38 New England Holiday Light Attractions to Visit at Night!

11/26/19 by

New England is filled with one-time parades and festivals. Here are our recommendations for ongoing holiday light events! You drive through a park or walk garden grounds through thousands of light displays, often with Santa available for photos, theme park rides, or a fire pit.

 

Attractions

 
Boston Metro
Winterlights at the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate
Canton, MA
500,000 lights, indoor / outdoor at a historic estate with a fire pit, garden, and forest trail”
Stone Zoo’s Zoolights
Stoneham, MA
Winter wonderland of tree-lined paths lit by thousands of twinkling lights. Animals, including reindeer, and Santa. A magical holiday world filled with fairy tale characters and dancing plush animals.”
 
Metro West
Massachusetts Horticultural Societys Festival of Trees and Snow Village
Wellesley, MA
Indoor decorated trees and model train, but outdoor gardens to stroll and horse-drawn rides.”
A Little Women Christmas at Orchard House
Concord, MA
Re-enactors portraying historical characters found in “”Little Women””.”
 
South Shore
Marshfield Holiday Light Show
Marshfield, MA
It’s the only drive-through holiday light spectacular in eastern Massachusetts, featuring dozens of dazzling, larger-than-life holiday themed displays.
A Spirited Winter Village at Plimoth Plantation
Plymouth, MA
Enter the house of an English family celebrating Christmas, and then another of a Puritan Family. From there, stroll to our Visitor Center, transformed to showcase the ‘gifts of Christmas’. Sample gingerbread and learn about the craft of candle making. You will then meet a very special guide who will prepare you to meet Queen Elizabeth! Your Majesty may call upon you, the members of her court, to perform for her!”
Edaville Railroad’s Christmas Festival of Lights
Carver, MA
Arguably the most-loved festival of its kind, having earned generations of loyal fans. Passengers relax comfortably in warm and dry coaches while riding through a spectacular holiday setting featuring an explosion of lights.”
 
Southeast Mass
Middleborough Festival Of Lights
Middleborough, MA
Drive-through acres with 200,000 lights, Santa and the Grinch, stroll the village, model trains, alpacas, cabin decorating contest.”
La Salette Shrine Festival of Lights
Attleboro, MA
More than 300,000 lights covering 10 acres. Very religious.”
Mytoi Illumination
Edgartown, MA
Stroll a Japanese-inspired garden on Martha’s Vineyard after-dark, warm yourself by the fire, and enjoy holiday treats
 
Worcester
Night Lights: Winter Reimagined
Boylston, MA
Daytime and evening lights at this botanical garden, with smores and additional special Christmas events.”
Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village
Sturbridge, MA
Gingerbread contest, live music, storytelling, sleigh rides, festive foods, bonfire, stroll the 19th century decorated village. Nightly tree lighting, Father Christmas, Santa Claus.
 
Lowell
Winterlights at the Stevens-Coolidge Place
North Andover, MA
75,000 lights throughout the gardens, orchards, and grounds, with performances and activities for kids and adults. Santa and ice princesses nights, fire dancer, local choirs.”
 
Rhode Island
Blackstone Valley Polar Express Train Ride
Woonsocket, RI
90-minute train ride, Santa, sing-a-longs.”
Pawtucket Winter Wonderland
Pawtucket, RI
Walking trail with 400 decorated trees, twenty Victorian buildings, 18-foot-tall snowman, Santa, train rides, hay rides, carousel, food court, dance and live music. Opening day has a parade. Cars forbidden for main event over two weekends, but can drive through any other night.”
Christmas at the Newport Mansions
Newport, RI
Three mansions are decorated for regular tours, one day each for The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms has Santa.”
 
Cape Cod
Heritage Museum Gardens Aglow
Sandwich, MA
Garden and museums lit for Xmas. Carolers, fire pit, model trains, Santa in Model T Ford, Mrs. Claus, giant Lite Brites, roast marshmallows, reindeer scavenger hunt, live music, carousel, ice carving.”
Train To Christmas Town
Buzzards Bay, MA
Elves, music, train ride to magical lighted town.”
 
Berkshires
Winterlights at Naumkeag
Stockbridge, MA
110,000 lights throughout the garden rooms and grounds, including the iconic Fletcher Steele-designed Blue Steps, with performances and activities for kids and adults. Santa and ice princesses nights.”
 
New Hampshire
Santa’s Holiday Express
North Conway, NH
Two-hour train ride to the North Pole Theater and back. Hot chocolate, Santa, elves.”
Gift of Lights at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, NH
See how over-the-top decorating looks while being able to brag youve driven around the track.
Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke
Portsmouth, NH
Guided Holiday House Tours at this re-enactment museum focusing on the 18th century. This event features live music, a bonfire, participatory caroling, performances on period instruments, Masonry, hundreds of candles, a gingerbread house contest, and more.”
Christmas at Canterbury
Canterbury, NH
Candlelight stroll through the Village, old-time magic show, horse-drawn wagon rides, silent film with live organ. Father Christmas, hot cider, fiddlers.”
Lighted Winter Wonderland & Santas Big Party at Charmingfare Farm
Candia, NH
Lighted Winter Wonderland isa separate event. 30-minutes horse-drawn ride through thousands of lights. Santa, costumed characters, train ride to live reindeer, petting zoo. Takes 2 hours.”
 
Connecticut
Lantern Light Tours
Mystic, CT
Theatre show that moves you to several locations in this 19th-century maritime village museum. Horse-drawn carriage ride, a spirited holiday dance, the beautiful glow of lanterns, Santa.”
Holiday Light Fantasia
Hartford, CT
2-mile drive-through park event with 1,000,000 night-time lights.”
Winterfest and the Tunnel of Lights
East Windsor, CT
Trolley ride, Santa.”
Fantasy of Lights
New Haven, CT
Drive-through park with 60 attractions that include 100,000 lights.”
North Pole Express at Essex Steam Train
Essex, CT
Train ride with live music, Santa and Mrs. Claus, sing-a-longs, hot chocolate.”
Northern Lights Limited and Santa Express
Thomaston, CT
Indoor / outdoor festival of lights with train right and Santa’s Train Workshop. Mrs. Claus, elves.”
Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce
Bristol, CT
Thousands of bulbs and spectacular light shows every half hour set to music. A selection of children’s and family rides will be open. Santa.
Festival of Silver Lights at Hubbard Park
Meriden, CT
Dawn to dusk. No admission, just you drive through this decorated park with 350,000 twinkling lights and more than 200 figures and buildings.”
Shore Line Trolly Winter Wonderland
East Haven, CT
Trolley ride to Santa, model trains, holiday lights.”
 
Maine
Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Boothbay, ME
Outdoor walk through a garden with more than 650,000 lights”
Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude
Kennebunkport, ME
Wow! Creative 10 days of individual events such as tree lighting, caroling, bonfires, “”hat”” parade, trolley & boat rides, Santa arrives by lobster boat and fire engine, fireworks, bell ringing, candlelight procession, ice sculptures, dog parade.”
Ogunquit Christmas by the Sea
Ogunquit, ME
Weekend festival with two parades, beach bonfire, fireworks, polar plunge, live music, tree lighting.”
Northern Lights Celebration at L.L. Bean
Freeport, ME
Nighttime forest path, tree lighting, model trains, horse-drawn rides, Santa, reindeeer.”