Festive music; bonfires; and thousands of twinkling, colored lights are just the things to get everyone in the holiday spirit, and four seasonal highlights entice family travelers to central Massachusetts. The Night Lights: Starry Skies light display at New England Botanic Garden, Winter Wonderland at Southwick’s Zoo, Winter Lights at Red Apple Farm and Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village promise a holiday treat for the whole family.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston transforms into a spectacular wonderland during the Starry Skies light display, Nov. 24–Dec. 31. In addition to the landscapes of colored lights and immersive experiences, visitor can enjoy s’mores and seasonal drinks.
At Southwick’s Zoo, in Mendon, Winter Wonderland decorates the zoo with more than 4 million lights and dazzling color displays. Kids can meet St. Nicholas and his reindeer in Santa’s Barn, greet polar bears and penguins, and watch performances by the Queen of Arendelle. Winter Wonderland lasts Nov. 18 to Dec. 31.
Costumed historians reenact the traditions of an old-fashioned New England Christmas during Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village. Families can stroll the village lanes past decorated houses, watch open-hearth baking demonstrations, follow the Christmas Tree Trail, and hear stories and songs of the mid-1800s. Christmas by Candlelight is on weekends: Nov. 24–26 and Dec. 1–3, 8–10, 15–17, 22–23 and 27–30.
During Winter Lights, Red Apple Farm in Phillipston glows with more than 200,000 lights spread throughout the orchards. Here, families can enjoy wood-fired pizza around the bonfire, while parents sample beer and wine from Brew Yard. Winter Lights is Nov. 24 to Dec. 31.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedTravel Tips
Sep 1, 2026TikTok Revolutionizes Travel Planning and Inspiration
With an estimated 1.9 billion users worldwide, TikTok influences nearly every part of our lives, from food to fashion. The app so profoundly changed the way we travel, it now describes itself as a “modern-day travel agency, itinerary planner, and travel blog rolled into one.” Using TikTok to plan travel is so popular, the app recently launched TikTok Go to make booking even easier.
Sponsored Content
GET TO KNOW TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal’s program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business.
Hotels
Sep 1, 2026Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa to Welcome Return of Elf on the Shelf This Holiday Season
The magic of Christmas quickly approaches as summer comes to a close, and families can experience the holiday season in a unique way this year.
Hotels
Sep 1, 2026This London Hotel Launches Little Londoners Family Package
Balance a city break in London with kid-friendly experiences at Sea Containers London, an upscale, riverside hotel. The property recently debuted the Little Londoners package, a thoughtfully designed offering that makes exploring London easier (and more fun) for both kids and parents.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Europe
Aug 27, 20266 Geneva, Switzerland, Destinations for Family Travel
It’s time to start dreaming of your next family trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Geneva, Switzerland, with us.
ShareThis