Bentleyville Tour of Lights in Duluth runs Nov 21 to Dec 26, 2026: free admission, Sunday to Thursday 5-9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5-10 p.m., with parking at $12 per vehicle. Everything below was read on Bentleyville’s own pages on 2026-10-20. It is the 23rd season.
At a glance
| Detail | What Bentleyville says |
|---|---|
| Dates | Nov 21 to Dec 26, 2026 |
| Hours | Sunday to Thursday 5:00-9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5:00-10:00 p.m. |
| Where | 700 W Railroad St, Duluth, MN 55802 (Bayfront Festival Park, on Lake Superior) |
| Admission | Free. The page calls it America’s largest free walk-through lighting display, with more than 5 million lights. |
| Parking | Onsite parking is $12 per vehicle, or $10 when you pay with cash. Lots open at 4 p.m. The plan page lists cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and Venmo; the parking page lists cash, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. |
| Santa and Mrs. Claus | Nightly Nov 21 to Dec 23, 5-9 p.m. The Santa line closes in time for Santa to leave by 9 p.m. |
| Contact | Info@bentleyvilleusa.org |
What to know before you go
- Free treats: complimentary hot chocolate, coffee, cookies, popcorn and marshmallows to roast at the firepits.
- Kids who visit Santa: children 12 and under get a Bentleyville knit hat and a bag of cookies.
- Dress warm: it is outdoors on the shore of Lake Superior, and Bentleyville warns of strong winds and fast-changing temperatures. Layers are easier to remove than to add.
- Crowds: Bentleyville publishes a Crowd-O-Meter on its Plan Your Trip page to show busy and moderate times. Check it before choosing a night.
- Giving back: Bentleyville partners with The Salvation Army and asks guests to bring a nonperishable food item or a new, unwrapped toy. Last season 295,300 visitors helped collect 8,074 pounds of food and 1,069 toys, per its page.
- Gift shop: a main shop near the entrance and a smaller one near the firepits. Hours: Monday to Thursday 4-9 p.m., Friday 4-10 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Getting there
- Parking: Bentleyville’s lots open daily at 4 p.m. from Nov 21 to Dec 26. Parking is $12 per vehicle, or $10 in cash; guests who park there get a 10% off coupon for any plush toy. Handicap parking is first come, first served in the Bentleyville lots, with the permit visible on entry.
- Other lots: Bentleyville lists the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) and the Great Lakes Aquarium as other accessible parking lots.
- No shuttle train this year: the North Shore Scenic Railroad will not run the Bentleyville Shuttle Train in 2026, and the Jingle Bus service ended in 2024.
- Hotel shuttles: Bentleyville points guests to their hotel. Beacon Pointe runs a shuttle for registered guests from Nov 22 to Dec 27: Sunday to Thursday departures from 4:45 p.m. with the last at 8:45 p.m., Friday and Saturday last departure 9:45 p.m., with return rides available.
- Distances: Bentleyville does not publish drive times or walking distances, so we do not list any. Use the address above in your own map app.
Still unconfirmed
- The dates of special nights (Santa’s arrival, Tuesday Animal Nights, closing-night fireworks). Bentleyville publishes its 2026 event schedule as an image, so we do not list them. See Bentleyville’s home page.
- Pet and stroller rules, and the accessibility page: not confirmed; check with the organizer. See Bentleyville accessibility.
We check Bentleyville’s pages weekly and update this guide when anything changes.
Frequently asked questions
When is Bentleyville Tour of Lights 2026?
Nov 21 through Dec 26, 2026, per Bentleyville’s own site.
Is Bentleyville free?
Admission is free. Onsite parking costs $12 per vehicle, or $10 in cash.
What time does Bentleyville open?
5 p.m. every night. It closes at 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
When is Santa at Bentleyville?
Santa and Mrs. Claus are there nightly from Nov 21 to Dec 23, 5-9 p.m.
Where is Bentleyville?
700 W Railroad St, Duluth, at Bayfront Festival Park on Lake Superior.
How do I get to Bentleyville without driving?
There is no Bentleyville shuttle train or Jingle Bus in 2026. Some hotels run their own shuttles; Beacon Pointe runs one for registered guests. Ask your hotel.
Sources
- Bentleyville Tour of Lights, home page, checked 2026-10-20
- Bentleyville, Plan Your Trip, checked 2026-10-20
- Bentleyville, Parking, checked 2026-10-20
- Bentleyville, Trains and Shuttle Options, checked 2026-10-20
Planning a November trip? See what there is to do in Minnesota in November.
More Duluth-area events: see Duluth & North Shore events and all Minnesota events. Spot a mistake? Tell us; fixes are logged on our corrections page.
Coming Up Near Duluth
- UMD Bulldogs Football home games (Malosky Stadium)On now through Nov 14 · Duluth
- Glensheen Christmas Tours and Candlelight ToursNov 13 – Jan 3 · Duluth
- Christmas City Express (North Shore Scenic Railroad)Nov 27 – Dec 20 · Duluth
- Christmas Tree Train (North Shore Scenic Railroad to Knife River)Nov 28 · Duluth
Places Nearby
- Glensheen Historic EstateHouse museum · in Duluth
- Lake Superior Railroad MuseumMuseum · in Duluth
Straight-line distance from the centre of Duluth, not driving miles. Events within 40 miles, places within 25. Dates come from our checked events list and may change; confirm with the organizer.
Cite this page: It's Minnesota, “Bentleyville Tour of Lights 2026 Guide”, itsminnesota.com/bentleyville-tour-of-lights-duluth/ (updated ). By the It's Minnesota editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.