Shore Acres charges $10 a car for its holiday lights, Bellevue charges $10 a person, and Descanso’s top ticket hits $52

The West Coast’s best holiday light shows aren’t in downtown shopping districts. They’re in gardens, and the three worth planning around all flip the switch within a week of each other. The pricing is wildly different, though, so the cheapest night out might not be the one you’d guess.

Here’s the lineup, one per state, with real dates and what each costs to walk through.

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Oregon: Shore Acres, where $10 covers the whole car

Shore Acres Holiday Lights runs November 26 through December 31 at the Oregon State Parks garden near Coos Bay. The $10 fee is per vehicle, not per person, so a full carload pays the same as a solo driver. That makes it the best value of the three, and that’s my one firm opinion here.

The catch is planning. You have to reserve a date, a time slot (4:30, 5:30, 6:30 or 7:30 p.m.) and your parking spot ahead of time, and there are no walk-up permits during event hours. Leftover spots are released seven days out at 6 a.m., starting November 19 for the opening night. Details are on the Oregon State Parks event page.

Washington: Garden d’Lights, the one with the cheap nights

Bellevue Botanical Garden’s Garden d’Lights opens November 28 and runs through January 3, with Christmas Day off. Tickets are $10 for ages 11 and up, and kids 10 and under are always free. The walk is about three-quarters of a mile on a lit path, and most people take 30 to 45 minutes.

Here’s the trick: Monday through Thursday, November 30 to December 3 and December 7 to 10, tickets drop to $5. Everything is sold online for half-hour entry windows, so book before you drive over. The garden’s own page has the schedule.

California: Descanso Gardens, the big-ticket evening

Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge starts first, on November 22, and runs through January 9. It’s closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and it goes rain or shine from 5:30 to 10 p.m.

It’s also the priciest. Non-member adult tickets run $29 to $52 depending on the date and entry time, kids ages 2 to 12 are $19 to $37, and children under 2 are free. If you’d rather not lock in a time, an Anytime ticket is $85 for non-members. Check the Descanso page for the date you want.

Which one should you pick?

If you’re on the Oregon coast with a car full of people, Shore Acres wins on price alone. If you’re near Seattle and watching your budget, aim for one of Bellevue’s $5 weeknights. Southern California gets the longest run, so Descanso is the easiest to fit around a busy December.

Which state’s lights are you building a weekend around? Tell us in the comments.

Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.

Rules and fees change, so always confirm current requirements before you go.