Holiday Lights Charter Bus Tours: Planning Group Trips to See Christmas Displays

What organizers should confirm before booking

Call ahead to any light display that requires reservations for large groups, since several of the more popular regional displays cap bus admissions per night and fill those slots weeks in advance. Confirm whether the display has a dedicated bus drop-off, since a coach that has to park in the general lot adds significant walking distance for an evening trip in December weather.

Warming stops matter more than people plan for

Build in one indoor stop, even a short one, for groups touring outdoor displays for more than 90 minutes total. A stop for coffee or dinner between the first and second light display keeps the group comfortable and gives the driver a natural break in a route that's otherwise all short hops and idling.

Reach out to plan your group's holiday lights route this season.

Why holiday light tours work so well as a charter trip

A holiday lights tour is one of the easiest group trips to plan well, because the destinations are close together, the season is predictable, and nobody's fighting over the itinerary the way they might on a multi-day trip. Church groups, senior centers, and community organizations book these every year, usually pairing two or three light displays with a stop for dinner or hot chocolate somewhere warm.

Timing the route around crowds

The biggest planning mistake is scheduling a light tour for a Friday or Saturday night in mid-December, when every display in the region hits peak attendance and parking lots back up for a half mile. Weeknight tours, or trips scheduled for the first two weeks of December before the crowds peak, move faster and let the group actually enjoy the stop instead of sitting in a parking queue.

Building the stop list

Two major displays plus one smaller local stop is usually the right amount for an evening trip. Three major stops sounds appealing on paper but rarely works once you account for loading and unloading a full coach at each one, especially with an older group that needs more time getting on and off the bus.

Author

Great American Tours

The best light tour routes are the ones nobody's in a hurry on.