USA TODAY 10Best
Readers select Longwood Gardens as Best Botanical Garden for Holiday Lights
Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights (2021)
Throughout the holiday season, spectacular light shows brighten up botanical gardens across the United States. Instead of spring flowers, visitors find twinkling holiday lights, often accompanied by a range of other festivities. Which botanical garden puts on the best seasonal lights show?
The top 10 winners in the category Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights are as follows:
- River of Lights - ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden - Albuquerque
- Garden Glow - Missouri Botanical Garden - St. Louis
- Lights in Bloom - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens - Sarasota, Fla.
- Galaxy of Lights - Huntsville Botanical Garden - Huntsville, Alabama
- Dominion Energy Million Bulb Walk - Norfolk Botanical Garden - Norfolk, Virginia
- Illuminations - Botanica - Wichita, Kansas
- Gardens Aglow - Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens - Boothbay, Maine
- Nights of a Thousand Candles - Brookgreen Gardens - Murrells Inlet, S.C.
- Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights - Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden - Richmond, Virginia
- A Longwood Christmas - Longwood Gardens - Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Photo courtesy of Visit Albuquerque
No. 10:
New Mexico’s largest walk-through light show, River of Lights at the ABQ BioPark Botanical Garden, features more than 600 displays made up of millions of lights. Other highlights of the event include a holiday-themed Garden Railroad model train exhibit, holiday nature crafts in the education building and visits with Santa aboard the Polar Bear Express.
Photo courtesy of Ning He
No. 9:
The Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden features more than a million lights and concessions selling s’mores, hot chocolate and traditional holiday treats.
Photo courtesy of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
No. 8:
More than 2 million lights illuminate Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota during Lights in Bloom. Walkways become sensory light tunnels, and the garden comes alive with illuminated flowers, rainforest butterflies and dragonflies. Santa visits nightly.
Photo courtesy of Huntsville Botanical Garden
No. 7:
Galaxy of Lights at Huntsville Botanical Garden features both walk-thru and drive-thru experiences with more than 2.5 miles of lights displays. Visitors can bring their four-legged friends on special dog-walking nights.
Photo courtesy of Credit: Norfolk Botanical Garden
No. 6:
Visitors immerse themselves into a magical holiday wonderland as they walk the garden of lights under the Norfolk Botanical Garden’s canopy of trees. A million dazzling LED lights create an experience like none other in Coastal Virginia.
Photo courtesy of Rick Mcpherson
No. 5:
Illuminations at Botanica in Wichita features nights illuminated with some two million twinkling bulbs, paired with thousands of luminaries to light the way. Carolers and live music set the scene each night, and Santa is on-site for visits with young visitors.
Photo courtesy of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
No. 4:
Gardens Aglow at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay ranks among the biggest and brightest lights displays in New England, with more than 650,000 bulbs.
Photo courtesy of courtesy Brookgreen Gardens, by Wayne's View Photography
No. 3:
On select nights in December, Brookgreen Gardens celebrates the holiday season in the glow of more than 2,800 hand-lit candles and countless more sparkling lights. Visitors can walk through the display with a warm cup of cider, cocoa or wine in hand to the sounds of live holiday music.
Photo courtesy of Tom Hennessy
No. 2:
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond lights up with over a million LED bulbs during the Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights.
Photo courtesy of Longwood Gardens
No. 1:
During A Longwood Christmas, Longwood Gardens celebrates the nostalgic traditions of the season. The outdoor gardens are sheer magic with more than half a million lights by way of illuminated trees to glowing orbs to dancing fountains. Outdoor fire pits and music add a note of holiday cheer. Inside, the celebration continues with elegantly adorned spaces featuring thousands of colorful poinsettias, living wreaths, and towering trees inspired by the horticultural grandeur of Longwood.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning botanical gardens!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Taylor
The owner and content creator of Family Vacations... Read More
The owner and content creator of Family Vacations U.S is somewhat of a compulsive researcher when it comes to family vacations. Allison has 2 boys ages 10 and 12 whose antics keep her very busy, and being married to a firefighter adds a whole other element to the chaos! You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Allison Taylor
The owner and content creator of Family Vacations U.S is somewhat of a compulsive researcher when it comes to family vacations. Allison has 2 boys ages 10 and 12 whose antics keep her very busy, and being married to a firefighter adds a whole other element to the chaos! You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home... Read More
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of Read More
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Nikky J
NikkyJ is a theme park super fan, Author of The... Read More
NikkyJ is a theme park super fan, Author of The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide, the founder and owner of ThemeParkHipster.com, a wishful Food Critic, coffee enthusiast, and a lover of life! She currently resides in Orlando, Florida where she enjoys spending time with her husband and two little girls while discovering the beautiful attractions of Florida. You can watch her on YouTube or listen to her podcast.
Nikky J
NikkyJ is a theme park super fan, Author of The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide, the founder and owner of ThemeParkHipster.com, a wishful Food Critic, coffee enthusiast, and a lover of life! She currently resides in Orlando, Florida where she enjoys spending time with her husband and two little girls while discovering the beautiful attractions of Florida. You can watch her on YouTube or listen to her podcast.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards... Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
