Where to See the Best Drive Through Christmas Lights

One of our family’s favorite holiday activities is to take a “sleigh ride”, hot chocolate in hand, as we drive through gorgeous Christmas lights.  But some areas offer drive through Christmas lights as a destination!  Not only can this make your sleigh ride even more jolly, but it is a great way to enjoy the lights and sights of the holidays from a distance. And, some of these drive through Christmas lights spectaculars are worthy of the North Pole! Here’s where to see some of the best drive through Christmas light shows in the USA.

The draw of a Christmas light show — giant candy canes, gingerbread men and snowflakes emblazoned in lights, tunnels of lights strung from the trees, Santa Claus in his sleigh — is enough to make me forget how cold I am as I walk through the Christmas lights displays.

But, for weather wimps like me, there is a better way: drive through Christmas lights displays.

Certainly driving around to see Christmas lights is nothing new. Growing up, we always piled into the car as night fell on Christmas Day to drive around our neighborhood admiring the neighbors’ light-up snowmen, front yard nativity scenes and Santa and Mrs. Claus presiding over yards full of colorful lights.

These days, drive through Christmas lights means so much more. Expect to see dancing lights choreographed to music, illuminated inflatables and millions of twinkling lights. While these aren’t new, they are a growing option as the Covid-19 pandemic forces us to avoid crowds.

So brew a thermos full of hot chocolate, turn up the heat in the car, tune in a radio station playing Christmas music and drive off to see one of the best Christmas lights shows without ever leaving your car.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in California

Costa Mesa

Winter Fest OC’s Night of Lights OC is a magical and immersive Christmas lights and winter wonderland drive-through experience. November 26, 2021 – January 2, 2022 (closed Christmas Eve) at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa.

Drive the mile-long course to see more than one million lights, themed holiday scenery, animated light shows and tunnels while listening to synchronized music through a car radio or smartphone. Pre-order hot cocoa, cinnamon sugar donuts and Mom’s Bake Shoppe cookie buckets and brownies when you buy tickets online.

Admission from $39.99 to $79.99.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Florida

Jacksonville

Jax Illuminations is a mile of Christmas lights synchronized to holiday music broadcast over your car radio. Come see a million brilliant LED lights that dance, twinkle and sparkle to some of your favorite holiday songs. 2021 Show is canceled but will return for 2022.

Or drive through the Blackhawk Bluff subdivision for free. Located at Girvin Road off of Atlantic Boulevard, the neighborhood is famous for its over-the-top holiday spirit. Get details on this Facebook page.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Georgia 

Pine Mountain

Head to Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens to see 8 million Christmas lights and a sound show with 15 scenes. This festival of lights was named one of the world’s top 10 by National Geographic Traveler. You can drive your own car through the display or take the Jolly Trolly (mask required). November 19, 2021 – January 3, 2022.

Tickets range from $19.95 to $34.95 for adults and $16.95 to $24.95 for kids ages 3-11; children 2 and under are free. Tickets to the holiday event are included in overnight stays at Callaway Gardens.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Illinois

Aurora

Aurora’s Festival of Lights, one of the largest drive through Christmas lights shows in Illinois, is FREE! Expect to see Santa’s Toy Factory, Old Man Winter, elves and reindeer, holiday trains, gigantic snowflakes and beautiful lighted swags on the fence line surrounding the zoo, Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive. November 26-December 26, 2021. The Rotary Club of Aurora sponsors the light show. Admission is free (even for buses!), but donations are being accepted online. The money is used to support local area organizations.

Northbrook

Let It Shine converts the Northbrook Court Mall parking lot into a fun, drive-through musical light display. Tune your car radio to a certain station and drive along the winding path and watch the lights move to the music on towering trees, lighted tunnels and flashing candy canes. The mouths of the illuminated characters move to sing along with the mood-lifting music – everything from the “Frozen” soundtrack to old-school Christmas tunes. Limited spots are available, so advanced purchase is required. Including taxes and fees, tickets are $29.99 per car on weekdays and $39.99 per car on weekends and holidays. Fast passes are available for an additional $15. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the NorthShore University HealthSystem Kellogg Cancer Center. Runs Nov. 5, 2021-Jan. 9, 2022,  but is closed Christmas Day.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Let the kids stand up through the sunroof as you go through the lighted tunnels. It makes a cool video!

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Indiana

Indianapolis

Indy’s Christmas Nights of Lights provides a half-hour interactive driving experience at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and boasts more than a million lights across dozens of displays. November 12, 2021-January 2, 2022. Enter the fairgrounds at Gate 12 on 42nd Street.

Tickets are $30 per carload. Go before you go — the only facilities are portable toilets located at the entrance.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Kentucky

Louisville

Lights Under Louisville is one of those awe-inspiring attractions. Drive through the Christmas lights at MEGA Caverns. It claims to be the world’s only fully underground drive-through Christmas lights show.

Plan to spend about 30 minutes driving through the 17 miles of underground passageways to see 3 millions points of light. 6-10 p.m. Monday – Friday, 5-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Nov. 12, 2021 – Jan. 2, 2022. $32.99 per car/truck/minivan.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Nevada

Las Vegas

Drive through 2.5 miles of Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was named one of 7 Over-The-Top Holiday Light Displays You Gotta See by Huffington Post in 2015, November 11, 2021-January 9, 2022.

Prices range from $25 to $85. Cost depends on what category of ticket you purchase, so check the ticket page carefully for blackout dates and restrictions. A portion of each ticket sold is donated to the Speedway Children’s Charities.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in New York

Long Island

The drive-through Magic of Lights display, November 19, 2021 – January 2, 2022, (closed New Year’s Eve) is naturally socially distanced. Drive your own car through the holiday scenes and characters of the season using the latest LED technology and digital animations in Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh NY.

Buy tickets online for a discounted $25 for a standard vehicle.

Syracuse

It gets cold in upstate New York, but you can stay warm in your car at the drive through Lights on the Lake in Onondaga Lake Park. The annual holiday event is open November 15, 2021 – January 14, 2022, from 5-10pm.

The two-mile winter extravaganza includes a radio accompaniment. There is a Land of Oz and Fantasy Forest. Admission is by the carload; $6 or $10 weekdays, $20 on weekends.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Oklahoma

Muskogee

This small city of 40,000 does Christmas big with the annual Garden of Lights in Honor Heights Park. More than 1 million LED lights grace thousands of azalea bushes, line fountains, spiral upwards to the treetops and cascade down a hillside waterfall.

The Garden of Lights is a drive-through event, but guests can park and stroll among the displays. Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, 5:30-10pm. Cost is $5 per car (Mondays are free) and $10 for buses.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Oregon

Portland

The 29th Annual Winter Wonderland at the Portland International Raceway spans the entire eight miles of the track. See more than 250 colorful set pieces and many fully animated scenes from the comfort of your car at this drive-through Christmas lights show. The 2021 dates and information will be released soon.

Tickets per car start at $20 (online) and $22 at gate. No tire chains or studded snow tires allowed.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Texas

Arlington 

More than 600 LED Christmas lights displays can be seen each holiday season at Arlington’s Texas Motor Speedway’s Gift of Lights. Drive through more than two miles of light displays, with almost 3 million lights, while listening to Christmas music on KLTY.

Gift of Lights opens November 25, 2021 and runs through January 2, 2022.  Santa’s Village WILL be open this year. No bathrooms either, so wait to serve the hot chocolate until you get home! Tickets are $30/car.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Virginia 

The 100 Miles of Lights display winds from the Virginia capital city to the Atlantic Ocean from Thanksgiving Day to New Year’s Day. Choose from seven lighted cities with parades of boats and floats, festivals, music and dance, living history, caroling and more. Richmond, Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

Specific event times available for each city. Hankering for a Tacky Lights show? Try Richmond. Illuminated boat parades? Visit Hampton and Yorktown. Want to walk through a million bulbs? That’s in Norfolk.

Drive Through Christmas Lights in Washington

Spanaway

Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park claims to be the Northwest’s largest drive-through display. Featuring an LED light tunnel, the display includes thousands of lights and nearly 300 figures along the two-mile drive along Spanaway Lake.

November 26, 2021 – January 2, 2022. Prices range from $10-$50 per vehicle. While driving through, tune your car radio to FM 95.3 to hear a selection of special holiday music.

More Christmas Lights Displays in the USA

Christmas Lights Displays in the Northeast U.S.

Christmas Lights Displays in the Southeast U.S.

Christmas Lights Displays in Texas and the Southwest U.S.

Christmas Lights Displays in California, Hawaii and the Northwest U.S

Christmas Lights Displays in the Midwest