Tickets for Meadowlark Botanical Gardens' Winter Walk of Lights go on sale Monday, Oct. 12, as the Vienna attraction opens its 15th season.
The half-mile paved trail at 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, off Beulah Road, runs from Nov. 11 through Jan. 3, 2027. NOVA Parks, which operates the gardens, says the event draws as many as 110,000 visitors a year. The agency is urging early reservations because capacity may be limited on popular dates.
NOVA Parks announced the on-sale date in an Oct. 7 Instagram post that also listed two other regional holiday light shows opening ticket sales the same day: Bull Run Festival of Lights and Bright Nights at Cameron Run.
Pricing depends on when visitors go and how they buy. Online tickets cost $19 for the Nov. 11 through Dec. 3 window and again for Jan. 1 through Jan. 3. From Dec. 4 through Dec. 31, tickets jump to $24 and are available online only. No walk-up sales at the door during that peak stretch. Walk-up tickets during the early and late windows cost $24.
The trail opens at 5:30 p.m. from Nov. 11 through Dec. 3, then shifts to 5 p.m. from Dec. 4 through Jan. 3. Gates close at 10 p.m. nightly, with last admission at 9:30 p.m.
Visitors will find lighted trees and displays built around nature, winter and holiday themes. Hot beverages, s'mores, a new chilled Amaretto Snow Globe and limited-edition 2026 holiday ornaments will be for sale along the route. The trail is fully paved and accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
Northern Virginia Magazine included the Winter Walk of Lights among seven holiday events in the D.C. region worth booking early.
Tickets can be purchased at novaparks.com starting Oct. 12.
Upcoming in Vienna
- Saturday, Oct. 10: Vienna fire stations open their doors for Fire Prevention Week.
- Saturday, Oct. 10: Community bike ride departs from Vienna Town Hall.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Winter Walk of Lights opens at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens.
