WARRIOR, Ala. – Families looking to add a little adventure to their holiday festivities won’t have to travel very far. About 25–30 minutes from Cullman, Wonderland Under Warrior at Rickwood Caverns State Park has officially opened for the season, offering an immersive, underground, walk-through light display.
Park Manager Emily Davis said visitors can expect both familiar favorites and fresh additions in this year’s setup. “We’ve repurposed some of our decorations and moved others around, and we have a few new characters this year as well. We still keep the immersive cave experience, the music and all the lights.”
For those unfamiliar with the event, Wonderland Under Warrior transforms the natural cavern into a self-guided holiday tour. The experience includes a roughly half-mile walk down into the cave and a half-mile trek back out, with about 60 stairs. Visitors follow the illuminated path while meeting themed holiday characters stationed throughout the rooms.
“The characters match the room they’re in, so it’s a really immersive experience,” Davis said. “They greet guests, help with questions and make sure everyone knows where to go.”
This year’s themes to look forward to include Rockin’ Christmas, Candyland, Whoville, the Snow Queen and other beautiful snowy scenes.
Setting up the underground display is no small feat. Planning begins months in advance, and the installation itself takes roughly a week, with 10–12-hour days inside the cave. Davis said the hardest challenges include frequent decoration repairs and finding ways to keep the experience fresh each year.
Beyond the cave itself, Rickwood Caverns offers plenty to fill a full day of festivities. Guests can visit Santa, write Christmas letters, explore the gift shop, enjoy the park’s new playground or walk the surrounding hiking trails.
Wonderland Under Warrior runs select days through Jan. 4. Admission is $12 per person for ages 5 and older, which includes park entry, the cave tour and a visit with Santa.
Rickwood Caverns State Park is located just off Interstate 65 in Warrior, about 30 miles north of downtown Birmingham and about 75 miles south of Huntsville.
Learn more, including operating dates and hours, at www.alapark.com/parks/rickwood-caverns-state-park/wonderland-under-warrior.
