If you love Christmas lights displays, you will have no problem finding options of all kinds throughout the state. We’ve put together a route of some of the most spectacular displays along a trail of holiday lights displays in South Carolina that begins in the PeeDee region in Sumter and takes you through the state capital of Columbia and other parts of the Midlands area, then continuing through the Upstate area and ending in the small town of Inman (Spartanburg County). Buckle up, and let’s go!
We’ve prepared a map of the trail for you. Visit Google Maps for an interactive format where you can make adjustments if you wish to start at a different point on the trail or need to adapt it to better suit your situation or preferences.
Google Maps
- Swan Lake Iris Gardens, Sumter (Drive-through, FREE!)
Swan Lake Iris Gardens/Facebook Swan Lake Iris Gardens, 822 W Liberty St, Sumter, SC 29150, USA
Swan Lake Iris Gardens/Facebook
Swan Lake Iris Gardens/Facebook This drive-through event is the largest free Christmas lights display in South Carolina with over a million lights. Be sure to look for the Pilot Club’s floating Christmas tree, an annual favorite. You can park your vehicle to get out for pictures with the lights, and there’s a special Santa’s Village feature at the Swan Lake Iris Gardens Heath Pavilion. Kids can write letters to Santa and take pictures with him (bring your own camera). You’ll also enjoy holiday music and entertainment, and there are holiday treats and hot cocoa for sale.
- GOFF Lights at Goff Field Lane, Hopkins (Walk-through, FREE! Donations accepted)
Christina Amick/Google Reviews Lights at Goff Field Lane, 409 Goff Field Ln, Hopkins, SC 29061, USA
Brenda Miller-Szoke/Google Reviews
Leiland_ Vo/Google Reviews This 100,000+ lights display is located at a private residence and is a walk-through, popular, and highly rated by prior guests. Some have made it an annual tradition and like the fact that there aren’t long lines and big crowds. There are some great photo-ops and tributes for certain causes such as breast cancer and autism.
- Carolina Lights, Columbia State Fairgrounds (Drive-through)
South Carolina State Fair/Facebook South Carolina State Fair, 1200 Rosewood Dr, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
South Carolina State Fair/Facebook Drive through the Columbia State Fairgrounds’ Carolina Lights event featuring more than 100 displays. There is a fee to enter and you can also purchase cookies, milk, and other beverages halfway through the route. There’s a scavenger hunt activity provided on the Carolina Lights page of the South Carolina State Fair website for a fun challenge while seeing the lights. Can you complete them all?
- Poole’s Christmas Light Show, Enoree (Walk-through, FREE!)
Poole’s Christmas Light Show/Facebook Poole’s Christmas Light Show, 6264 SC-92, Enoree, SC 29335, USA
Poole’s Christmas Light Show/Facebook Stroll down Candy Cane Lane, new for 2022, at this fun private display with over 50,000 lights synchronized to music. Guests return year-after-year to experience this show and say it’s worth driving miles to see.
- Tiny Town, Easley (Walk-through, FREE! Donations accepted.)
Tiny Town Easley S.C./Facebook Tiny Town, 555 Latham Rd, Easley, SC 29640, USA
Tiny Town Easley S.C./Facebook Tiny Town is a hidden gem attraction located in the upstate town of Easley on Latham Road. It began many years ago in 1974 as an act of love by Perry Jennings for his wife Ollie. She had always wanted to live in a log cabin. He built her a small replica as a mini-version of her dream home. From there, other structures were added through the years until a “tiny town” developed. Christmas decorations became an annual festive addition beginning in 1977.
- Magical Musical Holiday Lights Show, Seneca (Drive or Walk-through, FREE!)
Donald Rodgers/Google Reviews This display is located at Norton-Thompson park in Seneca. Santa will be present on select nights (see the Facebook page linked below for additional details), and there will be free hot chocolate. You can purchase s’mores for a small fee. Norton Thompson Park, 300 Main St, Seneca, SC 29678, USA
- Lindsey’s Christmas House, Greer (Walk-through, FREE!)
Andrew B/Google Reviews Another lovely private display of Christmas lights is located on Rotan Street in Greer. It’s asked by the owners at the property to please be aware that parking on both sides of the small street will block the flow of traffic. Lindsey’s Christmas House, 107 Rotan St, Greer, SC 29651, USA
- Holiday Lights Safari at Hollywild Animal Preserve, Wellford (Drive-through)
johnhl2615BR/TripAdvisor This 100-acre park transforms into a magical family-oriented experience during the holidays to benefit the preserve and animals living there. A favorite adventure of guests is driving through the Enchanted Deer Forest, where herds of animals approach the vehicles and eat right out of your hands. (An additional fee is charged to enter the deer forest.) This area has been enlarged from prior years to allow for added interaction with the herds of animals and easier navigation. Hollywild Animal Park, 2325 Hampton Rd, Wellford, SC 29385, USA
- The Christmas House, Inman (Drive-through, FREE! Donations accepted.)
The Christmas House/Facebook The Christmas House, 360 Foster Rd, Inman, SC 29349, USA
The Christmas House/Facebook Last but not least, this final stop on our trail of our lights is located at another private residence, at Foster Road in Inman.
Be sure to visit each website or Facebook page for full details, including hours open, any entrance fees required, parking instructions, and more:
Google Maps
Swan Lake Iris Gardens/Facebook
Swan Lake Iris Gardens, 822 W Liberty St, Sumter, SC 29150, USA
This drive-through event is the largest free Christmas lights display in South Carolina with over a million lights. Be sure to look for the Pilot Club’s floating Christmas tree, an annual favorite. You can park your vehicle to get out for pictures with the lights, and there’s a special Santa’s Village feature at the Swan Lake Iris Gardens Heath Pavilion. Kids can write letters to Santa and take pictures with him (bring your own camera). You’ll also enjoy holiday music and entertainment, and there are holiday treats and hot cocoa for sale.
Christina Amick/Google Reviews
Lights at Goff Field Lane, 409 Goff Field Ln, Hopkins, SC 29061, USA
Brenda Miller-Szoke/Google Reviews
Leiland_ Vo/Google Reviews
This 100,000+ lights display is located at a private residence and is a walk-through, popular, and highly rated by prior guests. Some have made it an annual tradition and like the fact that there aren’t long lines and big crowds. There are some great photo-ops and tributes for certain causes such as breast cancer and autism.
South Carolina State Fair/Facebook
South Carolina State Fair, 1200 Rosewood Dr, Columbia, SC 29201, USA
Drive through the Columbia State Fairgrounds’ Carolina Lights event featuring more than 100 displays. There is a fee to enter and you can also purchase cookies, milk, and other beverages halfway through the route. There’s a scavenger hunt activity provided on the Carolina Lights page of the South Carolina State Fair website for a fun challenge while seeing the lights. Can you complete them all?
Poole’s Christmas Light Show/Facebook
Poole’s Christmas Light Show, 6264 SC-92, Enoree, SC 29335, USA
Stroll down Candy Cane Lane, new for 2022, at this fun private display with over 50,000 lights synchronized to music. Guests return year-after-year to experience this show and say it’s worth driving miles to see.
Tiny Town Easley S.C./Facebook
Tiny Town, 555 Latham Rd, Easley, SC 29640, USA
Tiny Town is a hidden gem attraction located in the upstate town of Easley on Latham Road. It began many years ago in 1974 as an act of love by Perry Jennings for his wife Ollie. She had always wanted to live in a log cabin. He built her a small replica as a mini-version of her dream home. From there, other structures were added through the years until a “tiny town” developed. Christmas decorations became an annual festive addition beginning in 1977.
Donald Rodgers/Google Reviews
This display is located at Norton-Thompson park in Seneca. Santa will be present on select nights (see the Facebook page linked below for additional details), and there will be free hot chocolate. You can purchase s’mores for a small fee.
Norton Thompson Park, 300 Main St, Seneca, SC 29678, USA
Andrew B/Google Reviews
Another lovely private display of Christmas lights is located on Rotan Street in Greer. It’s asked by the owners at the property to please be aware that parking on both sides of the small street will block the flow of traffic.
Lindsey’s Christmas House, 107 Rotan St, Greer, SC 29651, USA
johnhl2615BR/TripAdvisor
This 100-acre park transforms into a magical family-oriented experience during the holidays to benefit the preserve and animals living there. A favorite adventure of guests is driving through the Enchanted Deer Forest, where herds of animals approach the vehicles and eat right out of your hands. (An additional fee is charged to enter the deer forest.) This area has been enlarged from prior years to allow for added interaction with the herds of animals and easier navigation.
Hollywild Animal Park, 2325 Hampton Rd, Wellford, SC 29385, USA
The Christmas House/Facebook
The Christmas House, 360 Foster Rd, Inman, SC 29349, USA
Last but not least, this final stop on our trail of our lights is located at another private residence, at Foster Road in Inman.
Fantasy of Lights (at Swan Lake Iris Gardens) website
Lights at Goff Field Lane Facebook page
Carolina Lights at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds page
Poole’s Light Show website
Tiny Town Facebook page
Seneca SC Events page (Magical Musical Holiday Lights Show)
The Lindsey’s Christmas House Facebook page
Hollywild Animal Preserve website
Hollywild Animal Preserve Facebook page
The Christmas House Facebook page
What’s your favorite Christmas lights display in South Carolina? Please share it with us in the comments section below.
Still looking for the perfect gift for some hard-to-shop-for special people on your Christmas list? We’ve got some great ideas for you in our list of 21 Unique Gift Ideas For Hard-To-Buy-For South Carolinians.
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