Best Christmas Light Shows in Michigan
During the holiday season, nothing does a better job of getting us in the Christmas spirit than a magnificent display of glimmering holiday lights: it’s simply the magic of light
Whether you’re looking for a walkable outdoor experience immersed in glimmering decorations or drive-thru Christmas light display to view sparkling displays of light from the comfort of your car, there is a holiday light display in Michigan that will be sure to delight you.
If you’re looking for a “Christmas light show near me” in Michigan, use the interactive map the best Christmas lights in Michigan below!
2022 Map of Michigan Light Displays
Best Christmas Light Displays in the Upper Peninsula
Light Up the Soo
Downtown Sault Ste. Marie
Every year the town is decked out in festive lights and a trip to the top of the Tower of History provides the best views. From the always magnificent Soo Locks, to the warm glow radiating from the town below, there is no sight quite like it
The Carters’ Christmas Lights Marquette
1313 N Vandenboom Ave, Marquette MI 49885
In Marquette, the Carters’ Christmas Lights have been drawing people to their home for years to walk through their wonderland of lights. The house and the surrounding heavily wooded area are completely filled with lights and decorations, making this site a uniquely outdoorsy choice.
Best Christmas Light Displays in Northern Michigan
Bear Lake’s Sparkle in the Park
7727 Hopkins Dr, Bear Lake, MI 49614
Bear Lake’s light show, Sparkle in the Park, is one of the best light shows available in the Northern Lower Peninsula. Located in Hopkin’s Park, visitors are greeted by a massive tree sparkling with lights which acts as a beacon for sightseers, drawing them in to see the show. Bear Lake welcomes guests to drive through and view the massive display of over 80,000 lights across almost 50 displays evenings between 5 and 10 p.m.
Boss Family Christmas Display
9336 Pearl St, Charlevoix, MI 49720
This unique Christmas display tradition that has been open to the public since 1978; 2021 marks the family’s 41st (!) amazing holiday lights display.
Alpena Christmas Lights to Music
West Washington Ave, Alpena, MI 49707
Residents of this Alpena Street decorate their homes in thousands of lights, with music synchronized on 102.3 FM. See an animated Santa, Snowman, Reindeer and 5 Light Bulbs that sing 32 Christmas songs, and 5 Light Bulbs that tell 22 short jokes for all ages.
Alpena Lights of Ferncliff
Alpena, MI 49707
Look for flashing lights and a sign to tune your car radio in to 93.1 FM for another amazing Christmas Light Show in Northern Michigan.
Colors of Christmas Wonderland in Newaygo
7683 S. Croton Hardy Dr, Newaygo MI 49337
This Croton Township Campground is a wonderland full of lights and displays that you can drive through or hike through.
Christmas On Kimberly Lane
9061 Kimberly Lane, Traverse City, MI 49685
This residential Christmas lights display in Traverse City is synchronized to music: tune to 99.5 and watch the dancing lights illuminate the northern Michigan sky!
Herman Holiday’s on Murray Ct
10780 E Murray Ct Suttons Bay, MI 49682
You can actually get out and walk around this beautiful residential in Suttons bay and enjoy the gorgeous holiday lights display.
Lights Spectacular at Treetops Resort
Treetops Resort, 3962 Wilkinson Rd, Gaylord, MI 49735
Join Santa and an Elf on Stilts as the Treetops Resort in Gaylord lights up the are with an amazing display of color. You’ll also find hot chocolate, S’mores, photos with Santa, Wagon Rides and more on November 27.
Best Christmas Light Displays in Mid-Michigan
Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic
6140 N Bray Rd, Flint, MI 48505
Crossroads Village comes alive under thousands of points of glimmering Christmas lights at the Holiday Magic Light Display. Make memories to last all year from the comfort of your own vehicle and see displays of your favorite holiday scenes as Christmas music fills the at Crossroads Village’s Holiday Magic Drive Thru.
Holiday Lights at Shawhaven Farm
1826 Rolfe Rd Mason MI 48854
Enjoy a relaxing wagon ride through a light show set up on the farm and enjoy some delicious treats in the barn when you are through.
Potter Park Zoo
1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Lansing, MI 48912
Thousands of lights create an extraordinary holiday display at the 27th annual Wonderland of Lights. Take a stroll around the zoo, enjoy holiday music, and take in the twinkling lights of the zoo.
Dow Gardens Christmas Walk
809 Eastman Ave, Midland, MI 48640
Stroll the gently-lit pathway each evening at this free family event on December 9–11 and 16–18, 2021 from 5–7:30 p.m.
Best Christmas Light Displays in West Michigan
Christmas Nite Lights at Fifth Third Ball Park
Christmas Lite Show in Comstock Park’s Fifth Third Ballpark is a great drive-thru light show with over one million lights. You’ll find lighted tunnels, Santa’s House and dozens of animated displays across two miles. This is the biggest light display in west Michigan, and is the biggest and one of the best Christmas light shows in the Grand Rapids Michigan area.
Spring Lake Sparkle Festival
Downtown Spring Lake MI
In west Michigan, Spring Lake’s holiday displays light up the downtown area with hundreds of twinkling lights and its winter wonderland of holiday lights, sights, and sounds. Over 120,000 multi-colored lights will light up the trees lining Savidge Street between Division and Buchanan, as well as the buildings along Savidge.
Make Muskegon Glow
Downtown Muskegon
Thousands of holiday lights wrap this west Michigan town with a technicolor display of Christmas spirit.
Best Christmas Light Displays in East Michigan
Sherman Woods Association Neighborhood Light Show
Sherman Woods Neighborhood, Port Huron, MI 48060
This entire Port Huron neighborhood comes alive with the holiday spirit with thousands of giant, lit orbs.
Nicol’s Christmas Light Extravaganza
6250 Germania Rd, Cass City, MI 48726
More than 150,000 Christmas lights are on display at this amazing holiday light display set to music. It’s the 40 anniversary of this Michigan Christmas light show in the Thumb, which seems to get better every year.
Bicentennial Park Christmas Light Show in Grand Blanc
Best Holiday Lights Displays in Southwest Michigan
Light Up the Bluff
300 Lake Blvd, St Joseph, MI 49085
More than one million Christmas lights transform the beautiful St. Joseph bluff overlooking Lake Michigan into a winter wonderland through Valentine’s Day.
River Lights of Wonder
207 E Michigan Ave, Three Rivers, MI 49093
Experience the breath-taking scenery of Christmas lights reflecting off the St. Joseph River in southwest Michigan at the River of Wonder drive-through light display. As you drive through, be sure to listen to the moving story of the very first Christmas.
Walk Through the Lights at Gull Meadows Farms
8544 Gull Road, Richland, MI 49083
Enjoy the Christmas spirit as you explore Gull Meadows Farms in southwest Michigan. You’ll find thousands of beautiful holidays lights, warm and cozy tastes and smells, Christmas music, and family farm festivities.
Downtown Kalamazoo Holiday Lights
Bronson Park and Downtown Kalamazoo, 200 South Rose Street, Kalamazoo
Walk though Candy Cane Lane under giant candy canes in Bronson Park and then head to outdoor Kalamazoo mall and take in the thousands of twinkling holiday lights.
Holiday House on Scotts
5777 Clovermeadows Ave, Scotts, MI 49088
Visit this home on a residential street in Scotts and be amazed at the pop-up Gingerbread men, Santa and other Christmas inflatables mingled among this massive display of Christmas lights.
Find More Michigan Christmas Lights and Holiday Fun
Best Christmas Light Displays in Southeast Michigan
Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo
8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067
Some of the best Christmas lights in Michigan can be found at the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak. Each year, as the animals become less active, the zoo opens their Wild Lights show. The lights are arranged into massive artworks depicting many of the animals you would normally see at the zoo, combining the joy of the zoo and the pure bliss of the Christmas season.
Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village
20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI 48124
Dearborn’s Greenfield Village is one of Michigan’s top museums and its Christmas celebration lives up to its reputation, with Christmas trees decorated in a fabulous festival of lights. Lights are strung across the historic buildings in such a picturesque way that each sight could be on the front of a different Christmas card.
Wayne County Lightfest
7651 N Merriman Rd, Westland, MI 48185
The drive-thru style is a great way to experience a Christmas light show. Driving through a light show means you can cover more area, which means more lights! Wayne County Lightfest is the perfect example of this; after all it is the longest lightshow in Michigan! Over four miles of Hines Drive is dedicated to upwards of 100,000 lights and nearly 50 animated displays ready to greet you around every winding curve in the road. Of all the Christmas light displays in Southeast Michigan, this one is hard to beat.
Magic of Lights at DTE Energy Music Theater
33 Bob Seger Dr, Village of Clarkston, MI 48348
This new-in-2020 fabulous drive-thru Christmas light display was a metro Detroit MUST-Visit when it opened last year, and this year it promised to be even better.
You’ll see more than a million LED lights in this dazzling drive-through light display featuring holiday-themed scenes and characters, including the all-new Prehistoric Christmas and Mega Tree displays. Returning favorites include the drive-through Blizzard Tunnel, 12 Days of Christmas, Winter Wonderland and The Night Before Christmas. Experience Magic of Lights from the comfort of your own car as you wind through the sparkling pathway.
Big Bright Light Show Rochester
Downtown Rochester MI
Downtown Rochester is home to the Big Bright Light Show, one of the prettiest Christmas displays in southeast Michigan. All the buildings in downtown Rochester will be covered from top to bottom with strings of Christmas lights. Taking a stroll through the city and exploring the shops is an adventure all its own and a perfect opportunity to discover the perfect gift for someone in your life, all the while supporting local Michigan businesses. The variety of colors all around, the festive decorations in the store windows, and the lively downtown location make you feel like you’re in a holiday movie.
Bazillion Lights in Livonia
29718 Robert Drive, Livonia, MI, 48150
This amazing display of Christmas lights really is covered in a “bazillion” lights, and they’re all set to music. Take a ride to this Livonia home in southeast Michigan and be amazed at the dancing Christmas lights.
Best Christmas Light Displays in South Central Michigan
Nite Lites at the Michigan International Speedway
12626 US-12, Brooklyn, MI 49230
Nite Lites at the Michigan International Speedway is one of the prettiest light displays in Michigan. Nite Lites is another fantastic drive-thru Christmas light show option for those in South-Central Michigan. It is located at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. Because of this rural location, these light displays seem to shine a little brighter than those in the city and the contrast of bold colors against the pitch-black night is a beauty to behold.
Marshall Merry Mile at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds
720 Fair St., Marshall, MI 49068 United States
Marshall’s Merry Mile drive-thru Christmas parade, held at the historic fairgrounds in Calhoun County, is a holiday tradition for folks in the Marshall and Battle Creek area, and with good reason. The mile-long light display is a great place to get in the holiday spirit in south-central Michigan, so load your car with family and friends to enjoy the nite lights!
Michigan’s Best Holiday Light Displays
Did we miss a Michigan holiday display? Use the comment section below to let us know! Additionally, if you’re looking for some ideas on how to decorate your own home with holiday lights, take notes as you visit these amazing spots.
Best Christmas Light Displays in Michigan F.A.Q.
Christmas Nite Lights at Fifth Third Ballpark
Spring Lake Sparkle Fest
Christmas at Crossroads Village
Bear Lake’s Sparkle in the Park
Big Bright Light Show in Rochester
Nite Lites at the Michigan International Speedway
Marshall Merry Mile
Carters Christmas Lights in Marquette
Light Up the Soo
A. With more than 33 amazing Christmas Light displays throughout Michigan, it’s hard to choose just sone. Some of the top drive-thru light displays are the Wayne County Lightfest, Nite Lites at the Michigan International Speedway and Magic of Lights at DTE Energy Music Theater.
About the Author
Bella DiMascio is a Content Editor for mymichiganbeach.com. She grew up in the Detroit suburb of Westland and later attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo where she majored in Communication Studies and minored in English: Writing. Creative writing has been a hobby and interest of Bella’s since she was in elementary school and she is thrilled to be using her talents to highlight the Great Lakes State. Outside of writing, Bella enjoys getting outside with her two Australian Shepherds, playing video games, and binging shows on Netflix.
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