Update: 2022 list is up!
The darkest days of the year are upon us but the people of Tacoma are doing their best to keep things bright with a billion tiny light bulbs.
The list we put together this year includes a couple old favorites and a bunch of new ones. You can follow this map to see them all or just use it for reference. There’s no guarantee that the older lists will still be accurate but they’re definitely worth checking out:
Most importantly, this list should encourage you to do some exploring around our city. There are awesome, beautiful things happening all over this city and you’re bound to find something worth checking out if you spend a little time outside your go-to neighborhoods.
As always, be respectful of the residents, don’t drive like a jerk, and be extra careful if you’re walking around. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is a much more entertaining Christmas song than Jimmy Got Nailed by a Minivan.
If you see any other good ones while you’re out, be sure to leave the addresses in the comments below.
6628 S Lawrence St
Blue light houses are always fun to see and there are a few really nice ones around the Edison portion of South Tacoma. We’re starting this list out at the best of that bunch but you can also check out a couple other ones at 6425 S Clement Ave and 5641 S Cedar St
6248 S Montgomery St
This house never disappoints. They have a short range radio station broadcasting synchronized music on 99.1 FM so you can get the family amped up while you’re still a block away. If you head north on Montgomery, there are some other nice houses within a couple blocks.
422 S 48th St
You might recognize this house from our 2018 list but we wanted to include it for anyone just starting out. It’s a perfectly ridiculous Christmas house with nice music playing outside and all the twinkles you can hope for. The homeowner, Lonnie, is super nice and spends a month every year setting the lights up with his mother, Eleanor.
722 S I St
This is a really special spot that’s worth parking and walking around in for a bit. There are houses near the park that would be great to look at on their own but all the wrapped bushes and trees just make the whole thing magical. If you happen to drive by 11th and MLK, the Hilltop Loans pawn shop also has a nice bunch of lights out front.
1614 S 11th St
I like to think this is the culmination of a years-long battle with a neighbor to see who could string the highest lights in all of Hilltop. The house itself has some lights and decorations but the giant trees in the yard are definitely the main attraction. I have no idea how they got them up there and it’s gonna take a team of well trained squirrels at least a week to get them all out. It may not be the most perfectly curated display but it’s extremely visible, even for littles who can’t easily see out the window.
1011 N Junett St
If your Christmas traditions involve sea shanties and skeletons, you won’t want to miss this one. The front of the house is set up like the bow of a ship that’s crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that hell itself spat him back out. Or something close to it. There’s also a tree around the corner with a star so high up that it must live there all year long.
3403 N 22nd St
This one is for all the perfectionists who love a nice orderly Christmas light display. It’s a pretty dark street so the plain white bulbs really stand out. It also serves as a nice palette cleanser before jumping into the next house…
2108 N Lawrence St
Mickey Mouse Santa? Check. Big round Santa? Check. Old school European Santa? Check. One slightly unnerved Mrs. Claus? Check. This house has their bases covered from internally lit baby Jesus to a flashy tree blasting metal riff versions of your favorite Christmas classics.
7402 N 23rd
Sorry Tacoma, Ruston, and probably every other municipality around here, this tree out on the West End has you all beat when it comes to giant flashy conifers. It’s not going to play music or change colors but it’s impressive nonetheless.
4925 N Highland St
We typically end these lists with the Ruston house on Winnifred St (and you should still check that one out) but this one is a different kind of wild. It’s off the beaten path and 100% worth the detour.
