Brooklyn Christmas tour: Dyker Heights lights and DUMBO sunset

Dyker Heights turns into a neighborhood of illuminated mansions every December, with houses strung with thousands of lights.

This is a 3.5-hour group tour of Brooklyn's Christmas displays, starting at DUMBO at sunset and moving to Dyker Heights via subway. You walk through DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights to catch the Manhattan skyline at dusk, then spend time in the Dyker Heights neighborhood where enormous houses are decorated with elaborate light displays. The tour includes a French-speaking guide, a souvenir photo by email, and a printed sheet with local restaurant and shop recommendations.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. DUMBO1h 45m
2. Dyker Heights1h 45m

Brooklyn sightseeing and Christmas lights

• Discover Dumbo and Brooklyn Heights
• Enjoy Manhattan skyline at sunset
• Take subway to Dyker Heights
• Walk through Dyker Heights Christmas lights

The experience

The tour opens at DUMBO with a walk through the neighborhood and Brooklyn Heights as the sun sets behind the Manhattan skyline. After about 45 minutes on the subway, you arrive in Dyker Heights, where the real draw begins: a walk through streets lined with enormous private homes, each one wrapped in thousands of lights and elaborate outdoor decorations. The neighborhood transforms every December into something between a fairy tale and a light show, and the scale of the displays is the kind of thing that photographs don't quite capture.

Your guide speaks French throughout and leads the group at a walking pace through both neighborhoods. You'll get a printed sheet with addresses and recommendations for restaurants and shops in the areas you visit, plus a souvenir photo sent by email after the tour ends. The tour runs in the evening, which is when the lights are visible and the Manhattan views from DUMBO are at their best. A metro ticket is required for the subway leg between the two neighborhoods.

The 3.5-hour length means the tour fits into an evening without eating up a full day, leaving the rest of your schedule open. Strollers are welcome if you're traveling with infants or small children, and the walking pace suits all fitness levels.

What’s included

• A French-speaking guide leading both neighborhoods.
• a souvenir photo sent by email.
• a printed sheet with local restaurant and shop addresses in DUMBO and Dyker Heights.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday and ThursdayDeparts at 15:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 10 · max 2 per booking

Live guideFrench

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Destinations Off Road

Is this one for you?The 3.5-hour evening timing means you catch the sunset at DUMBO and see the Dyker Heights lights when they're visible, without losing a full day to the tour. If your schedule is tight or you want to explore other parts of Brooklyn or Manhattan the same evening, the length leaves room for that.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What do you actually do in DUMBO before heading to Dyker Heights?

DUMBO is where the tour starts, with a walk through the neighborhood and Brooklyn Heights to see the architecture and catch the Manhattan skyline at sunset. It's the opening act before the subway ride to Dyker Heights.

How long is the subway ride between DUMBO and Dyker Heights?

The subway ride takes about 45 minutes. You'll need to bring or buy a metro ticket for this leg of the tour.

What makes the Dyker Heights displays different from other Christmas decorations?

Dyker Heights is known for the sheer scale of the displays: entire houses are covered in thousands of lights and elaborate decorations. The neighborhood becomes a destination in its own right every December, with some homes decorated to a level you won't see in most other places.

Is this tour only in French, or do English speakers join too?

The guide speaks French throughout the tour. The tour is designed for French speakers, though the visual experience of the lights and skyline doesn't depend on language.

What's included in the tour besides the walking and the guide?

The tour includes a printed sheet with restaurant and shop recommendations in the neighborhoods you visit, plus a souvenir photo sent to you by email after the tour ends.