Holidays Lights at Lake Compounce - Bristol, CT

We have been going all out with holiday events this season. From a weekend in the Berkshires to light displays and cookie swaps to holiday dinners, it has been a fun Christmas season. We were looking to plan a fun family holiday event for my mother-in-law's 70th birthday and ended up at Lake Compounce on a Sunday night for their Holiday Lights event. 

Lake Compounce is the oldest, continuously-operating amusement park in the country, opening 176 years ago in 1846. The park is famous for its wooden roller coaster, water park, and New England charm. The park operates as your standard amusement park in the spring, summer, and fall before switching gears to Phantom Fall fest for a month in the fall and Holiday Lights in December. 

Holiday Lights is when the park totally transforms into a Christmas wonderland. The smaller family and kid's rides at the park remain open (the larger rides and coasters are not open). You can expect to find the state's tallest Christmas tree and the entire park is decked out for the holidays. Thousands of lights, Christmas decor throughout the park, Christmas music everywhere you go, and themed holiday treats and hot chocolate. It's an amazing family-friendly winter activity if you don't mind the cold.

There are different themes throughout the month including gingerbread weekend, Pawliday Lights (dog-friendly day), ugly sweater weekends, and a kid's New Year's Eve party.Every weekend, you can expect to find a dance party with the Lake Compounce characters, a chance to meet Santa and write your letters, balloon animals, make your own snowglobe, a stuff a bear workshop, and more holiday-themed fun.

Need To Know

When: Open from 3pm-8pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 19 through December 24 and Monday through Saturday, December 26-31  

Admission: Tickets (online prices) adults $24.99, kids/senior $19.99, kids 3 and under are free

Pets: No, with the exception of their one dog-friendly day in December called Pawliday Lights (it was December 18 this year - check the website for details) 

Directions: Minutes from I-84, Exit 31 Two miles North on Route 229 and follow the signs

Use the address 185 Enterprise Drive, Bristol, CT 06010

Food/Drinks/Snacks: While not everything is fully open, there are concessions stands in the park and a cafeteria where you can order food and warm up for a bit. 

Open rides: Each ride will open and close with the park. Fridays are from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Saturday and Sundays are from 3:00pm to 8:00pm. Boocifer's Haunted Holiday at Ghost Hunt, Wave Swinger, North Pole Express (Closed on 12/31 due to the Firework Spectacular), Carousel, Twister, Bumper Cars, American, Flyers, Jolly Jester, Drop Zone, Zoomer’s Gas N’ Go, Kiddie Swinger, Fantasy Carousel, Drum Circus, Kiddie Coaster, Little Critters, Little Dare Devils and Rainbow Riders