Nothing lights up a dark winter like millions of twinkly lights, and there are so many places in the U.S. that go all out with outdoor Christmas light displays that bring major holiday cheer. Here are the best places to see Christmas lights and Christmas luminaries throughout the country, whether that’s on a busy city street, a neighborhood cul-de-sac, a zoo, or a botanical garden.
Cityscapes and Neighborhood Light Displays
Rockefeller Plaza, NYC
Arguably the most famous Christmas tree in the world is at Rockefeller Center in New York, with a display of angels that’s just as iconic.
Baltimore, Maryland
The “Hampden Maryland Miracle on 34th Street” is a neighborhood where you absolutely have to decorate with Christmas lights: each house on this block in Baltimore is more decorated than the last.
St Augustine, Florida
Downtown St. Augustine is renowned for its Nights of Lights display, featuring millions of tiny white lights strung along historic Spanish Colonial architecture spanning 20 blocks.
Dyker Heights, Brooklyn
After checking out Rockefeller Center, head to Brooklyn where the neighbors in Dyker Heights string lights on every branch of their trees and fill their yards with hundreds of nutcrackers.
Koziar’s Christmas Village, Pennsylvania
In the town of Bernsville in Pennsylvania, a family began decorating their house and yard in 1948 so much that it became known as the “Christmas House,” and now it’s transformed into the incredibly elaborate Koziar’s Christmas Village.
Clifton Mill, Ohio
More than four million lights decorate the historic Clifton Mill in Clifton, Ohio, which includes a Santa Claus museum and a light show synchronized to music over a covered bridge.
Austin Trail of Lights, Texas
Austin decorates its Zilker Park with more than two million lights for the holidays as part of the Austin Trail of Lights, and the drive-through route is so bright it’s practically visible from outer space.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Drive through Celebration in the Oaks at New Orleans’ City Park and see historic oak trees covered in over a million twinkling lights.
Zoo Light Displays
Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Zoo’s holiday festival Christmas at the Zoo goes back to 1967, and besides twinkling lights, there’s “Santa’s Barn” with reindeer and a chance to meet and greet with penguins.
San Diego Zoo
Often ranked one of the best zoos in the world, the San Diego Zoo’s Jungle Bells holiday display brings in a Twinkle Light Trolley to explore lit-up animal habitats, including a Northern Frontiers Holiday Forest.
Cincinnati Zoo
For Cincinnati Zoo’s PNC Festival of Lights, five million LED lights are strung up around the zoo, along with a light show on Swan Lake and strategically-placed oversize animal lanterns.
St. Louis Zoo
St. Louis’s historic zoo established in 1910 gets dressed up for the holidays during the St. Louis Zoo’s U.S. Bank Wild Lights festival, featuring animal-themed light displays and a chance to go in the zoo’s Sea Lion Sound Tunnel.
Dallas Zoo
Drive through a mile-long route of holiday lights at Dallas Zoo Lights, including high-tech projection mapping and a holiday village to explore at the end of the ride.
Botanical Gardens
Descano Gardens
In Los Angeles, take a one-mile walk through Descanso Gardens’ Enchanted Forest of Light display, featuring dramatic lighting in an ancient forest and stained glass creations from sculptor Tom Fruin.
Longwood Gardens
This botanical garden near Philadelphia is one of the most famous in the U.S., and for Longwood Christmas, find half a million twinkling lights, illuminated treehouses, and a colorful fountain display.
ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden
New Mexico’s largest walk-through light show is the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden’s River of Lights, with more than 800 holiday displays.
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Illuminated sculptures light up the night at Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, including a Glowing Grove along the garden’s flower walk.
The Morton Arboretum
Each year, 50 acres of tree groves are awash in color during Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum near Chicago, with s’mores stops along the walking route.
Amusement Parks and Pop-Ups
Busch Gardens, Virginia
Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia puts up a whopping 10 million lights during the holidays, making the Christmas Town festivities one of the largest light shows in North America.
Hersheypark, Pennsylvania
Naturally, this amusement park has a sweet theme for its light display: Hersheypark. Christmas Candylane boasts more than five million lights and a Santa display with reindeer.
LuminoCity, NYC and D.C.
LuminoCity, an immersive pop-up light show in Freehold, New Jersey and East Meadow, New York, revolves around larger-than-life illuminated sculptures.
Silver Dollar City, Missouri
Over six million lights illuminate Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas display In Branson, with a parade every night featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Disney World, Florida
At the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, rides like Jungle Cruise get a holiday makeover during Disney Very Merriest After Hours and there’s a “magical snowfall” to see on Main Street, U.S.A.
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