New in 2022, the City of Gainesville is giving the gift of a Holly Jolly Trolley to residents and visitors seeking oohs and ahhs this holiday season.
To help spread holiday cheer and boost excitement around the holidays, the City will debut the holiday trolleys to connect people with the historic square in downtown Gainesville, home of award-winning growlers and taste rooms, restaurants and retail shops; Wilshire Wonderland of Lights, an annual holiday offering by Gainesville Parks & Recreation at Wilshire Park; and capture riders' gazes by featuring beautifully decorated homes and businesses along the route.
**Track the Holly Jolly Trolley**
Curious to know wait times until you can reboard the Holly Jolly Trolley? Pinpoint the holiday trolleys and their real-time locations in just a few clicks! Thanks to Samsara's vehicle telematics technology, take advantage of “to-the-second" GPS tracking and smart geofencing, which gives riders best-in-class visibility, available here.
Cost
Absolutely FREE for you and as many of your friends and/or family members as you have with you ... no matter the time or day! Bring a little spending money in case you want to purchase some goodies along the way, whether at a shop on the historic square or a food vendor at Wilshire Wonderland of Lights!
Hours of operation
The Holly Jolly Trolley will run from 5:30-10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday from Nov. 26-New Year's Eve, Dec. 31.
Route
The Holly Jolly Trolley will make a continuous 6.5-mile loop from the historic square, up historic Green Street to the Gainesville Civic Center, through some of the community's most beautiful and festive neighborhoods to Gainesville Parks & Recreation's Wilshire Wonderland of Lights holiday display before returning to downtown Gainesville.
Since riding the holiday trolleys is an experience, not just a ride from point A to point B, please plan to spend with us approximately 35-40 minutes, the time it takes to complete a full loop. The Holly Jolly Trolley should pass by pick-up/drop-off points every 20-25 minutes.
Explore the map and turn-by-turn directions here.
Accessibility and capacity
- 24 passengers
- Can comfortably accommodate handicapped passengers, plus wheelchairs
- Wheelchair ramp available on both trolleys
- Can also accommodate large strollers
- Sorry, no pets allowed, only service animals
- We've heard Santa and Mrs. Claus may be your drivers from time to time!
- Heated to keep you comfy cozy
- Continues running during inclement weather
Park at any of the following stops to board the Holly Jolly Trolley. Ride the route as long as you want – just make sure you grab a ride to return to your vehicle by 10 p.m.
Park and ride
- Main Street Parking Deck, located at 301 Main St. (board trolley at Renaissance Park - Spring and Bradford streets)
- Gainesville North Parking Deck, located at 100 Brenau Ave. NW across from Hall County Library (board trolley outside Bradford Street entrance)
- Gainesville Civic Center (board trolley at Candler Street Park)
- Wilshire Wonderland of Lights, located at 849 Wilshire Road (to appeal to nearby residents - do not park on the street)
- Green Street Circle and Longview Avenue intersection (to appeal to nearby residents - do not park on the street)
- Bradford Street NW and Dixon Drive intersection (to appeal to nearby residents - do not park on the street)
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up