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

Christmas lights in New Orleans for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

One Christmas light display in and around New Orleans has 2026 dates: 1 show you can drive or walk. None are free. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

1display with dates
1drive-thru
0free

Last checked · How we choose

The display

Pick tonight’s lights

Every card has hours, price and what it’s like with a little one.

Drive or walk

Celebration in the Oaks

New Orleans City Park · Driving entry 4 Friederichs Ave.; walking entry 7 Victory Ave., New Orleans, LA

Drive or walkBook ahead
When
Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027 (closed Dec 7, 14, 24 and 31)
Earliest start
Evenings; timed tickets
Price
Driving tour from $25 per car; walking tour $20 per person on value nights; 2 and under free on the walk
  • Tickets go on sale Nov 1 and must be bought online
  • The walk takes about 90 minutes and includes Carousel Gardens rides and the Botanical Garden

Little-kid take: You can drive through or walk, so it works for babies and for kids who want to get out.

Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
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: Celebration in the Oaks

🚶 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

Pick: Celebration in the Oaks

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
Celebration in the OaksDriving tour from $25 per car; walking tour $20 per person on value nights; 2 and under free on the walk2 and under free on the walkDrive or walk
Also this season

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Good questions

Christmas lights in New Orleans: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in New Orleans?

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 New Orleans?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Celebration in the Oaks (Driving tour from $25 per car; walking tour $20 per person on value nights; 2 and under free on the walk). 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 1 displays can be driven: Celebration in the Oaks. Walk-throughs (one here) are better for kids who want to run around.

Which light shows are best for kids under 3?

Little ones get in free at Celebration in the Oaks (2 and under free on the walk). 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 NOLA · New Orleans city guide · Visiting NOLA

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