Dazzling light displays to brighten up your holiday season

We all seem to have a love-hate relationship with holiday travel. The stress of planning and navigating airports acts in stark contrast to the warm fuzzy feeling of spending time with loved ones. Luckily, whether you’re headed somewhere old or new this holiday season, cities all across the U.S. are dripping with twinkling lights to brighten up our spirits.

At Civitatis, we’re always thinking of new ways to top off a trip. And with so much festivity in the air, we can’t think of anything better than checking out some dazzling holiday lights as the perfect finishing touch to your holiday travel this year. If you’re closing out the year in the U.S., don’t miss out on these epic holiday light displays!

New York City

New York City may be one of the most iconic holiday destinations in the world – and with good reason. If NYC is brimming with excitement on a normal day, you can imagine how hard the city goes for the holidays. Aside from the multitude of tours and shows the city offers (not to mention being one of the most recognizable set locations for holiday films), New York City has a plethora of dazzling light displays.

Head to the Rockefeller Center to see its iconic Christmas tree, a tradition that dates back to the 1930s, marvel at the famous Macy’s display on 34th Street, or check out the light show at Saks Fifth Avenue. And of course, no holiday trip to NYC is complete without seeing the spectacular lights in Dyker Heights!

Las Vegas

If nothing else, the city of Las Vegas is known for its uniqueness and wow factor, and its holiday lights are certainly no exception. In fact, one of its most famous light displays is hosted at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway! This 2.5-mile long drive-thru features over 5 million twinkling LED lights in over 600 animated and dazzling displays. Closer to The Strip, in true Las Vegas style, you can also see the famous Bellagio Fountain put on a water show to the beat of holiday tunes.

While you’re there, be sure to also check out the Bellagio Conservatory’s epic holiday display, complete with a 42-foot-tall fir tree decked out in colorful ornaments and thousands of lights. Of course, there’s no denying that the city’s regular skyline is already quite festive – while you’re out exploring the best holiday lights in town, why not treat yourself to a private tour of Las Vegas or a helicopter ride to see the city sparkle from the sky?

Phoenix

If Phoenix is your holiday destination this season, you can’t leave without checking out World of Illumination. Dubbed the world’s largest drive-thru animated light show, this seasonal theme park features millions of animated lights and hundreds of displays that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own car, all synchronized to music for an extra festive kick! Plus, Phoenix is lucky enough to have two locations in the area, with a Candy Rush-themed route in Glendale and a Reindeer Road-themed route right in Tempe.

Another must-see holiday light display in Phoenix is Las Noches de Las Luminarias, a Desert Botanical Garden tradition for the last 44 years where you can enjoy thousands of hand-lit luminarias as you wander paths full of illuminated desert flora. The Phoenix Zoo also hosts a larger-than-life display aptly called ZooLights, which you can enjoy on foot or by car.

New Orleans

New Orleans is already an enchanting city and, during the holidays, this historic town gets an extra dose of charm. No doubt one of the most magical light displays in the U.S. is Celebration of the Oaks in City Park, one of the nation’s most beloved green spaces and home to the world’s largest collection of mature live oak trees. For this annual tradition dating back to the 1980s, City Park’s majestic oaks get drizzled in millions of twinkling lights for a one-of-a-kind holiday experience. Can you think of a more magical way to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year?

Aside from the beautifully decorated homes in the French Quarter, it’s also worth checking out the Christmas tree on Decatur Street opposite Jackson Square. A visit to the Roosevelt Hotel is also a must. Every year, this historic hotel transforms its lobby into a wintry Waldorf Wonderland with no less than 44 Christmas trees, 135,572 sparkly lights, 3,328 feet of winter branches, 2,200 glass ornaments, and 698 hand-tied bows. An absolute explosion of holiday cheer!

San Francisco

San Francisco is an excellent spot to be spending the holidays, and its multitude of amazing light displays and epic Christmas trees is proof. We recommend checking out the Westfield Centre’s famous 50-foot upside down Christmas tree, the towering tree at Union Square, and Pier 39’s 60-foot-tall Christmas tree, whose lights are synced to holiday music in a dazzling light show every half hour.

In Golden Gate Park’s Peacock Meadow, you can also check out Entwined, an interactive art installation full of whimsical shapes and colorful lights – a truly magical way to celebrate the season. If you’re lucky, while you’re out exploring the city and enjoying its beautifully lit skyline, you may even catch up with the famous Tree Twins, local legends who dress up as eclectic illuminated Christmas trees and roam the streets of San Francisco spreading holiday cheer!

Washington, DC

If anywhere has some dazzling holiday light displays, it should be the nation’s capital, right? If you’re headed to DC this season, you certainly won’t be disappointed. Bask in the warm glow of the holidays at Enchant, a festive event held at Nationals Park that features a light maze with loads of glittering displays and a 100-foot tall animated tree.

Of course, you can’t miss the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse, a tradition that dates back to 1923, or the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree! Feel like strolling around? Check out DC Holiday Lights, a friendly competition amongst the city’s main streets and commercial corridors to see who’s got the most holiday spirit, including Dupont Circle, U Street, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and more. While you’re in DC enjoying the spectacular holiday lights, be sure to plan some time for a bus or bike tour to see the city’s most prominent buildings illuminated against the night sky!