Christmas lights in Salt Lake City, Utah

We track 9 displays in Salt Lake City — the densest city for lights in Utah. Every one of them is free to visit.

When to go

Displays here switch on around sunset. In Salt Lake City that means about 5:01 PM in early December and 5:01 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 5:32 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Salt Lake City typically drop to around 21°F.

The Salt Lake City lights loop — 9 stops

We ordered every display in Salt Lake City into the shortest sensible driving loop: roughly 18 miles and 79 minutes of driving, before you count time spent parked and looking. Start wherever is closest to you and follow it round.

1. Lights on Lorreen — Lorreen Drive
2. Temple Square Christmas Lights — 50 N. Temple Square
3. The Gateway Holiday Lights — 400 W. 100 South
4. Pioneer Park Holiday Lights — 350 S. 300 West
5. Pioneer Circle Light Show — 924 Pioneer Circle
6. Gallivan Center Holiday Lights — 239 S. Main Street
7. Glen Arbor Christmas Street — Glen Arbor Street
8. Michigan Avenue 'Unite and Light' — Michigan Avenue
9. Carousel Street — Carousel Street, Rose Park

Driving estimate assumes a 25 mph average on residential streets plus four minutes stopped per display. Straight-line distances with a road-network allowance — treat it as a planning figure, not a satnav route.

All 9 displays in Salt Lake City

Nearby towns

Know a display we're missing in Salt Lake City?Add it to the guide.