Visiting Parade Magazine's #1 Christmas Lights Display

When a family member got tickets to Winter City Lights experience in Olney, Maryland, I had no idea I was headed to an award-winning experience. It is ranked as the #1 Christmas Lights Display by Parade Magazine, #2 Most Magical Christmas Lights Display in the U.S. by Country Living, and the #2 Holiday Light Show in the U.S. by Newsweek Reader's Choice. 

Last December, I ventured out on a chilly night to Winter City Lights in Olney  — a holiday lights experience that’s become a seasonal must-see in Maryland. I went with high hopes: cozy vibes, dazzling displays, and a magical winter night worth remembering.

Read on for my pros and cons on Winter City Lights. 

The Pros

1. The lights are easy to see and beautiful. From a large Christmas tree in the center of the attraction to an obvious path that you walk along to see the lights, you can find where to go to see the lights easily. We started out walking the path (it seemed like it was through the woods but it was easy to walk on). I could see it being a good place for a Halloween event  / attraction in October.

2. You can stop and take pictures as you go. A lot of people were photographing their kids sitting in Santa's sleigh, which was lit up with white lights. The large tree was also a popular spot for photos.

3. You could warm up with a cup of hot chocolate and various food items as well as at a fire pit. This was nice as we went on a very cold day, where we had hats and gloves on. My feet got cold though, so being able to stand around one of the fire pits was nice.

4. The ice slides are a lot of fun. There are multiple lanes and they are tall open slides that give you a nice ride down on a tube.

5. There is plenty of room to park and parking is free.

No event is perfect so here are the cons.

The Cons

1. It's not cheap. Ticket prices vary depending on the day you go, with weeknights being cheaper but are around $30 per person and can be more. That is just to get in and see the lights. Concessions and the ice slides cost additional money. A ticket to go on the ice slides costs $25.

2. The hot chocolate and food was solid but wasn't gourmet or anything. You could just as easily leave after doing the attractions and head to a restaurant.

3. It is outside and cold! There is no inside shelter to go into to warm up so dressing warm is a must. This affected how many times I was able to go down the ice slides. Since we did the lights first and then spent a few minutes waiting for our food, by the time I got to the ice slides, my feet were quite cold even after standing by the fire pit a few minutes. I didn't want to push my luck and get frostbite or anything, so after going down a handful of times, we called it a night.

Would I recommend Winter City Lights in Olney? Yes, if your heart’s set on bright lights and winter fun with friends or family, you’ll likely enjoy your visit. The atmosphere is festive, the lights are impressive, and there are enough stands and extras to make a night out of it.