Virginia Beach's Holiday Lights Are on Foot Now, in Two Shows on General Booth
November 12, 2026
November 12, 2026
On Friday, Nov. 20, Virginia Beach's holiday lights open in a new place and a new format. The city's BayPort Credit Union Holiday Trail of Lights, presented by Huffman & Huffman Brothers-in-Law, starts its season on the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center's Nature Trail at 717 General Booth Blvd. Lumi SkyWalk, the Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium's treetop light walk, opens the same night. WTKR describes the two as "just hundreds of yards apart."
Both are walks, both are ticketed, and both run through Jan. 3. Picking between them depends less on which is prettier and more on who is coming with you. One is a flat, accessible 1.1-mile trail with separate prices for children 12 and under. The other is an elevated canopy walk with three age tiers and only partial ADA access. For a household with a grandparent using a wheelchair, a toddler in a double stroller or a teenager who wants the slide, the decision is mostly made before you look at a single photo.
For 31 years, Holiday Lights at the Beach was a drive along the Oceanfront Boardwalk. According to WAVY, city officials said the 2025 drive-through put about 21,000 vehicles on the Boardwalk and seawall. They said that load was straining the structure, shortening its lifespan and adding to damage and maintenance costs. City Council discussed a different holiday format on Feb. 3, 2026. By March 24, WAVY reported that the city's budget plan moved the show to the Aquarium as a walkable event. In September, WTKR cited the FY 2026–27 budget in reporting that repeated vehicle strain had made the drive-through no longer feasible.
A drive-through let the whole car pass at once, at whatever pace traffic allowed. Walking shows bring timed entry, per-person pricing and footpath rules, and the two shows on General Booth handle those in different ways.
The Holiday Trail of Lights sells timed tickets for three windows each night, according to the Virginia Beach Events listing:
Prices depend on whether you go on a Value Night or a Premium Night. Value Night tickets are $19 for adults and $12 for children ages 3 to 12. Premium Night tickets are $22 and $15. The Twilight Hour costs $25 and $18 on Value Nights and $28 and $21 on Premium Nights. All prices are plus fees. Military Mondays bring tickets down to $16 for adults and $10 for children, and that rate applies to active duty service members and retired veterans. Groups of 25 or more get their own rates by phone.
Buy tickets ahead of time. Each time slot has a limited number of tickets, door sales aren't guaranteed, and any walk-up ticket costs an extra $10. Ticket sales are final, with no refunds or exchanges. If weather cancels a night, unscanned tickets can be redeemed at the box office for any night of equal or lesser value. Aquarium members buy through a link the Aquarium sends them directly.
For a family of two adults and two children, a Value Night in a regular window comes to $62 plus fees. The same family pays $98 plus fees for a Premium Night Twilight Hour. That $36 difference buys an earlier, quieter walk and an ornament.
The trail is 1.1 miles round-trip, and you can enter from either the Aquarium's North Building or its South Building. James Bain of Mega Light Show and Ken MacMaster of Wired Watts designed it, working with Virginia Beach Events and the city. The walk passes through seven areas:
The listing describes the trail as flat and ADA accessible. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are allowed, a limited number of wheelchairs can be rented, and strollers are welcome. Pets, bikes, e-bikes, skateboards, scooters, chairs and outside food and drink are not allowed.
Parking is free. The Aquarium's visitor guide says parking costs nothing from November through March. It lists lots at the North Building, 717 General Booth Blvd. plus the East Lot, and at the South Building, 801 General Booth Blvd. plus an overflow lot. Because the trail can be entered from either building, it's worth parking at the one closer to the entrance you plan to use.
A few hundred yards away, Lumi SkyWalk offers a very different kind of walk. Its route follows the Treetop Canopy Walk and tells a story "in light, shadow, and sound." After the last scene, guests can use the Nautilus Tower and the Whorl Slide. The show runs Nov. 20 through Jan. 3, and its ticket page says past shows have sold out.
Lumi prices by age instead of by night. Tickets are $23 for ages 14 and up, $18 for ages 7 to 13 and $13 for ages 3 to 6. Children 2 and under get in free, and everyone 3 and older needs a paid ticket. The Whorl Slide is open to ages 7 and up. The walk takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Strollers can go only if they are no wider than two feet. The operator describes the experience as only partly ADA compliant and advises against it for visitors who need full accessibility.
| Holiday Trail of Lights | Lumi SkyWalk | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Nov. 20 – Jan. 3 | Nov. 20 – Jan. 3 |
| Setting | Ground-level Nature Trail, 1.1 miles round-trip | Elevated Treetop Canopy Walk |
| Time on site | Timed entry windows from 5 to 9 p.m. | About 45 to 60 minutes |
| Adult ticket | $19 Value Night, $22 Premium Night, plus fees | $23, ages 14 and up |
| Child ticket | $12 or $15, ages 3 to 12, plus fees | $18 ages 7 to 13, $13 ages 3 to 6 |
| Accessibility | Flat, ADA accessible, wheelchair rentals | Partly ADA compliant |
| Strollers | Permitted | Two feet wide or less |
| Extras | Twilight Hour ornament, Military Mondays | Nautilus Tower, Whorl Slide for ages 7+ |
The age bands don't line up, which makes a difference for some families. A 13-year-old counts as an adult on the city trail at $19 or $22 and as a child at Lumi at $18. A 5-year-old pays $12 or $15 on the trail and $13 at Lumi. For a group that includes a wheelchair user or a wide stroller, the accessibility row decides it before price matters.
The two shows are also on opposite sides of a lawsuit. On Nov. 6, WTKR reported that the Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium had filed an amended lawsuit asking a judge to stop the Holiday Trail of Lights from operating on Aquarium property. According to WTKR, the park claims its agreement with the Virginia Aquarium Foundation protects it from competing facilities within a 50-mile radius. It argues that both shows are outdoor, ticketed, walk-through experiences running in the same season.
WTKR also reported that the suit covers a separate dispute over the park's planned observation tower, which was cut from a proposed height of about 125 feet to 65 feet after Navy security concerns. The park is seeking up to $10 million from the Aquarium Foundation, up to $10 million from the city and up to $1 million from Beach Events. In a statement to WTKR, the city responded:
"completely without factual or legal merit."
WTKR's report said both attractions were expected to open on Nov. 20. If you've booked a night later in the season, keep an eye on the city's trail listing and on Lumi's dates page along with your tickets.
The season stretches about six weeks, from Nov. 20 through Jan. 3, so there's no need to crowd into opening weekend. Mondays are the lowest-cost nights on the city trail for military households. The Twilight Hour offers the quietest walk. Lumi's dates and hours are posted on Owl Creek Landing's events page. The Holiday Trail of Lights box office can be reached at (757) 385-7873.
Holiday hosting goes more smoothly when you already know which show works for the grandparents and which one works for the kids. At Rowland RE, we keep track of how changes like this one shape everyday life across Virginia Beach. If you're weighing where your household fits best for seasons like this one, start your tailored market consultation with Michael Rowland.
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