North Texas neighborhoods with great Christmas lights
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Tucker Hill in McKinney keeps it lit. Photo: Courtesy of Cormac West
Get in, losers. We're going twinkle watching.
Reality check: These exorbitant displays probably aren't great for the electricity bills or nearby birds or the horses that have to pull those carriages all night or the Margos and Todds who just want to have a quiet holiday in peace.
Yes, but: We love driving through those areas and gawking at the stupendous setups.
- So fill up a travel flask of "eggnog," turn the dial to your favorite holiday tunes, and cruise through these delightfully decorated neighborhoods for some free holiday cheer.
Highland Park: Lots of carriages and limos, lots of decadent displays.
Interlochen in Arlington: Almost always busy, but worth the drive.
Deerfield in Plano: As a go-to Collin County light site for years now, it's actually pretty packed most nights.
Tucker Hill in McKinney: Cute decor on every street, with nearly every house in on the fun.
Special stops: A few houses have seemingly combined an entire neighborhood worth of lights into one single display.
- This "Christmas House" in Carrollton is basically visible from space, and this is the last year the family will be going Griswold, so see it before it's gone.
- The "Movie House" in Allen somehow combines every Christmas movie ever into one lawn display. Make sure to turn your radio dial to the appropriate channel for the full effect.
Plus: If getting out and walking around is more your speed, we have recommendations for those places, too…
Vitruvian Park: A free walk-through experience in Addison features dozens of trees transformed into a brilliant technicolor holiday dreamscape.
Downtown Frisco: Christmas in the Square showcases copious Christmas card-worthy backdrops and an entire city block of lights synced to twinkle to holiday classics.
Fort Worth Botanic Gardens: Tickets to Lightscape run from $20-$50 depending on what time you visit, but it's a dazzling light display in a serene setting.
Dallas Arboretum: At Holiday at the Arboretum, you walk through the 12 Days of Christmas display, the delightful Christmas village and the giant, Insta-ready LED Christmas tree.
Editor's note: This guide was first published in 2021 and updated for the 2023 season.