10 Fun Holiday Season Things to Do in Virginia

1. The Grand Illumination in Colonial Williamsburg. Celebrate the season 18th century style with traditional music on multiple stages and a fireworks display.

2. Scottish Christmas Walk in Old Town Alexandria. The annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade features tartan-clad marchers, band, bagpipers, and more. The weekend also includes a holiday market, heather and greens sale, home tomre, and "Taste of Scotland" food and scotch tasting event.

3. The Boadwalk Holiday Lights Show in Virginia Beach. A unique opportunity to drive along the boardwalk in Viriginia Beach, as you travel through an elaborate display of holiday lights all around you. The dark ocean provides a particularly effect backdrop for the bright light displays.

4. Norfolk's Grand Illumination Parade. The City of Norfolk welcomes the holiday season with a big evening parade and lights that outline the downtown skyline. The parade ends along the city's waterfront on Waterside Drive.

5. Mount Vernon by Candlelight. Special holiday season events of George Washington's home include candlelit character-guided tours of the home.

6. The CarMax Tacky Light Run. A 6K course through some of Midlothian, Virginia's most highly decorated neighborhoods. Decorate yourself and join the fun.

7. Garden of Lights at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. Drive through a million twinkling lights as you might your way through the holiday light display at the Norfolk Botanical Garden.(If you'd rather walk through the display, can can do that at the Million Bulb Walk)

8. The Coleman's Christmas Display at the Portsmouth Arts & Cultural Center. Generations of folks in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia grew up visiting the extensive display of animated holiday decorations at Coleman's Nursury. Much of the Coleman's collection is now on display annually at the Portsmouth Arts and Cultural Center.

9. Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The Busch Gardens theme park opens for special dates during the holiday season. The park is decorated with over eight million lights, puts on special holiday shows, and has a North Pole Workshop where the kids can meet Santa.

10. Holiday Events at Virginia's Wineries. Sample Virginia wines and enjoy beautiful scenery at one of Virginia's many vineyards. Many have special events and open houses scheduled for the holiday season.