Our guide to 13 of the best holiday light shows in the US

There are Christmas lights and there are Christmas lights — and we'll admit we really love the latter.

You know, the ones you can't drive by without saying "whoa" and slowing down your car to take in the scene. Like us, you may have purposely driven out of your way to see them in the first place.

Well, these Christmas lights put those to shame, which is why we've rounded up some of our favorite Christmas installations from around the country to get you into the holiday spirit.

No matter what part of the country you're in, there's likely something for you here — and if not, can we interest you in a holiday lights-themed road trip? Meet you there.

Related: Why you should skip hosting for the holidays and go to a hotel

Glow Holiday in St. Paul, Minnesota

Glow Holiday Festival is one of the best ways to get into the holiday spirit, and it's back this year at CHS Field in St. Paul, home of the St. Paul Saints; it's also added a second location at Slammers Stadium in Joliet, Illinois. Holiday lovers will experience more than 1 million holiday lights as they walk through the winter wonderlands of interactive displays and festive family-friendly activities, complete with a warming area for shaking off the winter chill.

Plan on spending about 60-90 minutes at Glow. Food and beverages similar to those served at the stadiums' games will be available at stands sprinkled throughout the festivals. Tickets in St. Paul are $21.75 per adult and $12. 75 per child (ages 3-12); tickets in Joliet are $19.75 per adult and $12.75 per child (ages 4-12). A portion of ticket sales will be donated to local charities.

Make sure to catch it at either location by Jan. 5, 2025.

Magic Christmas in Lights in Theodore, Alabama

For its 29th year, Magic Christmas in Lights is back at Bellingrath Gardens & Home in Mobile County. On the 65-acre estate, you'll be able to stroll through dazzling light displays featuring more than 1,100 set pieces, 3 million lights and 15 scenes, all on the former home of Coca-Cola's Walter Bellingrath and his wife and philanthropist Bessie.

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The lights will run through Jan. 5, 2025 (closed Christmas and New Year's Day). Tickets are available for entry between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. and cost anywhere from $13 to $23. Children 4 and under are $1.

If you are on the Gulf Coast, this display is guaranteed to get everyone into the holiday spirit!

Night of Lights in St. Augustine, Florida

It may not snow in Florida, but the Night of Lights in St. Augustine makes it feel like one of the most festive holiday destinations in the country. Every evening through Jan. 26, 2025, visit downtown, where the Spanish Colonial buildings are draped in millions of white lights from sidewalks to rooftops. Highlights include the Plaza de la Constitucion and the Bridge of Lions. There are even live music performances in the plaza during weekends and holidays.

Spread over 20 blocks, it's free to walk through the event, but you can also buy tickets to tour by trolley, train or boat — or even do a wine-and-carriage tour. The view from the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, where you see the nation's oldest city aglow, is stunning.

Lights of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, New York

While it is hard to rival New York City's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, some of the best Christmas lights you'll find near the city are actually in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn — specifically from 11th Avenue to 13th Avenue and between 83rd and 86th streets. About an hour from midtown Manhattan, these massive, professionally done light displays shine brighter than the top of the Chrysler Building.

The lights start the weekend after Thanksgiving, but the best displays are usually on the weekends starting in mid-December. Go from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the best experience. If you are without a car, consider an escorted bus tour to see the lights; tickets start at $65 for adults and $55 for kids under 12.

Hersheypark's Christmas Candyland in Hershey, Pennsylvania

What's sweeter than chocolate? Not much, but if we had to guess, we'd say something that has to do with chocolate and the holiday season — and at Hersheypark's Christmas Candylane, you'll get just that. Running through Jan. 1, 2025, you can see more than 5 million lights while enjoying your favorite rides, the holiday show "Noel" and the park's Kissmas Tree display. You can also take photos with your favorite Hershey characters.

Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights in Wheeling, West Virginia

The Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights dates back to 1985 and is one of the nation's largest holiday light shows. In fact, it's so popular it attracts more than 1 million visitors a year. The festival features 300 acres of twinkling lights over a 6-mile drive, plus 90 lighted attractions made up of more than 1 million energy-efficient LED lights.

The 70-foot-tall Welcome Tree and audio experiences are back to complement your drive-through lights viewing experience, along with a life-size Nativity scene. The festival runs through Jan. 5, 2025. There's a suggested donation of $30 per vehicle.

Christmas Town USA in McAdenville, North Carolina

Seemingly overnight, the town of McAdenville becomes "Christmas Town U.S.A." with holiday celebrations and one of the country's best light displays. The route goes on for more than a mile and features more than 250 evergreen trees covered with half a million red and green lights, 160 decorated homes, and seasonal music at the historic McAden Mills Bell Tower.

The downtown display is free and open to the public, and you can walk or drive through as many times as you'd like. You can visit each night through Dec. 26 between 5:30 and 10 p.m.

Glittering Lights in Las Vegas

Glittering Lights at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a wholly American Christmas tradition — and it's not just because of the millions of twinkling lights. This drive-through light show also hosts different initiatives to support local charities, churches and schools, including Speedway Children's Charities. We love a holiday tradition that gives back to the community.

Running through Jan. 5, 2025, you can also enjoy Glittering Lights via a ride in an open-air Santa Tram; the depot is where you'll also be able to snag a free photo with Santa. Tram tickets range from $25 to $30 a person; regular tickets start at $39 per vehicle.

An Old Time Christmas in Branson, Missouri

An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson is a tried-and-true fan favorite. More than 6 million twinkling lights adorn the park, and there's an eight-story Christmas tree display. Dozens of live holiday shows take place on outdoor stages daily, such as "A Dickens' Christmas Carol," a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel, and the Broadway-style "Coming Home For Christmas" at Red Gold Heritage Hall. Food is also a highlight, with park vendors selling everything from loaded potato soup to apple dumplings.

Tickets start at $92 a day. Multiday tickets are also available. Silver Dollar City's An Old Time Christmas runs through Jan. 4, 2025.

Holiday Festival of Lights in Charleston, South Carolina

At Charleston's Holiday Festival of Lights in James Island County Park visitors can see Santa in his village, take a train ride to check out the lights and indulge in holiday treats at Santa's Sweet Shoppe. There's also a reindeer workshop and a holiday sand sculpture made from 50 tons of sand.

Holiday Festival of Lights is open from 5:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. through Dec. 31. Tickets are per vehicle and start at $15 online and $20 at the gate.

Christmas Village in Baltimore

Don't worry if you can't make it to one of Germany's famous Christmas markets. Christmas Village in Baltimore is the next best thing — it's modeled after the famous Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg.

The market in Baltimore's Inner Harbor has vendors selling authentic European food, ornaments, and arts and crafts from all over the world. Plus there's a carousel, a Ferris wheel and a beer garden where you can warm up with a mug of gluhwein and grilled bratwurst. Christmas Village runs through Dec. 24, but is closed Mondays and Tuesdays except Dec. 23 and 24.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights in Atlanta

At Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, thousands of lights are spread across 30 acres of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, a magical sight to behold. The exhibition features the largest curtain of synchronized light and sound, "Nature's Wonders." Larger-than-life plant sculptures from "Alice's Wonderland Returns," like the Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit, are also highlights. Tables at the excellent restaurant Longleaf are sought-after reservations during the festival for date nights and family outings.

The exhibition runs nightly through Jan. 12, 2025. Nonmember tickets start at $29.95 for adults and $26.95 for children (ages 3-12).

Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, California

While Southern California may not experience a white Christmas, that doesn't mean it doesn't feel festive during the holidays. The 116th Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach is Christmas, California style. Over a million people come out to watch as many as 100 decorated boats, yachts, kayaks and canoes glide across Newport Harbor. Through Dec. 22, the free parade starts at the tip of Lido Isle at approximately 6:30 each night. Give yourself plenty of time to find parking. All city parking lots will be open throughout the parade to accommodate viewers.