Guide to Holiday Lights in South Carolina

Few things signal a kickoff to the holiday season more than lights going up! It’s a wonderful time of year already, but something about lights sparkling throughout the season makes this time of year feel extra magical. Thankfully, there are plenty of places to see these lights in Columbia, and all over the state. Check out some of the best of the best South Carolina has to offer!

Fireflies Holiday Lights

1640 Freed Street, Columbia, SC 29201

We’re starting a new holiday tradition in the Midlands at Segra Park. This year, we’ll have the most fantastic lights display you’ve seen in a ballpark, and we’ll send you over the top with vendors who will help you finish your Christmas shopping, holiday-themed drinks and food items and incredible promotional experiences including scavenger hunts and kids crafts!

Nov.19 – Dec. 31, 2022
Nov. 19 – Dec. 16, $9 – $14 | Dec. 17 – 31, $12 – $16
Sunday – Thursday, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Friday – Saturday (and Holidays), 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Walking tour

29th Annual Anderson Christmas Lights

150 Rose Valley Blvd, Anderson, SC 29621

Imagine a place filled with snowflakes, toys, reindeer and even old St. Nick himself. Nope, it’s not the North Pole; it’s “The Anderson Christmas Lights.” Over 292 displays, 2.5 miles of roads lights, 3.5 plus, million light bulbs, 14 – 200 amp power meters and 4 – 400 amp power meters, miles and miles of extension cords

Nov. 24 – Dec. 25, 2022
$10 per car
5:30 – 10:30 p.m. daily
Proceeds benefit local charities
Driving tour and holiday activities

Celebrate The Season Holiday Driving Tour at Santee Cooper

1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner, SC 29461

Celebrate The Season is an annual charitable holiday event, powered by Berkeley Electric Cooperative, organized by Santee Cooper, Old Santee Canal Park and the Town of Moncks Corner, that honors the communities of the Lowcountry and Santee Cooper Country with a month-long holiday celebration. Enjoy the Holiday Lights Driving Tour with dozens of brilliantly lit displays and thousands of twinkling lights, supported by local businesses and organizations.

Nov. 25 – Dec. 30, 2022 (closed Dec. 24 – 25)
$5 per car
6 – 9 p.m.
All gate proceeds benefit charities serving Berkeley County
Driving tour

Christmas in Hopelands

135 Dupree Place, Aiken, SC 29803 (you must take a free shuttle from Citizens Park at 1060 Banks Mill Road)

The 31st Annual Christmas in Hopelands takes place in Hopelands Gardens. This enchanting walk-through exhibit features over two miles of lighted pathways and holiday displays. Over 100,000 twinkling lights are a must-see this holiday season.

Dec. 10 – 22, 2022
Free but donations are welcome
6 – 9:30 p.m. (shuttle runs consistently from 5:45 – 8:45 p.m.)
Walking Tour – Dress for the weather!

Harbour Town Lights in The Sea Pines Resort

32 Greenwood Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Enjoy the lights! Stroll along the harbour and enjoy the illuminated seasonal figures, with the centerpiece of the display being a towering Christmas tree. The perfect place to be this holiday season, Harbour Town will be bustling with activities and live entertainment. The official tree lighting will take place just prior to the Gregg Russell Concert at 7:30pm on Friday, November 25.

Nov. 25, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023
$9 gate fee
5 p.m. – midnight
Walking tour

Holiday Lights Safari

2325 Hampton Road, Wellford, SC 29385

For 31 years and counting, the preserve has hosted the Holiday Lights Safari Benefit. This family-oriented event will, once again, offer an unforgettable opportunity for children and adults alike to share and embrace the Christmas spirit. Numerous new displays, music, religious, and secular themes, programmable lighting and new, featured exhibits will blanket the hundred-acre park.

Proceeds from this event directly benefit the hundreds of animals that reside at Hollywild Animal Preserve, a 501 (c) 3 not for profit organization since 1999.

Admission: $10 per person for the drive-through. Admission to the Enchanted Deer Forest is optional with an additional charge of $10 per vehicle, which includes a bag of animal food.

Nov. 18, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023 (preview day Nov. 13, closed certain days, so check website ahead of time)
$10 Adults & Children General Admission
Free Children under 24 months
6 – 9 p.m. (10 p.m. on weekends)
Driving tour

Fantasy of Lights at Swan Lake Gardens

822 W. Liberty Street, Sumter, SC 29150

South Carolina’s largest FREE Christmas light display!

Holiday cheer arrives in Sumter with the opening of the annual Swan Lake Fantasy of Lights. 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.

This event is designed to be a drive through, but visitors are allowed to park to take pictures with the lights. Access into the walking trails is closed after dusk. Lights are all along the main parking lot area to Swan Lake Iris Gardens, along Liberty Street and along Garden Street (enter at Liberty Street and exit onto Oakland Avenue).

Dec. 1 – 31, 2022
Free
6 – 9 p.m. (10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday)
Driving tour

Upstate Holiday Light Show

3800 Calhoun Memorial Hwy, Easley, SC 29640

The Upstate Holiday Light Show is the area’s biggest Christmas light event! Drive your car around the Greenville-Pickens Speedway track to see millions of multi-colored lights illuminate the sky while synced to your favorite Christmas music on 104.3 (Traditional) or 92.1 (Kids) as you drive through. Take your time. Park and enjoy. The show lasts 30 minutes, but drive around the track as many times as you’d like!

Santa Land and Ice Skating will be closed due to COVID-19, but you can enjoy feeding animals from your car in our drive-thru Petting Zoo! Open rain or shine, 7 days a week!

Nov. 24 – Dec. 31, 2022
Sunday – Thursday 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Friday – Saturday 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Cars, Minivans, Trucks or SUVs – $35, Passenger Vans – $75, Busses – $100 (pricing includes light show & petting zoo)
Fast Passes available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (rates vary)
Driving Tour

Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park

871 Riverland Drive, Charleston, SC 29412

Let your heart be light at the Holiday Festival of Lights, a beloved Lowcountry tradition. There’s so much to discover at the Holiday Festival of Lights! Marvel at the magical twinkling lights as you explore the grounds at Santa’s Village and Winter Wonderland. Enjoy mouth-watering treats or commemorate your trip with a gift from one of our shops. During the driving tour through millions of lights, there will be magical surprises along the way! So many chances to make magical, lasting memories!

This year, Santa Claus is most definitely coming to town! Visits with Santa will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the festival and during the day at the appointment-only Mingle with Kringle and Inclusive Visit with Santa.

Nov. 11 – Dec. 31, 2022
Regular nights – $15 in advance, $20 at gate | Peak nights – $25 in advance, $30 at gate
Nightly 5:30 – 10 p.m.
Driving and walking tour

Holiday Lights on the River at Saluda Shoals Park

East entrance at 6071 St. Andrews Rd., Columbia, SC 29210

Experience the magic as Saluda Shoals Park comes alive in millions of sparkling lights. Journey through more than three miles of lights featuring colorful, animated light displays of all shapes and sizes! Create lasting family memories this year at Holiday Lights on the River.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS ACTIVITIES (included with admission)

Slide down the winter wonder tube slide
Ride the hayride or the Saluda Shoals train through the lights
Enjoy a laser light show on the Wetland Trail
Color and write a letter to Santa in the Environmental Center

Santa’s Claus’et Gift Shop will be open for holiday shopping. Concession from Tin Can Kettle Corn, beer, and wine will be available for purchase.

Nov. 23 – Dec. 31, 2022
$25 for cars, $50 for vans, $75 for buses
6 – 10 p.m.
Driving tour and walking tour

Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens

500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210

Experience Columbia’s longest running holiday tradition—the annual Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. The Zoo will illuminate at 5 p.m. each select evening with nearly one million twinkling lights and countless animated images. Guests are invited to meander through the park while soaking in the sights and sounds of the holiday season. Plus, Riverbanks is the only place in town where it snows every night.

Nov. 19 – Dec. 30, 2022 (select days)
$12 Children (ages 2-12 years), $15 Adults, younger than 2 free (all Riverbanks members receive one free visit with a valid membership)
Concessions available at an additional fee
5 – 9 p.m.
Walking tour

Nights of a Thousand Candles at Brookgreen Gardens

1931 Brookgreen Drive, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

Experience one of the most beloved holiday events in the Southeast, Nights of a Thousand Candles. See Brookgreen Gardens come to life amid the soft glow of more than 2,700 hand-lit candles and millions of sparkling lights. Walk the garden pathways with a warm cup of cider, cocoa, or wine. Hear the sounds of holiday music, carolers singing, and celebrate the season with family and friends!

Named “Best Christmas Lights in South Carolina” by Travel+Leisure Magazine. Winner of the Charles A. Bundy award for excellence in tourism from South Carolina Parks Recreation and Tourism.

Each evening you can enjoy the “Lighting of the Trees” at 6:45 p.m. at the Leonard Pavilion.

Multiple dining options available, including a variety of beverages, small bites, food trucks, and indoor sit-down dining.

Nov. 26, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023 (select dates)
Member adult tickets are $30 and member child tickets (ages 4-12) are $14
General Public adult tickets are $35 and child tickets are $17
4 – 9 p.m.
Walking tour

Carolina Lights

1200 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC 29201

The South Carolina State Fair will usher in the holiday season with its annual drive-through light show. The drive-through light experience will feature more than 100 individual LED light displays along a mile-plus stretch in the Lexington Medical Center Fair Park in the South Carolina State Fairgrounds.

Dec. 3 – 26, 2022 (closed Christmas Day)
Cars – $20 ($15 if tickets purchased prior to Dec. 3), Mini Buses (9 – 25 passengers) – $35, Vehicles over 25 passengers – $70
Sunday – Thursday, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Friday – Saturday, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Driving tour

Neighborhood Lights to Visit In and Around Columbia

In Lexington

Mallard Lake Drive
Liberty Farm Blvd (The Farm Subdivision)
Torrey Glen Drive (Martin’s Grove Subdivision)
River Birch Drive (Westbrook Subdivision)
Dupre Mill Road (Parkside Subdivision)
Mill Wheel Drive (Millstream Crossing Subdivision)
Crepe Myrtle Circle
Hope Ferry Road
Saluda River Club
Palmetto Hall

In Columbia and the Northeast

Long Creek Plantation
Lake Carolina
North Springs Subdivision

West Columbia

Brookdale Subdivision
Hamlet West Subdivision

Irmo/Chapin

Westcott Ridge Subdivision

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