Winter Fun

Mass. has the best botanical garden holiday lights in America, according to USA Today readers

You can experience the lights through Jan. 4, 2026.

Night Lights at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston in 2018.

By Kristi Palma

1 minute to read

The holiday just got brighter for a botanical garden in Massachusetts named the best in the nation for its seasonal lights.

USA Today recently released a list of the 10 best botanical garden holiday lights in America, part of its 2025 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and Night Lights at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston ranked No. 1.

Here is what USA Today wrote about the Boylston display:

Kick off your holiday season with a walk among half a million dazzling lights along with plenty of family-friendly festive activities, including s’mores roasting and themed costume nights, delicious goodies, and holiday shopping, plus 3D glasses to make everything look extra cheerful. At this New England Botanic Garden experience, visitors can discover enchanting light displays designed around themes that change annually and enjoy iconic favorites like a 100-foot Rainbow Tunnel and a tree constructed out of living bromeliads. 

The team at the garden are “thrilled” about nabbing the top spot, according to a Facebook post on Wednesday.

“We couldn’t have done this without you, our amazing community,” wrote officials. “Thank you for taking the time to help the Garden earn this national recognition. We look forward to the rest of this year’s dazzling displays (tickets are still available!) and hope you’ll join us in experiencing this award-winning event!”

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Those interested can visit the display through Jan. 4, 2026 and tickets cost $25 to $27 for adults and $15 to $17 for children (the price is more expensive on weekends and closer to the holiday). Kids age 3 and under are free.

For the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards lists, USA Today travel experts select 20 nominees in topics from food to lodging, destinations to things to do. Then, the publication asks readers to cast votes to determine the top 10.

Check out the list of 10 best botanical garden holiday light displays in America.

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Kristi Palma

Travel writer

 

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.

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