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melinda hughey
South Christmas ‘Round The South
The Galt House in Louisville is gearing up for KaLightoscope.
Special events throughout the region lure groups with holiday mirth and merriment right lights and big celebrations steeped in generations of tradition define the holiday season south of the Mason-Dixon with a wealth of festivals, parades, tours and events marking the “Down South Christmas Countdown” each year. Southerners do love getting all “lit up” for the holidays, and outdoor illumination reaches new heights, er brights, via colorfully festooned parks, gardens, attractions and in some cases, entire towns. These truly shine as destinations in their own right. A merry mix of old favorites and new twists generates memory-making itinerary ideas for even the most seasoned groups!
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Jackson Square is a nerve center of Christmas cheer in New Orleans. LeisureGroupTravel.com
Here is a sampling of suggestions, any of which qualify for “must-see, must-do” status: KENTUCKY This year the Commonwealth commandeers a spot in Christmas lighting luminosity with KaLightoscope, a huge light display at The Galt House in Louisville. KaLightoscope (kalightoscope.com) is a landscape of largerthan-life, lighted holiday sculptures inspired by ancient Chinese art. Made of sheer, painted fabrics, each towering sculpture is enhanced by light, color and an imaginative setting. Some even reach 24 feet high! Santa’s Midnight Flight over the World, Toyland and the breathtaking Nativity are just some of the 12 areas designed to awe and delight. Holiday music, aromas and little surprises make it an unforgettable experience for anybody. And it’s all inside a temperature-controlled, 16,000-squarefoot pavilion. A holiday dinner show, “Colors of the Season,” a gingerbread village, scads of activities starring Santa and a Mistletoe Marketplace round out the experience, which has already drawn “incredible response” in terms of advance reservations, according to Galt House sales director Carol McMasters. TENNESSEE Smoky Mountain Winterfest (smokymountainwinterfest.com) greets visitors from one end of Sevier County to the other, as the towns of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg pull out all the stops to dazzle visitors with spectacular lighting displays. With a wealth of new shows and activities, along with traditional favorites like Dollywood, Dixie Stampede, The Incredible Christmas Place and its year-round Inn at Christmas Place, there are ample reasons to revisit this popular holiday venue. At press time, Gaylord Opryland LeisureGroupTravel.com
Hotel, renowned for its Christmas festivities, was assessing damage from Nashville’s devastating and historic May 1 flood that saw the Cumberland River overflow its banks, surging into the hotel as well as the adjacent Grand Ole Opry House and Opry Mills shopping mall. In an early press conference, Gaylord CEO Colin Reed indicated
South hopes the hotel would reopen within four to six months. Tour planners are urged to consult the hotel website (gaylord-opryland-resort.com) for updates.
GEORGIA Magical Night of Lights (lakelanierislands.com), billed as the world’s largest animated light extravaganza,
The Norfolk waterfront is the perfect destination for fun, dynamic group tours. From museums to harbor cruises, live entertainment to outdoor recreation, there’s always something unique and interesting to be found in the heart of the Virginia waterfront. Plan your visit today at visitnorfolktoday.com, or contact our sales department at 1-800-368-3097.
visitnorfolktoday.com | 1-800-368-3097
June 2010 35
See the glockenspiel at the Inn at Christmas Place, Pigeon Forge.
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sparkles and shimmers across Lake Lanier Islands Resort near Atlanta. The fun runs each evening from 5-10 p.m. on a drive-through tour of seven miles of twinkling, holiday light displays. A Holiday Village with carnival rides, pony rides, photos with Santa and holiday treats, including a marshmallow roast, add to the festivities. In Pine Mountain, Callaway Gardens (callawaygardens.com) puts on a show of its own, Fantasy in Lights, for the 18th season on Nov. 19. Billing itself as “the Southeast’s most spectacular holiday light and sound show with more than eight million twinkling lights,” Fantasy in Lights has attracted more than two million visitors who come to see more than a dozen lighted scenes, custom-designed just for Callaway.
O C E A N F R O N T
THE 100%COMPLETE RETREAT. Six oceanfront pools, including 2 heated pools, Jacuzzis and lazy rivers. Our new Sanctuary Day Spa, fitness center, golf, and a spectacular Radical Ropes high ropes course with extreme zip lines. Plus a new 90-seat conference and meeting facility and spacious accommodations that include 2-BR family suites with full kitchen and separate kids’ BR. www.HamptonInnOceanfront.com or call 1-800-HAMPTON 1801 South Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577/843-946-6400
36 June 2010
South NORTH CAROLINA Candlelight Evenings & Christmas at the Biltmore (biltmore.com) begins Nov. 12 this year and continues through New Year’s Day. George Vanderbilt’s palatial summer home takes on a warm glow as firelight and candlelight fill the house and accent delicate ornaments and priceless treasures. Choirs singing European carols, the shops of the adjacent stables, plus the newly-opened Antler Hill Village and expanded winery tour, all enhance the holiday mood. The front lawn of Biltmore House sets the scene with a sparkling holiday illumination of evergreens bathed in thousands of twinkling lights. While in Asheville, don’t miss the National Gingerbread House Competition, (exploreasheville.com) held annually at Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa (groveparkinn.com). The event draws gingerbread architects and artists from points near and far and has become an eagerly awaited and favorite holiday tradition at the historic resort.
LOUISIANA New Orleans celebrates the holiday season like no other place. Tour the magnificent Celebration in the Oaks at City Park, a festive display of nearly two million lights decorating 100-yearold oak trees. Ride a horse-drawn carriage through the park or travel by foot or car. At Caroling in Jackson Square, a free public sing-along, each caroler is given a song sheet and a lit candle. It takes place the Sunday before Christmas depending on how early in the week Christmas occurs. If Christmas falls on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, then the event is usually scheduled two Sundays before. There are literally hundreds of special events, free music concerts, culinary and cultural happenings. (neworleanscvb.com) LGT LeisureGroupTravel.com
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Book your next tour at Arkansas’s resort state park in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Here on scenic DeGray Lake, resort amenities combine with outdoor adventure including sunset lake cruises, swimming, hiking, golf, tennis and nature programs. Your group will love this resort’s island lodge and its sweeping views.
One of 52 Arkansas State Parks. £ nää ÇÎÇ nÎxxÊUÊ i À>Þ°V