Note from 10Best: Someday, we'll all be ready to pack our suitcases again and head out on our next adventures. In the meantime, we'll keep supporting the places that inspire us. Contact individual event organizers for the latest updates.
Temperatures are dropping, snow is falling and the smell of gingerbread is in the air. The holidays are upon us. Our readers have voted for the 10 best, brightest and most beautiful holiday lights shows put on by neighborhoods, cities and park across the United States.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Public Holiday Lights Display are as follows:
- Natchitoches Christmas Festival - Natchitoches, Louisiana
- The Legendary Lights of Historic Clifton Mill - Clifton, Ohio
- Lights of the Ozarks - Fayetteville, Arkansas
- Christmas Town USA - McAdenville, North Carolina
- Austin Trail of Lights - Austin
- Winterlights - Stockbridge & Canton, Massachusetts
- Lights on the Lake - Liverpool, New York
- Lights Under Louisville - Louisville, Kentucky
- Nights of Lights - St. Augustine, Florida
- Bright Nights at Forest Park - Springfield, Massachusetts
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning public lights displays!
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The Experts
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion... Read More
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and professional storyteller, she has covered topics that include wild Tahitian getaways; Sicilian wine trails, delectable Hawaiian food trends and luxury beachfront resorts. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Marla Cimini

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and professional storyteller, she has covered topics that include wild Tahitian getaways; Sicilian wine trails, delectable Hawaiian food trends and luxury beachfront resorts. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Joanne DiBona
You'll never see Joanne without a camera or two... Read More
You'll never see Joanne without a camera or two strapped around her neck as she travels around the world, together with her photographer husband Tony, to unearth new and exciting destinations to share with her readers. Her professional career includes a long tenure in communications with the San Diego Tourism Authority, where she gained expertise with both the camera and the descriptive word. When she’s not adding fresh images to her SCENIC PHOTOGRAPHY website, she's posting her current adventures on her popular TRAVEL BLOG . Joanne is a member of the esteemed Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).
Joanne DiBona

You'll never see Joanne without a camera or two strapped around her neck as she travels around the world, together with her photographer husband Tony, to unearth new and exciting destinations to share with her readers. Her professional career includes a long tenure in communications with the San Diego Tourism Authority, where she gained expertise with both the camera and the descriptive word. When she’s not adding fresh images to her SCENIC PHOTOGRAPHY website, she's posting her current adventures on her popular TRAVEL BLOG . Joanne is a member of the esteemed Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has visited more than 50 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman

Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has visited more than 50 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez

Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in... Read More
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers the Caribbean for a variety of publications including USA TODAY TRAVEL, CaribbeanTravel.com, and MarryCaribbean.com. A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico. An avid fan of spicy food, Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.
Melanie Reffes

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers the Caribbean for a variety of publications including USA TODAY TRAVEL, CaribbeanTravel.com, and MarryCaribbean.com. A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico. An avid fan of spicy food, Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.