Every light trail, boat parade, zoo-lights night, Nutcracker, break camp and museum program worth your December — from Miami to Jacksonville. Honest about which ones are free.
The holiday season splits into three problems: evenings out, days to cover while school is closed, and somewhere air-conditioned when it's 82°F on Christmas Eve.
Light trails, lighted boat parades, zoo lights, ice palaces and Nutcrackers across every Florida metro.
Science museums, zoos, aquariums, theatres, YMCAs and coding studios — full-day camps for the December recess.
The museums that actually teach — planetariums, labs, free family art days and Gilded Age estate tours.
Each has its own page with dates, ages, location and a direct link to tickets. Seasonal dates shift every year — always confirm before you drive.
Immersive light installations, glowing tunnels and music through 50 acres of botanical gardens.
Two million pounds of hand-carved ice — walk-through scenes, ice slides and a frozen nativity, kept at 9°F.
Life-size illuminated dinosaurs, snow play and science shows on the museum's terraces.
Hundreds of hand-made silk lanterns shaped like animals light the zoo after dark, with performances and snacks.
Decorated boats parade along the Hillsborough River past the Riverwalk — free to watch from the banks.
Lit-up boats on the St. Johns River followed by fireworks over downtown — free from the Riverwalk.
The 'greatest show on H2O' — a 12-mile parade of decorated yachts along the Intracoastal, free along most of the route.
Millions of lights across the Give Kids The World Village — every ticket funds wish trips for critically ill children
Light displays, snow flurries, Santa, holiday shows and animal encounters after dark at ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Illuminated animal lanterns and light tunnels along the zoo's pathways, with holiday music and treats
South Florida's giant holiday theme park — rides, carnival games, light displays and shows at Amelia Earhart Park
Millions of lights, holiday shows, Santa's house, hot cocoa and rides — included with park admission
The historic downtown glows with three million white lights — free to stroll, with trolley and boat light tours
World's largest Christmas light maze at Tropicana Field with an ice-skating trail, village market and Santa
A free walk-through light and music show on the Deerfield Beach oceanfront
Decorated boats parade the Intracoastal from North Palm Beach to Jupiter, with toy drives and fireworks
Over a million lights across the botanical gardens — donation-based, with weekend entertainment
Real snow play, science shows and winter-themed labs during the December break
Orlando Ballet's full-scale Nutcracker at Dr. Phillips Center
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker at Arsht Center, Broward Center and Kravis Center
A family holiday show at the Center for the Arts with carols, dancers and Santa
The single most useful thing we can tell you about December in Florida.
Winter-break camp spots at Orlando Science Center, MOSI, Frost Science and the zoos — Camp KSC fills first.
Weekend timed entry for Dazzling Nights, ICE! at Gaylord Palms and Enchant, plus Nutcracker seats at Dr. Phillips and the Arsht.
The boat parades, Nights of Lights in St. Augustine and the Deerfield Beach light show need no tickets — only a parking plan.
Orlando: Dazzling Nights at Leu Gardens and Night of a Million Lights in Kissimmee. Tampa Bay: Christmas Town at Busch Gardens, Christmas in the Wild at ZooTampa and Enchant at Tropicana Field. South Florida: Zoo Miami Zoo Lights and Santa's Enchanted Forest. North Florida: Nights of Lights in St. Augustine — three million lights, free to stroll.
The lighted boat parades in Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville and Palm Beach are free from the banks; Nights of Lights in St. Augustine is free to walk; the Deerfield Beach Holiday Light Show is free; Holiday Lights at Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo is donation-based.
Science museums, zoos and aquariums run full-day winter-break camps, and every light display stays open through the first week of January. See our break camps page for 28 options.
ICE! at Gaylord Palms is kept at 9°F with two million pounds of carved ice and ice slides; Orlando Science Center's Snow Days brings real snow play during the December break; Christmas in the Wild at ZooTampa has nightly snow flurries.
Classes, camps, museums and family days out across Florida.