November 10, 2026 · Apex Event Rides
Every December, a few residential blocks in southwest Brooklyn turn into one of New York's best free holiday sights. Homeowners in Dyker Heights cover their houses in lights, inflatables, life-size nutcrackers and moving displays, and visitors come from all over the city and beyond. Here is what you need to know to plan a good visit.
Where to go
The biggest displays are between 83rd and 86th Streets, from 11th to 13th Avenue, with more lit houses spreading toward 10th Avenue. Start on 84th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues, where some of the best-known houses are, then walk the surrounding blocks. Walking the core area takes about an hour at an easy pace, longer if you stop for photos.
When to go
- Dates: most houses light up from late November or the start of December and stay lit through Christmas, many into early January.
- Time of day: go after dark, from about 5 p.m. Most displays are on through the evening, but some switch off earlier on weeknights.
- Quietest nights: Monday to Thursday. Mid-December weekends between roughly 5 and 9 p.m. are the busiest, with crowded sidewalks and slow traffic.
Getting there
By subway: take the R train to 86th Street or the D train to 79th Street, then walk 10 to 15 minutes.
By car: parking is very limited in December and traffic on the main blocks moves slowly on busy nights. Driving yourself usually means circling for a space.
With a chauffeur: your driver drops you at the edge of the lit blocks, waits nearby while you walk, and picks you up at an agreed corner when you are done. It is the easiest option with children, older relatives or visitors who do not know the area, and it lets you add Manhattan stops in the same evening.
Etiquette: these are people's homes
- Stay on the sidewalk and off lawns and driveways.
- Keep noise down, especially later in the evening.
- Take your trash with you or use the bins.
- Some residents sell hot chocolate and snacks from their front steps; bringing a little cash helps.
Make it a lights tour
Dyker Heights pairs well with Manhattan's holiday sights. A popular evening route:
- Dyker Heights (about 1 hour on foot).
- Rockefeller Center tree, about 40 to 60 minutes' drive depending on traffic. The 2026 tree lighting is on Wednesday, 2 December; Midtown is gridlocked that evening, so plan the tree for another night.
- Fifth Avenue windows and Bryant Park, all within walking distance of the tree.
Allow three to four hours in total. Wear warm, comfortable shoes: you will spend most of the evening outside on foot.
Planning a lights tour with Apex Event Rides
We book holiday lights tours by the hour for families, visiting relatives and groups of up to six per vehicle. Tell us where you are starting, what you want to see and how many people are coming, and we will suggest a route and a fixed quote. December weekends book up early, so reserve as soon as you have a date. See all our holiday season services or request a quote.