Brookgreen Gardens, America’s first sculpture garden consisting of four former colonial rice plantations, is located just 18 miles south of Myrtle Beach. It is the floral jewel of South Carolina’s coastal community. Brookgreen’s most popular event, Nights of a Thousand Candles, has become one of the Southeast’s premier holiday festivals. Named by Southeast Tourism Society as a Top 20 Event, Nights of a Thousand Candles is nine nights of holiday magic when visitors stroll through sculpture gardens lit by thousands of luminaries and twinkling lights enjoying an array of musical performances, dining on Lowcountry seafood, and unique holiday shopping.
See Brookgreen Gardens come to life amid the soft glow of more than 5,500 hand-lit candles and countless sparkling lights. Walk the paths with a warm cup of cider, hear the sounds of hand bells ringing, carolers singing, and celebrate the season with family and friends.
Nights of a Thousand Candles continues to delight guests with beautiful candle and lighting displays and exceptional entertainment. The 80-foot-tall Holiday Fir tree decorated with 60,000 lights, located in the arboretum, is always a crowd favorite.
1:30pm- Depart Compass Point's Grand Lanai parking lot for a Holiday Road Trip! Perhaps Santa himself will join the trip (see the photo gallery). Why not be festive on the way down; snacks and beverages are welcome!
Approx. 3:30pm - We arrive at Brookgreen Gardens, receive a little orientation to the evening's events and are escorted by a cheery volunteer to the dinner tent for an early Low Country Buffet Dinner.
Following dinner, we experience the lighting of the 5,500 hand lit candles by hundreds of volunteers. The 80 ft. tall Holiday Fir tree decorated with 60,000 lights, located in the arboretum, is always a crowd favorite. Early visitors like our group get to see the lighting of the tree!
The rest of the evening you are on your own to wander the paths and gardens enjoying the magnificent lights (they start going up in September), music and performances. Be sure to look for the strolling bagpipers. Also not to miss, is the cranberry pool and the train village.
7:30pm - Depart for home with lots of festive memories and photos!
Approx. 9:30pm - Arrive back at Compass Point