# Christmas lights in Minneapolis–St. Paul for little kids, 2026

> Three Christmas light displays in and around Minneapolis–St. Paul have 2026 dates: 1 drive-thru and 2 walk-throughs. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 4:30 p.m. at Northern Lights. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

- Last checked: 2026-10-19
- 3 listings with 2026 dates; 0 without posted dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/christmas-lights/
- Santa (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/santa/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/llms.txt

## Drive-thru Christmas lights

- **Magic of Lights at Viking Lakes** at Viking Lakes, 2685 Vikings Cir, Eagan, MN 55121. When: Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027. Time: Sun–Thu 5:30–9 p.m.; Fri–Sat 5:30–10 p.m. Earliest start: 5:30 p.m. Price: November-only car $21.99 online ($25 gate); Santa Saver any-day $34.99 (until Nov 19); weekday $28.99; season pass $97.99. Official page: https://magicoflights.com/locations/viking-lake-mn/

## Walk-through lights and light trails

- **Northern Lights** at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN 55318. When: Nightly Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 (closed Nov 26, Dec 24, Dec 25). Time: 4:30–9:30 p.m., timed reservations. Earliest start: 4:30 p.m. Price: Non-members $35; members $25; kids through 15 free (ticket required); gate +$10 if available; free parking. Brand-new display lighting the Arboretum's trees. Official page: https://arb.umn.edu/northernlights
- **GLOW Holiday Festival** at CHS Field, Downtown St. Paul, MN. When: Select dates Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027. Time: Hourly entry from 5 p.m.; closes 9 p.m. Earliest start: 5 p.m. Price: Adults $22.75; kids 3–12 $12.75; 2 and under free (+ fees); advance online only. 1M+ lights, new Wand-er land; cashless. Official page: https://www.glowholiday.com/festival-details

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Are there free Christmas lights in Minneapolis–St. Paul?
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 Minneapolis–St. Paul?
Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Northern Lights (Non-members $35; members $25; kids through 15 free (ticket required); gate +$10 if available; free parking); GLOW Holiday Festival (Adults $22.75; kids 3–12 $12.75; 2 and under free (+ fees); advance online only); Magic of Lights at Viking Lakes (November-only car $21.99 online ($25 gate); Santa Saver any-day $34.99 (until Nov 19); weekday $28.99; season pass $97.99). 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 3 displays can be driven: Magic of Lights at Viking Lakes. Walk-throughs (two here) are better for kids who want to run around.

### What time do the Christmas lights start in Minneapolis–St. Paul? We have an early bedtime.
The earliest evening starts: Northern Lights at 4:30 p.m., GLOW Holiday Festival at 5 p.m. and Magic of Lights at Viking Lakes at 5:30 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 GLOW Holiday Festival (2 and under 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](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).