Holiday light displays are opening around the Chicago area, including impressive glow-ups at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Morton Arboretum. Others, some off the beaten path, imbue holiday cheer on foot, in the car and even on horseback.
Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden
Twenty-five miles north of Chicago, the Chicago Botanic Gardens’ Lightscape was among the region’s first light shows to open this year. Some dates are already sold out — and for good reason. Even if you know the gardens well, this 1.3-mile loop ventures through the Japanese, heritage, English walled and sensory gardens, which are barely recognizable when awash in color — produced by the U.K. firm Culture Creative with trail design by Chicagoans Lee Fiskness, Travis Shupe and Christopher Wren. The experience sounds really good, too, thanks to a partnership with Sony Music, seamlessly transitioning guests between areas that lean all the way into Christmas and others that are more atmospheric.
New this year, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for meet-and-greets on designated Jingle Jam Family Nights, taking place Dec. 16-18. Dec. 4 and Jan. 2 are reserved for the grown-ups, with specialty cocktails and mocktails on tap at concession stands along the path and a centralized disco-themed bar and dance floor about halfway through the journey.
In fact, nearly all of Lightscape’s displays change every year, according to garden spokesperson Jodi Zombolo. The trail switched directions for 2025, veering left from the welcome center, and it stays entirely on the main island after a few years of venturing further.
“We want to give people a reason to come back,” Zombolo said. “It’s a family tradition for a lot of people to come. It’s not going to be the same thing you saw last year.”
Near the entrance, an interactive shadow wall draws visitors onto the trail, which winds past five towering conifers drenched in a half mile of LED lights choreographed to pulse with holiday choral music. It’s called Singing Trees, designed by U.K.-based ITHACA Studio, and one of just two displays repeated from previous years. Some sort of fire-garden is also repeated, this year on a relatively blank canvas, placed in tree-shaped towers beside companion fire-hued light trees in an open glade.
Artists from seven countries have contributed installations, including OGE Design Group from Israel, whose luminescent dandelion puffs are suspended over a wooden path. Taiwan-based UxU Studio’s domain is a portion of the lagoon, which is lit up with a striking, moving geometric pattern viewable on the water’s surface for nearly half the journey. And U.K. artist Squidsoup, who produced last year’s One the Tide from the Serpentine Bridge, has this year created a spectacular three-dimensional orb called Singularity. Also new: a whimsical batch of fairies placed in nooks and crannies of the waterfall garden, and lit planters designed by CBG’s horticulture team strategically placed on the conifer steps.
“The trail designer is a horticulturist by trade,” Zombolo said. “She really plays off the landscape. You’ll notice areas where there are blue bonnets and floral installations. We go into the sensory garden, which is wooded, and installations are overhead and immersed in all of that.”
The trail is monitored by directional guides and accessible for wheelchairs and strollers, with some gentle inclines, a few dark patches and select spots of pea gravel. Most areas are paved and well lit. And the one-way path can get crowded when Lightscape is sold to capacity. Timed entries aim to keep traffic flowing through the experience, which takes about 90 minutes.
One display has become a non-negotiable mainstay: a twinkling canopy of white, daffodil-shaped bulbs called the Winter Cathedral. It’s the show’s signature encore, positioned near the bridge to the welcome center at the tail end of the journey.
“I don’t think we could ever not have that,” Zombolo said. “It’s kind of our iconic look. People just love it so much.”
Through Jan. 4, 2026, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe; digital tickets $26-$29 for adults and $14-$16 for kids 3-12, plus parking. Children under 3 are free. More information at chicagobotanicgarden.org/lightscape
Illumination at Morton Arboretum
You can get through Morton Arboretum’s 20 light displays in about an hour. But it’s nicer to take two or three, lingering at each spot, toasting s’mores at one of the bonfires along this mile-long loop, or hugging a tree. Really! A little patch near a festive refreshment tent, strategically placed halfway through the Arboretum’s light show called Illumination, has tummy-height buttons on a trio of tree trunks which, when pressed, change overhead lights to a new color.
Illumination is not explicitly a Christmas display. Frequently, it’s a contemplative walk and celebration of winter that leans heavily on the Arboretum’s greatest asset: trees! About 1,000 are prominently featured in the show. Instead of wrapping trunks and branches with string lights, designer John Featherstone from the firm Lightswitch primarily bathes the grounds’ deciduous trees with washes of light from below. Bushy conifers are used as a striking projection surface. And this summer’s vibrant art installation, “Vivid Creatures” by artists Heather and Fez BeGaetz, looks completely different saturated in color-changing hues. The Golden Glade installation prominently features Vivid Creatures’ white-tailed deer, for example, visible through a field of twinkly strands whose millions of bulbs resemble glowing dew drops.
In fact, the one-way loop is a succinct and spectacular way to glimpse about 50 of the Arboretum’s 1,700 acres, stunningly lit from the top, bottom and sides. The trail concludes with a stroll along Meadow Lake’s shoreline. Light “trees” emerging from the water like synchronized swimmers cast radiant beams skyward and onto the lake’s surface, creating reflections timed to elegant selections of classical music.
The path is paved and fully accessible, though there are a few gentle inclines and dark patches. And while Illumination is a rain, shine or snow event — arguably best seen with flakes falling — there’s a new flexible ticket option that allows rebooking up until your reservation time. Dec. 5, 12 and 19 are just for the grown-ups, swapping the contemplative tunes for DJ-ed theme nights: a Gen Xer’s dream night of MTV hits, pop divas and house music, respectively. Dog-friendly Wednesdays take place Dec. 3, 10 and 17 for an additional $10 per pup.
4:30-9:30 p.m.nightly through Jan. 3, 2026, (closed select dates, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle; tickets start at $18.50 at mortonarb.org/illumination
Christmas at Cantigny
Just three years old, Christmas at Cantigny tucks lights into nearly every nook and cranny of Col. Robert R. McCormick’s Wheaton estate, with choreographed displays set to festive music along a half-mile walking trail. Two cocoa stops are positioned along the way, sold from a cute Cocoa Cabin and a dashingly decked-out Airstream. Each sells s’mores kits to roast at nearby staff-tended fire pits.
The tour begins with a field of color-changing light tubes fashioned as trees seen from the grounds’ well-lit paved path, leading up to a nearly 30-foot Christmas tree in the next plaza. It’s a good place to stop for a while, if you can resist a glowing red and white tunnel taunting guests toward a stunning vista view of the McCormick mansion, aglow with projections of leaves and holly and other merry things.
New this year, a Northern Lights-themed display in the rose garden uses twinkle bulbs, metal cutouts and informational plaques imparting Nordic stories of how the aurora borealis came to be. Timed entrances keep the crowds at bay so you can wander at your own pace and step right up to the show’s various festive attractions.
Perhaps most distinctive to Christmas at Cantigny is the mansion itself, which is open for self-guided tours (or with a guide, for an extra cost). The house is spectacularly decorated for the holidays. And for the kids (and kids at heart), tiny plush mice are hidden throughout the first-floor rooms — think elf on a shelf, but mice. Ample docents and volunteers are on hand to guide guests through the experience and can offer interesting tidbits about the abode that once belonged to a newspaper dynasty, if you linger a bit and look curious. The Art Deco bar behind a hidden door in the front room is open and serving. And with reservations, an upstairs café called Noel serves small plates, wine and craft cocktails.
On Sunday nights through Dec. 14, the show swaps its Christmasy vibe for a “Wicked”-themed display. Also new this year, a blockbuster movie theme replaces much of the holiday fare after Christmas. And soon, they’ll have ice skating and rink-side cabanas available for an upcharge. Estate-grown poinsettias are available for purchase as a souvenir.
4:30-8:30 p.m. Wed.-Sun. through Jan. 4, 2026, (Christmas theme ends Dec. 23) at Cantigny, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton; tickets $12-$25 (kids under 3 are free) at cantigny.org
Vintage Holidays in Long Grove
The village of Long Grove is like stepping onto the set of a Hallmark Christmas movie, with copious twinkle lights and boughs of holly adorning this already quaint community 35 miles northwest of Chicago. On weekends, Santa will be on hand for pictures from 12-4 p.m., and horse-drawn rides on a 10-seat sleigh will take visitors through the historic downtown district. On Dec. 6, 13, 14 and 21, carolers in Victorian garb wander the town singing holiday tunes. And this picture-perfect, highly Instagrammable place has many lovely shops, cafes and watering holes to provide respite from the cold (and unique holiday shopping). Be sure to stop in the Sock Monkey Museum and the Village Tavern, the latter Illinois’ oldest operating bar and grill, founded in 1847.
Through Dec. 24 in downtown Long Grove, 145 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove; more information at www.longgrove.org
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo’s landmark holiday display, now in its 31st year, remains one of the city’s most affordable options for holiday magic. More than 3 million bulbs illuminate the grounds and its furry friends, some of which only come out to play at night. On Sundays through Dec. 21, carolers stroll the park singing. And on Fridays and Saturdays, ice artisans carve animal-themed sculptures in real time. For a warm-up, the zoo sells hot cocoa, warm churros and make-your-own s’mores. For a small extra fee, you can ride the carousel, tiny train and ferris wheel, too, which hit differently in the cold months with twinkly lights all around.
Nightly through Jan. 4, 2026, at Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St.; tickets $7-$20 plus parking, with select Mondays free at lpzoo.org
Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo
There is a lot that’s new in Brookfield Zoo’s four-decade-old holiday show, including a giant light-up maze, interactive displays and custom dolphin show. Several of the zoo’s animal buildings will be open to warm up in, including Dolphin Bay, the Australia habitat, the Play Zoo and Wild Encounters (including reindeer!) plus the Gorilla Conservation Center, which will have free crafting activities from 4:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays.
3-9 p.m. select dates through Jan. 4; tickets $30-$35 plus parking, with additional fees for certain attractions, more at brookfieldzoo.org
Christmas Around the World at Griffin MSI
For an indoor option, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry boasts more than 50 trees decorated by volunteers as part of its long-running seasonal tradition. The display celebrates a multiplicity of light-filled holidays: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Diwali and Hanukkah. And every half hour, it “snows” in the North Court, where the piece de resistance is a four-story-tall Christmas tree.
Through Jan. 5, 2026, at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive; included with $10-$26 admission at www.griffinmsi.org
City of Chicago Christmas Tree
Don’t miss Chicago’s very large tree, plus lights on the Magnificent Mile. End a southbound stroll down Michigan Avenue in Millennium Park, where there’s ice skating and ample space to bask in the glow of Chicago’s tree — this year a 68-foot Norway spruce sourced from a Glenview family’s front yard. The Magnificent Mile (more at themagnificentmile.com) is aglow with a million bulbs on more than 200 trees between Oak Street and the Chicago River. The Art Institute’s bronze lions will be dressed in their giant evergreen wreaths on Friday. And on select dates, choral groups will lead holiday sing-alongs at Cloud Gate. The tree, adorned with more than 39,000 feet of stringed twinkle bulbs, will stay lit until Jan. 11, 2026, but you can ice skate in Millennium Park until February.
Through Jan. 11, 2026, in Millennium Park at Michigan Avenue and Washington St.; more information at chicago.gov
Light of Christmas Drive-Thru at Rate Field
A million bulbs are synchronized to festive holiday music in this in-car experience winding a path through the Rate Field parking lot. You can upgrade to a trolley tour that makes additional stops downtown at Christkindlmarket and Light Up the Lake on Navy Pier. Or, pair the drive-thru with a drive-in by adding on movie tickets at the Chitown Drive-In in Pilsen.
5-9 p.m. through Jan. 4, 2026, at Rate Field, 3326 S. Wentworth Ave.; tickets $30-$100 at lightofchristmas.com
Celebration of Lights in LaSalle
For another drive-thru experience, head to Rotary Park in LaSalle, which is aglow with more than 400 displays — the biggest in north central Illinois. It’s a point of pride for the city, which is accessible via Interstates 80 and 39 and steps from Starved Rock State Park. Local businesses sponsor each display, most of them cute, quirky and animated. The whole thing is installed and staffed by volunteers, who hand out candy canes and dog treats at the entrance each night. Plus, you never have to get out of your toasty, warm car, which can be tuned to a Christmas radio station.
5-9 p.m. nightly through Jan. 1, 2026, at Rotary Park, 2837 E. 5th Road in LaSalle; free with donations accepted, more information at liveituplasalle.com
Lauren Warnecke is a freelance writer.
Update: This story has been changed to correct the opening hours for Illumination at the Morton Arboretum.
