The Most Spectacular Holiday Light Displays in and Around NYC

Going to visit the holiday light displays in neighborhoods around New York City has become a popular Christmas activity. It seems like every year the displays get more and more elaborate and there are even tour buses that will take you to some of the most popular neighborhoods. We've rounded up the best ones from all over the NYC area, including a cool new Grinch-themed house display we just discovered in Brooklyn. Maybe this year you'll start your own Holiday tradition too with a tour of the best Holiday Light Displays in and around NYC.

Garabedian Family's Christmas House
Pelham Parkway, Bronx

The Garabedian Family's home on Pelham Parkway North at Westervelt Avenue (also known as simply "The Christmas House") boggles the mind. Mixed in with your traditional nativity scene and copious amounts of corpulent angels (all larger than life itself mind you), are life-sized mannequins all glammed up in Hollywood-style gowns. Did I mention the mannequins move? Well, they do. And did I mention there's also music blaring from the display? And don't forget faux chandeliers - what's a holiday extravaganza without elegant lighting right? There's also a horse-driven carriage from which a Cinderella-inspired mannequin is elegantly exiting.

The Garabedian family is in the dress-making biz, so they do all the mannequins' outfits themselves. They've been setting up this huge display for well over 30 years now as a gift for their neighbors who did some sort of unnamed good deed for them back in the day.(Although we'd be more than curious to know the true feelings of the residents of this posh little hood, which is known as the Pelham Gardens section of Baychester, regarding the holiday display - it causes severe traffic jams and lots of foot traffic...)

An added bonus is the entire surrounding Pelham Gardens neighborhood is chock full of homes decorated to the nines. A little tip if you decide to visit the Christmas House: Bring a little cash with you. Most visitors end up tossing a donation over the fence, which the Garabedian fam then donates to Immaculate Conception Church.

Click here to check out the Christmas House's equally flamboyant website.

TO GO: Pelham Parkway at Westervelt Avenue [map]

Santa's Corner
Bayside, Queens

Queens loves them some holiday lights, but if we have to pick one neighborhood that really goes all out, it is Bayside. And if there's one place that truly shines in Bayside, it would be the the corner of 166th St & 23rd Ave. With houses completely wrapped in lights, lawn animals and figures, this corner is what I would deem "tastefully flamboyant" within the spectrum of Christmas Light displays, for what it's worth.

TO GO: 166th St & 23rd Ave, Bayside Queens [map]

Elvis House
Mahwah, New Jersey

Not to be out-done, New Jersey has it's own Christmas Kooks...I mean Holiday LIghts Virtuosos. In fact, the town of Mahwah has two adjoining cul-de-sacs resplendent with Christmas magnificence. But the centerpiece, for sure, is the "Elvis House" where the King croons from the rooftop, along with the RCA dog, Marilyn Monroe and other characters. But keep looking and you'll find other delights, such as Lady Liberty shining her welcoming beacon from the other side of the pond (literally), and Santa.

What does it cost to run this spectacle? Apparently $200 a night and the owner has 12 electrical substations on the property to handle the load. Hmmm. So much for a green Christmas.

But, who cares? Apparently nobody because the Elvis House is so popular on the weekend that Mahwah police officers are needed to direct traffic. Expect to wait up to 45 minutes (and please, no idling your car.) Check out this website dedicated to the spectacle

TO GO: About 30 minutes from NYC. Victoria lane in Mahwah, NJ [Map]

Holiday Safari
Bayshore, Long Island

Not just a house, but 3 full acres of Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa displays that the family will open to the public on Sunday, Dec. 21 to cruise along the sprawling driveway through dazzling light displays for the price of a donation to a summer camp for kids.

TO GO: 47 Awixa Avenue in Bay Shore, Long Island from 5 to 9 p.m., Dec. 21

The Grinch House
South Slope, Brooklyn

Grinch fans tall and small will love this unique and totally homemade holiday sound and light display in the South Slope.  Some very ambitious and creative parents have concocted a whimsical and utterly engaging 5-minute retelling of the story of the Grinch--on their house!

Santa Who's Mailbox doubles as a stereo speaker so delighted listeners can stand outside and hear the music and story narration (quite expertly done, I should add) which accompany an impressively complex light show featuring shadow-puppet-like scenes, a flashing array of Grinchly images, dancing Who's and a sparkling Who-ville all precisely timed to synchronize with the narration. You'd think it impossible to accomplish such a feat all in the space of 5 minutes let alone on the front of a house (and this is not one of the mega-mammoth McMansions of Dyker Heights either), but these clever Seussian savants have indeed pulled it off with aplomb and a good dose of endearing warmth and charm.

No lines here (yet!), but you may have to park a block or two away and walk to the site.

TO GO: 310A 22nd St between 6th & 7th Avenues

WHEN:  the show runs between 5:30 and 10pm weekdays (11pm weekends). It's only 5 minutes long and begins every 20 minutes--on the hour--so, for example, 6pm, 6:20pm, 6:40pm, 7pm and so on.  Most likely will remain at least until New Year's.

TIP: When you first approach you'll see the adorably painted Who-ville door but your kiddos may not initially be overly impressed with the seemingly modest decorations on the house. Patience being a great virtue (especially around Christmas), DO assure them that EVERYTHING will light up and will be totally awesome when the show starts.  Promise.

Dyker Lights
Dyker Heights, Brooklyn

Dyker Heights is perhaps the most well known neighborhood in NYC for its Christmas lights displays, with it's own PBS documentary called Dyker Lights, three hour Christmas lights bus tours and a hilarious Dyker Heights Conan O'Brian segment. Check out this video to get a taste of the insaniy that is the Dyker Lights:

TO GO: The displays run from 11^th Avenue to 13^th Avenue and from 83^rd to 86^th Street. Be prepared for serious traffic jams. We're not joking!

(Thanks to Teresa, Charlotte, Marcy and Erin for contributing to this story.)

Check out our Holiday Guide for more cool Holiday fun.