Ultimate Guide to Birmingham Christmas Lights

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Birmingham Christmas LightsChristmas light hunting is something that I have enjoyed every year for as long as I can remember. My family and I would always pile into the car with some fast food (remember the Christmas ornaments that were in Happy Meals quite a while ago?) and go out. We always had two or three mainstays every year, but nothing was more exciting than finding something new to add to our list for the following year! So, now that I have my own family, I’m looking forward to making our own traditions here by finding some Birmingham Christmas lights to add to our mental checklist every year!

Below is a list by our BMC contributors of some of the best Christmas lights in Birmingham.

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Events

Vulcan Park and Museum is hosting Vulcan’s Magical Nights again, and it’s better than ever! It has more lights, more music, more food, and more family fun! The holiday spectacular runs December 9-10, 16-22 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. This includes access to the museum, the viewing deck, and all the live nightly entertainment! Purchase tickets at the park or online to avoid the line!

The Birmingham Zoo is bringing back Glow Wild this year. It runs from November 17th, 2023, to January 15th, 2024, on selected dates. Check out the zoo website for ticket purchase and full details. They stress to give yourself one hour to enjoy the whole event!

New to the Birmingham Christmas scene this year is Magic of Lights at Alabama Adventure. From November 17th to December 31st, you can enjoy this dazzling holiday lights experience featuring characters and scenes of the season using the latest LED technology and digital animations from the comfort and safety of your own car. One standard vehicle is $20 for entry.

Located at the Birmingham Race Course, the Lights of Noel is Alabama’s largest animated light show. The fun kicks off on November 17th and ends on January 1st. Admission fees differ with weekends vs weekdays, so check out the website for more details!

The Wacky Tacky Light Tour by Fresh Air Family is a fundraiser for their Gross Out Camp Scholarship Fund. Embrace your inner tacky with these two-hour bus tours that depart from Cahaba Brewing Company on December 12, 14, 19, and 21. The tour is curated to light up the night with fun and festivity and includes Santa’s Trailer Park, the Hanukkah House, Dueling Neighbors, Star Wars Christmas, Saddle Up Santa, and Xmas on a Limb. You can purchase individual tickets or book your own party bus! 

About an hour long drive from the heart of Birmingham, but another favorite, is Christmas at the Falls at Noccalula Falls in Gadsden. It features millions of lights winding throughout the park grounds with beautiful holiday displays and decorations. Christmas at the Falls opens November 23 and runs through December 31st. You can enjoy the sparkling lights from paved walking trails or take a ride on the park’s train. Tickets are sold ONLINE ONLY, so be sure to plan ahead!

About 45 minutes north of Birmingham in Cullman, you’ll find the 21st Annual Winter Wonderland Christmas Light Display at Sportsman Lake Park. See over a million lights and enjoy activities like the Christmas Sleigh, Horse and Carriage Rides, Snow Machine, Photo Booth, Hot Chocolate, and more! It runs on select days from November 17th through December 29th (view their Facebook page for details). Admission is $10 cash per car and $15 per bus.

North Birmingham

Trussville

Make a visit to “Santa’s House” in Trussville’s Peppertree neighborhood. While it has lots of fun lights for the family to enjoy, it’s Santa’s sleigh that’s the main attraction. If you’re lucky, you may catch Santa Claus himself waiting to pose for photos in his sleigh.

Gardendale

We have it on good authority that the larger neighborhoods in the area, such as Longwood, Brentwood, Pinemeadow and Chapel Hills, have some solid displays every year. Also, the Gardendale Civic Center is hosting a Festival of Trees this year! Rocket Around the Christmas Tree Trail is an event supporting the Dick Lee Memorial Scholarship Fund. The trees will be displayed to the public from December 6 to January 1, 2023.

Pinson

Bama Lights on West Hill Road in Pinson has become a destination display in recent years. It’s a drive-through experience beginning at 5:00 pm nightly, weather permitting. The property owners also collect donations for charity each year. 

Other neighborhoods

Timber Trails and Burkwood Road in Fultondale, as well as Hampstead Drive and Doss Ferry in Kimberly have been reported to us as excellent opportunities for light viewing in the North Birmingham area as well.

Just Over the Mountain

Edgewood

Homewood’s Edgewood subdivision hosts lots of lights to brighten your night. Start at Barry Avenue to be dazzled with its light show. Then, be sure to also check out Edgewood Boulevard, East Hawthorne Drive, and West Hawthorne Drive for more fun lights and sights.

Vestavia

I love music and Christmas lights, so knowing that these neighborhoods found a way to combine the two definitely put them on my list of places to visit. Take a trip to the Biltmore Estates of Vestavia to see some lights synchronized with music. Be aware some traffic from the display at Chestnut Road and Monterrey Drive may spill out onto Highway 31, so if you’re just passing through, have a little extra Christmas cheer or take a detour and check it out! 

Cahaba Heights

This is the sixth season for the animated Christmas lights at the home at 3309 Ridgely Drive and every year the show gets bigger and better. With nearly 50,000 lights and 2+ hours of music to enjoy, each night is different, so viewers can see a new show every time they come by. This light show can be found on all social media platforms by searching for Lights on Ridgely Drive.

Mountain Brook

For those who love tradition, you’ll be satisfied with a visit to Lake Drive in Mountain Brook. As one of the first streets in the area to decorate their trees, you’ll enjoy seeing Santa and his reindeer. If their lights return this year, the Beech Hill subdivision is an Auburn fan’s Christmas delight. Finally, take a trip to Spring Rock Road for an abundance of blow-up decorations that your kids will adore. This area is sure to please every light viewer in your car!

Ross Bridge

The resort is decorated beautifully, but the neighborhood itself is fun and festive around the holidays. Start at the main entrance with all the new shops and restaurants to enjoy a treat. Then, wind your way around each area to see the white-lit trees on the terraces, inflatables, and more fun décor the residents display for all to enjoy.

The Preserve

If you enjoy Hallmark Christmas movies as much as I do, then this neighborhood is for you! Enjoy a small town feel as you cruise through the Preserve in Hoover. Better yet, have a date night with your honey at one of their two restaurants and take a festive stroll down the neighborhood sidewalks lined with lit trees.

Hoover Commons Chick-fil-A

If you don’t have time for a full light tour in Birmingham, then this stop is for you. Sure to be a crowd pleaser as you pick up dinner, this Chick-fil-A decorates their drive-thru with a light tunnel that will definitely keep your kids entertained.

North Shelby County

Brook Highland

Warrington Circle, a cul-de-sac, in Brook Highland has multiple houses with Christmas light displays synced together with music. This is a great place to just park for a bit and enjoy the show. Bring some hot cocoa or holiday snacks, and this can be a fun, festive (& affordable) outing all on its own!

Meadowbrook

There’s always something festive and magical about a lit pathway. Throughout Meadowbrook’s neighborhood in Inverness, you’ll find luminary lined paths helping Santa find his way this season. Be sure to also visit Brookhill Drive for some lights synced to their own FM station.

Alabaster

The Richardson Family reminds others of the reason for the season as they use their holiday décor on Arrow Drive in Alabaster to host a canned food drive for those less fortunate. Don’t forget to bring your contribution when you come view their synchronized light show which runs from the day after Thanksgiving through New Years Day. As someone who has seen the show in years past, prepare for a long wait if you go on a weekend day. I would advise going in the middle of the week!

The City of Alabaster is also hosting a Festival of Trees for the first time this year. Trees will be displayed to the public from December 2 to January 2 on the grounds of City Hall. Some proceeds from entry fees will benefit Shelby County Emergency Services. Have a little extra time? Check out the Christmas Tour of Lights for a list of roughly 15-25 decorated homes all across the city. We always look forward to seeing what everyone does each year!

Chelsea

Located on 5703 Highway 39 in Chelsea, The Cloutier Christmas Lights are sure to please everyone in the family! In years past, their playlist has changed every night, so it is never the same show two nights in a row. One thing I’ve always enjoyed about this show is that the playlist isn’t always fully Christmas-oriented! There is limited driveway parking for those who might want to watch the show outside of their vehicles. The Cloutiers have announced that they are going to be on the upcoming season 10 of The Great Christmas Light Fight, on December 12, 2022, at on 8 pm on ABC!

Clanton

Christmas Wonderland is a walk-through Christmas lights display. Originally located in Calera in years past, this year is the first year that the display is on 309 Studdard Drive in Clanton. On select nights, meet Santa! Display is open 9-5 on select nights.

Calera

Christmas Fantasyland is located on 500 County Road 128 in Calera. Among many other sights, visit Elsa’s castle, Whoville and the North Pole! Keep an eye on Facebook in case Santa and other characters make an appearance!

Other Neighborhoods

We have heard that the Lake Wilborn subdivision close to Brock’s Gap in Hoover has a Christmas light display that will be worth the drive! You’ll also want to check out the Hillsboro neighborhood in Helena, which is known for its beautiful light displays during the holidays.  

Did we miss anything? Please let us know!

 

 

For more Christmas fun, check out our guide to Birmingham Christmas Traditions!

Christmas in Birmingham :: Holiday Traditions and Must Dos!

This post is sponsored by UAB Callahan Eye.
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Kristina G
Kristina is an Alabama native who came to Birmingham in 2005 for college (has it really been 15 years?!). She had lived in Muscle Shoals her whole life up until that point. After graduating from UAB in 2009 with a degree in journalism and a minor in music, she married Paul in 2011. Paul has worked in the tech industry since 2009. Kristina has had several jobs in the area - everything from banking, veterinary medicine and receptionist. She most recently worked from home as low-level tech support. Kristina and Paul had the biggest surprise of their lives when they went in for the first 8-week ultrasound and found out that they were expecting "spontaneous" twins! Everything was going to change already, but they had to multiply it by two! Two girls, Elle and June, were born in July 2019 and nothing has been the same since. Kristina is now a stay-at-home mom to Elle and June and it has been the most rewarding job of all! Kristina, Paul, Elle and June make home in Alabaster, where you can usually find them on the weekends. They like going around to the things in the area, such as shopping and going on walks in the park. The babies are famous - neither Kristina or Paul can go anywhere alone without people asking about the twins!

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