Visiting an extravagant Christmas light display is one of the best things about the holidays, but one of the downsides is that it can get pretty chilly when you visit an outdoor display. Instead of braving the cold, these eight drive-thru light displays allow you to feel all of the holiday cheer without the runny nose and cold toes.
Bull Run Festival of Lights
Through January 4, 5:30–9:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 5:30–10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays
Northern Virginia’s only drive-thru holiday light display is one of the most popular holiday attractions year after year. The 2.5-mile drive features displays of all sizes around every corner, from Santa’s Flight School to a winter wonderland. Once you are at the end, jump out of the car and extend your evening at the festival’s carnival. Bull Run Regional Park: 7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville, $30 online, $40 at the door, $75 for 15-plus passenger buses
Illuminate Light Show & Santa’s Village
Through January 3, 5:30–10 p.m.
If you’re heading to enjoy the festivities at Kings Dominion, make sure to stop next door at the Meadow Event Park to experience the state’s largest drive-thru synchronized light show. The whole car will be in awe of this holiday spectacle as more than 3 million lights will dazzle and dance along the route. Stop by Santa’s Village afterward to meet St. Nick and enjoy games and rides. 13111 Dawn Blvd., Doswell; $30–$200 depending on how many people and the size of the vehicle
Lights by the Mountainside
Through December 28, 6–9 p.m.
Enjoy a night full of lights and help a good cause when you visit Lights by the Mountainside. The drive-thru display on Fridays through Sundays helps raise money for scholarships and nonprofit groups. Once you’ve entered the park, you can drive through the lights as many times as you’d like. Each weekend, the event hosts different activities and guests, like Santa Claus and the Frostburg Dance Academy. Allegany County Fairgrounds: 11490 Moss Ave., Cumberland, Maryland; $5 per car
Winter Lights Festival
Through December 31, 6–9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 6–10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Each year, Seneca Creek State Park in Maryland’s Montgomery County transforms into a winter wonderland during the holiday season. The 3.5-mile trail winds cars through more than 450 lighted displays and trees. Watch out for flying reindeer, smiling snowmen, and scenes from your favorite holiday stories and songs. Seneca Creek State Park: 11950 Clopper Rd., Gaithersburg, Maryland, $15 weekdays, $25 weekends, $35 for 15-plus passenger vehicles
Lights on the Bay MD
Through January 1, 5–9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5–10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
The annual Annapolis, Maryland, display is celebrating three decades of its holiday tradition. The 2-mile trail consists of 70 animated and static light creations along the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to the lights, the park hosts a kids’ scavenger hunt and has 3-D glasses and concessions available for purchase to help keep the little ones entertained. A portion of the sales benefits the SPCA of Anne Arundel County. Sandy Point State Park: 1100 E. College Pkwy., Annapolis, Maryland; $20–$50 depending on the size of the vehicle
Merriweather Symphony of Lights
Through January 3, 6–10 p.m. on weeknights; 5–10 p.m. on weekends
During the summer, Merriweather Post Pavilion is a beacon for live concerts. But once the holiday season starts, it transforms into a must-visit holiday light display. Take the drive through the festive pavilion for a light display like no other. The concert venue also hosts walk-through nights on select dates. Merriweather Post Pavilion: 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia, Maryland, $25 per car
Holiday Lights at the Beach
Through December 31, 5:30–10 p.m.
It’s not often you get to drive on the boardwalk in Virginia Beach, but while this display is up, you can do just that. You’ll drive through the nation’s largest and longest LED light tunnel at this display. See surfing Santa, a 40-foot dancing light Christmas tree, musical crabs, jumping fish, and other nautical-themed lights. No people are allowed on the boardwalk while the light show is happening. Tickets are for select dates and times and should be purchased in advance. Second Street at the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, $31–$85 depending on the size of the vehicle
Hagerstown City Park Lighting
Through December 31, 5–11 p.m.
Tune in to 90.3 FM and drive through Hagerstown City Park for a free synchronized light and music show. Before or after enjoying the drive-thru experience, hop out of the car for free, family-friendly activities like a petting zoo, a donut and hot chocolate tent, fire dancing, and live ice sculptures on select dates. Hagerstown City Park: 501 Virginia Ave., Hagerstown, Maryland, free
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Feature image of Bull Run Festival of Lights by Emily Sohl
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