The NYC Winter Lantern Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center has become a family tradition in our house, and it lights up the nights again this holiday season. Our first trip to the holiday light show was three years ago when our daughter was a newborn. A visit to the Winter Lantern Festival provided a great way to escape the stress of first-time parenting and get lost in the world of imagination and light.

Back for another run, it doesn’t disappoint, bringing displays that more elaborate and brilliant spread across Staten Island's Snug Harbor Cultural Center’s grounds, the vast 8-acre botanical gardens lights up during the night, enchanting children and kids at heart with its displays. Find more stunning lantern and light shows in NYC, plus all our top holiday picks in our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events.