4 Drive-Thru Holiday Light Displays in Pennsylvania
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused people around the world to rethink how they celebrate holidays, and winter is no exception. Luckily, the Christmas season is packed with drive-thru light displays you can experience from the safety and warmth of your own car — no mask required. If you’re in Pennsylvania, make sure you check out these must-see light displays to end 2021 on a high note.
Lights in the Parkway
Lights in the Parkway in Allentown features hundreds of thousands of lights depicting your favorite holiday scenes, from Santa and his reindeer to a myriad of Christmas trees. The lights along Lehigh Parkway are timed to Christmas music that you can tune into from your car’s radio. The display is open nightly (with the exception of Christmas Day) from 5:30-10 p.m. from Nov. 26 through Dec. 31.
Entry for cars up to 8 passengers costs $16; commercial van, limo, and minibus entry costs $26. You can’t buy tickets at the gate, so make sure you purchase yours in advance before heading to the lights.
Presque Isle Lights
If you’re up for a longer drive-thru light display, check out Presque Isle Lights. The 13-mile loop around Presque Isle State Park features various LED light displays spread along the entire length of the loop. To save energy, Presque Isle uses solar generators to power around 50 percent of the lights.
Entry to the event is free, though donations to the Presque Isle Partnership are very much appreciated. The light display is open from 6-9 p.m. on weekends throughout December, as well as the first weekend in January.
Hershey Sweet Lights
During the Christmas season, Hersheypark offers a drive-thru lights display called Hershey Sweet Lights. The display consists of 600 animated displays along 2 miles of wooded trails that you can enjoy from the comfort and warmth of your car. Hershey Sweet Lights is open from 5-9 p.m.
Tickets are available online for cars (up to 8 people) or vans (9-15 people). Prices for cars range from $22.15 to $33.15 depending on the date (weekends and Christmas week are the most expensive times to attend). That price includes two pairs of Holospec glasses to enhance your light-viewing experience. Car tickets are tied to specific dates, but van admission is valid any date and always costs $44.15.
Herr’s Holiday Lights Display
The Herr’s Holiday Lights Display is located on Herr’s Snack Factory’s corporate campus in Nottingham. This free event features more the 600,000 lights and is open from dusk to dawn until Jan. 2. Herr’s has hosted this event during the holidays for more than three decades, so you know it’s going to be a good one.
Catherine Hiles (she/her) is a native Brit living and working in Dayton, Ohio. Cat has written about a variety of subjects, including finance, cars, and parenting. She is a frequent contributor to Dayton Mom Collective, The Penny Hoarder, and WDW Magazine.
Cat lives with her husband, their two kids, and their energetic pitbull mix. She counts running, lifting weights, walking, and reading among her hobbies. See more articles by Cat.