Gather the whole family and start getting ready to celebrate this 2021 holiday season! Winter is just around the corner and there are many great and fun options of things to do this magical season in Houston, Texas. Christmas is not only shopping for gifts but it’s also about sharing with your loved ones! Check out our top picks for family-friendly events in Houston below:
Families will experience the magical holiday drive-thru in their car while syncing lights dance to holiday music played over the car radio!
You will drive through light tunnels, see snowmen and acres of land, and all synced to your favorite holiday tunes!
Location:
Dasher’s Lightshow- Houston
DATES:
November 5- January 2 | 6 PM- 10.30 PM
This electric holiday light show features millions of lights synchronized to a festive mix of Christmas music.
Don’t miss this amazing event which will bring the Christmas spirit to your family!
Location:
Typhoon Texas Waterpark
DATES:
November 5- January 2 | 6.30 PM
Texas Winter Lights is an interactive light experience taking place on a rooftop and pool!
You will find light displays, walk-through experiences, selfie stations, a lazy river that is heated all winter long to 80º!
Location:
Marriott Marquis Houston
DATES:
November 11- January 3 | 5 PM
This winter explore the most interactive and technologically advanced light display in Texas!
You will experience two high-tech kinetic light shows, with dozens of suspended lights moving in precisely choreographed sequences to music! Families will love watching as the orbs move in unison to create colorful shapes and patterns.
Location:
Space Center Houston
DATES:
November 13 – January 2 | 6 PM – 10 PM
Green Mountain Energy Ice is returning for the 2021 holiday season to Discovery Green and the entire family is invited to enjoy a great time!
Glide beneath the glittering lights of downtown Houston and discover the holiday magic on Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green!
Location:
Discovery Green
DATES:
November 12- January 30: Monday – Friday: 5-10 PM | Saturday & HISD School Holidays*: 11 AM-11 PM | Sunday: 11 AM – 8 PM | Christmas & New Year’s Eve: 11 AM -7 PM | Christmas & New Year’s Day: 1-7 PM
Santa’s Wonderland is an amazing Texas Christmas’ Experience!
Families will experience an unforgettable celebration of the holidays with lights, music, food, and engaging activities and attraction!
Location:
Santa’s Wonderland
DATES:
November 12- December 30 : Monday- Thursday 6 PM- 11 PM | Fridays 6 PM- Midnight | Saturday 3 PM- Midnight | Sunday 3 PM- 11 PM
Families will stroll through the beautiful Zoo grounds as you take in the sights and sounds this holiday season.
The Zoo animals will be enjoying a full night’s slumber, so if you want to see the animals, visit the zoo during the day.
Location:
Houston Zoo
DATES:
November 15, 2021 – January 9, 2022: 5:30-10:30 PM, last entry at 9:30 PM
This is the perfect excuse to make the holidays magical!
Visit St. Nick with the family and take pictures. You’ll create magical moments this holiday season!
Location:
First Colony Mall
DATES:
November 18 – December 24
The Grinch’s Lair is a live, interactive production that lets families visit Mr. Grinch while he’s locked up in jail for stealing Christmas.
2021 is a special year, and the Grinch is on a mission to make sure all kids have a magical Christmas, even if that means giving them gifts!
Location:
Texas Jailhouse
DATES:
November 19- December 19 | Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12 PM- 6 PM
The Woodlands Township invites residents and visitors alike to enjoy The Ice Rink at The Woodlands Town Center this holiday season!
The 21,000-square-foot permanent multipurpose facility features ice skating in the main room with lighting, a state-of-the-art sound system, tables for parties, and concessions.
Location:
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
DATES:
November 19- January 17: Monday through Thursday: 3- 9 PM | Friday: 3 – 11 PM | Saturday: 10 AM -11 PM | Sunday: Noon to 6 PM
This 20-acre, 45-day larger-than-life Christmas light show will feature more than 100 individual lantern sets in eight unique themed sections, local entertainment, carnival rides and games, an interactive dinosaur area, lantern renditions of landmarks of the world, a Christmas village, Houston skylines, festival foods, Santa and Ice Sister’s meet-and-greet, and more!
Location:
Houston Raceway
DATES:
November 19, 2021 – January 2, 2022 | 5 PM- 10 PM
The whole family will have a wonderful time at Sugar Land Holiday Lights enjoying more than 3 million lights, a carnival, many themed displays, great food, shopping opportunities, and the chance to meet Santa!
Location:
Constellation Field
DATES:
November 19- January 9 | 6 P.M.-9 PM SUNDAY – THURSDAY | 6 P.M.-10P.M. FRIDAY, SATURDAY & HOLIDAYS
From the minute the train departs the Palestine Depot for the journey to the North Pole, you will feel as if you’re living inside of the story!
The minute you get on board, you will hear the motion picture soundtrack and relive the magic of the tale.
Location:
Texas State Railroad
DATES:
November 19- December 26: 6.30 PM
This holiday season in Houston, families will get to enjoy a highly inventive adaptation of the Dickens classic pared down to its essential elements.
A resident company of actors assembles to perform a new production of the heartwarming Christmas story.
Location:
Alley Theatre
DATES:
November 19 – December 29. Hours vary by day
Motown Christmas is the perfect blend of traditional Christmas Carols paired with the sounds from such Motown celebrities as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, and The Jackson 5.
Location:
The Ensemble Theatre
DATES:
Novemeber 18 – December 26 | Fridays 8 PM
| Saturdays 2 PM & 8 PM | Sundays 3 PM | Thursdays 7.30 PM
Families will have A BLAST celebrating the holidays at Moody Gardens!
They will enjoy fantastic attractions and activities including the Festival of Lights, Holiday 3D Films, Rudolph 4D, the Arctic Slide, train rides, Star: the Dancing Tree of Light, Cirque Joyeux Holiday Show (Matinee, Evening & Dinner Shows), pictures with Santa, New Year’s Palooza, holiday dinners, nightly fireside S’Mores, and more!
Location:
Moody Gardens
DATES:
November 20, 2021 – January 2, 2022. Yearly Attractions: Open: 10AM – 4PM Daily | Christmas Day Open: 12 PM – 4 PM | Festival of Lights & Holiday Attractions: Daily: 4 PM – 10 PM (Including Christmas Day)
Thanksgiving is around the corner and this is a great option for kids to celebrate it!
Kids will enjoy doing a Thanksgiving Craft! This program is for kids ages 5-11 years old, all materials are provided for free.
Location:
Deer Park Public Library
DATES:
November 23 3.30 PM- 4.30 PM
Santa’s coming to the Children’s Museum Houston and kids can celebrate the season with him!
This is the chance for kids to tell Santa how nice they’ve been this year and get a picture with him!
Location:
Children’s Museum Houston
DATES:
November 24 | 11 AM- 1.30 PM
New York Times best-selling novel, The Christmas Shoes, is being adapted for the stage!
The entire family can enjoy this tale of our shared humanity and a universal story of how the discovery of a power greater than us can shape, and even save our lives.
Location:
A.D. Players Performing Arts Academy
DATES:
November 24- December 26
The Thanksgiving Festival at Toy Story Ranch will be filled with activities and fun!
Families will enjoy a relaxing time with the family, listen to old-time music, have fun on the lawn, and take time to play with the animals of the ranch!
Location:
Toy Story Ranch
DATES:
November 25-28
Head to downtown Houston and enjoy one of the oldest Thanksgiving Day parades in the country with the entire family!
The parade will traverse over 20 city blocks and will feature elaborate floats, colorful marching bands, high-flying balloons, and other uniquely Houston entries.
Location:
Downtown Houston
DATES:
November 25 | 9 AM
The entire family can enjoy an old-fashioned train ride on open-air coaches while experiencing hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights and displays!
Families will get to eat amazing food, like handmade pizza at Big Al’s Pizza Parlor, hot cocoa, cookies, popcorn, cotton candy, and more!
Location:
Victory Camp
DATES:
2021 Departure Schedule: November 26-27, December 3-4, 9-11, 16-23 6 – 9 PM | Extended Hours until 10 PM. Fridays and Saturday and Dec 22-23
Enjoy The ultimate holiday tradition at The Galleria: Photos with Santa!
Kids will have the chance to meet him and take pictures with the Christmas man!
Location:
The Galleria
DATES:
November Hours: 11/12: 12 PM – 7 PM | 11/13: 11 AM – 7 PM | 11/14: 12 PM – 7 PM | 11/15 – 11/18: 2 PM – 7 PM | 11/19 – 11/20: 10 AM – 8 PM | 11/21 – 11/23: 12 PM – 7 PM | 11/24: 11 AM – 8 PM | 11/25 (Thanksgiving): Closed | 11/26 – 11/27: 10 AM – 8 PM | 11/28: 12 PM – 7 PM | 11/29 – 11/30: 11AM – 8PM | December Hours: Monday – Thursday: 11 AM – 8 PM | Friday – Saturday: 10 AM – 8 PM | Sunday: 12 PM – 6 PM | 12/5: 12 PM – 7 PM | 12/24 (Christmas Eve): 11 AM – 5 PM | 12/25 (Christmas Day): Closed
Families can visit the 2021 Gingerbread Village!
You will find an amazing trail of giant candy canes, gumdrops, lollipops, gingerbread men, and cookie trees leading to a 16-foot high house and 12-foot tall windmill.
Location:
CityPlace at SpringWoods Village
DATES:
November 28 – January 7 10 AM
The entire family is invited to see Clara’s magical journey to the Kingdom of Sweets this holiday season!
The Nutcracker is a grand spectacle of opulence and one of the most splendid versions of this holiday classic ever staged and a positively joyous treat for ballet lovers of all ages!
Location:
Houston Ballet
DATES:
November 26- December 24
