Posted in Wisconsin Winter October 27, 2022 by

Visit 11 Christmas Lights Displays In Wisconsin For A Magical Experience

It’s time to get in the holiday spirit and communities all over Wisconsin will be holding festivals and setting up light displays that you can walk and drive through. All of these festive events make up the best Christmas lights displays in Wisconsin. Even if the winter weather is slow to arrive, these holiday lights will get you in the Christmas mood. Get ready to bundle up, grab a hot chocolate, and let the wonder of Christmas surround you. Get in the holiday spirit with a visit to one (or more) of the best displays of Christmas lights in Wisconsin. If you’ve been wondering about Christmas lights near me in Wisconsin, hop in the car for this holiday adventure!

1. Garden of Lights at Green Bay Botanical Gardens
Green Bay Botanical Garden/Facebook
Green Bay Botanical Garden/Facebook
More than a quarter million lights, a campfire, a model train exhibit, and Santa add to the display. For more information, including dates, times, and ticket info, visit the Green Bay Botanical Garden website.
Green Bay Botanical Garden, 2600 Larsen Rd, Green Bay, WI 54303, USA
2. Holiday Fantasy in Lights - Olin Park, Madison
Facebook/Holiday Fantasy In Lights
Facebook/Holiday Fantasy In Lights
Starting in November and going through New Year's weekend, the display is drive-through and free with the lights on dusk til dawn. Plan your visit by visiting the Fantasy In Lights website.
1156 Olin-Turville Ct, Madison, WI 53715, USA
3. Rotary Lights - Riverside Park
Rotary Lights
Rotary Lights
Admission is free but visitors are encouraged to make money or non-perishable food donations. The annual festivities begin toward the end of November and go through December 31st. If you want to catch Santa and his reindeer on your visit, make sure you go before Christmas! It's home to more than three million lights - prepare to be dazzled!​​ Rotary Lights has all the event information you need to help plan your visit.
Memorial Drive, Memorial Dr, West Salem, WI 54669, USA
4. Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights
Christmas Carnival of Lights/Facebook
Christmas Carnival of Lights/Facebook
The fun begins in mid-November and goes through January 1st, with the exception of being closed on Christmas Day. Visit the Christmas Carnival of Lights ​​website for more information, including the most up-to-date ticket info.
8425 WI-38, Caledonia, WI 53108, USA
5. Celebration of Lights - Oshkosh
Oshkosh Celebration of Lights/Facebook
Oshkosh Celebration of Lights/Facebook
The lights show is open nightly, located on Hazel Street along the coast of Lake Winnebago. Carriage Rides are also available for an additional fee and you will want to be sure to make your reservation in advance. The lights usually open in mid-November and go through New Year's Eve. For more information, visit the official website.
520 Pratt Trail, Oshkosh, WI 54901, USA
6. Making Spirits Bright - Sheboygan
Rotary Making Spirits Bright/Facebook
Rotary Making Spirits Bright/Facebook
Quarryview Center will be open nightly and closed only on Christmas Eve. The display goes through December 31. Admission is free but donations to the Sheboygan Food Bank are appreciated. Only cash is accepted as payment for the trolley, concessions, and wreath raffles. Check out the website for all of the event details.
3030 Calumet Dr, Sheboygan, WI 53083, USA
7. Country Christmas - Pewaukee
Country Christmas
Country Christmas
More than a million lights on a mile-long trail that is billed as the largest drive-thru Christmas lights in Wisconsin. The annual event is nightly beginning in mid-November and going through the end of the year. Prices vary per type of vehicle, so check the ​​website to play accordingly. While you are there, be sure you check out all the other sites and activities.
2810 Golf Rd, Pewaukee, WI 53072, USA
8. Holiday Festival of Lights and Jingle Bus - Milwaukee
Flickr/Jessica Feiss-Hill
Flickr/Michael Pereckas
Three parks and the streets of downtown Milwaukee are lit up for the holidays. For more information, visit Milwaukee's tourism website.
Milwaukee, WI, USA
9. Rotary Winter Wonderland - Marshfield
Marshfield Rotary Winter Wonderland
Marshfield Rotary Winter Wonderland/Facebook
Admission is free, but donations to local food pantries are encouraged. Open seven days a week starting the day after Thanksgiving through December 31st. Be sure to visit the official website for all the information you need for your visit, including dates and times.
1800 S Roddis Ave, Marshfield, WI 54449, USA
10. Candy Cane Lane - West Allis
Flickr/BobbyLight
Candy Cane Lane is the neighborhood bordered by 96th Street on the west, 92nd Street on the east, Montana Avenue on the north, and Oklahoma Avenue on the south.
Flickr/BobbyLight
A tradition more than 30 years old, Candy Cane is four square blocks of houses lit up and decorated for the holiday. Open from the end of November until Christmas Day, admission is free, but volunteers collect money for the MACC Fund. To find out all the details for your visit, check out the Candy Cane Lane website.
South 96th Street, S 96th St, West Allis, WI, USA
11. Rotary Botanical Gardens Holiday Light Show - Janesville
Flickr/Robin Zebrowski
Flickr/Robin Zebrowski
Tickets are available online or at the door. The official website has all the details, including exact dates, times, and ticketing information.
1455 Palmer Dr, Janesville, WI 53545, USA

Have you been to any of these displays before? Do you think they are the best displays of Christmas lights in Wisconsin? What (and where) is your favorite Christmas light display in Wisconsin? Share your photos, thoughts, and experiences with us! Are you still curious about Christmas lights near me in WI? We thought you might be. If you are feeling up for a little extra adventure, hitch up your sleigh to take this Wisconsin Christmas lights road trip!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Best Christmas Light Displays In Wisconsin

November 03, 2019
Marisa Roman

What is the largest Christmas lights display in Wisconsin?

Finding the largest Christmas Lights display in Wisconsin can be just the ticket for your family to welcome in the holiday season. While there are plenty of drive-thru Christmas lights in Wisconsin to check out, the largest display happens to be in Waukesha and is an absolute blast. The Country Christmas Light Show in Waukesha is the largest outdoor lights display in Wisconsin and has over 1 million lights twinkling in a 1-mile drive. Enjoy over 250 light displays when you take this drive along a wooded trail in Wisconsin. This display is easily one of the top must-see holiday light shows throughout Wisconsin.

What is there to do at Christmas in Wisconsin?

Nothing beats spending the holidays in Wisconsin—especially if you’re looking for that tried-and-true holiday experience. We’re talking freshly fallen snow, the smell of fire in a chimney, and the thrill of Christmas right around the corner. The good news is there are plenty of things to do at Christmas in Wisconsin, especially with the whole family. First and foremost, in Wisconsin, you can find and chop down your very own Christmas tree in order to get into the holiday spirit. Many state and national forests in Wisconsin allow visitors to cut down a tree for personal use as long as a permit is obtained. In addition to finding your own holiday tree, you can also enjoy the lighted displays throughout the state, live reindeer, horse-drawn carriage rides, and even a Christmas train ride with East Troy Electric Railroad.

What are the best Christmas towns in Wisconsin?

If you’re looking to make a road trip out of visiting the best Christmas towns in Wisconsin then we have quite a few to consider. These towns end up going all out for the holidays, whether it be with events downtown, decorations, lights, or simply the joy of the holidays. A few of the best Christmas towns in Wisconsin to consider include Cedarburg, Milwaukee, Chippewa Falls, Madison, Wisconsin Dells, Ripon, Elkhart Lake, and Stockholm. You can also just search through the various towns in Wisconsin on their tourism pages and see which places have the best holiday events. Some towns might be better to visit closer to Christmas, while others may celebrate all December long!