Seasons / FIELD GUIDE
Christmas in Huntsville
Choose between Galaxy of Lights, Tinsel Trail, skating and other Huntsville Christmas outings in 2026.
For a 2026 Christmas-season outing, pick the kind of evening you want: a ticketed light display at the Botanical Garden, a free downtown tree walk, skating, or a reserved dinner on the mountain. Dates and prices below are seasonal. Check the organizers before setting out.
Pick your lights
Choose Galaxy of Lights for a dedicated light show. It runs November 13–December 31, 2026, and is closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Walking nights. Follow an approximately 1.75-mile route and allow 60–90 minutes. Walking nights in 2026 are November 13–25 and 27–29, December 2–5, 16–24 and 26–27. Advance tickets are strongly recommended for a specific arrival time. Last ticketed entry is 8:45 p.m. and gates close at 9 p.m. The route includes paved, brick and gravel surfaces. Some areas are dark, so bring a light if helpful. Select nights offer sensory hours, dog admission or a separately ticketed tram.
The 2026 calendar sets non-peak, peak and holiday prime prices by date. Before tax, nonmember advance tickets are $17–$24 per adult and $10–$16 per child ages 3–15. Member advance tickets are $13–$21 and $7–$14. After 4:30 p.m. on the visit date, gate prices are $25 per adult and $16 per child ($15 for member children), subject to availability. Children 2 and under are free.
Driving nights. Visit December 6–15 and December 28–31, 2026, with entry 5:30–9 p.m. Admission for up to 10 people is $40 per vehicle, or $30 for members, whether bought in advance or at the gate. Extra passengers cost $3 each. Enter via Phantom Road off Bob Wallace Avenue, not the Garden’s main entrance. Tickets can be bought on arrival or ahead. An advance driving ticket is valid for any 2026 driving night.
Choose Tinsel Trail for a free, flexible downtown stroll. More than 450 locally decorated trees fill Big Spring Park November 27–December 31, 2026. The trail is open around the clock, though trees may not be lit in severe weather. The Rocket City Tree lighting begins at 6 p.m. on November 27. Pair the walk with a downtown meal, and use our parking and getting around guide to plan your arrival.
Add an activity
- Skate downtown. Skating in the Park runs November 20, 2026–January 3, 2027. Buy tickets at the entrance: admission is $5 for ages 9 and under or $15 for ages 10 and up. Skate rental is another $5. Hours can change with school schedules and weather, so check the museum’s updates before going.
- Reserve a mountain dinner. Burritt’s Holiday Magic is a five-course dinner with a chorale serenade, offered December 10–12 and 17–19, 2026. Holiday Magic begins at 6 p.m. and costs $165 per person. Call 256-512-0141 for reservations. Check the event page for availability.
- Bring the family to Burritt. Merriment on the Mountain is December 5, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and December 6, noon–4 p.m. Historic activities are included with admission while supplies last. Sunday’s Cookies and Cocoa with Father Christmas, 1–3 p.m., is separately ticketed at $25 per adult and $15 for ages 3–18. Its ticket includes admission to the other activities.
Looking for gifts or a seasonal market? See the holiday markets guide. For a meal and outings around the November holiday, see Thanksgiving in Huntsville.
Planning the turn of the year? Compare celebrations and First Day Hikes in the New Year’s guide.
Information checked 2026-11-11. Check official sources before you go.