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Best Holiday Light Show 2026

By Readers' Choice On 10/21/25 at 12:00 PM EDT

Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas. From grand resorts to botanical gardens and waterfront towns, these dazzling destinations turn the dark days of winter into a canvas of color. Some celebrate tradition with carriage rides and cocoa, while others push creativity with art installations and immersive displays. You'll find lights twinkling across lakes, gardens, theme parks and entire city blocks, each show a reflection of local pride and imagination. Whether you're looking to walk, drive or ride through the glow, this year's nominees prove that holiday magic shines brightest when shared with friends, family and a sense of wonder that warms even the coldest night.

Newsweek is proud to recognize this year's 10 standout holiday light shows—selected by our expert panelists and contributors and voted on by readers for their exceptional quality and distinctive excellence. Each has been officially recognized by Newsweek as one of the Best Holiday Light Shows of 2026.

1. The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa Festival of Lights | Riverside, CA

Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

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Riverside's historic Mission Inn ignites the season with its Festival of Lights, launched by a grand Switch-On ceremony each November. Expect millions of twinkling bulbs, carolers, Santa visits, courtyard displays and festive shopping, plus fireworks on select nights. What began as a hotel tradition now fills downtown with holiday wonder, earning national accolades and returning families year after year to one of California's most photogenic celebrations.

2. Winter City Lights | Olney, MD

Winter City Lights

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Maryland's immersive Winter City Lights turns 18 acres of parkland into a fairytale of more than a million bulbs. Visitors stroll through acres of lights, admire a 52-foot tree, zip through tunnels of color and gather around fire pits for s'mores. Synchronized lights and music keeps the night alive, while snowfall machines complete the illusion. Its outdoor adventure meets state-of-the-art technology creating a holiday wonder worth bundling up for.

3. Fairmont Scottsdale Princess | Scottsdale, AZ

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Arizona's luxury resort transforms into a winter wonderland with more than six million lights, a four-story musical tree and ice skating under palm trees. The Lagoon Lights showcase themed displays over water, while train rides and fire pits add family-friendly fun. From desert sunsets to sparkling nights, it's a holiday escape that blends Southwestern charm with North Pole sparkle.

4. Holiday Lights at Callaway Resort & Gardens | Pine Mountain, GA

Callaway Resort & Gardens - Christmas at

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Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort & Gardens turns 2,500 acres of lakes, forests and gardens into an illuminated wonderland with custom scenes. Guests drive the seven-mile route, hop the Jolly Trolley—or spring for specialty tours—to glide past storybook vignettes and a Christmas Village with Santa and treats. Generations return for nostalgic magic refreshed by modern LED shows and walk-through moments.

5. Longwood Christmas | Kennett Square, PA

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Longwood Gardens glows with botanical precision with half a million twinkling lights adorning greenhouses, fountains and formal gardens. Visitors wander past illuminated tree alleys, floral sculptures and a conservatory filled with poinsettias. Musical fountain shows add rhythm to the radiance, making this Pennsylvania estate a masterclass in elegance. Longwood's Christmas display is equal parts art, horticulture and holiday magic, blooming brilliantly through the cold.

6. Light Up the Holidays: ICE! at Gaylord Texan | Grapevine, TX

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Gaylord Texan's ICE! immerses guests in larger-than-life scenes carved from more than two million pounds of ice, kept at a brisk nine degrees. Expect colorful galleries, two-story slides and detailed sculptures created by master artisans, plus bundled parkas for the chill. Paired with the resort's broader holiday décor, it's a playful, photogenic spectacle that turns winter into an unforgettable, family-friendly adventure in Grapevine.

7. Austin Trail of Lights | Austin, TX

Austin Trail of Lights

Photo courtesy of Katie McDowell Photo courtesy of Katie McDowell

Set in Zilker Park, Austin's Trail of Lights shines with two million bulbs, 90 holiday trees and dozens of creative displays. The 155-foot Zilker Tree, crowned with a glowing star, towers above the skyline as visitors stroll or drive through music-filled tunnels of color. Local artists and food trucks round out the experience, turning Texas' capital into a bright, musical celebration of community spirit.

8. Hersheypark Christmas Candylane | Hershey, PA

Hersheypark

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The Sweetest Place on Earth glows brighter than ever during Hersheypark Christmas Candylane, where five million lights, seven coasters and Santa's nine reindeer fill 121 acres with holiday joy. Visitors stroll the TREEville trail, enjoy cocoa and shows inside the Music Box Theatre and visit the nearby Hershey Sweet Lights drive-through wonderland. It's a sugar-spun celebration of lights, laughter and chocolate-scented memories for the whole family.

9. Brooklyn Botanic Garden | New York, NY

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Lightscape transforms the Brooklyn Botanic Garden into a living art installation each winter. A mile-long trail winds through water features, illuminated sculptures and projected art set to ambient music. Families and couples alike pause under glowing arches and mirrored trees. The result feels both urban and ethereal, a Brooklyn holiday tradition where creativity outshines even the city's neon skyline.

10. St. Augustine Nights of Lights | St. Augustine, FL

St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches

Photo courtesy of St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau Photo courtesy of St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau

During Nights of Lights (mid-November–early January), millions of white bulbs drape St. Augustine's Spanish Colonial streets, bridges and bayfront. Visitors roam car-free shuttles, stroll or book tours by boat, trolley or on foot, taking in a glow created to honor historic holiday illumination. Now the city's largest annual event, it fills downtown with music, storefront sparkle and Old-World charm on Florida's Atlantic coast.

FINALISTS Bentleyville Tour of Lights | Duluth, MN Festival of Lights at the Grotto | Portland, OR Garden Lights, Holiday Nights | Atlanta, GA Oglebay Festival of Lights | Wheeling, WV An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City | Branson, MO

About Newsweek Readers' Choice™ Awards

Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readers.choice@newsweek.com.

Our Featured Panelists

Linnea Bailey

Linnea Bailey is an award-winning journalist specializing in travel and tourism. Her freelance work can be found in Southern Living, The Palm Beach Post, Florida Weekly, Modern Luxury, art&culture magazine, The Palm Beaches Blog and more. A former newspaper reporter, she now owns a communications company in West Palm Beach. Linnea is an active member of The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), the North American Travel Journalists Association, the International Travel Writers Alliance, The Family Travel Association and The Adventure Travel Trade Association. She is a graduate of the University of Central Florida's journalism school. Learn more about her travels at www.linneabailey.com.

Teresa Bergen

Teresa Bergen is a Portland, Oregon-based travel writer who specializes in the outdoors, eco, vegan and sober travel. She's the author of Easy Portland Outdoors and the Sober Travel Handbook. Learn more about her at teresabergen.com.

Julie Bielenberg

Julie Bielenberg is a Colorado-based writer producing over 75 pieces a year for outlets such as AAA, Family Vacationist, Rachel Ray in Season, Spoke + Blossom, USA Today, Vail Daily and numerous others. She has been the State's #1 agritourism for ten consecutive years and is always in search of field, farm, forest and forage. Julie has three children and two pandemic pooches and is married to an avid outdoorsman. Follow her on Instagram.

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Chez Chesak

Chez Chesak is an award-winning adventure travel writer, 29-year veteran of the outdoor industry, Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America and President of The Society of American Travel Writers' Central States Chapter. Learn more about him at www.chezconnects.com.

Marla Cimini

Marla Cimini is an award-winning writer and content creator who is passionate about travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures. An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), European getaways and incredible domestic and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Residing in New Jersey (Philadelphia area), Marla is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California and covers those destinations often. Follow her adventures at marlacimini.com.

Peggy Cleveland

Marguerite "Peggy" Cleveland is a travel and food writer focusing on cultural experiences, food and wine for travelers over 50. She runs the website Peggy, Where Should I Go? and contributes to Business Insider, SheBuysTravel, TravelAwaits, Northwest Travel and Life, and Food, Wine & Travel. Peggy is the author of 100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die with Reedy Press. Her writing highlights unique destinations and local cuisine, offering practical insights and inspiration for her readers. She is a NATJA and IFWTWA member. Follow her on Instagram.

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Laurie Jo Miller Farr

An award-winning contributor to luxury lifestyle and travel magazines, Laurie Jo Miller Farr specializes in deluxe hotels and destination marketing. Based in New York City, she is a dual U.S./U.K. citizen, having spent half a lifetime in London. Formerly serving as the tourism promotion director for the city's official tourism boards in both NYC and Boston, she recently relocated from San Francisco, where she edited a weekly travel newsletter and co-hosted a podcast. Follow her @lauriejmfarr.

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Cherith Fluker

Cherith Glover Fluker is an Alabama-based freelance writer specializing in travel, self-care, and lifestyle content. With a blend of experience, creativity and Southern warmth, Cherith's writing resonates with readers seeking inspiration and authenticity. Her work has appeared in Food, Wine, & Travel Magazine, SheBuysTravel, LakeLife 24/7, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Motherly and more. She also shares her voice on her blog, WhatCherithinks. Cherith is the author of the book Secret Birmingham, set to be published in fall 2025. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association and the National Federation of Press Women.

Melissa Garcia

Melissa Garcia, known as the ConsumerQueen, is a full-time content creator with over 20 years of experience helping people save money and make savvy decisions. Her mission is to teach others to save where they can so they can spend on what they love. Melissa shares the best products to make life easier and also owns RoamingMyPlanet and The Oklahoma Homesteader, where she continues to inspire and educate her audience.

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Mary Jo Manzanares

Mary Jo Manzanares is a digital travel content creator, author and avid traveler. She's at home in Seattle, with bags packed, ready for the next great adventure. She writes at www.travelingwithmj.com and is a member of SATW.

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Liz Mays

Liz Mays is a travel writer and content creator with an insatiable curiosity for exploring the U.S.—one road trip at a time. Passionate about solo travel, cultural experiences and outdoor adventures, she seeks out off-the-beaten-path destinations and quirky hidden gems. Follow here adventures at getlostintheusa.com.

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Catherine Parker

Catherine Parker has a passion for travel that's driven her across North America, visiting all 50 states, seven Canadian provinces and seven Mexican states as well as top destinations in the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. After graduating from the University of Houston, Catherine started her career in travel and tourism as a flight attendant. A writer for over 10 years, she maintains an active roster of national publications. Catherine also publishes a travel website, CarfulOfKids.com. Her favorite places are national parks, museums and sidewalk cafés. She's torn between a weekend in the mountains or the beach.

Jill Schildhouse

Jill Schildhouse is an award-winning writer and editor with 23 years of experience in print and digital publishing. She regularly contributes to Travel + Leisure, Brides, TripSavvy, Insider, USA TODAY, Reader's Digest, Taste of Home, and Southern Living. Based in Phoenix, Jill has traveled to 38 countries and is always dreaming of her next adventure. Follow her @the_globalglutton.

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Jamie Davis Smith

Jamie Davis Smith is a writer and attorney from Philadelphia who now calls Washington, D.C. home. She's traveled to more than 90 countries, often bringing her children along on her adventures. Her work can be found in The Washington Post, National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, Afar, The Huffington Post, USA Today and many other publications. Jamie can be contacted at byjamiesmith@gmail.com, and posts about her travels on Instagram.

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Robin Smith

Robin O'Neal Smith is a freelance writer covering food, travel, wine and lifestyle topics. A "foodie," she enjoys savoring the food and wine wherever her travels take her and finding the hidden gems in destinations to share with her readers. She resides in Pennsylvania, and her work has appeared in Potomac Lifestyle, Travel Awaits, She Buys Travel, Extended Weekend Getaways and many others. Robin has appeared on various podcasts as an expert on travel topics. She is a TravMedia member and serves on the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association board. Follow her adventures at robinonealsmith.com.

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Mira Temkin

Mira Temkin has been an intrepid travel writer for more than 25 years. Her adventures have taken her all over the world, both in the US and globally. From destinations to tours to cruises and luxury resorts, her stories cover North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Central and South America and the Middle East. Her stories can be found in SheBuysTravel, Travel Awaits, UrbanMatter, Orbitz, Travelocity and Splash Magazines Worldwide. Her work has also appeared in Experience First Tours Chicago, Boomer Magazine, Highland Park Landmark, Travel Ticket and more. Listen to her podcasts on "We Travel There." Learn more at miratemkintravel.com or follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.