Last week the Auburn-Opelika Mom’s Blog executive team, and our tiny humans, took a short drive North on I-85; maneuvered through some cozy, back country roads and eventually ended up nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at Callaway Gardens.
Callaway Gardens invited the Auburn-Opelika Mom’s Blog to check-out their Fantasy in Lights event and share some of the details of our day with our fellow Auburn-Opelika Moms.
We arrived early to explore the gardens, where we played at a nature playground, watched birds of prey take flight, and learned all about butterflies. As soon as 4:00PM hit, we were eager and ready to head to the Christmas Village located beside Robin Lake.
Our boys had a blast bouncing in the bounce houses, throwing snowballs in the tiny village, making Christmas ornaments, and getting their faces painted. Although it was entertaining, I am not sure our toddlers were too enthused when we handed them off to the big man in red. Luckily, Santa did an excellent job and being patient with our chaotic trio of boys. He even spent a few extra moments with the oldest boy in our crew, who was very excited to tell him about how “good” he has been. Just a friendly heads up, not all of the activities at Christmas Village are included in your ticket price. The snowball fight and Santa visit are free, and those were the biggest highlights for us.
Before we hopped on the trolley for the main event, we stocked up on some yummy treats. The kids were infatuated with watching the artisans dip donuts and twist pretzels. We purchased a bag full of homemade cookies from the café to entertain our short-attention-spanned toddlers on the ride. To keep us extra warm, we had grabbed a big glass of warm hot cocoa on our way to the trolley line.
We were scheduled for the 5:00pm trolly, which was the first trolly of the evening. Don’t sweat it if you aren’t there right at your scheduled time, the trolleys are constantly shuffling so you don’t miss out. Since we went on a weeknight early in the season, we only had about a 3-minute wait. Like most holiday events, expect the lines to be longer as Christmas gets closer. Most of the line will fit inside an enclosed tent, so you won’t be quiet as chilly. Kids can get antsy in lines, but if you go in prepared with some fun activities and games, the time will pass quickly.
Need some ideas? How about a game of I-Spy or some Christmas caroling? Of course, you can never go wrong with a game of “Simone Says.”
Our trolly ride began with a greeting from the “horse” guiding our sleigh, Snowball. Snowball is a friendly “horse” who knows all about Callaway Gardens and the Fantasy in Lights. We sang some Christmas carols to get in the spirit and quickly arrived at the first display, “Christmas Tree Lane.” We trotted through the “March of the Toy Soldiers,” the “Enchanted Rainbow Forest,” “Santa’s Workshop,” and the “Snowflake Valley.” The kiddos erupted with giggles watching Fil the Frog light up and hop around, before falling of his lily pad into the water. My personal favorite display was, “The 12 Days of Christmas,” because you can’t ever go wrong with a holiday classic. As our ride ended, we passed other families just departing for their journey through Fantasy in Lights. Everyone had a blast spreading Christmas cheer and yelling at the top of their lungs, “Merry Christmas.” It may have been the highlight of the evening for the six year old in our crew.
Whether you’re heading out this weekend to celebrate the holidays with the Fantasy in Lights, dropping by in Spring to hike and explore the fresh blooming flowers, looking to cool off in Robin Lake on a hot summer day, or enjoying the Fall weather while watching hundreds of butterflies take flight; you’re sure to find more than a few ways to disconnect for the outside world and connect with nature at Callaway Gardens.
