HOLIDAY LIGHTS IN HOUSTON
? YOUR GUIDE TO CHRISTMAS DISPLAYS AROUND THE BAYOU CITY
Looking for the top holiday lights displays in the Houston area? You’ve come to the right place! ?
Whether you’re looking for a simple holiday light tour out of the car window or an all-out family experience with an arctic slide, carnival games and more, Houston’s got it all.
Grab the hot chocolate, turn on that Spotify Christmas playlist, and follow the lights.
Downtown
Prismatica
Nov 22 – Jan 5
8 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Transforming the Avenida Plaza into a giant kaleidoscope, Prismatica brightens the holiday season with every color in the rainbow. Giant prisms reflect surrounding downtown Houston by day and project the full spectrum of light each night. Visitors are invited to wander among and rotate the prisms, creating their own composition of lights, bells and colorful reflections.
Frostival
Nov. 22, 2019
6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
For a fun and free family event, head to Frostival at Discovery Green. The annual park-wide celebration features ice carving demonstrations by Reverend Butter and DLG Ice Factory, ice sculpture photo opps, skating at The ICE powered Green Mountain Energy ® and more. For a different kind of light show, the public will enjoy the Paloma art installation opening that evening. The installation includes two parts, a series of 200 colorful aluminum “origami” birds that suspend from the canopy of the Discovery Green Brown Promenade, complemented by choreographed sound installation. While Frostival is free, ice skating fees will apply.
Reliant Lights Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular
Nov. 30, 2019
5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Celebrate a century of lighting the city hall Christmas tree. The spectacular takes place at Hermann Square at City Hall in Downtown Houston and includes holiday music, lighting the tree, Santa and more family fun. Kids will love the larger-than-life tree with hundreds of lights and shimmering ornaments. The Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular is also a great time to give back as a part of the World’s Ultimate Toy Drive benefiting Toys for Tots. Bring a new, unwrapped toy to the events and make the holidays brighter for children in need. It’s the perfect way to kick off the Christmas season.
Museum District
Zoo Lights
Nov. 23, 2019 – Jan. 12, 2020
5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
The Houston Zoo is transformed into a winter wonderland to help save wildlife! TXU Energy Presents Zoo Lights celebrates its eighth year as one of Houston’s most well-loved holiday traditions. Sip hot chocolate as you stroll through the beautiful Houston Zoo grounds and take in the sights and sounds of the season – including more than two million lights! Fifteen miles of earth-friendly LED lighting illuminate our ancient oak trees and decorate the paths to light your way. Also, for the first time in Zoo Lights history, Santa is stopping by to take photos with families on select nights. Guests can line up to get a photo made and share their holiday wishes with the Big Guy most nights inside Twiga Café. Purchasing tickets in advance is encouraged.
Washington Corridor
Christmas Village at The Bayou Bend
Dec. 12 – 30
5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Dec. 12, 15–19, 26 & 29–30
5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. Fri. Sat., Dec. 22–23
The Christmas experience at beautiful Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens is not to be missed. Perfect for a date night or family outing, a dazzling bridge brings you into a winter wonderland featuring thousands of lights and activities for all ages throughout the 14-acre estate. Plus, you can take photos with Santa, who visits through Dec. 23! Fun, holiday-themed tours of Ima Hogg’s historic mansion feature live actors, theatrical effects, and Christmas decorations. The Shop at Bayou Bend is open, too!
River Oaks
Self-Guided River Oaks Tour
Dec. 2019
Driving through River Oaks, you can see how the other half lives and how they decorate for Christmas. Driving past the homes in this area is enjoyable on any given day, but when they are lit up for the holidays, River Oaks is truly a spectacle. A popular stop is the River Oaks Country Club on River Oaks Boulevard. Start there and work your way around the neighborhood; you’re bound to see beautiful lights most everywhere you look. While some homes start putting up lights around Thanksgiving, visit in December for better sights, and try to avoid Saturdays when it’s busiest.
Uptown/Galleria
32nd Annual Uptown Holiday Lighting
Nov. 28, 2019
4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Head to the Uptown/Galleria area for the 32nd Annual Uptown Holiday Lighting, which includes 300 new 20 ft. holiday trees spanning the length of Post Oak Boulevard. Individually controlled LED lights creating a stunning multi-colored light show that will light the entire boulevard. The big event of the night will be the traditional countdown as Santa conducts the ceremonial lighting of the new holiday trees followed by fireworks and a light show.
The Heights
Lights In The Heights
Dec. 14, 2019
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Everyone loves the charm and aesthetic of The Heights, so when you couple beautiful craftsman-style houses with Christmas lights and a pedestrian-friendly route, you’ve got a fabulous evening to look forward to. The Heights residents go all out in their holiday pursuits with Griswold-esque décor where almost every square inch of houses are covered in lights. Enjoy a libation to go, pack the kids in the wagon, meet your friends and enjoy the beginning of the Christmas season.
Space Center Houston
Galaxy Lights
Nov. 16 – Jan. 5
For the first time ever, Space Center Houston is hosting an out-of-this-world lighting display – Galaxy Lights! First, you’ll experience a high-tech, 7.5 minute kinetic light show above the Main Plaza. After, stop by Zero-G Diner to enjoy some hot cocoa and other themed food and beverages to warm up before you’re whisked away on the NASA Tram Tour.
The tram will take you to Rocket Park, where you can stargaze at an indoor meteor shower and view festive 3-D projections on the Saturn V Rocket. Finally, we blast off to Independence Plaza, where you get to live the dream: play amongst the stars. Can you say #SpaceSelfie?
La Marque
Magical Winter Lights
Nov. 15, 2019 – Jan. 5, 2020
Sun. – Thurs. 5 p.m. – 10 p.m., Fri. – Sat. 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.
The 2019 Magical Winter Lights will return to Houston for its fifth year and the celebrations never stop! Head to see the lights on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and even New Year’s Day. The 52-day festival is one of the largest holiday lighting events in Houston, and the largest lantern festival of its kind in the U.S. There are also opportunities to see Chinese acrobatic performances, carnival rides and character entertainment. It’s worth noting that Magical Winter Lights is a ticketed event, but the carnival rides and games are an additional separate cost.
Sugar Land
Sugar Land Holiday Lights
Nov. 23, 2018 – Jan. 1, 2019
Sun. – Thurs. 6 pm. – 9 p.m., Fri. – Sat. 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Celebrate the season in the most magical way at the 6th annual Sugar Land Holiday Lights presented by Imperial Sugar. This sparkling wonderland features more than three million lights and numerous themed displays at Constellation Field. You can also get some holiday shopping done with a variety of vendors, enjoy great food, and meet Santa! Hours vary depending on the dy, so be sure to check the website.
Galveston
Moody Garden’s Holiday in the Gardens
Nov 12 – Jan 16
Ice Land Daily Hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Festival of Lights Daily Hours: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
This year’s Moody Gardens Ice Land theme allows visitors to enjoy Christmas Around the World along with eight other holiday attractions including the Festival of Lights, ice skating, the Artic slide, holiday 3D films, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” in 4D, train rides through the Festival of Lights and pictures with Santa. Moody Gardets is truly a one-stop shop for all of the holiday fun your family could hope for this holiday season.
Northwest Houston
40th Annual Nite of Lites
Dec. 2019
The residents of Prestonwood Forest in Northwest Houston have been decorating their homes in grand fashion since the 1970s. Hundreds of homes participate in the neighborhood’s annual Nite of Lites event, which runs through most of December. Neighbors compete in several categories, such as best block, best house, and even best mailbox. Start on Prestonwood Forest Drive, just off of Texas Highway 249, and take a look at this year’s Nite of Lites map to guide your visit.
