Over 50 Light Displays Near Greenville and Spartanburg

Are you looking for the best places to see Christmas lights near Greenville, SC or Spartanburg, SC? This list includes all of the local mega-light displays, light displays large enough to drive to see, and even some local Christmas lights at homes that deck it out for Christmas Griswold style.

While we do our best to offer accurate information, please check with these venues and organizations before visiting. Please help keep Kidding Around Greenville and Spartanburg content free by not copying and reproducing this content without permission. 

Drive-Thru Holiday Lights Near Greenville and Spartanburg

Anderson Christmas Lights across from the Anderson Civic Center Thanksgiving, November 23 – December 25, 2023
It includes 3.5 million Christmas lights!

• Cost $10 per car
• Opens at 5:30 pm each evening
• Special entertainment is listed on their Entertainment Schedule

Upstate Holiday Light Show at District Park in Easley, SC opens Thanksgiving through December 31, 2023. In addition to driving through the dancing lights, guests can also visit a winter wonderland and Santa’s free petting zoo.

• Cars, SUVs, Trucks, and Minivans – $35
• Sun-Thurs 6 pm-10 pm
• Fri & Sat 6 pm-11 pm

Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland and Winterfest Village – This drive-thru light experience at the Tryon Equestrian International Center is a real family treat. There are also live shows on select nights. The show runs nightly from November 17, 2023 – January 7, 2024, from 6-10 pm. The Winterfest Village is open weekends in December through December 23rd from 5-9 pm.

• Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland Weekdays: $30/cars, Weekends: $35/cars (additional costs for larger vehicles)
• Winterfest Village: Some activities are free but most require a wristband, which cost $5/adult, $20/child 12 and under. Winterfest happens Friday-Sunday 5-9 pm starting December 1, 2023 and ending December 23, 2023.

Holiday Lights Trolley Tours with Main Street Trolley operate in Spartanburg, SC throughout the month of December. The exact dates and 2023 pricing are TBA.

Oconee State Park Holiday Light Show will be a walk-through or drive-through event! Trees will be lit with beautiful lights and holiday displays. There will be a Santa workshop while you grab hot chocolate and coffee.

The Magical Music Holiday Light Show at Seneca’s Norton-Thompson Park is a FREE event and fun for the whole family! Dates are from November 17th, 2023 to December 31st, 2023.

Holiday Putt Through Lights at Takeoff Minigolf in Greenville: You can walk through a big holiday light display while playing mini-golf. The special event opens November 24, 2023 and runs Thursday-Sunday until December 30th. Tickets should be reserved online and are $15/adults, $13/kids.

[2023 info has not been announced] Lake Lure Flowering Bridge: This is a short day trip from Greenville but totally worth it. The Flowering Bridge in Lake Lure, NC is free and during Christmas, they light it up and you can walk through the display and garden! See our story on the cool bridge, which also includes things to do in the Chimney Rock Village just down the street (I’d recommend getting hot chocolate). The lights will remain on through the first week of January and a holiday celebration will take place on November 30th at 5:30 pm.

Lighting Displays and Ceremonies

Holidays at the Zoo– (Select dates in December) Walk through the Greenville Zoo and be dazzled by thousands of lights, festive decorations, and holiday music. Tickets are timed, and advanced registration is recommended. The zoo will be closed from December 24th – 25th. Other dates are open from 4 pm to 8 pm. You can purchase tickets online.

Christmas on Limestone in Gaffney with Laser Light Show– (December 1st, 2023) There will be a parade, laser light show, and a Main Street celebration in Gaffney.

2023 Festival of Trees – Come see the holiday trees on display from November 17th, 2023 to December 25th, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, the Courtyard Marriott Greenville Downtown, Embassy Suites Downtown, and the Hampton Inn & Suites RiverPlace. FREE

Tiny Town Easley, SC– A piece of the small town South lives on, in tiny form! Over 80 tiny structures adorned with lights, Christmas decor, and lots of character make up Tiny Town. The display is open nightly from Thanksgiving Day to New Year’s Day (closed when raining). They also have hot chocolate, hot coffee, a bonfire, and select dates of visits with Santa.

City of Seneca Tree Lighting and Magical Musical Holiday Light Show in Seneca – Join the mayor on November 27th, 2023 at 5 pm for this fun-filled holiday tradition of lighting the Christmas Tree at Norton-Thompson Park. The Christmas Parade follows at 6:30 pm. The Magical Musical Holiday Light Show runs November 17th-December 31st nightly from 5:30-10 pm.

Holiday Hop: Travelers Rest, SC Tree Lighting and more (November 27th, 2023) Tree Lighting, Christmas kids craft station, stories with Mrs. Claus, selfies with Santa all on Main Street in Travelers Rest, SC.

[2023 info has not been announced] Simpsonville Tree Lighting Ceremony (December 1, 2022 at 6 pm) – Sing-a-longs, free hot chocolate, cookies, and letters to Santa. Free.

Mauldin Tree Lighting (November 30th, 2023 at 5 pm) – Enjoy holiday music and tree lighting at the Mauldin Outdoor Amphitheater behind the Mauldin Cultural Center.

Tree Lighting Ceremony at Greer City Park (December 1, 2023 at 5-8 pm) This family-friendly event also includes a visit from Santa. Be sure to head over to Trade Street for dinner before or after the event. The full event starts at 5:00 pm.

Night of Lights: Greenville Christmas Tree Lighting (December 1, 2023 at 5:30 pm) This event will have live music, vendors, food trucks, and more starting at 5:30 pm.

Dickens of a Christmas- (December 5th, 2023 from 6 to 9 pm) Tree lighting in Spartanburg, SC. The event also includes a Victorican-style Christmas celebration throughout Downtown Spartanburg. Enjoy live music, vendors, horse and carriage rides, living window displays, and more.

Holiday Lights at Hidden Pasture Unicorn Farm– You can explore the unicorn farm and enjoy the Christmas lights Fridays – Sundays from November 17th – December 23rd. Lights and a movie start at 5 pm. Prices are $12 for 18+ and $14 for kids 3-17 years old.

Belton, SC Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade (2023 Dates TBA)

Free Light Displays at Businesses

Nearby Christmas Lights: Check Out Free Holiday Light Displays

Our readers love the Kidding Around Christmas Driving Routes. Our 2023 routes are coming soon! Check back near Thanksgiving time.

Homes with light shows that include music (and sometimes even hot chocolate and Santa). Expect to wait in traffic to see them. If visiting these displays, park on the sides of the street, being sure to leave room for traffic and not block neighbors’ driveways.

Also, we recommend that you check the Facebook page of the light display before heading out. That’s typically where you can find current information on traffic rules, parking, and nights off.

Private Home Light Displays

We will be updating this list for 2023 soon. Bookmark this list and check back!

This list includes displays that were submitted in 2022 by readers and others who are both on our Holiday Light Tour and ones that are not. Their status has been confirmed unless otherwise noted.

This section includes:
Greenville, SC Static Christmas Light Displays
Synchronized Light Shows in Greenville
Spartanburg, SC Static Christmas Light Displays
Synchronized Christmas Light Shows in Spartanburg

Greenville Area Static Light Displays

Greenville Synchronized Light Displays

Spartanburg Light Displays

Anderson County Light Displays

Christmas Light Displays That Are Worth The Drive

Speedway Christmas Lights – The annual drive-thru Christmas lights at the Charlotte Motor Speedway is super popular. More than 4 million lights over 3.75 miles adorn this display, which runs from Friday, November 17, 2023, to Sunday, January 7, 2024. They are closed on Christmas Day.

• Tickets for cars are $35 – $45 and $140-$175 for buses. Fast passes are available for $75 per car (including ticket).

Holiday Lights on the River at Saluda Shoals Park in Columbia, SC (Thursday, November 23rd, 2023 to Friday, December 31st, 2023) Over a million lights on the 2-mile loop of the park. Includes a laser light show, hayrides, tube slide, Santa, and more.

• Admission is $25 a family car.

Looking for more lights? Check out the Christmas Lights Displays Around Columbia, SC plus more ways to celebrate the holidays in Columbia, SC.

Winter Lights – This popular light show at the NC Arboretum in Asheville is converting the walk-through garden lights to a one-mile drive-thru experience. The show runs from November 17, 2023 – December 31, 2023 nightly from 6 pm – 10:30 pm.

Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden (November 18, 2023 – January 14, 2024) This massive light display includes colored orbs, model trains, and a glittery rain forest.

Christmas Town, USA in McAdenville, NC (December 1 – 26, 2023) This nearby town decks out completely for Christmas. You can either park and walk around the town or drive through (the 1.3 miles takes approximately 30-40 minutes to drive through). The lights are on nightly from 5:30 – 10 pm.
Read our review of Christmas Town, USA here.

World of Illuminations is taking place at one Atlanta area location this year, the Six Flags White Water park in Marietta (November 15th, 2023 – December 31st, 2023). This light display boasts over two million lights synchronized to music and has been named to the Forbes magazine list of Best Light Displays in the US.

• Enchanted Safari (Marietta, Georgia at Six Flags White Water)
  Starts at $40 per car

Read our review of World Of Illuminations Candy Rush here

Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland and Winterfest Village – This drive-thru light experience at the Tryon Equestrian International Center is a real family treat. The show runs nightly from November 17, 2023 – January 1, 2024, from 6-10 pm. The Winterfest Village is open weekends in December through December 23rd from 5-9 pm.

• Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland tickets start at $35 per car.
• Winterfest Village: Some activities are free but most require a wristband, which cost $10-$12 per child. Winterfest happens Friday Sunday 5-9 pm starting December 1, 2023 through December 17th and December 19th through December 23, 2023.

Smoky Mountain Event Center in Waynesville, NC ( 2023 TBA) This light display is a drive-thru and has lots of great twinkling lights for your family to enjoy. Tickets are $20/car and you need to choose a time for your reservation. Bonus: book a holiday tour of the alpaca farm and Santa visit at Winchester Creek farm, also in Waynesville.

Holiday Light Show at Oconee State Park (December 1, 2023- through January 10, 2024) Take a spin through the campground to enjoy light displays provided by the local community and businesses. Included with park admission.

Want to know what’s going on in Greenville over Christmas?

Just check our Ultimate Holiday Guide where we keep track of Santa, holiday storytimes, and more

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