Where to See the Brightest Christmas Lights in Richmond: 2025 Holiday Light Show Guide

Looking for the best places to see Christmas lights in Richmond?! This guide is for you!

The Richmond community goes all out for the holidays. Local shopping centers and malls glow with lights, professional light shows synchronized to music come to town, and even our local neighborhoods jump into the holiday fun with so many tacky lights!

I've rounded up my favorite places to see holiday light displays with kids around Richmond, including walk thru and drive through places that are lighting up Richmond in 2025.

*Follow @thewestendmom on Instagram for things to do with kids in Richmond, Virginia!

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The Best Walk-Thru Holiday Light Shows around Richmond, Virginia:

1. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden's GardenFest of Lights: GardenFest of Lights fills Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden with more than a million of lights! And it was voted Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights in the US by USA Today!

   
   

   This walk-through experience has illuminated displays & interactive light features… plus a Jingle Bar & Grill! While it’s mostly outside, you can warm up inside watching model trains or by the fire with s’mores. The garden is ADA accessible, and it’s a beautiful multigenerational event! If you'd like to purchase tickets, click here.

When: November 17- January 4

Where: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Lakeside

Address: 1800 Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23228

Cost: between $10-$25 per person

*Check here to see our experience!

2. Boar's Head Resort's Winter Wander: Located on 600 acres, Boar’s Head Resort is the only 4-diamond resort around Charlottesville. It’s known for its southern hospitality, a luxury spa & plenty of recreational activities… and it is decked out in Christmas cheer! You can even enjoy their annual holiday light show without being a resort guest.

   
   

   Winter Wander is open November 14 through January 3, 2026. This half-mile walking trail is illuminated with lights & displays synchronized to music. You’ll see 12-foot tall boar-faced nutcracker, illuminated archways, a fountain of lights & TWO Tunnel of Lights. New this year, you can either watch Wander In Motion Winged Dancers or Elevation Illumination Drone Show.  If you'd like to grab your tickets, click here!

   
   

   When: November 14- January 3

   Where: Boar's Head Resort in Charlottesville

   Address: 200 Ednam Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22903

   Cost: between $15-$25 per person

*Check here to see our experience!

3. Veritas Illuminated: The 4th annual light show will have the vineyard glowing even brighter than last year. The grove & vineyard are sparkling with lights and decorations November 24 through January 3, 2026. The half mile walking trail has over 100,000 lights and decorations. It’s just steps from the tasting room, so you can grab wine or hot chocolate for your stroll too!

   
   

   The Tasting Room has a special Winter Wonderland menu during this holiday event. With items like a charcuterie board & truffle fries to French onion grilled cheese & big biscuit chicken sando, you can find something for the whole family. You can even get peanut butter pie & Nightingale ice cream sandwiches! If you'd like to grab your tickets, click here!

   
   

   When: November 24- January 3

   Where: Veritas Vineyard in Afton, Virginia

   Address: 151 Veritas Lane, Afton, Virginia 22920

   Cost: between $10-$15 per person

*Check here to see our experience!

Drive-Thru Holiday Light Shows around Richmond, Virginia

1. Illuminate Drive Thru Light Show and Santa's Village: The largest drive thru, synchronized Christmas light & music show in Virginia is in RICHMOND!! You can see over 3 MILLION lights over 2 miles

Illuminate is a nightly event from November 22 through December 31, 2024 at the Meadow Event Park. It costs $30 per family car. At this rain or shine event, you can drive through ~30 minutes of lights that are synchronized to Christmas music!

*Click here to grab your tickets!

Parades with Lights around Richmond, Virginia

1. Richmond Boat Parade of Light: 

   On the second Saturday of December, you can watch RVA's Boar Parade of Lights! The 2025 event is on Saturday, December 13.

   
   

   Christmas-themed boats will take off from Rockett's Landing at 4:45pm. The boat parade ends at Osborne Landing. You can easily view the parade from the Capital Trail in front of The Boathouse and Island Shrimp, or you can view it from Osborne Landing Park. For more details on the Richmond Boat Parade, check here.

   
   

2. Henrico Holiday Express Tour: Henrico County Parks and Recreation put on an annual neighborhood parade over 3 nights in December. The tour runs from 5-8pm on three different nights, in three different areas of the county -- Brookland and Fairfield areas, Varina, and Three Chopt and Tuckahoe.

   
   

   Here is the parade's route. If the parade doesn't come through your neighborhood or you don't live in Henrico, you can also visit the parade's starting point & watch from the various libraries (Libbie Mill, Varina or Twin Hickory).

   
   

   The 2025 dates have not been released yet, but it usually happens during the first or second week of December.

Grand Illuminations, Annual Tree Lighting and Shopping Centers with Light Displays

1. Short Pump Mall: Every year this local mall decorates for Christmas with a 60 foot walk-through tree. The 2025 annual tree lighting is scheduled for November 14 this year.

   
   

   Santa will be at the mall for pictures from November 14 to December 24. Children will also have the opportunity to have their picture taken with Santa - there is also a sensory sensitive experience available! Santa will be in the Pal's Clubhouse, next to LL Bean. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

Dates: illuminated nightly between November 14 and New Year's Day.

Cost: Free

*Check here for my review.

2. Stony Point Fashion Park: This local mall decks its halls every year for Christmas, and the annual tree lighting event is on Saturday, November 22 from 5-7pm. During this event you can also take pictures with Santa, children can have their face painted, watch a snow show, and more!

   
   

   Mid-November to beginning of January, Stony Point will have a pop-up ice skating rink. Some special activities and events will include snow falling during the week, horse drawn carriage rides, and falling snow!

   
   

   Dates: illuminated nightly between November 22 and New Year's Day.

   Cost: Free

   
   

   *Check here for my 2020 review.

   
   

3. West Broad Village: This Short Pump shopping center hosts its annual tree lighting with live music, s'more roasting, SNOW FALLING, kid-friendly games, and you can even snap a picture with Santa!This event is on November 29 from 4 to 8pm.

   
   

Dates: illuminated nightly between November 29 and New Year's Day.

Cost: Free

4. Willow Lawn Shopping Center: This shopping center sets up a beautiful tree in the children's play area every year! You will find it fully decorated the Monday after Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.

   
   

   Dates: illuminated nightly between November 28 and New Year's Day.

   Cost: Free

   
   

5. RVA's Grand Illumination: RVA Illuminates is held annually on the first Friday in December. This year's event is on Friday, December 5, 2025.

   
   

   This free event has live musical performances, food vendors, and free Riverfront canal cruises & carriage rides. At 6pm, the major will flip on the lights, illuminating the RVA skyline. Expect to spend around 2 hours at the event, as you will want to arrive around 5pm.

   
   

   Dates: illuminated nightly between December 5 and New Year's Day.

   Cost: Free

Neighborhood Holiday Houses around Richmond, Virginia

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is looking at Christmas lights, and most houses are decorated from the day after Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. I usually create our own Christmas light tour, and we start at 4:45/5 (right when it gets dark). I plan it three ways: pack everyone up in jammies with homemade treats, stop for hot cocoa along the way or add a visit onto our afternoon adventure.

1. The Ashbury Court Homes: Located in the West End, “A Phifer Christmas” has two homes that are illuminated with over 1 million lights. You can pack your car and walk around this location!

Drive By or Walk Around: You can park and walk around!

Area of Richmond: Henrico's West End

Address: 9604 Asbury Ct. Henrico, Va

Cost: Free

*Click here for more info on A Phifer Christmas!

2. The Wendhurst Drive Homes: Located in Glen Allen, you can either drive by or walk up to the three homes that are decorated together. They have 2,207 homemade decorations on display! We also visit the Coleson Road home after these because it’s 4 minutes away!

Drive By or Walk Around: You can park and walk around!

Area of Richmond: Henrico's Glen Allen

Address: 9716 Wendhurst Drive, Glen Allen, Virginia

Cost: Free

*Click here for more info on Christmas on Wedhurst!

3. Fire Station 13: Located in Henrico near Short Pump Mall, this fire station goes all out for Christmas. They have so many tacky lights and inflatables it's easy to see driving by, or you can check it out next door from Gayton Elementary or across the street at Ray's Italian Ice.

Drive By or Walk Around: Drive by, but you can stop at Ray's for treats and see if from outside your car.

Area of Richmond: Henrico's Short Pump

Address: 12491 Church Rd Henrico, VA 23233ia

Cost: Free

*Check here for my review.

4. Fire Station 9: This Henrico Fire Station goes all out for Christmas, and they love a friendly competition with Fire Station 13. They have lots of lights and inflatables, and it's perfect for a drive by or to add on when visiting the tacky lights by Freeman High School (3307 Kensington Ave, Richmond, VA)

   
   

Drive By or Walk Around: Drive by

Area of Richmond: Henrico's West End

Address: 9401 Quioccasin Rd Henrico, VA 23238

Cost: Free

5. The Walton Park neighborhood: This Midlothian neighborhood goes all out for Christmas, and it is the course for the Tacky Light Run 6K. We drive through “Christmas Court” on Dawnridge Court & Coralview Road. The Urban Farmhouse is less than 5 minutes away.

Drive By or Walk Around: Drive by

Area of Richmond: Chesterfield

Address: 12618 Dawnridge Court, Midlothian, VA

Cost: Free

5. RVA Christmas House: Located in the city of Richmond, you can either drive by or walk up to this home at 3209 Hanover Ave. Our favorite part is the giant "RVA" all in lights on the roof.

Drive By or Walk Around: Walk around

Area of Richmond: The Fan

Address: 3209 Hanover Ave., Museum District

Cost: Free

If you're looking for more Christmas fun, check out my guide to finding Santa in Richmond, 2025

If you're looking for can't miss Christmas performances, check out my guide on Holiday Magic on Stage in Richmond!

If you're looking for holiday fun that doesn't break the bank, check out my guide on 20 Free Christmas Events in Richmond This Holiday Season!

*For more details on these fun, festive spots and more Richmond adventures, follow our family on @thewestendmom on Instagram!