Notes of Merriment Rise at North Carolina Attractions

With COVID-19 threatening to make a mockery and a misery of well-loved traditions, holiday lovers can seize the opportunity to reinvent their celebrations. In place of an extended family gathering, a North Carolina(link is external) road trip with household members will buoy spirits and inspire an expanded rendition for 2021. Most attractions below are participants in the statewide Count On Me NC(link is external) initiative, which offers free training in science-based protocols and also asks the public to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.  Check websites for specific COVID-19 protocols.

Greensboro: What better place to launch a tradition than a destination with a brand new celebration. Winter Wonderlights(link is external) transforms the zoo at Greensboro Science Center into a holidayscape of 12 Magical Realms of light, color and excitement. Outdoor experiences include a walk through the Ice Age, a forest of light and a fountain featuring dancing penguins. Visitors can also head indoors to visit Santa, hear carolers and see a giant living snow globe.

Clemmons: As the home of Tanglewood Park(link is external) near Winston-Salem, Clemmons shares the glory of the Festival of Lights(link is external), a dazzling display along a 5-mile wooded route. The attraction’s Christmas Village will be closed, but families and small groups can opt for a horse-drawn carriage ride or tractor-pulled hayride. Book an RV campsite(link is external), the Manor House Inn(link is external) or cottage (link is external)to spend the night at Tanglewood, which also boasts two golf courses, a nature trail, arboretum and gardens.

Concord: Bright lights and movie nights make Charlotte Motor Speedway(link is external) a holiday highlight. Hear seasonal tunes as you drive the 3.75-mile course used by NASCAR champions and see displays created with 4 million LED lights. Thursday through Sunday, guests can park in front the Speedway’s giant screen to watch a holiday movie. Extend the fun with a stay at Great Wolf Lodge(link is external), which offers grab-and-go crafts and other activities for its Snowland celebration.

Charlotte: After spending summer on the sidelines, Carowinds amusement park reopens for a Taste of the Season(link is external). The outdoor event features holiday sweets and savories. shows, shopping and family rides. A Charlotte stay places you near the action in Concord, Christmas Town USA(link is external) in McAdenville and Holidays at the Garden(link is external) at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont.

Bryson City: Great Smoky Mountain Railroad’s Polar Express(link is external) excursion remains the holiday star in this mountain town. Bryson City(link is external) extends the spirit brilliantly with a 50-foot Christmas tree; 200,000 LED lights enhancing stores, bridges and lamp posts; and a red caboose decorated for photo ops.

Blowing Rock: Tweetsie Railroad, the Wild West theme park, steams through an adorned mountain landscape for Tweetsie Christmas(link is external), which also opens its rides and other activities. It pairs beautifully with a stay at Chetola(link is external), which creates a free drive-through Festival of Lights(link is external) across its 87 acres.

Wilmington: Come to the coast to see the lights at Enchanted Airlie(link is external), a self-guided stroll set to music at Airlie Gardens. At Carolina Beach, events related to the Island of Lights(link is external) celebration have been canceled, but travelers can still walk through light displays at Carolina Beach Lake Park.

For more ideas, drop by VisitNC.com(link is external).

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