10 Ways To Experience The Magic Of Enchant Christmas
Is the hype worth it? Read our Enchant Christmas Review and see all the ways you can tap into the their Christmas magic!
If there was ever a maze you would want to get lost in, this is that maze. Oh. My. Goodness. Enchant Christmas is so much fun and so magical. You will absolutely want to get lost in the world’s largest Christmas lights maze. Why? Because there are so many fun photo opportunities, ways to play, and the lights are just so gorgeous.
A visit to Enchant Christmas DC is definitely a fantastic way to get into the holiday spirit this Christmas.
Read on to find out all the ways you can experience the magic of Enchant Christmas DC too!
Related: The Most Magical Christmas Events in Maryland With Kids
1. The Christmas Tree
The ‘piece de resistance’ of Enchant Christmas is, of course, the ginormous Christmas Tree that stands out in the middle of the stadium. Honestly, the moment you arrive at the edges of the park, you will start to see this gorgeously lit tree and all the festive lights of the maze.
If you are anything like me and my daughter, you will squeal with delight. It is really just so incredibly beautiful! There is so much to enjoy about Enchant Christmas, but this Christmas tree is a definite must. You will want to take it in from the top of the stadium (or the entrance anyway), and you will be drawn to it from within the Christmas lights maze itself.
I mean, take a look at this! All throughout the Christmas lights maze you can get great shots of the tree from different vantage points. It’s very photograph-able.
And it won’t be too hard to imagine Anna and Elsa feeling quite at home here in the land of Enchant-ment. (See what I did there? Very punny, I know. ha!)
2. the Christmas Lights Maze and Scavenger Hunt!
If you are visiting Enchant Christmas with kids, this will absolutely be a highlight of the night. However, this scavenger hunt is awesome for everyone– adults included. The maze theme changes every year but in 2023 it is reindeer.
It’s surprisingly difficult to find all 9 reindeer.
Each reindeer is posed in a different way. Many of them aren’t hard to find because their antlers are sticking up above the maze. But, you could definitely find yourself walking in circles.
Unlike other mazes though, you won’t mind getting lost in this maze because everything is just so festive and beautiful!
We especially loved seeing Rudolph.
The maze will probably take you a good hour to complete because you will want to stop for so many photo ops! And– like I said, some of the reindeer are pretty hard to find (Cupid is the most difficult). If you get stuck, the Enchant workers are not opposed to giving you a tip. That is the only way we found Cupid.
Once you have found Cupid– I mean, all 9 reindeer, you can exit the maze and get a prize. Your kids will love these golden chocolate coins and they are even allowed to take more than one (at least on the night we visited).
Related: The 25+ Best Christmas Lights Displays in Maryland, DC, and the Region
3. Great Photo Ops
Inside the lights maze there are so many awesome Instagram-worthy photo opportunities. At first I worried that all the photos would be too back-lit to see my daughter’s face. But I was wrong. The closer you get to the Christmas Tree, the better the lighting is.
I am now a Christmas lights photo convert. The Christmas lights totally make my daughter look like an angel. (cue mushy Christmas music).
Throughout the maze there are lighted benches, backdrops like giant snowflakes, and more photo-worthy scenes. There is even a giant diamond ring that would be the perfect spot for an engagement (hint hint).
Magical Christmas lights = a magic Christmas night to remember. The entire experience was very festive and fun!
Related: 50+ FREE Christmas Events and Activities in Maryland
4. Fun exploring and playing
Speaking of fun, your kids will absolutely have a blast with some of the lights maze features. The lighted tunnel changes colors on a constant basis. It’s a pretty long tunnel too… super fun.
My daughter (and who am I kidding… me too) loved this light walkway. We spent a fair amount of time jumping on the panels so they would change colors. One fun feature about it is when the panels change color, they don’t always change to the same color. Sometimes there are even two colors on the same panel.
Other fun features included a giant ornament ball you can walk into, as well as strings of Christmas lights forming a light pergola of sorts that you can walk through for a cool effect.
Related: The Best Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks in Maryland
5. The Ice Skating Trail
Part of the fun of Enchant Christmas is going ice skating too! Tip for families: Apparently the ice skating gets busier as it gets later.. so if ice skating is something you want to do, make that the first thing you do upon arrival. You can rent ice skates for $15 for adults and $10 for kids.
6. Santa Claus
When you exit the lights maze and Reindeer scavenger hunt, you will pretty much end up in front of where Santa Claus (or his very jolly helper) is hanging out. This Santa isn’t seated in a typical Santa chair. Nope, he is sitting on top of a crescent moon, looking out over the village below.
It’s a cool photo. You can’t take your own picture with Santa, but the professional ones that are offered cost as little as $10 (in 2019 so it might cost more now), so that’s not too expensive.
7. Shopping- the Christmas Market
Once you enter Enchant DC, vendors line the concourse above the ball field for probably half the circumference of the stadium. There are about 40 vendors selling everything from unique handcrafted Christmas decorations, to hand-knit clothing items, professional photography, delicious treats, and… my daughter’s favorite– Build A Bear Workshop.
Yep, we might have left Enchant DC with a souvenir Elsa Bear, which is now permanently affixed to my daughter’s arms. Personally, I was mesmerized by the paper stars shown above. Aren’t they gorgeous?
8. Live Entertainment
Not only is there a fun line up of live music (and let’s be honest.. a little dancing) every night. There are also carolers and other performing throughout the evening. Really, the entire stadium is filled with Christmas music and it couldn’t be more festive!
9. Delicious eats!
Now, of course you are gonna have to eat! There are so many great options. Reindeer soup, Christmas waffles, Ben’s Chili Bowl (I mean it is Nationals Stadium after all), plenty of kid friendly options, and some great sweet treats too! Pictured above are gourmet Pop Tarts… delicious!
And pictured below are giant gourmet s’mores! I mean, the guy blow torches your marshmallow and chocolate right in front of you! And you don’t have to get the plain ole gooey, yummy, chocolate-y regular s’more either. There are tons of options– dark chocolate, white chocolate, raspberry, salted caramel, and other yummy marshmallow flavors. How could you go wrong with that?
Also, don’t miss the glow in the dark cotton candy or the special hot cocoa. Mmmmmm…..
Related: Where to Catch a Santa Train or Polar Express in the DC Area
10. Enchant Cinema
One of the activities my daughter and I loved at the end of the night was to plop down and watch Christmas cartoons on a giant screen. The Enchant Cinema plays kid friendly Christmas favorites every night. And, it is conveniently located next to the giant s’more station. Guess where we sat to eat our s’mores?
Know Before You Go:
- Get tickets now! (click on the link for the ticket site). Some dates are starting to sell out. I am not surprised… see point 2.
- This event has mass appeal for both families with kids and adults attending without kids. When we left at 8pm, the line was longer to get in than at 6pm when we arrived. They were all college students and young professionals.
- Ticket Prices: Prices vary on when you go with the prime weekend time being the most expensive (and the most crowded.. and the most likely to be sold out). Honestly, if you are going with kids, just go during the week. Ticket prices are $27 for kids except Christmas week when they are $31.50/kid. Adults are $36 during the week and $40 on weekends and prime days.
- With kids I would budget 2-3 hours. Closer to 3 hours if you eat dinner and go ice skating. Closer to 2 hours if you don’t ice skate.
- Where to park? I would park right at Geico Parking Garage on site. This will dump you out at the main entrance to Enchant. If you pay online parking will cost $25.
FAQ
Enchant Christmas DC is being held at Nationals Stadium. the closest place to park is Geico Parking Garage on site.
Absolutely! There is a Kid Zone for kids 7 and under. The lights are spectacular! Kids will love the maze and scavenger hunt. And with Santa being there for photos, kids will love spending time here!
Yes. It is held at Nationals Stadium. The concession area and some of the shopping is partially indoors, but the main lights maze is outdoors.
We recommend at least 2-3 hours to experience everything about Enchant Christmas.
Strollers are permitted in the market village and concession area. However, strollers are not permitted on the field where the lights are. There is stroller parking.
Pin For Later
