I’ve lived in New York City for almost 15 years, and until last weekend, I’d never been out to see the lights in Dyker Heights. The place is legendary for it’s over-the-top luminous displays, and with the weather being so unseasonably warm these days, this is the perfect time to get your tushie out to south Brooklyn to do your own self-guided walking tour. Yes, I said walking! We had no idea how incredibly congested the roads would be in the 12 block radius we’d be seeing. In hindsight, we would have ditched the car several blocks away and walked the entire way.
The best blocks to see are 81st Street to 85th Street, between 10th and 12th Avenues. We were there on a Sunday at 5:30 p.m., and the crowds were thick. Maybe it’s better on a weekday evening, though you’ll be dealing with rush hour traffic getting out there (if you’re driving). If you don’t drive out there, your closest subway stops are the 79th St D (at 18th Avenue) or the 86th St R (at 4th Avenue). It’s a bit of a hike from either one of these, especially if you’re traveling with small kids who won’t stop wining about how tired they are after walking two blocks, but Uber and Lyft are around to assist, if need be.
Bring cash, because some of the houses have hot cocoa stands in front, and your whole family will want a piece of that action. Also, some of the houses have a donation bucket, because hey, it costs money to put on this spectacle year-after-year for gawkers like us. Pay it forward so the tradition can continue for future generations of Brooklyn parents.
~Kim Janulewicz