Holiday Light Shows Opening in November 2026: Houston, Massachusetts & Philly

2026-11-06 · The Hanaduul team

Holiday light season starts the weekend before Thanksgiving this year. Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Garden opens November 20, Night Lights: Fantastical Forest in Boylston, Massachusetts opens November 21, and the Holiday Garden Railway at Philadelphia's Morris Arboretum & Gardens opens November 22. Here's what you need to plan a night out with friends or a date.

At a glance

The quick version, city by city.

• Radiant Nature (Houston Botanic Garden): Nov 20, 2026 – Feb 21, 2027, 53 evenings, adults $26.50
• Night Lights: Fantastical Forest (New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Boylston, MA): Nov 21, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
• Holiday Garden Railway (Morris Arboretum & Gardens, Philadelphia): Nov 22 – Dec 30, 2026, select dates
• Morris Arboretum night tickets go on sale Monday, November 9
• More Philly openings: Dilworth Park Nov 13, Franklin Square and Philadelphia Zoo Nov 19, Longwood Nov 20

Houston: Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Garden

Radiant Nature is back for its fourth season, running November 20, 2026 through February 21, 2027. It's open 53 evenings, mostly Friday through Sunday, plus select Thursdays in December. Entry is timed in 30-minute slots starting at 6 p.m., with last entry at 9 p.m. and closing at 10 p.m.

Adult tickets are $26.50 and kids ages 3-15 are $24.50 (under 2 free). New this season: a late entry ticket after 8:30 p.m. for $24.50, and leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome on select evenings. The garden is at 1 Botanic Lane, Houston, TX 77017.

• Tip: the late entry ticket after 8:30 p.m. is $2 cheaper for adults, a nice option if you're grabbing dinner first.
• If you're bringing your dog, check that your date is one of the dog-friendly evenings before you book.

Massachusetts: Night Lights: Fantastical Forest

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, Massachusetts lights up November 21, 2026 through January 3, 2027. This year's theme is Fantastical Forest, with half a million lights along winding garden paths.

It's a walk-through experience, so it works as well for a friend group as for a date.

• Tip: New England nights in November are chilly. Wear a light-colored coat or scarf so you don't disappear into the dark background in photos.

Philadelphia: Holiday Garden Railway and more

Morris Arboretum & Gardens (100 E. Northwestern Avenue) runs its Holiday Garden Railway November 22 through December 30, 2026 on select dates. General admission includes daytime viewing, while the nighttime display, The Nighttime Express, needs a separate timed ticket. Those tickets go on sale to the public on Monday, November 9.

If you want more options around the city, there are several other November openings worth checking.

• Wintergarden at Dilworth Park: opens November 13
• Electrical Spectacle at Franklin Square: opens November 19
• LumiNature at Philadelphia Zoo: opens November 19
• A Longwood Christmas: opens November 20
• Peddler's Village Holiday Illumination: opens November 20
• Holiday Light Show at Shady Brook Farm: opens November 21

Turn the night into a photo strip

Light shows are gorgeous in person but tricky on a phone, so plan one more photo moment for after. Grab hot chocolate at a cafe or head home, prop up your iPhone, and use [Shoot solo] in Hanaduul with the timer. Your hands stay free, so you can hold your cup or show off your mittens across four shots.

For the background, open [My BGs], then tap the plus to use [Make your own background] and type out the scene you want. The formula that works best is place + time or weather + mood or color, like "a garden path wrapped in string lights, snowy night, warm gold glow." It takes about 15 to 30 seconds.

Got a best friend who lives in another state? Start [Shoot together] to get a [Room code], send it over, and have your friend join with [Join with room code]. You'll each shoot on your own phone, talking through the poses, and end up side by side in one strip. Hanaduul is iPhone only for now.