While decorated trees are the centerpieces of the holiday season, light displays also have their moment to shine. With illuminating designs, shapes and patterns, these displays are electrifying in providing a night out for taking in these seasonal delights. Across the United States, here is a rundown of some of the best holiday light displays by state.
Galaxy of Lights at Huntsville Botanical Garden
Alabama - Galaxy of Lights at Huntsville Botanical Garden
The 2.5-mile route features almost 200 larger-than-life animated light displays within this top Huntsville attraction. The event’s light lineup features everything from traditional holiday themes to dinosaurs, nursery rhyme characters, and nature scenes. Now through January 4, 2020.
Alaska - Ketchikan Christmas Boat Parade
Starting off from the Alaskan city’s Peninsula Point, 20 tug boats, ferries, barges and other boats parade through the waters of the Tongass Narrows, and all decked out in lights, to arrive at a U.S. Coast Guard Base. On Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019.
World Of Illumination
Arizona - World of Illumination, Tempe And Glendale
With two different shows at Tempe Diablo Stadium and Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, the drive-thru holiday light spectacular glistens with more than 2 million LED lights animated and synchronized to holiday classic tunes. Now through January 5, 2020.
Arkansas - Arkansas Trail of Holiday Lights, Various Locations
This annual statewide begins the week of Thanksgiving and runs through the first week of the new year, with cities across Arkansas putting up their finest in lighting fixtures and/or holding ongoing or one-time events. Municipalities include Little Rock, Magnolia, Texarkana and Huntsville and Conroy. The City of Battesville puts on a “Winter River Wonderland” at Riverside Park, with one million lights on display. The latter runs through December 31, 2019.
Christmas Tree Lane Fresno
California - Christmas Tree Lane, Fresno
Within California’s Central Valley, this almost century-old Fresno tradition has been lighting up North Van Ness Boulevard in Fig Garden. During the holidays, the residential street becomes a one-way, lined with over 140 homes and 300 trees fully decked-out along the two-mile stretch. Visitors can drive this seasonally-decorated stretch from Shields to Shaw until Christmas Day.
Colorado - Blossoms of Light At The Denver Botanic Gardens
Held at its York Street location, this over three-decades-old tradition transforms the gardens’ grounds into a twinkling winter wonderland. 2019’s edition features a 360-degree immersive light experience, along with longtime fan favorites. Now through January 3, 2020.
Festival of Silver Lights, Meriden
Connecticut - Festival Of Silver Lights, Meriden
Meriden’s Hubbard Park hosts a spectacular holiday display with 350,000 twinkling white lights and 300 lighted characters. There are some spots where visitors can get out to see the light displays up close and take pictures. Now through January 1, 2020.
Delaware - Winter WonderFEST, Milton
The open space of Milton’s Hudson Fields becomes into a holiday wonderland with a drive-through experience known as a Light Spectacular plus a Christmas village and Visit Delaware ice rink. Now through December 31, 2019.
St. Augustine's Nights of Lights
Florida - St. Augustine's Nights Of Lights
For 26 years, the oldest city in the U.S. has been the setting for this holiday occasion where millions of white lights adorn 20 blocks of the city's historic district. They can be visited by trolley, by foot and even by boat. Now until February 2, 2020.
Georgia - Fantasy In Lights at Callaway Resort & Gardens, Pine Mountain
Listed as one of National Geographic’s “Top 10 Light Displays in the World,” this annual offering features more than 8 million lights making up the various displayed screens within this natural landscape. A Christmas Village is open for shopping, and holiday characters are up for a meet and greet. Now through January 4, 2020.
Hawaii - Honolulu City Lights
On Oahu, this month-long city celebration features a 50-foot Christmas tree, a vibrant electric parade of lights, and fun festivities that go into the night. Now through January 1, 2020.
"Winter Garden aGlow" at Idaho Botanical Garden
Idaho - Winter Garden aGlow at the Idaho Botanical Gardens, Boise
These gardens get turned into a 14-acre winter wonderland with over 550,000 energy efficient lights, local carolers, visits with Santa, a Holiday Express Model Train Display and an interactive creation by Illumicone, a collaborative communal project in Boise. Now through January 4, 2020.
Illinois - Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden
Held in partnership with Sony Music, the Chicago Botanic Garden is the location for the U.S. introduction of Lightscape, an enchanting, after-dark illuminated trail coming directly from London. Along a mile-long path, attendees can step through a tunnel of light, walk among immersive ribbons of light, and enjoy a stunning festive finale. On select dates through January 5, 2020.
Lights at the Brickyard
Indiana - Lights at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Brightly colorful displays resulting from more than 3 million lights have been routed along a twice-mile course through the speedway’s IMS infield and historic oval, including the front stretch and the “Yard of Bricks” start-finish line. New for 2019: visitors can exit their vehicles and head to the top of the IMS Pagoda to view these lights overhead. Now through January 5, 2020.
Iowa - Festival of Lights Christmas Display, Mount Pleasant
In this southeast Iowa city, at its Midwest Old Threshers Campground, cars can drive by more than 120 colors in this mile-long presentation that is said to be the largest holiday light display in the Midwest. Now through December 31, 2019.
Kansas - Illuminations at Botanica Wichita
This annual exhibit plants a different style of display or uniquely lit botanical setting in what’s known as Kansas’ largest holiday light display. Here’s why: this showcase features more than two million lights, 5,000-plus LED luminaries aligning garden pathways and more than 120 expertly-lit trees throughout the 17-acre gardens, which encompasses over 30 themed gardens. Now through Jan. 4, 2020.
Lights Under Louisville at Louisville Mega Cavern
Kentucky - Lights Under Louisville at Louisville Mega Cavern
Taking place inside this cavern, this underground light show has attendees going on 30-minute open-top tram or car ride winds through 17 miles of underground passageways and taking in over 850 lit characters with three million points of light. Now through January 14, 2020.
Louisiana - Holiday Light Safari at Alexandria Zoo
A separate ticketed event, this safari is set up as a casual stroll through the zoo amidst an environment full of sparkling lights and whimsical lit animal figures along with holiday train rides and children’s activities. Now through December 28, 2019.
Maine - “Gardens Aglow” at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay
Maine’s largest public garden gets even more colorful thanks to the same horticulture team that not only designs these detailed gardens but also creates this annual event. It consists of 66 miles of lights with 650,000 LED bulbs and wrapping 300 trees. Now through December 31, 2019.
Miracle on 34th Street, Baltimore
Maryland - Miracle on 34th Street in Baltimore
A tradition dating back to 1947, the block of 34th Street in between Keswick Road and Chestnut Avenue in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood is decked out a community-based holiday light display. Now through January 1, 2020.
Massachusetts - Christmas Festival of Lights at Edaville Family Theme Park, Carver
Over 17 million lights will add sparkle to this theme park with additional highlights extending to a Polar-Express style Christmas Train tour plus access to the park’s everyday rides. Along with general admission, two upgrade packages, the Edaville Express or the Santa VIP experience, are available at separate costs. Now through January 1, 2020.
Michigan - Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak
More than five million LED lights will illuminate trees, buildings and 280 sculptures – more than 230 of them are animals – throughout the zoo’s front half. Now through January 5, 2020.
Bentleyville Tour of Lights
Minnesota - Bentleyville Tour of Lights, Duluth
Along the shores of the Great Lake Superior, Duluth’s Bayfront Festival Park hosts what’s referred to as “America’s Largest Free Walk-Through Lighting Display and what’s graced with four million lights and vibrant displays. Now through December 28, 2019.
Mississippi - Gulf Harbor Lights Winter Festival, Gulfport
Held at Jones Park, this Coastal Mississippi festival had some TV time in the Lifetime holiday movie, “Christmas in Mississippi.” Crowds keep coming to see its over 1.5 million lights adorning its “dancing trees,” over 150 static images, light tunnels that move along to festive songs, Santa’s Big Wheel and train rides. Now through December 31, 2019.
Fireman's Landing Long at Silver Dollar City
Missouri - Silver Dollar City, Branson
For 2019, this 1880s-style theme park is decked out with nearly seven million lights and has introduced a new custom-designed and engineered eight-story tree that puts on a colorful and combined pageantry of music, light and animated imagery. Now through December 30, 2019.
Montana - ZooLights! at ZooMontana, Billings
Drive your car through certain parts of the zoo while enjoying its holiday light display and festive music; on most nights, guests can go on a wagon ride, pulled by a team of working draft horses. Now through December 24, 2019.
Nebraska - Lions’ Christmas in the Park at Lincoln Park, Grand Forks
Each year, Grand Forks businesses design holiday light displays that are placed along Lincoln Park Drive, so that visitors to the park can then drive through the park loop and see all of them. Now through December 31, 2019.
Christmastime at Santa's Village
New Hampshire - Christmastime at Santa's Village, Jefferson
This Christmas-themed theme park gets brighter at night with about a million lights turned on at dusk. During the daytime, go on more than 20 rides with holiday or winter-themed names, such as "Rudy's Rapid Transit Coaster" and "The Great Humbug Adventure." Now through January 1, 2019, with the park reopening May 25.
New Jersey - Christmas Fantasy With Lights at Storybook Land, Egg Harbor Township
For a quarter century, this South Jersey theme park has put on this illuminating event, more than a million lights and beloved storybook characters coming to life on decorated floats. Now through December 30, 2019.
New Mexico - River of Lights at ABQ BioPark
Nearly 600 dazzling holiday displays at New Mexico’s largest walk through light show happens at this nature park in Albuquerque. Each year's show unveils new sculptures and displays made by ABQ BioPark artists and craftsmen. Now through December 30.
Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo
New York - Lights on the Lake, Syracuse and Holiday Lights At The Bronx Zoo
The city and state of New York have their respective holiday light shows. Here are two of them.
“Lights on the Lake” is a two-mile, drive-through holiday light show in Syracuse’s Onondaga Lake Park, featuring towering holiday displays, a larger-than-life Land of Oz, a twinkling fantasy forest and a variety of animated scenes. Now through January 5, 2020.
Held at the zoo for the first time since 2007, the “Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo” is a menagerie of animal lanterns, animated sculptures and colorful designs powered by LED technology that will light your way throughout the park. Now through January 3, 2020.
Nebraska - Omaha Holiday Lights Festival, Old Market District
2019 marks the festival’s 20th year and includes white lights and garland that illuminate the Old Market and surrounding streets, with events throughout those six weeks including a fireworks show on New Year’s Eve. Now through January 5, 2020.
Tanglewood Festival of Lights
North Carolina - Tanglewood Park’s Festival of Lights, Winston-Salem
For over two decades, Tanglewood Park transforms at night into a shimmering Winter Wonderland with more than a million twinkling lights and 80 light displays. Now through January 1, 2020.
North Dakota - Lions’ Christmas in the Park at Lincoln Park, Grand Forks
Lions’ Christmas in the Park hosts light displays sponsored by local businesses and organizations that are lined along Lincoln Park Drive. Visitors can then drive through the park loop to view all of them - or they can even glide by them when on cross-country skis or snowshoes. Now through December 31, 2019.
Conservatory Aglow at Franklin Park Conservancy
Ohio - Conservatory Aglow at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Columbus
A vibrant rainbow tunnel illuminates the path to this Conservatory, in which this holiday show, with poinsettia trees, a gingerbread competition and pieces by artists of international acclaim. The 2019 edition incorporates a full-scale exhibition of work by Dale Chihuly and an interactive light sculpture by Jen Lewin. Now through January 4, 2020.
Oklahoma - Chickasha Festival of Light
Nestled in Oklahoma’s south-central region, this town’s light show in Chickasaw Country puts over 3.5 million Christmas lights across 43 acres of Chickasha’s Shannon Springs Park. This year’s event incorporates an ice skating rink alongside the festivals’ carriage rides, Santa photos, carousel and food truck park. Now through December 31, 2019.
Oregon - Portland International Raceway’s Winter Wonderland
Known as the largest light show in the Northwest, spectators can enjoy this drive-through light festival, viewing over 250 colorful light set pieces and many fully animated scenes from the comfort of their own vehicle. Now through January 4, 2020.
Cars driving through holiday light show at Shady Brook Farm.
Pennsylvania - Shady Brook Farm’s Holiday High Show, Yardley
More than 3 million lights illuminate acres of farmland along a two-mile trail that can be done from the warmth of your own car or via a weather-permitting open-air wagon ride. Now through January 5, 2020.
Rhode Island - Illuminate PVD, Providence
2019 marks the inaugural year of this holiday happening, consisting an ongoing, high-tech display that has transformed downtown Providence into a festive wonderland. Throughout December, some of the city’s public buildings have gotten a temporarily shade cast upon them; for example, Biltmore Park has become a highly photogenic world of blues and ambers. Now through the end of January 2020.
Lights Before Christmas at the Riverbanks Zoo
South Carolina - Lights Before Christmas at the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, Columbia
As Columbia’s longest-running holiday tradition, the event features nearly 1 million twinkling lights, an animated story tree and visits with Santa. On select days now through December 30, 2019.
South Dakota - Sioux Falls’ Winter Wonderland at Falls Park
This Sioux Falls park gets a sparkling makeover from more than 350,000 LEDs and lights, 270-plus decorated trees and over 25 miles of string lights; take in breathtaking 360-degree views from atop the park’s tower. Now through January 5, 2020.
Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights
Tennessee - Enchanted Garden of Lights at Rock City, Chattanooga
Walk through the gardens at Rock City’s winter wonderland to immerse yourself in their holiday lights spectacular, with four uniquely-themed realms of wonder. They are: The Magic Forest, Arctic Kingdom, North Pole Village and Yule Town. Now through January 4, 2020.
Texas - Holiday Lights on the River Walk, San Antonio
The day after Thanksgiving is when the turning on of over 100,000 lights — or 2,250 strings of light — draped over cypress trees lining the River Walk happens. This year’s display will remain on view through the night of January 13, 2020.
Luminaria
Utah - Lumanaria at Thanksgiving Point’s Ashton Gardens, Lehi
An enchanting mile-long walk transports visitors into a magical and spiritual holiday world filled with a magnificent display of vibrant color. The Grand Allee’s 8,000 programmable luminaries blanket a sweeping hill, where each one acts as a pixel in a moving picture of blooming poinsettias, flying reindeer, and dynamic symbols of the season. Now through January 4, 2020.
Vermont - Annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony and Show, Church Street Marketplace, Burlington
While 2019’s tree lighting ceremony happened at the end of November, Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace stays lit with its historic cobblestone street downtown adorned with holiday lights at least through the end of this year.
Norfolk Botanical Garden's Garden of Lights
Virginia - Garden of Lights at Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Norfolk
Marking its 25th year in 2019, this light show extravaganza extends to having “TREEmendous Dancing Trees” swaying to music, animated color-changing arches, moving laser lights, and a mega 50-foot tall tree that you can drive through. Now through December 31, 2019.
Washington - Enchant Christmas at T-Mobile Park, Seattle
Promoted as “The World’s Largest Light Maze,” this year’s Christmas light show is titled “Mischievous” in reference to eight elf-hidden gifts to be found within a maze. Beyond the maze, guests can discover 70-plus local artisan vendors at the Christmas Market, an ice skating trail and Santa’s Landing. Now through December 29, 2019.
Oglebay Festival Of Lights
West Virginia - Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights at Oglebay Resort, Wheeling
Begun in 1985, this festival covers more than 300 acres over a six-mile drive throughout Oglebay Park with 90 lighted attractions. 2019 will also shine with the introduction of the chance to purchase and wear 3D ‘Sleigh Bans” that will transform every point of light into a magical display. Now through January 5, 2020.
Wisconsin - The Holiday Lights Festival, Milwaukee
Downtown Milwaukee really gets into the holiday spirit with a covering of over 500,000 lights across the city, along with of colored lights and animated displays. Buy a ticket to hop aboard a Jingle Bus to experience the many downtown landmarks with the most decorated scenes, including Cathedral Square Park, Pere Marquette Park and Zeidler Union Square. Now through January 1, 2020.
Wyoming - Holiday Trolley Tours, Cheyenne
Each December, the Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley books a special holiday route along beautifully decorated homes and yards. The holiday tours happen up until Christmas Eve 2019.
