One of the best parts of the winter holiday season is checking out all the twinkling holiday and Christmas lights in Toronto. Get into the holiday spirit by exploring millions of glowing lights.

Here are some of the festivals, events, and places where you can see holiday and Christmas lights in and around Toronto this year.

Canadian Tire Christmas Trail

Get transported all the way to the North Pole as this interactive drive-thru festival is full of thousands of twinkling lights, live entertainment, and special appearances from your favourite holiday characters. The event runs until December 23. 

You'll be able to take a photo with Santa from the comfort of your car. Photo by Canadian Tire Christmas Trail.

Winterfest

Canada's Wonderland has transformed into a winter theme park for the holiday season. Get into the holiday spirit with a ton of festive activities including skating on Snow Flake Lake, visiting holiday characters and checking out all the festive lights and decor around the park. Winterfest runs on selected nights until December 31. 

Glow Toronto

Step into a holiday storybook as the lights festival will feature over a million twinkling lights and displays that celebrate Christmas around the world. Check out the lights festival until December 31.

Holiday Magic

Head out to the city's ritzy neighbourhood as it's wrapped in shimmering lights, and features a massive light tunnel and a giant Christmas tree. This year there will be 60 benches resembling campfires that will light up when in use. Holiday Magic runs until December 31.

Holiday Night of Lights

Back for its third year, the lights festival features over 1.5 million lights that are animated and synchronized to your favourite holiday tunes. Make sure to stop by the fireside lounge or Santa's den at Assembly Park in Vaughan until January 7. 

Unlike last year, you'll be able to explore Holiday Nights of Lights by foot instead of by car. Photo by John Camillo Images via Holiday Night of Lights.

Gift of Lights

Pack up into your car and head out to Binegmans Centre in Kitchener where you can explore the two-kilometre drive-thru festival that features two 150-foot-long light tunnels that make for Instagram-worthy photos. The event runs until January 7.

Cavalcade of Lights

The annual lights festival has taken over Nathan Phillips Square and transformed the grounds with massive light displays inspired by holiday celebrations around the world until January 7. 

Winter Wonders

Roam through the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington where you can explore an enchanted winter wonderland decked with 1.5km of lights. The pathways will be filled with interactive light installations as well as displays to bring you some holiday cheer until January 8.

Winter Festival of Lights

The annual lights festival transforms Niagara Falls into a sparkling winter wonderland with over 3 million lights and over 50 massive displays. Explore the 8 km route through popular tourist areas until February 20.

Head out to Niagara falls for the 40th annual self-guided Winter Festival of Lights. Photo by Winter Festival of Lights.

Northern Lights

Toronto just got a new immersive holiday experience full of twinkly light displays, festive decor, activities, a Christmas market and so much more that will transport you to the North Pole. The event is set to run on select nights from December 1 through January 8.

Holiday Lights Tour

Go on a self-guided tour of the grounds of Casa Loma where you can explore the gardens, walkways, and tunnels filled with thousands of lights that illuminate the castle. The inside of the castle has also transformed into a Christmas castle so make sure to check it out too. Holiday Lights Tour runs nightly from December 1 through January 8.

The beloved castle has transformed into a Christmas castle filled with thousands of lights. Photo by Casa Loma.

Festival of Trees

Back for the second year in a row, the winter festival at the Small Arms Inspection Building in Mississauga is filled with twinkling light displays, art installations, vendors, entertainment and more. The festival runs from December 2 through December 11.