15 Must-See Holiday Attractions in Greater Philadelphia for 2025

​​With more than 60 specialty shops that are perfect for holiday shopping, picturesque Peddler’s Village rings in the holiday season with festive events and plenty of decorations.

The celebration starts with Holiday Kickoff Weekend (November 14 to 16, 2025) featuring live performances, pay-as-you-go food and drink, and a Grand Illumination Celebration (November 14, 2025), where the village is set aglow with 1 million twinkling lights.

Plus, don’t miss the Gingerbread Competition & Display (November 14, 2025 to January 17, 2026), featuring dozens of handcrafted gingerbread creations on display for free, and Holly Jolly Weekend (December 6 to 7, 2025), with two days of free Santa-themed festivities and parades. The season comes to a close with ice sculptures, fire artistry performances, games and more during Fire & Frost Fun (January 10 to 18, 2025, select dates).

November 14, 2025 – February 22, 2026 (dates vary by attraction)

Located mere steps away from Christmas Village in Philadelphia (below), Winter at Dilworth Park adds to the seasonal fun around City Hall, arguably one of the most festive square miles in the city, with these wintertime attractions:

• Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market: Shop local at this holiday market exclusively featuring the talents of homegrown Philadelphia artisans, designers, crafters and jewelers (November 14, 2025 to January 1, 2026).
• Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink: Strap on your skates and hit the ice at Dilworth Park’s popular outdoor skating rink. Note that tickets are required (November 14, 2025 to February 22, 2026).
• Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin: Swing by the reimagined Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin for a bite and drink indoors or by the toasty fire pit (November 14, 2025 to February 22, 2026).
• Wintergarden on the Greenfield Lawn: Step into a whimsical winter wonderland and explore this outdoor topiary garden decked in woodland seasonal foliage, illuminated overhead sculptures and shimmering lights (November 14, 2025 to March 15, 2026).

November 15, 2025 – January 4, 2026 (dates vary by event)

There are only two Sesame Street theme parks in the world — and one of them is right in Bucks County. With its sister park far away in unseasonal San Diego, Langhorne’s Sesame Place is the only true wintry locale for enjoying some holiday fun with Elmo and friends.

• A Very Furry Christmas: See the park transformed with millions of lights, holiday-themed rides and festive decorations during A Very Furry Christmas. Enjoy a special Christmas Parade, gifts and a visit with Santa in the Furry Workshop, plus the spectacular 1-2-3 Christmas Tree music and lights show (November 15, 2025 to January 4, 2026).

• Hanukkah Celebration: Celebrate the Festival of Lights with the Sesame Street crew. Light the Menorah and learn about the holiday with Baby Bear, play a game of dreidel, make a Hanukkah-inspired craft, and dance along to all your favorite holiday songs at the Furry Friends Dance Party (December 26, 2025 to January 1, 2026).

• Kwanzaa Celebration: The seven principles of Kwanzaa come to life on Sesame Street. Light the Kinara, learn about the holiday during a special storytime, and enjoy a special performance by the Universal African Dance and Drum ensemble during (December 26, 2025 to January 1, 2026).

• New Year’s Eve Fireworks: Ring in the new year with a dazzling display of red, green and blue during this festive fireworks display (Wednesday, December 31, 2025).

November 20, 2025 – January 3, 2026 (select dates)

The immersive LumiNature display transforms the Philadelphia Zoo into a multimedia spectacular illuminated with a million twinkling lights.

While the animals sleep, humans can ride the SEPTA PZ Express Kiddie Train under an illuminated canopy or dance along with a 40-foot-tall penguin shimmering with 40,000 lights. This year, the attraction debuts a brand-new 110-foot-tall observation Pherris Wheel, offering unbeatable views of all the lights from the sky.

Get the perfect selfie in front of the pink flamingo tree, and take the littles to make their holiday gift requests during a visit with the big man himself in Santa’s Lodge. Top it off with seasonal fare, live performers, hot chocolate and adult beverages.

Historic Franklin Square welcomes the season with a bevy of family winter attractions, festive activities and holiday celebrations, including:

• Electrical Spectacle Light Show presented by PECO: The centerpiece of the park’s holiday festivities, Franklin Square’s free nightly light show — inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s kite-and-key electricity experiment — illuminates the square every half hour with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights choreographed to a soundtrack of seasonal tunes.
• Chilly Philly Mini Golf: Grab a club and don a coat: Center City’s only outdoor mini-golf course showcases 18 holes of festive lights, holiday music, winter characters and iconic Philly landmarks.
• Street Curling: Gather a team, channel your inner Olympian and push your stones to glory with Street Curling! Curling rinks must be rented in advance and tickets are required.

Plus, don’t miss cocktails and seasonal treats at Frosty’s Fireside Winter Pop-Up Bar.

November 21 – December 30, 2025 (select dates)

Festive holiday vibes come to the furry, fuzzy and feathered residents of the Elmwood Park Zoo. The Montco zoo shines bright during the holiday season, with millions of LED lights illuminating the attraction’s 16 acres during Wild Lights.

The walk-through experience features brilliant light displays, live entertainment, animal meet and greets, and photo ops with characters and Mr. Claus himself during the evening hours. Also look out for seasonal snacks and brews at the beer garden, plus a playground, train rides and carousel rides for the kids.

Hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights and spectacular fountain shows combine to create an incredible winter wonderland at A Longwood Christmas, named No. 1 for Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights five years in a row by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

Illuminated with jewel-toned lights and accented with hanging crystals, lush fabrics and gilded metals, the nationally acclaimed gardens transform into an opulent jewelry box for this year’s over-the-top holiday display.

Marvel at miles of lights glowing in the trees, seasonal plants decorated with ornaments and radiant mineral specimens, a festive outdoor mini railway, and colorful fountains dancing to holiday music.

LOVE Park transforms into a magical, open-air Bavarian holiday marketplace for the annual Christmas Village in Philadelphia.

Over 120 vendors showcase gifts, ornaments, accessories and wintry apparel, plus tasty treats like raclette sandwiches and spiced wine. New for 2025: a 30-foot-tall German Christmas pyramid — an illuminated windmill-like structure — towers above the vendors’ charming wooden stalls. Also on deck: the indoor Festival of Trees display, festive events, and appearances from Christkind and Santa Claus.

Across the street at City Hall, enjoy a family-friendly carousel, a Ferris wheel and the Kids Express train.

The market is free to attend, with pay-as-you-go food and shopping. You can get your first look at the village during preview weekend (November 22 and 23, 2025) before it officially opens on Thanksgiving Day.

November 22 – December 30, 2025 (select dates)

One of the country’s largest outdoor model train displays gets its annual winter makeover to become the Holiday Garden Railway.

Located inside the 100-acre Morris Arboretum & Gardens, G-scale mini locomotives wind through loops, tunnels, bridges and replicas of beloved Philly landmarks (including the spiffy new Morris Train Station) beneath a canopy of thousands of twinkling lights.

The daytime light experience is free with general admission, but come sunset, the display transforms into The Nighttime Express (beginning Saturday, November 29, 2025) with sparkling lights along the railway and laser lights in the trees (separate timed tickets required).

Millions of twinkling lights illuminate the night at this rolling Bucks County farm. Take in the show from the comfort of your car or in the open air while snuggled up in a wagon with loved ones (weather permitting).

After taking in the whimsical light displays, be sure to stop by Santa’s Village for some face time with the big man and to warm up with festive drinks and snacks by the firepits.

There’s no holiday tradition in the world like the Comcast Holiday Spectacular, located in the Comcast Center’s seven-story lobby. Now in its 17th year, the free 15-minute, super-hi-res show depicts a photo-realistic virtual sleigh ride over the city, interspersed with a performance by the Philadelphia Ballet, holiday sing-alongs and more. Shows run at the top of the hour every hour from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Across the street, the Comcast Technology Center offers an immersive short film called DreamWorks Shrek’s Festive Flight — starring everyone’s favorite ogre and his friends Donkey and Gingy — in The Universal Sphere.

Also on deck: visits with Santa, holiday crafting workshops with local nonprofit MANNA and a holiday fair.

Since 1956, thousands of dancing snowflake-, candy cane- and snowman-shaped lights have illuminated Wanamaker’s Grand Court, accompanied by the world-renowned Wanamaker Organ.

Despite the closure of the historic Wanamaker Building’s most recent tenant — Macy’s — the (holiday) show must go on, thanks to support from the Independence Visitor Center and fans.

As always, the Wanamaker Light Show is free to attend (with no tickets required), and runs every hour on the half-hour during operating hours.

Upstairs in Dickens Village, guests step into a vintage, animatronic retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and get their photos taken with Santa. Free timed-entry tickets must be reserved in advance.

The beloved traditions are joined by new additions, including a holiday market curated by the Christmas Village in Philadelphia and a festive pop-up restaurant called Holly & Humbug.

November 28, 2025 – Winter 2026

Experience a Delaware River waterfront winter wonderland (say that three times fast!) as the free Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest sets up on the Delaware River waterfront for its 32nd season.

Glide around the free NHL-sized ice skating rink (tickets required). Enjoy pay-as-you-go games and amusement rides on the boardwalk. Or indulge in seasonal treats and hot drinks around firepits at the rinkside lounge or from inside a cozy warming cabin or heated igloo.

Fantastic light displays viewable here include the thousands of sparkling string lights wrapping the festival’s signature holiday tree, which springs to life for the first time during the Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony on December 5, 2025.

November 29, 2025 – January 2026

Neighbors on the 1600 block of South 13th Street (between Tasker Street and Morris Street in East Passyunk) have worked together every year for over three decades to create elaborate presentations that adorn their neighborhood for the Miracle on South 13th Street Holiday Light Display.

Stroll the block and take in each home’s decked-out decor from traditional twinkles to elaborate themed dioramas between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. nightly. The fun kicks off with family-friendly entertainment and visits from Santa during the Opening Night Block Party on November 29, 2025. If driving, expect traffic slowdowns. Our recommendation? Skip the hassle and take SEPTA’s B (Broad Street) line to Tasker-Morris Station.

Displaying its thousands of colorful lights, the official Philly Holiday Tree presented by Visit Philadelphia (hey, that’s us!) illuminates the north apron of City Hall (around the corner from Winter in Dilworth Park and Christmas Village in Philadelphia), a magnificently trimmed, towering Concolor Fir selected especially for this arboreal honor.

The 50-foot-tall tree will be lit for the first time this season during a tree lighting celebration, featuring live music — including a special performance by Grammy Award-winning artist Ashanti — free giveaways, complimentary hot chocolates and warm apple ciders, and more (6 p.m., December 4, 2025).

Philly lights up for the holidays every year with a number of dazzling displays and attractions, from traditional to cutting-edge, professional to DIY and everything in between.

Peruse our guide to plan how to bask in the season’s glow at these free and ticketed holiday light displays and BYOB trolley tours throughout the Philadelphia region for 2025.

Philly’s stellar food and drink scene shines even brighter during the holidays. Each holiday season, local restaurants, beer gardens and more don twinkly lights and Santa hats to dish out Rudolph-approved menus of spirited sips and snacks. Here’s our guide on where to eat, drink and be merry this holiday season in Philly.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: holiday shopping season! And there might be no better place in the nation for holiday craft and gift markets than Philadelphia. Whether inside or outdoors, in the heart of the city or out in the countryside, there’s a plethorera of options for every taste.

In Philly, catching a holiday show is more than just seasonal entertainment: It’s a cherished tradition. With deep-rooted theater history and a wealth of venues, Philadelphia’s theater scene offers everything from Broadway productions to intimate performances — and the holidays are no exception. Our guide to holiday shows and performances in Philly for 2025 features an enticing array of seasonal offerings.

Philadelphia has a long and storied tradition of spreading holiday magic through events, light displays and attractions that have been family traditions for decades. But each year, new and upgraded favorites spring up across the region, adding new traditions — including new holiday light shows, new shopping experiences and new festive events — to time-honored staples. Our guide highlights a handful of brand-new things to do in Philly this holiday season.

December looks to bring another magnificent month of awesome events and fantastic festivals in Philadelphia. Outside of the holidays (see literally everything above), there are plenty of options for a respite from the holidays, from college basketball’s Big 5 Classic to the annual Revolutionary reenactment at Washington Crossing. Check out our guide to top things to do in Greater Philadelphia in December 2025.