Everything You Need to Know about Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights

Callaway Gardens’ annual Christmas light display started 29 years ago, in 1992, and today is ranked by National Geographic as one of the top 10 light displays in the world. It began with just five drive-thru scenes but now boasts more than eight million lights spread out over seven miles. Interested in visiting Callaway Gardens’ spectacular holiday lights this season? Read on for my 2021 guide to the Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights event.

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When to Go to Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights

Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights began this year on November 19 and runs through January 3. The tickets are split into three categories: Value Nights, Prime Nights, and Super Prime Nights. Ticket prices range from $19.95 to $34.95 per adult, and $16.95 to $29.95 for kids under 12, depending on the ticket category. Value Nights take place most weekdays other than the week of Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas. Super Prime Nights include each Saturday in December before Christmas and the weeknights from December 18 to 22.

How to Buy Tickets

Tickets can be purchased online or onsite, but I highly recommend purchasing in advance to guarantee your spot. Tickets are for specific time slots, which are used to manage the flow of traffic through the drive-thru experience.

What to Expect

Your Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights ticket includes admission to tour the resort once to view the Christmas lights either in your own vehicle or in Callaway Gardens’ Jolly Trolley. The trolley is an open-air shuttle that has festive music and narration. Last year, during the pandemic, we chose to use on own car, but the trolley is normally the most popular option, according to Callaway Gardens. If you opt for the trolley, be sure to bring a jacket, gloves, hat, and maybe even a blanket, to keep warm on a chilly evening.

If you choose to take your car, you’ll line up your vehicle at a large lot at the front of the resort before your tour. You can enter the car queue any time within the hour time slot printed on your ticket. You can also enter the line as early as 15 minutes before the time slot or as late as 15 minutes after. On a busy weekend night, you’ll likely have to wait in the car queue for a little while (we spent at least a half-hour waiting last year), so be prepared with some holiday tunes or car activities for the kids. Riders of the Jolly Trolley load onto the shuttle near Robin Lake at the Callaway Christmas Village.

Seeing the Callaway Gardens Lights

Drive-Thru Scenes

The Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights drive-thru consists of 14 separate scenes depicted in lights. The scenes include Christmas Tree Lane, which has rows of multi-colored trees lining the street, as well as the March of the Toy Soldiers, which features various childhood toys. You can also see all the gifts from the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”—from the partridge in the pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming. Most of the scenes are created using blinking lights on intricate frames.

Callaway Gardens also uses its numerous ponds and lakes to its advantage, with several shimmering scenes reflected on the water. Look for a pair of trees wrapped in lights, a jumping frog, a family of swans, and poinsettia plants, all glittering at the water’s edge.

Two of the most stunning light displays at Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights are the Enchanted Rainbow Forest and Snowflake Valley, which feature thousands of light strands hung from the trees. Creating dream-like passageways, the lights in the Enchanted Rainbow Forest illustrate the changing seasons, while the lights of the Snowflake Valley create an icy blue and white winter wonderland.   

Near the end of the drive is the Magical Field of Lights, which Callaway Gardens introduced in 2020. Covering more than 200 yards of lawn, this choreographed light show blazes across the ground and races up and down a 10-story-tall Christmas tree in time to holiday music.

Walk-Thru Experiences

In addition to the drive-thru displays, you can see two more scenes at Robin Lake Beach that depict the story of the Nativity and the holiday classic “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” And new this year is a walk-thru light experience at the Callaway Christmas Village.

Where to Eat

Concession food is available at the Fantasy in Lights Pavilion in front of Callaway Garden’s beach area on Robin Lake. During our visit, we grabbed dinner at the pavilion and ate at one of the picnic tables there. The offerings include burgers, pizza, kettle corn, and other carnival-type fare.

Where to Shop

The Callaway Christmas Village has a shop located inside Callaway’s Big Top tent, where FSU’s Flying High Circus performs in the summer months. Here, you can buy Christmas ornaments, decorations, and other Callaway Gardens wares.

Where to Stay for Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights

For our visit, we drove down for the night from the Atlanta area, about three hours round trip. It’s a manageable drive for an evening out with the family. But if you’re looking for a more laid-back visit, you can book a stay at one of Callaway Gardens’ lodging options. These include the Lodge (a traditional hotel) or the Cottages or Villas (homes with full kitchens and living areas).

Looking for more things to do for Christmas in Georgia? You might like The Complete Guide to Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Holiday Lights or Guide to the Best Christmas Events in Atlanta 2022. Staying at Callaway Gardens and interested in nearby things to do? Check out What to See with a Georgia Historic Sites Pass.