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Four road trips to get you in the holiday spirit

Knoxville is within a day's drive of nearly half the U.S. population and some of the biggest Christmas celebrations in the country.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The holiday season has arrived, and you can find some kind of celebration everywhere you look. From trees and lights to Christmas-themed clothes, even a pop-up bar (yep, really), you can find the holiday spirit everywhere. But if you want a short getaway, there are plenty of day trip options where you can embrace the holidays.

Speedway in Lights

Bristol Motor Speedway is just under a two-hour drive from Knoxville. For more than two decades, the speedway has used Christmas as an opportunity to give people a behind-the-scenes look at the World's Fastest Half-Mile and help others.

The annual event supports Speedway Children's Charities, which raises money year-round for dozens of non-profit groups focused on kids. Since it started in 1996, the group has raised nearly $16 million.

RELATED: Pinnacle Speedway in Lights at Bristol Motor Speedway to open Nov. 15

Speedway in Lights is the organization's biggest annual fundraiser. 

"We decided this is something that every family could support and bring their entire family through and feel like they're making a difference," said Claudia Byrd, director of the Bristol chapter of SCC. "Rather than having to go to a big black-tie fundraiser with a large ticket price, any family can come out and enjoy this and know they’re making a difference."

The display itself includes a four-mile drive through a labyrinth of two million lights, synced to holiday music on the radio. Drivers eventually end the journey by making a lap on the track.

Speedway in Lights is open Nov. 15 - Jan. 4 from 6 - 10 p.m. You can find ticket prices and frequently-asked questions here.

Christmas at Biltmore

Across the North Carolina state line, Biltmore House sits on 8,000 acres in Asheville. About two hours from Knoxville, the iconic home is at its most extravagant during the holidays.

The 250-room house is decorated from top to bottom. A team of interior designers divide and conquer, each claiming a room to design with a particular theme in mind. 

The decorations inside the home include 62 Christmas trees, the largest of which is a 35-foot-tall fresh-cut Frasier Fir in the Banquet Hall. It takes 500 ornaments just to cover that tree alone.

Biltmore's decorations also include lights, candles, poinsettias, wreaths and garlands.


This year, Biltmore's Christmas celebration coincides with its new Downton Abbey exhibit.

RELATED: How you can decorate your house like America's largest home

RELATED: 34-Foot-Tall, 2,000-Pound Christmas Tree Arrives the Biltmore for the Holidays

Christmas at Biltmore is Nov. 1 - Jan. 5. You can find tickets and information about special events at Biltmore here.

Opryland Resort

Opryland Resort in Nashville is also known for its elaborate decorations, as well as its less traditional holiday celebrations. The Resort is just under a three-hour drive from Knoxville.

The resort boasts millions of lights and hundreds of poinsettias, performances starring country music icons and a massive ice sculpture event.

ICE! is an annual tradition at Opryland. Over several weeks, dozens of artisans from China carve millions of pounds of solid ice into recognizable Christmas scenes. This year, the display features scenes from A Christmas Story, including the iconic leg lamp and the ultimate triple-dog dare. The artists also put together an ice slide and a massive nativity scene.

The display is cooled to nine degrees, and visitors are given thick parkas to stay warm. 

ICE! is Nov. 8 - Jan. 1. You can find more information and ticket prices here.

Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas

If you want to stay closer to home, look no farther than Pigeon Forge. Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas is about 45 minutes from Knoxville.

The theme park's annual celebration features millions of lights, holiday musicals and a new light show on a 50-foot video motion tree.

Dollywood's preparation starts a year in advance, and employees start hanging the lights in June. 

RELATED: Dollywood kicks off its Smoky Mountain Christmas

RELATED: I tried Dollywood's Cinnamon Bread for the first time and finally feel like a real East Tennessean

The lights are hung in a specific way, with all the bulbs facing the same direction. Lighting coordinators sometimes black out an entire strand of lights, just to get a couple bulbs in the right place.

"It’s always interesting when we get someone new to hang Christmas lights," said Matt Young, Dollywood's Events Manager. "That training process and education where they think it’s just coming out here and stapling Christmas lights on a building. It’s very very detailed and specific."

Smoky Mountain Christmas is Nov. 9 - Jan. 4. You can find more information here.

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