Holiday Light Shows in NJ 2026: Drive-Throughs, Walks and Train Rides

New Jersey does holiday lights three ways: from your car, on foot, or from a little train. Here are the 2026 shows we have confirmed, from the Holmdel drive-through that runs past New Year's to a lit-up petting farm in Boonton Township. Every date and price below was read on the organizer's own site on November 1 or 6. Most shows sell tickets online and the best nights go first, so book ahead, and check the official page before you go.

Drive-through shows

Magic of Lights, Holmdel

A drive-through on the grounds of the PNC Bank Arts Center, one price for the whole carload.

November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027: 5 to 10 PM Sunday to Thursday, 5 to 11 PM Friday and Saturday
From $22 a car online for a November visit ($30 at the gate); a $29.99 ticket good for any night is sold online until November 19; $89.99 season pass

Winter WonderLights, East Brunswick

The Middlesex County Fairgrounds turned into a drive-through light show every night of the season. Tickets are for a date, not a time, so come whenever it suits you that night.

Nightly, November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 5:30 to 10 PM (the gate closes at 9:45)
$39.99 a car Monday to Thursday, $49.99 Friday to Sunday, more on Thanksgiving and Christmas week; $5 off for cash

Diggerland, West Berlin

A 1.5-mile drive through Diggerland USA, with tunnels, animated scenes and the park's construction machines decked out in lights.

Most evenings from November 20, 5:30 to 9 or 9:30 PM
From $37.99 a car

Skylands Stadium, Augusta

About half an hour of drive-through lights at Skylands Stadium, then park and walk the Christmas Village, which is free to enter (food and Santa photos cost extra). Plan on two hours for both.

Select dates, November 21 to December 30
$29 a carload for a reserved date and time, online only; $79 VIP with the express lane and no reservation

Orchard of Lights, Hillsdale

A 20 to 25 minute tour by car through the lights at Demarest Farms, with the Winter Lights Petting Zoo and a visit with Santa included.

November 21 to December 29
$59 a car, by reservation only (no tickets at the farm market)

Merry Mile of Lights, Holmdel

A drive-through mile of lights at A. Casola Farms, with the Merry Lit Walking Trail included in the price.

Friday to Sunday from November 27, 5:30 to 9:30 PM
$45 a car

Night of Lights, Mullica Hill

See the lights at Creamy Acres Farm from your own car or from a family hayride, then head inside to meet Santa.

From Friday, November 27
Tickets online ahead; the nights and prices are on the farm's site

Lighting Up Nature, Beachwood

Ocean County Parks' own drive-through at Jakes Branch County Park, for four nights only.

December 11 to 14
Details on the Ocean County Parks special events page

On foot

Holiday Lights at Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange

A free winter stroll through Turtle Back Zoo past more than 50 lit winter and animal characters, with Santa on hand (no appointment needed). The igloos by the picnic area need a reservation.

November 20 to 22 and 27 to 29, then nightly December 4 to 31 (closed December 24 and 25), 5 to 9 PM
Free, no reservation needed; some attractions and food cost extra

Winter Wonderland, Cream Ridge

The tulip fields at Holland Ridge Farms become a walk-through "glowing sea of tulips" for the winter.

November 13 to January 10
Tickets online

The Village at Anne Ellen, Manalapan

A hayride through the tree fields of Anne Ellen Christmas Tree Farm to The Village, a lit Christmas village you walk through after dark.

Select nights, November 6 to December 30, from 5 PM
Timed tickets, online only; weekends usually sell out

Barnyard Under the Stars, Boonton Township

Brookhollow's Barnyard lights up its petting farm on weekend evenings: walk among the animals, ride the little holiday train and buy a bucket of carrots for the animals.

Friday to Sunday, November 27 to December 27, 4 to 7:30 PM
$8.50 at the door (under 2 free); the train is $3 on Fridays and Saturdays

Holiday in the Park, Jackson

Six Flags Great Adventure turns into Holiday in the Park, with light displays and live shows, and most rides included with park admission.

Select dates, November 21, 2026 to January 3, 2027; check the park calendar for the days and hours
Included with park admission; guests 65 and over get in free

Holiday Lights at Carm's Farm, Colts Neck

A walk-through of holiday lights at Carm's Farm on Route 537, with Santa photos from November 27.

Fridays to Sundays from November 20; the farm closes for the season December 31
Hours and prices for the lights are not posted yet; check the farm's event calendar

Winter Wonderland at Congress Hall, Cape May

The historic Congress Hall hotel decks its grounds in twinkling lights, with a carousel, holiday treats and Santa.

November 27 to December 31: Thursday 3 to 8 PM, Friday 2 to 9 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 10 PM, Sunday 11 AM to 7 PM
Special holiday hours may apply, so check the hotel's page

Lights That Give Back, Farmingdale

A free walk on the trails at Ludwig Family Farms on Lemon Road, near Allaire: thousands of lights, photo spots and a Giving Grove, with surprise visits from Santa. Donations go to four local causes, from the Howell Emergency Food Pantry to Shore Saves Animal Rescue.

December 4 to 6, 11 to 13, 18 to 20, 23, 26 and 27, 5 to 9 PM, weather permitting
Free; donations welcome, not required

Light shows by train

DiDonato's Magical Holiday Express, Hammonton

An outdoor train ride through a lit holiday village at DiDonato Family Fun Center, then Santa's Workshop indoors.

November 14, 15, 20 to 22 and 27 to 29, then daily December 4 to 23; trains from 4:45 PM
$22.95 to $27.95 a person online, for a set time; it often sells out

Holiday Lights Train at Maple Leaf Farms, Manalapan

Santa's Village at Maple Leaf Farms runs a nighttime Holiday Lights Train and bonfires on weekend evenings, plus reindeer rides and a walk-through with Santa.

November 27 to December 24; the lights train runs Friday and Saturday 5:30 to 9 PM and Sunday 5:30 to 8 PM
$25 a person for the lights train, $35 for the night bundle; tickets at the farm only

Opening soon

Bergen County's Winter Wonderland returns to Van Saun County Park in Paramus on Friday, November 20; its hours and prices are not posted yet. Christmas Fantasy with Lights at Storybook Land, Let It Glow at the Bergen County Zoo, the light show on the lake at Historic Smithville and GLOW in Sicklerville come back every year, but we could not confirm their 2026 dates yet. We will add them to the calendar when we do.

Make a day of it

Most shows start at dusk, around 5 PM, so they pair well with an afternoon outside: walk a park nearby or pick out a tree at a cut-your-own farm, then drive or stroll the lights after dark. Dress warm, and check each show's page for weather closings before you head out.