Drive-thru Christmas lights in the USA are a fun and festive way to celebrate the holidays. They’re easy for anyone to enjoy from the comfort of their car, are a blast for kids and adults alike, and often include animated scenes and musical numbers. To top it all off, they’re accessible to wheelchair users, keep your health and safety in mind, and YOU control the temperature. All-around magical Christmas events, read on to discover some of the best drive-thru Christmas lights displays in America to consider visiting this December!

1. Trail of Lights, Zilker Park - Austin, Texas
Zilker Metropolitan Park, Austin, TX 78746, USA
Austin Trail Of Lights/Facebook
A family favorite for decades, Trail Of Lights features more than 2 million lights around the park, 90 lighted holiday trees, and over 70 other holiday displays and lighted tunnels. Tune in on the radio for Christmas music and trivia.
2. Lights Under Louisville, Louisville Mega Cavern - Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville Mega Cavern, 1841 Taylor Ave, Louisville, KY 40213, USA
Image: Lights Under Louisville
Lights Under Louisville, the world's only underground Christmas light show, is worth adding to your holiday bucket list. Enjoy a 30-minute drive through over 6 million lights with more than 900 illuminated displays.
3. Christmas In Color - Colorado, Utah, California, Minnesota, Idaho
Christmas In Color at Water World, 8800 N Pecos St, Federal Heights, CO 80260, USA
Christmas In Color/Facebook
Christmas In Color features multiple locations including Aurora, Morrison & Federal Heights, Colorado, South Jordan, Utah, San Dimas, California, Shakopee, Minnesota, Garden City, Idaho, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Henderson, Nevada. Each offers millions of dancing lights, synchronized to holiday music. Dates vary by location but most run from mid-November until the first weekend in January.
4. Gardens Aglow, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens - Boothbay, Maine
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, 105 Botanical Gdns Dr, Boothbay, ME 04537, USA
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens/Facebook
Gardens and gorgeous lights are a perfect holiday pairing at Gardens Aglow. This driving tour doesn't stop at the Garden, though - neighbors in the area are participating in a decorating contest. Enjoy two shows for the price of one!
5. The Lights Of Christmas, Warm Beach Camp - Stanwood, Washington
Warm Beach Camp & Conference Center, 20800 Marine Dr, Stanwood, WA 98292, USA
The Lights Of Christmas/Facebook
Located between Seattle and Bellingham, The Lights Of Christmas offers over a million lights, costumed Christmas characters for the kids to wave to, and more. It's fun, affordable, and full of holiday cheer!
6. Butch Bando's Fantasy Of Lights, Alum Creek State Park - Delaware, Ohio
Butch Bando's Fantasy Of Lights, 3311 S Old State Rd, Delaware, OH 43015, USA
Butch Bando's Fantasy Of Lights/Facebook
Located near Columbus, Butch Bando's Fantasy Of Lights is sure to entertain. You'll find over 3 miles of twinkling lights, a mailbox to drop off letters for Santa, and more. Veterans get a discount and active-duty military and spouses get free admission during Military Appreciation Week (December 26 – December 30).
7. World Of Illumination - Arizona, Georgia
World of Illumination - Glendale, AZ, 9431 W Northern Ave, Glendale, AZ 85305, USA
World Of Illumination/Facebook
World Of Illumination now has six locations. In addition to Tempe, Arizona, Glendale, Arizona, and Marietta, Georgia, you can now also experience the awe of this Christmas lights event in Saint Louis, MO and Salt Lake City, Utah. It's the world's largest entirely animated Christmas light show, with each and every display dancing to holiday music. There are hundreds of displays to enjoy including giant LED trees and massive candy canes. If you live close enough to one of these locations, it's worth a day trip to see some of the best holiday lights in America!

You can get a taste of the show in this video from World of Illumination's YouTube channel:

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8. Winter Fantasy Of Lights, Harrison Smith Park - Upper Sandusky, Ohio
Harrison Smith Park, 525 E Wyandot Ave, Upper Sandusky, OH 43351, USA
Upper's Winter Fantasy Of Lights/Facebook
Drive through Winter Fantasy Of Lights and enjoy millions of lights, Christmas decorations galore, and themed displays. The budget-friendly event helps to support local charities! Donation requested upon entry.
9. Sweet Lights, Hersheypark - Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey Park, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
HersheyPark/Facebook
You're in for a sweet treat at this Sweet Lights, a 2-mile Christmas light show! There will be nearly 600 animated displays to enjoy along a wooded driving trail. The park itself offers over 5 million lights if you wish to walk around.
10. Santa Claus Land of Lights, Lake Rudolph - Santa Claus, Indiana
Santa Claus Land Of Lights ..., 78 N Holiday Blvd, Santa Claus, IN 47579, USA
Santa Claus Land Of Lights/Facebook
America's most festive Christmas town, Santa Claus is hosting Land Of Lights, a holiday lights display that tells the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The 1.2-mile drive is an absolute delight. Discount coupons will be available at participating McDonald’s locations in Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois, and a portion of proceeds will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ohio Valley in Evansville. Note: The show does not close when it rains!
11. Speedway Christmas, Charlotte Motor Speedway - Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina 28027, USA
Charlotte Motor Speedway/Facebook
Head to the race track and drive through a magical display of Christmas lights! Bigger and better than ever, you'll enjoy over more than 4 million lights along a magical 3.75-mile course that includes most of the oval, the infield, and the ROVAL™! Tune into 101.3 FM to enjoy Christmas music and visit the holiday movie drive-in theater on select nights. Visit the Speedway Christmas event page for more information on dates, admission rates, and more.
12. Zoo Lights, Dallas Zoo - Dallas, Texas
Dallas Zoo, 614 S Ewing Ave, Dallas, TX 75203, USA
Dallas Zoo/Facebook
There will be lights, lanterns, and plenty of holiday cheer at Zoo Lights, a very special safari at the Dallas Zoo. With more than a million lights, larger-than-life animal lanterns, and Santa's workshop, you won't want to miss it.
13. Winter Wonderland, Portland Raceway - Portland, Oregon
Portland Winter Wonderland, 1940 N Victory Blvd, Portland, OR 97217, USA
Winter Wonderland Portland/Facebook
The largest drive-thru Christmas light show in the Northwest, Winter Wonderland spans the racetrack. Attendees also get virtual gift bags that add to the holiday cheer with discounts you can use for holiday shopping!
14. Pigeon Forge Winterfest - Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville, Tennessee
Pigeon Forge, TN, USA
My Pigeon Forge/Facebook
Winterfest isn't quite like the rest, but it's so incredible, it had to be on this list. It's not a drive-thru event but rather a driving tour. Follow a map and travel the Pigeon Forge Parkway to enjoy the 12 Days of Christmas in lights - millions of lights. You'll also find displays featuring the wildlife of the Great Smoky Mountains, a Snowflake Lane, and a historic mansion all decked out for the season. In addition to the over two dozen beautiful and intricate displays, there are numerous holiday events throughout the area and the celebration will run November 10 all the way until February 19, 2023!

When you visit a drive-thru lights display, be sure to bring plenty of snacks to keep everyone in the car happy! Have you been to any of these amazing shows, and do you agree that these are the best Christmas lights displays in America? Are there any others you would add? If you’d like to learn more about any of these USA Christmas lights displays (hours, prices, dates, addresses, etc.), check out the links in the descriptions.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Best Drive-Thru Christmas Lights Displays In America

AnneMarie | October 14, 2022

Where are some other great holiday lights around America?

The Minnesota Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” Christmas display is one of the largest in America. It’s a walk-through event with free admission. One of the most unique Christmas lights displays in the country is Lights Under Louisville, a Christmas cave experience in Kentucky!

What are some interesting Christmas traditions around America?

South Carolina’s favorite Christmas cookie, surprisingly, is the Peanut Butter Blossom, found by a General Mills study to be the most clicked holiday cookie recipe by South Carolinians. In Mississippi, you can experience America’s oldest Christmas tree tradition. In Alaska, the massive “Star on the Mountain” shines throughout the Anchorage area throughout the entire winter season as a sign of hope.

What are the best Christmas small towns in America?

Small-town America has so much to offer but often gets overshadowed. You may discover some of the best Christmas experiences there! For example, Stockbridge, Massachusetts was named the best Christmas town in America by Country Living Magazine. The town relishes being known as the town made famous by Norman Rockwell and what better time than the holidays to showcase its charm? Fountain Inn, South Carolina has made it a tradition to turn its town into a Hallmark movie scene during the holiday season, with the Christmas “Inn” Our Town Festival, including lantern-lit streets, horse-drawn carriages, Santa’s workshop, and much more.

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