Dyker Heights by limo, door to door
The limo option skips the meeting point and the big coach. A driver collects you in Manhattan, takes your group to the Brooklyn lights and brings you back, from ~$959 for the whole car. For two people that is a lot of money; for a family of six it starts to look reasonable.
What the booking gets you
On GetYourGuide the tour is sold by NYC Private Limo as a private Brooklyn Christmas tour by limousine. Your driver collects the group from a Manhattan hotel or apartment, and the whole outing lasts about 3 hours.
In Dyker Heights you get out and walk for about 30–40 minutes among the lit houses, while the car waits nearby. Then the driver takes you back to where you started.
Before the day, the operator asks for a phone number that works in the US, since the driver texts you when the car is close. Give one you will actually have on you, or the pickup gets messy.
The price covers taxes and tolls as well as soft drinks in the car. It leaves out the gratuity for the driver and any alcohol, and it has no tour guide, which matters more than it sounds.
Two versions of the same idea
Viator sells a similar private tour under the name NYC Christmas Lights Tour by Limousine, SUV Or VAN. We matched the two by route and format, but treat them as similar products rather than one company on both sites.
| Detail | GetYourGuide version | Viator version |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$959 per group | A little higher per group |
| Length | About 3 hours | About 4 hours |
| Vehicle | Limousine | Limousine, SUV, van |
| Drinks | Soft drinks included | Champagne only in the limousine |
| Rating | 4.6 from 40+ reviews | 4.6 from 70+ reviews |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours | Free up to 24 hours |
The extra hour on Viator gives a little more slack for traffic, which can be heavy on December evenings. An SUV or van also suits larger groups, or anyone who finds climbing into a low stretch car awkward.
The price, car by car
Everything hangs on the head count. The fare is ~$959 per group, so the cost per person falls with every seat you fill, while a bus fare stays the same however many friends you bring.
For a couple, the limo costs many times what two seats on our pick's bus at ~$63 each would. For a family of five or six the gap narrows sharply. Once you count taxis to a Midtown meeting point, it can feel close.
Add the driver's tip on top, which is not in the fare. Every fare and every hidden extra sit next to each other in our price comparison.
Your own car to the Brooklyn lights
Pickup in Manhattan, a short walk among the houses and soft drinks on board, priced for the whole group rather than per seat.
A driver, not a guide
The listing says plainly that a tour guide is not included. Your driver knows the way and where to park, but nobody is booked to walk you through the blocks or explain whose house began it all.
If the story matters to you, read our page on how the Dyker Heights lights began before the night. Then you can do your own commentary while the others take photos.
Without a guide, plan your short loop in advance as well. Our map of the blocks with the biggest displays shows where to spend those 30–40 minutes so you don't waste them on quiet side streets.
Who the limo suits
The short walk is the main reason to pay more. Our pick spends about an hour on foot and its listing rules out people with limited mobility, while here you walk half that time with a warm car close by.
- Older relatives who can manage a short stroll but not an hour standing in the cold
- Families with small children who will tire or need a warm seat halfway through
- Groups of five or more, where the fare per head comes down
- Anyone staying far from Hell's Kitchen who would rather skip a cab to the meeting point
- A celebration night, with champagne in the Viator limousine
Parents should also read our page on the Dyker Heights lights with kids. It covers strollers in crowds and how long small legs last on a cold pavement.
When the bus is the better call
Two people on a budget will get more from a bus seat. Scatto a New York's guide walks you for about an hour and adds a skyline stop at Brooklyn Bridge Park, which the limo listing does not mention.
ExperienceNYC's Manhattan and Brooklyn lights tour from ~$75 adds Midtown's windows on the same night. We weigh that route against a split evening of Midtown on foot and Brooklyn by bus.
Strong walkers who like to wander at their own pace can also go by subway. Our subway guide to Dyker Heights covers the two train lines and the walk from each station.
Making the limo evening work
Have everyone dressed and in the lobby before the driver texts, since waiting time eats into a fixed three hours. Warm layers matter even on a short stroll, and our clothing checklist covers them.
Agree with the driver where to meet again before you step out, as the streets get crowded and phone signal can slow down. Bring cash or a card for the tip, and keep the drinks in the car.
Both versions cancel free up to 24 hours before. With weather in December hard to call, book early for a weekend and decide on the final day from the forecast.