From the little ones to the young at heart, there’s an undeniable thrill in witnessing the dazzling spectacle of Christmas lights that illuminate the nights leading up to the big day. So, throw on your coziest winter gear, jump in the car, and embark on a merry journey to explore the most splendid Christmas lights in Dayton. Trust us, it’s a ride you won’t want to miss!
Best Christmas Lights Around Dayton:
Christmas Light Show at Coney Island
Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, OH
When: November 10, 2023- December 31, 2023 (every night)
Cost: $30.00 per carload (up to 8 passengers) Valid any night; Group Pricing | For vehicles carrying 9-15 people: $50 Sundays through Thursdays or $100 on Fridays and Saturdays. | For busloads of 16+ people: $75 Sundays through Thursdays or $150 Fridays and Saturdays.
Times: Runs nightly from dusk until 10:00pm
Coney Island’s Nights of Lights stands as the region’s grandest and most impressive drive-through holiday light extravaganza! Families can enjoy the magic of over 2 million lights, all choreographed to delightful and festive holiday tunes, while staying cozy and sheltered from the elements.
Guests of all ages and varying mobilities will be spellbound by colossal Christmas trees, radiant snowflakes, playful dancing candy canes, enchanting light tunnels, and much more!
Downtown Jingle Lights
Main Street, Third Street, and Monument Avenue | Dayton, OH
When: November 24, 2023 – January 1, 2024
Cost: Free
See downtown streets transformed into an interactive, drive-thru light show, choreographed to the beat of your favorite holiday tunes! Tune your radio to 97.1 FM as you drive the route. Free. Sponsored by AES Ohio.
Holiday Lights at Lost Creek Reserve
Lost Creek Reserve, 2385 OH-41 | Troy, OH 45373
When: Open weekends November 25 thru December 23
Cost: $10 per vehicle at the gate. Cash only and $30 per 15 passenger van.
Times: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays from 6 to 9 pm
Be transported into a winter wonderland filled with over 60 light displays, many of which are animated! The 1.25-mile driving tour takes you through the woods, down charming farm lanes and past the historic Knoop Homestead aglow with lights. Make this enchanted experience part of your holiday traditions.
Pyramid Hill Lights
Pyramid Hill, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Rd., Hamilton, OH
When: November 17 – December 31, 2023
Cost: $25/carload for non-members and $15/carload for members
Times: Tuesdays to Thursdays: 6PM – 9PM | Fridays to Sundays: 6PM – 10PM | Closed to the public on Mondays
“Best holiday light show in the tristate!…”. With over one million lights, scenic displays, and installations by local artists, all experienced from the comfort of your car, Pyramid Hill Lights is the ultimate holiday experience.
Woodland Lights
Countryside Park, 895 Miamisburg Centerville Rd, Washington Township, OH 45459
When: November 17 – December 30, 2023 (weekends only)
Cost: $9 – Purchase tickets in advance online or on the night of! Children 2 and under are free.
Times: 6-9 pm | Gate closes at 8:30 pm
Woodland Lights offers a fantasy land of holiday lights and displays along the half-mile paved path. The month-long festival has more lights, more vignettes, and the same winter whimsy that enchants thousands of visitors each year.
Gift of Lights at Christmas Ranch
Christmas Ranch, 3205 S. Waynesville Road, Morrow, OH
When: November 17 – December 23, 2023
Cost: $37 per carload | $47 per oversized van (10+ visitors) (Save $5 when you make reservations online)
Times: See times here.
To call this a ranch is an understatement. This is a country all its own. More than 350,000 animated lights are synchronized to music. Most of the ranch is accessible by car but there’s also a pedestrian-only Christmas Village with six shops. Train and wagon rides run most evenings and Santa visits for pictures from 5-9 pm.
ParkLights at Caesar Ford Park
Caesar Ford Park, 520 South Stringtown Rd, Xenia,OH
When: December 1 – December 31, 2023
Cost: FREE
Times: 6-9pm
Forget deck the halls, we’ve decked the park with dazzling lights! You’ll wind your way through our Winter Wonderland, North Pole Car Show, Winter Farm, and Festive Festival, then wave to Santa at the North Pole. Drive through once, and you’ll want to do it again.
Festival of Lights Cincinnati Zoo
When: November 17 – January 7, 2024
Cost: Save money and time when you buy tickets online here!
Times: Sunday – Thursday: 10am – 9pm | Friday – Saturday – 10am – 10pm | PNC Festival of Lights Activities begin at 4pm
The Cincinnati Zoo will still be shining bright as we’re once again transformed into a “Wild Wonderland” for the 41st annual PNC Festival of Lights! Come early for more animals and stay for the lights!
In addition to admiring the beauty of 4 million LED lights, visitors can find the 5 Fiona fairies in Fairyland, take in a blacklight puppet show, marvel at the spectacular Wild Lights show on Swan Lake, or snack at one of two S’mores-n-More stands.
A Christmas Glow at Land of Illusion
Land of Illusion, 8762 Thomas Rd, Middletown, OH 45042
When: November 22 – December 30, 2023
Cost: $12 per person
Times: 6 – 10pm
Celebrate the season at The Christmas Glow, over 3.8 million lights at the 2-mile long Christmas Around the World drive-thru experience, visit Santa at the Christmas Village Santa Workshop or just take in the majestic lights of the 45-foot Christmas Tree as you and yours warm by the gas fire pits.
A Carillon Christmas
Carillon Historical Park, 1000 Carillon Blvd, Dayton
When: November 21 – December 30, 2023
Cost: $14 (Adults), $12 ( Seniors ages 60+), $10 (Ages 3-17) Free for ages under 3, Free for Dayton History members.
Times: Sunday – Thursday: 5:00pm – 9:00pm | Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Join them for A Carillon Christmas to see Carillon Historical Park’s 65-acre campus transformed into a winter wonderland of sparkle, magic, and holiday cheer!
Legendary Lights at Clifton Mill
Clifton Mill, 75 Water St. Clifton, OH
When: November 24 – December 30, 2023
Cost: Admission is $15 per person for everyone age 4 and older. Children 3 and under get in Free!
Times: Gates open every day at 5 pm, the lights come on at 6 pm. Gates close at 9 pm; lights go off 30 minutes after gates close.
For 35 years Clifton Mill has celebrated the Christmas season in a very special way. Our light display, featured in Midwest Living and Ohio Magazine, is one of the country’s finest with over 4 million lights illuminating the mill, the gorge, the riverbanks, trees and bridges. There is even a 100 foot “waterfall” of twinkling lights. The flip of one switch turns all the lights on at once transforming night into a fantastical winter wonderland which includes a Miniature Village, a Santa Claus Museum, a Toy Collection and a spectacular synchronized lights and music show that features the old Covered Bridge.
Every night until the night before Christmas Eve you can peek into Santa’s Workshop to see a live Santa at work and then, every 15 minutes or so, watch him check his list and go up the chimney to load his sleigh.
Light up Middletown
Smith Park, 500 Tytus Avenue, Middletown, OH
When: November 23 – December 31, 2023
Cost: You set the price, admission by cash donation.
Times: Every night from 6-10pm
A season’s fantasyland of holiday lights at Smith Park in Middletown. Your journey begins with a tunnel of lights. This driving tour has an abundance of themed areas. You’ll encounter a floating sea serpent in the lake, Santa’s workshop and sleigh, a penguin village and plenty more festive fun. Deer leap over the road and there are surprises around each sparkling turn.
