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Top 3 Classic Maine Inns for a Cozy Early-Winter Getaway
This is the time of year when inns shine the most. There’s nothing like ending a cold coastal day by a fireplace with your feet up.
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If there’s one thing New England gets absolutely right, it’s the way we flip the switch from late-autumn stillness into full-blown holiday magic. The trees may be bare, the air has that sharp winter edge, and dusk arrives before most of us have even wrapped up the workday, but that’s exactly why these holiday light displays shine the way they do. They don’t just brighten the night; they brighten the entire season.
In Massachusetts, we are lucky. We don’t have to go far to find world-class holiday experiences that feel both timeless and new every single year. And for the November 30 edition of My New England Traveler, I want to take you on a ride to three of the state’s most beloved, and most spectacular, holiday lighting traditions. Each one offers its own flavor, its own nostalgia, its own reason families return generation after generation.
These aren’t hidden gems. These are icons. And they’re worth every mile of the drive.
A winter tradition that turns the zoo you thought you knew into something completely magical
There’s something about walking through a zoo at night in December that feels like a completely different world. Stone Zoo’s annual ZooLights transforms the grounds into a glowing holiday forest, tunnels of lights, oversized ornaments, sparkling trees, floating displays, and warm pockets of color tucked into nearly every corner of the pathways.
When you visit in the late fall or early winter, there’s this unmistakable sense of calm. The usual daytime bustle is gone. The crowds feel gentler. The animals you encounter become unexpected characters in a winter storybook. reindeer grazing under twinkling lights, arctic foxes padding softly through snowflakes, and black bears occasionally lifting their heads as guests stroll by. The zoo itself becomes a backdrop for something bigger: an invitation for families to slow down and simply wander.
ZooLights works because it blends atmosphere with discovery. Every section has its own personality, enchanted forests, glowing animal silhouettes, illuminated walkways that pull you forward like a gentle current. Kids love it, parents love it, grandparents love it. You can easily spend an entire evening meandering at your own pace, sipping hot chocolate, taking photos, and enjoying the feeling that, for one night, you’ve stepped inside a living holiday postcard.
It’s not over-the-top. It’s not commercial. It’s pure New England charm with just the right touch of Christmas wonder.
Ideal Time to Visit
If you want the classic experience, go just after sunset. But if you want breathing room, I’ve found the sweet spot is usually weekday evenings or Sundays after the first weekend rush dies down. Dress warm, wear boots, and walk slow - you’ll soak in far more than you expect.
Cape Cod’s most enchanting winter tradition, with a personal connection from my days filming New England Traveler
Cape Cod doesn’t immediately scream “holiday lights,” but maybe that’s exactly why Gardens Aglow feels so special. It’s unexpected. A serene, peaceful winter walk wrapped in lights, color, music, and Cape Cod charm at its absolute best.
Before I dig into the experience, I have to share something personal.
A couple of years ago, on a hot, muggy and rain-soaked summer day, I filmed an episode of New England Traveler at Heritage Museums & Gardens. I remember the day clearly. Despite the downpouring rain the grounds were bursting with color. We spent hours exploring the gardens, mostly by golf cart with our personal guide. Nothing was left unexplored, from the antique automobile collection, to the beautiful gardens and all the endless pathways that wind through one of the most thoughtfully curated properties in Massachusetts.
During filming, someone on staff told me, “You should come back at Christmastime. Gardens Aglow is like nothing else.”
At the time, I nodded, smiled, and tucked the idea away. But every winter since, I’ve thought about that conversation. I’ve always wanted to return in December to see the place transformed, because if Heritage is that breathtaking in July, I can only imagine what it becomes under thousands of holiday lights.
Gardens Aglow isn’t a loud or overwhelming light show. It’s elegant, artistic, and atmospheric. Think warm white lights draped through wooded pathways, glowing lanterns, fire pits, musical displays, whimsical light sculptures, and pockets of color tucked into garden beds and trees.
And then there’s the beloved 1962 vintage Loof carousel, which spins joyfully through the holiday season. The building glows like something out of a classic storybook, and families gather to watch their kids ride, often for the very first time.
It’s not about spectacle. It’s about mood. Warmth. Peace. It feels like walking through a living holiday painting.
Gardens Aglow understands the emotional side of the season. You’re not just looking at lights, you’re experiencing an outdoor winter evening filled with little moments that stick with you long after you’ve left. A quiet bench surrounded by glowing trees. A lantern-lined path that curves just enough to spark curiosity. The way kids’ faces brighten when they spot one of the themed light installations.
And for me, the nostalgia of having filmed there, of knowing what these same paths look like in the height of summer, adds this personal sense of continuity. Heritage Museums & Gardens is beautiful year-round, but during the holiday season, it becomes something truly unforgettable.
A legendary New England holiday tradition, and one of the greatest drive-through light displays in America
There are holiday light displays that are wonderful, and then there are holiday light displays that become traditions. Springfield’s Bright Nights at Forest Park is absolutely the latter.
This is one of the most famous holiday lighting experiences in New England, some would even say the entire country, and it deserves every bit of its reputation. Since its debut in 1995, it has welcomed millions of visitors and grown into a full holiday universe tucked inside the vast, wooded expanse of Forest Park.
Unlike the walking experiences at Stone Zoo or Heritage, Bright Nights is a drive-through spectacle. You roll slowly through miles of themed holiday displays while the lights surround you on every side, towering scenes, animated characters, glowing archways, massive structures, and intricate tableaus that feel almost cinematic.
Families tune their radios to holiday music, sip hot cocoa from travel mugs, and take the drive at a pace that allows every generation in the car to enjoy the view.
Seuss Land - A colorful homage to Springfield’s own Dr. Seuss, filled with whimsical characters and oversized illustrations brought to life in lights
Jurassic World - Towering dinosaurs glowing in the dark forest, a crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike
North Pole Village - Traditional charm with elves, toy workshops, and classic Christmas scenes
Winter Woods - Quiet, elegant trees drenched in light, creating a tunnel of shimmering white
Bright Nights is built on variety. Every section feels different from the one before it, and the drive never drags. It is one of the most immersive holiday-light experiences you’ll find anywhere.
It’s simple: nostalgia.
Bright Nights is one of those holiday outings that kids grow up with. They return as teenagers, then as adults with families of their own, sharing the same drive their parents once shared with them. That’s powerful. Traditions matter, and Bright Nights has become one of Massachusetts’ most cherished.
Go early or go late in the evening to avoid traffic backups
Bring snacks and hot cocoa, this is a cozy, windows-down kind of experience
Visit on a weekday if possible
Tune your car radio to the holiday music recommended at the entrance, trust me, it adds to the moment
Massachusetts has dozens of holiday light displays - town greens, neighborhood traditions, and small ticketed events, but these three stand above the rest for very specific reasons:
1. They’re iconic.
These are the displays people talk about. The ones families return to. The ones that become memory-makers.
2. They’re visually stunning.
Whether you’re walking through lights reflected on snow or driving under massive illuminated tunnels, each delivers the kind of atmosphere that defines a New England holiday.
3. They’re dependable.
You don’t have to wonder if they’ll be open, impressive, or worth the trip. Year after year, they deliver.
4. They feel different from each other.
ZooLights is whimsical and walkable.
Gardens Aglow is elegant and immersive.
Bright Nights is grand and nostalgic.
Three completely different moods, one perfect New England holiday season.
A Final Thought as We Head into December
The holidays arrive fast in New England. One minute you’re raking leaves; the next minute, you’re grabbing gloves as soon as the sun sets. These light displays are reminders that winter doesn’t have to be about enduring the cold. It can be about embracing it, finding beauty in the early darkness, the crisp air, the quiet streets, and the glow of lights that appear only once a year.
If you visit any of these iconic Massachusetts displays this season, slow down. Take a few extra minutes in the parking lot before heading home. Sit with the moment. The holidays can be chaotic, but these simple, glowing experiences have a way of grounding us.
And who knows, maybe I’ll see you out there, wandering through the lights with my camera crew, doing exactly what I love to do: discovering the New England that makes this season so special.
