The Best Christmas Lights in Branson, MO: 2026 Guide
Every November, Branson turns into an Ozark Mountain Christmas, and the lights are the headline. Here's every Christmas light display worth your night in 2026: the drive-thrus, the theme park, and the free spots, with dates, prices, and which one fits your crew.
4 drive-thru displays1 theme park full of lights2 free spots around town
Where to See Christmas Lights in Branson This Year
For a drive-thru, Lights of Joy Christmas Drive-Thru on Shepherd of the Hills Expressway is Branson's four-time Best of Branson winner: a paved mile with 250+ displays built new every year, Christmas music through your car speakers, and one price per carload ($30 Tuesday through Sunday, $25 on most Mondays). For a full day out, Silver Dollar City's An Old Time Christmas covers the theme park in more than 6.5 million lights from November 7. For free, walk Branson Landing for the animated tree show. And yes, we're the family behind Lights of Joy, so we're biased about the first one. Everything else on this list is a place we'd happily send our own family.
Branson Christmas Lights at a Glance (2026)
Dates and prices as published by each attraction for the 2026 season. Hours and prices can change, so check the attraction before you drive over.
| Display | Type | 2026 Season | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lights of Joy | Drive-thru, 1 mile | Nov 1 – Jan 3, nightly 5–11 PM | $30 per car Tue–Sun, $25 most Mondays | One-price carload, music, free Santa photos |
| Silver Dollar City | Theme park | Nov 7 – Jan 2, select days | Included with park admission | A full day of shows, parade, and lights |
| Trail of Lights | Drive-thru | Nov 6 – Jan 2 | $30–$35 per carload | Free hot cocoa and the Shepherd of the Hills grounds |
| Let There Be Lights | Drive-thru, 2 miles | Nightly from Nov 1, 5–11 PM | Per vehicle, check for 2026 | Animal lovers |
| Big Cedar Lodge | Drive-thru | Nov 8 – Dec 31, 5–10 PM | $35 per car, reservations recommended | A scenic resort drive |
| Branson Landing | Walkable, outdoor | Nightly through January | Free | Shopping and dinner plus a tree show |
| Christmas Tree City trees | Around town | All season | Free | A free self-guided tour |
The 7 Best Christmas Light Displays in Branson
Ranked for a family planning one great night, from the drive you can do in your pajamas to the spots that cost nothing at all.
Lights of Joy Christmas Drive-Thru
Branson's dedicated Christmas drive-thru is a paved mile of 250+ displays, and nearly every one is built new each summer, so the drive you loved last year isn't the drive you'll see this year. Tune the free Tune2 app to show code LOJC and Christmas music plays through your own speakers while you cruise at your own pace. The RGB Digital Tunnel, the 12 Days of Christmas, and the Nativity are the favorites families come back for.
- Price: $30 per carload Tuesday through Sunday, $25 on most Monday value nights, tax included. Everyone in the car rides on one ticket.
- Save more: bring 3 cans of food for Christian Action Ministries and take $3 off at the gate.
- Free before you pay: displays line Shepherd of the Hills Expressway before the ticket booth.
- Santa nights: free photos with Santa on 24 nights, Fridays through Sundays from November 6, plus Thanksgiving and December 21–22. See Santa's schedule.
- Groups: full-size motorcoaches welcome, with a free second pass the same night. Group info.
- Coming from Springfield: it's about 35 miles straight down US-65. Directions and tips from Springfield.
An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City lights more than 6.5 million lights for An Old Time Christmas, and 2026 brings a brand-new parade, Stars, Lights & Christmas Nights, debuting on opening day, November 7. Plan a full day: shows, rides, food, and the lights once the sun goes down. The lights are included with regular park admission, and operating days and hours vary through the season, so check the park calendar before you go.
Local tip: a park day followed by an evening drive through Lights of Joy on your way back into town is a classic Branson Christmas combo.
Trail of Lights at Shepherd of the Hills
A drive through millions of lights and animated displays on the 160-acre Shepherd of the Hills homestead, by Inspiration Tower. Hours run dusk to 10 PM Sunday through Thursday and dusk to 11 PM Friday and Saturday. Pricing is $30 to $35 per carload, or $50 for vans with 8 to 15 riders, and free hot cocoa is served at Aunt Mollie's Mercantile with donations going to local charities. Single-axle vehicles only.
Let There Be Lights at Promised Land Zoo
A two-mile drive across the zoo's 74 acres, open 5 to 11 PM nightly from November 1, with a free Candyland Courtyard to stretch your legs and a living Nativity petting area. Tickets are sold per vehicle. The zoo hadn't posted 2026 pricing when we updated this guide, so check with them before you go.
Drive-Through Christmas Lights Tour at Big Cedar Lodge
A self-guided drive through the resort grounds, open to the public at $35 per car or SUV and $60 per mini bus (free for Big Cedar and Wilderness Club guests). Spots are limited, so Big Cedar strongly recommends reserving ahead. It's cashless, and you check in at the Big Cedar entrance off the roundabout.
Branson Landing
The free one. Branson Landing's animated giant tree runs a light show set to music each night through January, and a 50-foot evergreen lit with thousands of LEDs stands at the north entrance near Belk. Pair it with dinner and shopping along the waterfront for a night that costs only what you spend.
America's Christmas Tree City Trees
Branson calls itself America's Christmas Tree City, and more than 700 decorated trees go up across town each season. Don't miss the City of Branson roundabout display: 16 lit trees running a synchronized show of more than 7,000 lights. It's an easy free add-on while you drive between shows.
How to Pick a Branson Light Show
Little ones and bedtimes
A drive-thru wins. Kids stay warm in their car seats, and you leave when they're done. Lights of Joy is self-paced, so you can take it as slow as your crew likes.
A bigger family on a budget
Look for per-car pricing. One $30 carload ticket covers everyone who fits, which works out to $6 a person for a family of five, or $25 on most Mondays.
Only one night in town
Pick one drive-thru and add the free Branson Landing tree show. Grab the free Branson Christmas Map for the time-saver routes that skip Highway 76 traffic.
Coming with a group
Check that the route fits your vehicle before you book. Lights of Joy is fully paved, welcomes full-size motorcoaches, and posts its group rates online.
Branson Christmas Lights Questions, Answered
How many Christmas light drive-thrus are in Branson?
The Branson area has four drive-thru light displays: Lights of Joy Christmas Drive-Thru, the Trail of Lights at Shepherd of the Hills, Let There Be Lights at Promised Land Zoo, and the Drive-Through Christmas Lights Tour at Big Cedar Lodge. Silver Dollar City also lights its theme park for An Old Time Christmas.
Which Christmas lights in Branson are free?
Branson Landing's animated tree show and 50-foot evergreen are free, as are the 700+ decorated trees around town and the City of Branson roundabout light show. The displays along Shepherd of the Hills Expressway leading to Lights of Joy are also free to see before the ticket booth.
How much do Christmas lights in Branson cost?
Most Branson drive-thrus charge per vehicle rather than per person. In 2026, Lights of Joy is $30 per carload Tuesday through Sunday and $25 on most Mondays, the Trail of Lights is $30 to $35 per carload, and Big Cedar's tour is $35 per car. Silver Dollar City's lights are included with park admission.
When do the Branson Christmas lights start and end?
Lights of Joy opens November 1 and runs nightly through January 3. Silver Dollar City runs November 7 through January 2, the Trail of Lights November 6 through January 2, and Big Cedar's drive November 8 through December 31.
Can you see more than one Branson light display in a night?
Yes. Many families pair one drive-thru with the free Branson Landing tree show, or spend the day at Silver Dollar City and finish with an evening drive. The free Branson Christmas Map shows the time-saver routes between them.
What's the best Branson light display for a first visit?
For a first visit with family, start with a drive-thru so everyone stays warm and sees the most lights in the least time. Lights of Joy is a four-time Best of Branson winner (2022–2025) with all-new displays every year and free Santa photos on Santa nights.
Find Lights of Joy in Branson, MO
700 Expressway Lane, at the corner of Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, just north of Sight & Sound Theatre, with free displays lining the Expressway before the ticket booth.
Address
700 Expressway Lane
Branson, MO 65616
Get directions
Season & Hours
November 1 – January 3
Open every night, 5–11 PM
Closed only for ice or unsafe conditions