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Christmas lights at night in Miami
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Christmas lights · Miami, FL

Christmas lights in Miami

Christmas lights in shorts: Miami's best are in its gardens and its zoo, plus a fairground packed with two million lights and one free North Miami neighborhood you drive through.

5 displays · 1 free · 1 with 2026 dates announced

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Where to see them

Where to go: with kids, on a date, with friends

With kids

Short walks, Santa, rides and something to do besides looking.

For a date

Somewhere to walk slowly, a drink in hand, and look good in the photos.

With friends

Cheap by the carload, or a long evening with food and music.

Free neighborhoods

No ticket, but the best-known ones get very crowded. Go on a weeknight if you can, and read the card for how to get in.

Enchanted Place — illustrationIllustration
Neighborhood·North MiamiFree

Enchanted Place

A North Miami neighborhood where the houses decorate for a drive-through — lights and figures under the palms.

🧒 With kids

What's there

  • Free
  • Drive-through
  • Christmas under palm trees

A quick, free drive with the kids.

2025 season
Through Jan 6, 2026
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
Free
Start at
NE 137th Street and 16th Avenue

Getting in and parking

  • It's a residential block in North Miami. Park on the street and walk over.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Residents decorate privately — stay on the sidewalk and keep the noise down.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Miami on the Cheap (2025)

Walk-through: gardens, zoo, parks

Mostly ticketed per person, and on foot. Check the hours before you set out.

NightGarden — illustrationIllustration
Garden·Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables

NightGarden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden turned into a light party after dark: laser shows, lit palms and ferns, food trucks, music, a talking tree and games for kids along a paved path.

🧒 With kids✨ Date night

What's there

  • Laser and light art
  • Talking tree for kids
  • Food trucks and music
  • Free parking

What visitors sayGoogle 4.2 ★ · 941 reviews

Visitors who've seen light shows in many states call it a solid one — artistic, lots to look at, great for toddlers. Some regulars felt it was a bit repetitive this year.

Miami's best Christmas light walk — go on a mild December night.

2025 season
Through Jan 11, 2026
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
$23–$28 (2025). Parking is free.
Where
10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL

Getting in and parking

  • Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden on Old Cutler Road in Coral Gables. Free parking.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Open 6–9 pm on event nights.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Miami on the Cheap (2025)

Zoo Lights — illustrationIllustration
Zoo·Zoo Miami, South Dade

Zoo Lights

Zoo Miami's paths lined with animal-shaped light displays after dark.

🧒 With kids

What's there

  • Animal-shaped lights
  • Big zoo
  • Family-friendly

What visitors sayGoogle 4.5 ★ · 20,848 reviews

The zoo is big and well liked — visitors recommend renting a bike to get around.

A good family evening in South Dade.

2026 season
Nov 27 – Dec 30, 2026, select nights (Nov 27–28, Dec 4–5, 11–12, 18–23, 26–30)
Cost
$19.95–$21.95 (2025)
Where
12400 SW 152nd Street, Miami, FL

Getting in and parking

  • Zoo Miami on SW 152nd Street, off the Turnpike in South Dade. Free parking.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Pets aren't allowed, except service animals.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Miami on the Cheap (2025)

Nights of Lights at Pinecrest Gardens — illustrationIllustration
Garden·Pinecrest

Nights of Lights at Pinecrest Gardens

The old Parrot Jungle gardens in Pinecrest turned into a winter wonderland of lights, with a playground and petting farm — cheap, calm and easy with small children.

🧒 With kids

What's there

  • Affordable
  • Petting farm and playground
  • Free parking
  • Smooth online check-in

What visitors sayGoogle 4.8 ★ · 3,510 reviews

Visitors call it one of the most beautiful and affordable parks around, with free parking and fair snack prices; for Nights of Lights the whole park becomes a winter wonderland and check-in was smooth.

The best-value Christmas lights in Miami for young families.

2025 season
Dec 5 – 28, 2025
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
$15–$20 (2025)
Where
11000 SW 57th Avenue, Pinecrest, FL

Getting in and parking

  • Pinecrest Gardens on SW 57th Avenue, south of Coral Gables. Parking on site.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Buy online; weekends are busiest.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Miami on the Cheap (2025)

Nights of Lights at the Fair Expo — illustrationIllustration
Walk-through·Miami-Dade Fair Expo Center

Nights of Lights at the Fair Expo

More than two million lights and an elf village on the Miami-Dade fairgrounds — a big, walkable display.

🧒 With kids🎉 With friends

What's there

  • 2 million lights
  • Elf village
  • Walk-through

A big, affordable light walk — good with kids.

2025 season
Through Dec 31, 2025
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
$12–$15 (2025)
Where
10901 SW 24th Street, Miami, FL

Getting in and parking

  • Miami-Dade Fair Expo Center on SW 24th Street, by Tropical Park, off the Palmetto. Parking on site.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Buy online; weekends are busiest.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Miami on the Cheap (2025)

Before you go

Why some dates say 2025

Most displays announce the season in October or November. Until they do, we show last year's dates and say so, rather than guess this year's. Every card shows the day we last checked it and where the facts came from.

Santa services in the USChristmas markets in Miami

Christmas lights in other cities

Questions

Which Christmas lights in Miami are free?
Enchanted Place (North Miami). None of them sell tickets, but some charge for parking and the busiest neighborhoods have long lines, so check each card and go on a weeknight.
When do the Miami light displays open this year?
So far Zoo Lights (Nov 27 – Dec 30, 2026, select nights (Nov 27–28, Dec 4–5, 11–12, 18–23, 26–30)) has announced its 2026 dates. The rest publish in October and November; until then this page shows last year's dates, marked as such.