The 2017 Ultimate List of Holiday Light Displays in the DMV

Another holiday season has arrived, and once again, we offer our ultimate list of holiday light displays in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Pack the family in the car, dress warmly, turn the radio to some Christmas music, and enjoy the best in electrical Yuletide illumination the DMV has to offer!

Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Lights on the Bay

Sandy Point State Park

1100 E. College Pkwy., Annapolis, Md.
Nov. 18-Jan. 1
5-10 p.m.
Cars $15, large vans and minibuses $30, buses $50

Lights on the Bay offers a scenic drive featuring more than 60 displays illuminating the roadway. 3-D glasses can be purchased upon admission to the park for an even more magical experience. For more information, visit http://www.lightsonthebay.org.

Baltimore County, Maryland

Miracle on 34th Street

720 W. 34th St., Baltimore, Md.
Free

Although not technically in the DMV, this block of homes, affectionately known as “Christmas Street,” in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood offers a dazzling display of lights every year and is worth the drive.

Calvert County, Maryland

Annmarie Garden in Lights

Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center

13480 Dowell Road, Dowell, Md.
Dec. 1-Jan. 1 (closed Dec. 4-5 and 24-25)
6-9 p.m.
$6 per person, children ages 4 and under free, Annmarie members free

A walking tour through the garden features handmade, one-of-a-kind Christmas light sculptures. For more information, visit http://www.annmariegarden.org/annmarie2/content/garden-lights-magical-light-show.

Fairfax County, Virginia

Winter Walk of Lights

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, Va.
Through Jan. 7
5:30-10 p.m. (last admission at 9:30 p.m.)
Adults $13-$16; children ages 3-12 $8-$10; children age 2 and younger free; timed tickets required and can be purchased online (recommended) or at the door, but availability is limited

The Winter Walk of Lights, now in its sixth year, follows a half-mile path of lights and unique animated displays. For more information, visit https://www.novaparks.com/events/winter-walk-of-lights.

Bull Run Festival of Lights

Bull Run Regional Park

7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville, Va.
Nov. 22-Jan. 7
Sunday-Thursday 5:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays 5:30-10 p.m.
$20 per car Nov. 22-Dec. 1, Dec. 3-8, Dec. 10-14, and Jan. 1-7; $25 Dec. 2, Dec. 9, and Dec. 15-31

The Bull Run Festival of Lights features a 2.5-mile drive through the park and a holiday village to enjoy rides, refreshments, and photos with Santa. For more information, visit https://www.novaparks.com/events/bull-run-festival-of-lights.

Howard County, Maryland

Symphony of Lights

Merriweather Post Pavilion

Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, Columbia, Md.
Nov. 21-Jan. 1 (closed Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec. 11, Dec. 18, and Dec. 31)
6:30-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5:30-10 p.m. weekends and holidays
$20 per car, $25 on Saturdays

The Symphony of Lights features more than 100 larger-than-life holiday light creations, a laser light show, and a 3-D holiday video. For more information, visit http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/howard_county_general_hospital/ways_give/howard_hospital_foundation/foundation_events/symphony_of_lights/drive_through.html.

Montgomery County, Maryland

Winter Lights Festival

Seneca Creek State Park

11950 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, Md.
Nov. 24-Dec. 31 (closed Christmas)
Sunday-Thursday 6-9 p.m.; Saturday 6-10 p.m.
$12 per car, SUV, or minivan Monday-Thursday, $15 weekends

The Winter Lights Festival is in its 22nd season and features more than 380 illuminated vignettes and 65 animated displays along a 3.5-mile drive through Seneca Creek State Park. For more information, visit http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/leisure/winter-lights-festival.

The Garden of Lights

Brookside Gardens

1800 Glenallen Ave., Wheaton, Md.
Nov. 24-Jan. 1 (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)
Sunday-Thursday 5:30-9 p.m. (last car admitted at 8:30 p.m.), Friday-Saturday 5:30-10 p.m. (last car admitted at 9:30 p.m.)
Cars/vans $25 Monday-Thursday, $30 weekends; no pedestrian entry

The Garden of Lights features more than a million lights, as well as a seasonally themed G-Scale model train exhibit at the South Conservatory. For more information, visit http://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/garden-of-lights.

Festival of Lights at the LDS Temple

Washington D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

9900 Stoneybrook Drive., Kensington, Md.
Nov. 30-Dec. 31
Dusk-10 p.m.
Free

The D.C. LDS (Mormon) Temple Festival of Lights, now in its 40th year, features more than 650,000 lights, a live outdoor nativity scene, and live musical performances. For more information, visit http://dctemplelights.lds.org.

Loudoun County, Virginia

Spectacular Musical Tree

Village at Leesburg

1602 Village Market Blvd. SE, Leesburg, Va.
Through Jan. 1
Noon-9 p.m., shows start on the hour
Free

Start a new holiday tradition by visiting this amazing five-story-tall tree, with a snowfall topper and more than 15,000 dazzling lights, that performs daily music and light shows. For more information, visit http://villageatleesburg.com/event/spectacular-musical-tree-shows-2/all/.

Prince George’s County, Maryland

Winter Festival of Lights

Watkins Regional Park

301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro, Md.
Nov. 24-Jan. 1
5-9:30 p.m.
$10 per car or van ($15 for three-visit passes), $20 for mini-buses and limos, $30 for buses; cash only; admission on Dec. 4 and Christmas is free

The Winter Festival of Lights features a drive-through display of more than a million lights. Be sure to bring canned goods to donate to local food banks. For more information, visit http://www.mncppc.org/742/Festival-of-Lights.

Washington, D.C.

ZooLights at the National Zoo

Rock Creek Park

3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
Nov. 24-Jan. 1 (closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve)
5-9 p.m.
Free admission; parking is $11 for FONZ members, $22 for non-FONZ members

The National Zoo is again hosting its holiday display spectacular, which includes live musical performances, a model train exhibit, and, of course, the zoo residents. New for 2018 is the Glow Zone, a free glow-in-the-dark play area for children. For more information, visit https://nationalzoo.si.edu/events/zoolights.

What impressive holiday light displays in the DMV did we miss that should be on this list?