Atlanta knows Christmas lights and how to show up, and show off, for the holidays! Neighborhood Christmas lights include intricate designs, clever themes, and surging electricity bills. Residential holiday lights include houses that offer walking tours; other houses welcome families to drive by and tune radio frequencies to their synchronized Christmas lights; and some houses are a part of an entire neighborhood that creates a collective attraction!
In fact, enjoy Christmas lights AND do charitable work—some of the homes mentioned below are part of Cobb EMC’s Christmas lights map, where you can vote for your favorite and the top three winners get $500 to donate to the charities of their choice!
Note: Most homes run Christmas lights around 6-10pm. Remember, these are all private homes—homeowners expect sightseers, but don’t touch displays, enter private property, block neighboring driveways, and show up after hours. Consider bringing items or money for donations, as many homes collect funds for charities close to their hearts.
The Smoot Family Christmas Show in Acworth is an awesome place for holiday fun. Photo courtesy of Smoot Family’s Lights for Lupus
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Acworth
3699 Autumn View Drive
Wear your sunglasses at night when you head to the Smoot Family Christmas Show. Visitors can sync radios, dim headlights, and enjoy the show…they may even get hot chocolate and cookies on Saturdays! All donations go to the Lupus Foundation, Georgia Chapter. Check Facebook page for updates.
Hrockin Hranicky Christmas Lights shine for visitors and raise awareness of Angels Among Us animal rescue.
3848 Rivers Run Trace NW
The Hranicky family welcomes visitors yearly to their Hrockin Hranicky Christmas Lights show in Acworth. Visitors can sync radios to add festive music in their car. Donations of money, pet food, and supplies are accepted on behalf of Angels Among Us animal rescue. The holiday lights run the Saturday after Thanksgiving through January 1; Sunday-Thursday, 6-10pm and Friday-Saturday, 6-11pm.
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Kennesaw
1510 Ben King Road
Lights of Joy features more than 1.2 million Christmas lights! This Kennesaw attraction is a walk-through display; depending on the schedule, visitors may watch performances from local bands and choirs. The home accepts donations. Nearby parking at Futures Church costs $5. The holiday lights start December 1, 2024; nightly, 6-10p
2008 Palladium Drive
Get rockin’ and rollin’ at Riley’s Rockin’ Christmas! This drive-by light display is synchronized to 55 minutes of holiday music. Check out the animated and static decorations and bring a donation, which goes to the Children’s Burn Foundation. Check Facebook page for updates.
Holiday & Christmas Lights: East Cobb
2651 Shadow Woods Circle
The GA Meyer Lights house in Marietta is part of the Cobb EMC Holiday Lights 2024 competition because of its awesome Christmas lights display and fun decor. Tune your car radio to sync the show with the family’s choreographed musical lights. Check Facebook page for updates.
2994 Clary Hill Court
Making the East Cobb and Roswell communities proud, the Fox Family Christmas Light Display is back! The home is located in Roswell, and welcomes visitors nightly. The drive-by attraction is set to music! Donations accepted for local organizations. Check Facebook page for updates.
770 Fox Hollow Parkway
Lane Lights at 770 Fox Hollow Pkwy in Marietta has attracted visitors for years who love a festive light show! Check Facebook page for updates.
RELATED: Dazzling Holiday and Christmas Light Drive-Thrus in Atlanta
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Alpharetta
370 Oak Terrace
Join Pierce Lights for holiday fun in Alpharetta! This synchornized light show features more than 50,000 Christmas lights, and visitors can make donations to the family’s selected charity. Check Facebook page for updates.
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Cumming
Kelly Mill Road and Bethelview Road
The Ashebrooke subdivision in Cumming is an entire neighborhood of awe-inspiring lights! They invite the public for their annual Night of Lights, which is scheduled for Sunday, December 15, 2024 starting at 6pm. Make sure to drive slow and catch all the homes as the streets will be directed into a one-way traffic pattern. Check Facebook page for updates.
Get your fill of holiday lights in Stone Mountain at 1833 Smokerise Summit.
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Stone Mountain
1833 Smokerise Summit
A Whole Lot of Christmas awaits in Stone Mountain, Georgia. For more than 30 years, these homeowners have been creating the stuff of Christmas dreams (check out the snowman village!). Donations are given to Make-a-Wish Foundation Georgia. Nightly 5:30-11pm
The Portwood family offers character nights, featuring reindeer, snowmen, and more.
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Hiram
20 Valley Drive
The Portwood Family Christmas Lights are so much more than just lights—visitors are treated to character nights, a snow machine, and even hot chocolate on certain nights! Bring canned goods upon arrival, as the family is donating to the North Paulding Baptist Church food pantry. Runs November 30-December 31, 2024
224 Oliver Overlook has been voted one of the best decorated houses in the country!
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Dallas
224 Oliver Overlook
Homeowners go all out, making a visit to 224 Oliver Overlook, west of Dallas, Georgia, a must-do during the holiday season. Spectators see dazzling strings of lights that envelope the house, attached garage, and outdoor trees. This house has been voted one of the best decorated homes in the country, so be prepared to see Santa or The Grinch! Check Facebook page for updates.
18 Riverwood Landing
Visitors to 18 Riverwood Landing in Dallas get to see an awesome Christmas house lit up for the season, with an amazing light show. Check Facebook page for updates.
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Powder Springs
5268 Seamus Way
The Woodruff family home is worth the drive during the Christmas season. The holiday home features a TON of Christmas lights, inflatables, and special effects. The show, synchronized to holiday music, lasts 48 minutes. Check Facebook page for updates
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Stockbridge
1408 Hemphill Road
This Giganti-Deer Synchornized Light Show in Stockbridge welcomes visitors to drive through and see the lights. The homeowners accept donations for both the upkeep of their holiday light show and for Woodlands School Teacher Appreciation. Select nights December 6-26, 2024; 6-10pm on Saturdays, 6-9pm other nights
Holiday & Christmas Lights: Fayetteville
165 Stafford Court
Folks who drive by 165 Stafford Court are treated to a rockin’ synchronized holiday light show by Burton Christmas Lights. Folks can sync to the radio to fully enjoy the spectacle. Fun fact: The same house puts on a Halloween light show in October! The fun starts on Friday, November 29, 2024 at 6pm, then continues Sunday – Thursday until 9:30pm and Friday & Saturday until 10pm.
898 Sandy Creek Road
Shining for its 37th year, the Gaddy Family Christmas Lights Extravaganza welcomes visitors to its glittering holiday light display! Donate toys for the Toys for Tots toy drive from Thanksgiving night until December 19; March of Dimes donations will be accepted the entire run of the light show. November 28 – December 30, 2024; nightly 6-10pm
Photos courtesy of the families/venues
Writers Dana Shemesh, James Smith, and Elsa Simcik contributed to this post.