Top Holiday Road Trips

What are some great Central Kentucky holiday trips that are very close or just a few hours away? Here’s a list of some wonderful Christmas and seasonal fun in Central KY.

Start near home and work your way all around the region!

For more information about an event or destination, just click it!

Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park

November 28, 2025 – December 31, 2026

Enjoy this Central KY tradition with a car full of family or friends. Load up and drive through the thousands of lights then stop by the indoor displays to see Santa, train displays, the petting zoo and more!

Illuminated Evenings at Shaker Village

Saturday, December 6, 13 & 20, 2025
4 pm – 8 pm

During the holiday season, Shaker Village will bustle with light-hearted moments that remind us of long-ago winter days filled with wonder and laughter. Make time to delight in life’s simple gifts with family and friends, as lively music, merriment and candlelight illuminate the Village.

Holiday Performances

Enjoy The Nutcracker, holiday music, movies and more!

Holiday Train Rides

Enjoy Santa Trains at the Bluegrass Railway Museum
Enjoy the North Pole Express and the Santa Express

Devine’s Christmas on the Farm

December 6 – 23, 2025
Open Fridays & Saturdays, we’re transforming the farm into a twinkling wonderland of lights, laughter, and Christmas cheer. Stroll beneath the sparkling displays, sip on cozy hot chocolate, and let the sounds of the season fill your heart. General admission price is $7 for ages 3 and over.

Be sure to stop by Santa’s Workshop! Santa (and maybe even the Green Guy ) will be visiting on select Friday & Saturdays for those picture-perfect holiday memories (just $10 for 4 x 6 and digitals).

Lights Under Louisville

November 14, 2025 – January 3, 2026
1841 Taylor Ave., Louisville, KY 40213

Louisville Mega Cavern’s Lights Under Louisville returns with more than 40 themed displays, multiple projection areas, approximately 900 lit characters, new exciting themes, two laser locations, multiple light tunnels, holiday music and over 6,000,000 points of light that will immerse visitors in a megadose of holiday cheer. It’s the only underground light show of its kind on the planet!

LIGHTS UNDER LOUISVILLE at the Louisville Mega Cavern allows the public to drive their own vehicle through the cavern during the Christmas season. Experience this one of a kind holiday attraction and begin a new family tradition! Load up the kids and enjoy the sights and sounds of LIGHTS UNDER LOUISVILLE.

ICE! featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville

November 21, 2025 – January 3, 2026

Step into scenes from “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, hand-carved from over 2 million pounds of ice. Bigger, bolder, and more breathtaking than ever!

Make unforgettable memories and enjoy exclusive privileges as an overnight resort guest. Or spend a delightful day experiencing dazzling displays, delicious treats, and festive activities.

Cincinnati Zoo Festival of Lights

November 20, 2025 – January 4, 2026

The Cincinnati Zoo will still be shining bright as we’re once again transformed into a “Wild Wonderland” for the 40th annual PNC Festival of Lights! Come early for more animals and stay for the lights!

In addition to admiring the beauty of 4 million LED lights, visitors can find the 5 Fiona fairies in Fairyland, take in a blacklight puppet show, marvel at the spectacular Wild Lights show on Swan Lake, or snack at one of two S’mores-n-More stands.

Holiday Junction at the Cincinnati Museum Center

November 14, 2025 through January 5, 2026
Daily hours vary

The Duke Energy Holiday Trains have been a Cincinnati holiday staple for decades, delighting generations since they first debuted downtown in 1946. Track-level views reveal intricate details of the display, where over 300 rail cars and 50 locomotives steam past anxious passengers waiting to board while cars sit with snow to their hubcaps and the perfect trees strapped to their roofs.

Holiday Junction features bursts of winter whimsy that greet you as soon as you enter the door. The Northern Lights display serves as the perfect backdrop for family photos as wispy green lights dance behind you and snow-rimmed trees surround you. The history of the Duke Energy Holiday Trains is also told through an interactive storybook filled with photos of the iconic trains over the decades.

The Holiday Scavenger Hunt features hidden objects in the garden railway layout begging you to walk around, peel your eyes and scour every detail tucked away in the snowy hills.

Returning once again is Brickopolis, a blizzard of LEGO bricks crafted into fantastical scenes. The whimsical display is another seek and find treat surrounding a stunning LEGO metropolis complete with running trains, active seashores and hijinks by the local residents.

Of course, no holiday is complete without a visit to Santa. Santa makes his grand arrival on Friday, November 28. You can visit the jolly elf by his fireplace in the Ruthven Gallery.

Click HERE for the Lex Fun 4 Kids Review of the Museum Center.

Christmas at Mustard Seed Hill

Select Nights, November 28 – December 23, 2025
1122 Main Street, Millersburg, KY 40348
Entry Fee – $15 per person, Kids 7 & Under – FREE! *Tickets available online

Wander through a dazzling light display that transforms our historic Kentucky campus into a glowing spectacle. Your general admission grants you access to enchanting features like the magnificent Gingerbread Exhibits showcasing artistry from across the country. You can also explore the Artisans Market to find unique handcrafted gifts, enjoy the cheerful atmosphere of the Holiday Tent Cafe with live music, and grab a festive bite from our gourmet Food Trucks. It’s a place to slow down, share a cozy moment with loved ones, and immerse yourself in the warm spirit of Christmas.