Brew the hot cocoa and buckle up!
With the days getting shorter, there’s something truly magical about driving around to look at Christmas lights this time of year – for kids and adults alike.
This holiday season, we found 15 dazzling holiday light displays that your whole family will love. From the Holiday Lights Festival in downtown Milwaukee to Country Christmas in Pewaukee, you’re sure to find something in the Milwaukee area that will get you into the holiday spirit.
Whether you decide to take in the beauty of the season from the warmth of your car or while strolling in the crisp winter air, the kids are sure to delight in these spectacular holiday lights displays:
1. Wild Lights at Milwaukee County Zoo
Location: 10001 W Bluemound Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226
Dec. 1-31; except closed Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 24, and 25
5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (admission gates close at 8:15 p.m.)
milwaukeezoo.org
For the third year, the Zoo will transform into an illuminated destination, letting guests enjoy an enchanted evening under the stars while they stroll along a 1-mile path filled with vibrant, animal-themed light displays.
There will be hundreds of thousands of glittering lights throughout the forests and pathways – even more than in 2022! Expect sparkling sculptures of a gorilla, gazelle, rhino, zebras, and a dazzling peacock photo opportunity.
The carousel and Safari Train will be running (weather permitting), and festive food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Wild Lights Wednesdays (Dec. 6, 13, 20 only)
Adult or Child: $12 at the gate and online; no additional discount for Zoological Society members
New This Year: Wild Lights Drive Thru (Dec. 3, 10, 17, 18, 19 only)
Advance, online tickets only*
Carload: $40
Zoological Society members save 20% online with code jolly and member ID. Discount must be applied at the time of purchase.
*Because of the nature of this experience, entry is only at the purchased time.
3. The Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights
Location: Jellystone Park Camp-Resort, 8425 Hwy 38, Caledonia, WI 53108
Dates: Saturday, Nov 18, 2023 – Monday, Jan 1, 2024 (Closed 11/23-11/24 and Christmas Day)
wichristmascarnival.com
Just 20 minutes south of Milwaukee, the Christmas Carnival of Lights bills itself as “the Midwest’s biggest, brightest, and most dazzling brightest drive-through holiday light show,” with more than 2 million colorful lights covering a 1.6-mile path through the campground.
Here’s what to look forward to:
- Travel Modes: Cruise through in your vehicle, hop aboard Santa’s 43-seat GIANT Sleigh, or enjoy the Golf Cart Holiday Train, accommodating six passengers for a breezy adventure.
- Unique Experiences:
- The ‘Oh What Fun it is to Run 5K’ is back! Walk or run through the light show, and seize special photo opportunities. Plus, post-race festivities at Santa’s Workshop await.
- Revel in Breakfast With Santa on weekends from December 2nd to December 17th at 10006 7 Mile Rd. Feast on pancakes, create holiday crafts, meet Santa, and enjoy a live book reading.
- Meet Santa after the light show from Tuesday to Saturday until December 23rd. On Sundays and Mondays, embark on Santa Sleigh Rides.
- More To Do: Delight in handcrafted hot cocoa by the fire pits, stroll through the ‘Winter Walk of Lights’, shop at the Firefly Boutique, and interact with characters from “Evy the Evergreen Finds His Shine”.
- Special Nights: Bring your pets for a special drive-through experience on November 22nd, with outdoor photo sessions with Santa.
- Charity: Partnering with Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin, $1 from every car admission supports their noble cause.
- Special Discounts: Various community appreciation nights are lined up for teachers, military personnel, seniors, and service members in late November.
- Hours & Fees: 5PM–9PM on Sunday–Thursday, 5PM–11PM on Friday and Saturday. Entry is $30/car (up to eight people).
For more details, tickets, and reservations, visit wichristmascarnival.com or follow the Christmas Carnival of Lights on social media.
3. Candy Cane Lane
Location: West Allis between 92nd-96th St. and between Montana Avenue and Oklahoma Avenue.
Dates: November 24th – December 25th, 2023
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 6-9 p.m.; Friday 6-10 p.m.; Saturday 5-10 p.m.; Sunday 5-9 p.m.
Entry fee: At-will donation to the MACC Fund
candycanelanewi.com
There’s no better way to celebrate the holiday season in Milwaukee than with a visit to Candy Cane Lane. It is the perfect holiday tradition for any family who loves Christmas lights. Just look for the candy canes!
Grab some hot cocoa-to-go, and drive over to this brightly lit West Allis neighborhood (bordered by Montana Avenue on the north, Oklahoma Avenue to the south, 96th Street to the west, and 92nd Street on the east.)
You’ll enter to find a winter wonderland with candy cane-wrapped trees and more than 300 houses full of festive holiday lights. You can drive (with your lights on) or walk through for a chance to see Mr. and Mrs. Claus spreading holiday cheer.
Residents in the neighborhood began decorating their houses in the 1980’s to cheer up a local boy who had been diagnosed with cancer. He survived and lives in New Berlin today.
You can leave a donation for the MACC fund (which fights childhood cancer) at 95th and Manitoba.
4. Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival
Location: Downtown Milwaukee, including Pere Marquette Park, Cathedral Square Park, and Zeidler Union Square, Wisconsin Avenue
Dates: November 16, 2023 – January 1, 202
Entry fee: FREE
milwaukeedowntown.com
For 25 seasons, the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival has made spirits bright in the city of Milwaukee with its animated sculptures, interactive displays and twinkling street décor.
Take a stroll or a drive and experience the brilliance of more than 500,000 lights throughout downtown’s parks and streets, including Pere Marquette Park, Cathedral Square Park, Zeidler Union Square, and sparking chandeliers on E. Wisconsin Ave. You can also drop off your Christmas list in Santa’s Mailbox at Cathedral Square Park (November 7th – December 17th, 2023).
Don’t miss the return of the Kickoff Extravaganza in Pere Marquette Park on November 16 at 6:30 p.m. (pre-show entertainment starting at 5 p.m.). This holiday spectacular features live musical performances, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, a magnificent fireworks display and complimentary cocoa and cookies.
Jingle Bus tickets are $5 per person and must be purchased in advance at milwaukeeholidaylights.com. Guests can choose their tour date and time online, with a Spanish tour option. (The Jingle Bus will be free on Nov. 16, 7-9 p.m., following the Kickoff Extravaganza.)
Buses will depart from the Warming House at The Avenue, 275 W. Wisconsin Avenue, where parking is only $3 for Jingle Bus riders. Enjoy free treats inside the Warming House, and take in the amenities of the adjacent 3rd Street Market Hall.
5. Lights on Glen Cove (Free)
Location: S71 W16459 Glen Cove Ct. Muskego, WI 53150 (off Janesville Rd.)
Dates: Starting the second week of December
Entry fee: Non-perishable food item or monetary donation for the Muskego Food Pantry
www.facebook.com/lightsonglencove
For a unique experience, marvel at over 35,000 LED lights synchronized to holiday music broadcast on 87.9 FM. The lights run every night starting at 5 p.m., running through 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends (weather permitting). Special VIP showings are available too!
6. Country Christmas at the Ingleside Hotel
Location: 2810 Golf Rd., Pewaukee, WI 53072
Walking Dates: November 17, 18, 19, 2023
Drive-Through Dates: November 24, 2023 – November 29, 2023 | December 1, 2023 – January 1, 2024
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 5-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday and holidays, 5-10 p.m.
Entry fee: $25 per carload Sunday-Thursday; $30 per carload Friday-Saturday and holidays; $7 per person on walking dates
thecountrychristmas.com
Each year, The Ingleside Hotel is transformed into a winter wonderland called Country Christmas. Admission to Wisconsin’s favorite drive through Christmas lights display includes a trip through the Country Christmas Trail and entrance to two buildings located at the end of the trail, Christmas Village and The Streets of Bethlehem.
Admission to Country Christmas includes The Country Christmas Trail, which features over a million holiday lights festively displayed on a trail that’s more than one mile long. Drive through the countryside and experience enchanting animated figures and holiday scenes from the comfort of your car. Wagon rides are also available.
For three nights only (Nov. 17-19, 2022, 5-9 p.m.), you can walk through the illuminated displays for $7 per person.
The Streets of Bethlehem is a building located at the end of the drive-through trail. Guests can get out of their car and walk through the collection of nearly life-size Fontanini nativity figurines. Country Christmas has the only display of this magnitude in the area, a replica of the Pope’s personal collection.
Christmas Village is another warming house at the end of the trail, where guests can get out of their car and enjoy a hot cup of cocoa or an evening treat while surrounded by a cuddly cast of animated holiday characters and a spectacular working model train display.
7. Enchantment in the Park
Location: Regner Park, 800 N. Main Street, West Bend, WI 53090
Dates: November 24 through December 24, 2023
Hours: 5-9 p.m.
Entry fee: Donation of cash, check ($10 is suggested) or non-perishable food items
enchantmentpark.org
This huge twinkling lights display in Regner Park is impressive for all ages. It’s made up of more than one million LED lights and staffed by over 775 volunteers who donate more than 4,600 hours to the event, making it one of the largest light shows in the state.
You can choose to walk or drive through the display (except on Christmas Eve, when you can only drive). It gets very busy on the weekends, so visit during the week if you can. This year, don’t miss the addition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Bumble.
Visitors can hear live music from local artists and kids will have the chance to meet Santa Claus most nights throughout the event. On Friday and Saturday nights, there’s a fire pit with marshmallows and horse and carriage rides available on a first come, first serve basis ($5 per adult; children under 16 ride free).
Bring a bag of non-perishable food items or $10 cash donation. Since its founding in 2009, Enchantment in the Park has collected and donated more than 18,750 pounds of non-perishable food items to local food pantries and more than $285,000 to nonprofits around Washington County.
8. Miller Valley Holiday Lites
Location: Miller Valley, 3897 W State St, Milwaukee, WI 53208
Dates: December 2-25th
Hours: 6-10 p.m.
Entry fee: FREE
molsoncoors.com
Drive through the historic Miller Valley at Christmastime, and you’ll find a new holiday lights display each year. The illuminated valley comes alive with over half a million LED lights synchronized to music broadcast over the radio. The theme changes each year, and it’s totally free to drive through.
9. Winter Wonders at Boerner Botanical Gardens
Location: Whitnall Park, 6751 S. 92nd Street, Franklin, WI 53132
Dates: November 24th thru December 31st, 2023
Hours: 5-9 p.m. (Line opens at 4:30 p.m., Last entry at 8:45 p.m.)
Entry fee: $25/carload
Website
Gather family and friends for a spectacular drive-through holiday display with more than one million LED lights! The route is about 1.5 miles long, and you can even drive by Santa!
10. Kapco’s Kids2Kids Christmas Light Experience & Toy Collection
Location: 885 Badger Circle, Grafton, WI 53024
TBD
Entry fee: FREE
Website
TBD
11. Winter Wonderland in the Garden District
Location: 6th & Howard in Milwaukee, WI
Hours: Dusk-Midnight
Entry fee: FREE
Website
TBD
12. Illuminate Ozaukee
Location: Herman A. Zeunert Park, N25 W5598 Taft St, Cedarburg, WI 53012
Fridays and Saturdays in December
Hours: 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Entry fee: $10 suggested donation to support Ozaukee Nonprofit Center and nonprofit partner agencies.
Website
Located in downtown Cedarburg, Illuminate Ozaukee is a drive-through holiday light show that helps support and illuminate the human service nonprofits of Ozaukee County. Tune your radio dial into 93.9 FM when you go through.
Santa will be on hand every night to say hello; bring your letters to drop into his mailbox! Plus, don’t forget to vote for your favorite plot in the display competition. Each one is decorated by a local nonprofits and local businesses.
13. Santa’s Workshop
Location: Washington Avenue, downtown Cedarburg, WI 53012
Entry fee: FREE (donations appreciated)
Website
Thanks to generous grants from the Greater Cedarburg Foundation and Festivals of Cedarburg, Inc., a charming 15×15-foot gingerbread house graces Cedarburg’s Washington Avenue for the entire Christmas season.
Santa and Mrs. Claus often stop by in the days leading up to Christmas. When Santa’s not in to greet guests, you can peek in the windows to see his charming fireplace and the toys he and the elves have been working on!
Santa’s helpers will be welcoming walk-up visitors and scheduling families into time slots the day of each event. On Friday, December 23, Santa and Mrs. Claus will spend the evening walking around Cedarburg and posing for photos!
14. The Lightmare Before Christmas
Location: N102W17515 Lone Oaks Dr., Germantown, WI 53022
Dates: Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve
Entry fee: FREE
Website
The same Germantown house that hosts a not-so-spooky Halloween light show in October also does a very merry Christmas show set to music. It runs from shortly after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.
Songs include traditional holiday classics as well as contemporary favorites, and the playlist changes nightly throughout the holiday season. Tune your car radio to 101.5 FM, sit back and enjoy the show.
The house is located in the Lone Oaks subdivision, one mile north of County Line Road and just west of Division Road.
15. The Corners of Brookfield
Location: 20111 W Bluemound Rd, Brookfield, WI 53045
TBD
Entry fee: FREE
thecornersofbrookfield.com
TBD for 2023.
The beloved Town Holiday Tree Lighting will kick off the holiday season on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 (3-5:30 p.m.), complete with entertainment, food and beverage stations, crafts and more.
There will also be a North Pole mailbox located in the Market Square vestibule, where kids can drop their letters to Santa.
Related Articles:
Did you like this article?
Check out “101 Best Things to do in Milwaukee With Kids“.
mkewithkids
In 2013, Calie Herbst, a former teacher with three little ones, saw a need for a “One Stop Shop” for family fun in Milwaukee. So she founded Milwaukee With Kids. Her goal was to find the best this city has to offer families and share it with other parents. In one place.
In 2019, she published “Exploring Milwaukee WIth Kids”, a comprehensive Milwaukee travel guide for families and kids.
She appears regularly on WISN News, Fox 6’s ‘Real Milwaukee’, B93.3, and Wisconsin Morning News. She has been featured in Medium, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NPR, the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, and on CBS 58 News.
Calie is available for hosting, moderating and media appearances.