Some people visit the Rock City Christmas lights every year, with sometimes multiple visits, during the winter season.
Rock City is an icon of Chattanooga. Hundreds of thousands of visitors drive up Lookout Mountain just to visit the rock gardens. The Enchanted Garden of Lights is their Christmas lights special event. But is it really worth the cost, time, and crowds to enjoy this Chattanooga holiday attraction? Keep reading to find out.
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History of Rock City
Rock City, located on Lookout Mountain, first opened 90 years ago as the property of Garnet and Frieda Carter. You might be familiar with the red barns that say “See Rock City” on them. Probably because there’s over 900 of them around the country as a form of advertising for the park. This was one of many great ideas from the Carters. Not only did they open their property for the public to enjoy, but they also got creative with it. From the interesting rock formations to unique plants, Rock City has always been known as a garden park.
But that’s not all. Did you know that Garnet Carter also invented mini golf? Tom Thumb Golf was the first ever miniature golf course in the world and it’s right here in Rock City. The family also enjoyed fantasy artwork and thus came the Fairyland Caverns in the 1940’s. Rock City is also full of gnomes and other mythical forest creatures, inspired by Frieda Carter’s passion for European fairy tales. The winding stone paths also add to the enchantment of the experience that this park was made to invoke. Today, Rock City is still family owned and adored by locals and tourists alike, all year long.
The Enchanted Garden of Lights
The Enchanted Garden of Lights is the name of the Rock City Christmas lights attraction. Typically, the park is only open during daylight hours. But for the holiday season, Rock City is open for a nighttime show of dancing lights, amazing color-changing displays, and nighttime views of Chattanooga down in the valley.
You get to enjoy the park’s most popular attractions in a new way. Such as Fat Man’s Squeeze, Fairyland Caverns, and the famous waterfall all lit up for the night. Unfortunately, you cannot access the swinging bridge at night due to safety reasons.
Fairyland Caverns
I cannot continue without sharing more about Fairyland Caverns. This section of the park is part of what makes Rock City so popular. Some people find the old figures somewhat creepy, while others visit just to see these works of art. Whichever way you feel about them, I say you must visit the Fairyland Caverns at least once.
The Carter family hired an artist from Atlanta named Jessie Sanders back in the 1940s. She created the glow-in-the-dark figures that make up Fairyland Caverns. These sculptures tell different fairytale stories and there’s even a room full of Mother Goose rhymes.
The Best Route
Since not all of the park’s pathways are open for exploring, Rock City staff have carefully crafted a trail through all the nighttime attractions. Plan on spending at least an hour and a half or more walking through and seeing the Christmas lights at Rock City.
When you arrive at the entrance, you can grab a park map that highlights key points of interest. The park is also divided into realms which each have their own theme. For example a good place to start would be in the Arctic Kingdom where you’ll see Christmas light icicles and penguins. The pathways flow seamlessly between the realms making it easy to navigate your trip through Rock City and the Enchanted Garden of Lights. If you want to plan your trip ahead of time to make the most out of your visit, be sure to check out Rock City’s “Suggested Itineraries” on their website.
Tips for Your Trip
First thing to note, tickets for the Enchanted Garden of Lights can only be purchased online this year. Due to the popularity of this attraction, Rock City is limiting the amount of tickets sold and entry times every night for the event. This allows for fewer crowds and a much more pleasant experience for everyone. Look at their calendar to see what time slots are available and work best for you.
They suggest arriving fifteen minutes before your ticketed time slot. This will allow you time to find a parking spot, walk up to the entrance, and maybe use the restroom and grab a coffee from Starbucks beforehand (like I did).
Check the weather before you go and before you make your ticket reservation. It’s colder on the mountain, especially at night. Dress warmly for cold weather and keep in mind that they do not offer refunds for tickets already purchased online. However, tickets are good for one year from the purchase date so you can reschedule if you need to by emailing them.
Lastly, plan to buy food and drinks. Especially if it’s cold out, you’ll want a hot apple cider or coffee to help keep you warm. They even offer alcoholic beverages for the adults. A hot drink paired with walking in warm clothes means you won’t be as cold as you might think. There’s also three places on site to buy food as well if you want to plan to have dinner here. And there’s a Starbucks across the street that you’re welcome to bring drinks from into the park.
When to See the Enchanted Garden of Lights
The Enchanted Garden of Lights season runs from late November to January 1st. You will need to make a reservation and buy tickets in advance. But, if you’re an annual passholder, you don’t have to. VIP Pasholders can visit whenever and Regular Passholders can visit Monday-Thursday nights, and get 50% admission for the weekend nights.
I suggest going on a Sunday or weekday night and the later the better. Fewer people will be there then because of work and school the next day. But remember, it could take you two hours to walk through and the park closes two hours after the last ticket time slot each night.
We went on a Sunday night and although it was quite crowded in some areas, it was dead in others. And as it got later, the park got emptier. There were even times we had an entire area all to ourselves. So, don’t let the thoughts of crowds scare you, just be patient.
Crust Pizza
We decided to eat dinner before our ticketed time slot so we ate nearby in the valley. On Broad Street is a local pizza place called Crust Pizza. If you love thin crust pizza like I do, you need to try this place. Everything is fresh, and most things are made in-house. We got a house salad to share (it’s rather large) and a large Gigantor Pizza. The Gigantor is their version of a Supreme Pizza with veggies and meats. And the waitress talked us into the chocolate cake for dessert. I highly recommend eating at Crust Pizza if you’re looking for another local place to try at the base of Lookout Mountain.
Closing Thoughts
Now we are left with the original question: Are the Rock City Christmas lights really worth the hype? I emphatically say “yes!” Rock City may have a reputation for being a Chattanooga tourist attraction, but I know many locals who visit this park again and again. Which is just how the Carters had hoped their family garden park would be. “Create Memories Worth Repeating” has always been the Rock City mission statement. And here, 90 years later, Rock City still has this effect on people, bringing them back year after year. And the Christmas lights are no exception. I’ve been multiple times now myself!
If you’ve never been, be sure to watch the YouTube video of our experience. And even if you have been before, you’ll want to watch as Adam makes a guest appearance and brings humor to every situation, as usual. I want to go back in the spring to enjoy the entirety of Rock City and all the flowers. I’ll brink y’all along with me then when I go one day.
Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
More Chattanooga Christmas Fun:
- A Chattanooga Christmas Itinerary for One Night
- Chattanooga Christmas Lights
- Christmas in Downtown Chattanooga
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