9 Holiday Light Displays That Dazzle

Whether you’re looking for something close to home or a quick road trip away, don’t miss the glow and glory of these spectacles.
Cheryl De Leon,
2 Holiday Lights

Nothing says “holidays” quite like the glow of twinkling lights—whether it’s the shimmer of a Christmas tree, the soft flicker of menorah candles or the warm welcome of your parents’ house as you pull into the driveway for a seasonal visit. These days, holiday lights have become their own art form, with neighbors, businesses and organizations creating displays that turn ordinary streets into little pockets of magic.

Ready to bask in the glow? You don’t have to travel far—some of the brightest, most festive displays are right outside your door:

Stay close to home:

  • Bergen County’s Winter Wonderland. This beloved tradition at Van Saun Park in Paramus is back for another year with ice skating, ice bumper cars and a giant tree all done up in sparkling lights.
  • Let It Glow. Also in Paramus, the Bergen County Zoo puts on its yearly holiday lantern spectacular. Stop by to see 40 bright, animal-themed lantern scenes, plus s’mores, fire pits and a seasonal train ride.
  • Orchard of Lights. At Demarest Farms in Hillsdale, you can drive through 32 acres of holiday lights set to festive music from your radio. Don’t forget to grab some cocoa and see Santa before you leave!
  • Residential neighborhoods. Your neighbors here in Bergen County also go above and beyond and transform their front yards into jaw-dropping displays filled with holiday cheer. You can check out the 200 block of Forest Avenue in Lyndhurst, the “candy cane” house on Hillman Avenue in Glen Rock, Berkley Place, New Milford and Washington avenues in Dumont and Madison Avenue in Ramsey.

Take a road trip:

  • The New York Botanical Gardens’ Holiday Train Show. You can wander through the indoor Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and see plant-based replicas of famed local architecture, creating a miniature cityscape where model trains and trolleys chug merrily along.
  • The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights. See one of the nation’s most celebrated zoos transformed. Millions of twinkling lights invite you and your family to explore paths of life-sized animal lanterns, plus costumed performers and more.
  • PNC Bank Arts Center’s Magic of Lights. Take exit 116 on the Garden State Parkway to Holmdel 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.
  • East Brunswick’s Winter WonderLights. The largest animated light display in the Garden State, this show has been a tradition for more than two decades. Drive through 2 million sparkling lights that form tunnels, candy canes and your favorite holiday characters.
  • Westchester’s Winter Wonderland. Over in Valhalla, New York, you can drive all 1.2 miles of this light display while storytelling narration and music streams to you from a convenient app on your phone. Make sure you visit Santa as well!

What are your favorite holiday light displays? Make sure you show them off on Instagram @bergenmagnj!

Categories: Bergen Health & Life