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic television special.Silver Dollar CityBeginning Thanksgiving night and continuing through December 31, the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Va. hosts it’s annual drive through event, the Dominion Garden of Lights.Norfolk Botanical GardenDOminionNorfolk Botanical GardenDuring Garden Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (Nov. 5 to Jan. 3), visitors can meander through the 30-acre grounds, hot beverage in hand, admiring the one million lights scattered in displays throughout.Atlanta Botanical GardenA highlight of Garden Lights in Atlanta are the multicolored Orchestral Orbs, which glow in sync with festival holiday tunes.Atlanta Botanical GardenEach night from Nov. 28 to Jan. 1, visitors to the Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill in Clifton, Ohio watch breathless as 4 million lights illuminate all at once.Flickr/Tina LawsonThe Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill also features a miniature outdoor village, toy collection from Christmas’ past, a Santa Claus Museum and Santa’s Workshop where visitors can peak in on Mr. Claus at work.Anthony SatarianoThe Austin Trail of Lights takes place in Zilker Park from Dec. 7-21, and 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the popular holiday event in the Texas capital.Margaret LicarioneThe Austin Trail of Lights features more than 1 million bulbs divided into 50 holiday displays along a 1.25-mile trail. Highlights include three light tunnels and the 155-foot Zilker Tree.Margaret LicarioneBlossoms of LightDenver Botanic GardensVisitors to Blossoms of Light in Denver can purchase 3-D HoloSpex glasses that transform each point of light into a festive holiday shape.Denver Botanic GardensFestival of LightsGalveston Convention & Visitors BureauNew in 2014, Moody Gardens will host Ice Land: Ice Sculptures with Spongebob Squarepants, an event featuring 900 tons of ice transformed into Spongebob-themed holiday scenes by a team of 31 professional ice carvers from Harbin, China.Moody GardensThe city of Muskogee, Okla. hosts their big holiday bash at Honor Heights Park. From Nov. 27 to Jan. 1, the tree, bushes, waterfalls and flowers of the park are accented with more than a million lights.Greater Muskogee Area Chamber Of CommerceGarden of Lights visitors can take in the holiday cheer on hay rides or by skating on the synthetic outdoor ice rink.Greater Muskogee Area Chamber Of CommerceIllumination: Tree Lights at Chicago’s Morton Arboretum brings the classic holiday light display to an innovative and interactive level. From Nov. 21 to Jan. 3, visitors can stroll the mile-long path through light and projection displays.The Morton ArboretumHighlights of Illumination: Tree Lights include lights synced to the sounds of the Chciago Symphony Orchestra in Symphony Woods and the touch-responsive juniper trees at Hug a Tree.The Morton ArboretumFrom Nov. 21 to Jan. 4, the Louisville MEGA Cavern hosts the world’s only fully underground holiday lights display, Lights Under Louisville.Louisville MEGA CavernDuring Lights Under Louisville, visitors hop in their own cars for a 30-minute drive through the tunnels of Louisville Mega Cavern, past 850 characters lit by more than 2 million points of light.Louisville MEGA CavernDuring Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo, from Nov. 19 to Jan. 4, zoo-goers enjoy displays with more than 2 million lights, in addition to nightly live entertainment.Dale Martin, Houston ZooVisitors to Houston’s Zoo Lights are greeted by Holly Berry, a 1958 Cadillac sporting custom decorations and a 21-channel computerized lighting and sound system especially for this event.Dale Martin, Houston ZooFrom Nov. 28 to Jan. 4, the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago lights up with more than 2 million bulbs during ZooLights.Lincoln Park ZooBesides festive lights displays, ZooLights offers visitors the chance to see Santa, decorate holiday cookies, ice skate, purchase holiday crafts or take holiday wagon rides through the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo.Lincoln Park ZooZooLights at the Oregon Zoo in Portland takes place from Nov. 28 to Jan. 4 and features more than a million LED lights throughout the zoo.Oregon ZooThe zoo train makes its first run during zoolights in a snowstorm at the Oregon Zoo. © Oregon Zoo / Photo by Carli DavidsonCarli Davidson, Oregon ZooThe annual holiday celebration known as ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo is set to feature 3.8 million lights across 700 holiday displays this year.Phoenix ZooVisitors to ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo can also visit Santa, watch live ice sculpting, hear holiday tunes and take a carriage ride beneath the lights.Phoenix ZooFeatured Weekly Ad