If you have a large outdoor area in your backyard, a hot tub can act as a perfect focal point. It is also a great way to design in large areas of unused space. A small space will likely not afford many options for hot tub owners.
At the end of a long day, a warm spa on a cool evening is the perfect answer to calm tired legs and nerves. You may need to consider lighting options for darker evenings or backyard festivities. Easy access should also be an important consideration.
Here are our best options and ideas for hot tub lighting!
Table of Contents
- 1. String Lighting
- 2. Rope Lighting
- 3. Fairy or Twinkle Lighting
- 4. Ground or Landscape Lighting
- 5. Moon Lighting
- 6. Flood Lighting
- 7. Tiki Torch-Style Lighting
- 8. Submersible or Interior Lighting
- In Conclusion
1. String Lighting
We love string lighting! You’ve seen them before at weddings, street festivals, or in open-air restaurants. String lights remind us of our outdoor dining on the Greek Islands. Elegant, romantic, and symmetrical, and often giving a modern look.
String lights work for indoor use and decorative lighting in outdoor backyard settings. It’s perfect for a party or romantic atmosphere and serves as an amazing backdrop in photos. Soft lighting is perfect for entertaining guests and young children at the end of the day.
When choosing string lights, aim for high-quality materials and waterproof protection. You don’t want to remove string lighting for rainy weather. The right lighting guarantees year-round use and is a natural choice for hot tub lovers.
The cost-effective Brightown string lights are the best way to hang lighting outdoor and indoors. These are UL-certified for outdoor use. Made for extreme temperatures, rain, wind, and damp climates. You will want to string the cord first over your hot tub and backyard. You will need to screw in the bulbs after and we always recommend ordering an extra set for bad bulbs.
These lights offer perfect ambient lighting with a nice soft yellow brilliance. Make your hot tub stays warm and relaxing for friends, spouse, or family! The lights are dimmable compatible and perfect for your hot tub, backyard deck, or porch. We’re getting flashbacks from some of our spa trips.
Product Overview
Your order comes with 100 bulbs including 4 spare bulbs. The fuse in the plug is 8 amp 125 volt and there is a spare in the male plug. The cord length is 100′ long and is not connectable. You will need Brightown Suspension Kit for the hanging accessory.
Bulbs:
- 23 Lumens is low-lumen lighting (less bright)
- delivers 2700K Warm White
- are incandescent (not LED) and have a 1000 hour life span
- 1.56 inch dimension and 2.7 inch height
- has glass housing
- 5W, G40 Edison light
- Replacement order on Amazon: B00R25V92Y
- For longer lasting bulbs, please consider: B07DN94P21
- Fuse type: 125V 5A
- G40 wire gauge: 18AWG SPT-1W
You should be aware that the string light is not affected if one bulb burns out. The other lights will continue to work.
2. Rope Lighting
Another great addition to consider is rope lighting. You can wrap this around tall trees, around your hot tub, fence, patio backyard deck, and other fixtures. Rope lighting delivers the biggest advantage with flexibility, white blends, and different colors.
StarryEver’s 200 LED Multi-Color Outdoor Rope Lighting is a good first choice. It has a high-quality waterproof PVC coating. Designed for heat and UV resistance, it is flexible and durable. It saves energy and can withstand snow or rain. This is a UL-certified product.
These decorative lights will be a guest and child favorite! Stacked with 16 colors and four dynamic multicolor modes such as fade, jump, ASYN fade, and jump. In other words, your fade and jump sequences with no occur at the same time. Let the party begin with the flickering colors.
We like this product because it comes with remote control. The remote control is not waterproof so do not lose it in the hot tub. You are within arm’s reach for lighting to be on/off, to adjust brightness, select colors or modes from the hot tub. This lighting also has 6-hour and 12-hour timing functions for long-play fun. There is also a memory function for the last used setting. The rope light source has three levels of brightness and four speeds.
We’ve seen many backyards spruced up with rope lights to add a dreamy or romantic vibe in all seasons! The rope light includes 50 mounting clips and 100 screws. These are more secure than adhesive approaches.
The lead wire is 9.84 ft long for accessible sockets and the rope lighting has no flicker and is full of vivid color.
StarryEye’s 200 LED Rope Lighting delivers elegance, softness, and even lighting. It’s perfect for themed events and backyard hot tub lighting and parties. You can also accent your deck, home, beds, fence, trees, garden patio, or any event from weddings to Christmas.
The distance between each LED bead is 10cm, with a total of 200 LED beads. The length of the rope light is 66 feet.
3. Fairy or Twinkle Lighting
Fairy lights are common to Christmas decorations and other home decors. Fairy lights have smaller lamp lighting and are much closer than what you’d see in string lights.
These lights come in different sizes and colors combinations. Your younger children will likely have a say. Consider these lights as a decorative application. Fairy lights are not very bright but could be perfect for your hot tub as a festive color arrangement.
They are flexible and can be strung from or wrapped around trees. They can also be added to pillars, patio deck, backyard fence, and on curtains. They’re also perfect for gazebos, pergolas, and solariums.
Twinkle Star’s 300 LED Fairy or Twinkle 300 LED Lighting system is a top-seller. The Perfect decorative for hot tub, home garden, curtains, or wall use (indoor/outdoor). They give off a modern feel too.
It comes with 8 setting modes:
- combination
- steady on
- twinkle/flash
- sequential
- waves
- slow fade
- chasing/flash
- slogs
The remote control is not waterproof and extra care near the hot tub is required.
The 300 warm white LED lights can create a fantasy playground around your outdoor hot tub. You can arrange the fairy/twinkle lights and run leaves alongside the lighting cable. Your creativity could allow individual strands to hang above your hot tub. This would create an amazing wall effect and attract your neighbors to the party! In smaller rooms like an attic, the cozy effect is awesome for young children too!
Remove twist ties after you hand the fairy strings. Each string has 30 LEDs. The UL-certified safe transformer is 8.9 feet long.
4. Ground or Landscape Lighting
Landscape lighting is perfect if you want to highlight specific areas like your hot tub. You could use these lights around the hot tub, near the hot tub, or along with plants and other brush near a fence or your hot tub.
Many homeowners use low-voltage landscape lights to illuminate sections. We’ve seen some beautiful landscape designs for trees, rock gardens, pergolas, and gazebos. The goal is to avoid harsh glare but provide focal points around your hot tub, for example.
LCARED makes LED landscape lights that deliver a warm light punch. They are waterproof and easy to set with metal ground stakes.
LCARED’s waterproof landscape light will illuminate your hot tub, trees, and fences. The ground stakes are not plastic but full aluminum. The metal material and waterproof protection are perfect for long life and variable weather. They will not overheat.
The 18-watt spotlights deliver uniform lighting and a super bright output at 1800 lumens. You’ll be able to see your hot tub at night. These lights have a lifespan of 50,000 hours.
This is a corded electric lighting system with US/North American standards at 120 volts. The LED fixture is long-lasting and uses less electricity with no bulb replacement.
The product can use dusk to dawn adapter for automatic on/off switching.
It comes with an amazing 2-year warranty or 2 months for a free replacement if something goes wrong.
5. Moon Lighting
Moonlights mimic the glow of our beautiful moon. We’ve seen them added in pools but also set in gardens, pathways, and around pools and hot tubs. You can find them in trees, on the roof of gazebos, pergolas, and other structures to illuminate your spa.
The moon lights highlight specific focal points. Their light glow can be warm or cool, calming or relaxing.
Tially’s moonlights can cycle between warm or cool lighting, depending on your mode. Switch modes with a single button.
The moonlight is cordless and does not use batteries. They are solar-powered, charged to power up your festivities at night in your backyard or the hot tub. Once charged, they can last a full eight hours. That’s amazing!
The moonlight balls have some weight for stability against wind. They are water-resistant so you can drop them in the hot tub at the end of your night.
The double-ear valves allow you to hang the moonlights on trees or your backyard deck if you’re the fancy type.
The moon balls can add a modern, clean look to an otherwise boring backyard with a hot tub. They also make things cozy and romantic if you’re planning to relax with your partner in some hot bubbles.
The rechargeable battery will last 50,000 hours. Once charged, it illuminates at night with an on/off switch located on the bottom.
We’ve seen beautiful examples of moonlighting accents on some of our Caribbean trips.
6. Flood Lighting
If your backyard is large and you’d prefer wider coverage, floodlights will do the trick. They can act as bright spotlights targeting the hot tub area. This makes sense as you’ll likely see the light shown down from elevated settings.
Floodlights also work for large decks, patios, pergolas, and gazebos. A broad-beamed high-intensity lighting source is perfect for low-light conditions after sunset. You find these lights in outdoor playing fields for night football or soccer.
By DingliLighting, the DLLT 35 Watt Motion Sensor LED Flood Light is perfect for outdoor use. This lighting system has three adjustable heads and is perfect for lighting the hot tub. Its broad beam will work for entryways, stairs, porch, garage, backyard, and patio. This is a corded solution versus a battery or solar system.
There is a motion sensor function and comes with two light modes. It emits a bright light for motion detection and then shifts to the dim mode for full night use. Motion sensing angles operate at 150 degrees with a sensing range of 40 feet.
A high-quality LED chip ensures low energy consumption but high brightness. The lifespan of the chip is about 50,000 hours. The lighting system is waterproof and its aluminum design dissipates heat fast. It is perfect for outdoor lighting around your hot tub.
The product is very easy to install which is great for most people. We’ve tried to install very few complex lighting systems and that is not fun.
Customers report it is very bright when activated by motion. In sun mode, this will be very bright which is perfect when accessing the hot tub at night. This setting then switches to the dim mode which stays on all night with dusk to dawn technology. Once you’re ready to retire, the lights brighten up with full visibility before it shifts to dim mode. Perfect for security. At dawn, the lighted will switch off.
7. Tiki Torch-Style Lighting
We thought about this one. We love the tropical vibe that tiki-style torch lights bring. Safety is our most important concern. Any setting which includes guests, people, and young children is a risk with real flames.
We remember the tiki torches on our last trip to Hawaii and while flames were real, you can consider this product to simulate the real thing safely! Choose a high-quality design over real flames as a safer alternative.
TomCare’s amazing Tiki-Torch Solar Lights will light your fire, so to speak. Yes, we’re Jim Morrison fans and love The Doors!
These tiki torch lights do not use a real flame but emit dancing flames. The encased LEDs provide a soft, mood-enhancing glow perfect for any backyard or hot tub area.
The Tiki-Torch lighting system can light pathways, gardens, patios, decks, pergolas, and gazebos. No wiring is required.
The actual height for each light is 43 inches. The product has a dusk to dawn technology with on/off capabilities. Powered by the sun, this product does not need batteries! It is durable, waterproof, and perfect for all-season weather.
You could even light up a pathway to your hot tub or the surrounding area. No one ever said you could not be the King or Queen of your jungle.
The realistic “flame” will have your neighbors asking if they can join you in your hot tub for their next “trip”.
8. Submersible or Interior Lighting
A hot tub isn’t a fancy one without pyrotechnics — ok, we’re joking — fun submersible lighting! Why not make your hot tub experience fun or at least, the talk of the neighborhood or guest party. We’re sure your kids will love them!
Mosunece submersible LED lights are perfect for pools and hot tubs and come with a remote. They maintain their grip with 4 magnets for non-wet use. Four suction cups ensure these submersible lights will stay connected to your hot tub.
You can actually use them on the roof of your barbecue lid. Or add them to your bathtub, jacuzzi, fountain, garden, patio, or deck. They serve as excellent night decor for interior lighting or outdoor areas.
They have the highest waterproof ranking for underwater LED lights. They are heatproof and water right to avoid penetration or corrosion.
We love that the remote control can operate all submersible lights within 20 feet range. Lights will operate 40 hours and use 3 AA batteries which are not included with the product. The lights also have 16 – yes – vivid colors and 3 dynamic modes such as flash, fade, and smooth. Timers can set the lights to operate for 2, 4, or 6 hours.
Each package includes 2 LED lights, 1 RF Remote Control, and 10 suction cups. The 25mm suction cups beat market competitors and the magnets are not iron (rubidium-based ) so rust is not an issue. The product includes four magnets per light as compared to two magnets with others. Note: The remote control is not waterproof if used near the hot tub.
In Conclusion
Hot tubs offer a relaxing and comfortable environment in your backyard. These are the best ideas for cost-effective hot tub lighting needs. Good luck!
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John Thompson, Writer and Commentator, EvolutDesign.com
Soldier, writer, researcher, consultant, and bon vivant, John Thompson is the author of numerous columns, op-eds, reports, briefs, short stories and books as the “Felicity Files” and “Spirit Over Steel: A Chronology of the Second World War” (version III). Often found hunched over his computer, or in his garden, and now often found doing both. His diverse talent has led him to work in industries and projects such as energy, security and home construction and renovation. To see the entire team at Evolutdesign.com, visit Our Team page.
