5 Must-See Christmas Town Attractions on Your Holiday Vacation

November 30, 2018

Christmas Town is a great destination for your family vacation. Here's our must-see list!

Are you looking for the perfect place to go with your family while school is out on winter break? Why not plan a trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia. We’re celebrating Christmas Town’s 10th anniversary this year with more than 10 million lights, making it one of the largest light displays in North America. Enjoy an all-new lighted holiday train experience plus all of your Christmas Town favorites like family-friendly shows, character meet and greet opportunities and so much more.

Whether this is your first time visiting or this is your annual holiday trip, we can’t wait to see you! Take a look at our top 5 list of must-see attractions to make your Christmas vacation truly magical.

Enjoy Christmas shopping during Busch Gardens Christmas Town

5. Holiday Shopping

If you haven’t finished your shopping yet (or even if you have), you can find a variety of gifts ranging from Christmas ornaments to park souvenirs. Find the perfect stocking stuffers for your loved ones or browse through authentic European merchandise throughout the park. For a more unique present, our traditional German outdoor market has an array of handmade gifts and snacks from local artisans. You can find Mistletoe Marketplace near NewKastle in the North Pole (Oktoberfest).

Tip: Purchase a Shoppers Pass in the park to save more on your Christmas shopping.

You don’t have to wait until the end of the day to do your shopping either – our free Package Pick-Up Service lets you shop and then pick up your purchases at the front of the park before you leave. Ask a Team Member at any of our gift shops to learn more about this convenience.

Smile with the Clydesdale horses for a Christmas photo

4. Photo Opportunities

Leave the picture taking to us! Easily capture every thrill and family moment at Christmas Town with photo opportunities throughout the park. Visit Sesame Street Forest of Fun for kid-friendly attractions and a special Christmas Town photo at 1-2-3 Smile with Me! You’ll also find Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his friends in Holiday Hills (Festa Italia). And if you stop by Highland Stables for a picture, your family may not be the only ones smiling for the camera. Our Clydesdale horses love to join in the fun.

Tip: Add a PhotoKey to your visit and collect digital photos at select locations then instantly share your memories with everyone in your party. Plus get priority access to Rudolph’s Winter Wonderland and Santa’s Workshop.

Deck the Halls family-friendly holiday show

3. Family-Friendly Shows

Our Christmas shows come to life this winter and shine with festive holiday music, song and dance. Grab a seat inside our German dining hall for the classic songs and upbeat dancing of Deck the Halls. Don’t forget to try our Christmas menus while you’re there, with favorites like roasted sirloin sandwiches, traditional turkey dinners and delicious seasonal desserts.If the cold doesn’t bother you anyway, find a spot outside of Das Festhaus for our light show. Or, head over to the Royal Palace Theatre to see world-champion figure skater Elvis Stojko bring Christmas to life in this full-scale ice show. These are just a few of the wonderful shows we have on stage.

We also have an all-new show this year just for kids: join Cookie Monster, Rosita, Grover and Zoe as they help Elmo find his Christmas wish.

Tip: Purchase Reserved Seating to guarantee one of the best seats in the house to some of our most popular shows.

Meet Santa and take photos at Santa's Workshop

2. Santa’s Workshop

Santa Claus has been hard at work getting ready for Christmas, but he always makes sure to spend time with the children who wish to meet him. Take a walk through his workshop and see his jolly elves and crafted toys. Then meet good ol’ St. Nick who is looking forward to hearing your holiday wish list.

Tip: Purchase a Christmas Town Quick Queue or PhotoKey to get priority access to Santa’s Workshop. You may also get one of our Santa photo packages for easy printed photos of your child’s visit to share with friends and family.

Lighted holiday train experience at Busch Gardens Christmas Town

1. Christmas Town Express

This lighted holiday train experience is brand new this year, and we can’t wait for you to see it! Head over to Caribou Station in New France and hop aboard a 1.5-mile tour around the world’s most beautiful theme park. Take in the two million stunning Christmas lights and themed holiday vignettes along its path. Marvel at the other light displays throughout the park like Polar Pathway and its waterfall of almost 1.6 million lights. That’s a total of more than 10 million lights at Christmas Town!

Tip: Make sure to have additional layers if the weather is cooler outside because the air feels colder while the train is moving.

Whether you’re traveling with children, friends or your significant other, we hope this list helps you plan your visit to Christmas Town.

Tip: With hotel accommodations, tickets and discounts, the Celebrate Christmas vacation package is a great deal if you’re looking to spend a few days in the area. Plus get free General Parking and two free meals with each paid ticket*. Come see the all that Christmas Town and Hampton Roads has to offer.

* See package description for more details. Free parking and meals only valid at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Get hotel accomodations, theme park tickets and more with a Busch Gardens Vacation Package

What are you most looking forward to at Christmas Town? Share your story with us on social media using #ShareMyBGWStory #APlaceToBelieve #ChristmasTown @BuschGardensVA

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