Christmas Markets
December 3, 2021
Winter Getaways Near Ottawa
January 14, 2022
Ottawa's Christmas Lights Tour
December truly is a magical time of year. And what can be more magical than the beautiful twinkle of Christmas lights lighting up our National Capital! Ottawa shares the joy of Christmas all the way from Orleans to Carp, down to Morrisburg in the form of millions of small, but mighty, colourful lights. We are lucky to live in a region that celebrates this festive time of year to the fullest! If you are looking for some great viewing points for holiday lights, you have come to the right place. Our team has put together the ultimate Christmas lights tour of the Ottawa area!
Some of these attractions you have to pay for, but others are put on by your friendly neighbours and community. Our list starts with the paid events and ends with the free lights you can go to see at any time.
So, grab your family, bundle up and get ready to see the amazing spectacle of Ottawa’s Christmas lights!
Paid Attractions
Magic of Lights
Wesley Clover Parks, 411 Corkstown Rd, Nepean
📅 Nightly, November 22nd – January 4th
💰 $30 / ticket
Magic of Lights is back with their 9th annual drive-through holiday light experience! This is a drive unlike any other, featuring thousands of lights among the whimsical Wesley Clover Park forest. Stay warm inside the comfort of your own car as you drive through meandering pathways of dazzling lights, fun for the entire family! Be sure to check out the website below so you can get your BINGO card to scratch off each holiday item as you find it. One carload, and one price, so grab your friends and load them into the car for this delightful event! Help support CHEO with your ticket, as a portion of the proceeds goes towards the CHEO Foundation.
Alight at Night
Upper Canada Village, 13740 County Road 2, Morrisburg
📅 November 29th – January 4th
💰 $17 / ticket
Walk right into a Christmas card with this picture-perfect setting of over one million lights strung along heritage buildings, trees, and fences of the Upper Canada Village! Not only will you get to enjoy the millions of lights, but you can also visit Santa, plan your dinner at the Harvest Barn or enjoy a Beavertail snack at the on-site Beavertails shack! This is a one-of-a-kind adventure that you won’t want to miss!
Cumberland Village of Lights
The Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 2940 Old Montreal Road, Cumberland
📅 November 29th – December 22nd
💰 $26 / ticket
Explore the postcard-perfect scenery of the Cumberland Heritage Vintage Village of Lights! Wander through this magical illuminated village as you take in 30,000+ lights on the charming heritage buildings. Be sure to visit the museum where you can purchase your own cookie decorating kit, hands-on crafts and even a special telegram from Santa! Enjoy the fun with 5 of your friends or family members as your ticket price covers up to 6 people! Be sure to purchase our ticket beforehand though, as they are not available at the door.
Country Christmas Days
Saunders Farm, 7893 Bleeks Rd, Munster
📅 November 30th – December 30th
💰 $27 / ticket
A Country Christmas presented by Saunders Farm is sure to be fun for the whole family! Make an entire day out of coming to the farm and enjoy a wagon ride, hedge mazes, and browse the fresh-cut Christmas trees, wreaths and other great locally made products for sale in the shop! At 5pm, the entire farm is transformed into a magical display of thousands of beautiful lights! Take a car ride through the sound and light experience immersed in the 180-year old family farm and forest! After your drive, enjoy a craft beer, cider or hot drink by the bonfire!
Free Attractions
Taffy Lane
Taffy Lane, Orleans
📅 Nightly until the end of December
If you have never seen the amazing spectacle of Taffy Lane, now is the time to go! This free drive-through light show is presented in the neighbourhood of Convent Glen North. Many years ago, the Abercrombie family started the great tradition of putting up elaborate Christmas lights and decor during the holidays. Soon, their neighbours joined in and now almost every house on the street joins in on the fun tradition to decorate their home with tons of sparkling lights! This famous street draws lots of people every year, so if you are curious to go, try to go on a weeknight so it isn’t as busy.
Winter Lights Across Canada
Various locations downtown Ottawa
📅 December 5th – January 7th
Christmas Lights Across Canada is back this year with a brand new multimedia projection show on Parliament Hill! Be sure to catch the 15-minute nightly show every evening from 5:30 – 11pm. Prepare to be amazed by the colourful imagery and captivating soundtrack! After watching the show, take a stroll down the Pathway of Lights, illuminated trails that are sure to dazzle you in the heart of Canada’s Capital. Check out the pathways located at the National War Memorial, Rideau Canal Park, Confederation Park, Elgin Street, Mackenzie Triangle, Jacques-Cartier Park and more!
Lansdowne Park
Lansdowne Park, 1015 Bank St, Ottawa
📅 November 22nd – January 5th
At Lansdowne Park, you can enjoy the towering 30ft Christmas Tree, the overhead canopy twinkle lights and the trendy and iconic #XMAS and NOEL lights. Among these gorgeous lights, you will also find 6ft candy canes and giant Christmas ball ornament lights. This makes the Lansdowne lights the perfect backdrop for your Instagram photos and stories! The lights are displayed nightly until January 7th, so you can visit at any time. This is also the location of the Ottawa Christmas Market which runs on weekends leading up to Christmas.
Glenncastle Drive
176 Glenncastle Drive, Carp
📅 Nightly until January 1st
There is a house at 176 Glenncastle Drive in Carp that puts on quite a Christmas light show! This house has synchronized music that goes with the light show and can be found on your radio dial at 91.1FM. Prepare to be amazed at the spectacular show they put on! There are a few other houses in Carp neighbourhoods with great holiday lights as well. Be sure to check out Charlie’s Lane and all of the homes near Hidden Lake. You will enjoy lots of great light shows here!
Sparks Street
Along Sparks Street, Ottawa
📅 Nightly until January 7th
Take a tour down Sparks Street to see some fun light installations along the way! You will see light decorations such as this Christmas ornament, candy canes, Christmas trees, reindeer, and more! Don’t forget to stop and enjoy a hot beverage at one of the many watering holes along the way. Sparks Street offers a safe and exciting journey for pedestrians at any time of the year, and the holidays are one of the community’s favourite times. Be sure to have your camera ready for many photo ops with these unique lights and the famous OTTAWA sign!
In conclusion, we hope you enjoyed this Christmas lights tour across Ottawa! There is something for everyone on this list, kids and adults alike! Ottawa offers such a wonderful variety of different lights in different locations. We hope you are able to enjoy a few of these great experiences, and if you are able to see all of these sights this holiday season, congratulations on completing the tour!
The Susan & Moe Team wants you and your families to enjoy this holiday season to the fullest!
If you are looking to buy or sell a home, contact us today. We would love to help you find your dream home!
