Austin Trail of Lights, Austin

Each year, Austin-area residents come together and make their way to the Austin Trail of Lights, a community-wide celebration and local tradition. What began in 1965 as a small gathering dubbed "Yule Fest" now annually transforms Zilker Park into a winter wonderland visited by nearly half a million people. Guests walking through the gates are met by a collection of trees and light displays bedecked with over a million shimmering bulbs, a massive Christmas tree, and a ferris wheel that rewards riders of all ages with stunning views of the downtown skyline. They can also warm up chilly hands at the ever-popular Yule Log, which blazes under the careful eye of the Austin Fire Department. And if visitors build up an appetite after strolling the over one-mile circuit of wintry displays, they can extinguish hunger pangs by patronizing local restaurants, caterers, and food trucks that will be on hand for the festivities.