Parents, grab the cocoa and dust off your Santa hats—it’s that time of year again! The streets are about to come alive with holiday magic, dazzling lights, and enough festive displays to make the Hershey's Kisses factory blush. There’s something truly special about holiday lights that brings us back to the magic of childhood, and now it’s our turn to pass that tradition on. Welcome to The Twinkling Trail: Hershey Edition, your guide to the most festive, magical, and downright dazzling Christmas light displays in Hershey, Elizabethtown, and beyond!
Whether you’re searching for a neighborhood glowing brighter than Rudolph’s nose or a house packed with so much Christmas cheer it could warm the Grinch’s heart, this guide is your one-stop shop for all things merry and bright! Bonus: no getting lost down “Santa’s Shortcut” and ending up in Chocolate World’s parking lot—unless, of course, you want to!
What’s on The Twinkling Trail?
Candy Cane Lane, Sparkle Street, Jolly Junction…
Prepare yourself for a joyful journey through the brightest and most magical neighborhoods of Hershey, Elizabethtown, and the surrounding areas. Here's what you can expect:
- Legendary Displays that’ll make the kids’ eyes light up like a Christmas tree. From Hershey to Middletown, expect synchronized light shows, glowing reindeer, and even Santa himself waving from a rooftop.
- Whimsical Magic perfect for the little ones (and the young at heart). Think oversized candy canes, inflatable snowmen, and gingerbread houses that could give Hersheypark’s Sweet Lights a run for their money.
- Creative Setups that make for perfect photo ops. Snap pics of dazzling displays, life-sized nutcrackers, and maybe even a penguin or two enjoying some holiday spirit.
How to Use The Map
Exploring the holiday lights around Hershey, Elizabethtown, and the Hummelstown area is easy with The Twinkling Trail Map. Whether you’re on a hunt for a house decked out in candy-themed magic or cruising through neighborhoods lit up like the North Pole, this map is your ultimate holiday adventure guide.
Pro Tip: Make it a photo-op! Holiday lights are the perfect backdrop for your family’s holiday card. Bonus points if everyone is in matching pajamas and no one pulls an inflatable reindeer off its wires.
Map Legend:
Green: These displays require an admission fee or tickets (like Sweet Lights or local walk-through events).
Red: Free, amazing displays for all ages to enjoy!
Blue: “Festive Neighborhoods”—drive through for blocks and blocks of twinkling holiday cheer.
Highlights
Looking for the brightest, most dazzling displays in the area? These Christmas light destinations have everything from synchronized music to nostalgic charm, with plenty of opportunities for cocoa, car rides, and family debates over which house truly nailed it this year.
Allendale Lights Extravaganza
Location: Allendale Development, near Cedar Cliff High School
Why We Love It:
This neighborhood goes all-in on holiday cheer, thanks to its annual decorating contest. It’s like walking through a live Hallmark movie, but with fewer snowball fights and more LED lights. Don’t miss the musical display on Blacksmith Road—tune your radio to 96.5 FM and watch the lights groove in time with the tunes. Bonus points if you can convince your family you should join the contest next year.
Christmas in Lights – Marysville
Location: 222 S. Main St, Marysville, PA
Why We Love It:
This walk-through display is like stepping into a winter wonderland. With lights sparkling from every angle, it’s perfect for an evening stroll with hot cocoa in hand (or a toddler tugging at your other hand). The charm is in its simplicity—it’s magical without feeling overwhelming, like the quiet cousin of the big-city displays.
Christmas Magic at Rocky Ridge Park
Location: 3699 Deininger Rd, York, PA
Why We Love It:
Half a mile of woodland trails lit up with festive displays, hot cocoa stands, and a train tooting through? Yes, please. Bring your fur baby on Pet Night and finally prove to everyone that your dog is better behaved than your kids. Just don’t let them both pull you toward the cocoa stand at once.
Christmas on Clemson
Location: 117 Clemson Dr, Carlisle, PA
Why We Love It:
Over 30,000 lights synced to music on 88.5 FM make this a true holiday spectacle. Add in inflatables and nostalgic blow molds, and you’ve got a light show that screams “holiday cheer” louder than your kids fighting over the last candy cane.
Christmas Spirit Light Show
Location: Clipper Magazine Stadium, 650 N. Prince St, Lancaster, PA
Why We Love It:
This mile-long drive-through display is a masterpiece of lights dancing to Christmas tunes. Bonus: It’s socially acceptable to belt out “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” here without judgment. For extra holiday fun, walk through Christmas Tree Lane or participate in the Dashing Through the Lights 5K—you know, if running in the cold is your thing.
Christmas Lights on Clouser
Location: 36 Clouser Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA
Why We Love It:
This free drive-through display is packed with charm and cheer, and it’s a perfect spot for that spontaneous “let’s see some lights!” outing. Bring spare change for donations to local charities—it’s a great way to teach your kids the true meaning of Christmas.
Christmas Lights Trail at Tree Top Nursery
Location: Tree Top Nursery, Carlisle (Check Facebook for hours)
Why We Love It:
This hidden gem offers a festive photo-op wonderland before dusk and a gorgeous light trail from 5:30-8:30 PM ($10 per family). Plus, the nursery doubles as the perfect spot to pick out a Christmas tree. You’ll leave with magical photos, holiday cheer, and a tree that probably won’t lean to one side once decorated.
Hershey Sweet Lights
Location: 1183 Sand Beach Rd, Hershey, PA
Why We Love It:
Tired of hearing “Are we there yet?” Keep your kids entertained on this two-mile ride of animated light bliss featuring nearly 600 displays. Sweeten the deal with a chocolate fudge bundle (or just eat it yourself while pretending you didn’t hear that backseat argument).
Joy Through the Grove at Knoebels
Location: 391 Knoebels Blvd, Elysburg, PA
Why We Love It:
Take a two-mile drive through over 500 sparkling displays at this beloved amusement park. If the kids behave, treat them to some kettle corn on the way out. If they don’t? Keep the kettle corn for yourself—it’s the holidays; you’ve earned it.
Koziar's Christmas Village
Location: 782 Christmas Village Rd, Bernville, PA
Why We Love It:
With over one million lights, this legendary spot is like stepping into Santa’s Pinterest board. Nostalgic displays, gift barns, and Instagrammable moments galore make it worth the drive. Pro tip: Bring snacks for the ride home because the kids will definitely be hungry (again).
Messick’s Christmas Lights Show
Location: 1475 Strickler Rd, Mount Joy, PA
Why We Love It:
Where else can you see 70,000 lights dance to music… on farm equipment? This unique display is both festive and charitable, with proceeds benefiting local causes. And if the sibling squabbles hit critical mass, there are bleachers to spread them out for a while.
Refreshing Mountain Christmas Lights & Zipline Adventure
Location: Refreshing Mountain, 455 Camp Rd, Stevens, PA (Lancaster County)
Why We Love It:
This isn’t just a light display—it’s a full-on Christmas adventure! Choose the Walking Light Tour ($14 per person) to stroll through beautifully lit trails and visit the Wildlife Center. Feeling more daring? Opt for the Christmas Lights Zipline Package to soar above half a million lights. With campfires, music, and EPIC views, it’s a holiday thrill your kids will brag about all year (or until next Christmas).
Village of Lights at Historic Acres of Hershey
Location: 3425 Old Hershey Rd, Hershey, PA
Why We Love It:
Skip the mall crowds and stroll through this walkable wonderland filled with glowing displays, local vendors, and cozy cocoa. Let your kids burn off that extra holiday energy while you sip a latte and pretend they won’t immediately get hyper again.
Help Us Light Up The Twinkling Trail!
Do you know of a house in Hershey that could rival Santa’s workshop? Or a street in Elizabethtown where every home is decked out like it’s competing for Best Holiday Display? Share it with us! You don’t even need an exact address—“the house with the light-up Santa doing a TikTok dance” will work just fine. 
So, gather your little elves, pack the cookies and cocoa (because no holiday adventure is complete without them), and follow The Twinkling Trail: Hershey Edition for a season filled with joy, memories, and lights as sweet as Hershey’s Milk Chocolate. 
And remember, the more displays we add, the brighter the season becomes! Share your favorite spots and help us create the ultimate holiday guide for families in Hershey, Elizabethtown, and the surrounding areas. 
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Speaking of survival tips, join our Facebook Group, Macaroni Village of South Central PA, a collaboration across all three regions where we swap stories, share holiday hacks, and collectively try to figure out how to make bedtime happen before Santa’s sleigh rolls in. It’s a Christmas miracle waiting to happen! 
Disclaimer: While the ideas and the bulk of the brilliance are all mine, I confess that I enlisted the help of ChatGPT for minor edits and revisions. Why? Because AI is the friendliest grammarian I know—no red pen, no judgment, just pure, unadulterated love for a well-placed comma. So if you find any rogue semicolons or unnaturally perfect phrasing, you can thank my digital editor for that.
