Let’s face it: winter in Ohio can be rough. It’s cold, it’s gray, and your driveway has probably turned into an ice skating rink by mid-December.
But there’s one magical thing that makes bundling up and braving the elements totally worth it – holiday lights. And Central Ohio knows how to light it up (literally). From drive-through displays to immersive experiences, here are the top 5 holiday light displays that will make your season merry, bright, and maybe a little warmer (emotionally, at least).
Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium
4850 W Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065
If there’s one thing the Columbus Zoo knows how to do (besides making you fall in love with baby manatees), it’s throwing a holiday party with lights. Wildlights turns the zoo into a twinkling wonderland, complete with millions of lights, synchronized displays, and maybe even a kangaroo wearing a Santa hat (okay, not guaranteed, but let me dream).
Grab a hot chocolate, meander through the glowing paths, and try to figure out how the penguins feel about all this. Pro tip: show up early because this place gets packed – and no one wants to miss the light show on Conservation Lake.
Wanderlights in Downtown Columbus
160 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215
Think of Wanderlights as a scavenger hunt meets a winter wonderland. Start at the Columbus Commons, where the trees are wrapped in so many lights it feels like a Hallmark movie set. Next, head down Town Street, which has a glow-up this year with expanded decorations, projection shows, and a seasonal mural.
The best part? Penguin spotting! There are 32 of these little guys hidden between High Street and Civic Center Drive. Your prize for spotting them all? Smug satisfaction – and possibly frostbite. Finish your trek at the Scioto Mile Fountain, where the riverfront glimmers in festive cheer.
Conservatory Aglow
1777 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43203
The Franklin Park Conservatory heard you like lights, so they put lights inside your lights and then added poinsettias for good measure. Conservatory Aglow is a full sensory overload in the best way. We’re talking biomes lit up like a holiday fever dream, glowing Chihuly glass that looks like something an artsy elf cooked up, and festive vibes for days.
It’s magical, it’s mesmerizing, and it’s a great way to feel like you’re starring in your very own Hallmark movie. If there were an award for “Most Extra Holiday Display,” the Franklin Park Conservatory would win every year.
Easton Grand Illumination and Holiday Happenings
160 Easton Town Ctr, Columbus, OH 43219
Ah, Easton. The place where shopping meets “whoaaaaaaa… everything’s glowing.” The Grand Illumination kicks things off with live music, festive characters, and enough lights to make Clark Griswold jealous. Oh, and did I mention the holiday drone light show on December 12? Yes, drones are officially part of Christmas now.
If that’s not your vibe, hop in a horse-drawn carriage and pretend you’re in a Victorian novel – just don’t forget your credit card because, let’s be honest, you’re not leaving Easton without buying something.
The Lucy Depp Park Lights
9360 Frabell Dr, Powell OH 43065.
This one’s for the people who really love Christmas. Lucy Depp Park in Powell has turned into a full-on holiday destination, complete with 250,000 lights programmed to custom music. That’s right, custom music. I struggle to sync my phone to my AirPods, and these people are out here creating a full-blown Christmas symphony.
It’s a drive-through experience, so you don’t even have to leave the warmth of your car. Just roll down the window, crank the music, and marvel at how these folks managed to make their neighborhood brighter than my future!
Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights
3311 South Old State Road, Delaware, OH 43015
If Christmas lights are your Super Bowl, Butch Bando’s is the whole playoff season in one drive. This 30 minute route is packed with huge glowing displays, animated scenes, and enough sparkle to make your car interior feel underdressed.
You stay inside your vehicle the whole time, which is great because Ohio winter wind feels like a personal attack. Just know it gets busy. On peak nights, police sometimes pause the entrance to keep traffic safe, so if you pull up and the sign is off, check their Instagram or Facebook so you’re not sitting there wondering why nothing is moving.
Weekday prices are cheaper, weekends and holidays are 30 dollars, and the vibes are peak Christmas cheer. Basically, it’s the drive through version of a warm sugar cookie.
WonderLights Christmas
14028 Fairgrounds Road, Hartford, OH 43013
WonderLights is the one where you sit in your car, tune your radio, and suddenly feel like you’re front row at the world’s only Christmas EDM show. Over 1 million LED lights flash, dance, swirl, and twinkle in perfect time with every song. Even the Grinch would tap his foot.
It’s open every night from mid November to early January, including holidays. You can roll in on Christmas night wearing pajamas and still get the full show. Thirty bucks per car, so pack it full of friends, family, or whoever owes you gas money.
If synchronized lights are your love language, this one hits.
Dazzling Christmas Lights
649 Old Coach Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
This is the kind of home display that makes the rest of us throw one sad extension cord back in the garage. The whole house is covered in synchronized lights timed perfectly to Christmas music, complete with color changes, patterns, and custom programming that probably took more work than my entire college degree.
The family behind it believes that the house with the most lights gets Santa first, and honestly, after seeing it, I think they’re onto something. Park, tune your radio, and enjoy the show. It runs nightly from late November through early January and brings out crowds of very impressed adults pretending they’re not impressed.
Sunny 95’s Christmas Lights Ohio
236 Pennsylvania Ave, Delaware, OH 43015
This is the newest drive through on the block, and it comes out swinging. Sunny 95 turned the Delaware County Fairgrounds into a 1.5 mile glowing tunnel of light displays, sparkling sculptures, and synchronized scenes that dance along with Santa 95 on your radio.
It’s one price per carload, which is a win for big families, and a dollar from every ticket goes to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. So you get holiday cheer and do some good at the same time. Even your family’s resident Scrooge will crack a smile at this one.
Inniswood Illuminated
940 S Hempstead Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
Inniswood is already one of the prettiest Metro Parks in Central Ohio, but in December it turns into a glowing fairytale. The trails light up at dusk, casting warm colors across the trees, bridges, and gardens. It’s peaceful, calm, and the total opposite of the big loud drive through shows.
No blasting music. No inflatable Santas the size of a house. Just quiet, twinkly magic that makes you feel like you stepped straight into a winter storybook. Perfect for a cozy date night or a family stroll where everyone slows down for a second.
Shine Bright Like Rudolph’s Nose
Holiday light displays are proof that even when it’s freezing and everything else is dead, we can still have a little sparkle in our lives. So throw on your coziest hat, grab some cocoa, and prepare to feel a little less Grinch-y. Plus, there’s only like 4 months until spring, I say with a single tear rolling down my cheek.
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