A family car driving past holiday lights on a snowy night
Lights 2026 · St. Louis

Christmas lights in St. Louis for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

Four Christmas light displays in and around St. Louis have 2026 dates: 2 drive-thrus and 2 walk-throughs. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 4:30 p.m. at Garden Glow. One more ran last season but hasn’t posted 2026 dates yet. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

4displays with dates
2drive-thrus
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

Garden Glow

Missouri Botanical Garden · St. Louis, MO

Walk-throughSensory-friendly
When
Nov 13, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027 (closed Nov 26, Dec 24–25; Nov 16–18 not listed)
Earliest start
4:30 p.m. (Dec 12–30)
Price
General admission nonmember $24, child $12 (member $19 / $10); premium nights $25 / $12; family nights $22 adult, $6 child; same-day +$2 after 4:30 p.m.
  • 5–9:30 p.m. (Dec 12–30 mostly 4:30–10 p.m.); last entry 8:15 / 8:45
  • 2M+ lights
  • Children = 12 and under

Sensory: A sensory night is marked on the official pricing calendar

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
Walk-through

Wild Lights

Saint Louis Zoo · St. Louis, MO

Walk-throughSensory-friendlySanta too
When
Select nights Nov 27 – Dec 30, 2026
Earliest start
5 p.m.
Price
$19; members $16; under 2 free; on sale late October
  • 5–8:30 p.m. (last entry 8)
  • S'mores, Santa, 4D Rudolph, carousel
  • expanded onto Historic Hill

Sensory: Sensory-Friendly Night Dec 7

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
Drive-thru

WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis)

World Wide Technology Raceway · 1905 Collinsville Road, Fairmont City, IL 62201

Drive-thru
When
Nightly Nov 13, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027, including holidays
Earliest start
5 p.m.
Price
$35 per car (up to 8); $50 limos/activity vans; $100 large vehicles
  • 5–10 p.m.

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
Drive-thru

Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park

Tilles Park · 9551 Litzsinger Road, St. Louis, MO 63124

Drive-thru
When
Nov 25, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027 (select nights)
Earliest start
5 p.m.
Price
Per family vehicle (see county page); preview fundraiser night Sat Nov 21, 5:30–8 p.m., $200–$300 per household
  • 5–9 p.m.

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 · St. Louis County Parks page · Source

Report a problem
Dates not posted yet
  • Way of Lights · National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows Dates not posted yet — check the official page (snows.org).

It ran last season. We’ll add it when 2026 dates go up.

Nov 1 – Jan 3

When each one is open

Nothing is lit yet. Garden Glow opens first, on Nov 13. Garden Glow, WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis) and Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park run into the new year.

Garden Glow Nov 13 – Jan 2
WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis) Nov 13 – Jan 3
Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park Nov 25 – Jan 2
Wild Lights Nov 27 – Dec 30
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 4:40 p.m. in STL (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Garden Glow

4:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour

4:30 p.m. (Dec 12–30)

Wild Lights

5 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5 p.m.

WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis)

5 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5 p.m.

Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park

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

Picks: WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis), Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park

🚶 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: Garden Glow, Wild Lights

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
Garden GlowGeneral admission nonmember $24, child $12 (member $19 / $10); premium nights $25 / $12; family nights $22 adult, $6 child; same-day +$2 after 4:30 p.m.See the venueWalk-through
Wild Lights$19; members $16; under 2 free; on sale late Octoberunder 2 freeWalk-through
WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis)$35 per car (up to 8); $50 limos/activity vans; $100 large vehiclesSee the venueDrive-thru
Winter Wonderland at Tilles ParkPer family vehicle (see county page); preview fundraiser night Sat Nov 21, 5:30–8 p.m., $200–$300 per householdSee the venueDrive-thru
Also this season

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Good questions

Christmas lights in St. Louis: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in St. Louis?

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 St. Louis?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Garden Glow (General admission nonmember $24, child $12 (member $19 / $10); premium nights $25 / $12; family nights $22 adult, $6 child; same-day +$2 after 4:30 p.m.); Wild Lights ($19; members $16; under 2 free; on sale late October); WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis) ($35 per car (up to 8); $50 limos/activity vans; $100 large vehicles). 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. Two of the 4 displays can be driven, including WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis) and Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park. Walk-throughs (two here) are better for kids who want to run around.

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

The earliest evening starts: Garden Glow at 4:30 p.m., Wild Lights at 5 p.m. and WonderLight's Christmas (St. Louis) 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 Wild Lights (under 2 free). With a baby, a drive-thru keeps everyone warm in the car.

Are there sensory-friendly light nights in St. Louis?

Garden Glow: A sensory night is marked on the official pricing calendar. Wild Lights: Sensory-Friendly Night Dec 7.

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 STL · St. Louis city guide · Visiting STL

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