Light up the night with incredible outdoor Christmas light displays! My family loves spending winter nights during the holidays driving around the Chicago suburbs viewing the beautiful displays put on by local neighbors.
We have the best Christmas lights near me to drive by. These Christmas light shows are illuminating the night and bringing joy to Chicago’s suburbs! So, pile in the car with a thermos of hot chocolate and a tin of Christmas cookies to see the beautiful displays our local families have created.
Take a self-led Christmas Lights Tour of the best holiday light displays in the Chicago suburbs with our driving routes with maps and details beneath each house showing you photos, the best viewing hours, and details about the displays that you aren’t going to want to miss. We encourage you to take a tour of a neighborhood near you, or try them all!
➡️ Want to submit your house for consideration? Please fill out this quick form and Nicole at team@mykidlist.com will follow up with you. We will be accepting submissions through December 10, 2023.
This guide is sponsored by Sparkle Light Festival and Sonny Acres Farm.
Sparkle Light Festival
Sparkle Light Festival
Impact Field
9850 Balmoral Avenue
Rosemont, IL 60018
Website | Facebook | Instagram
November 17 – December 31, 2023
Discover the ultimate holiday destination with Sparkle Light Festival at Impact Field in Rosemont! Open November 17 through December 31, immerse yourself in millions of sparkling lights as you stroll through illuminated villages with custom holiday features. Visit Santa Claus, ice-skate with friends, enjoy free train rides on the “Holly Trolly” train, go tubing down the Alpine Slide, and more! Bundle up and indulge in festive food and drink as you experience the area’s premier outdoor light festival. For tickets and more information visit SparkleRosemont.com!
Sonny Acres Farm’s Big & Bright Trail of Lights Festival
Big & Bright Trail of Lights Festival
Sonny Acres Farm
29W310 North Avenue
West Chicago, IL 60185
(630) 231-3859
Website | Facebook | Instagram
November 17 – December 31, 2023
Immerse yourself in holiday joy at Sonny Acres Farm’s Christmas Lights Show! Stroll through dazzling Christmas lights display at their Big & Bright Trail of Lights Festival. Experience the festive ambiance with a million twinkling lights synchronized to your favorite holiday tunes. Enjoy delicious food and delightful treats along the way. Capture the yuletide spirit with unique seasonal photo ops, including a Christmas Story House replica featuring the iconic “leg lamp.” Make lasting memories with your favorite people during this magical time of the year. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
While you are there, you can also enjoy the Christmas Market and photos with Santa! Sip on hot cocoa as you browse through over 20 crafters and maker vendors offering handmade candles, jewelry, winter apparel, blankets, accessories, Christmas ornaments, soaps, and more. Indulge your taste buds with delicious treats from our food vendors. Visit with Santa and a professional photographer will be there to capture the joy, and you can purchase prints on-site to treasure those moments forever.
This guide to amazing Christmas lights has grown so much over the years that we decided to divide the information by category to make it easier to browse.
You are currently looking through our guide to the Best Residential Light Displays, but if you are interested in incredible drive-through or walk-through lights hosted by organizations and businesses, click on the buttons below.
Map: Best Christmas Lights Near Me
Are you searching for “the best Christmas lights near me”? Check out this map! The locations are color coded by driving route so you can choose a house in the area you are interested in, then click or tap on the link to the route it’s on to be taken down to that section. Or scroll through all of the routes!
Each each house on each route is in order for the most efficient drive and as you scroll through the route, you can see all of the details of the display, including the address, hours, dates, and description. You can even tap on the address in the heading of each listing while you are on the route to automatically bring you to driving directions! Then come back to this article to go to the next house. We have it all planned out for you!
Try the nearest route near you, or try them all throughout the season. Happy Holidays!
Tap on one of the map markers below to see what the display looks like and what route it’s on. You can then jump directly to that route if you would like.
You can also use the buttons below to jump directly to the route you are interested in.
Driving Routes for the Best Christmas Lights in the Chicago Suburbs
We prepared routes for you so you can take lights tours of different areas across the Chicago suburbs! Simply check out the maps below to get your bearings and travel down the list of houses. Each heading has the lights display address and you can tap on that to be taken to GPS directions from your current location! They are all in order to maximize your enjoyment and minimize driving time.
The musical note symbol 🎶 denotes houses that have a musical component, including lights set to music playing outside or on the radio so you can tune in when you get there.
In general, these houses will be lit at dusk, but please note that most of the houses have given us starting dates, hours, guidelines, charities they are supporting, and descriptions, which are listed for each display.
As always, please be mindful of these residential neighborhoods. Drive safely, pick up your trash, and respect the neighboring houses as well.
➡️ Want to submit your house for consideration? Please fill out this quick form and Nicole at team@mykidlist.com will follow up with you. We will be accepting submissions through December 10, 2023.
Looking for more holiday or winter fun? You’ll want to check out our Winter Activities Guide and Holiday Fun Guide!
4 Comments. Leave new
Thank you so much for the effort. It means a lot to those of us who are young at heart.
Oh my God! This takes so much research! Amazing compilation Nicole. Kudos! Double Kudos!
Nicole, this is amazing! We take family “Light Rides” every year and have used your site the last two years. We used to make our own “tours” but now we just follow yours! Thank you so much! Merry Christmas!
Kidlist never disappoints us anytime with their massive collection of ideas. Every effort spent by Team Kidlist and specially Nicole deserves a big THANK YOU and APPRECIATION from our Family! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!