Your dog will love strolling through the hundreds of manicured acres on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 8,000-acre property offers you and your furry friend over 20 miles of hiking trails and 2.5 miles of paths through manicured gardens. Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect Biltmore Estate’s Antler Hill Village. There you can relax with a glass of wine in the heated outdoor areas at Biltmore Winery’s Bistro or have a bite to eat at Cedric’s Tavern (named for George Vanderbilt’s Saint Bernard). During the festive season, make sure you experience Christmas at Biltmore. This spellbinding event sees trees surrounding the huge estate sprinkled with fairy lights, creating a winter wonderland for you and your pooch to immerse yourselves in.

Biltmore Estate is decorated in Christmas cheer from November 4 through January 4, 2025. Located just outside the gates of the Biltmore Estate, the luxurious Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville has decked all the halls and awaits your pooch’s arrival. This Tudor-inspired property will greet Fido with treats and bowls at check-in.

Nevada’s largest drive-thru holiday light show is coming to town again this year. Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 2.5-mile Christmas light display that will surely brighten up Fido’s night. Different exhibits along the route tell stories of Christmas past, as you and your pooch look forward to Christmas future. If you spot one of Santa’s elves along the way, they have been known to sneak treats out of his sleigh for dogs to munch on during the show.

Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be held from November 7, 2025 to January 4, 2026. When you're ready to turn in for the night, avoid the hectic Strip and choose the pet-friendly Best Western Plus North Las Vegas Inn & Suites, located near the Speedway.

Since the first Christmas lights were strung in the trees for Bright Nights at Forest Park in Springfield, MA, in 1995, more than five million people have gazed in wonder at the imaginative displays. The Victorian garden is transformed by 650,000 lights along a 3-mile driving route. The marvelous displays include Seuss Land, Winter Woods and Happy Holidays Springfield. One of the most intricate exhibits is a replica of Everett Barney's mansion, a local philanthropist who donated 178 acres of land to the park in 1884. Lucky dogs might meet a jolly greeter equipped with treats for pets at the entrance.

Bright Nights at Forest Park will be held from November 26th, 2025 through Sunday, January 4th, 2026. After Fido’s spellbinding drive through the park, spend the night at the nearby pet-friendly Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel.

Winter Festival of Lights in Oglebay takes the spectator experience to the next level. Human visitors are equipped with new 3D “Sleigh” Bans. These futuristic holographic glasses transform every point of light into a magical performance. One of the most popular light shows in the country, the Festival of Lights welcomes more than a million people every year to marvel at 90 different exhibits. It’s also the longest on our list, encompassing 300 acres of twinkling lights over a 6-mile drive.

The Winter Festival of Lights will be held nightly from dusk to midnight from November 6, 2025 to January 4, 2026. Make a getaway of it and stay in a dog-friendly room on site at the Oglebay Resort!

Most caves are full of history waiting to be discovered, but some contain stories yet to be told, like the Louisville Mega Cavern. Every year, Lights Under Louisville turns this former limestone mine into a twinkling underground spectacle. Enjoy a 30-minute, contact-less ride through part of the 17 miles of passageways. The display features 850 lit characters and a massive three million points of light, and is the only underground light show of its kind in the world.

Lights Under Louisville will be held from November 14, 2025 to January 3, 2026. Tour the cave for days with a stay at the Red Roof Inn Louisville Fair & Expo. This pet-friendly budget hotel is located just across the road from the attraction.

Take a dazzling drive with Fido through millions of synchronized LED lights at the Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Spectacular. Held at Great Smoky Mountains Event Park, this glowing wonderland features tunnels of light, dancing trees, and larger-than-life holiday scenes, including the snowflake arch, Christmas trees, the Snowflake Express train, a 200-orb field, Santa’s home at the North Pole, a manger scene, an outdoor enthusiast scene, Sweet Tooth Lane, and the tree of lights tunnel.

The Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Spectacular runs nightly from November 7, 2025 through January 5, 2026. Snuggle up after the sparkle at Elk Ridge, where you can snuggle around the fireplace with Fido in your private cabin.

Fido might already be familiar with the large off-leash area at James Island County Park in Charleston. But, he may not recognize his favorite dog park covered in twinkling lights and Christmas decor at the Holiday Festival of Lights. Drive through a tunnel of lights and take in the sights of trees bathed in a warm glow and illuminated sculptures floating on the lake.

Holiday Festival of Lights is open 5:30 to 10 p.m. nightly from November 14 to December 31, 2025. See what else the historic city of Charleston has to offer by extending your stay at the Residence Inn by Marriott Charleston Riverview.

Illuminate Fido’s regular evening drive with a detour to Bull Run Festival of Lights in Centreville, VA. Taking place at Bull Run Regional Park, the light show invites you to turn off your headlights and coast through magical manmade surroundings with your mutt. If you want to avoid the crowds, visit on a weekday. Weekends and the week before and after Christmas are the busiest times to visit.

Bull Run Festival of Lights will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. from November 14, 2025 until January 4, 2026. Enjoy lights out at nearby La Quinta Inn & Suites Manassas Battlefield, located just outside Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Described as a “holiday light experience that will glow your mind,” Garden of d’Lights is where the cacti, succulents and trees at the garden burst into light, illuminated by incredible lasers and colorful bulbs. See the natural display year-round at The Ruth Bancroft Garden.

Garden of d’Lights at The Ruth Bancroft Garden will be held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday (and select Thursdays) from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. from November 21, 2025, to January 11, 2026. Cuddle up with your pup afterwards at your cozy accommodations at Embassy Suites by Hilton Walnut Creek.

See the spectacular bald cypress trees draped in 100,000 lights at Holiday Lights on the Riverwalk. Lined with inviting restaurants and stores, the beautiful San Antonio River Walk is always a crowd pleaser, but the historic area is even more spectacular during the festive season. Stop along the way at Rita's on the River for a margarita while your pooch tries something from the dog menu, like ice cream or white rice with zucchini and carrots.

Holiday Lights on the River Walk will be held from November 28, 2025 through January 8, 2026. Spend the night overlooking the lights at Drury Inn & Suites San Antonio River Walk.

At St. Augustine Nights of Lights, you and your best bud can marvel at the three million lights that decorate the historic district from dusk until dawn while enjoying one of the best small towns to spend Christmas with your pooch. Hop on a dog-friendly Red Train Trolley Tour to see the display, or walk with your hound across the Bridge of Lions to take in a spectacular view of the city all aglow.

St. Augustine Nights of Lights will be held nightly from November 15, 2025 through January 11, 2026. Spend the night at one of St. Augustine’s most loved pet-friendly spots, The Cozy Inn.

Tanglewood Park Festival of Lights is truly a sight to behold. North Carolina’s most impressive Christmas light display invites people and their pups to trundle through the tunnel of lights, alongside illuminated golfers, Nativity sets and colorful arrangements.

Tanglewood Park Festival of Lights will take place from November 14, 2025, to January 1, 2026. See the lights, and then cruise along to a pet-friendly room at the Quality Inn & Suites Clemmons, just five minutes away.