Each year millions upon millions of Christmas lights go up around the Palmetto State. If you've been curious about Christmas lights near me, we've rounded up some of the biggest, best, and brightest Christmas lights in SC so you can put them on your bucket list. You're pretty amazing if you can find time to visit them all this year! Get ready, South Carolina: a big, ole dose of holiday cheer awaits at some of the best Christmas displays in SC!

1. Christmas in Hopelands - Aiken

Each year, Aiken's Hopelands Gardens lights up for the holidays with more than 100,000 twinkling lights, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a children's activity area, and live entertainment. Bonus: admission to this festive Christmas lights show in SC is free!

2. Anderson Lights of Hope - Anderson

At Anderson Lights of Hope, 3.5 million Christmas lights are on display at a 2.5 mile loop across from the Civic Center. Live performers add an extra amount of holiday cheer to the event. And there is even an epic Santa's village that kids are sure to love!

3. Holiday Festival of Lights - James Island County Park, Charleston

The Holiday Festival of Lights in Charleston is an experience. Featuring over 700 displays and two million lights, the Holiday Festival of Lights is a cherished holiday tradition for many families throughout Charleston and beyond. Each winter, James Island County Park comes alive with illumination, and is a great place to capture the magic of the holiday season. This is what Christmas is all about!

4. Lights Before Christmas - Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens, Columbia

Columbia's longest-running holiday light event is a total fan favorite, offering families an enchanting and wondrous experience. It's one of the Zoo's most popular events, and once you visit with your family, you'll immediately see why. Lights and displays, some of which are animated, surround you as you wander through the Riverbanks Zoo, which, of course, is a magical place in and of itself!

5. Holiday Lights on the River - Saluda Shoals Park, Columbia

A perennial Palmetto State favorite, Holiday Lights on the River features more than 400 themed animated light displays and millions of twinkling lights on a three-mile drive-through loop of the park. The fun doesn't stop there: kids can slide down the winter wonder tube slide, ride a hayride through the whimsical displays, enjoy a laser light show on the Wetland Trail, and even catch a holiday flick in the Environmental Center!

6. Roper Mountain Holiday Laser Shows - Greenville

One of the coolest places to take your family in South Carolina, Roper Mountain's Holiday Laser Shows are beyond spectacular. These shows are only offered a handful of times during the holiday season, so be sure to scoop up your tickets early!

7. Holiday Lights Driving Tour - Moncks Corner

Hop in the car with your family and friends and follow a picturesque path through thousands of brilliant, twinkling lights. Admission is $5 per vehicle and proceeds benefit local charities. Enter the Holiday Lights Driving Tour at One Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner. There's really no better way to usher in the holiday season in South Carolina while enjoying some of the best Christmas lights in the South!

8. Nights of a Thousand Candles - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrell's Inlet

Every winter, Brookgreen Gardens lights 2,800 candles as well as thousands of other sparkling lights. Carolers and live music only add to the charm of this event, which, year after year, draws major crowds. In fact, this light display has been named "Best Christmas Lights in South Carolina" by Travel+Leisure Magazine! This popular event does tend to sell out, so get your tickets ASAP!

9. Children's Garden Christmas and Kid's Walk - Edisto Memorial Gardens, Orangeburg

This winter, wander through a beautiful, animated light display at the Edisto Memorial Gardens. Enjoy a stroll through the Kid's Walk that features interactive light displays. The Children’s Garden Christmas, a drive through display located in the beautiful Edisto Memorial Gardens, hosts thousands of lights including still and animated displays such as Old Man Winter, a river boat, Santa and his elves, a Nativity Scene, and more than 60 lighted cherry trees. Enjoy a stroll through the Kid’s Walk which features interactive displays including a hopping bunny, a squirrel running up a tree, and colorful Christmas trees. Be sure to visit the Twelve Days of Christmas display during your time on the walk!

10. Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland - Simpsonville

A grand LED light display that moves and flickers to music, Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland is a festive fan favorite! Also featuring a park and participate area with Santa's Village. It's billed as "the most immersive drive-through experience on Earth," and we don't disagree!

11. Fantasy of Lights - Swan Lake Iris Gardens, Sumter

One of the largest Christmas light displays in South Carolina, Fantasy of Lights is an immersive, wondrous experience. For the entire month of December, the gardens come alive with a display of twinkling holiday imagery created by more than one million lights. The Pilot Club's floating Christmas tree is an annual favorite, along with Santa's Village, angels and characters of song and story.

Still curious about Christmas lights near me in South Carolina? Check out this guide!

We tried to include the best Christmas lights in South Carolina on this list, but if we missed any then please feel free to add them in the comments. That way, they'll be on the record and everyone will know of them too.