The Best Christmas Lights To See In Auckland 2025

5th Nov 2024

Written by:

Kathryn Steane
Contributor | Urban List NZ

Nothing has us feeling more festive than a completely over-the-top display of Christmas lights—this is definitely a case of the more the merrier! Lucky for us Aucklanders, a decent dose of holiday twinkle is never far away.

Grab your nearest and dearest—and a cup of something festive to go—and check out Urban List's pick of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland's best Christmas lights.

Franklin Road

Ponsonby, Auckland

Heart lights outside a house on Franklin Road, one of the best places to see Christmas lights in Auckland. Image credit: Franklin Road Christmas Lights / Supplied

It wouldn't be right to feature a story on Christmas lights without mentioning Franklin Road, which is back in all its festive glory for 2025, hallelujah! What for 11 months of the year looks like any other street in Ponsonby (beautiful, yes, but not particularly festive), is transformed into a truly outstanding display of holiday cheer on 1 December.

Considered by many to be Auckland's best Christmas light display, you'll be hard-pressed to find a house that doesn't join in the celebrations; which spill onto the surrounding streets and even include local businesses (who else remembers the orthodontist's giant Santa, complete with light-up braces?).

Make the pilgrimage on foot and you'll also be rewarded with gardens covered in baubles, carollers singing from front doors, and even the odd bit of (fake) snow. The Franklin Road Christmas lights will be switched on every night from the 1st of December between 7:30 and 10 pm, ending Christmas Eve.

Glenbrook Vintage Railway

135 Glenbrook Station Road, Waiuku, Auckland

Glenbrook Vintage Railway all lit up for Christmas, definitely one of the best places to see Christmas lights in Auckland. Image credit: Glenbrook Vintage Railway / Jo Brightwell Photography

Polar Express fans, eat your heart out because Glenbrook Vintage Railway is getting fully lit this Christmas, and yes—that includes their beautiful heritage trains.

Part of their award-winning Counties Energy Christmas Lights—Trains At Night event, they'll also be decking out the train station and surrounding buildings in full festive dress and putting on Christmas night markets complete with food trucks, free pics with Santa, and more between 5-7 and 11-23 December, from 6-11 pm (last entry is at 10.25 pm). A sensory friendly/accessible event is being held on 10 December.

MOTAT Museum Of Transport And Technology

805 Great North Road, Western Springs, Auckland

The famous Christmas lights at MOTAT, some of the best in Auckland. Image credit: MOTAT / Facebook

MOTAT is moving into full holiday mode come December, transforming into a magical, light-filled wonderland for 11 incredible nights in the lead-up to Christmas (5-8, 12-15, 19-22 December, 8-11pm). Its heritage buildings always look extra pretty covered in Christmas lights, as do its iconic trams.

Live music—including legit Christmas carollers—and entertainment like outdoor games and a visit from Santa will add to the festivities along with a fleet of food trucks slinging delicious kai. Please note that tickets for this event, which come in at a very merry $5-10, must be purchased online.

The Sky Tower

Victoria Street West, Auckland CBD

The Sky Tower's Christmas lights, half red, half green. Image credit: SkyCity Entertainment / Supplied

Auckland's most awesome example of Christmas lighting has to be the Sky Tower, whose 328m frame will be glowing red and green, just like a gigantic Christmas tree, throughout December.

The finer details for this year's display are yet to be confirmed but in the past, have included a magical light show every hour, on the hourRe along with festive performances, markets, and smaller (but in reality, still huge) Christmas trees at the tower's base.

Mercy Hospice

61 College Hill, Ponsonby, Auckland

An illuminated tree at Mercy Hospice. Image credit: Mercy Hospice / Facebook

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it's also a time when many of us will be thinking about loved ones who are no longer here to share in the festivities. Mercy Hospice invites you to celebrate their memory (and hopefully put a smile on your face in the process) with their magical Lights to Remember display.

Their beautiful grounds, overlooking the city in St Mary's Bay, will be transformed into a garden of cascading lights from 4-21 December, between 8 and 10:30 pm.

What's really special about this one is that each light represents an enduring bond with a loved one—for a donation, visitors are invited to dedicate a light to friends and family who have passed away, in the form of a short message. Afterwards you might like to trot two minutes to The College Hill Wine Room to raise a glass in their honour.

For those who can't make it along to the hospice grounds (or who live outside of Auckland), you can also do this via the Mercy Hospice website.

Te Manaaki Christmas Tree

Te Komititanga, Auckland CBD

They say size doesn't matter but standing tall at a gigantic 18.4 metres, Te Manaaki suggests otherwise. Back for its second year, the bright and cheery tree has very much set the scene for a stunning festive season adorned with its 10,000 sparkling LED lights, 4,000 pōhutukawa flower decorations and 200 stainless steel baubles. Dubbed 'Te Manaaki' by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the tree represents respect, care and hospitality. The first lighting, which took place on 22 November, saw Te Komititanga packed with crowds and performances by the Auckland Youth Choir and Drax Project before the tree burst into a sparkling three minute light show which you can catch on repeat between 6 and 9pm every Thursday to Saturday from now until 4 January 2026.

Looking for more festive fun? Check out:

Main image credit: Franklin Road Christmas Lights | Supplied

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