6 Drive-Thru Light Shows + Pro Help For Home Displays

These half-dozen drive-through holiday displays (one here in Bergen) are worth the drive to nearby counties. Plus, check out three Bergen-based companies that will install a light display at your home.
Cheryl De Leon,
1 Drive Thru Lights

 

Holiday light displays are one of the joys of the season, and while your neighborhood may have some standouts, checking out truly stellar ones may require a drive. But isn’t the smile on your kids’ faces worth the time and gas? 

Here are a half-dozen drive-through holiday light shows spanning the Garden State that are the perfect way to get festive for the season. Check them out in honor of Christmas Lights Day on Dec. 1, or any time this month to get in the spirit.

  • Augusta, Skylands Stadium, Christmas Light Show & Village. Enjoy more than 2 million lights spread out over a 1-mile drive-through course in and around the stadium. When you’re finished driving, be sure to check out the Ferris wheel, skating rink and beer garden. Admission is $29 per car; closed on Dec. 24 and 25. 
  • East Brunswick, Middlesex County Fairgrounds, Winter WonderLights. New Jersey’s largest animated light show features more than 1.5 million lights that are synchronized to holiday music. Admission is $30 per car. 
  • Hillsdale, Demarest Farms, Orchard of Lights. Take a leisurely drive through this Bergen County farm’s 32 acres, which are decorated with blinking lights, Santa, snowmen and much more. Once your tour is done (or before your time slot), stop by the market for s’mores and hot chocolate. Admission is $35 per car; closed Dec. 24 and 25.
  • Holmdel, PNC Bank Arts Center, Magic of Lights. Take exit 116 on the Garden State Parkway and line up for this dazzling display of LED lights, digital animations, holiday scenes and characters. The drive-through show takes cars around the concert venue’s campus. Advance tickets are $20 per car on weekdays, $25 per car for weekends and $60 for limos. 
  • Newark, Newark Moonlight Cinema, Dasher’s Lightshow. Take the family on a 30-minute tour of the cinema campus, which is decked out with animated lights, characters and holiday images that are choreographed to music. Admission is $29.95 per car; closed Dec. 24 and 25. 
  • West Berlin, Diggerland, HoliDIG Light Show. America’s only construction-themed amusement park is now in its third year of drive-through light shows, and 2022’s is longer and brighter than before. Holiday displays, tunnels, lit-up trucks and Diggerland’s own accompanying radio station that syncs to the show will get your crew into the holiday spirit. Admission is $34.95 per car; closed most Monday and Tuesday nights. 

If you would rather (or want to additionally) deck out your own home with a memorable light show, check out these Bergen-based companies that will work with you to design your dream display, and install it to your liking.

  • Christmas Décor of Rutherford will come up with a design that’s customized to your home and preferences, as well as hang all their exterior lights outside of your home. 201.966.3678
  • Christmas Designers of New Jersey in Cliffside Park does indoor and outdoor residential light design, and will work with you throughout the entire process. They’ll install the lights you agreed upon, as well as take them down once the season is over. 201.966.7256
  • JVS Christmas Lighting in Westwood lets you choose from pre-designed setups, or you can create your own LED light display to meet your specifications. They also offer ground lighting, which illuminates your driveway or walkway for an extra special effect. 844.642.XMAS (9627)

 What light shows will you be checking out this month in New Jersey? Tell us on Instagram @bergenmagnj!

Categories: Bergen Health & Life, Homepage Features