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Christmas in the South - Holiday Festivals and Christmas Lights

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100 Miles of Lights - Richmond to Virginia Beach
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A "fantasea" of lights illuminates the Virginia Beach Boardwalk.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of "100 Miles of Lights"
Seven Virginia Cities from Richmond to Virginia Beach

The award-winning annual 100 Miles of Lights takes place along the 100 or so miles from Richmond to Virginia Beach, featuring a festive array of holiday light shows, special events, decorated historic areas, musical performances, visits with Santa Claus and more.

The seven host cities for this delightful seasonal event are: Richmond, Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth, Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Some of the highlights include:

See the Holiday Lights - A few of the Light Display highlights include Holiday Lights at the Beach along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, featuring 250 mostly nautical displays, GardenFest of Lights at Richmond's Lewis Ginter Garden with over 500,000 lights in botanical themes and Celebration in Lights, Virginia's oldest drive-through light show, featuring 700,000 lights in over 200 fanciful displays.

Visit Santa - A number of uniquely festive opportunities to visit Santa include singing, sailing and brunch with Santa, a legendary Santa, Victorian Santa and more, each at various locations throughout the season.

Special Events - The events calendar is chocked full of wonderful special events including:

  • Holiday parades
  • Seasonal marketplaces and bazaars
  • Planetarium and aquarium shows
  • Ice skating, carriage rides and caroling
  • Special events for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve
  • World class holiday entertainment
  • Special holiday themed tours and many more fun events
Hotel Packages - Several area hotels feature special packages and rates during the holidays.

Additional Information - Visit the Virginia Tourism 100 Miles of Lights Events Listing.

Next Destination: Magical Nights of Lights - Lake Lanier

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