My husband and I recently visited the Wonderlight’s Christmas in Ohio drive-thru Christmas light display that is currently held at the Hartford Fairgrounds and it is definitely one of the best Christmas light displays in Ohio that we’ve seen!
What to Expect at Wonderlight’s Christmas Light Display
The location may have changed a few years back, but it’s still the great Christmas display you’ve come to expect. With nearly 1 million lights, Wonderlight is the largest drive-through Christmas light show in Central Ohio and the only light show in Central Ohio that is fully synchronized to music. Simply turn your car radio to 88.9 and follow the path lit by red lights. You’ll be mesmerized as you drive through two miles of dancing, dazzling lights.
Highlights of this light show include a nativity, a 300-foot-long and 21-foot-tall light wall, two tunnels (one with dancing snowflakes!), several 45-foot-tall lit trees, dancing snowmen, gingerbread men, candy canes, and of course, a glimpse of Santa for those who still believe.
You’ll find Santa about halfway through the exhibit hanging out in the RV. Just don’t get out of your car, he’ll wave to you from the camper.
We loved that the nativity, lighted cross, and some of the music selection honored the true meaning of Christmas as well.
After riding through the approximately 45-minute display, I hadn’t even begun to get tired of it and was ready to go back through again. My husband and I loved our visit and will probably plan a return trip with more family members. Our grandbabies may be young, but on our recent visit to Christmas at Kingwood our granddaughter enjoyed seeing the lights so I know they will both enjoy the many twinkling lights at Wonderlight’s.
After sharing images of our visit on Instagram and my personal Facebook page, I had a few messages asking me a couple of questions about the light display so I’ll go ahead and answer them here too for those who are curious.
Where is Wonderlight’s Christmas Ohio Located?
Wonderlight’s Christmas in Ohio is located 30 minutes east of Columbus. If you have visited Wonderlight’s in the past, you’ll want to make a note that the location has changed from the National Trail Raceway to the Hartford Fairgrounds in Croton.
How Much Does it Cost to See Wonderlight’s Columbus Ohio?
Wonderlight’s offers both a per-person and per-vehicle admission rate.
As empty-nesters, my husband and I definitely benefit from the lesser, per-person charge of $7 each but there was a time when the $30 per carload fee for up to 7 people would have saved us a few bucks too. Children under 3 are free!
Note: There is a service fee when purchasing tickets online.
Tips for Visiting Wonderlight’s Drive-through Christmas Lights
- It is highly recommended that you purchase and reserve tickets in advance. A limited amount of tickets will be available at the ticket office.
- Reservations are sold in a two-hour time frame for each specific day and can be purchased for 5:30-7:30 or 7:30-9:30. Visitors can arrive anytime during their reserved time.
- Visit during the week and avoid the week of Christmas for the least amount of crowds.
- Make sure you go to the bathroom before arriving at Wonderlight’s. If the urge to go strikes, there are two Portapots at the entrance prior to reaching the ticket booth and quite a few at the very end of the display.
- There is no need to get out of the vehicle so you can dress comfy, but if you plan to roll the windows down to take video or photos or let the kids hang outside the vehicle (we’ve all done it) you may want to have a blanket on hand.
- Take your own snacks & drinks but keep in mind that you won’t find a restroom other than the very beginning and very end of the light show.
- Make sure you have gas for the drive (roughly 45 minutes).
- Many headlights now come on automatically so if you’ve never turned off your headlights on your vehicle make sure you know how to do that before you arrive as you’ll be asked to turn them off to enhance the experience for everyone.
- It doesn’t matter what side of the vehicle you sit on, you’ll have an amazing experience as you wind through the display.
- If you want to give an experience gift, consider purchasing a Wonder lights Christmas in Ohio gift card as the light display is open until December 31, and its always nice to plan something to do when the kids are off school.
Purchase Wonderlights Tickets and Visiting Information
Address: 14028 Fairgrounds Road Croton, OH 43013
Phone: N/A
Website: https://www.wonderlightschristmas.com/
2023 Dates: November 10 through December 31
Hours: 5:30 – 10:00 pm Daily. Note that while cars can begin to line up, they don’t actually open until 5:30 once it’s dark.
Cost: $7 per person over the age of 3 | $30 per carload (up to 7 people in a car) | Additional options are available for larger groups (A portion of the ticket proceeds goes towards the Salvation Army in Central Ohio)
Click here to purchase tickets.
Seeing Christmas lights have always been something that I’ve looked forward to during the Christmas season and even though I’ve gotten older, that hasn’t changed. Tell me, are you ever too old to see a Christmas light display? I think the answer to that question is a resounding “no”!
Have you been to Wonderlight’s? What did you think of it?
