Celebrating Christmas in Atlanta

The holiday season is right around the corner! With so many Christmas festivities to participate in with your family and friends, consider traveling to create new memories. The capital of Georgia is the perfect holiday destination for you and your favorite people to enjoy and create new traditions that you can return to each year.

Christmas in Atlanta is unforgettable, and you can make the most of December with a trip to the heart of this Southern region. Explore how to celebrate Christmas in Atlanta during the upcoming holiday season.

5 Things to Do to Celebrate Christmas in Atlanta

Atlanta is a lively city that offers numerous festive activities for your family or friend group to enjoy. With music filling the streets and Southern charm around every corner, you will have no shortage of memorable instances as you make your way through the state's capital. November and December are excellent times to visit, with locals decorating their homes and business owners lighting up the roads to ring in the end of another year.

If ATL is on your bucket list of cities to travel to, browse through these Christmas activities in Atlanta that you and your entire group can make new traditions with during the holidays.

1. Say “Hi” to Santa

During your trip to Atlanta, you can make a quick stop to visit Santa as he brings good tidings and cheer to Georgia's capital. If you have young children with you during your trip, you can capture the moment their belief in Santa comes to life as they sit in his lap and tell him their Christmas wishes. While the kids enjoy their time with Santa, you can snack on deliciously warm cookies.

The fun doesn't stop there! Santa is in the center of the Atlanta zoo for Christmas celebrations. Make an entire day out of visiting Kris Kringle by walking through the rest of the zoo to greet all the animals in their habitats. Amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals are everywhere in this must-stop location, where you can learn more about their lives and take memorable pictures to show everyone back home.

Once the Santa event is over, you and your children will go home with a fun to-go kit that includes hot cocoa mix, cookies and crafts.

2. Look at Christmas Lights

You'll find an array of festive lights to admire throughout the city. Ring in the festive season with lights as your background for photos, or walk around in a winter wonderland.

Plan a visit to any of these Atlanta Christmas light locations:

Illuminights at Zoo Atlanta
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at Atlanta Botanical Garden
Margaritaville's Lakeside Lights Spectacular at Lanier Islands
Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort & Gardens
Holly Jolly Jekyll
Enchanted Garden of Lights at Rock City Gardens
Stone Mountain Christmas
Winter WonderLights
December Nights & Holiday Lights at Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens
Holiday Lights at Barnsley Resort

3. Shop at the Holiday Market

Nothing says Christmas quite like shopping in Atlanta, where the holiday season truly comes to life. The city's Atlanta Christkindl Market is the perfect stop for friends and family to cross off their Christmas lists. Local stores and boutiques fill the streets with approachable vendor booths so you can enjoy the November and December weather as you stroll through the Buckhead Village District.

This Atlanta tradition is a great way to explore the city's most visited shops, including Dior, Jimmy Choo, Hermes, Nars and many more. While you look for the best presents for your favorite people, you can also take a break with a visit to the dozens of exquisite restaurants in the village. There is no shortage of pubs, fine-dining restaurants or bakeries to savor during your trip — they'll leave you wanting more!

4. Enjoy Train Rides and Live Christmas Music

Atlanta's Stone Mountain Park has a Christmas makeover each year to ring in the holidays. Locals and tourists can get a taste of Georgia festivities with an entire afternoon of fun attractions and an unforgettable light show.

During Stone Mountain Christmas, you can start the day with a ride on the Summit Skyride that gives you a view of the surrounding forests and natural mountains. As the sun sets, you and your group can take a magical trip through the mountains with a Christmas train ride. You'll get a full view of the holiday lights around the park while feeling like a character in “The Polar Express.”

End the night with the World's Largest Christmas Light Show that uses drones, video projections and your favorite holiday songs to create outstanding views for the whole group to treasure for years. Fireworks and a Christmas parade are great ways to wrap up a successful day at this beautiful location.

5. Celebrate Six Flags Holiday Festivities

Within a short 15-minute drive from the center of Atlanta, you can find the lively Six Flags Over Georgia. There is no shortage of Christmas-themed activities around this famous amusement park that you and your entire group can enjoy during a day trip to Austell, Georgia.

You will find over 1 million holiday lights, music and dozens of Christmas trees to ring in the seasonal festivities. During December, you can enjoy peppermint, gingerbread and snickerdoodle sweet treats from the Six Flags bakeries while you walk around the park. You might even encounter a Christmas show at the Crystal Pistol Music Hall that brings your favorite holiday stories to life with singing, dancing and memorable stage sets.

Six Flags Over Georgia brings the North Pole to Main Street with Santa Claus, ready to greet anyone who passes by. Children and adults can get a picture with the face of Christmas cheer to post online or cherish for years.

If you and your group consider yourselves thrill-seekers, you can spend the day trying the rides at Six Flags! Several rollercoasters stay open throughout winter for those who enjoy the adrenaline rush of fast speeds, quick turns and steep drops.

Make the Most of Your Holiday With Illuminating Design

If you are a business owner or hosting an upcoming holiday event, you can stand out with the help of Illuminating Design. With over 3,000 lighting projects under our belt, we can help you create a striking holiday display that fits your company's aesthetic. We enjoy working with you during every step of the planning and installation process, giving you complete control over the lighting designs you want to create this Christmas season.

If your business resides within 25 miles of Atlanta, you can attract the attention of future employees, customers or investors with detailed lighting installations that illuminate your message. Leave your guests wanting more with impressive festive displays to ring in the holiday season!