Hop in the car, pop in a Christmas CD and head out on the Trail of Lights. You'll find great spots to see Christmas lights throughout central Arkansas. Here are some of them:

The Spa City dazzles this season, starting with a parade along downtown Central Avenue at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5. Experience the lighting of the Garland County Courthouse at 6 p.m. Dec. 6. Through Dec. 31, Lights on the Landscape at Garvan Woodland Gardens is a must-see, with more than 1.8 million twinkling bulbs on 15 masterfully sculpted acres. Holiday lights admission is $6 for adults, $4 for children (ages 6-12) and free for ages 5 and under. Lights are on daily from 5-9 p.m. Closed Christmas Day.

The Holiday Lighting Ceremony takes place at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at Jacksonville City Hall. The 54th Annual Christmas Parade will be held at 1 p.m. Dec. 3 on Main Street in downtown Jacksonville, where Santa will make his first appearance of the season. 

Grab your mittens and head downtown to the River Market’s outdoor pavilions for ice skating through Jan. 8. Little Rock’s Big Jingle Jubilee Holiday Parade starts at 3 p.m. Dec. 3 in the River Market and ends in front of the Arkansas state Capitol. Following the parade, Secretary of State Mark Martin and Santa Claus lead the annual Capitol Lighting Ceremony, featuring fireworks, music, children’s activities and more. The lights will be on nightly from Dec. 3-31. 

Start a family tradition by visiting the Holiday Lights in Burns Park. Sit back and enjoy traditional lighting displays of the past mixed with new state-of-the-art LED displays of the future. Drive through the lights from 6-10 p.m. through Dec. 30. Admission is $5 per car, $10 per passenger vans and $20 per RV or motor coach. You can also enjoy a fun walk through the lights displays at “Dashin’ through the Lights” from 5-6 p.m. Dec. 3. The Holiday Lights Festival will be held from 4-7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Burns Park. 

Saline County will celebrate the holidays with the Benton Hometown Christmas Parade at 6 p.m. Dec. 5. Afterward, Santa will visit children from 7-9 p.m. at the Saline County Courthouse gazebo. Free cocoa and cookies will be served during Santa’s visit, and local talent will perform on a stage on the courthouse square. Children’s photos with Santa will be available online. Santa will visit throughout the season as well. 

Searcy sets the stage for Christmas at 6 p.m. Dec. 3 with its Holiday of Lights Parade at the courthouse square. Also this season, witness the awe of a live nativity scene and Holiday of Lights Pageant.

The holiday spirit takes over Sherwood Forest, lighting it up nightly from 6-9:30 p.m. through Dec. 30. This mile-long trail of spectacular lights features reindeer in a soda shop, the Sherwood Express and Santa Claus himself. Admission is free; donations are accepted. Everyone receives a candy cane.

Information provided by the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism. For more ideas for holiday fun, visit Arkansas.com/places-to-go/trail-of-lights.