Best Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus and Christmas Light Shows in Connecticut

Santa Claus is beaming with excitement for the best holiday lights drive-thrus and Christmas light shows in Connecticut! Photo courtesy of Holiday Stroll at Mill River Park

The best holiday lights drive-thrus and Christmas light shows in Connecticut have arrived for 2023! Light displays are one of the most magical experiences that Connecticut offers during the holiday season. There is nothing like sparkling lights and imaginitive displays to put a whole family in a festive mood. You won't hve far to drive for one of these big, special events, from Stamford to Mystic. Christmas light shows return again to Hartford and New Haven. So Read on for our picks for the best holiday lights drive-thrus and Christmas light shows in Connecticut.

There are also Spectacular Neighborhood Holiday Lights and Christmas Lights in Connecticut to enjoy this season. If you are looking for more things to do this holiday season, be sure to check out the Top Holiday Activities and Christmas Events for Connecticut Kids. Want even more holiday fun?  Follow our Facebook  and Instagram pages for updated events.

Best Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus and Christmas Light Shows in Boston

See what's merry and bright this season at the best holiday lights drive-thrus and Christmas light shows in Boston! Naumkeag Winterlights photo courtesy of The Trustees of Reservations

The best holiday lights drive-thrus and Christmas light shows in Boston are here for 2023! While Boston families may favor different holiday traditions, everyone can rejoice in the magic of holiday lights. And boy, has the magic of Christmas lights returned in style. The Festival of Trees at Elm Bank lights up the trees in Wellesley. Winterlights brightens the skies over Gloucester, Rockport, and Essex. Even the animals are taking part in the festivities at Stone Zoo in Stoneham and the Southwick Zoo in Mendon.

Enjoy this season and the magic of lights with your family at one of these holiday light shows (maybe even bring a cup of cocoa for the road). There are more amazing displays with Spectacular Neighborhood Holiday Lights and Christmas Lights in Boston. Be sure to check out our guide to 25 Holiday Activities and Christmas Events in New England for Kids. For more holiday and Christmas activities, plan ahead with our Holidays and Christmas Activities Guide for Boston Kids.

Best Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus and Christmas Light Shows in Chicago

Lightscapes is a beautiful holiday lights event near Chicago. Photo courtesy of Lightscapes

Christmas light shows in Chicago blaze from the lakeshore to the far suburbs, with holiday lights drive-thrus and events in every corner. Every neighborhood has homes and buildings that go all out, but there are also holiday and Christmas lights in Chicago worth traveling for, from walk-through spectacles at zoos and gardens to massive drive-through displays, and even holiday lights you can appreciate indoors. Bundle up the kids and head out to one of these holiday and Christmas light displays in Chicago before they wink out for the season!

Lights are just the tip of the iceberg of our holiday events! Check out our list of top Christmas and Hanukkah events in Chicago and the suburbs. Also, be sure to book your Polar Express adventure now before they sell out.  But CTA Santa trains and buses are still running throughout the season.

Here's our list of top holiday light shows in Chicago and the suburbs!

Best Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus and Christmas Light Shows in Houston

Santa's Wonderland is a whole holiday lights extravaganza. Photo courtesy of Santa's Wonderland, A Texas Christmas Experience at College Station

Christmas light shows in Houston make the holidays come alive — even when it's still 80 degrees outside. Twinkling holiday lights and snowy scenes always help make spirits bright! From drive-thru Christmas lights experiences to walking adventures, and from traditional holiday lights or out-of-this-world displays, we've rounded up holiday and Christmas lights to suit every taste. For the best Christmas lights in and around Houston, check out one of the locales or events below.

 And for more holiday and Christmas ideas, check out our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Houston Families.

Best Neighborhood Christmas Light Displays and Holiday Lights in Westchester

The Keeler Christmas light display in Putnam Valley features nearly 1 million lights.

Families all over Westchester deck their houses with Christmas lights, but certain special houses merit a visit all their own.

We’ve rounded up several of our favorite local Christmas light displays for 2024, perfect for getting your crew into the holiday spirit. While most of these displays are of the homegrown variety, you can find plenty of spectacular professional displays in the tristate area, too.

If you're looking for even more holiday happenings, check out our Westchester Holiday Fun Guide to hear about all the fun as soon as we do.

Best Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus and Christmas Lights Shows on Long Island

LuminoCity returns to Long Island, this year at Eisenhower Park.Photo by Jaime Sumersille

For a touch of holiday magic on Long Island, it's hard to beat the glow of a spectacular Christmas light show or holiday lights drive-thru.

We've rounded up several of our favorite holiday light shows and drive-thru Christmas lights displays on Long Island, as well as immersive, walk-through winter wonderlands you won't want to miss.

Find all our top picks for holiday fun–including Long Island's best Christmas activities–in our Long Island Christmas Guide

Best Holiday Shows in NYC for Kids

'Twas The Night Before, the holiday-themed spectacle from Cirque du Soleil returns to The Theater at Madison Square Garden this holiday season. Photo by Michael Last

'Tis the season to get the gang all dressed up to see some holiday shows in NYC! While the city is lucky to have amazing shows on Broadway for kids all year-round, during the holidays there are a range of joyous seasonal productions for families, from inexpensive, low-key offerings perfect for fidgety preschoolers, to over-the-top spectacles that are worth the investment. And you can book discounted tickets to many of them through Mommy Poppins.

From live stage adaptations of classics to amazing circus, dance, and impossible-to-describe performances, here are our top 15 holiday shows in NYC for families, and that's in addition to all those beautiful Nutcrackers playing at local theaters. You can find additional theater picks in our Guide to Children's Theater in NYC and more seasonal outings in our Holiday Fun Guide for NYC Kids.

Best Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus, Walk-Thrus, and Christmas Light Shows in Los Angeles

Step through dazzling light tunnels. Photo courtesy of Lightscape at the Arboretum

Holiday lights twinkle extra brightly in a city known for Hollywood, glitz, and glamour. Holiday light shows and Christmas light displays are all over Los Angeles. These festive light shows dazzle and get you in the holiday spirit. Stroll through immersive light displays, wander through Christmas lights in gardens, zoos, farms, climb aboard a holiday lights train, or enjoy a Christmas light show by the water. 

And if that's not enough holiday lights in Los Angeles for you, festive SoCal neighborhoods go all out with their annual decorating traditions to treat Angelenos to some incredible neighborhood holiday light displays. For even more holiday fun, check out our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events in Los Angeles.  

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