The Winter Lights Festival in suburban Gaithersburg, MD lets you drive through the 3½ mile Seneca Creek State Park holiday light display.  With 380 illuminated displays along with 60 animated scenes, there’s bound to be something to delight everyone.  Some of the themes include Teddy Bear Land, a Victorian Village, and of course, the North Pole.

Hours – 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. daily, and until 10:00 p.m Fridays and Saturdays
Through December 31st, (closed 12/25)

Admission – $10 per car, Sundays – Thursdays, $12 per car, Fridays and Saturdays

Seneca Creek State Park
11950 Clopper Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
About 30 miles (45 minutes without traffic) northwest of the National Mall.
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The Garden of Lights Winter Garden Walk  incorporates over 600,000 lights to illuminate this outdoor winter garden walk at the Brookside Gardens in Wheaton Regional Park.  Original displays including animals, fauna and fountains in a “festive but secular manner”. Experience a kaleidoscope caterpillar, an illuminated monsters, a holiday persimmon tree, and animated birds.

Hours – Daily 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. (last car 8:30)
Through January 7th (closed 12/25)

Admission – $15 per car (cash only)

Brookside Gardens in Wheaton Regional Park
1800 Glenallan Ave.
Wheaton MD, 20902.
About 16 miles north of the National Mall

Nearest Metro subway station – Glenmont on the Red line, then just under a 1 mile walk.
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In it’s 20th year, the Winter Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park uses over 1,000,000 twinkling lights for it’s drive-through light display.

Hours -  Daily 5:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Through January 1st, (FREE on December 25th)

Admission -  $5 per car

Watkins Regional Park
301 Watkins Park Drive
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
About 12 miles west of the National Mall
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The drive through the 2½ mile winter wonderland light show at the Bull Run Festival of Lights uses over 60,000 LED lights. See Santa’s workshop with elves hard at work, The 12 Days of Christmas, candy canes and more.

Hours – 5:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Through January 7th

Admission – $15 per car

Bull Run Regional Park
7700 Bull Run Drive
Centreville, VA 20121
About 32 miles west of the National Mall
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Over 70 animated and stationary displays an be viewed at Symphony Woods at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Symphony Woods at Merriweather Post Pavilion
10475 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, MD 21044
About 33 miles north of the National Mall

Hours – Daily 6:00 -11:00 p.m.
Through January 2nd.

Admission – $15 per car
No website for this event, call 410-740-7570 for more info.

Photo credits: flickr and event websites.
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Post from: The DC Traveler