I may not be a fan of winter weather, but I do love a family trip to one of these amazing light displays. There is something about lights even as an adult that brings me so much joy. Maybe a piece of it is seeing my little ones smile as we walk or drive through a light display or maybe it brings the child out in me during the holiday season. Either way, we love visiting the places on this list! Not only are they family-friendly, but they are infant and toddler-friendly, too. This year we have you covered with our guide to holiday lights in Central Mass and beyond.
Night Lights at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill (Boylston, MA)
November 23, 2024 to January 5, 2025
This is a winter light display like no other in the region! There is a mesmerizing array of radiant, colorful, and glowing lights, and new this year is an ice skating rink! They also have s’mores, seasonal drinks, a model train, shopping, and awesome photo opportunities for the entire family. It is one of the most spectacular light shows!
Southwick’s Zoo Winter Wonderland (Mendon, MA)
November 21, 2024 to December 29, 2024
New England’s favorite zoo (and ours too!) is transformed into a Winter Wonderland with illuminated lights and displays throughout the zoo. The experience is a MUST for everyone in Central Mass. Last year, we stayed for hours enjoying the lights and food! Santa was our kid’s favorite! The light displays are beautiful, and there are so many opportunities for photos.
Lancaster Celebration of Lights (Lancaster, MA)
November 29, 2024 to December 30, 2024
This lights display is a drive-thru of over 1 million LED lights featuring a 90-foot Christmas Tree and a 300-foot multi-colored tunnel. This glittering display is located in Lancaster. We visited for the first time last year, and it was well done! It was really easy to drive through and our little one kept saying “so many lights” the whole way through it!
Red Apple Farm Winter Festival (Phillipston, MA)
November 29, 2024 to December 31, 2024 (select evenings)
Once again, Red Apple Farm is hosting its annual Winter Festival. They have created a unique interactive light experience filled with many new features and interactive installations for the entire family to enjoy.
The winter festival includes food and beverages throughout the farm. They have a full BBQ-style restaurant (which is amazing!), brick oven pizza, The Cidery, and their farm store.
MAGIC OF LIGHTS® at Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA)
November 22, 2024 to December 25, 2024
MAGIC OF LIGHTS® is back bringing cheer to Gillette Stadium for the fourth time. A few years back we went as a family train of 4 cars through this drive-thru holiday experience, and it was magical. After we went through we went over to Gillette and grabbed dinner at one of the many amazing restaurants that way. If you time it right you could do the lights and ice skating at Gillette Stadium.
LaSalette Christmas Festival of Lights (Attleboro, MA)
November 23, 2024 to January 1, 2025
The “Christ Be Our Light” beautiful display of lights spans over 10 acres of property at the LaSalette Shrine. A little bit out of the Central Mass region but well worth the quick drive. Traffic and parking can get tricky during busy times because people from all over come to see this display, but the display lights up every evening from 5-9PM. It is well worth it! Make sure to head inside and grab a hot chocolate before your walk.
Festival of Lights at Edaville Family Theme Park (Carver, MA)
November 8, 2024 to December 31, 2024
One of New England’s oldest Christmas traditions is filled with steam trains, Christmas lights, food, local businesses and crafters, Santa, and vintage amusement rides. They have three different ticket options for your family to choose from Bronze, Silver, or Gold. And just a reminder that anyone under the age of 2 enters the park for free!
Amarante’s Winter Wonderland (Dayville, CT)
November 28, 2024 to January 1, 2025
If you live in south Central MA, you must take a trip to this beautiful display of lights located at a home! Yup, this display is a walk-thru in a family’s yard where you can see a stunning display of lights. With over 185,000 lights on display, a gift shop, and they partner with local non-profit organizations for charitable giving throughout their season. They are open daily from 5-9PM.
Holiday Lights Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo (Providence, RI)
November 29, 2024 to January 4, 2025
Their annual Holiday Lights Spectacular is a walk-through experience just in time for the holidays. It features 40 acres of larger-than-life luminous displays. This year they have over 3.5 million lights! We went a few years ago, and we absolutely loved it! We went during the week so it was pretty empty on a warmer night so it made for a perfect experience for both adults and kiddos!
Bright Nights at Forest Park (Springfield, MA)
November 27, 2024 to January 5, 2024 (closed 12/2-12/3)
Bright Nights at Forest Park is a bit of a drive out to western Massachusetts. Since 1995, this drive-through holiday experience has enchanted visitors with its wide variety of extravagant lighting displays. You can drive along the trail and experience the magic from 5-9PM.
We love seeing families come together and enjoy events like the ones listed above, so make sure to tag Central Mass Mom on Facebook and Instagram so we can hear all about the fun your family is having when visiting these light displays!
