11 places to see Christmas lights in Vancouver

If you’re looking to make your festive season truly merry and bright, look no further than these locations where Christmas lights are the main attraction.

After all, nothing says Christmas quite like thousands of tiny twinkling lights does it?

St. Paul’s Hospital Lights of Hope

Lights of Hope/St. Paul’s Foundation

• What: A longstanding annual tradition at St. Paul’s Hospital is back: Over 100,000 light bulbs, spanning a length of more than 10 kilometres, will be turned on for the Christmas-time Lights of Hope charity campaign supporting the hospital’s initiatives.
• Where: St. Paul’s Hospital – 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver
• When: Light display is up throughout December.

Bright Nights at Stanley Park

Stanley Park Bright Nights sammietan/Instagram)

• What: Over three million dazzling lights decorate acres of the dark forest, reaching as high as the forest canopy for Bright Nights in Stanley Park. The attraction is also accompanied by a train ride, musics, snacks, entertainment, and even visits with Santa and his elves.
• Where: Miniature railway area at Stanley Park, Vancouver
• When: November 28 to January 1, 2017

Holiday Hi-Light Festival

Image: Park And Tilford

• What: More than 50,000 Christmas lights + Family Night with Santa, hot chocolate, face painting and more, supporting North Vancouver Firefighters.
• Where: Park & Tilford Gardens, North Vancouver
• When: Friday, November 27 to December 31, 2016

Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge

Canyon Lights/Capilano Suspension Bridge

• What: The suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest and canyon are transformed into a world of festive lights and visual enchantment. See the world’s tallest living Christmas tree (153 feet tall), experience the voice-activated light show, go on a scavenger hunt throughout the park, sing along with the holiday band, take a family photo at the Winter Pavilion, and more.
• Where: Capilano Suspension Bridge – 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver
• When: November 24 – January 8, 2017; 11 am to 9 pm

Dundarave Festival of Lights

Dundarave Festival of Lights / Facebook

• What: A beloved West Vancouver tradition returns with the Dundarave Festival of Lights.
• Where: Dundarave Park – 25th Street and Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver
• When: Every Saturday from November 26 until December 31 2016; noon to 6 pm

Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden

VanDuseun Gardens/Facebook

• What: The botanical garden is covered in more than a million lights. Reindeer and Scandinavian gnomes also roam the trails, and visitors can walk through the gingerbread wood, lantern alley, and Make-a-Wish candle grotto.
• Where: Vandusen Gardens – 5251 Oak Street, Vancouver
• When: December 1 to January 2 2017, 4:30 to 9 pm. Between December 16 and December 23 from 4:30 to 10 pm

Chalet Place, North Vancouver Light Display

Christmas lights for charity/ Michael Iwasaka

• What: A home up in the high hills of North Vancouver has been lighting up with over 100,000 lights each Christmas for a few years, all in a good cause. The homeowners welcome visitors but encourage a donation to the Harvest Project in return.
• Where: 4967 Chalet Place, North Vancouver
  When:  Monday, November 28 to Friday, January 6, 2017. On opening night, the lights will be viewable from 6:30 pm, on all other nights, the house will be illuminated from 5:30 pm.

Vancouver Christmas Tree at Robson Square

Photo credit: Jenn Chan / Flickr

• What: For the 10th year in a row, Vancouver’s official Christmas Tree has been lighting up the Christmas spirit, and this year the tree will be located at Robson Square.
• When: Throughout December.
• Where: Robson Square, 800 Robson Street

Enchant Light Maze 

Lights/Enchant Light Maze

• What: Enchant 2016 brings the world’s largest Christmas light maze to the heart of the city, combined with a bustling local vendor market, live performances, warming seasonal eats and drinks, an outdoor fire pit, and much more.
• When: From November 24 until New Year’s Eve 2016, 4 to 10 pm
• Where: 1st and Crowe Street, between the Cambie Street Bridge and Olympic Village

Lumiere

Whale/Lumiere

• What: Lumiere is back to light up Vancouver’s West End with an evening of artistic expression, community engagement, and of course, lights.
• When: Throughout winter.
• Where: Morton Park, 1800 Morton Ave and Jim Deva Plaza, 1200 Bute Street

McArthurGlen Vancouver Sparkle Brighter

• What: Along with one of Lower Mainland’s biggest trees, the centre is decked out in a variety of holiday decorations including 25,000 lights and more than 3,000 festive ornaments.
• Where: McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport,
  1000-7899 Templeton Station Road
• When: Throughout December