The Most Spectacular Holiday Light Displays on Long Island

Whether it be lighting a menorah, advent wreath, or Kwanzaa candle, there's no denying, light plays a major role in our holiday celebrations, especially at this time of year—as we near the winter solstice, the longest night in the northern hemisphere. The digitized age has taken this age-old tradition of lighting up the night into performance art. Lights now dance and spin along to music—providing a virtual feast for the eyes. What's more these holiday lights shows are full-on destination stops with hot cocoa, ice skating, and visits with Santa.

The Girl Scouts of Suffolk County can boast the longest drive-through display, which you can enjoy from the comfort of your car, while Newsday's festival allows visitors to walk through a huge interactive wonderland. Meanwhile, the Scream Park in Bayville has been transformed to a very family-friendly winter wonderland with five different attractions for one inclusive price. So, grab the kids, bundle up and prepare to be dazzled!

Newsday's Holiday Lights Festival
235 Pinelawn Rd. Melville
631-843-2666
Thursday–Sunday, December 1–30
Thursdays 6–10pm, Fridays 6–11PM, Saturdays 5–11pm,
Sundays 5–10PM
Adults $6, children 2–12 $4; additional $2 for ice-skating
Presented by the Bethpage Federal Credit Union and Lord and Taylor, visitors can walk through a huge interactive winter wonderland with 58 new exhibits, visit Santa at the cozy kids' activity center, enjoy carnival games, crafts, and shops. Last year more than 30,000 people visited this event and this year promises to be even bigger, with more than 100 dazzling lights displayed over 1,200 feet.For an additional $2, take a spin on the outdoor skating rink. $1 of every ticket sold will be donated to Newsday's Help a Family campaign, helping Long Island families in need.

Girl Scout Camp Edey's Holiday Light Show
600 Lakeview Ave.
Bayport
November 29th–December 30th (closed December 24 and 25),
5–9PM
Monday–Thursday $12 per car, Friday–Sunday $15 per car
631-543-6622
The Girl Scouts of Suffolk County are putting on their ninth annual holiday light show, Long Island’s largest drive-through display: a mile-long trail illuminated with more than ten miles of lights and holiday vignettes. The event also features a holiday village where children can take photos with Santa, listen to music, enjoy hot cocoa, and scope out the Hall of Trees, an orchard of more than 50 decorated trees. Proceeds benefit Girl Scouts programs and outreach services.

Bayville Winter Wonderland
8 Bayville Ave
Bayville
Weekends November 23rd-January 6th
Fridays 6-10PM Saturdays 12-10PM and Sundays 12-9PM
Check the website for select weeknight openings
$15 per person all inclusive for 5 attractions
516-628-TOYS
Captain Bay's Yo-Ho Holiday Light Show
Beginning at 4PM, this pirate-themed light show tells the story of the pirates first Christmas. If you've been to the golf course before, there's not that much new to see here beside some lighted pirates, parrots and Santa atop a sleigh pulled by his reindeer, visible from the outside. The golf course though is filled with gruesome looking pirates and a very cool looking ship. 
Santa's Toy Factory Fun House
This fun house is unlike any other I've ever seen. The brightly florescent colored walls can be seen in 3-D with glasses.  Wander around through a hall of mirrors, very tricky if you keep you glasses on, and then onto Santa's workshop as you listen to the sounds from the north pole.
Blizzard Bay's Arctic Skating Adventure
They've slapped down a slab of plastic here, on which you can skate. Skating alone will cost you $8. but if you've purchased a ticket skates are included. I was told they often have marshmallows that you can roast on a hearth but they were out when we visited. The nice thing about the plastic is that you can walk on it with shoes, if you choose not to skate. I saw some parents helping kids with skates on, in sneakers or boots. Since I had an infant with me, I knew skating wasn't going to be an option for my older two, but they had a lot of fun racing around the "rink" in their shoes. 
The Holiday Express Train Ride
This train is dressed up for the holidays. Enjoy a ride as you travel through a tunnel filled with holiday lights and loop the skating rink twice.
Magical Meeting with Santa
Have a visit with Santa and tell him all your heart desires. This is one of the nicest Santa's I've seen, he's got the ho-ho-ho down really great, and the package includes an actual visit. You get to spend a few minutes with Santa while he chats with you and gives the kids a candy cane. Pictures with Santa are an additional charge but ours came out really nice.