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Places to Find Christmas Lights in Colorado Springs
One of the most beloved holiday traditions is piling into the car and taking a tour of all the awesome Christmas lights in Colorado Springs and all over the Pikes Peak region. It’s a terrific way to boost your holiday spirit, spend time with people you love and jam out to holiday music. We’ve got a list of cool places to find holiday lights, including new attractions and old favorites. So, let’s get jolly. It’s the best time of the year for visiting all the holiday light displays in the Pikes Peak region.
Bridge of Lights Holiday Drive at the Royal Gorge
Dates:
Opening Weekend: November 29-December 1
Friday-Sunday: December 2-19
Open Every Day: December 20-24, 26-31 *Closed Christmas*
Time:
Monday-Thursday: 5:30 pm-8:30 pm
Friday-Sunday: 5:30-9:00 pm
Cost:
$40/car online
$45/car at the gate
$35/car for Season Pass holders online
Take a holiday drive that is totally unique when you pay a visit to Cañon City, home of one of the coolest bridges on earth. The Royal Gorge Bridge opens to drive-through traffic for select evenings throughout the Christmas season. Visitors are treated to a stunning light display on one of the world’s highest suspension bridges — more than 150,000 lights stretched out over 1,000 feet above the wintry waters of the Arkansas River. It is a truly special holiday experience!
The Royal Gorge crew knows that it simply isn’t a holiday without festive treats. They have designed the event so you can pre-purchase holiday cookies, cider and cocoa when you purchase your pass, including the option for a souvenir cup. Collect your order from Frosty’s Snack Shack when you pull up. Then head off to enjoy the lights. This is an exceedingly rare opportunity to drive across the bridge. It has not been open to daily traffic since a large fire partially destroyed the park in 2013.
Tour the Pikes Peak Region’s Awesome Holiday Homes
Dates: December
Time: Evenings (be respectful of neighborhoods when you visit)
Cost: Free
Southern Colorado businesses aren’t the only ones who like to deck the halls. Colorado Springs residents are festive fans of holiday lights, and they dress their homes to the nines. You can find this handy map created by a local business that shares some of the top houses in the city, plus local coffee shops for warming up. They provide a music playlist packed with Christmas songs both classic and modern and there’s also a super fun scavenger hunt that makes the trip extra fun.
Some houses provide music you can tune into in your car. The website features one amazing Spotify playlist, too. Check out N. Weber St. and E. Caramillo St. in Old North End to see how one neighborhood street teams up to create a little sparkly wonderland each year. If you’re cutting through Pueblo from the Royal Gorge, you can find a few houses on the list there, too.
Festival of Lights Parade
Date: Saturday, December 7
Time: 5:50 p.m.
Cost: Free
Colorado Springs citizens were delighted to welcome the return of this local tradition in 2024. The Parade of Lights features more than 100 floats decorated in spectacular lights. Even better, they travel straight down Tejon Avenue, which is dressed up and decorated for all of the holiday fun. Bring along hot cocoa or cider and be sure to dress warm. Extra blankets and hand warmers are also a good idea. Get to your favorite spot early so you can set up for the night’s festivities. Local’s tip: Make any reservations for dinner in advance! This is a busy night for downtown restaurants. You do not want to be hunting hungrily for a table.
Magic of Lights at Pikes Peak International Raceway
Dates: Daily through January 4
Time: 5:30pm – 10pm
Cost: $32-$40 per car
We know that traveling outside of Colorado Springs for Christmas lights may sound unappealing, but places like the Royal Gorge really make the drive worthwhile. Speaking of the drive, if you cut back through Pueblo from visiting the Royal Gorge, you can try out the Magic of Lights at the Pikes Peak International Raceway. Yes, we are telling you to double up on your big light events with two big shows in one drive. You only get to do this one month of the year, why not live it up? Past events have included a giant dinosaur, a monster truck, a Barbie and a tunnel of lights. You can save money by visiting during non-peak days or check their website for promo codes.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Electric Safari
Dates: December 6 – 23, 25, 2024 – January 1, 2025
Time: 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Last entrance at 7:30 p.m. No walk-up tickets.
Cost: $19.75-$24.75 for adults | $15.75-$20.75 for children | Non-peak nights offer best value.
You won’t be driving at this special holiday light display, but we don’t think you’ll mind. After all, it’s not every day you get to feed adorable giraffes under the twinkling lights and starry skies. Electric Safari is a time-honored Christmas tradition in Colorado Springs that draws families from all over the Pikes Peak region. Guests are treated to 80+ sculptures scattered across the zoo. There are also thousands upon thousands of lights outlining trees, buildings and other zoo structures.
In addition to checking out all the twinkle lights, many of the animals are allowed to stay up late. They like to mingle with the humans (including the giraffes). You can pay a visit to any exhibit that is open (some animals simply must get their rest). Santa also drops in for a visit each evening. He enjoys chatting with children about their Christmas lists and posing for photos you’ll love to print on a Christmas card.
Holiday Head Frames in Cripple Creek and Victor
Dates: Weekends November 30- December 22, 2024. Nightly Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day, weather permitting.
Times: Dusk
Cost: Free
If you’ve ever taken a drive through Cripple Creek and Victor, you’ve probably seen the mining head frames located around both towns and in the hills that surround them. These head frames were once part of the process used to mine the region when both towns were still booming as part of the gold rush. At Christmas, these head frames are decorated with bright lights in celebration of the holiday. You can view the head frames and check them out from your car with a self-guided tour. Make it a date night and pop into Cripple Creek to press your luck. Or, check out the holiday show running at the Butte Theater. They offer a new performance every year!
Hometown Holiday in Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City
Dates: December and January
Do you long to have a hometown holiday experience like the ones you see in all the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies? The festive décor, the twinkling, tree-lined streets, the adorable shops selling quirky, hard-to-find gifts? If you want a holiday light adventure that is more immersive, we suggest you pay a visit to the west side and make Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City your own special place to be this holiday season. The historic buildings and architecture and bustling shops and restaurants create that Hollywood holiday feel you crave whenever you settle in for a weekend of hot cocoa and Christmas romance gone wrong. Then right. Then wrong again. Both towns work hard to create a festive and welcoming atmosphere. They decorate the main streets with festive lights, bows, garland and more. Get some shopping done, peruse an art gallery or stop for an impromptu meal while you’re there.
Give yourself a classic Christmas experience by visiting some of the top holiday light displays in Colorado Springs. Whether you choose a unique experience like the Royal Gorge or stick to the basics with neighborhood tours, we know it will fill your heart with good tidings and good cheer.
