Baton Rouge has plenty of holiday lights, but some families make one trip down I-10 every December for the real old-school spectacle: City Park's oaks wrapped in light. Celebration in the Oaks returns Nov. 27 through Jan. 1, and it's City Park's biggest fundraiser, helping pay for care of the park all year.

Drive It or Walk It

The Driving Tour is a two-mile, 30- to 45-minute loop past more than a million lights. Tune your radio to 96.1 FM for holiday music on the way. A car or SUV holding up to eight people costs $40, or $25 on Value Nights. The $80 Dasher Pass lets you skip the line through a separate entrance at 3 Friederichs Ave. Tour buses aren't allowed.

The Walking Tour, entering at 7 Victory Ave., takes about 90 minutes. It includes unlimited rides at Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, Storyland, the Botanical Garden, marshmallow roasting and a cup of hot chocolate. Tickets are $35, $25 when added to a Driving Tour or $20 on Value Nights. Kids 2 and under are free.

Dates Worth Circling

Value Nights: Nov. 29 and Dec. 8, 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17

Bike Nights: Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 to 3, 6 to 9 p.m., $8 per rider. Driving and walking tours are closed those nights.

Closed: Dec. 7, 14, 24 and 31

Hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Last entry is half an hour before closing.

Grown-Ups Get a Preview

Before the public opening, Jingle Bells and Beer on Nov. 21 gives guests 21 and up a first look at the lights. Tickets are $45 for general admission and $70 for VIP, and both include rides and open beer bars.

Plan Ahead

Every ticket must be bought online ahead of time for a set date and time slot, and popular slots can sell out. The whole event is cashless, and there are no refunds, though you can reschedule for a $7.99 fee.

Photo courtesy of New Orleans City Park.