I’ve pushed by way of numerous Christmas gentle shows alongside roadways, however the Holiday Lights on the River had been the most effective I had ever seen. The 2.5-mile route by way of a wooded county park featured wonderful lights, animated shows, and delightful pure seclusion, all from the consolation of my very own automobile.
Christmas Lights
The coronary heart of the Holiday Lights on the River is over 1,000,000 Christmas lights in varied shows. The shows are arrange on each side of the two-lane unmarked street by way of Saluda Shoals Park.
Because the Holiday Lights on the River are hosted by the
Irmo-Chapin Recreation Commission, a lot of the gentle shows are sports-themed.
A set show of Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and an elf driving bicycles greeted
me as I started the journey on the street. Animated shows like Santa Claus and
Mrs. Claus taking part in tennis, snow falling over Santa in his sleigh, and indicators
alongside the street added to the wonderland.
With lights on each side of the street, and typically hanging
over the street, there was quite a bit to see. More than half the route was surrounded
by darkish woods and fully, completely peaceable. It was some of the
spectacular drive-thru gentle shows I’d ever come throughout.
The 2.5-mile route was properly marked and simple to observe. It took me about 45 minutes to get by way of it (minus all of the stops I made for the images).
READ MORE: 4 Places to Find Beautiful Christmas Lights in Columbia, SC (Updated for 2021)
Family Activities on the Environmental Center
About two miles into the driving route you’ll come to the Environmental
Center close to the primary entrance to the park. There is loads of parking to
take a break from driving your brakes by way of the park and revel in some household
actions.
Go for a stroll on the Wetland Trail to take pleasure in a spectacular Laser Light Show. The path is simple to stroll and doesn’t embody any precise moist land on the path.
Outside there have been a few fireplace pits the place folks had been getting heat and roasting marshmallows. Nearby distributors had been promoting marshmallows, scorching chocolate, and scorching apple cider. Kids might experience the Saluda Shoals Park practice or slide down the Winter Wonder Tube Slide.
Inside, the place it was good and heat, an space had been arrange for making vacation crafts. Santa’s Claus’et Gift Shop had a couple of present concepts. The better part was the nice and cozy restrooms with no line (at the very least for the lads’s room).
Note: The solely restrooms at Holiday Lights on the River are positioned on the Environmental Center. It isn’t doable to shortly drive there from anyplace else within the park so be ready.
READ MORE: 9 Fantastic Christmas Events You Don’t Want to Miss in Columbia, SC (Updated for 2021)
Photos with Santa
Santa will make an look on the Environmental Center on November 25-27, December 2-3, and December 9-23. For a further payment households can get skilled images with Santa whereas having fun with the opposite actions. You additionally must pay admission to the Holiday Lights on the River and drive by way of the park together with the remainder of the visitors.
When are the Holiday Lights on the River?
The Holidays Lights on the River begins on Thursday, November 24 and continues each evening till Saturday, December 31. Entry begins at 6 p.m. with the final autos admitted at 10 p.m. But if you wish to spend much less time ready on admission, plan to reach at the very least an hour early.
How Much Does Holiday Lights on the River Cost?
Admission to the Holiday Lights on the River is $25 per passenger automobile. So, how many individuals can match into the household automobile?
Getting to the Holiday Lights on the River
I can’t stress how essential it’s to know the way to get to the doorway for the Holiday Lights on the River. Hint: it isn’t the primary entrance you’ll discover in your GPS or Google Maps!
The entrance to the Holiday Lights on the River is simply off
St. Andrews Road close to the intersection with Bush River Road (that results in the
regular principal entrance). If you need to seek for this entrance in your telephone
for navigation, seek for “Saluda Shoals Soccer Park” at 6071 St. Andrews
Road.
Once you flip onto this street you will discover an infinite
parking zone changed into a twisty, curvy path for autos to park. People wait
right here in line for entry to start.
The exit to the Holiday Lights on the River is the conventional principal entrance on Bush River Road. If you’re eager to drive by way of once more (I drove by way of twice myself) flip proper onto Bush River Road and proceed simply 1.6 miles to St. Andrews Road. Even if you happen to don’t need to drive by way of once more that’s sadly the one solution to get again to the interstate; visitors will get congested so be ready.
Tips for benefiting from the Holiday Lights on the
River
It is solely doable to simply present up, drive by way of the
park, and go away whereas having the time of your life. But listed here are a couple of additional
ideas that may assist make the Holiday Lights on the River even higher:
- Arrive at the very least an hour early, particularly on the weekends. Once entry begins it might probably take as much as thirty minutes simply to get the vehicles within the ready space into the park.
- Bring meals and make a picnic out of it! If you’re gonna arrive early would possibly as properly make a household evening out of the whole occasion.
- Have money for sooner entrance into the park.
- Try to maintain off the brake lights as a lot as doable. It’s actually the one draw back to drive by way of Christmas gentle shows.
- The street by way of the park is an unmarked two-lane street. If you need to cease for a second, are likely to the household, or seize some images, pull off to the facet so the opposite vehicles can get round.
- Once entry begins count on to attend anyplace from 20-40 minutes to get by way of the ready space within the parking zone and even longer if the road extends to St. Andrews Road.
- It takes about 45 minutes to drive by way of the whole park.
- It will take round 10-Half-hour to return to St. Andrews Road from the exit to the park.