It’s not officially the holiday season until the city’s many neighborhoods are completely suffused in holiday lights and decorations. This season, be sure to drive through Houston’s brightest and most festive neighborhoods and streets.
1. River Oaks
The Central Houston neighborhood is home to some of the most impressive light displays you’ll see in the city. Say what you will about big mansion money, but you got to hand it to them in that they go all out during the holidays. Its lavish homes, estates, and gorgeous oak trees are wonderfully strewn in lights, make it an epicenter for marvelling that at times even Santa brings it upon himself to stop by.
2. Prestonwood in Willowbrook
Located off of 249 and Cypresswood, the Prestonwood community regularly hosts a series of seasonal events throughout the neighborhood. Its crown jewel is the annual Nite Of Lights, in which residents take part in a friendly – but competitive – holiday decor competition during the second week of December. Throughout the month, the neighborhood comes aglow with rows and rows of Clark Griswold-inspired homes.
3. Pecan Grove in Richmond
Like Prestonwood, and other Houston area communities, Pecan Grove in Richmond hosts an annual holiday light competition where, sure, there might be one winner, but really everyone wins. Put the car in cruise control down Pitts Road off of 90 through this holiday hall of fame neighborhood. Residents go so crazy with the decor that one, Chris Kalvert, has become known as the Clark Griswold of Pecan Grove; with his thousands upon thousands of lights, abundance of iconic characters, and radio-blasting, convertible-driving Santa Claus, Kalvert was featured on KHOU’s “Living in the Lone Star: Holiday Homes Edition”.
4. Shepherd Park Plaza
Shepherd Park Plaza is a neighborhood located in Northwest Houston. Since the 1960s, the community has put their own unique spin on its holiday light decorations. Here, visitors can cruise through arches of lights as they gaze upon illuminated homes. Some streets even choose their own themes, making each one a unique experience.
5. Spring Shadows
At the end of Kemp Forest off of Gesner in Spring Branch, the 3000 block of Quincannon Lane is illuminated with immaculate homes decked in holiday displays. On this street, the Johnson family home has been famous for its remarkable yuletide decorations. However, it’s unclear at this moment if the family will reprise their legendary decorations, or stick with the simple Grinch display as they did last year, after complaints about traffic in their neighborhood.
6. Memorial Villages
Located just south of Interstate 10 and east of Beltway 8, the area is referred to as the largest collection of renowned lighting displays in the city. Comprised of Piney Point, Bunker Hill, Spring Valley, Hedwig, Hunters Creek, and Hilshire, visitors can make themselves a night out of simply cruising through the community streets and holiday light sightseeing.
7. Briargrove
On Westheimer near Chimney Rock and San Felipe, Briargrove is a close-knit community populated with towering – and twinkling – oak trees and gorgeously decorated homes come the holiday season.
8. Woodland Heights
Inside the area of Heights Boulevard, I-10, and 19th Street to I-45, Woodland Heights and The Heights is famously known for its Lights in the Heights event. The event takes place between December 8 and 13 this year, though throughout the month the easily accessible neighborhood flourishes with innumerable holiday displays.
9. Green Tee in Pearland
This Houston subdivision also has its own quirky Yuletide tradition. Every year, Green Tee holds its Tour de Lites event at Independence Park. On December 10, visitors can join in this family bicycle ride through the neighborhood for an up close and personal look at its many stunning holiday displays. For those that can’t – or don’t want to – ride their bicycles, a hayride options is also available.
10. Downtown
This year, Downtown, Houston is going bigger for the holidays. From now until January 3, visitors can experience unique, themed villages, holiday markets, and spectacular light displays throughout the area for City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic.