There’s Still Time to Experience the Over-the-Top Christmas Magic at King’s Island’s WinterFest

We're exactly two weeks away from Christmas, as of this writing, but you might still have time to check out one of the most eye-popping attractions within a 5-hour drive of the tri-state. That would be King's Island, immediately northeast of Cincinnati.

King's Island's WinterFest

No, the legendary theme park isn't a 365-day-a-year operation, but it goes all out at Christmastime, and aren't we lucky they do? The park has even created one of those cool souvenir maps I used to secure at every theme park we visited when I was young. Opryland, Six Flags, you name it. I think my sister still has hers from a mid-1970s Kings Island trip. Anyway, here's the 2025 WinterFest version.

WinterFest is in full swing, and visitors are flocking to the Cincinnati, Ohio, suburb of Mason to get their Christmas on in spectacular fashion.

USA Today Loves WinterFest

So impressed was the USA Today staff that they named WinterFest the second-best theme park in the country for the holidays. (Of course, one of the prerequisites is that it has to be open during the Christmas season, in case you were wondering where some of your favorites were.)

Two other parks, Dollywood and Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, also ranked very highly and are popular destinations for folks in these parts. But WinterFest is the closest of the bunch, and, based on what we've seen, looks well worth the drive.

Plus, it's the holidays, and I'm sure Cincinnati and northern Kentucky are bottomless pits of "things to do" this time of year.