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Holidays

These are the 10 best botanical garden holiday lights displays this year

10Best Editors
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? 10Best readers voted , and the results are in. Scroll to see the winners.
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?  10Best readers voted, and the results are in.  Scroll to see the winners.
Bauhaus1000, Getty Images
No. 10: River of Lights - ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden in Albuquerque, New Mexico. New Mexico ’ s largest walk-through light show, River of Lights at the ABQ BioPark Botanic 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.
No. 10: River of Lights - ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden in Albuquerque, New Mexico. New Mexico’s largest walk-through light show, River of Lights at the ABQ BioPark Botanic 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.
Visit Albuquerque
No. 9: Garden Glow - Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. The Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden features more than a million lights, as well as concessions selling s ’ mores, hot chocolate and traditional holiday treats.
No. 9: Garden Glow - Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. The Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden features more than a million lights, as well as concessions selling s’mores, hot chocolate and traditional holiday treats.
Ning He
No. 8: Lights in Bloom - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. 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.
No. 8: Lights in Bloom - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. 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.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
No. 7: Galaxy of Lights - Huntsville Botanical Garden in Huntsville, Alabama. 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.
No. 7: Galaxy of Lights - Huntsville Botanical Garden in Huntsville, Alabama. 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.
Huntsville Botanical Garden
No. 6: Dominion Energy Million Bulb Walk - Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia. Visitors immerse themselves in 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.
No. 6: Dominion Energy Million Bulb Walk - Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia. Visitors immerse themselves in 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.
Norfolk Botanical Garden
No. 5: Illuminations - Botanica in Wichita, Kansas. 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.
No. 5: Illuminations - Botanica in Wichita, Kansas. 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.
Rick Mcpherson
No. 4: Gardens Aglow - Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. 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.
No. 4: Gardens Aglow - Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. 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.
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
No. 3: Nights of a Thousand Candles - Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. 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 cup of cider, cocoa or wine in hand, while enjoying the sounds of live holiday music.
No. 3: Nights of a Thousand Candles - Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. 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 cup of cider, cocoa or wine in hand, while enjoying the sounds of live holiday music.
Brookgreen Gardens, By Wayne's View Photography
No. 2: Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights - Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden lights up with over a million LED bulbs during the Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights.
No. 2: Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights - Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden lights up with over a million LED bulbs during the Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights.
Tom Hennessy
No. 1: A Longwood Christmas - Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. 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, from 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.
No. 1: A Longwood Christmas - Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. 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, from 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.
Longwood Gardens
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