Calendar

This week

Tiger Mountain Vineyards in Tiger, Ga., hosts a holiday open house Dec. 13, featuring soup and wine pairings along with gourmet cheeses and breads. After feasting, guests can stroll through the 70-year-old barn that serves as the entrance to the vineyards. Classical Christmas guitar music will be performed by Professor Bob Burton of Athens. 706-782-4777, www.tigerwine.com.

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During Wilderness Week at Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Jan. 10-17, experts host walks, hikes, lectures and seminars on Smoky Mountain history and plant and animal life. 865-429-7350, www.mypigeonforge.com/wildlife.

Georgia

Macon —- “National Geographic Maps: Tools for Adventure” is making only one stop in the Southeast, at the Museum of Arts and Sciences, through Jan. 11. The exhibit features opportunities to learn about new navigation technologies and ancient mapping techniques. Virtual journeys include tracking elephants in the African jungles, searching for Blackbeard’s pirate ship, driving a computer-generated rover on the surface of Mars and maneuvering a robot through the Great Pyramid in Egypt. 478-477-3232, www.masmacon.com.

LaGrange —- The Follow the Shepherd’s Walk, Dec. 12-14, allows visitors to step back to biblical times by following the shepherd’s walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Walks begin on the hour and half-hour from 6 to 9 p.m. Dinner reservations for a first-century banquet featuring 15 foods also can be made. 706-885-0363, www.biblicalresources.net.

Dahlonega —- The Old-Fashioned Christmas continues almost daily through December with caroling, entertainment, wine sampling and live theater. 706-864-3711, www.dahlonega.org.

St. Simons Island —- The 24th annual Christmas Tour of Homes, Dec. 13, features five island homes decked out in holiday decorations. The Island Design & Architectural Center and holiday marketplace offer gift ideas, and goodies await at the bake sale. 912-638-9808, cassinagardenclub.org.

Savannah —- The annual Holiday Tour of Homes, Dec. 13, visits at least six private residences decorated for the holidays in the Historic Landmark District on two tours. 912-236-8326, www.dnaholidaytour.com.

Madison —- hand.craft.it, an exhibition exploring the handmade craft movement, runs through Jan. 20 at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center. In conjunction with the exhibit, the Handmade Market and Music Festival is set for Dec. 13. 1-877-233-0598, www.mmcc-arts.org.

Alabama

Huntsville —- The Galaxy of Lights, through Dec. 31, features miles of larger-than-life animated light displays. 256-830-4447, www.hsvbg.org.

Gadsden —- Christmas at the Falls, through Dec. 30, allows visitors to walk or ride the train through Noccalula Falls Park, which is decorated with lights, snowmen and other decorations. A new cookie decorating area is set up for children, and they may write letters to Santa. 256-549-4643, cityofgadsden.com.

Arab —- Arab City Park lights up with its annual Christmas in the Park. Live entertainment continues each Friday through Dec. 31. 256-586-8128, www.arabcity.org.

Silverhill —- The Welsh Victorian railway is transformed into the Arctic Express through Dec. 24. The train travels past 3D lighted displays on its way to the North Pole, where children can visit with Santa. 1-888-569-5337, www.waleswest.com.

Huntsville —- Santa’s Village transforms the downtown area through Dec. 23 with Frosty’s Ice Maze, visits with Santa, live reindeer, Christmas stories, holiday crafts and costumed characters. 256-564-8103, www.earlyworks.com/#/events.

Montgomery —- The Governor’s Mansion Candlelight Open House, Dec. 8-22, allows visitors to view the decorated 1907 mansion. 1-800-252-2262.

Decatur —- The annual Historic Decatur Christmas Tour on Dec. 13 allows visitors to tour 10 homes and churches on the National Register of Historic Places not normally open to the public. Also scheduled is a presentation on “Buildings Tell the Story —- Looking at Early Decatur Area Architecture,” carriage rides and refreshments. 1-800-524-6181, www.decaturcvb.org.

Florida

Orlando —- The Polar Express Experience makes a stop at SeaWorld through Jan. 4. Classic scenes from the movie are re-created in a multisensory experience. In addition, special shows at SeaWorld include “Shamu Christmas … Miracles,” nightly through Dec. 30; “Christmastide,” a holiday fountain show through Dec. 25; and “Makahiki Christmas Luau,” a South Seas-style celebration through Jan. 4. 1-888-800-5447, www.seaworld.com.

Pensacola —- The 41st Snowball Derby, Dec. 7, features some of the biggest names in motorsports competing in a 300-lap race. 850-944-8400, www.5flagsspeedway.com.

Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Islands —- Holidays on the Harbor, through Dec. 31, offers many activities during the season including the Symphony of Trees, Holiday Magic Pops Concert, Fisherman’s Village Open House, Christmas Light Canal Tours, Christmas Lights Bike Ride, a parade, an art festival and a lighted boat parade. 941-743-1900, www.charlotteharbortravel.com.

Orlando —- Universal Orlando Resort continues celebrating the holidays through Jan. 1 with a live stage show, Grinchmas and the Macy’s Holiday Parade. www.universalorlando.com/holidays.

Fort Lauderdale —- The Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, Dec. 13, features more than 1 million spectators watching a lighted boat parade along the New River and Intracoastal Waterway. 954-767-0686, www.winterfestparade.com.

St. Augustine —- The 15th annual Holiday Tour of Inns, Dec. 13-14, includes specialty foods and wine tastings, and trolley trips for the tour of historic inns decorated with Christmas trimmings. 904-543-0785, www.staugustineinns.com.

Sandestin —- The Solaris takes a New Year’s Dinner Cruise, Dec. 31. 850-650-2519.

Perdido Key —- The Polar Bear Dip, Jan. 1, is a fun-run around Flora-Bama Lounge after a dip into the icy waters of the Gulf. Other activities include music on the beach, bowls of black-eyed peas and New Year’s toasts. 850-492-0611, www.florabama.com.

Tampa —- The Black Heritage Festival, Jan. 15-24, features a speaker’s series with Danny Glover and Felix Justice, a gala, a traveling exhibition and a two-day street festival. 1-888-224-1733, Ext. 143, www.tampablackheritage.org.

Kentucky

Loretto —- Candlelight Tour at Maker’s Mark Distillery is scheduled Dec. 13. Special this year are visits from three chefs who will perform demonstrations and hold sample tastings. 270-865-2099, www.makersmark.com.

Mississippi

Canton —- The historic courthouse square will be decorated with more than 200,000 glittering lights during the Victorian Christmas Festival through Dec. 23. The Canton Animation Museums boast 135 life-size animation figures, and other activities include an old-fashioned carousel, miniature train, horse and buggy, and more. 1-800-844-3369, cantontourism.com.

Gulfport —- The annual Christmas on the Bayou, Dec. 13, begins with a lighted boat parade of 25 watercraft and ends with a family-friendly party. 228-324-2724, www.christmasonthebayou.org.

Columbus —- The Dream 365 MLK Celebration, Jan. 16-19, includes an MLK Jr. Day of Commemoration, a concert by the Mississippi Mass Choir, a black-tie gala and more. 662-327-0052, www.dream365.org.

North Carolina

Asheville —- Throughout fall, visitors to the North Carolina Arboretum can view a kaleidoscope of color on 65 acres of cultivated gardens and 10 miles of hiking and biking trails. 828-665-2492, www.ncarboretum.org.

Charlotte —- The Mint Museum of Art presents “Andy Warhol Portfolios: Life & Legends,” rarely seen selections from Bank of America’s Warhol collection, through Feb. 15. The exhibit spans the artist’s career from the 1950s through 1986, and it features key early works from such series as Endangered Species, Flowers, Jews, Muhammad Ali and Space Fruits. 704-337-2000, www.mintmuseum.org.

Asheville —- Christmas at Biltmore Estate, through Jan. 4, has the house decorated with dozens of Christmas trees and hundreds of wreaths, bows and poinsettias. The highlight is a 34-foot Fraser fir. 877-245-8667, www.biltmore.com.

Dillsboro —- The Dillsboro Festival of Lights & Luminaries celebrates 25 years, Dec. 12-13, with more than 2,500 candles in white paper bags lining the streets. Shopkeepers stay open late and serve hot apple cider while children have a chance to visit Santa. 1-800-962-1911, visitdillsboro.org.

Elizabeth City —- A Christmas themed laser light and star show is set Dec. 8 and 10 at the Elizabeth City State University Planetarium. Reservations are required. 252-335-3759, www.ecsuplanetarium.org.

Asheville —- Asheville Seasonal Sizzle includes events all month including holiday fireworks displays, live entertainment, “Appy Hour” appetizer specials at local restaurants and extended hours of shopping. Fireworks, Dec. 13 and 20, at 7 p.m. www.ashevilleseasonalsizzle.com.

Hendersonville —- The Holiday Tour of Historic Inns, Dec. 14, visits seven turn-of-the-century inns decorated for the holidays. Homemade cookies can be sampled at each inn. 828-697-3088.

Hendersonville —- A Winter Solstice Hike, Dec. 21, celebrates the return of the sun to the Northern Hemisphere and the darkness of the longest night. The hike is on a quarter-mile moderate trail to Hooker Falls. 828-692-0385

South Carolina

Columbia —- Lights Before Christmas, through Dec. 30, envelops the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in a canopy of lights and includes displays of handcrafted animal images illuminated by 500,000 lights. 803-779-8717, www.riverbanks.org.

Charleston —- The Thriller speed boat will slow down a bit through Dec. 31 for the Charleston Sleigh Ride, a leisurely ride around the harbor complete with hot chocolate, Christmas carols and holiday stories. 843-276-4203, www.thrillercharleston.com.

Charleston —- Christmas in Charleston, through Dec. 31, includes historic homes and plantations decorated in period fashion, candlelight garden tours, and shopping and dining. 843-805-3081, www.christmasincharleston.com.

Murrells Inlet —- Nights of a Thousand Candles, Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 20, features candles and lights illuminating Brookgreen Gardens’ paths as musicians and carolers perform. 1-800-849-1931, www.brookgreen.org.

Charleston —- The 22nd annual Progressive Dinners, Dec. 8-13, Dec. 15-20 and Dec. 22 and 23, take guests by horse-drawn carriage to three historic venues for a four-course meal. 843-853-7828, www.circa1886.com.

Charleston —- Circa 1886 restaurant presents the Dickens Dinner, Dec. 17, featuring a storyteller relaying “A Christmas Carol” while diners enjoy a four-course Victorian England-inspired dinner. A special package also includes accommodations at the Wentworth Mansion. 843-853-7828, www.circa1886.com.

Tennessee

Chattanooga —- Snow will fall inside the sometimes eerie Ruby Falls during Deck the Falls, every Friday and Saturday in December. There will be snow at Cavern Castle every 10 minutes and a chance to meet costumed Leo and Ruby Lambert. Live acoustic music performed during the tour. 423-821-2544, www.rubyfalls.com.

Lookout Mountain —- The 14th annual Enchanted Garden of Lights, through Jan. 3, brightens the mountain with more than 25 holiday scenes along the trail. Other activities include gingerbread cookie decorating, nightly entertainment and Sugar Plum Fairy Makeovers (for an additional fee). 1-800-854-0675, www.seerockcity.com/lights.

Chattanooga —- A 75-minute round-trip train journey on the Tennessee Valley Railroad to North Pole Limited, through Dec. 22, features storytelling, light refreshments and an appearance by Santa. 423-894-8028, www.tvrail.com.

Clarksville —- Christmas on the Cumberland celebrates the season through Jan. 1. Lights illuminate the city’s signature RiverWalk and features are visits with Santa, a night parade of lighted floats and more. 931-648-6129, christmasonthecumberland.com.

Memphis —- Each year, decorations deck the halls for Christmas at Graceland from early December through Elvis’ birthday in January. This year will be no different, with the exception of special, rarely seen items on view through Jan. 8 during Christmas at Graceland: Elvis’ personal wardrobe collection, home movie footage, guitars from his personal collections and more. 1-800-238-2000, www.elvis.com.

Jackson —- Old Country Store Christmas Eve Breakfast, Dec. 24, features a Southern-style buffet for the entire family in the Casey Jones Village. 1-800-748-9588, www.caseyjones.com.

Virginia

Roanoke —- SunTrust Dickens of a Christmas, Dec. 12 and 19, features St. Nicholas, a tree lighting, toy workshop, live Nativity, Victorian-era costumed street musicians and carolers, a parade, and more. 540-342-2028, Ext. 10, www.downtownroanoke.org.

Virginia Beach —- Holiday Lights at the Beach, through Jan. 1, kicks off the season with 250 animated light displays along the boardwalk. Other activities scheduled include the annual Twelfth Night Celebration beginning Dec. 25. 1-800-822-3224, www.vbfun.com.

Mount Vernon —- George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate opens for candlelight tours Dec. 12-14. Included in the tour: caroling, free cookies and hot cider around a campfire. 703-780-2000, www.mountvernon.org.

Virginia Beach —- Through January, three striped-bass tournaments are scheduled. The annual Striped Bass World Championship is through Dec. 31; the American Striper Association’s 2008 National Tournament, Dec. 13; and Waterman’s Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout, Jan. 8-10. www.vbfun.com.

Norfolk —- Holiday in the City events through Dec. 31 include art exhibits, gift shops, weekend cruises and more. 757-623-1757, www.downtownnorfolk.org.