Where To See The Most Festive Homes In The Lake Travis Area

When the holiday season rolls around, our community go all out. As soon as the clocks change, after we’re done complaining about the short days, we ditch our summertime 103-degree mentality for winter wonderland transformations, filling the hill country with dancing lights, towering inflatables and enough festive spirit to power Santa’s sleigh. If you’re wondering where to see the most festive homes in the Lake Travis area, you’ve come to the right place!

Instead of driving around aimlessly on your quest for a holiday adventure, we decided to put together a list of some of the most festive homes/neighborhoods in the Lake Travis area. There are so many wonderfully decorated homes and rooftops and trees, oh my! If we wrote about all of them, we’d still be writing this time next year. We didn’t include gated communities like The Hills, Flintrock, Spanish Oaks, etc. And out of respect for everyone’s privacy, we only list two physical addresses because they’re already listed publicly.

Your Official Holiday Lights Roadmap

With my merry Christmas elf Cruzy McStuffins at the wheel, we spent hours and hours driving around Lake Travis. After zig-zagging through town, we devised a roadmap for the most enjoyable holiday lights viewing starting in Lakeway. This route is fun because it leaves room for some surprises and anticipation along the way, making the journey a little more exciting. From door-to-door, we clocked this as a 3-hour tour.

Download your Holiday Lights Tour Roadmap! (Disclaimer: I’m not a cartographer. This guide is for entertainment purposes only, and not to be used in lieu of a real map, Waze, etc. 😆 If you end up in Bastrop, it’s not my fault.)

So, load your offspring into the Escalade, grab those monogrammed Yetis filled with hot cocoa and buckle up—here’s where to see the most festive homes in Lake Travis!

Stop #1 – Maywald Christmas Light Display

First of all, yes, we’re kicking off this tour with a home that’s not in Lake Travis. But it’s a must-see festive home that’s worth the quick drive into Southwest Austin. It’s honestly the most incredible, jaw-dropping display of holiday lights we’ve ever seen at a family home.

Get ready to see the winner of ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight in 2019! This is the ninth year the Maywald family is lighting it up on their Twilight Vista property and it is a sight to behold. More than 350,000 lights on three-and-a-half acres with unique decorations like a 17-foot tall fiberglass Santa and a phenomenal Texas flag made of lights.

What makes it even better is they’ve donated over $250,000 to Make A Wish Foundation, so it’s truly a heart-warming display of holiday spirit.

After your stroll, it’s time to crank up the Christmas tunes and soak up the amazing view of hundreds of twinkling rooftops along Hwy 71 as you head out towards Spicewood!

Stop #2 – West Cypress Hills – Rockin’ Wren

Prepare to be dazzled in West Cypress Hills, where one house steals the spotlight with a mesmerizing light show synchronized to music. No, you aren’t insane in the membrane, the whole house changes colors with each festive note. It’s a symphony of festive cheer with singing decorations and spiraling snowflakes. Christmas cuteness overload.

Stop #3 – Rough Hollow – Enchanted Hilltop

As you start looping back towards Lakeway, pop into Rough Hollow where a beacon of holiday spirit is waiting for you at Agave Bloom Cove and Enchanted Hilltop. If you look closely, you’ll see the QR code in the yard, so you can listen along with the lights. You could spend the whole evening in Rough Hollow, gazing at all of the pretty lights, but if you want to keep moving, it’s time to take flight.

Stop #4 – Lakeway – The Tree We All See

Have you noticed the perfectly lit Christmas tree just past the corner of Lohmans Crossing and Lakeway Blvd off Duck Lake Drive? Well, that homeowner has been making us smile with her tree in the window for eight years. This season she added more cheer with exterior lights too.

Added bonus! If you drive past her house, you’ll notice her neighbors know how to wrap a tree and you might spy a large colorful tree overlooking the golf course.

Stop #5 – The Preserve – Seasonal Streets

If you head towards 620 on Lakeway Blvd, get ready for a treat in The Preserve off Dave Drive. You’ll see plenty of holiday lights come alive on Barrie Drive. And don’t stress about the fella falling off the ladder. He didn’t splatter!

Stop #6 – Lakeway Trail of Lights

Based on our calculations, if you’ve been following this roadmap, you’re a few hours into this journey and the kiddos may be losing steam. With that in mind, what better place for the finale than Lakeway’s Trail of Lights? This is one of Lakeway’s most cherished traditions and it just gets better every year.

Raise your hand if your children raced each other around the trail? Raise your hand if they goaded you into racing around around the trail too? Good times.

For newcomers to the community, the Trail of Lights is open nightly from 6pm – Midnight through January 1, 2023. You can access the trail from the lower level of the parking lot at the Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek) or by parking behind City Hall (1102 Lohman’s Crossing at the corner of Lohman’s and Sailmaster).

Want More Festive Homes?

There are literally too many to count, but you can check out Old Lakeway for another dazzling display that grooves to holiday tunes on Ladin Lane. So cute! There’s also Corsaire Cove and Bermuda. Down by the lake, you can’t go wrong driving along Challenger and Explorer. The neighborhood of St. Andrews off Hayden Lane does a great job lighting up their little loop. There are lots of fun streets off Lakeway Blvd too.

It’s Not Just About Decorations

In our little slice of the Texas Hill Country, the twinkling lights are not merely decorative. They embody the spirit of the Lake Travis community. It’s a shared joy that defines life by the lake. Each illuminated home tells a story of neighbors coming together to make the holidays brighter for everyone—where the magic of the season is a reflection of the vibrant people that call it home.

Happy holidays to all; may your nights shine bright!