Are you searching for holiday light shows and displays in and around Columbia, SC? Wondering “where can I see Christmas lights near me?” or “Where to see Christmas lights in Columbia, SC?” Maybe you’re even looking to start a new tradition of spending unique quality time and holiday spirit with your loved ones this season. Take a break from the holiday shopping and catch a holiday light show! There’s nothing more full of holiday cheer than elaborate displays of lights. So, we have put together a comprehensive list of the best Christmas lights near Columbia, SC!
Our list includes drive-thru holiday lights, walk through Christmas lights displays, and neighborhoods and private homes with amazing light displays.
Several of these displays offer more than just beautiful twinkling lights. You might also have the chance to take pictures with Santa, enjoy delicious seasonal treats, or even park and explore some displays and activities on foot!
Where to see Christmas Lights: Columbia, SC
All the lights. Right here. Sort our list with the anchor links below and prepare to get all “fa la la la” with holiday spirit.
This article includes :
Top-Notch Drive-Thru Lights Displays in Columbia, SC
Totally FREE Drive-Thru Christmas Lights Near the Midlands
Christmas Lights to Walk Through in Columbia, SC
Worth the Trip- Best Day Trip Christmas Lights Worth the Drive from Columbia
Free Christmas Lights: Homes and Neighborhoods with Great Christmas Lights Around Columbia
All the Lights! Christmas Lights in Columbia, SC
NEW! Holiday Lights Driving Routes for Columbia
We brought the famous Kidding Around Holiday Lights Driving Tour to Columbia! We have two routes linking some of the best decorated homes with awesome synchronized lights set to music, huge static displays of lights, inflatables, and more! These are the Christmas homes you don’t want to miss!
2022 Holiday Light Displays: Do you want your light display included in our list? Fill out our Holiday Light Display form and be sure to include a photo of your display!
The Top Drive-Thru Christmas Lights: Columbia, SC
Holiday Lights on the River: Saluda Shoals
About: With more than 3 miles of lights and fascinating displays, Holiday Lights on the River is sure to be a magical treat! Along with lights, you can also enjoy s’mores, hot chocolate, a gift shop, letters to Santa, and more! Santa will make his appearance at the light show on November 25th through November 27th, December 2nd, December 3rd, and December 9th through December 23rd, 2022.
Check out our review of Holiday Lights on the River.
When: Every evening from November 24 through December 31, 2022
Time: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cost: $25 per car; $50 for passenger vans
Address: 6071 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, SC
Holiday Lights on the River
Photo Credit: Jen Husson 
Carolina Lights: South Carolina State Fairgrounds
About: Ring in the holiday season by going to the drive-thru light display at the SC fairgrounds! Here you will see more than 100 individual light displays that are synced to festive songs on 88.9 FM radio station. Chocolate chip cookies and milk will be available for purchase about halfway through the drive. Want to go through more than once? When exiting, you can request a re-entry pass and go back for a second look. Re-entry passes are only good for the same day and end 15 minutes before closing each night.
When: December 3 through December 26, 2022; CLOSED on Christmas Day
Time: Sunday – Thursday from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Friday and Saturday from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cost: $15/car when purchased before December 4th
$20/car when purchased on or after December 4th
Address: 1200 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC
Carolina Lights
Columbia Christmas Lights You Can Walk-Thru
Lights Before Christmas: Riverbanks Zoo
About: Find the magic of Christmas right here at our local zoo! There will be several animated displays and beautiful lights all around. You will also have the opportunity to get pictures taken with Santa, enjoy a crafting workshop, use large fire pits to roast s’mores, and more! Keep in mind that because this event occurs in the evenings, the chance of seeing zoo animals is low.
When: Select evenings from November 19 through December 30, 2022
Time: 5 pm to 9 pm
Cost: $12 children, $15 adults
Address: 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC
Fireflies Holiday Lights
About: The Fireflies Holiday Lights is a brand new tradition here in Columbia, SC, and is all the rave this year! The Segra Park baseball stadium, home of the Fireflies, is decked out in tons of twinkling lights and interactive displays, there are several “stations” for families to stop and enjoy seasonal treats and kid-friendly crafts, and even booths for holiday shopping!
When: Through December 31st, 2022
Time: Sunday – Thursday from 6 pm to 9 pm, Friday & Saturday from 6 pm to 10 pm
Cost: $9-$16 per person, depending on the day you go, age 2 and under is free
Address: Segra Park, 1640 Freed Street, Columbia
Christmas at the Castle
About: Stroll through the light path in the woods, enjoy live music and shows, and visit with Santa. There will also be fair-style games, concessions available, 10-minute escape rooms, and more.
When: December 16th through December 23rd, 2022.
Time: 6 pm to 9 pm, (10 pm on Friday and Saturday)
Cost: Free admission- lights and shows are free, and concessions and specific activities can be purchased.
Address: 2076 Highway Church Road, Elgin, SC
Sleigh Bell Stroll: November 22, 2022
About: See the lights at Saluda Shoals but rather than driving, tonight you can walk through them. The 2 miles of lights making up Holiday Lights on the River make a fun, family evening walk.
When: November 22, 2022
Time: 6 pm to 8 pm
Cost: $5 per person
Address: 6071 St. Andrews Road, Columbia
FREE Christmas Light Displays Around Columbia, SC
Children’s Garden Christmas and Kids’ Walk: Edisto Memorial Gardens
About: Drive-thru the beautiful Edisto Memorial Gardens as they transform into a spectacular holiday light show. There will be an opportunity to park and stroll through the “Kid’s Walk” which includes interactive light displays such as Twelve Days of Christmas, moving animals, and more!
When: November 20, 2022 through January 1, 2023
Time: Drive-thru open from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm; “Kid’s Walk” open from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Address: 200 Riverside Drive, Orangeburg, SC
Children’s Garden Christmas and Kid’s Walk
Fantasy of Lights: Swan Lake Gardens
About: South Carolina’s LARGEST free Christmas light display is back for another year! Drive through this winter wonderland to see more than 1 million twinkling lights. You can also make a quick stop at “Santa’s Village” where kiddos can write letters to and take photos with Santa and enjoy sweet treats.
When: December 1 through December 31, 2022
*Santa’s Village is open December 2nd, December 3rd, December 9th, and December 10th from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm
Time: Sunday – Thursday from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Friday and Saturday from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Address: 822 West Liberty Street, Sumter, SC
Fantasy of Lights
Drive-Thru Christmas Lights From Further Away
Maybe you’re looking to take a quick family trip this winter. If that’s you, there are two fantastic drive-thru light shows in the Charleston, SC area that would make for the perfect weekend getaway. Create a new family tradition, use this as part of your children’s Christmas present, or even just go to see something exciting and new!
Here are two great options for drive-thru light shows that are around 2 hours from Columbia.
Holiday Festival of Lights – James Island County Park
About: This is an incredible holiday festival that you won’t want to miss out on! With so much holiday magic and festive activities, you and your family are sure to make memories that will last a lifetime. Here, you can drive-thru the lights as many times as you’d like! Along with the thousands of fantastic light displays to drive through, there is also a chance to park and get out of your car to enjoy more Christmas magic on foot.
Between November 21 through December 23, your children will have the chance to meet Santa! You will also find rock wall climbing, holiday artwork, a carousel, a “reindeer workshop”, delicious holiday treats, and more!
Check out our Kidding Around Review of Holiday Festival of Lights.
When: November 11 through December 31, 2022
Time: 5:30 pm until 10:00 pm
Cost: “regular nights” – $15 in advance, $20 at gate; “peak nights” – $25 in advance, $30 at gate
Address: 871 Riverland Drive, Charleston, SC
Celebrate the Season – Santee Cooper
About: For the 13th consecutive year, Celebrate the Season is back! Bundle up in the car with your loved ones and drive-thru this great holiday light display. You will see thousands of beautiful lights and interactive displays all along the route.
When: November 25 through December 30, 2022 – CLOSED ON Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Cost: $5/car
Address: 1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner, SC
Columbia Homes, Neighborhoods, and More with Great Christmas Lights: Free Holiday Lights to Enjoy
Private homes with huge holiday light displays
Check out beautiful displays throughout the Columbia and Midlands community! Remember that these are private homes and are the result of a lot of hard work and expense. Please don’t enter the property unless invited to walk through. Do not block roads.
Remember that these displays are often dependent on the weather. Many cannot operate in the rain or on wet ground.
Lisznyai House
Lisznyai House, 725 Formby Drive, Columbia in the Spring Valley Subdivision. Synchronized display, tune to 88.7.
Photo Credit: Lisznyai Family 
Photo Credit: Lisznyai Family 
Photo Credit: Lisznyai Family Photo Credit: Lisznyai Family
Yinzer Yuletide
Yinzer Yuletide, 137 Timber Knoll Drive, Irmo Lights started December 3rd! Hours are 7 to 10 pm on weekdays and 7 to 11 pm on weekends.
McFarland Lights
McFarland Lights 133 Autumn Oaks Lane, Lexington
Gallery Cliffs Drive
Gallery Cliffs Drive, Chapin Exceptionally large static display
Nesbitt House
740 Martin Smith Road, Gilbert SC 29054
This display gets bigger and bigger every year. View the lights from 5:30 pm to 9 pm nightly. If the gates are open, visitors are welcome to pull into the driveway and view the display from their cars. Please stay inside your vehicle. There is a parking area where vehicles can turn around to exit.
Visitors are also welcome to park along the road and view the display from the fence. Please do not walk inside the fence.
Check out some 2022 photos of the Nesbitt home display. We are loving the new igloo and aliens! Thanks to Tonya Nesbitt for sharing these photos with us!
Photo Credit: Tonya Nesbitt 
Photo Credit: Tonya Nesbitt 
Photo Credit: Tonya Nesbitt
Home in Lexington
497 Sandy Point Road, Lexington, SC
Large static display with the nativity, inflatable Rudolph characters, large tree, and more!
Photo Credit: Missy Porth 
Photo Credit: Missy Porth 
Photo Credit: Missy Porth
Lexington Home With Singing Light Bulbs
318 Shetland Lane, Lexington 29073
One reader reports singing light bulbs and a dancing tree at this house. Tune your radio to 89.1.
Multiple Homes in Irmo
Waterford Neighborhood in Irmo, SC. Turn left after the pool. Tune in to 92.7 to watch this synchronized display.
Danger Zone House in Irmo (Woomer Family Christmas)
6 Marway Court, Irmo, SC 29063, These lights are rocking out to Top Gun, Danger Zone, plus a few holiday tunes.
Check them out on You Tube at Woomer Family Light Show.
Johnstone Lights in Blythewood
419 Mt Valley Road, Blythewood, This is the 10th year for these lights. The show runs from 5:30 to 10 pm nightly through New Year’s Eve. Donations are being collected for Make a Wish if guests would like to donate.
Loaded with Decorations in Pineridge, SC
Corner Dogwood Road & Fish Hatchery Road, this yard is full of decorations including a very large inflatable Santa.
Home in Camden
1678 Brewer Spring Road, Camden
This home is a little farther from Columbia than the others, but it has roughly 22,000 lights and a huge display including reindeer and even a Minnie mouse.
Is your home totally decked out with lights? Want us to add your home to our list? Complete this form and attach a picture of your lights! Holiday Lights Form
Neighborhoods With Christmas Lights to Drive Through
Spring Valley Subdivision, 100 Spring Valley Road, Columbia
Lake Carolina, North East Columbia
Long Creek Plantation, Blythewood
Help us out! Do you have a favorite neighborhood with amazing Christmas lights that you like to visit? Let us know in the comments!
Downtown Columbia Christmas Lights
Head to Downtown Columbia for festive holiday displays and lights, especially around the Captial Building to Blanding Street.
Tips for Drive-Thru Christmas Lights: Stay Jolly, Be Prepared!
Drive-thru light displays are a VERY popular seasonal event each and every year. Something about the twinkling, colorful lights, festive music, and seasonal treats get everyone into the holiday spirit – It’s all just part of the magic of Christmas! We do want to warn you, however, that because these events are so popular, you might find yourself waiting in lines longer than what you were hoping for. Here are our best tips for being prepared and keeping everyone jolly while you wait:
- Extra snacks and drinks – or maybe even pack an easy dinner and eat together while in line
- Tablets/IPads
- Books for reading Christmas stories as a family
- Fidget toys
- Homework – if you’ve got older kids
- PATIENCE…remember Santa is still making his naughty and nice list!
Where is your family’s favorite place to see Christmas lights around Columbia, SC?
Want more lights? Head to the Upstate! Here’s where to see Christmas Lights near Greenville, SC.
- Christmas and Holiday Events Around Columbia, SC
- Where to See Santa in Columbia, SC
- Shopping Events and Holiday Markets in Columbia, SC
- Shop Local: Locally owned shops with great gifts!
- Find your tree! Christmas Tree Farms and Lots
