Oglebay Resort
Wheeling, West Virginia
With 300 acres of land, West Virginia’s Oglebay Resort has plenty of space to spread out for its annual Festival of Lights.
“It’s a six-and-a-half-mile drive throughout the resort,” said Caren Knoyer, Oglebay’s public relations manager. “It’s a little different than many places; we take advantage of our natural setting and historic buildings, and use them as part of the show. For the past four or five years, we‘ve been changing to LED light bulbs, which give a brighter and more vibrant look.”
Favorite light displays include a poinsettia wreath and candles that stand about 60 feet high and some characters from the classic Peanuts comic strip. Several drive-through light tunnels give visitors an immersive experience, and lakefront displays reflect in the water for double illumination.
The resort brings the festivities indoors as well. The Wilson Lodge is decked with LED lights on the outside and professionally designed mantels and Christmas scenes on the inside. The on-site historic home also gets a holiday treatment.
“We decorate our mansion museum, which was the home of Col. Earl Oglebay,” Knoyer said. “Area decorators donate their time and talent, so every room is decorated in a different way.”
This year’s Festival of Lights takes place from Nov. 11 through Jan. 8.
www.oglebay-resort.com
Hershey Entertainment and Resorts
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Building on its fame as a chocolatier, the Hershey empire in Pennsylvania has grown to include a theme park and a number of resorts on property. At the end of the year, though, chocolate takes a back seat to holiday cheer.
“Hershey is going to be themed to the hilt for the holidays,” said Luke Kracke, group tourism manager for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts. “The whole destination brings out the spirit and does a great job of putting on a show for visitors. Everything starts the weekend before Thanksgiving and goes until the first of January.”
Motorcoach groups enjoy the “Chocolate Town Musical.” This revue has both top 40 songs and Christmas classics, and has been a staple of the holiday experience in Hershey for 11 years. At Hershey Park, the Christmas Candylane event features light displays, reindeer encounters and midway rides. This year brings a new component called NOEL: Nights of Extraordinary Lights, which features a light show synchronized to music in the park. Another display, Sweetlights, illuminates the woods behind the Hotel Hershey, with nearly 600 displays.
The hotel is also the site of a popular New Year’s Eve celebration.
“They have carnival games and huge inflatable rides in the ballrooms,” Kracke said. “There’s a huge Hershey’s product display and a massive amount of food and beverage as well.”
