Subscribe to the USFamilyGuide.com KidsScoop!
The monthly family event and savings newsletter. Receive coupons for Fun Activities, Summer Camps, Parties, Dining, Shopping, Field Trips, Child Care and more! We NEVER share your information.
Are you on the hunt for some awesome Christmas light displays to see near Salem, Oregon? My family absolutely loves visiting Christmas light displays during the holidays and we have been to quite a few, so I have some great ones to suggest for you! I also have some super fun Christmas towns in Oregon and around the Pacific Northwest to suggest as well.
I have lived in various small communities near Salem almost all of my life (except for a 1 year stint in Houston when I was young…WHAT?! Culture shock to say the least). Anyway, since my husband and I had children we decided that we want them to explore all of the magic of the holidays and for us that included visiting local Christmas light displays. Our bigger kids are teens now (okay one is a teen, the other is 12), but our visits to holiday lights are their favorite! As soon as the holiday season approaches they are asking when we get to go again. Every year. We love it.
Anyway, because of how much they loved it and how great this family time has been for us, we have decided to explore all around the area to find the best Christmas light displays to see near Salem, Oregon. Since we have had such wonderful, family bonding times visiting these displays we wanted to share with you!
Because there is some really awesome displays to see in the surrounding area of Salem, we decided to keep these down to an hour’s drive of Salem so you know you won’t have to drive too far.
Where ever you end up visiting, be sure to stay safe and healthy. Oh, and don’t forget your mask just in case you end up getting out anywhere. You don’t want to show up and not be able to take part in the holiday celebrations.
The Gubser neighborhood in Keizer has been home to the Miracle of Christmas Lights Display for over 30 years. Thousands of holidays lights decorate homes throughout this neighborhood creating a winter wonderland. You can walk or drive through this neighborhood, but be sure and drive safely! The crowds can get pretty dense here.
This has been a long running fundraiser for the community and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of food over the years.
The Pastega Christmas Light Display has been a holiday fixture in Corvallis since 1981, until recently it was always located at the Pepsi Co. facility right off of Hwy 99, but was recently moved to the Benton County Fairgrounds. With thousands of lights, 130+ different displays and more, the fairgrounds is a great location for the display! This display is free, but please take remember to take some canned food with you so that you can donate it at the beginning of the light display.
If you don’t mind dealing with crowds when you are out to see Christmas light displays, you will love to see Zoo Lights at the Oregon Zoo. Zoo lights is home to over a million lights, 200 displays, a fun scavenger hunt, the awesome Oregon Zoo animals of course, but as it is Oregon’s most popular Christmas light display, you need to be prepared for the crowds that will be there.
Price are dependant on the date. Check the Zoo Lights website info for more info. $2 savings when tickets are paid for online.
The Winter Solstice Illuminat Regatta is not like other Christmas light displays, but it is definitely worth a mention! From at the dock, and ending at the pedestrian bridge at the Riverfront Park, this holiday parade features participants cruising down the Willamette in festively lit dragon boats, canoes, and kayaks.
Have you ever been to the Oregon Garden? If you said yes, you know just how beautiful it is. It is even more beautiful covered in Christmas lights! The Oregon Garden is brightened with almost 500,000 lights, but it is much more than just a light display. At Christmas in the Garden, you will find a holiday market with awesome vendors, an ice skating rink, snowless tubing, fire pits to enjoy your cocoa and treats around and don’t worry, Santa will be there!
Prices change depending on dates. Not all activities are included in admission price (snowless tubing, ice skating, etc.).
If you have a race car fan in your family, you must head to the Portland International Raceway which is transformed into the largest light display in the Northwest with the entire raceway being transformed into a holiday wonderland with over 250 displays! That’s right. You get to drive on the track, while checking out the holidays lights. This is a very cool experience for the family.
At the Willamette Heritage Museum in the heart of Salem, you will find Magic at the Mill. Here you will enjoy the sites of thousands of Christmas lights, heritage tours, art demonstrations, children’s activities, animated displays, music, shopping and more.
Peacock Lane, for nearly a hundred years, has been one of the most popular Christmas Lights Displays in the entire city of Portland. This street in Southeast Portland is home to many Tudor English style homes. these homes are decorated festively with thousands and thousands of lights. The crowds gets very intense though so if you want to avoid being stuck in the traffic, hop on public transportation and walk through the neighborhood.
The Victorian Bell Mansion Miracle of a Million Lights is home to millions of Christmas lights. This famous mansion outside of Portland is located on over 2 acres and the home itself is over 5000 sq feet and is transformed into a winter wonderland during this celebration.
I figured an update for 2020 was needed so please be sure to check the link for each display to be sure that they are being held as usual for 2020. I know a couple are holding off this year, but I do know that some are still happening!
Do you have any awesome Christmas light displays to see near Salem, Oregon that I didn’t mention here? Please feel free to share.
Looking for more fun Christmas stuff to do in Oregon? Check out these related posts:
If you happen to be in the Salem area, and you are looking for other fun stuff to do with your kids, check out this post.
