Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens: A Family Guide

Callaway Resort and Gardens’ Fantasy in Lights is the south’s premier drive through Christmas light and music spectacle.  With initial training from Disney Imagineers, Callaway Gardens created a magical 7-mile-long holiday light show.  Prepare to be delighted by 18 festive light scenes choreographed to holiday music. 

Callaway Gardens holiday lights have been recognized nationally by Forbes and across the world by National Geographic Traveler.  Bring your family together and experience holiday magic at Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens – which is only a 1:30 drive from downtown Atlanta!  Follow along below to learn everything you need to know to participate in this beloved Georgia Christmas tradition. 

What are Callaway Gardens?

Callaway Resort and Gardens is a 2500-acre property in southwestern Georgia known for its beautiful azalea gardens, walking and biking trails, golf courses, Butterfly Center, and its seasonal activities.  In the spring, enjoy the famous azaleas in bloom.  Enjoy Robin Lake Beach in the summer.  The fall brings Pumpkins at Callaway and the Christmas season transforms the gardens into a winter wonderland where visitors enjoy 10 million twinkling holiday lights.  It is a wonderful Georgia destination for families with kids.   

History of the Gardens

After retiring, Virginia and Cason Callaway (cousin of Ely Callaway, Jr. – founder of Callaway Golf) transformed a fallow cotton farm in southwestern Georgia into gardens in the 1940s.  Virginia was an outstanding horticulturist.  She was inspired when she discovered a native plumleaf azalea on the property.  Callaway Gardens opened to the public in 1952.  Today, the gardens boast 40-acres of azaleas in the Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl. 

Where are Callaway Gardens?

Callaway Resort and Gardens are located near Columbus, Georgia in the small town of Pine Mountain.  This surprisingly hilly area encompasses the southernmost foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.  It takes only an hour and a half to drive to Callaway from downtown Atlanta. 

When is the Best Time to visit the Holiday Lights at Callaway Gardens?

Fantasy in Lights is open between mid-November and the New Year.  Sometimes the holiday lights are available through the first weekend of the New Year.  Check the Callaway Gardens’ website to confirm the season for this year.

History of Christmas Lights at Callaway Gardens

Virginia Hand Callaway, one of the gardens’ founders, dreamed of a holiday light show in the gardens based on the ones she experienced growing up in Pelham, Georgia.  To bring Mrs. Callaway’s dream to fruition, the gardens worked with Walt Disney Imagineering to develop the first scenes.  The first drive through light display opened to the public in 1992 with 5 scenes.  The gardens have expanded and multiplied the scenes over the years.  They added Song of Trees, the newest scene, in 2025.

How Can I see Fantasy in Lights?

Callaway Gardens offers multiple ways to see Fantasy in Lights.  The most popular choices are to drive your own car or to ride the festive Jolly Trolley.  I’ve seen the lights four times and I’ve experienced both methods.  Each one is great fun and they are priced the same – see below to learn more to help you choose the best method. 

Callaway opens the 7-mile lights trail to bicycles on the first 2 nights that they are open.  This experience is on my bucket list.  If you’ve participated in Bike Night, let me know what you thought in the comments!

For a VIP experience, explore the Pink Jeep Tour.

You cannot walk through the main lights however; you can walk through the Winter Wonderland Walkway in Christmas Village so you won’t miss out on selfie opportunities.  This walk takes just over 10 minutes. 

Drive Your Own Car through the Lights

Driving your own car through the Fantasy in Lights is the most comfortable experience.  Roll down your windows to hear the music.  Open the sunroof so your kids can stand up and experience the lights outside the car.  I think that the unique experience of standing in the sunroof made the lights extra magical.  I’ve also seen children and parents riding in the back of pickup trucks filled with pillows and blankets. 

How Long does Fantasy in Lights Take?

We waited in the car line for 1-hour.  Then we spent roughly 1-hour driving through the lights from the time our car started moving until we pulled into the parking lot at Christmas Village at the end.  Plan on spending at least 2-hours in your car if you choose to drive through the Christmas lights at Callaway Gardens.  Bring a picnic dinner to make the most of your time waiting for your turn to drive through the holiday lights. 

Tips for Driving Your Car

• Turn your headlights down or off.  Or turn on your parking lights.  Don’t spoil the experience of the people in the car in front of you.  The first time we drove through the lights, the minivan behind us had their lights on, which shined brightly into our car making it an uncomfortable experience.  Don’t be that car!
• Roll down your windows so that you can hear the music
• Dress warmly.  Once you roll down the windows, it will get chilly inside your car, so bring a warm coat, hat, and gloves.
• Open the Sunroof for your kids.  To make the experience extra special, let your kids pop out of the roof of your car or sit in the bed of your pickup truck to enjoy the lights
• Pack a picnic dinner.  Waiting in the car line for your turn to drive through the lights this is the perfect opportunity to eat dinner.  You will wait roughly 1 hour. 
• A driver must always be in the vehicle.  Once you’ve parked your car in the car line, you cannot leave it unattended.  This means taking turns to run down to the Christmas Village to use the restroom or purchase hot chocolate.
• See the lights early and visit Christmas Village later.  Book the 7pm drive through time slot and visit the Christmas Village AFTER you drive through the lights.  They release the first 7pm drivers around 6:30pm, so go ahead and get in line to be among the first to drive through the lights!

Ride the Jolly Trolley through the Lights

After our first drive through experience, we tried the festive Jolly Trolley on our second visit to Callaway Gardens.  Our children were 2 and 4-years old on this visit.  We loaded up on the trolley, which is an open-air car pulled by a pickup truck.  The kids sat in our laps.  They LOVED the sing-alongs in the trolley.  One of the best parts of riding the trolley was singing Christmas carols with the other passengers.  These songs made the experience extra festive!

Tips for Riding the Jolly Trolley

• Pick an Early Trolley Time. Choose an early time and arrive early (or choose a less popular evening) so you don’t have to wait in line too long to board the trolley. I overheard a woman in line for the trolley say that she got in line for the Jolly Trolley at 7pm last year and that she didn’t board a trolley until 8:30pm. The line was extremely long just before 8pm.
• Dress warmly – think warm coat, hat and gloves.  You will be completely outside, so it may be a good idea to bring a blanket for your lap.  When we brought our kids, it was cold and I wished we had brought a blanket.
• Be ready to sing along!  The camaraderie and Christmas carols make the Jolley Trolley extra fun
• You can bring a hot chocolate – although not recommended if you have small children sitting in your lap
• In case of Rain – If it is raining and you want to go inside your car instead of riding the Jolly Trolly, then simply get in the car line.  You do not have to change your ticket at Will Call

Pink Jeep Tour

We saw the Pink Jeep Tour drive by.  It looked like a chauffeured and personal version of the Jolly Trolley in an open-air pink Jeep.  If you booked the Pink Jeep Tour, let me know what you thought in the comments!

Are you planning a holiday proposal?  Callaway Gardens can help you with a Romantic Proposal Getaway.  Propose underneath a million twinkling lights!  The package includes private access to the light display before it opens to the public.  The Pink Jeep will transport you of course!  Follow your proposal with a candlelit dinner and a romantic overnight stay. 

Bike Night

For the first two nights that Fantasy in Lights is open in November, you can experience the lights from a different perspective by riding your bike through the light displays!  The slower pace of Bike Night allows you to pause and get up close to the characters and scenes. 

You can bring your own bike with a headlight or rent one at Callaway.  Be sure to reserve rented bikes in advance as they are limited.  You can add a baby seat or a trailer for kids to your rental. 

Bike Night is on my bucket list.  If you participated in Bike Night before, let me know your recommendations in the comments!

General Tips for Fantasy in Lights

• Book your tickets early.  The most popular nights will sell out!  I booked my tickets online at the beginning of November and there were plenty of time slots available.  Pricing is related to how popular the date is.  For a more economical and a less crowded experience visit the lights on a weeknight while school is in session.  This may be ideal for families with toddlers and preschool aged children
• Tickets are non-refundable.  You may be able to exchange your tickets for a different date or time slot, but once they are purchased, they are non-refundable
• Callaway Gardens has its own app.  Download it before your trip, so you can have all the information you need at your fingertips
• Check the weather and dress warmly – you will be outside
• Arrive early – traffic backs up outside the gardens as sunset approaches and continues to build into the evening.  Your ticket to Fantasy in Lights includes a day pass to Callaway Resort and Gardens, so you can arrive as early as you want!

• Do not bring your pets.  Only service animals are permitted on the grounds at Callaway
• Inclement Weather – the show goes on in the rain.  If there is severe weather, check the Callaway Gardens website and social media for updates
• Restrooms.  On busy nights the line for the lady’s restroom is extremely long.  There are porta potties available too with shorter lines.  Plan so that you don’t miss your ride through the lights!
• Timing. You may get in line for trolley loading or in the car line any time during your hour time slot.  If you have a Jolly Trolly ticket for 6:00pm, then you must get in line before 7:00pm. If you have a Jolly Trolley ticket for 7:00pm, then you must get in line between 7:00pm and 8:00pm.
• What if I’m late? If you are late and you miss your time slot, then go to Will Call (located at Robin’s Nest, Queue Lot, and near Trolley Loading) to exchange your ticket for a later time slot

What else does Callaway Gardens offer in addition to the Lights?

Each ticket to Fantasy in Lights comes with a Day Pass to Callaway Resort and Gardens.  Come early and spend the day exploring fall colors in the gardens and tropical color in the Butterfly House.  Learn more about how my family spent our day at Callaway Gardens in this post.

Callaway Christmas Village at Robin Lake

In addition to the 7-mile holiday light trail, Callaway created a magical Christmas Village at Robin Lake to round out the experience.  Get out of your car and explore the Christmas Village where you can find good things to eat, hot drinks to keep you warm, a walk-thought light experience, a Christmas Market and Santa Claus.  To access the Christmas Village, you must have a ticket to Fantasy in Lights

Winter Wonderland Walkway

A walk-through experience, the Winter Wonderland Walkway is your opportunity to get the perfect family selfie with the holiday lights.  The Walkway begins with a tunnel of lights and then leads you through a series of light displays.  You can get up close to these lights and take pictures.  Walking through the lights will take about 10 minutes or longer depending on how many photos you stop to take. 

Tree of Traditions Pixel Pine

This 40-foot-tall tree standing at Robin Lake Beach puts on a dazzling light display on its own.  Enjoy this twinkling tree as it actively changes colors from green to red and features tumbling holly leaves and other images. 

Food Vendors

Callaway Gardens offers a variety of food at Robin Lake Beach.  You can purchase burgers, chicken tenders, hot dogs, potato bowls, chili and drinks including hot beverages at the Robin Lake Grill.  Venture out to the food trucks for soft pretzels, pretzel dogs, empanadas, gyros, cheesesteaks, sausages and more.  The food trucks offer snacks such as fried green tomatoes, fried pickles, kettle corn and other sweet treats.  Roast marshmallows for s’mores at a fire pit. 

Christmas Market

Inside the glowing green, white and red tent, you will find the Christmas market.  Purchase ornaments to commemorate your trip and other holiday gifts here.  Where the Christmas Market really shines is in its offerings for children.  Santa Claus is here.  Wait in line to visit the big man and have your photo taken with him.  Look for story times with Mrs. Claus.  Color Holiday themed pages and have your face painted to round out the festive experience. 

Parking for the Christmas Village

Free parking is available on a first-come, first served basis.  Parking attendants are available to direct you.  It will be busy!  Shuttles are available to take you to the Christmas Village.  I saw the shuttles, but we did not ride one.  We simply walked.  The best place to park is near the Robin Lake Beach area.  After 5pm, you can enter directly through the Beach Entrance on Highway 27.  The entrance is closed during the day.  If you arrive earlier, enter Callaway Gardens from the main entrance and then you will be able to reach Robin Lake Beach from inside the gardens.

How to extend Holiday Magic at Callaway

Instead of a day trip, you could spend the night.  One year, when my children were small, we came for New Year’s Eve and we rented a cottage.  That allowed us plenty of time to go at our own pace.  We explored the gardens in the morning following the lights, which was perfect for our toddler and preschool aged children. 

• Breakfast with Santa is available on select dates in November and December – typically Saturday – this event sells out quickly – be sure to book in advance
• Christmas Day Buffet – or book a dinner in the Piedmont Dining Room
• New Year’s Eve Celebration – dinner, entertainment, and fireworks (adults only)

My Family’s Experience at Callaway Gardens’ Fantasy in Lights

Arrive Early for Fantasy in Lights

I booked a 7:00pm Drive Through Experience.  We made a day out of our trip to Callaway Resort and Gardens.  We arrived in Pine Mountain early enough to eat lunch at the Whistling Pig Café.  Then we spent the afternoon exploring Callaway Gardens.  I made a wreath in a workshop at the Discovery Center.  We participated in Birds of Prey show.  The Butterfly Center is always magical.  I especially enjoyed seeing the butterflies emerging from their cocoons.  In southern Georgia, fall color hangs around well into December.  We took in the colorful leaves while strolling the trails in the Azalea Bowl.

Head to Christmas Village at Robin Lake Beach

We entered the parking lot at Robin Lake Beach from inside Callaway Resort and Gardens around 5:30pm.  Traffic was backed up outside the Beach Entrance on Highway 27.  Cars poured into the parking area. 

We spoke to the first attendant we came to because we were going opposite the flow of traffic.  We told him that we had 7pm drive through tickets.  He advised us to get in line for the lights first and visit the Christmas Village afterwards.  He told us that they released the first cars around 6:30pm so if we got in line, then we would be among the first cars to see the lights. 

Fantasy in Lights Drive Through Experience

Lining Up for Fantasy in Lights

We parked our car in the first row.  We took turns taking trips to the restroom so that a driver was always in the car.  Then we ate our picnic dinner in the car.  We ordered sandwiches from our neighborhood Jimmy John’s before we left Atlanta.  Around 6:20pm, an attendant came around scanning tickets.  You must have a ticket for each passenger.  Around 6:35pm, they released us to begin our drive through the lights!  It was a little bit of a drive to the trail of lights.  I recommend that you keep your headlights on until you reach Christmas Tree Lane and its dancing trees.

Christmas Tree Lane

The first spectacle was Christmas Tree Lane with colorful Christmas trees lit in various colors choreographed to Carol of the Bells.  Then we saw The March of the Toy Soldiers, where the soldiers marched along with other toys, butterflies, fireflies, and musical instruments.  The next scene was the Enchanted Rainbow Forest, which highlighted the changing seasons.  We drove underneath strings of colorful lights surrounded by delightful fairies and blooming flowers until Jack Frost blew cold air in ushering in winter and turning everything white. 

Candy Cane Lane

We passed scenes of children playing in the snow and building a snow man.  Laughing children jumped rope, swung, and played on see saws.  We saw a frog hop into the water in a pond.  I loved how he ribbited and splashed.  We passed through a gingerbread house at the North Pole along Candy Cane Lane choreographed to Jingle Bell Rock.  The 12 Days of Christmas scenes were expertly displayed against the backdrop of the popular song.  I loved that the five golden rings were wrapped around a tree trunk! 

Snowflake Valley

Then we entered Snowflake Valley.  Thousands of strings of white and blue lights hung from above.  We were engulfed by lights – this enchanting winter wonderland was my favorite display on the route.  The strings of lights gave way to snowflakes.  We drove through a wreath which was followed by scenes of flowers and poinsettias set to the song Holly Jolly Christmas.  Next, we witnessed colorful Christmas trees along the lake dancing to music by Mannheim Steamroller. 

Tunnel of Light

Next, we saw, ice skaters on the lake, couples dancing, families playing and children snow-sledding to We Wish You a Merry Christmas.  We passed through trees filled with frolicking squirrels, critters, and turtles along the ground.  After passing through a lit covered bridge, we came to the Tunnel of Light choreographed to Angels we have Heard on High. 

Magical Field of Lights

Then, we were enchanted by the Magical Field of Lights which features a 10-story tall Christmas tree.  The surrounding field danced to the music of Hallelujah.  This was the grand finale at end of the lights the last time we visited. 

Song of Trees – but wait, there’s more!

Callaway added a new light display in 2025 called the Song of Trees featuring candy cane striped tree trunks mixed in with other colors choreographed to Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.  At that point, we looped back around through two-way traffic through Christmas Tree Lane. 

Christmas Village

We parked and visited Christmas Tree Village.  To warm up, we purchased hot chocolates at the Robin Lake Grill to take on the Winter Wonderland Walkway.  These walk-through lights were the perfect opportunity for selfies.  We explored the Christmas Market before calling it a night.  We drove back to Atlanta and arrived at our house just before 10:00pm.

Summing up Our Family Visits to Fantasy in Lights

I experienced Callaway Gardens’ Fantasy in Lights four times.  My husband and I drove through the lights as a couple before our children were born.  We spent the night in a cottage and rode the Jolly Trolley on New Year’s Eve when our children were 2 and 4 years old.  Spending the night gave us flexibility with our little ones and allowed us to explore the gardens in the morning at our own pace. 

We visited again when our kids were 10 and 12 years old.  This time with drove through the lights while my 10-year-old son stood up in the sunroof and my daughter hung out the window.  My son LOVED sticking his head out of the top of the car.  This visit was the most memorable of them all. 

For our most recent visit, I asked my daughter to select our holiday activity for her senior year in high school.  She asked to visit Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights again because our past visits were so magical! 

Holiday Family Fun in Georgia

My family experienced nothing short of holiday magic at Callaway Gardens’ Fantasy in Lights in Pine Mountain, Georgia.  If you visit, I know that you will enjoy the holiday ambience too.  Let me know if you need help planning your visit and I will answer all questions in the comments!

Pin for Later!