Kennywood Park Holiday Lights 2018

It probably comes as no surprise, but we love Kennywood Park. And since this is the 3rd year in a row that we’ve attended Kennywood’s Christmas Event: Holiday Lights, that officially makes it a family tradition, right?

This year is the first year we’ve attended that it hasn’t felt like we’re in the Arctic! We usually wait until closer to Christmas, but with our baby boy due literally any day, we decided to go opening weekend. Of course, Derrick had another reason to go specifically the last weekend of November: the American Coaster Enthusiast (ACE) group he belongs to, was getting special access to tour the construction site of the new Steel Curtain roller coaster that Kennywood is building, and Derrick couldn’t miss out on that (if you want to see his behind-the-scenes video, hop on over to his YouTube channel)! He was so excited to go, that we had a conversation a few days before where he presented the situation: if we had the baby prior to November 25, wondering if I would be mad if he snuck away for just a little bit to run over to Kennywood on Sunday afternoon. Thankfully, we didn’t have to make that decision & I was able to go along with him! My Mom & Ruby came along too & we made the whole afternoon a surprise for Braelynn. She had no idea where we were going until we went over the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge & suddenly she knew exactly where we were headed!

We always have a wonderful time, but I have to admit that the temperature this year made things so much more enjoyable! When we went in 2016 & 2017, we went on days when it was 26º and 27º degrees (respectively – and that’s no joke)! We literally dressed in layer upon layer upon layer & still froze! But this year, temps were in the upper 40’s! What a difference those 20º make! We didn’t need gloves or hats, and one pair of socks was enough to keep our toes warm the entire evening. It was chilly – but just enough to feel like Christmas – otherwise, it was kind of warm. It was delightful.

We can’t suggest going & experiencing Holiday Lights highly enough! Kennywood is a beautiful park, but when they transform it with thousands of Christmas lights, it literally becomes a magical wonderland. There are rides open (make sure to walk thru Noah’s Ark & ride Ghostwood Estates – both are “Christmasfied”) and you can get some Potato Patch Fries for the last time before winter sets in & we’re all stuck inside for a few months. Seriously – how could it get any better?

If you want to go back & see some photos from our trip to Holiday Lights last year, you can hop back to that post here!

Our last family photo before baby boy is born!

Just in case you have this idea that Braelynn is a perfect child who always looks straight into the camera & smiles – here is what she pulled off when I asked her to stand in front of the tree to take her picture! She’s 100% a photographer’s child!

Almost every single ride in Kiddieland & Thomas Town were open, but we made a bee-line to one specific ride: The Elephants. It still reigns supreme as Braelynn’s favorite ride!

Look who rode her own horse on the carousel without anyone standing to hold her on!