The Best Houston Holiday Activities in Downtown — City Lights Brings Eight Distinct Christmas Lands

Your Guide to the Season

BY Caitlin Hsu // 12.13.22

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Stroll through 100,000 LED lights at Winter Wanderland on Bagby Street. (Courtesy Central Houston)

City Lights Downtown Magic kicked off with a ceremony at Avenida Houston. (Courtesy Houston First)

The City Lights Downtown Magic opening ceremony featured remarks from Houston First president and CEO Michael Heckman, Central Houston Inc. president and CEO, Kris Larsen, and Mayor Pro Tempore Dave Martin. (Courtesy Houston First)

A ceremonial tree lighting in the Grand Holiday Window at the George R. Brown Convention Center marked the opening of City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic. (Courtesy Houston First)

Plaza at Avenida's Deck The Trees features a display of 30 decorated Christmas trees. (Courtesy Houston First)

Come ice skate under the glittering lights of Downtown at Discovery Green's Holiday Ice Village (Courtesy Discovery Green)

Hilton Americas Houston's Land of Sweets features a Chocolate Minion Display. (Courtesy Hilton Americas Houston)

Hilton Americas' Land of Sweets is decked out for the holidays. (Courtesy Hilton Americas Houston)

The sweet display at Hilton Americas' Land of Sweets is hand sculpted from over 2000 pounds of chocolate. (Courtesy Hilton Americas Houston)

Come take photographs with Santa Claus at Main Street Square's Santa's Village. (Courtesy Central Houston)

Explore festive holiday markets every Friday and Saturday at Santa's Village at Main Street Square. (Courtesy Central Houston)

Texas's biggest mistletoe installation returns to Market Square Park's Mistletoe Square. (Photo by Morris Malakoff)

A float-under-the-lights experience can be enjoyed at the Texas-shaped lazy river at Marriott Marquis' Texas Winter Lights.

Carolers serenaded guests with Christmas tunes at the opening ceremony for city lights downtown holiday (Courtesy Houston First)

Marriott Marquis' Texas Winter Lights can be enjoyed at just $25 a ticket. (Courtesy Marriott Marquis)

Take a photo in front of the signature angel wings at Winter Wanderland on Bagby Street (Courtesy Central Houston)

Stroll through 100,000 LED lights at Winter Wanderland on Bagby Street. (Courtesy Central Houston)

Downtown Houston has been transformed into a wonderland of holiday lights and festivities. With eight attractions spanning across Downtown from the George R. Brown Convention Center to Bagby Street, all of which are open to the public and mostly free, City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic can be a fun experience for the whole family.

There is something for almost every holiday enthusiast from a giant Minion-themed chocolate display to a lighted poolside experience at the Marriott.

“With eight holiday villages to see — set against the backdrop of some of the best hotels and restaurants found anywhere in the country — this expansive, multi-faceted installation provides families and holiday enthusiasts reasons to visit not once but multiple times as the season unfolds,” Houston Mayor Pro-Tem Dave Martin says. “Trust me when I say this, City Lights is not something that can be fully taken in with just one visit.”

The holiday season extravaganza features eight distinct areas that are worthy of a stop:

Hilton Americas – Land of Sweets

This massive holiday chocolate display is hand sculpted from more than 2,000 pounds of chocolate.

Winter Wanderland on Bagby Street

This lights display boasts 100,000 twinkling LED lights, including giant angel wings and an 80-foot light tunnel across from the Hobby Center.

Outdoor Dining with Bering's

Swipe

Marriott Marquis – Texas Winter Lights

Get ready for a pool experience including an archway of lights and a heated lazy river. Tickets start at $25 for an hour and are available here.

Discovery Green – Holiday Ice Village

You’ll find an open air ice-skating rink, holiday movies under the stars and solstice art installation at Discovery Green. Tickets for ice skating are $17 per person and include skate rental.

Plaza at Avenida – Deck the Trees

This display of 30 decorated Christmas trees and live musical performances is part of the Avenida Concert Series.

Wortham Theater – Sugar Plum Plaza

Wortham Theater’s Fish Plaza is brought to holiday life with larger-than-life custom built ornaments.

Market Square Park – Mistletoe Square

Get ready to kiss. Texas’s biggest mistletoe installation, a 150 inch ball of greenery hanging from a 15 foot candy cane, can be found in Houston’s Market Square Park.

Main Street Square – Santa’s Village

Yes, Santa is coming to town. Regularly. There is a holiday market where you can get photos with Santa Claus every Friday and Saturday on Main Street.

Put together by Houston First Corporation and Central Houston, Inc., City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic runs until January 2. Holiday devotees can also sign up for the free City Lights pass for a chance to enter to win holiday themed experiences every week.

For admission to ticketed events and more information, click here.