As the Winter Season arrives, the streets and Houses in Ottawa blend themselves into the vibe of the coming Christmas Season.
Ottawa has a lot of places to visit and explore during Christmas Eve to glaze the decorations and mesmerizing views of the Light Shows. Unfortunately, not many people know where to find these light shows.
I would say, it is the best month in the entire year when all the streets and houses are decorated in the Christmas theme. I do like to celebrate Christmas with trees and home decor but to be true I love the Christmas light decoration than anything.
So, here I have made a perfect guide to Christmas lights in Ottawa. It’s all about the best places where you watch the Christmas lights in Ottawa.
Ottawa Christmas Lights Map
Here I have embedded a Map where all the best places where you can see Christmas Lights in Ottawa have been marked.
Best Places to See Christmas Lights in Ottawa
Taffy Lane
| Fare | Free |
| Date (Time) | 1st to 30th December, after 5pm |
| Distance from Ottawa | 17.6 km (16 min drive) |
| Address | 1st to 30th December, after 5 pm |
It’s a street in Orleans, a small town in Ottawa. During Christmas week, the entire lane is decorated in Christmas theme and the lights at night look so mesmerizing that you can’t take your eyes off from it.
The lane has quite a long history, back in 1977 when people of the town started decorating their homes and streets by hanging lights around their spruce trees. But over the years, they have added many more colossal figures like toys, trees, soldiers, snowmen, and a lot more, just to make everyone smile as they pass by the lane.
Here is a crazy thing about the street, back in 2020, a house in Orlean had more than 13,000 lights just to decorate their home for Christmas. Surprisingly their electricity bill was more than $120 only for the lights.
Consider visiting the place on weekdays as there will be less crowd and more to enjoy.
Magic of Lights Show – Wesley Clover Park
| Fare | $25 Online $35 Mon. to Thurs. $40 Fri. to Sun. |
| Date (Time) | 9th Nov. to 8th Jan, (From 5 pm to 10 pm) |
| Distance from Ottawa | 18.4 km (16 min drive) |
| Address | Wesley Clover Parks, 401 Corkstown Rd, Nepean, ON K2H 8T1, Canada |
It’s the No. 1 Christmas Light Display in the Entire Ottawa region. If you are planning to visit one place for the Christmas Light Show in Ottawa then believe me it is that place.
It’s a drive-through experience where you have to pay per vehicle. But don’t worry you can save up to 40% on the price if you book your ticket using the online medium.
Having it, allows you to drive your vehicle at your own pace while enjoying the Christmas Light Show. If you live in a nearby town then I highly recommend you to visit the place.
As you drive by you will witness some of the Cutest Christmas decorated homes and streets. The entire experience is so mesmerizing and amazing that you can’t really forget about it.
To make it more fun, pair the drive with your favorite playlist and you are all good to go.
If you are visiting the Magic of Lights at Wesley Clover Park, in reality, you are helping the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), in Ottawa.
Home Alone – Stittsville (Elf House)
| Fare | Free |
| Dates (Time) | 1st to 31st December, after 5pm |
| Distance from Ottawa | 32 km (28 min drive) |
| Address | 18 Cypress Gardens, Stittsville, ON K2S 1W6, Canada |
Stittsville is another small town in Ottawa. Turcotte’s family of the town was so obsessed with the Home Alone movie that they made the exact replica of the house as shown in the movie.
They never fail to amaze as they turn their home into a Christmas spectacular every year.
On top of that, they donate all the funds collected from generous donations during this festive transformation to support the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), spread joy, and give back to the community.
Cumberland Heritage – Village of Lights
| Fare | $25 per Group (max. 6 people) |
| Dates (Time) | 2nd to 18th December |
| Distance from Ottawa | 29.6 km (24 min drive) |
| Address | Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 2940 Ch. Old Montréal Rd, Cumberland, ON K4C 1G3, Canada |
Cumberland Heritage – Village of Lights is a Heritage Village Museum embedded in the 1920s and 30s theme. The place is decorated with more than 30,000 lights which make it look so beautiful and mesmerizing.
Now you don’t need to drive for hours beyond downtown Ottawa to have a glimpse of the past because the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum offers you an immersive experience that showcases how things were in the 1920’s.
Don’t forget to book the tickets in advance so that you don’t need to worry about anything. Lastly, the place is totally worth visiting whether you going with your friends or family.
Lights Show At Lansdowne
| Fare | Free |
| Dates (Time) | 27 Nov to 7 January, after 5 pm |
| Distance from Ottawa | 3.4 km (7 min drive) |
| Address | Casino Lac-Leamy Plaza at Lansdowne, 1015 Bank St, Ottawa |
The Christmas Lights Show at Lansdowne Market is another place worth visiting. It is filled with thousands of beautiful lights and decorated streets & homes that are sure to amaze you.
It looks like the stars have fallen from the sky and are stuck in streets and homes. Advise: Try to visit the place before Christmas week otherwise the whole place will be so crowded and will spoil your experience.
Usually, markets remain open on weekends and are absolutely free to visit. It’s a great place to find everything from local artifacts to ornaments sold by small street vendors.
Don’t forget to take some photos of yourself in front of the decorated streets and signs as a great memory of the place you have visited.
Parliament Light Show
| Fare | Free |
| Dates (Time) | 8th to 7th January, after 5:30 pm |
| Distance from Ottawa | 350 m (5 min walking distance) |
| Address | Parliament Hill, Wellington St, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A9, Canada |
The Parliament Building is already a popular tourist destination, during Christmas as it becomes the best place to watch the Christmas Light Show. It’s a free show to watch with a duration of around 15 – 20 minutes.
The show begins after 05:30 pm and has plenty of space for everyone to watch it. The entire show is projected on the Parliament Building which means you don’t need to be very close to watch it clearly.
The entire experience is like watching a short movie. Plus, if you are visiting the place with kids then they are sure to be amazed by it.
Upper Canada Village – Winter Wonderland
| Fare | $15 / per person + HST |
| Dates (Time) | 1st to th December, 5 pm to 10 pm |
| Distance from Ottawa | 90 km (1 hr 7 min drive) |
| Address | Upper Canada Village, Ontario K0C 1M0, Canada |
“Alight at Night” is one of Ontario’s largest outdoor light festivals. Everything in the village is decorated in a Christmas theme from buildings, fences, streets, houses, trees literally everything.
The place has more than 1 Million lights which illuminate the entire village at night and make it look so beautiful and cozy. These lights are sure to give a proper vibe and feel that Christmas has finally arrived.
Santa’s experience at Saint Nick’s Merry Mansion is a must-experience that you need to have if you are visiting the place with Kids.
Besides all that, it is one of the largest living historic museums in Canada which was founded back in 1961. It features more than 40 historic buildings which will give a glimpse of the history.
Sparks Street
| Fare | Free |
| Dates (Time) | 25th to 8th January, after 5pm |
| Distance from Ottawa | 800 m (8 min walking distance) |
| Address | Sparks St., Ottawa, ON, Canada |
If you are not a big fan of Christmas but are fond of watching the Christmas light decorations then Sparks Street is a perfect place for you.
Every year the place gets decorated with a Christmas-style theme, which makes it a perfect spot for Instagram-worthy photos.
Previously, the place was not that popular for Christmas lights as very few lights were strung up across the streets and houses. But now within 4 years, the place has become a popular Christmas attraction during the winter.
The best thing about the place is that there are no entry fees. So, now you know where you have to go for the Christmas Light Show(if you live near Ottawa).
Christmas Lights – Downtown Ottawa
| Fare | Free |
| Dates (Time) | 18th Decem. to 7th Janu. after 5 pm |
| Distance from Ottawa | 400 m (5 min walking dist.) |
Downtown Christmas Lights in Ottawa are also great as they as so close to the city and are totally free to visit without paying anything.
The best route to enjoy the beautiful light show is from the National War Memorial to the Rideau Canal Park. Firstly, you need to visit the parliament light show then on your way home go through the downtown area to enjoy the Christmas lights.
To be true, the lights are very spread out which doesn’t give you any vibe that Christmas has arrived. Instead, the decoration seems more like a wedding or party type.
Light Show at Perth
| Fare | Free |
| Dates (Time) | 17th to 5th January, after 5 pm |
| Distance from Ottawa | 85.3 km (1 hour drive) |
| Address | Perth, Ontario, Canada |
I have personally visited this Light Show in Perth and was amazed by the decoration of houses and streets. The place has more than 13,000 twinkling lights and many decorated trees (around 50).
The best thing about the light show that I like the most is the fireworks (show) which begins around 06:30 pm. Believe me, you don’t want to miss this one.
Final Thoughts: Best Christmas Lights Ottawa
Here, I have shared the 10 Best Places to See Christmas Lights in Ottawa 2024. It has all the places from the drive-through to roaming in the streets.
Even if you are looking for a wonderful experience or an insane light show the article has all the things. After reading it, you will be able to find the right place for yourself to get the cozy feel of the festival season.
Happy and Safe Journey!
FAQs Related to Christmas Lights in Ottawa
How long is Magic Of Lights Ottawa?
It is a 2 km long stretch that is filled with thousands of Christmas Twinkling lights. It’s a 30-minute drive-through experience from the Wesley Clover Parks Campground. The event begins on the 18th of November and remains till the 7 January.
What is the most decorated street in Ottawa?
Taffy Lane(Orleans) is the most decorated street in Ottawa. It’s a huge tourist destination that attracts millions of tourists every year. The Place is filled with thousands of inflated snowmen, decorated Christmas trees, rooftop reindeer, hanging candy canes from trees, and a lot more.
