Across the Golden State, the holiday season offers up a festive twist: entertainment you can enjoy from the comfort of your own car. This long-enjoyed tradition of driving around to see twinkling lights—and plenty of California’s holiday light displays are well worth a detour—still takes place in some historic neighborhoods, but also at fairgrounds and other locales. So load your crew into the car for these holiday memories-in-the-making, some of which continue into the new year.
Nov. 20–Jan. 2: Magic of Lights, Indio
The Empire Polo Club in Greater Palm Springs—famously the home of April’s Coachella Music & Arts Festival—dazzles with holiday energy this time of year. Take a spin around the polo grounds that are now decked out with dozens of LED-light displays, including life-sized dinosaurs, a monster truck, and a giant Barbie, as well as illuminated canopies and digital animation. Admission starts at $31 per car.
Nov. 20–Jan. 03: Magic of Lights, Concord
The East Bay cousin of the Palm Springs event takes place at the Toyota Pavilion in Concord and also includes dozens of LED-light displays. Admission starts at $22 per car.
Nov. 27–Jan. 9: Blinky’s Drive-Thru, San Jose
A version of this San Jose tradition dates back to the 1950s when a holiday display was set up in front of a local mortuary and then city hall. It’s expanded over the decades to become a drive-thru celebration with more than 200,000 lights at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. Depending on the day, admission typically ranges from $25–$40 per car.
Nov. 27–Dec. 24: Sparky’s Holiday Lights Drive-Thru, Santa Cruz
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights in late November and December, drive the half-mile route through the fairgrounds to see displays of Santa, reindeer, and snowmen, as well as lighted tunnels and giant twinkling Christmas trees. Check the schedule for one cheeky Krampus night too. Admission starts at $20.
Dec. 1–31: Fabulous Forties, Sacramento
Drive through one of the great original holiday lights neighborhoods: the East Sacramento area known as the Fabulous Forties, which shimmers from 40th through 50th Streets, between J St. and Folsom Blvd.
Dec. 3–25: Christmas Tree Lane, Fresno
Drive this 2-mile stretch of Fresno’s Fig Garden neighborhood, which has been festooned with lights almost every year since 1920.
Select dates from Dec. 5–21: Christmas in the Redwoods, Occidental
Drive the route at Sonoma Zipline Adventures, along the Bohemian Corridor of Sonoma County, to see the cottages, cabins, and redwoods decked out in lights. Afterward, head to the nearby Union Hotel for hot cocoa and photo ops with both Santa and Bigfoot. Admission is $10 per car.
Dec. 5–early January: Christmas Tree Lane, Altadena
A mile-long stretch of this L.A. County town near Pasadena is lined with huge Deodar cedar trees that canopy over the streets and are strung with thousands of lights each holiday season. The trees are also remarkable for having survived the devastating fires of 2025. Drive Santa Rosa Ave., between Woodbury Ave. and Altadena Dr. and be mindful not to park during your drive.
Dec. 6–26: Christmas Tree Lane, Oxnard
Drive along F & G Streets in Oxnard to see the annual displays within the Henry T. Oxnard National Historic District. Then, cruise past the Plaza Park, with its pagoda and the tallest Christmas tree in Ventura County.
