Three Christmas light displays in and around Lancaster–Harrisburg–Hershey have 2026 dates: 2 drive-thrus and 1 walk-through. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 5 p.m. at Christmas Light Drive-Thru at Stone Gables Estate. They’re spread over three areas, from Hershey to Elizabethtown.
Last checked · How we choose
Tap a filter to narrow it down. Every card has hours, price and what it’s like with a little one.
Hersheypark · 100 W. Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA 17033
Checked Oct 30 on the official page
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Little-kid take: Stays in the car: the easiest pick with a baby or a toddler who may fall asleep. PJs on, car seat buckled, no stroller needed.
Checked Oct 30 on the official page
Report a problemStone Gables Estate · 1160 N. Market St., Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Little-kid take: Stays in the car: the easiest pick with a baby or a toddler who may fall asleep. PJs on, car seat buckled, no stroller needed.
Checked Oct 30 on the official page
Report a problemNothing is lit yet. Christmas Light Drive-Thru at Stone Gables Estate opens first, on Nov 20. Christmas Light Drive-Thru at Stone Gables Estate runs into the new year.
In early December the sun sets around 4:40 p.m. in Central PA (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.
5 p.m. start · plan about an hour
5 p.m.
5:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour
5:30 p.m.
Picks: Christmas Spirit Light Show, Christmas Light Drive-Thru at Stone Gables Estate
Pick: Hersheypark Christmas Candylane
Mittens on a stringLittle hands get cold fast after dark.
Warm drink in a thermosA treat to look forward to at the halfway point.
Hat and a blanketFor the stroller, or the car once the heat is off.
PJs before you goSo a car-seat nap can turn straight into bedtime.From each venue’s own page. Check whether a price is per car or per person before you book.
| Display | Price | Little kids | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hersheypark Christmas Candylane | Park admission; online deals posted on the park’s site | See the venue | Walk-through |
| Christmas Spirit Light Show | $25 per vehicle (up to 8 people) | See the venue | Drive-thru |
| Christmas Light Drive-Thru at Stone Gables Estate | $30 per car (up to 8 people) | See the venue | Drive-thru |
See all 5 Santa outings in and around Central PA: breakfasts, photo spots and evening visits, with 2026 prices.
Santa in Central PA →
None of the light shows with 2026 dates that we found are free. The lowest prices are listed in “2026 prices at a glance”.
Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Christmas Spirit Light Show ($25 per vehicle (up to 8 people)); Christmas Light Drive-Thru at Stone Gables Estate ($30 per car (up to 8 people)). Check whether a price is per car or per person before you compare.
With a baby or a sleepy toddler, a drive-thru is easiest: they stay buckled in and warm. Two of the 3 displays can be driven, including Christmas Spirit Light Show and Christmas Light Drive-Thru at Stone Gables Estate. Walk-throughs (one here) are better for kids who want to run around.
The earliest evening starts: Christmas Light Drive-Thru at Stone Gables Estate at 5 p.m. and Christmas Spirit Light Show at 5:30 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page, and links to it. We list dates, times and prices only when that page shows them for 2026; anything without posted dates goes in “Dates not posted yet” instead. These were last checked Oct 30, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.
Keep planning: This week in Central PA · Lancaster–Harrisburg–Hershey city guide · Visiting Central PA
One short email every Thursday evening with what works for ages 0–6 in Central PA that weekend, including the Santa and light-show dates worth knowing.
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Things to do with kids in Lancaster–Harrisburg–Hershey in November · Things to do with kids in Lancaster–Harrisburg–Hershey in December
More holiday outings
The Nutcracker with kids in Lancaster–Harrisburg–Hershey: 5 shows with 2026 dates, run times, ages and sensory-friendly performances. Christmas markets in Lancaster–Harrisburg–Hershey: 4 markets and winter wonderlands with 2026 dates, hours and stroller notes.