Where to see Christmas lights in San Antonio, surrounding areas

SAN ANTONIO – The holiday season is here to hold sweet hot cocoa in one hand while the other holds your phone to capture a display of sparkling lights.

While most attractions will soon open their holiday light displays for the season, some have opened their doors to the public.

Take a look at some of the places to check out some twinkling lights in San Antonio and the surrounding areas:

• Coca-Cola Classic Christmas: Toyota Field will transform into a winter wonderland starting Nov. 22 until Dec. 29 at 5106 David Edwards Drive. Enjoy dazzling light sculptures that feature custom and interactive Coca-Cola-inspired displays. Click here to view the list of dates and price ranges of the event.

• Crumbling Castle Lights: The holiday drive-thru forest of lights located just north of Boerne will run from 6-10 p.m. nightly from Nov. 22 to Dec. 31. General admission tickets are $40, or the 2024 holiday season pass is $75. You can use the online-only coupon code CASTLE2024 for $5 off the ticket price.
• Holidays on Houston Street: Visit over five blocks of Houston Street downtown from Legacy Park to the Alamo to see the holiday spectacle from Nov. 29 to Jan. 2. There will be festive decorations, entertainers, twinkling lights, and more to enjoy.
• JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Christmas: Experience a winter wonderland until Jan. 5 at the first festive attraction of ICE! featuring characters and scenes from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” More details on tickets and hours can be found online.
• Lights Alive!: The mile-long drive-thru immersive light experience will return from Nov. 22 until Jan. 4. Lights Alive! is located at 5931 Roft Road, two miles outside Loop 1604 and Culebra. At the end of the drive, there is a Park & Play Wonderland where you can exit your car and enjoy Christmas confections, create holiday crafts, take photos with Santa, and enjoy other activities.
• Natural Bridge Caverns: Enjoy a stroll during Christmas at the Caverns on selected days in December. Tickets include access to the Trail of Lights, the Reindeer Roundup Maze, an ice skating rink, live music, and more.
• Pearl: Pearl’s holiday night market will return on Wednesday evenings starting on Nov. 27 from 5-9 p.m. Attendees can also visit the holiday night market on Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. Pearl’s holiday tree will light up on Nov. 29.
• San Antonio Botanical Garden: You can journey through Illuminate, a colorful exhibition from Nov. 29 until Jan. 12. Adult tickets are between $23-$30, and children ages 3-12 cost $18-$21.
• San Antonio River Walk: You can watch the famous River Walk holiday lights turn on on Nov. 29 during the Annual Ford Holiday River Parade. Holiday lights will illuminate nightly until Jan. 12. More than 2,250 strings with 100,000 lights line the River Walk each year.
• San Antonio Zoo: Families can stroll through Zoo Lights until Dec. 31. The beloved tradition is free for members and is included with standard admissions to watch an array of dazzling lights and enjoy holiday experiences.

• Santa’s Ranch: The drive-thru Christmas lights park has opened its doors to the public and will remain open nightly until Jan. 4. Santa’s Ranch is open from 6-11 p.m. every Friday through Saturday and 6-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday in New Braunfels, 9561 Interstate 35 North. A single pass is $37 per vehicle and $72 for a season pass.
• SeaWorld San Antonio: The park has welcomed back its Christmas Celebration with twinkling lights across SeaWorld until Jan. 5. The celebration is included with park admission.
• Six Flags Fiesta Texas: Holiday in the Park will transform into a winter wonderland starting on Nov. 23.
• Texas A&M University-San Antonio: The free ninth annual Lights of Esperanza will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 3. The university will have over 30,000 lights sparkling across the campus.
• The Jones Christmas Ranch: The drive-thru Christmas lights park opened its doors to the public and will remain open nightly until Dec. 31 at 43360 Interstate 10 West in Boerne. Guests can watch over 3.5 million lights synchronized to music from 6-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. A single pass is $35 per vehicle and $75 for a season pass.
• The Light Park: The drive-thru holiday light display will run nightly until Jan. 5 at 1 Retama Parkway in Selma. Guests can watch the lights from 5:30-10 p.m. every Sunday through Thursday and 5:30-11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. Ticket prices are cheaper online, at $39 per vehicle and $50 at the gate. Season passes cost $159.
• The Lone Star Light Show: The drive-thru attraction will open on Nov. 29 and runs nightly until Dec. 31, except Tuesday, at 1769 Canyon Park Road in Canyon Lake. Weekday general vehicle admission is $25, and weekend “any day” admission costs $30.
• The South Pole: Guests can enjoy an array display of lights at the drive-thru attraction from Nov. 22 until Jan. 4. The park is open nightly except on Sundays. Tickets are $40 per vehicle. The South Pole is located at 5135 N. Loop 1604 E. between Judson and O’Connor Roads.
• Travis Park: The Rotary Ice Rink at Travis Park is open to the public until Jan. 5. Attendees can watch the H-E-B Christmas tree light up along with 150,000 lights in the park’s trees. Tickets are on sale online and cost $15 for general admission. Discount skate nights are on Tuesdays when people can skate for $11 each.
• University of the Incarnate Word: The 38th annual Light the Way Holiday Festival will kick off the event from 3-9 p.m. on Nov. 23 at 4301 Broadway St. The free lights display will stay on until Jan. 6.
• Walkway of Lights: Walk through the Walkway of Lights in Marble Falls, located at 305 Buena Vista Drive, nightly starting Nov. 22 until Jan. 4. Attendees can get in for $2 each person.
• Windcrest: The City of Windcrest brings back a decades-old tradition. This year’s theme for the Light Up season is “Blue Sapphire.” A contest is held to pick the most beautifully decorated homes in various judging categories, and the public is invited to drive along neighborhood streets to view the brightly lit displays. The lights will remain on until Dec. 31. Click here to view all the 2024 Light Up season date events.

This list will be updated as more places announce their holiday lights events.

Also read:

• Salvation Army’s 2024 Parade of Kettles kicks off
• Town of Gruene to open its first ice-skating rink this holiday season
• Ring in the holidays with Dutch Bros coffee
• Starbucks launches new festive drinks and snacks for the holiday season