Hi friends, welcome back! Every year since the 1980s, homes in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn are decked in over the top Christmas decor like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The lights have become so popular that an estimated 100,000 people make the trek to Brooklyn each year to see the displays. I’ve been wanting to see the Dyker Heights Lights for quite some time now, but the long commute always intimidated me. To get there, you can take the subway, a guided tour with transportation from Manhattan, or drive there, but parking could be an issue.
You can view the lights from 11th to 13th Avenue between 83rd and 86th Street in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. Anywhere you wander in this vicinity you’ll be guaranteed to see tons of lights. I went on a Wednesday night and took the subway from Lower Manhattan. I took the 2/3 to Atlantic Avenue and then transferred to the D train to the 79th Avenue stop. Once I exited the subway, I had about a fifteen-minute walk until I started seeing the Christmas Lights. All in all, it took me about an hour to get there from my apartment.
To get home, I had about a fifteen-minute walk to the R train, and then transferred to the 2/3 at Atlantic Avenue until my stop at Wall Street. The R train makes eleven stops before Atlantic Avenue, but luckily I had a seat. This way also took about an hour to get home.
This house below belongs to Lucy Spata, she was the first to have Christmas lights and started the Dyker Heights Lights tradition. Her house is what I see in all of the Instagram posts and stories because it’s so over the top and I was glad to see it without all of the crowds. I overheard a tour guide talking about how much the lights cost because of the labor to decorate, electricity to light everything, and paying for storage for all the decor. It’s quite the commitment!
There is a company called B&R Christmas Decorators that installs the lights for over 200 houses. The owner was an engineer and art student and helped with one house in the 90s, and through word of mouth, his client list grew and now his company does most of the houses in the area. I found that so interesting, what a niche! His company designs, installs, AND takes down the decorations. All the homeowner does is flip on the switch, sounds pretty great to me 🙂
This house was one of my favorites, it looks like how I’d want Jon to decorate our future home.
This house had a snow machine and an ice cream truck conveniently parked outside! It seemed to have the second largest crowd behind Lucy Spata’s house.
I’d highly recommend making the trek out here, I had such a great time wandering through the streets taking in all of the decorations. I’ve heard that the weekends get super crowded, so I’d encourage going during the week if you can. I had most of the houses to myself and it was very enjoyable! Dyker Heights is quite a hike from the city, but I think it’s worth it to wander through all of the decorated homes. I’m glad I made the trek and can cross this off my Christmas Bucket List 🙂
Those houses are beautifully illuminated Lyssy. Thanks for bringing them to our attention.
Wow that’s unbelievable! So many houses completely lit up, all jn one neighbourhood. Thanks for the tour!
So glad you enjoyed! It sure was a sight to see. Happy Holidays!
Oh to have shares in Noma and the local power utility. These people have done a great job with their decorating. Thanks for sharing Lyssy. Allan
Haha I agree, they must do well! They do a great job bringing joy to so many people with their lights. Thanks for reading Allan!
Looks great! I’d never spend that much money on Christmas lights though.
Me neither, a Santa collection possibly, but outdoor lights definitely not. I’ll pay the small fee for the subway ride to see them ha! Merry Christmas!
That was awesome!! Totally got me in the Christmas spirit!!
Yay!! Thank you Sally!! Hope you have the best Christmas with your girls!! 🙂
Wow this is incredible, thanks for showing us these wonderful lights. I love the fact someone does them all, beats hours outside trying to get them all hooked up! Well worth the hours journey to see 😊
I can’t even imagine trying to figure out all the electrical needs of the displays 😂 I’ll decorate the inside and someone else can do the outside ha!
It is very impressive! In Toronto there are also some heavily decorated houses, I’ve seen some raising money for charity. Making a business out of it is a kind of caricature of the entrepreneurial mindset on the other side of the border 🙂