TAMPA, Fla. — With just under a week to go until Thanksgiving, the sights and sounds of the holiday season are just beginning to add a festive touch to the Tampa Bay area.
People eager to get into the holiday spirit can look forward to all sorts of special events, live shows, charity drives and other opportunities to embrace the most wonderful time of the year.
If you're looking for some festive family fun that can easily accommodate your calendar, there are plenty of displays and activities that will be open to the public every day for the next month through Christmas Day. Here are five season-round destinations that you'll have plenty of time to check out:
Visitors will find the amusement park decked out for the holidays! Enjoy a variety of festive treats and shows, including Christmas on Ice. Come in the evenings to take in the bright, colorful light displays and fireworks, or take the kids to meet and greet Santa and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
When: Nov. 11 through Jan. 7
Where: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Price: Included with park admission. Ticket or pass prices (starting at around $78) are available on Busch Gardens' website
St. Petersburg's favorite Christmas light maze and holiday adventure is back for another season! This year, guests can look forward to a new maze called "Reindeer Games," an ice skating trail decked with Christmas lights, plenty of shops and stands from local vendors, activities for very young children and a visit to Santa's village.
When: Nov. 24 through Dec. 31
Where: Tropicana Field
Price: $34 for adults, $25 for kids (ages 3-17), free admission for infants (ages 0-2)
The Tampa Downtown Partnership and the Tampa Bay Lightning have teamed up once again to set up an entire snowy village, complete with ice skating, Santa sightings, curling and classic holiday treats for the whole family. Admission to the park is free, and visitors can enjoy special weekly events including Thunderstruck Thursdays, with a series of Lightning-themed activities, and Silent Disco Fridays.
When: Nov. 17 through Jan. 1
Where: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park along the Tampa Riverwalk
Price: Free admission, $17 ice skate rentals, $10 tickets for the Winter Village Express
The exciting Festival of Lights & Santa's Village features more than a million lights that cover almost two miles of drive-thru fun for the family. The Florida-themed displays and upsized drive-thru light tunnel are sure to wow guests. Santa's Village will also feature holiday-themed rides, a self-guided walking tour decked out in festive lights and more.
When: Nov. 23 - Jan. 1
Where: Hillsborough County Fair - 215 Sydney Washer Road, Dover, FL
Price: $25 per car (up to eight people)
This free, family-run Christmas display is opening for its 47th year in St. Petersburg. Spotlighted in HGTV, People Magazine and The Today Show as one of the nation's top Christmas light displays, this year's spectacle will feature new additions and upgrades to the lights and displays, including an 18 Train HO Scale Model Railroad.
When: Nov. 24 - Jan. 3
Where: 2719 Oakdale Street South, St. Petersburg, FL
Price: Free