Koziar’s Christmas Village: Kid Friendly Guide
Koziar’s Christmas Village in Bernville, PA started as a local favorite decorated Christmas house in 1948. Mr. Koziar wanted to spread Christmas cheer to his kids and the community. And over the years this amazing Christmas experience has grown to one of the biggest and best (and most magical) Christmas lights displays in the United States!
I had heard about Koziar’s Christmas Village but was not prepared for how amazing this Christmas lights experience would be. Read on for our review and tips for how to maximize your visit to Koziar’s Christmas Village.
Related: The 10 Most Magical Christmas Events for Kids in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic Region
Over a Million Christmas Lights
You read that correctly. There are over 1 million Christmas lights adorning Koziar’s Christmas Village. The lights are everywhere!
Our favorite place to take in the lights is on the edge of the pond because you can easily see the reflection of the lights on the water. There are multiple places to stand and see the lights on the water.
But even apart from the water views, there are lights everywhere. The buildings are covered in lights, the trees are covered in lights, and more.
Related: Best Tips For Visiting A Longwood Christmas
Wooden Christmas Displays
One of the features of Koziar’s Christmas Village that we absolutely loved were these vintage wooden storybook displays. This harkens back to a time before you could really use Christmas lights.
But the quality and detail of the wooden decorations is really fantastic. You can read the Christmas Carol story, Grinch, Frosty the Snowman, and more!
There are also tons of wooden holiday scenes along the path. We are big dog lovers in our family, so of course the puppies were a big hit!
The wooden decorations are interspersed with the lights and more modern decorations. There is so much to see. Take your time and move slowly through the path in order to take it all in.
Related: What to Expect from a visit to Hersheypark Christmas Candylane
Winter Wonderland Tour
The Winter Wonderland is a series of indoor and outdoor glass building displays that are reminiscent of the windows you might see in the shops on 5th Avenue in New York City.
Some of the windows depict nature scenes and some look like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
There is a building depicting Santa’s Toy Shop, The Night Before Christmas, A Nativity Scene, and more!
One of the favorite parts of Winter Wonderland is the Kissing Bridge. Yes, there is an actual Kissing Bridge. It’s a replica of a covered bridge, just decorated for Christmas. This makes a great spot for photos… and smoochies.
In a number of the Winter Wonderland houses you can go inside and either shop or get a snack. For instance, I am pretty sure you can get cookies and other sweets inside the Gingerbread House.
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Indoor and Outdoor Train Gardens
Kids and parents alike will love watching the holiday train displays. There is a very elaborate train garden inside one of the buildings. But we loved watching this outdoor train garden too!
Related: Best Santa Trains in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic Region!
Meeting Santa and other Christmas Characters
You can meet Santa Claus at Koziar’s Christmas Village. But he isn’t the only Christmas character meet and greet. We saw Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer too!
Related: Best Christmas Markets in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic!
Tips for Visiting Koziar’s Christmas Village
1. Arrive early.
Arrive before sunset early. We arrived at about 5pm which was perfect (as the nights get longer, you could even arrive closer to 430pm). Why? Koziar’s will get super super busy. The line to get in will be very long. You will park a hike away.. but not as bad if you arrive early.
2. Be Prepared for a Ton of People
Not gonna lie— loads of festive merry makers. You will see a long line for something and just get in it, only to realize the line was just a gaggle. Have an adult or kid investigate if you want to be in that line. Also, the further down the path you go, the more the crowd thins out.
3. Take Your Time
️There is soooo much to see! Koziar’s has been doing this for over 70 years! So, they have lots of classic decorations like meticulously painted story boards of favorite holiday books and movies, window displays (like the store windows in NYC) and more! Take your time and just soak it all in!
4. Plenty of On site and off site Food Options
There are snacks, hot cocoa, popcorn.. and minimal dinner options. Search about 10-15 minutes away for nearby restaurants in Google maps. We saw lots of options. If you have kids, it might better to see the lights first and then go out to a sit down (and indoors) restaurant.
5. If you are worried about the drive, make a day of it!
Koziar’s Christmas Village is around 2 to 2.5 hours from most places in Maryland. If you are wondering if this is worth the drive, I think it is. However, it is definitely worth making a day trip out of it. Plan a daytime activity in the Lancaster area.
Top options for a daytime activity to pair with Koziar’s Christmas Village would be the Turkey Hill Experience, Strasburg Train, Lancaster Science Museum, or the Hands On House Children’s Museum.
Related: 55+ FREE Christmas Events in Maryland
Know Before you Go
Address: 782 Christmas Village Rd, Bernville, PA 19506
Google Map Directions click here.
From the first Saturday in November through Thanksgiving, Koziar’s Christmas Village is open Friday 6-9pm, Saturday 5-10pm, and Sunday 5-9pm. From Thanksgiving until January 1st, Koziar’s is open every day (including holidays). The weekend times will stay the same. Monday-Thursday hours will be 6-9pm.
Standard Pricing (most Mondays-Thursdays) admission costs are Ages 3 and under – FREE; ages 4-10 – $11.00; 11-64 – $13.00; SENIORS (65+) – $12.00. For Prime Nights (typically weekend nights), all prices are + $4 (except ages 3 and under are still FREE).
The paths are paved so it’s stroller and wheelchair friendly.
Typically guests will spend 60-90 minutes walking through the village.
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