Hi friends, welcome back! I recently made the trek out to Dyker Heights to see all the festive holiday lights. This was my second year going and it seemed there were even more houses participating in the fun than last year. The lights usually go up after Thanksgiving and are on from dusk until about 10pm. Over 100,000 people flock to this neighborhood to see these displays, so it’s no surprise ice cream and hot chocolate trucks are ready for patrons at the most popular intersections.
The Dyker Heights lights started in the 1980s by a resident named Lucy Spata. Her house is the most iconic and located at 1152 84th Street. You really can’t miss it between the bright lights, crowd, and tree announcing the decorations.
The most decked out homes are on 83rd through 85th Street between 11th and 13th Avenue, but I found great displays on my walk from the subway station. If you’re coming from Manhattan, you can take the 2/3 to Atlantic Avenue – Barclays Ctr and then transfer to the Coney Island bound D train to 79th Street. From there it’s about a fifteen-minute walk, but there are plenty of lights to see along the way. In total it took me a little under an hour to get to the main lights.
This house is currently for sale if you want to join in on the fun, but it’s cost you $3.8 million!
As I was walking up 78th Street between 14th and 15th Avenue I stopped to take a picture of this awesome display. The owner was outside and he said it took him seven 16-hour days to do it, but he enjoys doing it. He said the street goes all out for Halloween too so I may have to check that out next year!
I thought it was funny this house found a use for the giant Halloween skeleton.
There’s a large variety of decorations, some are more modest with garland and lights, but others go big with inflatables, music, and figurines. It’s fun getting to see the full array and admire how unique each home is. I read on another blog that it’s rumored some of these decorations cost upwards of $20k! There is a company that does a lot of the homes which you can tell from the signs in the yard.
I spent about an hour walking and fifteen minutes, but I definitely didn’t see every house. You could easily spend two hours here wandering through all the streets.
I went on a Monday night and it was surprisingly pretty busy by 6pm. I saw quite a few tour groups that I tried my best to avoid. I was thinking a tour might be a fun way to see the lights, but then you are looking at the same house with a big crowd and have to stay together. I enjoyed going wherever I pleased and wandering the streets at my own pace. I did notice people being disrespectful and walking up to people’s doorsteps to get a picture, so if you go, just remember these are people’s actual homes and admire them from the sidewalks.
While it’s definitely a trek to get to Dyker Heights, I always think it’s worth it to see these festive displays and get some holiday cheer 🙂 What do you think about these displays?
What wonderfully festive walks to be had!! Some of those house decorations are stunning!!
They are really work of arts! I’d love to see them putting them up and bringing everything out of storage.
Yes, you’d need a big garage to store some of those decorations and lights! 😉
So gorgeous Lyssy. Talk about going all out, but something is missing and that is SNOW. Edmonton has a neighbourhood called Candy Cane Lane, where everyone moving in signs and agreement they will decorate during the holidays. They also put up donation boxes for the local Food Bank. Happy Thursday. Allan
You’re right, a blanket of snow makes it look so pretty! Hoping for a white Christmas in Michigan. Candy Cane Lane sounds amazing, and how nice they do it for a good cause too!
Wow! I’m glad other people are willing to pay for all those decorations (and the power bill) and spend 7 16 hour days setting them all up… because I’m certainly not going to haha! I’ll leave that to them and just enjoy the colorful lights.
I am too!! It’s nice to enjoy them and not pay or worry about the hassle of them haha.
People really go to town! Clearly not worried about the cost of electricity.
They really do, good thing this isn’t California with power shortages.
Definitely worth the trek. Really beautiful.
I agree, always an enjoyable evening taking in all the lights 🙂
These houses are absolutely amazing, and very beautiful!
It’s such a beautiful place to stroll 🙂
Wow! What an amazing area and I just love how many houses go ALL out on lights.
It’s amazing how many people participate and go all out!!
There is a lot of work and imagination behind all these decorations. It’s neat that the whole neighbourhood embraces the same goal.
You are right, they are all so different and unique but such a fun neighborhood activity.
To be honest, the lights are way too much for my taste but I can see that they put others in a holiday mood. Don’t tell Santa or I’ll be getting a lump of coal in my stocking.
Hahaha your secret is safe with me, unless Santa asks then I can’t risk lying and being on the naught list 🙂
It’s just absolutely insane – I love it. I remember a previous visit you had here, and they seem even more extravagant this year!
Hahah yes insane in a good way! It was so hard to narrow down pictures there were so many!
Wow, there are some really beautiful displays here, so is this a company that does the homes for the homeowners or both?
It’s a combination of both! There is one or two companies that most of the houses use and they design, decorate, and store everything. I’m sure it’s not cheap, but can’t beat the convenience.
Wow, that’s mental. A few of these reminded me of charming gingerbread houses. However, the costs that you cite, hiring a company to decorate your house, feels a touch insane and wasteful. I do love the story of the guy who spent seven days doing up his house and find myself wondering about his electricity bill.
This neighborhood makes the NYC halloween decor seem tame! I was afraid to ask how much the guys electricity bill is compared to other months, but I resisted haha. This neighborhood is pretty pricey, so I guess it’s ok for them.
I love how some people really go all out for Christmas!
It’s so fun they all put on these displays for everyone to enjoy!
I have seen this on the news before, but I can’t imagine how magical it would be to walk the neighborhood and see it in person. If anyone needs a little Christmas spirit, this would definitely foot the bill. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos, Lyssy!
It’s the perfect spot for Christmas spirit and a little less crowds. It was so magical!
That’s amazing! So beautiful 😍
Such a festive display!
There’s a house about halfway through the photos that went with all white lights, giving the house itself a kind of yellow glow. No characters, no inflatables, just wreaths and snowflakes and a few red bows for accent. That’s my style. Classy and relatively understated. Most of the others (esp. the original house) are way over the top for my tastes. I’d love to see them all, but I’d bring my sunglasses ha.
I agree with your style, I like the lights and some wreaths/garland. I wouldn’t want people in front of my house all night either, so I wouldn’t try to have the most extravagant house. It is fun to see the full array 🙂
Wow, this is incredible! I knew that some people liked to decorate their houses *a lot* in the US, but I honestly didn’t imagine that it would be that crazy! These houses look stunning!!
This neighborhood really goes all out!! I’d never seen anything like it before!
This is such an amazing Christmas Lighs .I would love to visit there sometime. Thank you Anita
It’s an awesome spot to visit during the holidays, they really go all out!