This Chicago-Area Winter Wonderland Features Dazzling Displays, Lightup Domes, Fire Pits

LISLE, IL — One of the top-ranked botanical lights displays in the country is set to open at Morton Arboretum on Nov. 14. Illumination: Tree Lights brings thousands of glittering holiday lights, immersive displays, interactive art and a new toy train add-on this year. Visitors can also rent cozy Illumidomes or sip hot cocoa around the a fire pit.

The arboretum's display has been named among the Top 10 Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights by USA Today.

This year, there are new installations that include a limited-time display that mimics the Northern Lights. The installation's 400-foot canopy will mimic the colors and motion of the aurora borealis. According to Morton Arboretum, this season will be the only opportunity to see this Northern Lights-inspired installation.

Three other new installations will be featured this season, including lightup mushrooms, moving glowing orbs that conjure fireflies and a tunnel filled with lights that evoke rainfall.

Also new in 2026 is the Pine Whistle Railroad. The model train chugs along 1,000 feet of landscape in the arboretum's Firefly Pavilion, making its way through miniature scenes on the ground and overhead. Click to see when you can visit the Pine Whistle Railroad. Add-on charges apply.

“You won’t want to miss this year’s Illumination,” Amy Scott, head of Morton Arboretum's exhibitions, said in a statement.

She added, "Whether it’s a first visit or a longtime family tradition, guests will discover something surprising, captivating and unforgettable around every corner."

The displays run through Jan. 2.

Click the link to buy tickets to Illumination: Tree Lights.