Throughout the holiday season, there are many great places to see Christmas lights in PA.
Whether you are looking for festive drive-through light displays, a walk-through display, or a beautiful city filled with sparkling lights, there’s a bit of something for every lover of festive fun to enjoy
Here are my picks for a few of the best places to see Christmas lights in PA.
Koziar’s Christmas Village in Berks County
There might be nowhere that I enjoy seeing Christmas lights in Pennsylvania more than at Koziar’s Christmas Village.
Located only a short drive from Reading, PA, Koziar’s started as a small operation on a family farm before growing into the mammoth display that today features more than a million twinkling lights.
While visiting this walk-through attraction, visitors can enjoy many fun and festive scenes, eat delicious snacks, watch outdoor model trains, visit with Santa, and much more.
Longwood Gardens in Chester County
Longwood Gardens in the suburbs of Philadelphia is beautiful in any season, but it really comes to life at Christmastime.
From late November through early January of each year, Longwood Gardens brings out over half a million lights and creates some of the most amazingly festive spaces amongst their incredible gardens. Even better, there are both indoor and outdoor displays here, offering a wide variety of spots for those that want to see Christmas lights in PA to enjoy.
Each year, the theme of the season changes, ensuring that repeat visits are sure to amaze.
Downtown Pittsburgh
If you want to explore a city during the holiday season, Pittsburgh is a great choice. In fact, there are so many great places to see Christmas lights in Pittsburgh that you might run out of time to see them all.
Most of the city’s best displays are concentrated in the downtown core, with the area around Market Square being an especially popular spot to head.
It’s also worth walking the short distance to check out the fantastic and historic Horne’s Christmas Tree.
Peddler’s Village in Bucks County
Yes, Peddler’s Village is a shopping center. However, during the holiday season, they go all out and set up one of the best Christmas light displays in Pennsylvania.
In fact, they now claim to have a million twinkling lights, making this one of the largest light displays in the state, and, unlike many of the others on the list, this display is completely free to visit, and is one of the best free light displays in PA.
So, take some time to check out the many shops and restaurants here, and then stroll through a magical wonderland in the evening.
Christmas Magic in York
Christmas Magic is a beautiful walk-through light display in York, PA’s Rocky Ridge Park.
While it’s among the smallest displays on this list, they do a fantastic job of layering the lights to really create an immersive feel that’s often hard to find even among the larger displays in PA.
In addition to seeing the great lights here, visitors can also enjoy delicious treats, see model railroads, and more.
Lights on the Lake in Altoona
Lights on the Lake is a festive drive-through display in Altoona’s Lakemont Park.
This display covers more than 50 acres of land and does a great job incorporating the amusement park’s rides and attractions into some of its unique displays. This gives it a bit of a different look and feel that separates it from some of the state’s other drive-through displays.
In addition to the drive-through portion, Lights on the Lake also features Santa’s Gift Shop, which features not only gifts and snacks, but also a model railroad and the chance to visit Santa himself.
Miracle on South 13th Street in Philadelphia
There are many private homes in PA that offer great holiday light displays. However, I’ve yet to see somewhere that’s quite as festive as the Miracle on South 13th Street in Philly.
This display actually consists of an entire block of row homes, and nearly every home on the block is covered from ground to gutter with thousands of lights. And, while every home is different, there’s always something fun and unique to see here, making it one of my favorite places to see Christmas lights in Philly.
In fact, it’s such a special display that it’s not uncommon to see tour buses driving down the street. However, if you’d rather not drive, you can also get out and walk through this fun and free display.
Light Up Celebration in Clinton
Only a short distance west of Pittsburgh, you’ll find the fabulous Light Up Celebration in Clinton, PA.
This display has been set up annually for over three decades in one of the community’s parks and has a nice variety of displays amidst the park’s wooded setting. Even better, it’s one of the least expensive light displays in PA and all the money collected goes to local charities.
This is definitely a display you won’t want to miss in the Pittsburgh area.
LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo
There is probably no display of Christmas lights in PA that is more unique than LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo. In fact, if I’m being honest, there are many aspects of it that aren’t overly festive. However, don’t let that deter you from visiting as they do mix holiday displays into the lights.
LumiNature features hundreds of thousands of lights scattered throughout several experience zones throughout the zoo. Many of these displays highlight animals and conservation issues in a unique and fun way.
There’s even a massive light show that is put on periodically throughout the evening.
Christmas Candylane at Hersheypark
Living in the Harrisburg area, my family and I always make it out almost every year to explore Hersheypark’s Christmas Candylane event during the holiday season.
In addition to some of the park’s most fun rides being open, the park is filled with many beautiful lights. There’s even a light show that is held throughout the evening with lights synchronized to the music.
Even better, climb aboard the park’s gondola for a bird’s eye view of the lights.
Holiday Nights of Lights in Bedford
Holiday Nights of Lights is held in Bedford, PA, and is a great spot to check out if you find yourself in southern Pennsylvania during the holiday season. This drive-through light display is held at the Bedford County Fairgrounds and, in 2023, is in its fifth year.
What makes this display unique is that each display is sponsored by a local business, organization, or family. This means that you won’t only get some festive cheer when you visit, but you can also learn a bit more about the culture of this part of the Alleghenies.
Holiday Light Show at Shady Brook Farm
With more than three million twinkling lights, there might be no larger displays of Christmas lights in Pennsylvania than the Holiday Light Show at Shady Brook Farm.
The highlight of Shady Brook Farm, which is located only a short distance north of Philadelphia, is its drive-through display, which is sure to provide a lot of festive fun for visitors. If you’d rather, you can also take a wagon ride through the display!
They also feature campfires and a walk-through display for visitors to enjoy.
Winter Light Spectacular at the Lehigh Valley Zoo
If you are looking for a great walk-through Christmas light display in Pennsylvania, there are few better options than the Winter Light Spectacular at the Lehigh Valley Zoo.
Throughout the zoo, festive displays are set up highlighting a variety of holiday season themes, that are sure to delight both children and adults.
There will also be visits by surprise guests, food, creative adult beverages, and campfires for visitors to enjoy.
Holiday Lights at Kennywood in Pittsburgh
Kennywood is one of the most popular amusement parks in western PA, and during the holiday season, the park is lit with millions of lights for their Holiday Lights event.
Throughout the park, nearly every space is covered with lights (more than a million in total), giving the entire park a festive look. Kennywood is even said to be home to the tallest Christmas tree in Pennsylvania!
In addition to the lights, visitors can also enjoy select rides, light shows, live entertainment, and more.
Hershey Sweet Lights in Hershey
Hershey Sweet Lights is one of Pennsylvania’s largest light displays and is located just around the corner from Hersheypark in the forest behind the Hotel Hershey.
The two-mile drive-through display features more than two million lights and is said to have more than 600 different displays. These range from classic scenes to whimsical ones and really offer a bit of something for every Christmas lover.
What is your favorite display of Christmas lights in PA? Let us know in the comments below.
Looking for even more places to experience Christmas in Pennsylvania? Check out the best Christmas attractions in Lancaster, my favorite events in PA in December, and the most beautiful Christmas towns in PA.
"
There is a huge display for the public to drive and see done by a junior student that he has done now for 5 yrs. and it takes tour breath away. Gets larger every year. On South Concord Rd. In West Goshen township, Chester County. Gavin gives all donations to the SPCA. You can’t believe til you see it. Great job, Gavin.🎄🎄🎄
Herr’s Factory in Nottingham, PA is not to be missed!
That’s another of my favorite places to see Christmas lights in PA. So many great options.