One of the great activities for this time of year is viewing the holiday lights in Dallas and several of the neighborhoods that are known for showing off this time of year. If you are like our family, it has become one of the annual traditions for the holiday season and is also one of the must see items for friends and families visiting from out of town.
Around the DFW area, there are several neighborhoods that roll out the show of lights and are worth seeking out. A few of those are Vitruvian Lights in Addison, Interlochen in Arlington and the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. (See the Dallas Morning News list of the 'Top 10 Places to see holiday lights in Dallas-Ft. Worth' for additional choices).
Our favorite, like many others are the prestigious neighborhoods of the Park Cities including Higland Park and University Park, Texas. These neighborhoods not only feature terrific holiday lighting displays, but they are also comprised of a collection of exceptional architecture to enhance and compliment the lighting. Even the homes that are not decorated for the holidays are a treat and usually a wow factor for first timers.
Another way to make this a memorable event for friends and family is to start or finish the tour with a nice dinner at one of the benchmark shopping areas nearby. If you are working your way north to south, then start at The Plaza at Preston Center where a couple quick suggestions would be R+D Kitchen, Hillstone or try Hopdoddy Burger Bar across Preston for a little more casual vibe. If you are working your way south to North, then you can't go wrong to start at the iconic Highland Park Village and once of many great spots such as Cafe Pacific (for special occasions), Mi Cocina or Patrizio (reservations would be a good idea for any of these).
So for those who may or may not be familiar with the Park Cities, we have put together a few photos of the best lighting displays and a list of some of the street names that you will want to hit on your tour. For our tour we focused on the areas south of Northwest Highway and between Preston Rd. and Hillcrest Ave., although you can still find nice displays on the outer edges of this area as well. Be prepared for some traffic if you go on weekend nights for others looking at the lights as well as a flurry of holiday parties for local homeowners. Put on a little Christmas music and site back and enjoy the ride. Here's a little sample of some of the best ones we saw. Get out there and enjoy them yourself!
A great place to start with a wonderful light display is the Plaza at Preston Center *NW. Highway & Preston Rd.)
An all white light display and beautiful Live Oak tree wrapped with lights. (Marquette Street in University Park)
The most unique lighting displays was this green lighting that seemed to float on the front of the house. (University Blvd. in University Park)
The showstopper of the night & the must see on the tour is this impressive display on Druid Lane in University Park. You will probably want to park and get out to see this one up close and personal like everyone else. Wow.
The over the top display of the night is this home with more plastic yard art than you can imagine. This one should be easy to find as well. Depending on your opinion it's incredibly tacky or incredibly fun. The kids will love it. (University Park)
Another great looking display with fun LED motion icicle display in the trees (University Park)
A beautiful and classic lighting display for this Highland Park home on Rheims Place.
A stunning Red Oak wrapped in red holiday lighting makes a dramatic scene (Stratford Ave/ - Highland Park)
One of the many spectacular trees illuminated on Beverly Drive in Highland Park.
Just to summarize, here are a few of the essential streets we would recommend to hit on your tour. University Park - Centenary Ave., Marquette Street, Caruth Blvd, Greenbrier Dr., Southwestern Blvd., Hunters Glen, University Blvd., and Druid Lane. In Highland Park, make sure to hit Beverly Drive, Lakeside Dr., Stratford Dr., Armstrong Blvd., St. John's Dr., and Rheims Place.
Enjoy the sights and the season!