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10 Best Holiday Light Drive-Thru Experiences in the U.S.

Enjoying the wonders of elaborate light displays is one of the most popular things to do around the holidays. Many festive Christmas towns throughout the U.S. have dazzling holiday light events, many of which can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own vehicle. Buckle up, turn on your favorite Christmas music, and brighten up your holiday with a drive-thru light spectacular — a sure way to get in the holiday spirit.

 

 

Santa Claus Land of Lights - Santa Claus, Indiana Santa Claus Land of Light, Santa Claus, Indiana
Credit: Santa Claus Land of Light, Santa Claus, Indiana by Santa Claus Land of Light

Santa Claus Land of Lights - Santa Claus, Indiana

Of course, a town with a name like Santa Claus is going to go all out for the Christmas holidays. One of the best small towns to visit for Christmas, it offers a massive 1.2-mile drive-thru event in the Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort that tells the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer through colorful LED lights. The event opens Thanksgiving night, continuing on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through December 4th, and then nightly from December 10th to December 26th. Admission is $15 per vehicle.

Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway - Las Vegas, Nevada Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Credit: Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway - Las Vegas, Nevada

Giving the bright lights of The Strip a run for its money, the Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 2.5-mile-long drive-thru display with millions of holiday lights and custom displays, open from November 10th through January 8th, 2023. Tickets start at $29 a car, and season passes are available for unlimited rides. There’s also an open-air tram available for those who prefer not to drive their own vehicle, and you might even spot Santa.

ZooLights at Oregon Zoo - Portland, Oregon ZooLights at Oregon Zoo
Credit: ZooLights at Oregon Zoo by Oregon Zoo

ZooLights at Oregon Zoo - Portland, Oregon

The Oregon Zoo is always a delight around the holidays thanks to its annual ZooLights festivities. Thankfully, it will continue this year with a drive-thru event so the whole family can enjoy the brilliant displays on select Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. It includes over one million-and-a-half lights, with many in the shape of animated animals and tunnels. It’s open from November 23rd and will run through January 5th, 2023. Prices vary depending on the date, starting at $65 per car. There’s also a walk-through experience as well. 

'It's A Wonderful Light' Display - Aurora, Colorado 'It's A Wonderful Light' Display
Credit: 'It's A Wonderful Light' Display by wonderfullights.weebly.com

'It's A Wonderful Light' Display - Aurora, Colorado

The Denver suburb of Aurora goes all out when it comes to dazzling light displays, and it’s easy to enjoy them from the safety of your car, with the top spot famously featured on local news stations. “It’s a Wonderful Light” can be found at 4822 S. Picadilly Court, and this year’s display will be bigger and better than ever, with 55,000 lights. The lights are on from December 1- January 2 from 5-10 p.m. Corey Christiansen (AKA “Corey Claus”) puts this show on annually to not only indulge his passion for decorating at Christmas but to raise money for the Autism Society of Colorado. Visitors can donate by texting “SPREADLIGHT” to 44321 or visiting the official website here.

There are other elaborate displays to check out in the area too, like the home at 2023 S. Rifle Street with a 64-channel LOR Christmas display expertly choreographed to holiday tunes. The Aurora Municipal Center will be a dazzling festival with twinkling lights on the building’s exterior and walkways.

Hershey Sweet Lights - Hershey, Pennsylvania Hershey Sweet Lights
Credit: Hershey Sweet Lights by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts

Hershey Sweet Lights - Hershey, Pennsylvania

Hersheypark puts on Hershey Sweet Lights, a drive-thru spectacular with nearly 600 different animated, illuminated displays that include more than five million lights, all of which can be enjoyed from the comfort of your vehicle as you drive through two miles of wooded trails. Admission prices start at $23.95, with the exact amount depending on the number of days you plan to attend. It’s open from November 18th and will run through January 1st, including Christmas Day.

Festival of Lights - Wheeling, West Virginia Oglebay's Festival of Lights
Credit: Oglebay's Festival of Lights by Oglebay

Festival of Lights - Wheeling, West Virginia

One of the largest holiday light shows in the U.S., the Festival of Lights display hosted by Oglebay Resort in Wheeling attracts more than a million visitors this year. Often ranked among the top displays in the country, it includes 300 acres of sparkling lights over a six-mile drive with 90 lighted attractions and over one million energy-efficient LED lights. The event runs from November 10 – January 8, 2023. Tickets are $30 per car and include an Oglebay Rewards Book.

Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights - Caledonia, Wisconsin Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights
Credit: Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights by wichristmascarnival.com

Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights - Caledonia, Wisconsin

Another great spot to enjoy holiday lights is at Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Caledonia, which hosts the Christmas Carnival of Lights. You can drive a mile-long, illuminated winter wonderland for $30 per car with up to eight people. The one-of-a-kind handcrafted displays include elves, reindeer and other forest friends, along with popular children’s characters, Santa himself, and more. It runs from November 19th to January 1st, 2023.

Galaxy of Lights at Huntsville Botanical Garden - Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville Botanical Garden's Galaxy of Lights
Credit: Huntsville Botanical Garden's Galaxy of Lights by Huntsville Botanical Garden

Galaxy of Lights at Huntsville Botanical Garden - Huntsville, Alabama

This year marks the Huntsville Botanical Garden’s 26th annual Galaxy of Lights, a dazzling 2.5-mile course that features over 200 light displays that change every year. The spectacular displays weave together holiday themes, classic characters, and scenes from the natural world. Drive-thru nights will be offered through January 1st, with admission prices starting at $20 per vehicle, depending on the night and membership.

Lights Under Louisville - Louisville, Kentucky Lights Under Louisville
Credit: Lights Under Louisville by lightsunderlouisville.com

Lights Under Louisville - Louisville, Kentucky

The Louisville Mega Cavern, a former limestone mine, is a popular attraction year-round. But, over the Christmas holidays, it becomes the world’s only fully-underground drive-through light show known as Lights Under Louisville. It boasts three million lights and 850 displays now through January 1st, 2023. Admission is $34.99 per car, truck, or mini-van, and it’s well worth it as you’ll travel through 17 miles of underground passageways for a 30-minute ride.

Winter Night Lights - Castle Rock, Colorado The Meadows at Castle Rock
Credit: The Meadows at Castle Rock by The Meadows at Castle Rock

Winter Night Lights - Castle Rock, Colorado

Located about halfway between Denver and Colorado Springs, Castle Rock’s Meadows neighborhood hosts an annual Winter Night Lights Home Lighting Contest. Held on just one night, it’s always been a drive-thru event, allowing visitors to check out the elaborately illuminated homes and displays. It’s worth driving through to check out the over-the-top designs as residents do their best to top their neighbors.

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