We may dislike putting them up… But nothing says “Happy Holidays” like Christmas light displays.
We wait for them year round. The second Thanksgiving is over, we dig them out of our basement and eagerly untangle them. We love them so much that we're often guilty of keeping them up until Easter. Let's face it: Christmas light displays is everyone's favorite part of the holiday season. There's something magical about the twinkling lights that glow through your neighborhood. We all catch ourselves smiling at candles in the windows and lit up reindeer grazing on front lawns. Christmas light displays are the best way to say “Happy Holidays.”
Then there are the houses that go above and beyond our wildest Christmas light dreams. You know what we're talking about: the ones that often have a donation box out front to help fund the insane electricity bill needed to keep their magnificent Christmas light displays going! They're the houses that require a Whoville light canon just to get all their lights up.
You know you're dying to see these extravagant Christmas lights displays. But where do you find them? We've compiled a list of all the best Christmas light displays in every state to seek out!
Let's get started!
Alabama
Credit: Jared on Flickr
One of the best Christmas light displays in all of Alabama is the Bellingrath Garden's Magic Christmas in Lights in Theodore, AL. Families come from all over the state to take in the 3 million twinkling lights, 1,100 set pieces, and 15 holiday scenes, which includes the fan-favorite underwater scene. The set-up is so well known that it even earned a spot on USA Today's “10 Public Lights Displays in America” in 2014.
In addition to a magnificent Christmas light displays, visitors can enjoy nightly choral performances, warm food, and hot chocolate. Ticket prices vary from free entry (for children 4 and under) up to $24. Visit their website for more details.
Alaska
Does it come as a surprise that the best place to see Christmas light displays in Alaska is in a little city called North Pole? This small Alaskan city is known for its year-round Christmas decorations, including candy cane-striped street lights and a house belonging to the one and only Santa Claus. Street have festive names like “Kris Kringle Drive” and “Mistletoe Lane.” The entire city of North Pole (including Santa's house) is illuminated by beautiful twinkling lights. Visitors will also enjoy the famous “Christmas in Ice exhibit,” an ice sculpture contest that attracts ice artists worldwide.
North Pole, Alaska is magical town for kids from one to ninety-two. Learn more about the Christmas light displays and other holiday magic that can be found at North Pole.
Arizona
Credit: Prescott Chamber of Commerce
Head on down to Prescott, AZ for the best Christmas light displays in all of Arizona. Coined Arizona’s “Official Christmas City,” Prescott is bustling with holiday-fanatics all December long. Events are going on nearly every weekend in Prescott in light (pun intended!) of the holiday season. Even if there are no festive events scheduled for that day, it's worth it to make a trip to Christmas City just to see the beautiful Courthouse Plaza ignited with endless strings of Christmas lights.
This is also where the annual Christmas Parade is held every year! From 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, December 1, families and friends can pose for photos with the Kringles and view the lighting of the courthouse at 6 p.m.
Arkansas
Searcy is where to go to find the best winter wonderland in Arkansas. There are incredible holiday surprises around every corner in Searcy. The city keeps the “old-fashioned” spirit of Christmas alive by making Christmas light displays out of some of the state's oldest buildings. This includes the historic White County Courthouse, the oldest courthouse in Arkansas, and the Rialto Theater, both of which have been recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.
There is so much to do in Searcy during the Holiday of Lights! Visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities, including carriage rides, sipping on hot chocolate, and ice-skating. The Christmas light displays are lit at the end of November, but the beautiful displays stay up throughout the holiday season! Plan your visit to Searcy today.
California
Credit: Cavecreekcrazies
It may not snow much in California during the holidays, but that doesn't stop this state's residents from getting into the Christmas spirit! Every year in Woodlawn Hills, California, the homeowners create Candy Cane Lane, an amazing holiday display of lights and decorations at at Lubao & Oxnard Streets. While there is no contact information for these incredible Christmas light displays, Candy Cane Lane always begins on the 2nd Saturday of December and lasts through the end of the year.
There's something really magical about a neighborhood coming together to display their love for the holiday season and Christmas spirit. This is a series of Christmas light displays that are absolutely worth checking out! Visit the website for directions to Candy Cane Lane.
Colorado
For more than three decades, the best Christmas light displays in all of Colorado have been set up at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Approximately 24 acres of the gardens are lit up every year for their “Blossoms of Lights.” Though every year at the Denver Botanic Gardens seems to get brighter and better, there are some old faithful displays that visitors can count on, like the interactive light display put on every year! There are also carolers performing on selected evenings throughout the holiday season.
For visitors willing to spend a little more, you can purchase dinner, holiday treats, festive warm drinks, and souvenirs along with the tour of the Blossoms of Lights. The Denver Botanic Gardens is a great place to go for a holiday date night or for a family outing. Visit their website to plan your outing today.
Connecticut
Credit: Holiday Light Fantasia
Without a doubt, Hartford's “Holiday Light Fantasia” is the best series of Christmas light displays in Connecticut. An annual event that raises funds for year round programs at Channel 3 Kids Camp, this two-mile drive through light show takes Goodwin Park and transforms it into a winter wonderful. Christmas isn't the only holiday celebrated at Holiday Light Fantasia; light displays are also dedicated to Hanukkah, New Year's, and Three Kings Day. You will be in awe as you take in over 200 displays with more than a million lights glowing up Connecticut's capital.
If you get there earlier in the season, you might even get a chance to meet the one and only Santa Claus! This is an unforgettable holiday event that is loved by all ages. Visit their website to learn more.
Delaware
You are never too old to believe in Santa Claus. And at Yuletide at Winterthur in Delaware, visitors can feel like they've walked into the big man's house itself. Yuletide at Winterthur not only houses the best Christmas light displays in all of Delaware, it also decorates Henry Francis du Pont’s former home with decorations from the 1800s and early 1900s. Visitors will feel like they've stepped back in time as they view the “earliest types” of Christmas lights and a fully decorated room dedicated to Clement Moore's Christmas classic, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”
Yuletide at Winterthur revels in nostalgia and awakens the childhood wonder in all of us. Visit their website to learn more about this one-of-a-kind holiday wonderland.
Florida
Credit: Joe Ross
The Night of Lights in St. Augustine, Florida will make you forget about the warm December weather and instantly get you into the spirit of the holidays. The Nights of Lights has been lighting up St. Augustine for 25 years. More than three million lights cover the historic district for two whole months, from November 17, 2018 to February 3, 2019. Visitors can tour the Night of Lights by foot, train, trolley, and even by special horse-led carriages. You even have the chance to see the lights from the water and the sky!
This is easily the best series of Christmas light displays in all of Florida. Visit their website to learn more.
Georgia
Rock City Garden's Enchanted Garden of Lights is the best place to go for fantastic Christmas light displays in Georgia. This event has been warming the hearts of Georgians for 24 years. There are four “realms” of the Enchanted Garden for visitors to enjoy: The Magic Forest, Arctic Kingdom, North Pole Village, and Yule Town. Friends and families can take a walk down North Pole Highway before meeting Santa in North Pole Village, then bop on over to Yule Town for more Enchanted Garden of Lights festivities!
This diverse lights event is a magical holiday adventure for all. Visit their website to learn more about the Enchanted Garden of Lights in Rock City Garden.
Hawaii
Credit: Daniel Ramirez
Yes, even beach bums and surfers go crazy over the magic of Christmas light displays. The best place for Christmas lights in Hawaii is The Honolulu City Lights Trolley Tour. This month-long holiday event showcases Christmas lights and holiday decoration with special holiday events scheduled throughout the month. Visitors will even have the chance to meet Shaka Santa and the lovely Mrs. Claus!
During the 30-minutes trolley rider, visitors will sing Christmas carols and take in the magic of the lit up town. Visit their website to learn more about the event and the history of the Honolulu City Lights Trolley Tour.
Idaho
Winter Spirit in Lewiston, Idaho is a truly special holiday tradition. During the holiday the historic downtown community is lit up with interactive displays, dancing trees, and colorful lights shows in Locomotive Park. A large gas fireplace warms is set up in the middle of the park to warm up visitors and children. But it's not just any fireplace; this fireplace is lit up with every color you could possibly imagine – over half a million colors, to be exact! Plus, Santa Claus is always sure to make an appearance. What better Christmas town could you ask for?
To experience one of the best Christmas light displays in Idaho, visit the Winter Spirit website and learn more.
Illinois
Credit: The Magnificent Mile
Illinois, home to the Windy City, also happens to be home to one of the best Christmas light displays around. The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is a magical nighttime parade that turns the stretch of Michigan Avenue between Wacker Drive and Oak Street into a winter wonderland. This is a two-day event of fun, free, family-friendly activities that is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
Visit their website and plan your visit to Chi-Town today.
Indiana
You know you're in store for some pretty special Christmas light displays if they're set up in a town called Santa Claus. This southwestern Indiana town knows how to get into the holiday spirit. This jolly town has a variety of Christmas and holiday events for friends and families to enjoy. You may want to visit Lake Rudolph and take in the 12-mile drive-through light display. Or head on over to Santa Claus Land of Lights, a dazzling light show that shares the age old store of the one and only Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer.
Next, visit Santa's Candy Castle, a castle full of candy, cocoa, and holiday treats. The castle also hosts and annual event called Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire, where locals and visitors gather around a big fire to roast chestnuts and learn about the history of this American tradition.
Santa Claus, Indiana is the closest you'll feel to visiting the North Pole itself. Visit their website to learn about this magical winter wonderland.
Iowa
Credit: Symphony of Lights
Eagle Point Park in Clinton, Iowa, hosts the best Christmas light displays in the state: the annual Symphony of Lights. The magical holiday event showcases more that 40 festive displays lit up by over 500,000 Christmas lights. Castles, streams, and a gingerbread house line the 11 mile loop through the Symphony of Lights. Eagle Point Park also hosts the Craft and Vendor Fair during the holiday season where over 50 vendors, crafters, and food vendors come to sell holiday goods and treats!
Santa Sundays are another family favorite event held at Eagle Point Park every year. Visit their website to learn about all the holiday events the park has to offer.
Kansas
Wichita, Kansas’ largest city, is home to the holiday event, The Arc’s Lights. Formerly known as The Arc’s Lights on St Paul, these annual Christmas light displays benefit The Arc of Sedgwick County, a nonprofit organization. More than one million lights and dozens of displays are assembled to create a magical drive-through light show. This is easily the most unique series of Christmas light displays is all of Kansas are the entire show is carefully put together by a group of volunteers who are eager to share their holiday cheer.
This drive-through light display is worth seeing and makes for a fun, holiday activity for the whole family. Visit The Arc's Lights website to learn more about this festive annual event.
Kentucky
Credit: Lights Under Louisville
No holiday events in Kentucky come close to topping the annual Lights Under Louisville. This winter wonderland is unlike any other because, well, the entire event is held underground. Lights Under Louisville transforms the Louisville Mega Cavern into an underground holiday light spectacular. 2 million lights and 850 characters glow up the cavern for the most unique Christmas light displays you'll ever see. Visitors can enjoy a 30 minutes drive through the 17-mile underground passageways, or opt for the brand new Christmas Express! This experience takes guests through Lights Under Louisville with an open-air, 30-minute tram tour.
If you like in Kentucky, Lights Under Louisville is a holiday must. Visit their website to learn more.
Louisiana
The best Christmas light displays in Louisiana are found in Baton Rouge's Festival of Lights. Families and friends gather along North Boulevard every year to take in the thousands of twinkling displays lighting up the downtown area. This is also a great chance to get in your holiday shopping at the Mistletoe Market, which boasts more than 120 vendors with Christmas and holiday good for sale.
Visitors can stroll the snow village at River Center Plaza and take a walk through Bethlehem Village, a “real life village set in Biblical times where children can craft ornaments and decorations.” Learn more about programs and events at the Festival of Lights at their website.
Maine
Credit: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is the best place to go for breathtaking Christmas light displays. The annual Boothbay Festival of Lights invites family and friends every year to enjoy the thousands of lights set up throughout the botanical gardens that create the illusion that the garden is actually glowing. The festival stretches from downtown all the way to Boothbay Harbor. There, local shops, restaurants, and hotels are also lit up and join in on the holiday fun!
For a complete list of events as well as participating local businesses, visit the Boothbay Festival of Lights website and plan out your visit to Gardens Aglow!
Maryland
There is no place more magical in Maryland during the holiday season than 34th Street in Baltimore. Sharing a name with the beloved Christmas movie, Miracle on 34th Street lights up the Medfield/Hampden Neighborhoods for a truly magical holiday events. Neighborhood residents get together every year to light up their houses and provide locals and visitors a magical tour through their streets.
The story behind Miracle on 34th Street is almost as beautiful as the experience itself. Visit their website to learn more about the Christmas light displays and the history of this annual holiday event.
Massachusetts
Credit: Bright Nights at Forest Park
The Bright Nights at Forest Park in Springfield is New England’s largest and most magnificent set up of Christmas light displays. The Bright Nights at Forest Park has brought in more than 4.6 million visitors since the event began in 1995. The series of light displays range are whimsical, fun, and entertaining. The family-friendly displays include themes like Dr. Seuss, Jurassic Park, Peter Pan, and of course, and ode to Santa's toy factor!
Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are celebrated at The Bright Nights event, as well. Visit their website and plan your visit to this holiday event today.
Michigan
From November 19 to January 6, downtown Rochester is lit up with the magical Big Bright Light Show. This annual event lights up the buildings in downtown Rochester with more than one million twinkling holiday lights. The city is lit up every weekend during the holiday season and makes for a great holiday date night in Rochester, or a nice stroll for the whole family to enjoy. If you go, make sure to check out the Kris Kringle Market, a one-stop shop for all things Christmas!
Visit their website to learn more.
Minnesota
Credit: Bentleyville USA
The most magnificent Christmas light displays in Minnesota are arguably some of the best you'll see in the entire U.S. The Bentleyville Tour of Lights is America’s largest free walk-through lighting display. And when we say that this light show is big, we mean it. The entire display is made up of more than 4 millions lights spread out over 20 acres of land. There is a new, unique light display to take in around every corner of this well-lit Christmas town! You even have the chance to run into Rudolph and Santa Claus while you're there.
The final night of the annual festive event ends with a magnificent fireworks show to say goodbye to the holiday season. The Bentleyville Tour of Lights is an event you do not want to miss. Visit their website to learn more!
Mississippi
This fantastic set up of Christmas light displays is one of the best in all of Mississippi! The Gulport Harbor Lights Winter Festival is a magical annual event that allows visitors to enjoy the light displays by foot or hop aboard a free heated trolley! Visitors will take a tour through Santa's Village and get pictures at the Elfie Selfie stations along the way. There are also holiday treats and hot cocoa (with marshmallows, of course) for sale to enjoy on your stroll through this wonderful little Christmas town.
This is a fun, laid back holiday event that is enjoyable for all ages. Visit their Facebook page to learn more.
Missouri
Credit: Jellystone Park
Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Eureka, Missouri takes Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park and transforms it in a series of magical Christmas light displays for adults and kids of all ages to enjoy. Light displays filled with animated scenes, “dazzling special effects,” and millions on millions of shimmering bright lights glow up your path as you walk through the winter display. Christmas music plays throughout the drive-through light show the make the experience that much more festive.
Visitors will also enjoy stopping in to Kringle's General Store to get in some last minute holiday shopping and sit on the lap of the one and only Saint Nick! Visit their website to learn more about this holiday event.
Montana
Every holiday season for the past 20 years, Zoo Montana lights up the night with Christmas lights for the annual ZooLights! celebration. The event goes on every weekend throughout December. This drive-through lights show is the best array of Christmas light displays is all of Montana, hands down. The zoo stunningly transforms into a showcase of bright LED lights and the wondrous tunes of Christmas classics. If you register early enough, you can tour the dazzling sights from a horse-drawn sleigh!
ZooLights! is also a part of the annual Holiday Parade in Billings, Montana that takes place on November 25. Visit the ZooLights! website to learn more about the event.
Nebraska
Credit: Kylie Feilmeier
If you're on the hunt for the best Christmas light displays in Nebraska, Omaha is the place for you. Every year downtown Omaha is lit up for the amazing display of the Omaha Holiday Lights Festival. The event begins at the end of November and runs through into the new year. Families and friends stroll the streets of Omaha in awe of the fantastically lit up buildings and light displays.
But that's not all. The Old Market in Omaha becomes its very own winter wonderland. And ice rink is set up, holiday treats are for sale throughout the town, all the bars and restaurants get into the holiday spirit, and on New Year's Eve, there's even a fireworks show.
Omaha is a magical place to be during the holidays! Visit the Omaha Holiday Lights Festival website to learn more.
Nevada
Nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a race track… Right? Well in Nevada, that sure seems to be the case! The best Christmas light displays in Nevada can be found at The Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The entire track is lit up and lined with LED lights that spread for more than 2.5 miles. Over 3 millions lights and about 500 animated displayed are scattered throughout the speedway to create a bright, festive, holiday outing!
To see the light displays from a bird’s eye view, take a ride on the open-air Santa Tram. This event takes place every night of the week and twice on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from mid-November through Christmas. Visit their website to learn more.
New Hampshire
Credit: Dave Herholz
This new set of Christmas light displays may not necessarily be family-friendly, but it sure is a jolly good time! Head on over to Anheuser-Busch Brewery Lights, in Merrimack, New Hampshire, for a one-of-a-kind Christmas lights experience. Twinkling lights are scattered throughout the brewery, as well as a large and speciality lit Christmas tree featuring none other than the famous Budweiser Clydesdales! Talk about a Christmas Card for the books!
If that isn't enough to convince you that this is an event worth checking out, visitors also have the option to take a tour of the brewery and sip Bud Light right from the tank. This is the best Christmas gift grown ups could ask for. Visit their website for more information.
New Jersey
This next stop on our list is probably our favorite of all the Christmas light displays. Not because it's the biggest or necessarily the brightest – but it's safe to say that this display has the most character and is made with the most heart. Meet Keith Shaw, the designer and founder of the Christmas Spectacular on Main Street in Cranbury, New Jersey. Keith and his family set up a 36-foot-tall Christmas tree covered in more than 50,000 lights in their front lawn. Fun fact: that's more than the tree in Rockefeller Plaza!
It takes Keith and his family four weeks to put together this annual display. People come from all over New Jersey to check it out. What's more, the lights are put up for a good cause. Visit Keith's website to learn more about the history of his display and why he does this year after year.
New Mexico
Credit: River of Lights
The best set up of Christmas light displays in New Mexico is in Albuquerque's BioPark Botanic Garden. “River of Lights” is the largest walk-through light show in the entire state. It was even named one of The 15 Most Spectacular Holiday Light Displays in the U.S. in 2016. With over 500 sparkling light displays, it's easy to see why!
In addition to the fantastic lights, visitors can sip on hot cocoa as they hop aboard the Polar Bear Express, which has holiday treats for all – and includes a visit from Santa Claus! Visit their website to learn more.
New York
While it's true that everyone should see the amazing Christmas light displays at Rockefeller Center at least once in their life… For our money, the best light show in New York City can be found in Brooklyn. The Dyker Heights Christmas lights in settled in a neighborhood deep within Brooklyn. Each year, the neighborhood has an unofficial competition to see whose light show is the best!
This is a fun display of holiday spirit that you can find no where else. Visit the Dyker Heights Facebook page to learn more about this annual set up.
North Carolina
Credit: Christmastown USA
This city in North Carolina gets so into the holiday spirit that they even rename themselves “Christmas Town USA” every year. Located in McAdenville, North Carolina, Christmas Town USA is populated by just about 700 people – but that doesn't stop this small town from putting on the best Christmas light displays in the state. Drive through the town and take in the stunning lights and decorations the residents put up every year.
In total, the town puts up more than half a million lights in the downtown area of Christmas Town USA to create this winter wonderland. Visit the official website to learn more about this handmade North Pole and restaurants to dine in once you're done goggling at the amazing holiday decor!
North Dakota
The Roger Maris Drive in Fargo’s Lindenwood Park is the best place to view fantastic, festive, and fun Christmas light displays in all of North Dakota! The entire show features more than 65 lit-up holiday displays. It becomes a city-wide event as local businesses and vendors help sponsors the illuminated displays. It costs just $7 or $6 with a canned good to enter the show, but the holiday cheer it brings is priceless.
Visit the website to learn more about the event and directions on how to get to the best holiday light show in North Dakota.
Ohio
Credit: Cliff on Flickr
When you think “holiday lights,” is “zoo” usually the first word to come to mind? It probably is if you're living in Ohio. The best place the view Christmas light displays in Ohio is the one and only Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Every year the zoo put on their famous Wildlights display. Every single corner of the zoo is dazzling with Christmas lights and decorations. This is one of the best holiday outings for Columbus area families to enjoy!
Take in the fantastic views and learn more about the event by visiting the zoo's website.
Oklahoma
Are you in Oklahoma wondering where the best place is to see some awesome Christmas light displays? That's easy – just head on over to the Chickasha Festival of Light. For 25 years this has been the best holiday light show in all of Oklahoma. The massive light display is made up of more than 3.5 million lights, 100 displays, and even has animated light shows that are synchronized to holiday music!
To top it all off: there is a 172-foot tall Christmas tree in the center of the festival! This is an event worth checking out, whether you're in Oklahoma or not. Visit their Facebook page to learn more.
Oregon
Credit: The Grotto
Go on down to The Grotto for the best Christmas light displays in Oregon. In true Oregon fashion, this is not just a holiday light show: it's also a concert! All throughout December more than 150 groups and choirs perform at the Christmas Festival of Lights. Take in the fantastic sights and sounds of the best light show in the state.
Visit their website to learn more about this holiday event.
Pennsylvania
No matter how old we get, sometimes all we want during the holidays is a chance to feel like we're walking through the wonder of the North Pole. That's exactly what you'll get when you visit Koziar's Christmas Village in Pennsylvania. For more than 70 years, more than one million lights have lit up this Christmas town in Bernville, Pennsylvania. For 70 years, There are both indoor and outdoor displays for visitors to take in.
You won't find more finely decorated gingerbread houses than the one's at Koziar's Christmas Village! This is a magical event that is sure to get you into the spirit of the holidays. Visit the village's Facebook page to learn more.
Rhode Island
Credit: Conway Christmas Lights Extravaganza
Rhode Islanders know how to do Christmas right. The best Christmas light displays in the state are put up by the Conway family of Coventry, Rhode Island. Every year the family puts together the famous Conway Christmas Lights Extravaganza for the entire area – honestly, the entire New England community – to enjoy.
The display features more than 100,000 lights and 65 handmade characters are display! The show includes toy soldiers, hot air balloons, snowmen, Santa Claus, and more. Visit the family's Facebook page to learn more about the magical event.
South Carolina
There aren't any Christmas light displays in South Carolina that match that of the Brookgreen Gardens' Nights of a Thousand Candles. This event goes back to the earliest Christmas traditions, where holiday lights were simply candlelights illuminating the window. In addition to more than 5,000 hand-lit candles glowing throughout the garden, this holiday display features hundreds of twinkling Christmas lights for guests to walk through and enjoy.
This is truly a magical holiday experience. Visit the event's website to learn more about the history of the Brookgreen Garden's holiday tradition and schedule your visit today.
South Dakota
Credit: Christmas At The Western Mall
Going to a mall may not seem like an obvious choice when searching for the best Christmas light displays – unless you're in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, of course. Every year at the Western Mall in Sioux Falls, the gorgeous Western Mall Light Show is set up for visitors to enjoy. The show starts on Thanksgiving and runs into the new year. During this time the center court in the mall is lit up by thousands of lights arranged in a Christmas castle scene. Donations made during this time help to support the Make-a-Wish foundation.
Visit the mall's website to learn more about the event and the Make-a-Wish foundation.
Tennessee
There's no better way to celebrate the holiday season in Music City like taking in the light show at Gaylord Opryland's “A Country Christmas” display. Set up in the Gaylord Opryland Resort, more than 3 million Christmas lights transform the hotel lobby into a winter wonderland. In addition, there is a gorgeous “ICE!” display which features dozens of festive ice sculptures.
This is a great way to top off a festive outing in the nation's country music capital. Visit the hotel's website to learn more about the event.
Texas
Credit: Austin's Trail of Lights
You may not find much snow in Austin, Texas during the holiday season, but you are sure to find one of the best Christmas light displays you've ever seen! Austin's Trail of Lights is a beloved annual holiday event that lights up this beautiful city in the Lone Star state. More than 2 million lights, four lit-up tunnels, and more than 40 holiday displays turn Austin into a Christmas wonder.
Feast on holiday treats and hot cocoa as you take in the glory of the 55-foot Christmas tree at the center of town! This 52 year long tradition gets better every year. Visit the website to learn more.
Utah
Salt Lake City is the best place to be in Utah during the holiday season. The gorgeous Temple Square Christmas Lights Celebration is an annual event that lights up the town. Volunteers spend months covering Salt Lake City with beautiful LED lights that will make the area feel like a true winter wonderland. Enjoy the shops and restaurants as you walk through the dazzling display.
This is easily the best array of Christmas light displays in all of Utah! Visit the annual event's website to learn more.
Vermont
Credit: Wassail Weekend
You won't come across a more classic Christmas event than this one in Vermont. The Woodstock Wassail Weekend is an annual holiday event that lights up the area's historic homes with twinkling lights and offers special events like breakfast with Santa Claus. The event features holiday costumes dating back to the 19th century. Visitors are taken back in time as they watch more than 50 people leading horse-drawn carriages passing by.
There are more than 400 light displays to accompany this historical, festival blast from the past. There are weekly events going on at this holiday event all season long. Visit their website to learn more about the history of the area and what this event has to offer.
Virginia
In the town of Vienna, Virginia, you will come across one of the best Christmas light displays set ups you've ever seen. The Meadowlark Gardens is an annual event where more than 500,000 LED lights transform the beautiful botanical garden into a twinkling, memorable holiday display! There are fun themes spread throughout the gardens, including a jumping-fish aquatic scene, a glowing dragonfly garden, and more.
Finally, there is a gingerbread village nestled into the gardens to top off your festive experience! Visit the Meadowlark Gardens website to learn more about their beloved annual holiday event.
Washington
Credit: Wonderlane
Another residential neighborhood takes the cake as being the best array of Christmas light displays in the entire state. The famous Candy Cane Lane, as Seattle locals call it, is located in the city's University District and is easily the best place to go for Christmas lights during the holiday season in Washington. Since 1949, the homeowners in the area dedicate their time to setting up some of the most incredible Christmas lights and decorations you've ever seen! People drive for hours across the state to take in this sight every year.
What's more, the homeowners will often set up little hot cocoa stands for the visitors to enjoy. This is a fun, family-friendly holiday event that is worth visiting every year.
West Virginia
Spanning across over 300 acres is the beautiful Oglebay's Winter Festival of Lights. Located in Wheeling, West Virginia, this magnificent Christmas light display is one of the biggest in the entire country! There are dozens of lit up displays, thousands of LED lights, and multiple lit-up tunnels for visitors to marvel over as they drive through. Fans of the Peanuts will be particularly fond of the Charlie Brown Christmas display they pull out every year.
This 6 mile holiday drive is a favorite festive event among locals. It's worth the drive to go see. Visit their website to learn more.
Wyoming
Credit: Jackson Hole Chamber
The best set of Christmas light displays in Wyoming takes up the entire town of Jackson. Every holiday season, Jackson, Wyoming is illuminated by thousands and thousands of dazzling lights. But they do something that no other Christmas town has to offer: they incorporate authentic elk antlers into their decor. In fact, these antlers adorns the arches surrounding the center of town!
The entirety of Jackson, Wyoming is a sight to see during the holiday season. Visit their website to learn about the holiday events and displays to take in during the Christmas season.
Wisconsin
Want snow? Want holiday lights? Want a relaxing spa experience? Then head on over to the Grand Geneva in Wisconsin and you can have it all. Every year the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa sets up Christmas in the Country, a holiday display that features more than 2 million twinkling lights both inside and outside. There are fan-favorite displays pulled out every year, like the glowing “12 Days of Christmas” displays.
Guests can enjoy and array of holiday events, like breakfast with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, midday holiday tea parties, and the opportunity to mail a letter to Santa Claus himself! Visit the hotel's website to learn more about their Christmas spirit and holiday events.
Find out where to find the best array of Christmas light displays to seek out in your state!
Whether you're willing to admit it or not, we're all suckers for Christmas lights. No matter where you go around the world, there is holiday wonder to take in. Every state has their own unique array of Christmas light displays that quickly put visitors into the holiday spirit! Find out where to find the best Christmas light displays in your state and plan out your festive outing today.
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