Best Christmas Lights in Historic High Country (NW Georgia)

Georgia's Historic High Country region, the state's northwestern corner around Rome, Dalton, Blue Ridge, and Ellijay, pairs one of the Southeast's best-known holiday attractions at Rock City with a string of small mountain and mill towns that go all-out on their own downtown displays.

Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights

What it is: A walking light trail with more than a million LED lights across five themed trails

Rock City, on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, has run its Enchanted Garden of Lights for more than 30 years, typically from mid-November through early January. The walk includes a lighted Grand Corridor, an Arctic Kingdom trail, a Magic Forest, and a recreation of Rock City's original 1930s buildings at Carter Cliffs, where Santa keeps his workshop. It is a ticketed, timed-entry event with pricing that varies by date; see the Rock City website for current tickets and hours.

Light Up Blue Ridge

What it is: A Christmas parade, tree lighting, and downtown light display in Blue Ridge

Light Up Blue Ridge, held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, brings a Christmas parade with live reindeer, a Gingerbread Village, and the lighting of downtown Blue Ridge's Great Tree. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway follows up with a seasonal Christmas Express train ride featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus, and Blue Ridge on Ice, an outdoor rink downtown, typically runs from early December into January.

Holiday Lights of Ellijay

What it is: A walkable downtown light display and holiday parade

Ellijay's Holiday Lights display fills its small downtown for an easy evening stroll, kicked off each year by the Light Up Ellijay Parade. The Downtown Ellijay Welcome Center also puts up a large lighted ornament display that has become a popular holiday photo spot. It pairs naturally with a fall apple-orchard trip to the area, since Ellijay's Georgia Apple Festival runs just a couple of months earlier in October.

Rome's Holiday Lights and Christmas Parade

What it is: A fairgrounds light show, an outdoor ice rink, and Georgia's oldest Christmas parade

Rome hosts Holiday Lights of Rome at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds, with light displays, tunnels, and decorations set to music, and runs The Rink at Ridge Ferry Park, an outdoor ice skating rink open from late November into mid-January. Rome's Christmas parade dates back to 1950 and bills itself as the oldest continuously running Christmas parade in Georgia.

Book Rock City ahead: The Enchanted Garden of Lights uses timed entry on busy nights, so reserve online rather than showing up and hoping to walk in.

Make a weekend of the mountain towns: Blue Ridge and Ellijay are close enough together to see both in one evening, especially right after Thanksgiving when both towns hold their kickoff events.

For more on this region, see the Historic High Country travel region page or our Tallulah Gorge vs. Cloudland Canyon comparison.

Is Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights in Georgia or Tennessee?
Rock City is in Georgia, on Lookout Mountain, even though it sits just a few minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is often marketed to Chattanooga visitors.

Are Blue Ridge and Ellijay's Christmas events free?
The downtown light displays, parades, and tree lightings are free; extras like the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway's Christmas Express and Blue Ridge on Ice charge separate admission.

When is Rome's Christmas parade?
Rome's Christmas parade is held in early December most years and is billed as the oldest continuously running Christmas parade in Georgia, dating to 1950.