Brighten your winter with these holiday light road trips close to Wichita

Anyone else wondering if you might go stir crazy once cold temperatures force us to spend more time in our homes this winter? Fortunately, Wichita isn’t the only community in the region to have saved their holiday light exhibits.

Like Wichita’s traditions of The Arc’s Lights and Botanica’s Illuminations, many communities within a three-hour drive of Wichita saved their holiday light displays — either they were already in a drive-through format or modifications were made to heighten safety and distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Below are 20 holiday light experiences to check out this year, including 14 that allow you to stay in your vehicle. Many are free or low cost while providing an evening of entertainment, and they offer a destination for a road trip – from as close as 25 miles to as far as 200 miles. With strategic planning, these wouldn’t require an overnight stay.

With coronavirus conditions changing daily as well as weather affecting some displays, be sure to confirm operational hours before hitting the road. In most cases, social media pages are updated more frequently than event or attraction websites.

Drive-through light displays

Isle of Lights at Island Park in Winfield, 6-10 p.m. nightly Nov. 22-Dec. 30, free admission (donations accepted). It’s the 27th year of closing the park to pedestrians and creating a 1-mile drive-through experience about 50 miles southwest of Wichita. Among the LED light displays synchronized to music are Santa’s toy factory, Mrs. Claus’ bakery and a large animated tree. Special events: Mile of Lights Open Run, Dec. 13 and open-air wagon rides pulled by Clydesdales on select Saturdays.

Lemon Park Lights in Pratt, 5:30-11 p.m. daily Nov. 21-Jan. 3, free admission (donations accepted). Take this one-mile drive through the oldest park in Pratt, about 80 miles west of Wichita, to see thousands of new LED lights and more than 80 animated displays, some with laser lights and set to music. New displays this year include the flagpole scene from “A Christmas Story” and new elements to the scene featuring Peanuts characters.

Festival of Angels in Ponca City, Okla., 6-10 p.m. Nov. 25-Dec. 30, free admission (donations accepted). One of the largest Christmas light displays in the area includes 300 animated and static displays at three sites in Ponca City, about 80 miles south of Wichita. Stop at the 30-foot tall Pioneer Woman statue to collect a map of the displays from the angel host, then make your way to Cann Memorial Gardens, Marland’s Grand Home and Lake Ponca Park, which features a mile of angels.

TARC Winter Wonderland in Topeka, 6-10 p.m. daily Nov. 25-Dec. 31, $10 suggested donation per vehicle (plus $1 per pair of optional glasses to make the lights sparkle even more). The 23rd annual Winter Wonderland is a two-mile drive featuring 1 million lights at Lake Shawnee Campground, about 140 miles northeast of Wichita. The event raises money for TARC, a group that provides support for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Volunteers will be wearing masks and offering contactless payment options (cash and credit cards); they ask that you also wear a mask while interacting with volunteers at the gate.

Wonderland of Lights at Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve in Bartlesville, Okla., 5-9 p.m. Friday-Sunday Nov. 27-Dec. 20, $2 per person (ages 2 and younger free). This 3,700-acre wildlife preserve has converted its annual holiday event to a drive-through experience. Expect more than 750,000 lights on the main grounds and buildings at Woolaroc, what was once the ranch retreat of oilman Frank Phillips and named for the woods, lakes and rocks that make up the scenery on the land about 150 miles southeast of Wichita.

Chautauqua Isle of Lights in Beloit, 6-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 6-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday Nov. 25-Dec. 31, free admission (donations accepted). It’s the 20th year for this holiday lighting in Chautauqua Park in Beloit, about 150 miles north of Wichita. Expect more than 260 displays ranging from classic winter and holiday scenes to patriotic, antique vehicles and farm machinery and religious. Special event: Jingle Bell Run, Dec. 13.

Rocky Pond Christmas Light Display in Belleville, 6-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 6-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday Nov. 27-Dec. 31, free admission (donations accepted). The displays along this 1.5-mile drive around the pond are handmade by locals who started the effort 10 years ago. The Rocky Pond park grounds are about 160 miles north of Wichita.

Rockin’ Winter Wonderland Drive-Thru Display in Olathe, 5-9:30 p.m. daily Nov. 27-Dec. 23, $25 per vehicle. The operators of KC Pumpkin Patch and KC Wine Co., 170 miles northeast of Wichita, have set up one mile of winter light magic. Stocking stuffers and holiday wine pairings also can be purchased in advance for curbside pickup during your light tour. Timed tickets must be purchased at kcpp.ticketleap.com.

Holiday Lights on Farmstead Lane at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park, 5-11 p.m. Nov. 26-Jan. 7, free. The farmstead has been closed since March due to the pandemic, but the annual light show is ideal for spacing. From inside your car in the parking lot at this attraction 180 miles northeast of Wichita, watch a 38-minute light show with animation, lighting effects, patterns and messages synchronized to holiday and movie music.

Santa’s Express in Lights in Bonner Springs, 5:30-9 p.m. Dec. 4-5 and Dec. 11-12, $10 per car suggested donation (cash or check only). The National Agricultural Center & Hall of Fame, 180 miles from Wichita, has transformed its popular holiday event to a drive-through wonderland of lights, music and a nativity with barnyard animals.

Winter Magic at Swope Park in Kansas City, 5-11 p.m. daily Nov. 2-Jan. 2, $20 per vehicle. Buy timed tickets in advance at wintermagickc.com and enjoy what organizers say is the longest animated light tunnel in the Midwest on your drive through Swope Park. The mile-long lights exhibit also has nine themed areas. Admission benefits scholarships for area youth to participate in summer programming through the Kansas City Parks and Recreation department.

Christmas in the Park in Lee’s Summit, Mo., 5:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5:30-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday Nov. 25-Jan. 2, free admission (donations accepted). More than 500,000 lights and 175 animated figures create this winter wonderland at Longview Lake campground, about 200 miles northeast of Wichita. Donations benefit local charities and this popular event has raised more than $1 million since 1987.

Christmas in the Park in Yukon, Okla., 6-11 p.m. daily Nov. 21-Dec. 31, free admission (donations accepted). This annual event 175 miles south of Wichita in a western suburb of Oklahoma City has grown into the largest drive-through light display in Oklahoma, with 5 million lights and 500 displays spread across 100 acres. Now in its 25th year, they continue to offer driving (3 miles with pull-over areas), walking (2.2 miles) options and a train ride option for a fee. Organizers say the majority of visitors drive through the three inter-connected city parks. Note: No mask rules for those who walk or participate in activities.

Chickasha Festival of Light in Chickasha, Okla., 6-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 6-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday Nov. 21-Dec. 31, free admission (donations accepted). This 28th annual event is offering its normal drive through and walk through options as well as attractions that have fees (ice skating, carousel, Ferris wheel, carriage rides). Note: They do not have a mask mandate in the park, though some of the attractions require a mask. The driving route takes you by 3.5 million lights, animated displays and a computer animated light show synchronized to holiday tunes within Shannon Springs Park, southwest of Oklahoma City and close to 200 miles from Wichita.

Walk-through events

These indoor/outdoor walk-through events feature light displays

A Country Christmas Holiday Lights & More at Fulton Valley Farms in Towanda, 5:30-9 p.m. Friday-Sunday Nov. 27-Dec. 20, $7 at gate or $7.99 online (ages 3 and younger free). Website states that a mask is required for entry and anytime you’re indoors or unable to distance while outside.

Outdoor production of “A Christmas Carol” at the historic Harn Homestead in Oklahoma City, Nov. 5-Dec. 27, tickets $35-$61 and limited to 100 patrons per performance, lyrictheatreokc.com. Masks required throughout 75-minute performance by Lyric Theatre that involves standing and walking from scene to scene.

Holiday Reflections walk-through village inside Kansas City’s Union Station, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. sessions Nov. 21-Jan. 3, $5 per person, advanced timed tickets unionstation.org/homefortheholidays. Masks required throughout experience.

Festival of Lights: Enchantment at Powell Gardens just east of Kansas City in Kingsville, Mo., 4-10 p.m. Thursday-Sunday Nov. 13-Jan. 3, $5-$22 plus $5 parking. Mask required indoors and when distancing is not possible.

Luminary Walk at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 4:30-10 p.m. Dec. 4-5 and Dec. 11-12, $14 (free for age 5 and younger) advance tickets required at artsandrec-op.org. Masks are required for this walk along pathways to see gnome and fairy villages, winter woods by candlelight, the colorful Children’s Garden and musical performances at four stops.

Holiday in the Park at Frontier City theme park in Oklahoma City featuring a light show, rides, holiday performances and activities, weekends and select days Nov. 21-Jan. 3, $36.14 per person including online handling/fees plus $20 parking per vehicle. Masks are required throughout the park and because of limited capacity advance tickets are recommended at sixflags.com/frontiercity/events/holiday-in-the-park.