IllustrationDrive-thrus · decorated streets · zoo & garden lights
Christmas lights near you: 113 displays in 20 US cities
We checked every display with the organiser and read the visitor reviews: dates for this season, price per car or per person, where to park, whether to bring the dog — and our honest take on whether it's worth the line. 47 of them are free.
📍 Find lights near youuntil Christmas
Find Christmas lights near you
19 drive-thru shows, 22 decorated neighborhoods and 72 walk-through trails in zoos, gardens and parks. Share your location or pick a state; "Our guide" opens the full card with parking, reviews and our verdict.
Christmas lights by city
- Atlanta, GA (6)
- Austin, TX (4)
- Boston, MA (5)
- Charlotte, NC (6)
- Chicago, IL (5)
- Dallas, TX (11)
- Denver, CO (5)
- Houston, TX (8)
- Las Vegas, NV (4)
- Los Angeles, CA (6)
- Miami, FL (5)
- Nashville, TN (5)
- New York City, NY (6)
- Orlando, FL (5)
- Philadelphia, PA (6)
- Phoenix, AZ (4)
- San Antonio, TX (8)
- San Diego, CA (5)
- Seattle, WA (5)
- St. Louis, MO (4)
Three kinds of evening
Drive-thru shows are paid per car and best with small children on a cold night — you stay warm and tune the radio to the music. Decorated neighborhoods are free and the most festive, but the famous ones jam with traffic; park outside and walk. Zoo and garden trails are ticketed per person, on foot, with hot chocolate and timed entry — the calmest choice for a date.
How to avoid the worst lines
Buy online before you go — gate prices for drive-thrus are often much higher. Go Monday to Thursday, early in December and right at opening. For neighborhoods, arrive before 7 pm or after 9 pm, and walk the last part.
Questions
Where to go for the best Christmas lights?
Start with the city guides below: drive-thru shows and zoo or garden trails are the most reliable, because they have set dates and tickets, while decorated neighborhoods are free but vary street to street. We list 113 displays in 20 US cities with our verdict on each.
Where can I find Christmas lights near me?
Use the Find Christmas lights near you tool on this page: share your location or pick your state and it lists the closest displays first, with dates and prices. If your city is not listed, check your local tourism office or parks department.
Where's the best place to buy Christmas lights?
Home-improvement stores, big-box retailers and craft stores stock the widest range in November. Look for LED strings: they use far less power than old incandescent ones and last for many seasons. Buy after Christmas for the lowest prices.
When do Christmas lights turn on?
Most drive-thru shows and zoo or garden trails open in mid-to-late November, the weekend before or after Thanksgiving, and run until around New Year. Decorated neighborhoods usually light up from early December. Each listing shows this year's dates where announced, otherwise last year's, marked as such.
Are drive-thru light shows worth it?
They're good with small children on a cold night and cheap for a full car, since you pay per car. Read the reviews on each card: some shows take only 15 minutes and cost much more at the gate than online. Buy ahead and go on a weeknight.
Where can I see Christmas lights for free?
47 of the displays we list are free — mostly decorated neighborhoods and city trees. Expect traffic on December weekends; parking a few streets away and walking is often faster.
What's the best night to go?
Monday to Thursday in the first half of December. The week before Christmas and the weekends are the busiest, with the longest car lines.