Nashville holiday lights: Your guide to Middle Tennessee's best and brightest displays
We might not get many white Christmases here in the Nashville area, but when the holiday season rolls around, we love to show off our decorating skills.
Not only can visitors, or those of us who live nearby and might be in the mood to check out some lights, trees and yard ornaments, check out some impressive public displays, there are also some jaw-dropping private homes worth including on any itinerary of festive places to visit.
But, Middle Tennessee is a big area, and you might find yourself in need of a guide if you don't want to cruise around looking for the best and brightest lights of the season.
Fortunately, we're here to help. From Nashville and Davidson County to Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Lebanon and all sorts of areas in between, you can use our lists and maps to help find the best holiday lights displays in the area and build your own festive mini road trip.
The best public light displays by county
Nashville/Davidson County
Zoolumination, Chinese Festival of Lights: The walk-through display at the Nashville Zoo, 3777 Nolensville Pike, is held at 5-9 p.m., daily through Jan. 7 and then Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 11-Feb. 4. Scenes include more than 1,000 custom-made silk lanterns. Cost is $23 for ages 13-up and $19 for ages 2-12 Monday-Thursday and $26 for ages 13-up Monday-Thursday and $22 for ages 2-12 Friday-Sunday. A platinum pass for unlimited visits are $39 for ages 13-up and $29 for ages 2-12. Free admission for under-2. Parking is $8 and free for zoo members.
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens, 1200 Forest Park Drive, features a one-mile walking path including more than one million lights. Hours are 5-10 p.m. daily through Jan. 7. Closed on Christmas Day.
Opryland Hotel, 2800 Opryland Dr., features more than 3 million Christmas lights with brand new displays. Lights are on through Jan. 1.
Wilson County
Chad’s Winter Wonderland: A huge drive-thru lights display with approximately 4 million lights on 12 acres that Chad Barnard has now done for around 40 years at his property, 791 Old LaGuardo Road East near State Route 109. In 2014, Barnard, also a Wilson County commissioner, was picked for ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” Cost is $25 per vehicle. Open 5-10 p.m. nightly through Dec. 31.
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Dancing Lights of Christmas: The light and music show is held annually at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center, 1033 Sparta Pike in Lebanon, every day including holidays through Dec. 31. The display is synchronized to music and has approximately 3 million lights. Times are 5-10 p.m., Sunday-Thursday and 5-11 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Cost is $30 per vehicle.
Williamson County
Franktown Festival of Lights at Williamson County Ag Center, 4215 Long Ln in Franklin, features more than 200 synchronized lights. Open daily from 5-9 p.m. through Dec. 31.
Rutherford County
Christmas Lights at Cannonsburgh Village: This drive-through display with music, at 312 S. Front Street in Murfreesboro, is open from 5-8 p.m., Fridays-Sundays, through Dec. 17. Admission is free and donations are accepted.
Robertson County
Winter Wonderland at J. Travis Price Park, 4155 Wilks Road, features thousands of lights in a drive-through display. Open daily from 5:30-9 p.m. through Dec. 23.
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Montgomery County
Christmas on the Cumberland at McGregor Park Riverwalk, 640 N. Riverside Dr. in Clarksville, features more than 1 million lights and is open nightly through Jan. 2.
Clarksville Speedway and Fairgrounds presents Drive Thru Christmas Lights, 1600 Needmore Road in Clarksville, from 5:30-10 p.m. daily through Dec. 30.
The best neighborhood light displays by county
Nashville/Davidson County
Music City Lights Show, 5361 Skip Jack Dr. in Antioch, features lights synchronized to music. Lights are on from 5-10 p.m. nightly through Dec. 30.
4303 Lealand Lane in Nashville: Born out of marital disharmony about the disposition of a boat that had languished in the front yard awaiting repair far too long (“If you don’t do something about it I am going to put Christmas lights on it!), The Sailboat, a Lightning, has been a fixture in the Glendale neighborhood for 30 years. A nautical and sometimes whimsical holiday greeting to all that pass by, the code flags signal a seasonal message for those inclined to decipher.
616 Hogan Road in Nashville: A community staple since 2006 when the homeowners started decorating their huge, 70-foot-tall spruce tree, this display includes the aforementioned spruce, covered in C9 twinkle bulbs with a 40-inch Santa on top. There's a mix of older and newer decorations, including a revolving 7-foot Ferris wheel with characters, a revolving carousel with characters, several other displays and inflatables.
It's a Merry Swiftmas at 1314 Monetta Avenue in Nashville: Come celebrate the Year of Taylor with Christmas trees for all ten eras, Santa’s Naughty and Nice List (Taylor’s version), and Santa’s Castle for “Traylor.” The display was designed by a self-proclaimed Swiftie.
317 Harpeth Valley Road in Nashville: This huge walkthrough display features more than 800 blow molds and 20,000 lights. On the walking tour. guests can take a moment to learn about different Christmas traditions/legends. The homeowners are also collecting food and clothing donations (or Venmo/cash payments) for the MNPS HERO Program and Unicycle, organizations that serve more than 3,600 students who struggle with housing instability.
4339 Sneed Road in Nashville: This display includes blow molds and other deer coming out of the Christmas tree woods to a stream running through the yard. There are Santas and Ms. Santas watching, and Santa in his sleigh with one reindeer is on the roof.
1914 Electric Avenue in Nashville: Every window and door on the front and side of the duplex is covered in LED lights, including the outdoor trees. This is a family tradition in honor of the resident's mother, who died five years ago.
445 Chinook Drive in Antioch: With more than 25,000 LED lights synced to more than 30 minutes of new and old Christmas songs, the show runs rain, snow, ice or shine and can be heard on 103.7 FM.
Wilson County
1000 Port Stewart Court in Mt. Juliet: This display is set up on a corner lot with a large amount of yard decorations, music synched to lights around the yard and house, singing faces and more.
Williamson County
The Planet Christmas synchronized light display, 245 Pebble Glen Drive in Franklin, features lights dancing to music on outdoor speakers or on the car radio at 98.7 FM. This year, the show is focused on pixels with singing faces, dancing trees and other surprises, on nightly from 5-8 p.m. or later through Christmas.
504 Windcrest Court in Franklin: This display features all hand-made decorations.
9444 Chenoweth Place in Brentwood: This display features a mix of the old and new, combined to give viewers a bright, Merry Christmas.
7408 Helios Court in Fairview: This 7,000 pixel light show repeats every 50 minutes and starts every day at 5 p.m. Cutoff is usually around 11 p.m., when the lights will stay on and fade colors for an additional hour. The audio is broadcast on 88.1 FM.
1628 Witt Hill Drive in Spring Hill: A Christmas wonderland for the whole family to enjoy, many of the decorations are hand-made.
Rutherford County
305 Beverly Randolph Drive in Murfreesboro: This display features about 14,000 lights sequenced to 14 songs, which include a range of modern, traditional and instrumental. The lights are 90% RGB with the remainder comprised of LEDs.
3319 Genoa Drive in Murfreesboro: This light show is synced to music.
5216 Blackman Road in Murfreesboro: The whole house is covered with lights, and “Cousin Eddie” just might be out in his bath robe.
Robertson County
Lights on Logan, 2760 Logan Road in Greenbrier, features about 30,000 lights and will run from 5-10 p.m. through Dec. 28.
1016 Interstate Park Circle in Cedar Hill: This light display features more than 15 songs with lights sequenced to the music on radio station 98.1 FM. Shows run nightly through Jan 1 from dark until 9 p.m.
Sumner County
Winter Wonderland in 4T, Dancing Christmas Lights, 1272 Potter Lane in Gallatin, features more than 20,000 lights, open nightly.
1272 Potter Lane in Gallatin: A synchronized musical light show with almost an hour’s worth of songs and dancing lights, including a Christmas tree quartet and singing Santa. The display includes more than 20,000 programmable pixel lights.
Dickson County
936 Goslin Branch Road in Burns: Built by a father/daughter duo, this display features hundreds of lights on the house, garage and perimeter of the yard with more than 90 inflatables covering the yard.
Stewart County
3384 Buckeye Road in Cumberland City: This display features lots of inflatables, lighted trains, arches gas pumps, lots of old gas signs, helicopters and marching soldiers.
Coffee County
359 Grace Ct in Manchester: In it's second year, this display features lights on the house, inflatables in the yard and several archways.
Giles County
5328 Clear Creek Road in Pulaski: This year the display includes two shows, one running Monday-Thursday and a second show, Friday-Sunday. Dominick the Donkey is back for both shows. Tune in to 92.1 to listen. Shows run from 5-11 p.m. nightly.
Want to view the interactive map, click here.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville holiday lights: See the brightest Middle Tennessee displays
