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Be sure to click through to each listing for more details, including ticket prices and reservation requirements. Note that most of these holiday lights drive-thrus are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.


Firetrucks, construction equipment, and more gets adorned with twinkling lights at the HoliDIG Light Show at Diggerland. Photo courtesy of the venue

Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus in New Jersey

1. HoliDIG Light Show – Berlin

Select dates Wednesday, November 16-Sunday, January 1, 2023
Diggerland's HoliDIG Light Show lets drivers traverse a mile-long course through the construction-themed theme park to see hundreds of thousands of lights spread over dozens of holiday displays. Synchronized music is streamed via your car's radio, and tasty treats are available for purchase.

2. Magic of Lights at the PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel

Friday, November 18-Friday, December 30, 2022
Grab some cookies and cocoa, and head to Parkway Exit 116! This much-loved holiday lights drive-thru experience features scenes and characters of the season using the latest LED technology and digital animations. Drive through the Blizzard Tunnel, count the 12 Days of Christmas, journey through the Winter Wonderland, and marvel at the Mega Tree Spectacular, which features 240 feet of LED Christmas trees. Here, guest can exit their cars and explore a Christmas village, visit Santa, make s'mores, and even glide on an ice skating rink. See our full review for a sneak peek.

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Take a leisurely drive to see the lights at the Christmas Light Show and Village at Skylands Stadium. Photo courtesy of Skylands

3. Skylands Stadium Light Show and Christmas Village – Augusta

Wednesday, November 23-Friday, December 30, 2022
This winter, the Skylands Stadium Light Show and Christmas Village are bigger than ever with a mile-long course to drive through featuring more than 1 million lights. It also features an expanded outdoor village and winter carnival. After you wind your way through the lights display, visit the village and carnival where (for an added fee) you can take a spin on the Ferris wheel, sip hot chocolate, snap some photos with Santa, and take a lap around the ice skating rink. Read our 2020 review for a sneak peek.

4. South Jersey Holiday Light Show – Swedesboro

Select dates Friday, November 18-Saturday, December 31, 2022
The Bridgeport Speedway hosts a massive drive-thru Christmas lights display. Prepare to be dazzled! It takes 20-30 minutes to drive through this mile-long route, where guests pass by large frames covered in bright lights depicting scenes like Santa distributing presents, falling snowflakes, flickering candles, and other holiday favorites. If you can't get enough of these holiday lights drive-thrus, consider booking a season pass for unlimited visits!

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Hear your favorite holiday songs as you experience Winter Wonderlights. Photo by the author

5. Winter Wonderlights – East Brunswick

Friday, November 25-Sunday, January 1, 2023
At this enormous display located at the Middlesex County Fair Grounds, you'll see 1.5 million lights blinking in time to your favorite holiday tunes. See enormous Christmas trees, drive through magical tunnels, and see larger-than-life holiday-themed displays.

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See scenes magical and mystical at the Riverhead Holiday Light Show. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County

Drive-Thru Christmas Lights Shows on Long Island

6. Riverhead Holiday Light Show – Calverton

Select dates from Friday, November 18-Friday, December 31, 2022
This is one of the largest drive-thru Christmas light shows in Suffolk County, with dozens of dazzling displays to delight the entire family. The drive takes about 20-25 minutes. Season passes are available.

7. Girl Scouts of Suffolk County Holiday Light Show – Shirley

Daily from Saturday, November 26-Friday, December 30, 2022
Support the Girl Scouts with a ticket to this spectacular 1 1/2-mile light display. It's an annual show, and each version brings new surprises, including new designs from the Girl Scouts themselves, plus old favorites.

8. Magic of Lights at Jones Beach – Wantagh

Friday, November 18-Friday, December 30, 2022
Pile the kids into the car and journey through the twinkling holiday scenes and iconic tunnel of lights at Jones Beach State Park. This massive drive-thru light display is 2 1/2 miles of animated and twinkling light displays that captivate guests, both young and old. The Holiday Village returns in 2022, allowing guests to park their cars and deliver a letter to Santa's drop box, visit the seasonal concession stand, and see the Holiday Mega Trees light and music show up close.

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Celebrate the holiday season at Peace, Love, and Lights at Bethel Woods. Photo courtesy of Bethel Woods

Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

9. Peace, Love, and Lights – Bethel

Select dates from Friday, November 25-Sunday, January 1, 2023
If you're up for a bit of a road trip, make a night of it and check out the beautiful 1.7-mile display at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, home of Woodstock 1969. Travel through the 120-foot Twinkle Tunnel and enjoy themed areas like Groovy Way, an homage to the site, an Enchanted Forest, Snowflake Alley, Santa’s Workshop, Christmas Around the World, and more. Take note: The drive-thru Christmas lights display is closed on Mondays when guests can walk through instead. You can order supplies to make a gingerbread house on select nights and enjoy extras like a holiday market, sweet treats, or s'mores by the fire. Check the venue's website for all the programming details. If you want to make a weekend of it, consider booking a stay at one of these family-friendly Catskills retreats.

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Westchester's Winter Wonderland is an enchanting 1.2-mile display of Christmas lights. Photo by Susan Miele

10. Westchester's Winter Wonderland – Valhalla

Select dates from Friday, November 25-Sunday, January 1, 2023
Kensico Dam Plaza is transformed into a 1.2-mile magical, twinkling drive-thru wonderland. You'll travel through a new North Pole and live Santa display, the breathtaking Kaleidoscope Alley, and large Peace on Earth LED display with animated trumpets and angels before passing Westchester's largest Christmas tree.

11. A Frosty Fest – Ulster Park

Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Friday, November 25-Friday, December 23, 2022, also on Thursday, December 22
From the creators of the Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses, this family-friendly holiday light spectacular has a lot to offer. Take a drive through Frosty’s Enchanted Forest, with its dazzling holiday lights, spectacular displays, and magical animations where you'll spy a Candy Cane Factory, Mr. and Mrs. Frosty, The Gingerbread Man, penguins, Rudolph, and more. Once you've covered the drive-thru course, park the car to explore more fun on foot, including an animated light show, Jingle Jangle Stage Show, and even a visit with Santa himself.

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The Magic of Lights drive-thru display brings holiday cheer to all! Photo courtesy of Magic of Lights

Drive-Thru Christmas Lights Shows in Connecticut

12. Magic of Lights at Pratt & Whitney Stadium – East Hartford

Wednesday, November 23-Sunday, January 1, 2023
Spanning more than 1 1/2 miles, journey through a 200-foot light tunnel and see 40 scenes of holiday lights from the comfort of your car. Watch snowmen, snowflakes, elves, and candy canes dance and twinkle throughout this grand display. There's a larger-than-life Christmas Barbie and Bigfoot Monster truck to gawk at, plus a prehistoric Christmas scene perfect for dino lovers!

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Guests can experience Herr's Factory Christmas Drive-Thru. Photo courtesy of Herr's

Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus in Pennsylvania

13. Herr's Factory – Nottingham

Wednesday, November 23-Monday, January 2, 2023
About an hour west of Philadelphia, you'll find this FREE display. Every year, the Herr's Factory treats visitors to a spectacular light display featuring more than 600,000 lights all around its complex.

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Lights in the Parkway transforms Lehigh Parkway into a twinkling annual display of holiday spirit.

14. Lights in the Parkway – Allentown

Friday, November 25-Saturday, December 31, 2022, except Christmas
Get ready for a spectacular mile-long drive-through on the Lehigh Parkway, which transforms into a cheerful, twinkling winter wonderland. Hundreds of thousands of brilliant lights illuminate whimsical animated displays and familiar characters. In the past, Santa has visited on select nights, so bookmark the website to keep tabs on his schedule.

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Shady Brook Farm's Holiday Light Show can be viewed from the comfort of your car, or via an open-air wagon ride.

15. Shady Brook Farm's Holiday Light Show – Yardley

Saturday, November 19-Saturday, January 28, 2023
Shady Brook Farm’s huge holiday light show features more than 3 million lights spread over several acres of the farm. Encounter whimsical displays and familiar characters as you drive through in your car or enjoy an open-air wagon ride (weather permitting). Before you hit the road, check out the market for delectable holiday treats or take home a Christmas tree from the farm.

All photos courtesy of the respective venues. Originally published in 2020.