Christmas Light Displays? (Portland, Eugene, Salem: estate, cul-de-sac, showing)

[thorn801]

We are kind of new to the area and are wondering if there are any good christmas light displays that are good to take children to. If anyone knows of any please let me know. I live halfway between Eugene And Corvallis so either are options.

[wohelo]

It has been awhile since I have gone to take the kids to see the holiday lights (they are off to college) but the Eugene Parks and Rec office (Chambers Senior Center) would be great resource to confirm this:
Drive up Crest Drive in Eugene, many estate type homes put on a lights display
Also a house on Garden Way used to be over the top with lights
The city of Albany has a Victorian House tour with lights, and carol singers.
Corvallis might have the same ....
Merry Merry

[NightBazaar]

Although a bit of a distance, off I-5 at the Keizer exit (just north of Salem) there's a drive-thru tour of houses that put up impressive displays of outdoor lights and decorations. As I recall, various neighborhoods have their own themes. It takes about an hour or so to slowly drive through the whole thing and is well worth seeing. You turn off the lights of your car as you drive through it, although a couple of spots, you might want to briefly turn them back on again until you reach the next area. Signs along the streets mark the route. It's free, but at the end of it, there are people taking donations of canned food which is distributed to the poor.

[haggardhouseelf]

Ooooh NightBazaar that sounds fun, thanks for sharing that! I know the oregon zoo does zoolights, and on the coast there's shore acres, and in Portland there's the parade of boats - boats decorated with hoiday lights... but I don't know if Eugene is doing anything big for the holidays?

While picking my kid up from school today in the north area of Eugene I saw a ton of people putting holiday lights up. Google "Lakeview Dr Eugene, OR 97408" and then click on the maps tabs and you should see the area I'm talking about.

Maybe this link will help: Holiday Events and Celebrations in Oregon in All Over Oregon - Travel Oregon

[NightBazaar]

Some of the ones in Portland, etc., are very nice, but might be a bit farther than the OP had in mind. Albany and Corvallis have various light displays, but Keizer is the place to go for a really spectacular tour of lights. Here are a few more added thoughts:

Once crossing I-5 westward on the Keizer exit, there are signs that point to the Christmas Lights. Best to stay in the right hand lane. If I remember correctly, I think there's a stoplight where you turn right toward the displays. You'll see arrow signs along the streets showing you the route to follow. The route sort of zigzags up one street and down others and goes around cul-de-sacs. The themes are pretty cool. It's perfect to load of the entire family for a time to remember. You can bet the kids will be talking about it (as well as their favorites) for a long time to come. You might want to take along a camera.

I believe it's every night until New Years Eve. Not sure about Christmas Day though. Like I said, it really is well worth seeing.

[jiffin4java]

Hey, that sounds fun! I think we may go check that out tonight. Sounds like a fun thing to do on a Saturday evening!

[haggardhouseelf]

We went the other night to see the holiday lights and there were some really cool ones... there's one house with lights that go to music, which is pretty neat. We saw a few limo's giving people rides and stopping so they could see the lights.

For directions... if you want to go see them... go north on Coburg Road to Crescent; turn left on Crescent; Turn Right on Gilham; Turn right on Lakeview Dr.... the house with the lights that blink to the music is on a little street back in there... I think the street was Elkhorn Drive? I think... but there are lots of other houses with really cool lights in that area, too.

I have heard there are some cool lights in the Southern area of Eugene around 28th and Chambers? But I haven't been over there yet...

[thorn801]

We have seen a few lights here and there but nothing spectacular. We went to the Harrisburg parade of lights. It was nice but kind of short. My wife went on a field trip with my first grader to Story Book Land. She said it was pretty nice, we are going to take all the kids next weekend and make it a night of viewing lights.

[haggardhouseelf]

What/where is Story Book Land?

I don't think the holiday lights thing is a very big deal out here. In the south where I am from, people go all out. Entire neighborhoods deck themselves out with groups singing and really amazing lights and live nativity scenes and horse and buggy rides and Santa's and so on... I guess in Texas everything has to be done in a big way. So I know what you mean... it's just not as exciting here. But it's still fun to see what people have done.

Have you done Shore Acres yet? We haven't, but have heard it's fun as well.

[haggardhouseelf]

Ooooh - I just found this holiday lights interactive map off the Register Guard website:

Holiday lights map | The Register-Guard

Not that I'd recommend going tonight because of the ice and bad weather... but maybe it'll clear up soon!