For years I'd been hearing about the awesome Christmas displays in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. I'd seen the Flickr feeds and the YouTube videos but I didn't make the trek out there until 2011. Once I saw those jaw-dropping sights in person, I knew visiting "Dyker Lights" would become an annual family holiday tradition.

But living in upper Manhattan, Dyker Heights is a serious schlep. It's really not doable via public transportation, especially at night with kids in tow. It's better to drive there. Last year, I hitched a ride with a neighbor but this year I decided to play tourist and went on A Slice of Brooklyn's Christmas Lights & Cannoli guided bus tour. Even though my daughter and I saw many of the same houses both times, our visits were quite different. If you're considering taking the kids to Dyker Heights this holiday season but are wondering which is the best way to go, here's how the two experiences compare.

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