Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens | Boothbay

Several months of preparations go into the installation of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ annual Gardens Aglow, which features over 650,000 LED bulbs illuminating a driving tour through the property. Tickets cost $40 per car for nonmembers and $30 for members and must be booked in advance. Extend your lights tour by seeing the nearly 50 participating businesses and residences in the botanical garden’s community light display contest.

Pandora’s Winter Lights | Portland

From Black Friday through March, downtown Portland’s streets and public parks are transformed by artist Pandora LaCasse’s brilliant light installations. Trees are wrapped in lights and colorful orbs hang from buildings and branches from Congress Street to Commercial Street.

Dr. Zeleniak’s Orthodontic Office | 132 State St., Augusta

It has nothing to do with straightening teeth, but for years Dr. Darryl Zeleniak’s building on State Street in Augusta has been a destination every holiday season thanks to its elaborate, music-synced light display. 

Northern Lights at L.L.Bean | Freeport

L.L.Bean’s version of the North Pole pops up every winter, with a forest of colorful, illuminated trees, a light tunnel, a human-sized snow globe, and more festive decor. A new addition this year at Northern Lights is a free skating rink.

Beans Corner Lights | 11 Chesterville Rd., Jay

The Daigle family’s holiday light show boasts more than 45,000 lights synced with different Christmas music (just tune your radio to 88.7 FM). The display is best viewed from Bean’s Corner Baptist Church parking lot. The show runs each night from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. until New Year’s Day.

Nubble Light | York

One of Maine’s most iconic holiday light displays is found at Cape Neddick Light (more commonly known as Nubble). The especially Instagramable lighthouse is even more photogenic when the structure is framed in festive lights.

Kennebunk + Kennebunkport | Various Locations

These seaside towns go all out for the holiday season. This year nearly 50 businesses and homes are participating in the Holiday Trail of Lights contest, and the area chamber of commerce has maps of the different displays. One of the most distinctive winter landmarks is the Christmas tree made from wooden lobster traps in Cape Porpoise Square. 

Maine Celebration of Lights | Cumberland Fairgrounds

Another drive-through display, the Maine Celebration of Lights at the Cumberland Fairgrounds has a more-than-mile-long route of 1 million LED lights and animatronic scenes. Tickets must be purchased in advance and cost $20 on weekdays and $23 on weekends and holidays.

Winter Wonderland at Augusta West | 183 Holmes Brook Ln., Winthrop

Located at Augusta West Kampground in Winthrop, this holiday light experience offers both driving and walking tour options. It’s the first year the campground has put on the impressive display, and tickets cost $25 for cars and $10 for walking tours.

Read More

• 
  Branching Out
• 
  48 Hours in Cape Elizabeth, South Portland + Scarborough
• 
  4 Unique Winter Weekends
• 
  Brunswick in 48 Hours