Missouri has a wide selection of sites for celebrating the Christmas holiday.
“I would say, unofficially, that I think Missouri has enough holiday lights and events to even make the Grinch ready for the Christmas season,” said Alicia Wieberg, Communications Manager for VisitMo. “If you want pop-up bars, or if you want drive-through holiday lights, you know, different experiences that you can’t get anywhere else, I think Missouri has something just about for everybody.”
In the St. Louis area, Wieberg recommends Santa’s Magical Kingdom at Jellystone Park. Admission is $35 per car, and payment is accepted at the end. The Missouri Botanical Garden is now displaying its Garden Glow season, with more than two million lights throughout the site. Admissions vary per night, with discounts for members.
Wieberg said though, there are plenty of budget-friendly holiday destinations.
“In Central Missouri, we actually do have a drive through light display in Laurie, which is just north of Sunrise Beach at the lake of the Ozarks, one of the longest running Christmas light displays in Missouri,” she said. “It’s family friendly and it’s free. And then they also offer hot cocoa and candy canes on Friday nights.”
Also, the Hallmark Christmas Experience at Crown Center in Kansas City is free. But there is also an upgraded package that’s not free, in which you can meet some of the stars of various Hallmark movies.
Wieberg has some advice for those wanting to take in the holiday sites across Missouri.
“Just find your inner child,” she said. “I think Christmas to all of us brings back memories of the things that we remember with our parents or with our children. And just remember to channel that and be patient and kind to everyone and enjoy the holiday season in Missouri.”
And Christmas is not the only holiday lit up with bulbs in Missouri. Wieberg said there are also some sites celebrating Hannukah.
“The Missouri Botanical Garden in the St. Louis area is actually doing Hanukkah festival of lights (on) December 14th and that is going to be an event that people can go and enjoy that as well,” she said. “Even if just to learn about Hanukkah, if you’re not familiar with it, that’d be a great event to go to.”
For those looking for suggestions on which holiday sites to take in, go to VisitMo.com.
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