Co-contributor Taylor Southerland
The Twelve Days of Christmas Lights
I don’t know about you, but Christmas lights bring such joy to my heart. One of my favorite traditions every year is driving around the neighborhood looking at all the beautiful lights. Every year I see people post all over social media looking for the best places to go see Christmas lights. I have decided to make a list, including hyperlinks to websites, of twelve places you and your family can go this year.
This is a drive thru place of lights.This is great for little ones if you are worried about bringing them around a large crowd. You can stay in your vehicle the whole time. You can even bring your own snacks and drinks! It has four different locations. You can click the city below and it will take you straight to the tickets page.
- Katy– 555 Katy Fort Bend rd Katy, Texas 77494
- Arlington– 1800 E Lamar Blvd Arlington, Texas 76006
- San Antonio– 1 Retama Pkwy Selma, Texas 78154
- Spring– 21300 Interstate 45 N Spring, Texas 77373
Dates and Hours
The light park is open from November 4th to January 1st.
Monday – Thursday open from 5:30pm to 10:00pm
Friday – Sunday open from 5:30pm to 11:00pm
Christmas week hours- the 19th-26th open from 5:30pm to 11:00pm
Ticket costs
Tickets are available online. The venue charges per vehicle instead of per person.
5th-8th, 12th-15th, 30th-1st
Tickets are $39 with a $3 online fee.
9th-11th, 16th-25th
Tickets are $49 with a $3 online fee.
The dasher pass gives you a shorter wait time as well as 4 pairs of magic glasses.
Tickets for the Dasher Pass are $95 with a $3 online fee.
26th-1st
Tickets are $29 with a $3 online fee.
Preston Wood Forest’s Nite of Lights is a long standing tradition for this Tomball neighborhood. This is their 44th year! It is completely free to drive through this beautiful neighborhood. They have contests and awards for best lights. Award winners will have something in their front yard stating they won. Lights stay on from 6pm to 10pm on week nights and 6pm to 11pm on weekends. I have not personally been to this neighborhood yet. However, I do plan on taking a trip to Tomball this holiday season!
The galaxy lights are absolutely amazing! If you have the chance to go this year, please do. The galaxy lights are at the Houston Space Center located at 1601 NASA Pkwy Houston, Texas 77058. This is not a drive thru. You can walk around and take pictures with all the gorgeous lights!
The galaxy lights runs from November 12th to December 31st.
Monday – Sunday 6pm to 10pm
CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Galaxy lights only
Tickets range from $19.95-$27.95
Adult admission and galaxy lights
Tickets range from $49.90-57.90
Child admission and galaxy lights
Tickets range from $44.90-52.90
Senior admission and galaxy lights
Tickets range from $47.90-55.90
This is one of my personal favorites! I go see the Pecan Grove lights every year. This is another neighborhood that is known for its holiday light displays. Residents of Pecan Grove are asked to have their lights up by November 26th and they usually stay up until the new year. This one is free to drive through. Most times, residents will be out interacting with people driving by. It is so much fun. To find this neighbor, just type Pecan Grove Richmond into your maps and it will pull right up. I believe the drive to Richmond is definitely worth it!
This place has so many beautiful lights as well as different attractions. It has a festival of lights to walk through and take pictures with. It also has a building that has nothing but cool ice sculptures. Moody Gardens is located at One Hope Boulevard Galveston, Texas 77554.
The holiday attractions at Moody Gardens are open from November 19th to January 7th.
Yearly Attractions
Open: 10AM – 5PM Daily
Christmas Day Open: 12PM – 5PM
Ice Land
Peak Nights: 10AM – 10PM
Value Days: 11AM – 9PM
Christmas Day Open: 12PM – 10PM
Festival of Lights
Peak Nights: 4PM – 10PM
Value Days: 4PM – 9PM
(Including Christmas Day)
7th and 8th, 12th-15th, January 3rd-5th
Holiday pass
Adult ticket is $65 and a child ticket is $45
Festival of lights
Adult ticket is $25 and a child ticket is $21
Ice Land
Adult ticket is $29 and a child ticket is $24
9th-11th, 16th- January 2nd, January 6th and 7th
Holiday pass
Adult ticket is $70 and a child ticket is $50
Festival of lights
Adult ticket is $29 and a child ticket is $25
Ice Land
Adult ticket is $35 and a child ticket is $29
This light park is a little different. For this one, you can either drive through or you can park and watch the lights. Dasher’s Lightshow is located in humble at 8233 Will Clayton Pkwy Humble, Texas 77338.
Dates and Hours
This attraction is open from December 2nd to the 31st.
The hours are a little different for this one. Friday and Saturday only from the 2nd to the 18th the park is open from 6:30pm to 9:30pm.
After the 18th the park is open Monday through Sunday from 6:30pm to 9:30pm.
For drive through, tickets are $29.95 per vehicle.
For park and watch, tickets are $9.95 per person
The magical winter lights is such a wonderful place to go for lights! It is stunning! However, not only do they have lights, they also have a carnival and a circus. How cool is that? Magical Winter Lights is located at 2525 FM 565 Baytown, Texas 77523.
Dates and Hours
This attraction is open from November 18th to January 7th.
Sunday-Thursday the park is open from 5pm to 10pm
Friday and Saturday the park is open from 5pm to 11pm
Festival Admission
Adult tickets are $25, Family tickets are $88, and child tickets are $17
Carnival tickets
These are $26 per person
Circus tickets
For general tickets is it $10 and for VIP tickets is it $15
River oaks is a stunning neighborhood filled with beautiful mansions. This is another personal favorite of mine. The lights on these houses are insane! The neighborhood is located at River Oaks Blvd Houston, Texas 77019. It is completely free to drive through this incredible neighborhood. Residents put their lights up by Thanksgiving day and keep them up until New Years Day. Lights are turned on at 5pm everyday and turned off by 10pm every night. I believe this is 100% worth the trip.
Lonestar Lights is a 17 acre light park. This is a walk through with so many wonderful photo opportunities for all of those lovely Christmas cards! This massive light park is located at 5 Anticipation Drive Huntsville, Texas 77320
Dates and Hours
The park is open from December 15th to the 22nd.
Gates open at 5:30pm
Last entry into the park is 9:00pm
The park closes at 10:00pm
16th and 17th
Tickets are $35 for adults and $22 for children
Sunday-Thursday
Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children
The Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo is such an iconic attraction for the city. You get to walk through the zoo after dark and see all the beautiful lights! This is another place that is great for Christmas pictures. The Houston Zoo is located at 6200 Hermann Park Drive Houston, Texas 77030.
Dates and Hours
The zoo lights run from November 18th to January 8th.
The lights are open from 5:30pm to 10:30pm and it is closed December 7th, 24th, and 25th.
Tickets range from $24.70 to $35.95
This light park is pretty cool. It has different theme nights including date nights, college nights, and movie nights. It has over 3 million lights, holiday shopping, food, and so much more. It is located at Constellation Field 1 Stadium Dr sugarland, Texas 77498.
Dates and Hours
This is open from November 18th until January 1st.
Sundays-Thursdays it is open from 6pm to 9pm
Fridays-Saturdays it is open from 6pm to 10pm
General Admission
Adult tickets are $17, Child tickets are $14, Senior tickets are $14, and Military tickets are $14
Santa’s Wonderland is a crazy big park! This is another iconic attraction. This park has so many different attractions as well as beautiful lights. This one is located in College Station at 18898 Hwy 6 College Station, Texas 77845.
Dates and Hours
Santa’s Wonderland is open from November 11th to December 30th.
Mondays-Thursdays it is open from 6pm to 11pm
Fridays it is open from 6pm to midnight
Saturdays it is from 3pm to midnight
Sundays it is open from 3pm to 11pm
If you buy tickets online, adult tickets are $44.95 and child tickets are $40.95
If you buy tickets at the gate, adult tickets are $49.95 and child tickets are $44.95
I hope this article helps you find great places to look at Christmas lights. Go out and make some amazing traditions this year. Take all of the pictures with your significant other and your family, post them everywhere. Show them off! Maybe you will find a new place that will become your tradition every year. Happy Holidays everyone!
Coming to you from 258 Terp Time
By yours truly,
Taylor Southerland
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