Virginia is indeed for lovers – and holiday light lovers might just lead that pack! Coming together for one sparkling statewide spectacle, their “100 Miles of Lights” festival strings together illuminated extravaganzas between six cities (all set within a 100-mile span), including Richmond, Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach. Millions of holiday lights and family-friendly celebrations combine for this one-of-a-kind event, including Virginia Beach’s “McDonald's Holiday Lights at the Beach,” which refashions the boardwalk into a striking nautical- and holiday-themed light display, complete with a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree installed right on the beach – it’s the only time of year that vehicles can drive right on the boardwalk (now–January 1; $10 weekdays, $15 weekends per vehicle; www.beachstreetusa.com).
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| Virginia Courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corp - Jeffrey Greenberg |
On November 19, Norfolk’s “Grand Illumination Parade” unfolds, rolling out flashing floats, soaring balloons, marching bands, dancers, and a visit from Santa himself, all in celebration of the illumination of downtown Norfolk (lights stay up through January 1; free; www.downtownnorfolk.org/enjoy/hic). Another highlight is Newport News’ “Celebration in Lights,” an eye-catching, 2-mile, Yule-fueled drive past the forests, fields, and lakes of Newport News Regional Park, all beautified by more than 700,000 holiday lights and 200 illuminated displays (November 24–January 1; $10/vehicle; www.newport-news.org).
