15 December things to do in Georgia, with the season dates each organizer has published for 2026. Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at Atlanta Botanical Garden runs nightly Nov. 14, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027.
Where an organizer has not posted 2026 dates we say so instead of carrying last year’s. Every fact below was read on the cited official page and checked ; anything we could not read is listed under What We Could Not Confirm instead of guessed.
| What to know | Source |
|---|---|
| Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at Atlanta Botanical Garden runs nightly Nov. 14, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027. | atlantabg.org |
| Savannah Christmas Market at Plant Riverside District is free to visitors and runs Nov 19, 2026 through Jan 3, 2027. | plantriverside.com |
| Explore Georgia lists Stone Mountain Christmas (Nov 7, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027) and Fantasy In Lights at Pine Mountain (Nov 13, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027). | exploregeorgia.org |
December in Georgia, Event by Event
| Name | Town | What it is | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Lights, Holiday Nights | Atlanta | Nightly holiday light show at Atlanta Botanical Garden. | Cost: Night Light Tickets (after 9:30 p.m.) from $19.95 adults; parking $20 per vehicle, card only Hours: Nightly until midnight, last entry 11 p.m. Season: Nov. 14, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027 |
| Fantasy In Lights | Pine Mountain | Light show at Callaway Resort & Gardens. | Season: Nov 13, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 (Explore Georgia) |
| Stone Mountain Christmas | Stone Mountain | Christmas event at Stone Mountain Park Crossroads; Kids’ Early New Year’s Eve Dec 31, 2026 with countdown at 9 PM. | Season: 11/7/2026 – 1/3/2027 |
| Magical Nights of Lights | Buford | Drive-through lights at 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway. | Cost: Shuttle (11-20 passengers) $100; Bus (20+) $250; standard vehicle price not stated Hours: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM; gate surcharge starts at 4:00 PM Season: Page conflicts: main page says Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027; FAQ says nightly Nov 15 through Jan 4 |
| Enchanted Garden of Lights | Lookout Mountain | Evening light trail at Rock City, 1400 Patten Road; closed December 24. | Cost: Adults $31-$49; children 3-12 $21-$39; parking always free Hours: 4:00pm – 10:30pm per FAQs (page lists 10:00am-10:30pm daily, last entry 45 min before close) Season: Nov 13 – Dec 31, 2026 Access: Trail is not fully stroller and handicap accessible; limited-access ADA trail to certain portions |
| Savannah Christmas Market | Savannah | Market at Plant Riverside District, 400 W River St; tree lighting Nov 27, 2026 6:30-7:30 PM; Brunch with Santa Dec 20, 2026 11 AM-2 PM. | Cost: Free to visitors Hours: 11am – 9pm daily Season: Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 |
| Holly Jolly Jekyll | Jekyll Island | Season with Winter Carnival & Big Truck Roundup Dec 5, Merry Fishmas Dec 12, fireworks Dec 21 (6:00-6:30 pm, Great Dunes Beach Park, listed Free). | Season: Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027; page does not state year for the dated events |
| Helen’s Annual Christmas Parade | Helen | Parade on Main Street downtown. | Season: Dec 12, 2026 at 6 p.m. |
| Christmas in the Mountains Celebration | Cleveland | Holiday market on Cleveland Courthouse Square, free photos with Santa 1:30-5:30 pm, lighted parade at 6 pm. | Cost: Cost not listed; photos with Santa free Hours: Market 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm Season: Dec 5, 2026 |
| Dahlonega Old-Fashioned Christmas | Dahlonega | Square lighting the day after Thanksgiving; Christmas Parade Saturday, December 12. | Season: Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 7, 2027 (Explore Georgia); parade Dec 12 |
| Blue Ridge Railway Holiday Special Rides | Blue Ridge | 1 hour holiday train ride from 241 Depot Street. | Season: Nov 27 – Dec 24, 2026 |
| NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet | Atlanta | Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St NE. | Cost: VARY Season: Dec 23 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM; Dec 24 1:00 PM, 2026 |
| Atlanta Ballet The Nutcracker | Atlanta area (town not stated) | Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. | Season: December 5-26, 2026 |
| Winter WonderLights | Athens | Listed by Explore Georgia. | Season: Select nights Nov 19 – Dec 30, 2026 |
| Holiday Tour of Homes | Madison | Listed by Explore Georgia. | Season: December 4-5, 2026 |
Tree Lightings and Dated Events (Explore Georgia)
- St. Simons Island Pier Village Tree Lighting Dec 2, 2026; Decatur Square Tree Lighting Dec 3; Christmas Jubilee & Parade of Lights, Woodstock Dec 6; Victorian Christmas, Thomasville Dec 10-11; Ball Ground Hometown Tree Lighting Dec 12; Hills & Dales Estate holiday tours, LaGrange Dec 5-26. (exploregeorgia.org)
Keep Planning
- Georgia events in December
- Christmas towns in Georgia
- What is there to do in Georgia in November
- Georgia events by month
FAQ
When does Savannah Christmas Market run in 2026?
Nov 19, 2026 through Jan 3, 2027, free to visitors. (plantriverside.com)
What We Could Not Confirm
- Callaway Gardens did not load; Fantasy In Lights dates come from Explore Georgia only; hours and prices not confirmed.
- Savannah Lighted Christmas Street Parade: no 2026 date on a fetched page (not published for 2026).
- Stone Mountain Christmas prices and Santa dates: not on fetched page.
- Lanier Islands page has conflicting season dates (see item).
- Jekyll Island event year is not stated on the page for the dated events.
- Counties not stated on the pages read.
- Atlanta Christmas Village: no organizer page found.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- Explore Georgia holiday events
- Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Plant Riverside
- Rock City
- Lanier Islands
- Stone Mountain
- Jekyll Island
- Helen
- Fox Theatre
- Atlanta Ballet
- Blue Ridge Railway
- Dahlonega
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
More from Answers
Cite this page: It's Georgia, “What to Do in Georgia in December”, itsgeorgia.com/answers/what-to-do-in-georgia-in-december/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.