Rock Creek Park. Washington, DC. November 25-December 11 (Friday through Sunday nights) and December 16-January 1, 2012 (every night except December 24, 25 and 31), 5-9 p.m. FREE Admission! The National Zoo presents a seasonal display of thousands of sparkling animated lights, winter-themed crafts, ice sculpting demonstrations, choral groups, and storytellers. See Photos of ZooLights
Old Town Alexandria Marina and Washington Harbour. December 3, 2011. See dozens of festively decorated pleasure boats light up the sky along the Potomac River. The parade begins at Washington's Channel at Water St. off of Maine Avenue and culminates at Alexandria's waterfront. See Photos of the Alexandria Boat Parade
9900 Stoneybrook Dr., Kensington, Maryland. (301) 587-0144. 2011 December 2, 2011-January 1, 2012. Dusk to 10 p.m. nightly. View more than 450,000 lights and a live outdoor Nativity scene each evening from 6 to 9 p.m. Live musical performances begin at 7 and 8 p.m. See Photos of the Mormon Temple Festival of Lights
11950 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland. November 25 & 26, then Nightly December 2 – 31, 2011 (closed every Monday and December 25). Sunday - Thursday (closed Monday) 6 – 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday 6 – 10 p.m. Winter Lights is a magical Christmas light display including more than 350 illuminated displays and along a 3.5-mile drive through the park. See Photos of Winter Lights at Seneca Creek
301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. November 25, 2011 - January 1, 2012. HOURS: 5-9:30 p.m. daily. $5 per car; $15 for mini-buses and limos; $25 for buses; $10 for multi-visit passes for cars and vans (good for three visits). The festival is FREE on December 25. You may bring canned food items to donate to local food banks for the holidays. Winter Festival of Lights is Prince George’s County, Maryland’s spectacular drive-through Christmas light display featuring more than a million twinkling lights. See Photos of Winter Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park
1800 Glenallen Avenue, Wheaton, Maryland. November 25, 2011- January 8, 2012 (closed Dec 24 & 25 and closed January 2-5) HOURS: 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., last car admitted 8:30 p.m. $25 per car Fri-Sun, $20 Mon-Thurs. Pedestrians cannot be admitted due to safety regulations. (Visitors must drive to the entrance gate, paying at the gate, drive into the parking lot, park their car and walk through the light show display. Garden of Lights Hotline: (301) 962-1453. This illuminated outdoor winter garden walk includes a whimsical monster, an enchanting persimmon tree, a walk through kaleidoscope caterpillar, an animated flying cardinal, and swimming geese over sparkling water. See Photos of Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens
11113 West Baldwin Road, New Market, Maryland. November 18, 2011 - January 8, 2012. HOURS: 6 to 10 p.m. At Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland, drive through a maze filled with hundreds of thousands of lights that twinkle along to Christmas music. $25 per carload, $50 for a mini-bus, activity van or limousine, and school and tour buses cost $100 each. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross and Christmas Cash for Kids. Guests can stay afterwards to meet Santa Claus and enjoy Adventure Park's indoor attractions at a discounted rate including laser Tag, the climbing wall, ropes course, teacups, helicopters, soft play and the Arcade. See Photos of the Christmas Lights at Adventure Park USA
7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville, Virginia. (703) 359-4633. November 23, 2011 to January 8, 2012. Hours: Monday - Thursday & Sunday: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Fridays, Saturdays & holidays: 5:30 to 10 p.m. This festive display of lights features penguins, snowmen, deer, candy canes and Santa. Monday – Thursday, $15 per car, Friday – Sunday, $20 per car. New for 2010, the event will include more than 40,000 animated lights set to music! After viewing the lights you can visit the new Winter Wonderland Holiday Village that includes amusement rides, an ice skating rink, entertainment, shopping, contests, food, and more. See Photos of the Bull Run Christmas Lights.
Symphony Woods, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland. (410) 740-7840. November 21, 2011-Sunday, January 1, 2012. New Year's Eve event! Hours: Every night, including holidays 6-10 p.m. $20 per car. Symphony of Lights is a spectacular drive-through display of more than 75 animated and stationary holiday lights. All proceeds from the Symphony of Lights benefit the services of Howard County General Hospital. See Photos of the Columbia Symphony of Lights
Annapolis Christmas Lights Boat Parade, Annapolis City Harbor (410) 267-9549. December 10, 2011, 6-8 p.m. Enjoy a parade of lights when more than 70 power and sailboats show off their holiday decorations. Free event. See Photos of the Parade of Lights
Route 50, Annapolis, Maryland. (410) 481-3161. November 19, 2011 through January 1, 2012, 5-10 p.m. An annual scenic drive through holiday lights show sponsored by the Anne Arundel Medical Center. Drive along the shore of the Chesapeake Bay and see more than 60 animated and stationary displays illuminating the roadway. $12 per car. See Photos of Lights on the Bay
Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, 13480 Dowell Road, Dowell (Solomons), Maryland. (410) 326-4640. December 2, 2011 - January 1, 2012, 6-9 p.m. Closed Dec. 5-7, 12-14, & 24-25. The walking tour takes visitors on a spectacular stroll beside handmade one-of-a-kind Christmas light sculptures featuring mythical beasts, wild animals, pirates, illuminated works of art, and more. The event includes nightly entertainment. $5 Ages 5 & up. See Photos of Annmarie Garden in Lights
