Looking for some Christmas light displays this holiday season? Well make a thermos of hot cocoa and check out some of the best St. Louis has to offer.
Santa’s Magical Kingdom
It takes quite a while to see the 35 acres of Christmas lights at Santa’s Magical Kingdom in south St. Louis County. Millions of lights and dozens of holiday scenes fill Jellystone Park in Eureka. You can see Santa’s flying reindeer, travel through the Candy Cane Village or visit the Waterfall of Lights. For even more fun, take an old-fashioned wagon ride through the display. After seeing the lights, head over to Kringle’s General Store for a little holiday shopping. Santa’s Magical Kingdom is open from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Admission is $20 per car or $13 for wagon or train ride tickets. CLICK HERE FOR A GROUPON FOR THE EVENT
November 13, 2015 – January 3, 2016
Jellystone Park, Eureka
AB Brewery Lights
Anheuser-Busch has improved and expanded its holiday light display near Soulard. AB celebrates Christmas each year by decorating the brewery complex with thousands of lights. This year, you can also enjoy live music, fire pits, and free samples of AB products Thursday through Sunday evenings from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Enter at the Tour Center at 1200 Lynch Street.
November 19, 2015 – January 3, 2016
AB Brewery, South St. Louis
Way of Lights
The Way of Lights at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine in Belleville is one of the area’s most popular Christmas displays (see pictures of the display). More than a million lights are used to tell the story of Jesus’ birth. You can drive through the display or take a carriage ride. There’s also a laser light show, camel rides, an indoor Christmas tree display and an interactive play area for the kids. The Way of Lights is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission to view the lights is free, but there is a small charge for the laser light show, camel rides and other attractions. Donations are also accepted.
November 20, 2015 – January 1, 2016
Our Lady of the Snows Shrine, Belleville
Winter Wonderland – Lebanon IL
Another option for holiday lights in the Metro East is the Winter Wonderland of Lights in Lebanon, Illinois. Colorful lights and hand-painted scenes are used to create a Victorian style holiday show for the whole family. The drive through display is set up at Horner Park in Lebanon. That’s about 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis. Winter Wonderland is open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Opens November 20th
Horner Park, Lebanon, IL
Festival of Lights
The holiday season begins in Downtown St. Louis with the Macy’s Holiday Festival of Lights. Crowds gather at Union Station to watch the lighting of the Christmas tree and downtown light display. The evening ends with fireworks and a special visit from Santa Claus. The event runs from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. November 21, 2015
Union Station, Downtown St. Louis
Garden Glow
Hundreds of thousands of lights will decorate the Missouri Botanical Garden for the holidays. Walk through the light display, then take in the Victorian Christmas decorations at Tower Grove House. Garden Glow also has live holiday music, snacks and shopping. Garden Glow is open most evenings during the Christmas season from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. General admission is $16 for adults and $10 for children. The price for adults increases to $18 after December 18.
November 21, 2015 – January 2, 2016
Missouri Botanical Garden, South St. Louis
Winter Wonderland
For 30 years, employees with the St. Louis County Parks Department have turned Tilles Park into a Winter Wonderland. You can drive through the display, but the best way to see the lights is by horse-drawn carriage. Winter Wonderland is open daily from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., except for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Cars are welcome Sunday through Friday, but Saturdays are reserved for carriage rides. Admission is $10 per car. Tickets for carriage rides are available through MetroTix, and vary depending on the size of the carriage.
November 25 – January 2, 2016
Tilles Park, St. Louis County
Wild Lights
Go a little wild this holiday season with Wild Lights at the St. Louis Zoo. If you’ve never been to the zoo on a winter evening, this is a real treat. Walk through the exhibits as they come alive with more than 500,000 lights. Kids can hear holiday stories and adults can do a little shopping at the Holiday Zootique. Wild Lights is open from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 for Zoo members and $8 for non-members. Children under two get in free. There is also free parking at the Zoo’s South Lot.
November 27 -January 3, 2016 See the official website for specific dates and times
St. Louis Zoo, Forest Park
Christmas Wonderland
Each year, Alton’s Rock Spring Park twinkles with more than two million lights during the holiday season. You’ll see cascading waterfalls, lighted trees and dozens of magical displays. Kids can also visit Santa in the Enchanted Forest or get up close with goats, llamas and other animals at the petting zoo. Christmas Wonderland is open Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is $7 for cars and small vans, or $1 a person for vehicles with more than 10 people. You can also take a carriage ride through the display.
November 27 – December 27, 2015
Rock Spring Park, Alton
Celebration of Lights
You find all kinds of Christmas scenes at the Celebation of Lights in O’Fallon, Missouri. Each year since 1991, visitors have enjoyed taking in the holiday lights at Fort Zumwalt Park. This is primarily a drive-though display, but you can also take a carriage, train, Segway or sleigh ride through the park. There is also a walk-through night on Tuesday, December 9. Celebration of Lights is open Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday is for train and Segway rides only. Admission is $9 for cars and $15 for large vans. Tuesday is discount night where all cars, vans and non-commercial vehicles are $7.
November 27 – December 30, 2015
Fort Zumwalt Park, O’Fallon, MO
Holiday Night Lights – Wentzville
Holiday Night Lights is a drive through display set up each year at Rotary Park in Wentzville, Missouri. The display takes you through a mile-long wonderland of twinkling lights. Holiday Night Lights is open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. It’s open Thursday through Sunday from November 28 to December 7, then daily (except Christmas Day) from December 11 to December 30. Admission is $8 for cars with up to six people, and $1 per person for vehicles with seven or more people.
November 27 – December 30, 2015
Rotary Park, Wentzville, MO
St. Louis Hills Neighborhood Lights
Be sure to head down to Francis Park in South St. Louis City for a real treat. Many streets have become beacons of light and holiday cheer. A few worth mentioning, Candy Cane Lane and Snow Flake Lane, both located on the North West Corner of the Park. Angel Lane has the famous “Musical house” that is located on the North Eat Corner of the park. Many other homes deck the halls each holiday season as well. 63109
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