Metro Vancouver shimmers like a bauble-covered Christmas tree with twinkling light displays at this time of year. And so long as you’re well-prepared for the weather––long underwear is never a bad idea!––these festive illuminations are a great way to add some fairy-lit magic to your celebrations.

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Read on for some of our favourite local displays. Then gather your friends and family, adjust your camera settings and head out for a sparkling good time. Browse our Attractions page for more information on your 2025 options––and keep an eye on this story, which we will update as the season unfolds.

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Blockbuster Favourites

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For sheer spectacle, it’s hard to beat Capilano Canyon Lights, which transforms the much-loved suspension bridge attraction into a feast of flickering illuminations. The bridge itself shimmers like a multicoloured necklace over the inky-black river canyon, but the rest of the park is also fully decorated—including a gaggle of gigantic living Christmas trees.

 

Beautifully decorated foliage is also in the picture at VanDusen Botanical Garden, where the annual Festival of Lights returns for another enchanting year. An unmissable Christmastime tradition for many locals and visitors, it’s a stroll-around winter wonderland of artful displays and selfie-ready creativity. We also love the excellent gift shop here for last-minute pressie ideas!

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Local Sparklers

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Outside the city, there are also some brilliantly illuminated 2025 events and attractions well worth hopping in the car for. Langley’s Merry & Bright at Martini Town transforms a working movie studio backlot into an utterly beguiling Christmas film set, complete with twinkling storefronts, shimmering streets and movie-magic snowfalls. Magic is also on the agenda at Glow Langley, a sparkling family-friendly attraction with more than a million lights and a full slate of things to see and do for visitors of all ages––all under its brand new 2025 theme: the Magic Toy Shop.  

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Need more magic? Why not check out the biggest festive street parade in B.C. this year? Just over an hour from Vancouver by car, the early-evening Mission Candlelight Parade includes more than 110 decorated floats and vehicles, hundreds of costumed participants and a grand finale appearance by Santa himself. Volunteers will also hand out thousands of flameless candles for spectators to hold!

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And don't forget to visit Noel Surrey with the Magic of Bright Lights. Back for its second year, you’ll find live music, roaming holiday characters, lots of kid-friendly activities and countless coloured lights arranged into shimmering, photo-friendly displays. And this year, those lights and illuminations include Bright Nights, the beloved holiday light attraction that has moved from Vancouver’s Stanley Park for the 2025 season.

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City De-lights

 

Back in Vancouver, there are lots of additional illuminated attractions to wave your camera at. St. Paul’s Lights of Hope has adorned the exterior of downtown’s main hospital site for more than 25 years and is a must-see for many festive-minded locals. Please donate to the hospital’s foundation, if you can.

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In addition, a huge part of the appeal of the Vancouver Christmas Market––which adorns a large alfresco site near the landmark Olympic Cauldron––is its decorated booths, illuminated vintage carousel and towering Christmas Pyramid centerpiece, which stands out like a festive beacon on the city’s shoreline.

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Tree Toppers

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Of course it wouldn’t be Christmas without a full serving of sparkling Christmas trees to ogle and admire. And, luckily, there are lots of twinkling local options. If you’re looking to warm-up indoors, consider the Cloverdale Christmas Tree Festival at the Museum of Surrey, where more than 30 unique trees decorated by local organizations will be on display. And ​if you’re fully fleeced-up, consider the outdoor display of more than 150 trees at the 2025 Dundarave Festival of Lights in West Vancouver.

 

Need more? Why not snap a few selfies with the official city trees in both Surrey and Vancouver. We especially enjoy the special switch-on events planned for both: the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival at the Civic Plaza is a two-day affair on November 22 and 23, while the Vancouver Christmas Tree Lighting party near the Vancouver Art Gallery runs on November 28—free hot chocolate included!

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For more information on festive events, attractions and shows in the city and beyond, visit the Vancouver Christmas Guide. Written by Lonely Planet travel writer John Lee, it’s the best online guide to the area’s 2025 holiday happenings. The site was co-created with Christmas Cat Max, who pens its gift reviews and often appears on its Instagram and Bluesky feeds.