Millions of little light bulbs come together to create some spectacular sights at East Texas drive thru Christmas light parks.

It's an annual tradition for many East Texas families to visit one, if not all, of these parks while sipping on hot chocolate in the car while Christmas tunes play on the radio. Each park is unique in its own way. While one park displays nothing but lighted scenes, another will feature painted scenes with cut-out figures while another will feature a combination of both. It doesn't matter which style of park you prefer, they are all beautiful under the dark East Texas sky.

Many parks came in to existence as just family light displays that eventually grew over time!

You can start a family tradition by visiting one of these parks and then do it next year too! Plus, if you've got friends and family in for the Christmas holidays, these parks are a great place to visit with them!

  • Santa Land

    1518 Interstate 20 West - Tyler

    Open nightly 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. through January 4th

    Santa Land is the original drive thru Christmas theme park in Texas. The drive thru park features 2.5 million lights spread out through 24 acres of East Texas country side. The trail is lined with twinkling lights and animated displays. You can ride on Santa's Trailer or drive in the comfort of your own car or truck.

    Santa Land is open nightly beginning at 6:00. There is an admission charge per vehicle up to 15 people. Please check their Facebook page for additional fees.

    I found a video of the dancing Christmas Trees that you'd drive thru if going through Santa Land.

  • Tyler Lights Christmas Light Park

    12880 County Road 192 - Tyler

    Celebrate the holidays with your family at Tyler Lights, Tyler's only drive thru light park! This drive thru park features lighted scenes and over 1 million lights for you to gaze at! While driving thru this park in the comfort of your own car you can listen to Christmas music on your radio and watch the lights dance to music!

    Up In Lights opens at 6p each Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 23rd – December 9 and then nightly from December 14th – thru Christmas. There is a per vehicle admission charge.

  • Christmas Park Athens – Land Of Lights

    1500 NW Loop 7 (@ Hwy. 175) - Athens

    Boasting with more than four million lights and fifteen hundred wood cut outs, Christmas Park Athens - Land Of Lights is an East Texas must see! Cars line up along Athens' Loop 7 well before the park opens in anticipation of seeing Snoopy flying an airplane, reindeer in a snowball fight and fourteen light arches that will amaze you! All that and more can be found at the Christmas Park Athens – Land Of Lights in Athens. Each year the Christmas light park adds new scenes and lights. They have many scenes that depict favorites from your past, including Humpty Dumpty, Charlie Brown and even greats like Elvis Presley!

    Christmas Park – Land Of Lights is open nightly from 6p – 10p November 10th thru January 3rd. There is an admission charge per vehicle.

  • Wonderland Of Lights

    downtown Marshall

    It's an East Texas tradition that's been happening for more than thirty years now. Marshall's town square is illuminated with over a million lights during the nightly festival of lights. It's more than lights though! There's also an ice skating rink, rides in horse drawn carriages, kids can visit Santa's workshop, balloon artists and face painting for kids along with live entertainment and more. Check the website for a complete schedule of events for Wonderland Of Lights in Marshall. The highlight of the event is the Harrison County Courthouse!

    Marshall's Wonderland of Lights runs November 21st thru December 30th but is closed on Mondays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There is a charge for some activities, including ice skating (please check website for pricing).

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