🎄Dyker Heights Lights: The Ultimate Guide to Brooklyn’s Most Magical Christmas Display
Just so you know: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a booking or purchase, I may earn a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
If you’re heading to New York in December, you have to add the Dyker Heights lights to your New York itinerary. We visited the Dyker Heights holiday lights in December 2024 and absolutely loved them! It felt like a ‘different’ experience and we left feeling even more festive than when we arrived.
In this guide, I’ll share how to see the Dyker Heights Christmas lights, how to get to Dyker Heights, what to expect, tips for visiting with kids, and answer all the big questions like:
What time do the lights come on in Dyker Heights? Is Dyker Heights safe? Are the Dyker Heights lights worth the trip?
If you are planning a full New York itinerary around Christmas, Dyker Heights fits brilliantly alongside some of the city’s most iconic winter experiences. We paired it with observation decks earlier in the trip, and I’ve shared detailed comparison posts between The Edge or Summit One Vanderbilt, Top of the Rock vs The Edge, or Top of the Rock and Summit One Vanderbilt.
The Go City Explorer Pass might save you money — and it includes dozens of top NYC spots. Check out the New York City Explorer Pass. There are plenty of other money saving tips in our NYC on a budget guide.
#For overall NYC travel tips including planning, budgeting, and top sights, check out our New York Travel Guide.
Let’s dive into one of the best Christmas experiences in New York!
✨ What Are the Dyker Heights Lights?
Every year, the residents of Dyker Heights, a suburban neighbourhood in southwest Brooklyn, go all out with their Christmas decorations. With 30 foot nutcrackers, twinkling lights on every surface, life size Santa’s, Christmas carols blasting from speakers, and animated displays synced perfectly to festive to music. It makes Chevy Chase’s famous decorations look tame.
Many families spend tens of thousands of dollars and even hire professional decorators. It’s an over the top tradition that started in the 1980s, and we were honestly in awe walking through it all.
🕰️ What Time Do the Lights Come On in Dyker Heights?
The lights usually switch on around 4:30–5:00pm, just as it starts to get dark. Most homes are fully lit by sunset and stay on until 9–9:30pm on weekdays and 10–10:30pm on weekends.
💡 Top tip: Visit earlier in the evening to beat the crowds, especially if you’ve got little ones.
📍 Where Do Dyker Heights Lights Start and End?
The best decorations are concentrated between:
> 11th to 13th Avenues
> 83rd Street to 86th Street
Start at the corner of 83rd Street and 12th Avenue, and you’ll be right in the middle of the action.
🚇 How to Get to Dyker Heights by Subway
You can absolutely visit Dyker Heights on your own using public transport. Here’s how:
> Take the D train to 18th Avenue Station in Brroklyn
> From there, it’s about a 15-20 minute walk to the lights
Walk along 83rd or 84th Street toward 12th Avenue, you’ll know you’re getting close when the glow appears!
🔄 Tip for getting back: Head to 86th Street & 13th Avenue to catch an Uber or taxi if you don’t fancy the walk again. Signal is generally fine.
🚌 Or Take a Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour (Like We Did!)
We booked a Dyker Heights lights tour and we were so glad we did.
Here’s why the tour worked brilliantly for us:
🚌 A warm, comfy bus with a toilet on board
🎤A friendly guide sharing fun facts and local history on the way there and back
🛍️ No need to navigate subway lines or carry bags (we had a few after a shopping spree beforehand)
🌉 Our tour had a bonus stop at Pebble Beach in DUMBO to see the Manhattan skyline lit up at night, which was just magical. For more iconic skyline views, including indoor and outdoor options, check our best observation deck in New York guide.
If you’re travelling with children, older relatives, or just want a relaxed, no-hassle evening, I’d really recommend going with a tour.
🎁 Where to book a Dyker Heights tour for yourself?
Here are a couple of top rated options that make it all easy, especially if you’re travelling with kids or don’t fancy navigating the subway after dark:
👉 Or this guided Dyker Heights tour with a walk-through and more skyline views from Brooklyn (Viator)
🎟️ Prices usually start from around $59 per adult and tours run from late November right through December, so it’s worth booking early!
🚶 How Long Does It Take to Walk Through the Dyker Heights Lights?
To do the main loop (83rd–86th Street, 11th–13th Avenue), allow around 45–60 minutes. We spent about an hour wandering with loads of photo stops and still didn’t see it all. You could easily stretch this to 90 minutes if you wanted to see every street.
🎄 Are Dyker Heights Lights Worth It?
100% yes.
This was hands down one of the highlights of our trip, and we spent ten days in NYC! It felt like stepping straight into a Christmas film. Even our toddler was mesmerised.
If you’re visiting NYC in December and wondering, are Dyker Heights lights worth it? I’d say definitely.
⭐ Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Reviews — Our Take
What stood out to us:
🎅 Not overly commercial – it’s just local families and their homes, not a fairground
❄️ Magical but cold – dress warmly, you’ll be outside for at least an hour
🚔 Well managed – NYPD helps with traffic and keeps things feeling safe
👶 Better with kids before 8pm, when the crowds start building
🚨 Is Dyker Heights Safe?
Yes. Dyker Heights is a very safe, residential neighbourhood. During the festive season, the streets are full of families, visitors, and NYPD patrols. We felt completely comfortable wandering around at night with our daughter.
Just use usual city awareness skills, stick to the main areas, be cautious crossing streets, and avoid super late hours if you’re not on a tour.
❓ Dyker Heights Lights FAQs
💵 Bring a Bit of Cash to Support the Locals
While the Dyker Heights lights are totally free to visit, many of the homeowners do this out of love, and at their own expense. A few even sell hot drinks, sweet treats or crafts from outside their homes, often to raise money for charities or medical treatments.
There’s absolutely no pressure, but if you’re able to support them, it’s a lovely way to give back and show appreciation. Even a few dollars helps.
🎅 Final Tips for Visiting Dyker Heights Lights
🕓 Arrive by 5pm to catch the lights as they come on
👶 Bring snacks and water – there aren’t many places to stop and refuel
🧤 Wrap up warm – we were freezing by the end!
🪫 Charge your phone or camera – there are so many photo ops!
🚾 Public toilets are not available unless you’re on a tour
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