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4-Hour Bus Tour from Manhattan
⌖ 566 10th Ave → Bryant Park · English
60 minof 4 h among the lights
✓ bus, guide, skyline · ✕ food
★ 4.61 (2,450)
$50.40Free cancellation up to 24 h
Brooklyn · free · every December evening
Dyker Heights Christmas Lights 2026
Free, on public streets. About a hundred houses on 83rd–86th St between 11th and 13th Ave glow from dusk to about 9–10 pm, from the day after Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve. About an hour from Midtown.
Updated Oct 2026 · Prices checked Oct 2026
OUR PICK · MOST BOOKED★ 4.61 · 2,450
4-Hour Holiday Lights Bus Tour
60minutes among the lights
of a 4-hour trip from Midtown
of a 4-hour trip from Midtown
$50.40$63
Check dates
Free cancellation up to 24 h before
How do you want to see the lights?
The lights are free — a tour sells the ride, a guide and the skyline
OUR PICK · MOST BOOKED
4-Hour Holiday Lights Bus Tour
★ 4.61 (2,450) · guided walk + Brooklyn Bridge Park skyline
Starts
566 10th Ave, 4:15 pm
Among the lights
≈ 60 min of 4 h
Price
$50.40 per person, was $63
CHEAPEST GUIDE
Christmas Lights Walking Tour
★ 4.46 (253) · about 3 miles on foot · 17+ only
Starts
Gigi's Bakery, 8626 4th Ave · 5:00 / 7:30 pm
Among the lights
≈ 75 min of 1.5 h
Price
$22 per person
DO IT YOURSELF
R train to 86 St, then walk the blocks
No restrooms on the lit blocks · rides back are scarce
Starts
any evening from dusk
Among the lights
your pace · ≈ 90 min
Price
$6 subway there and back
FOR GROUPS
Private Brooklyn Christmas Tour by Limousine
★ 4.60 (41) · driver, hotel pickup in Manhattan
Starts
your hotel, 6 pm
Among the lights
30–40 min of 3 h
Price
$959 per group of up to 7
- $0to see the lights
- 83–86Streets · 11th–13th Ave
- 4:30–10pm, every evening
- ≈1 Hfrom Midtown
- 7,000+reviews of 17 tours →
tours
Compare all tours →Dyker Heights Christmas lights NYC: the short list of tours
Every bus drops you off and you walk the lit blocks with a guide — coaches can't drive the narrow streets. What differs is where you start, the extra stop and how long you get among the houses.
1 of 4 · swipe
1 / 5
Lights & Skyline View Bus
⌖ Broadway & W 49th · sunset stop
60 minof 4 h among the lights
✓ bus, guide, skyline · ✕ food
★ 4.67 (1,203)
$69English or German guide
1 / 5
Lights & Skyline + Bay Ridge
⌖ 1651 Broadway · 4, 5 or 6 pm
50 minof 4 h among the lights
✓ bus, guide · ✕ tips
★ 4.59 (1,008)
$45Free cancellation up to 24 h
1 / 5
Brooklyn Christmas Lights Walk
⌖ Gigi's Bakery, 8626 4th Ave
75 minof 1.5 h among the lights
✓ guide · ✕ transport
★ 4.46 (253)
$225:00 or 7:30 pm · 17+
Bar = share of the trip spent on foot among the houses · price for 1 adult on an early-December date · Source: GetYourGuide, Oct 2026
Live dates · 4-Hour Holiday Lights Bus Tour
Live dates load here · Powered by GetYourGuide
bus · walk · diy
How to see the Dyker Heights Christmas lights
The lights cost nothing either way. A tour buys the ride from Manhattan and back, a guide and the skyline; the subway buys more time on the streets for $6. Pick by how much planning you want to do.
first visit? take this
Bus from Manhattan$45–95
- ✓ door to door from Midtown, 4 h
- ✓ 50–60 min with a guide among the lights
- ✓ restroom on most buses, skyline stop
- ✕ the walk can feel rushed
most time on foot
Walking tour$22
- ✓ ≈ 75 min among the lights
- ✓ the stories behind the houses
- ✕ get to 4th Ave and back yourself
- ✕ about 3 miles, 17+ only
cheapest
On your own$6
- ✓ your pace, loop ≈ 90 min
- ✓ R train, $3.00 each way
- ✕ no restrooms on the blocks
- ✕ rides back are scarce
Source: GetYourGuide (Oct 2026) · MTA fare from Jan 2026 · Secret NYC (loop time)
the evening
Dyker Heights Christmas lights in Brooklyn: a neighbourhood, not a show
These are private homes, and the owners go all-in. Life-size nutcrackers and Santas line the steps, angels stand on lawns and whole trees are wrapped in light. There's no gate and no ticket — you stroll the sidewalks with everyone else.
The Spata house at 1152 84th St has decorated since the 1980s and draws the longest line. Mid-December weekends are packed; weeknights right after dusk are calmer. Hot cocoa is sold on the street, and some houses keep charity boxes.
“Would have liked more time to walk around but understandable that they need to get around fairly quickly.”Nicholas, United Kingdom · Sep 2026 · 4-Hour Bus Tour
when
Dates & hours →When the Dyker Heights Christmas lights are on in 2026
From the day after Thanksgiving, Friday 27 November 2026, to about New Year's Eve, every evening from dusk. Homeowners decide when to switch on, so go from early December to see every house lit.
27NOV · from
Switching onThe day after Thanksgiving, the first houses light up.
1+DEC · BEST TIME
Fully litAlmost every display is up; weeknights are calmest.
MIDDEC · weekends
BusiestCrowds peak around 7 pm; traffic is gridlocked.
~31DEC · to about
Last nightsMost come down in the first days of January.
4:30–5 PMon at dusk
≈ 7 PMbiggest crowds
9–10 PMmost switch off
Sources: Free Tours by Foot (Sep 2025) · Secret NYC (Dec 2025) · Brooklyn Paper (2025)
map
Dyker Heights Christmas lights map
Where is it? The lit blocks are 83rd–86th Street between 11th and 13th Avenue in Dyker Heights, south-west Brooklyn, spilling toward 10th Avenue. Start on 84th Street; the whole loop takes about 90 minutes at a stroll.
Dyker Heights Christmas lights83rd–86th St between 11th and 13th Ave, Brooklyn
- 1R train to 86 Stwalk 15–20 min east along 86th St, then up to 84th St (about 1.6 km)
- 284th St, 11th–12th Avebusiest block · Spata, Polizzotto, Saita
- 383rd St toward 10th Avebright displays, the Mangano corner
- 485th–86th St, then 13th Avefinish by the bakeries
- Rather walk it with a guide? Brooklyn walk, $22 →
Dyker Heights Christmas lights houses
Four addresses worth finding. A house is decorated by its owner each year, so the theme changes; the photos are from tour galleries, not of these exact houses.
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Spata house
1152 84th StWhere it began, in the 1980s; the longest line on the block.
Polizzotto house
1145 84th StToyland and a 15-foot animatronic Santa, with donation boxes on the lawn.
Saita house
1135 84th StA historic house on the National Register (Free Tours by Foot).
Mangano corner
83rd St & 10th AveOne of the brightest, most colourful displays (Gothamist).
Dyker Heights Christmas lights photos
≈100HOUSES
LIT EVERY EVENING
LIT EVERY EVENING
House with a 'Believe' sign, angels and heavy garlands
Purple-lit house with a staircase and small trees
Tudor-style house outlined in warm white lights
Gift boxes and a light-wrapped tree on a lawn
Group of visitors in the snow at nightPhotos: GetYourGuide tour galleries · Houses: Free Tours by Foot (2025), Gothamist (2022), Help New York (2025) · Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
getting there
How to get to Dyker Heights Christmas lights
From Manhattan, take the R train to 86 St and walk 15–20 minutes: about an hour from Times Square for $3.00 each way. Don't drive — the blocks are gridlocked from about 5 pm and parking is very limited.
RR train to 86 St
45–55 minfrom Times Square
$3.00each way, OMNY
15–20 minwalk to 11th Ave
The simplest route; the same way back.
DD train to 79 St
≈ 1 hfrom Midtown
$3.00each way
≈ 20 minwalk, hillier
Through Bensonhurst.
Rideshare
60–90 minin December traffic
$75–100+each way
✕hard to get back
Prices and times from Help New York.
Where to park for Dyker Heights Christmas lights
Better not to drive. If you must, 13th and 14th Ave are the easier areas (Gothamist, 2022) — 14th Ave has free street parking, 13th Ave is metered until 7 pm. Skip 10th–12th Ave.
Restaurants near Dyker Heights Christmas lights
La Bella Marketplace, Tasty Pastry Shoppe, Cavatappi and Something Greek on 13th Ave; most close around 8 pm. Street vendors sell hot chocolate near 86th St and 12th Ave.
Restrooms near the lights
None on the lit blocks, and residents ask you not to ring doorbells. Use a café near the subway or on 86th St before the walk.
Sources: MTA (Jan 2026) · Free Tours by Foot (Sep 2025) · Gothamist (Dec 2022) · Help New York (2025)
reviews
Dyker Heights Christmas lights reviews
Is Dyker Heights Christmas lights worth it?
Yes, if you like Christmas over the top and can take a cold, crowded sidewalk. The three big tours score 4.59–4.67 across 4,600+ reviews on GetYourGuide. Skip it if a long trip for an hour of walking feels like too much — or go on a weeknight right after dusk, when the blocks are calmer.
People praise
the displays, informative guides, the skyline stop
People warn about
a rushed walk, hot buses, crowds
Skyline View Bus Tour★ 4.67 · 1,203
Guide 4.8
Transport 4.7
Value 4.5
“We loved the tour, really nice way to see another part of NYC. Beautiful houses and decorations, lots of fun! We would do this tour again.”Tara, United Kingdom · Dec 2025
Lights & Skyline Tour★ 4.59 · 1,008
Guide 4.7
Transport 4.6
Value 4.4
“Very useful to have a tour, just makes transport so much easier and hassle free. Tour guide went out of way to show us extra sites, and really explained what we would be seeing. It was good fun.”Hayley, United Kingdom · Feb 2026
Brooklyn Walking Tour★ 4.46 · 253
“Derek our tour guide was fantastic. he was enthusiastic, entertaining and made sure the whole group was safe and well looked after.”Raymond, United Kingdom · Dec 2025
Verified bookings on GetYourGuide, checked Oct 2026
before you go
Dyker Heights Christmas lights checklist
You'll spend an hour or more outdoors on residential sidewalks in December, with no restrooms and plenty of crowds. These four things make the evening easier, whether you come on a bus tour or by subway — checked twice.
The nice list
- ✓Dress for colder than Midtown — an hour or more on open sidewalks
- ✓Bring small bills — hot cocoa and charity boxes are often cash only
- ✓Be a good guest — sidewalks only, driveways clear, no photos into windows
- ✓Go right after dusk — weeknights beat the 7 pm peak
Dyker Heights Christmas lights FAQ
Is Dyker Heights Christmas lights free?
Yes. The displays are private homes on public streets, so seeing them costs nothing. You pay only for the subway ($3.00 each way) or for a tour, which sells transport from Manhattan and a guide.
Do I need Dyker Heights Christmas lights tickets?
No tickets and no gate. What you see sold as "tickets" online are tour bookings: the bus or walking tour, not entry to the streets.
Where in Dyker Heights are the Christmas lights?
Mostly on 83rd to 86th Street between 11th and 13th Avenue, with some displays toward 10th Avenue. The best-known blocks are 83rd and 84th Street between 11th and 12th Avenue.
Where is Dyker Heights?
A residential neighbourhood in south-west Brooklyn, next to Bay Ridge, about an hour from Midtown Manhattan by subway. The nearest station for the lights is 86 St on the R line.
What time do the lights turn on and off?
At dusk, about 4:30–5 pm in December, and most switch off around 9–10 pm. Each homeowner decides, so a few go dark earlier. Hour by hour.
What is the best night to go?
A weeknight in early December, right after dusk. Friday to Sunday and the two weeks before Christmas are the busiest, with the biggest crowds around 7 pm.
How long should I plan?
Three to four hours from Midtown: about an hour each way and around 90 minutes to walk the main streets. A bus tour takes about four hours door to door.
Can I bring kids and a stroller?
Yes, but weekend sidewalks are packed and strollers are hard to steer; a carrier works better. On the most-booked bus, children under 3 ride free on a lap.
Is Dyker Heights safe for visitors?
It is a residential neighbourhood, and the main issues on busy nights are crowds and traffic. Keep to the sidewalks, watch for cars at crossings and agree a meeting point if your group gets split up.
Are there restrooms?
Not on the lit blocks, and residents ask visitors not to ring doorbells. Use a café near the subway or on 86th Street first, or pick a bus with a restroom on board.
Can I take photos of the houses?
Yes, from the sidewalk. Please don't photograph into windows, step onto lawns or touch the displays.
Should I bring cash?
A few $1 and $5 bills: some houses keep charity donation boxes, and the hot-chocolate sellers are often cash only.
