Are you looking for the best places to see holiday lights near Greenville, SC, or Spartanburg, SC? This list includes all of the local mega-light displays, light displays large enough to drive to see, and even some local Christmas lights at homes that deck it out for Christmas Griswold style.
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This article includes:
Drive-thru Light Displays Near the Upstate
Businesses with FREE light displays
Lighting Displays and Ceremonies
Nearby Christmas Lights: Upstate Homes with Free Displays
More Lights: Worth the Drive
- Free Things to Do at Christmas in Greenville
- Free Holiday Things to Do in Spartanburg
- Upstate, SC Holiday Events and Things to Do
- Christmas Light Displays Near Greenville, Spartanburg and the Upstate
- Best Christmas Tree Farms Near Greenville
- Santa Sightings In The Upstate
- Parades Near Greenville SC
- Live Nativities Near Greenville
Drive-Thru Holiday Lights Near Greenville and Spartanburg
Anderson Christmas Lights across from the Anderson Civic Center Thanksgiving, November 24 – December 25, 2022
It includes 3.5 million Christmas lights!
- Cost $10 per car
- Opens at 5:30 pm each evening
- Special events are listed on the event calendar
Upstate Holiday Light Show at the Greenville-Pickens Speedway Opens Thanksgiving through December 31, 2022 A drive-through synchronized light show of 32 million lights. Bring cash for concessions.
- Cars, SUVs, Trucks, and Minivans – $35
- Passenger Vans (up to 20 people) – $75, Buses- $100
- Fast passes are available starting at $120
- Drive-thru petting zoo, included with admission
- Opens 6 pm nightly
Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland and Winterfest Village – This drive-thru light experience at the Tryon Equestrian International Center is a real family treat. There are also live shows on select nights. The show runs nightly from November 17, 2022 – January 1, 2023, from 6-10 pm. The Winterfest Village is open weekends in December through December 23rd from 5-9 pm.
- Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland Weekdays: $30/cars, Weekends: $35/cars (additional costs for larger vehicles)
- Winterfest Village: Some activities are free but most require a wristband, which cost $5/adult, $20/child 12 and under. Winterfest happens Thursday-Sunday 5-9 pm starting December 1, 2022 and ending December 23, 2022.
The Magical Music Holiday Light Show at Seneca’s Norton-Thompson Park is a FREE event and fun for the whole family! Dates are from November 18th, 2022 to December 31st, 2022.
Holiday Lights Trolley Tours with Main Street Trolley operate in Spartanburg, SC throughout the month of December. The exact dates and 2022 pricing are TBA.
Oconee State Park Holiday Light Show will be a walk-through or drive-through event! Trees will be lit with beautiful lights and holiday displays. There will be a Santa workshop while you grab hot chocolate and coffee.
- November 24th, 2022 to January 10th, 2023
- Thursday – Sunday; Dark until 10 PM
- $5 adult | $3 per child 6 – 15 | Free 5 and under
Lake Lure Flowering Bridge: This is a short day trip from Greenville but totally worth it. The Flowering Bridge in Lake Lure, NC is free and during Christmas, they light it up and you can walk through the display and garden! See our story on the cool bridge, which also includes things to do in the Chimney Rock Village just down the street (I’d recommend getting hot chocolate). The lights will remain on through the first week of January and a holiday celebration will take place on November 30th at 5:30 pm.
Holiday Putt Through Lights at Takeoff Minigolf in Greenville: You can walk through a big holiday light display while playing mini-golf. The special event opens November 25, 2022 and runs Thursday-Sunday until December 23rd. New dates have been added the week of December 18th due to high demand. Tickets should be reserved online and are $15/adults, $13/kids.
Lighting Displays and Ceremonies
Holidays at the Zoo– (December 15, 2022, to December 30, 2022) Walk through the Greenville Zoo and be dazzled by thousands of lights, festive decorations, and holiday music. Tickets are timed, and advanced registration is recommended. The zoo will be closed from December 24th – 25th. Other dates are open from 3 pm to 8 pm. You can purchase tickets online.
Christmas in Gaffney with Laser Light Show– (December 2, 2022, to December 4, 2022) Every night from 6 pm to 10 pm, there will be a Christmas laser light show at 102 Railroad Avenue. The event will also feature a parade on December 2nd at 6 pm with a downtown festival from 7 pm to 9 pm with rides, games, vendors, and Santa!
2022 Festival of Trees – Come see the holiday trees on display from November 18th, 2022 to December 26th, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, the Courtyard Marriott Greenville Downtown, Embassy Suites Downtown, and the Hampton Inn & Suites RiverPlace. FREE
Tiny Town Easley, SC- A piece of the small town South lives on, in tiny form! Over 80 tiny structures adorned with lights, Christmas decor, and lots of character make up Tiny Town. The display is open nightly from Thanksgiving Day to New Year’s Day (closed when raining). They also have hot chocolate, hot coffee, a bonfire, and select dates of visits with Santa.
City of Seneca Tree Lighting (November 28, 2022, at 5 pm) – Join the mayor for this fun-filled holiday tradition at Norton-Thompson Park. The Christmas Parade follows at 6:30 pm.
Holiday Hop: Travelers Rest, SC Tree Lighting and more (November 26th, 2022) Tree Lighting, Christmas kids craft station, stories with Mrs. Claus, Free professional photos with Santa (available for download after the event) all on Main Street in Travelers Rest, SC.
Simpsonville Tree Lighting Ceremony (December 1, 2022 at 6 pm) – Sing-a-longs, free hot chocolate, cookies, and letters to Santa. Free.
Mauldin Tree Lighting (December 1, 2022 at 6 pm) – Enjoy holiday music and tree lighting at the Mauldin Outdoor Amphitheater behind the Mauldin Cultural Center.
Tree Lighting Ceremony at Greer City Park (December 2, 2022, at 7:30 pm) This family-friendly event also includes a visit from Santa around 7:15. Be sure to head over to Trade Street for dinner before or after the event. The full event starts at 5:00 pm.
Night of Lights: Greenville Christmas Tree Lighting (December 2, 2022 at 6:15) This event will have live music, vendors, food trucks, and more starting at 5:30 pm.
Belton, SC Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade (2022 Dates TBA)
Dickens of a Christmas- (December 6th, 2022 from 6 to 9 pm) Tree lighting in Spartanburg, SC. The event also includes a Victorican-style Christmas celebration throughout Downtown Spartanburg. Enjoy live music, vendors, horse and carriage rides, living window displays, and more.
Holiday Lights at Hidden Pasture Unicorn Farm– You can explore the unicorn farm and enjoy the Christmas lights Fridays – Sundays in November and December. Santa will be visiting until December 18th, 2022. You can visit the lights (without a Santa visit) the full week before Christmas from December 19th, 2022 through December 31st, 2022 from 11 am to 9 pm. (closed Christmas Day). Prices are $12 for the week of Christmas through New Years Day. Children 2 and under are free. The farm will be open on January 1st, 2023 until 4 pm.
Free Light Displays at Businesses
- Bethel Baptist Church | 403 Sulphur Springs Road, Greenville
Drive-In Light Show with multiple songs, 2 mega trees, thousands of lights, and lasers, synchronized to station 88.9
Begins November 24th, 2022 - 5 Point Church | 1039 South Pendleton Street, Easley
Amazing light display with 8 different songs
Starts around Thanksgiving 2022
Nearby Christmas Lights: Check Out Free Holiday Light Displays
Our readers love the Kidding Around Christmas Driving Routes. For 2022, we have five different holiday light driving routes all throughout the Upstate.
Homes with light shows that include music (and sometimes even hot chocolate and Santa). Expect to wait in traffic to see them. If visiting these displays, park on the sides of the street, being sure to leave room for traffic and not block neighbors’ driveways.
Also, we recommend that you check the Facebook page of the light display before heading out. That’s typically where you can find current information on traffic rules, parking, and nights off.
Private Home Light Displays
This list includes displays that were submitted in 2022 by readers and others that are both on our Holiday Light Tour and ones that are not. Their status has been confirmed unless otherwise noted.
This article includes:
Greenville, SC Static Christmas Light Displays
Synchronized Light Shows in Greenville
Spartanburg, SC Static Christmas Light Displays
Synchronized Christmas Light Shows in Spartanburg
Greenville Area Static Light Displays
Greer Commision Of Public Works Competition Location
Greer Commission Of Public Works Competition Location
Greenville Synchronized Light Displays
Spartanburg Light Displays
Anderson County Light Displays
- We have listed opening dates when available and most will not open until Thanksgiving or the following week
Christmas Light Displays That Are Worth The Drive
Speedway Christmas Lights – The annual drive-thru Christmas lights at the Charlotte Motor Speedway is super popular. More than 4 million lights over 3.75 miles adorn this display, which runs from Friday, November 18, 2022, to Sunday, January 8, 2022. They are closed on Christmas Day.
- Tickets for cars are $30-$40 and $140-$175 for buses. Fast passes are available for $70 per car (including ticket).
Holiday Lights on the River at Saluda Shoals Park in Columbia, SC (Thursday, November 24th, 2022 to Friday, December 31st, 2022) Over a million lights on the 2-mile loop of the park. Includes a laser light show, hayrides, tube slide, Santa, and more.
- Admission is $25 a family car.
Looking for more lights? Check out the Christmas Lights Displays Around Columbia, SC plus more ways to celebrate the holidays in Columbia, SC.
Winter Lights – This popular light show at the NC Arboretum in Asheville is converting the walk-through garden lights to a one-mile drive-thru experience. The show runs from November 18, 2022 – December 31, 2022 nightly from 6 pm – 10:30 pm.
- Ticket prices vary by date and start at $30 per car. You can purchase tickets for Winter Lights online for the best price.
Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden (November 12, 2022 – January 14, 2023) This massive light display includes colored orbs, model trains, and a glittery rain forest.
- Admission ranges from $25-$50 for Adults & $22-$47 for children (3-12)
Smoky Mountain Event Center in Waynesville, NC ( November 25, 2022 – December 30, 2022) This light display is a drive-thru and has lots of great twinkling lights for your family to enjoy. Tickets are $20/car and you need to choose a time for your reservation. Bonus: book a holiday tour of the alpaca farm and Santa visit at Winchester Creek farm, also in Waynesville.
Christmas Town, USA in McAdenville, NC (December 1 – 26, 2022) This nearby town decks out completely for Christmas. You can either park and walk around the town or drive through (the 1.3 miles takes approximately 30-40 minutes to drive through). The lights are on nightly from 5:30 – 10 pm.
Read our review of Christmas Town, USA here.
World of Illuminations is taking place at one Atlanta area location this year, the Six Flags White Water park in Marietta (November 16th, 2022 – January 1st, 2023). This light display boasts over two million lights synchronized to music and has been named to the Forbes magazine list of Best Light Displays in the US.
- Reindeer Road (Marietta, Georgia at Six Flags White Water)
$40 Weekdays
$59 Weekend (Friday – Sunday & holidays)
Read our review of World Of Illuminations Candy Rush here
Holiday Light Show at Oconee State Park happens Thursdays thru Sundays from 6-10 pm starting November 24, 2022 through January 10, 2023. Take a spin through the campground to enjoy light displays provided by the local community and businesses. Included with park admission.
Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland and Winterfest Village – This drive-thru light experience at the Tryon Equestrian International Center is a real family treat. The show runs nightly from November 17, 2022 – January 1, 2023, from 6-10 pm. The Winterfest Village is open weekends in December through December 23rd from 5-9 pm.
- Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland Weekdays: $30/cars, Weekends: $35/cars (additional costs for larger vehicles)
- Winterfest Village: Some activities are free but most require a wristband, which cost $5/adult, $20/child 12 and under. Winterfest happens Thursday-Sunday 5-9 pm starting December 1, 2022 and ending December 23, 2022.
Want to know what’s going on in Greenville over Christmas? Just check our Ultimate Holiday Guide where we are keeping track of Santa, holiday storytimes, and more
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The Simpsonville Santa House should be on the tour every year. I do not see it on the 2022 tour addresses. You have a picture of it, but no address. Please consider adding?!
1003 Powderhorn Dr Simpsonville SC 29681
We drove by and there were no lights this year.
The display at 1601 East Saluda lake rd Greenville, Sc is up this year