A family car driving past holiday lights on a snowy night
Lights 2026 · Nashville

Christmas lights in Nashville for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

Four Christmas light displays in and around Nashville have 2026 dates: 1 drive-thru and 3 walk-throughs. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 4:30 p.m. at Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

4displays with dates
1drive-thru
0free
4:30 pmearliest evening start

Last checked · How we choose

All 4 displays

Pick tonight’s lights

Tap a filter to narrow it down. Every card has hours, price and what it’s like with a little one.

Walk-through

Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens · Nashville, TN

Walk-throughBook ahead
When
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
Earliest start
4:30 p.m.
Price
Adults $26–$32, youth $20–$26 by date; 2 and under free; +$2 fee; Late Night LIGHTS $20 (select Mon–Thu, 8:30 p.m.); parking $5 non-members
  • Timed entry 4:30–8:30 p.m.; grounds close 10 p.m.
  • One-mile walking path, 1M+ lights
  • mansion decorated as 'Un Noël Enchanté'

Little-kid take: Opens at 4:30 p.m., so an early visit gets you home in time for bedtime.

Tickets / details ↗

Checked Oct 18 on the official page · Source

Report a problem
Drive-thru

Dancing Lights of Christmas

Wilson County Fairgrounds / Ward Ag Center · 1033 Sparta Pike, Lebanon, TN

Drive-thru
When
Nov 7, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027, open 7 days
Earliest start
Nightly
Price
$35 per family vehicle (tax included)
  • Weekends after Thanksgiving (esp
  • Saturdays) and Dec 19–23 are busiest
  • weeknights little or no wait
  • About 30 minutes east

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.

Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

Glow Wild

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere · Nashville, TN

Walk-through
When
Select nights from Nov 13, 2026 through Jan 3, 2027
Earliest start
5 p.m.
Price
$27 per night; under 2 free; parking $10
  • 5–9 p.m.
  • 85-ft synchronized tree

Little-kid take: Opens at 5 p.m., so an early visit gets you home in time for bedtime.

Tickets / details ↗

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

A Country Christmas

Gaylord Opryland Resort · Nashville, TN

Walk-through
When
From Nov 6, 2026 through Jan 2, 2027
Earliest start
See resort
Price
ICE! and activities ticketed separately
  • 5M+ lights
  • indoor atriums good for cold nights
Tickets / details ↗

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Nov 1 – Jan 3

When each one is open

Nothing is lit yet. A Country Christmas opens first, on Nov 6. A Country Christmas, Dancing Lights of Christmas and Glow Wild run into the new year.

A Country Christmas Nov 6 – Jan 2
Dancing Lights of Christmas Nov 7 – Jan 3
Glow Wild Nov 13 – Jan 3
Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood Nov 20 – Jan 3
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 4:30 p.m. in Nashville (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood

4:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour

4:30 p.m.

Glow Wild

5 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5 p.m.

Drive-thru or walk-through?

Which is better for little kids?

🚗 Stay in the car

  • Babies and toddlers stay warm and buckled, PJs and all
  • No stroller, no mitten battles, no lost hats
  • A car-seat nap can turn straight into bedtime
  • Check the listing for timed slots and refund rules

Pick: Dancing Lights of Christmas

🚶 Get out and walk

  • Kids 3 and up love running ahead to the next display
  • Bring the stroller where the venue allows it (see each card)
  • Plan a snack stop and a bathroom break
  • Check sensory notes for bright lights and crowds

Picks: Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood, Glow Wild, A Country Christmas

Bring along

The little-kid lights kit

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.
2026 prices

Prices at a glance

From each venue’s own page. Check whether a price is per car or per person before you book.

DisplayPriceLittle kidsGood to know
Holiday LIGHTS at CheekwoodAdults $26–$32, youth $20–$26 by date; 2 and under free; +$2 fee; Late Night LIGHTS $20 (select Mon–Thu, 8:30 p.m.); parking $5 non-members2 and under freeWalk-through
Dancing Lights of Christmas$35 per family vehicle (tax included)See the venueDrive-thru
Glow Wild$27 per night; under 2 free; parking $10under 2 freeWalk-through
A Country ChristmasICE! and activities ticketed separatelySee the venueWalk-through
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Good questions

Christmas lights in Nashville: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in Nashville?

None of the light shows with 2026 dates that we found are free. The lowest prices are listed in “2026 prices at a glance”.

What’s the cheapest Christmas light show in Nashville?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood (Adults $26–$32, youth $20–$26 by date; 2 and under free; +$2 fee; Late Night LIGHTS $20 (select Mon–Thu, 8:30 p.m.); parking $5 non-members); Glow Wild ($27 per night; under 2 free; parking $10); Dancing Lights of Christmas ($35 per family vehicle (tax included)). Check whether a price is per car or per person before you compare.

Drive-thru or walk-through: which is better with little kids?

With a baby or a sleepy toddler, a drive-thru is easiest: they stay buckled in and warm. One of the 4 displays can be driven: Dancing Lights of Christmas. Walk-throughs (three here) are better for kids who want to run around.

What time do the Christmas lights start in Nashville? We have an early bedtime.

The earliest evening starts: Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood at 4:30 p.m. and Glow Wild at 5 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime.

Which light shows are best for kids under 3?

Little ones get in free at Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood (2 and under free); Glow Wild (under 2 free). With a baby, a drive-thru keeps everyone warm in the car.

How do you check these Christmas lights listings?

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 19, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.

Keep planning: This week in Nashville · Nashville city guide · Visiting Nashville

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