Things 2 Do

See Atlanta's best Christmas lights

ATLANTA — From Prince to Frozen, Mannheim Steamroller to Fall Out Boy, Margaritaville at Lanier Islands to the Atlanta Botanical Garden to residential displays, Atlanta boasts some of the country's top Christmas lights displays.

And most people won't have to venture very far to check out one of the attractions.

RELATED: Check out more Christmas fun by following WSBTV.com's Nelson Hicks

Here are some of the area's top spots to check out:

It's always 5 o'clock at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands!

Magical Nights of Lights: Margaritaville at Lanier Islands

One of the oldest and most popular displays is back again this year, but with a new owner.

PHOTOS: Magical Nights of Lights at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands

Lake Lanier Islands has been celebrating the holidays with the Magical Nights of Lights for 25 years. But this year, the resort destination has undergone a renovation with Margaritaville taking over.

Holiday Magic (Coming to Powder Springs)

Timothy Woodruff moved his popular display from the fringe of Piedmont Park to Hiram in 2017 and he's on the move again. He's moving to Powder Springs and is aiming to get the show up and running by Dec. 10, 2018. He plans to include his "Purple Christmas-Tribute to Prince" in the display.

Christmas in Castille-4220 Tivoli Way, Alpharetta

Ken MacMaster's love of Christmas lights started when he was a kid. Ten years ago, he saw a video of a basic display of a house with music and lights and he decided he could do that, too. Christmas in Castille was born. The display includes 59,000 lights and runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 6-9 p.m.

Christmas on the Farm at Warbington Farms

MacMaster is helping the folks at Warbington Farms build a light display for its Christmas on the Farm event. The event includes hayrides, pictures with Santa, bonfires, a barnyard and a walk-thru light display. Check the website for dates. Tickets are $12.

Pierce Lights-370 Oak Terrace, Alpharetta

See over 30,000 lights animated to music. The show runs nightly from 6 p.m. to midnight, seven days a week.

Felix Family Christmas Lights-224 Oliver Overlook, Dallas

This display is one of the area's longest-running displays, dating back to 2005. In fact, the Felix family inspired a few other Dallas homeowners to do their own displays. His wife and three kids pitch in to help create it and Joey Felix plans to keep it going as long as his health and neighbors will let him. It now includes three homes and runs nightly from 6-10 p.m.

Atkinson Christmas Lights-18 Riverwood Landing, Dallas

Adam Atkinson saw the Felix Family display in 2010 and decided to get into the Christmas lights game. Eight years later, the display includes over 30,000 lights. Atkinson estimates it costs him about $50 for the monthly power bill to run the display. They plan to have the show up and running by Dec. 3. For 2018, they're doing a Grinch theme and will include new elements, characters from the movie and more. Ths show runs 5:30-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 5:30-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Posted by Riley's Rockin' Christmas on Friday, December 8, 2017

Riley's Rockin' Christmas-2008 Palladium Drive NW, Kennesaw 

This years display has over 45,000 LED lights synchronized to more than 55 minutes of Holiday music including Frozen, Polar Express, and many other holiday favorites. The show runs Sunday-Thursday nights from 6-9 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The nightly shows start Dec. 1 and run through Jan. 1.

Deck the Rooftop - Vinyard Christmas

Here is one of our new songs this year. Come see it in our 2017 show running every night 6-10 until January 1st.

Posted by Vinyard Christmas on Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Vinyard Christmas-3690 Vinyard Way, Lawrenceville

Vinyard Christmas started in 2009 and has been entertaining crowds ever since. The display features over 13,000 lights synced to music. It run nightly from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31.

A Whole Lot of Christmas-1833 Smokerise Smt., Stone Mountain

There's Snowflake Lane in the driveway, an antique fire engine, Toyland, the Disney section, a University of Georgia section, Santa and all of his reindeer on the roof, and a Christmas Shark. This display includes 100,000 lights and operates Saturday and Sunday nights.

Smoot Family Christmas Lights-3699 Autumn View Dr NW, Acworth

Check out over 100,000 lights from 5:30-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursdays and 5:30-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays at Smoot Family Christmas. The shows started Thanksgiving night and run through Dec. 31. Donations go to the Lupus Foundation in honor of Debbie Founds, Jeremy Smoot's mother who died from complications of Lupus.

Lights on Linstone-2250 Linstone Lane, Grayson

Listen to 22 different songs that come alive in Christmas lights in Grayson. They hope to have the display up and running by Dec. 7 but are awaiting the arrival of a few items before the show starts. Once it does start, it will run nightly from 6-10 p.m. As with all of these shows, it's weather-pending. If there's a hard rain, most of the shows will not run.

Christmas on Amberwood-371 Amberwood Drive Lawrenceville

This show runs nightly. Santa and Mrs. Claus are onsite every Friday and Saturday evenings to take photos from 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. Pictures are free. The display includes 95 inflatables, more than 30 trees, a snow machine and over 30,000 lights. The shows run through Dec. 22.

Holly Springs Lights-2632 Holly Springs Pkwy, Holly Springs

This nightly show runs from 6 p.m. -11:30 p.m. and starts every 30 minutes. There are 224 individually controlled channels consisting of over 50,000 lights and 2,000 individually controlled pixels capable of any color. Donations are accepted and benefit the First Baptist Church of Holly Springs Community Impact Backpack Ministry and Friends of Holly Springs Police Foundation.

Holiday Hills Christmas Light Show-99 E. Mays Rd., Stockbridge

Show runs nightly from 6-10 p.m.

Here are some more photos from Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Tens of thousands of lights hanging high above the forest floor, dancing to classical music highlight this year's version of Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Here are some more photos from Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Georgia.

Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Georgia

Six Flags Over Georgia's Holiday in the Park returns for its fourth season. The event includes six themed areas, 29 holiday rides, live shows and festive seasonal food.

Popular displays not showing lights this year:

Christmas in the Grove-1428 Oak Grove Dr, Decatur 

Tony Paradowski's display was one of the area's most popular and even won ABC's "The Great Christmas Light Fight." Sadly, Paradowski passed away in 2018 and there will not be a show this year.

Christmas in the Country-1616 Pratt Road Oxford (Plan to be back in 2019)

Aubuchon Lights- 28 Southshore Pass, Dallas 

Mint Julep Christmas in Ball Ground

540 North Fields Pass in Milton