What to Do This Holiday Season in DFW

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DFW does the holidays at every scale—from gardens lit after dark to drive-through light parks, live performances, and classic “Main Street” seasonal traditions. If you’re planning a night out, these are the experiences that consistently define the season across North Texas.

Enjoy an After-Dark Lights Experience

For a classic holiday evening with strong “walk-around” energy, the Dallas Arboretum’s Holiday at the Arboretum is one of the region’s anchor events. Expect the signature 12 Days of Christmas gazebos, a Christmas Village setting, and holiday décor inside the DeGolyer House, plus a new after-dark component this year with light installations. It runs through January 4.

Fort Worth’s equivalent is Christmas in the Garden at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden—built around a timed-entry, self-guided illuminated trail with music, seasonal concessions, and photo moments. It runs through January 4, with Santa appearances scheduled through December 24.

Also, Dallas Zoo Lights offers an after-hours lights route through ZooNorth on select nights through January 4.

Go Bigger With Immersive, Ticketed Holiday Spectacles

If you want something intentionally over-the-top, Christmas at Gaylord Texan in Grapevine is designed as an all-in holiday campus: large-scale décor, seasonal programming, and the annual ICE! ice sculpture attraction (this year themed around Elf). The season dates run through January 4.

If you’re in the mood for something less traditional and more cinematic, Astra Lumina at Trinity Forest Adventure Park is a nightwalk experience that combines light, sound, and a guided path through the woods. Tickets are available daily until January. 

Make It a Train Night (And Lean Into Main Street Holiday Charm)

For a holiday experience that feels distinctly North Texas, the Grapevine Vintage Railroad’s Santa’s North Pole Express remains a defining seasonal outing. The 2025 season runs through December 30, with no trains on December 24–26. 

Do the Performing-Arts Version of the Holidays

If your ideal holiday plan involves velvet seats and live orchestration, DFW’s seasonal calendar is deep. Texas Ballet Theater’s The Nutcracker runs across Dallas and Fort Worth through December 28, offering multiple opportunities to catch a performance.

Keep It Easy With Drive-Through Lights and Neighborhood Displays

When you want maximum payoff with minimal planning, Prairie Lights in Grand Prairie is the region’s marquee drive-through—open through December 31, starting at 6 p.m. It combines a two-mile lights route with a midway stop that includes a walk-through village area.

For a free, strollable option, Vitruvian Lights at Vitruvian Park in Addison runs through January 1, with the trees lit nightly (generally 5–11 p.m., weather permitting). It’s a reliable choice when you want something festive without committing to a ticketed venue.

Add One “DFW-Only” Day: The Stockyards at the Holidays

For a holiday outing that’s unmistakably Fort Worth, Christmas in the Stockyards layers seasonal programming into the National Historic District—including features like an ice rink and Cowboy Santa photo opportunities within the district’s Western setting.