There’s enough going on in California during the holidays to fill up your calendar from now through the New Year. To help you find the best bets for your crew, we’ve gathered more than 50 things we’re excited to do and see this season. From spectacular boat parades and themed train rides to Santa skiing adventures and over-the-top light displays, here are some merry ways to spend the holidays in the Golden State. Check out these events all over the state, including some offerings unique to Northern, Central, and Southern California.
All Over the State
Watch a holiday boat parade
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
California’s coastline lights up this time of year with evening boat parades—fancifully illuminated yachts, sailboats, and even rowboats that have helped create local holiday traditions. Plan a trip around events such as Oxnard's Channel Islands Harbor Parade of Lights (Dec. 13), the Winterfest Sausalito parade in Sausalito (Dec. 13–14), the Santa Barbara Parade of Lights (Dec. 14) on Santa Barbara Harbor, and the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade (Dec. 17–21, and holiday cruises from Nov. 29–Jan. 1) in Newport Beach. You can often see the docked ships lit up on many other December evenings, too.
Visit a small town with Christmas spirit
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
From Gold Rush towns that look like they came straight out of a Charles Dickens novel to mountain villages covered in snow, these 15 towns deliver plenty of holiday charm.
Go ice skating, California-style
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
The Golden State offers numerous seasonal skating rinks for the holidays. Starting Nov. 18, the Folsom Historic District Ice Rink offers fire pits, s’mores kits, music and themed nights (runs through Jan. 19).
By Thanksgiving, rinks open at Mammoth Lakes, San Francisco's Union Square, and the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego County, to name but a few. From Dec. 1–21, West Hollywood builds its own outdoor rink for ages 3 and up at West Hollywood Park.
For extra-majestic natural scenery, go to the Shasta Cascade region, where the NHL regulation-sized Siskiyou Ice Rink offers views of Mt. Shasta and boasts of being the biggest outdoor ice rink on the West Coast.
Visit a zoo after dark
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Discover family-friendly holiday magic at one of the many zoos and wildlife parks in California. Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo hosts the light show Aurora, plus musical performances and polar bear photo ops, while the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido offers the walk-through experience Wild Holidays.
Walk through animal-shaped, silk-covered lanterns at the Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari and Santa Barbara ZooLights. WildLights at Palm Desert’s Living Desert Zoo and Gardens has been rated among the country’s best zoo lights for a reason, with more than 1 million sparkling lights and model trains running along 3,300 feet of track.
Find more festive displays at Fresno Chaffee Zoo Illuminature and L.A. Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow. The L.A Zoo event (through Jan. 11) features a giant walk-in kaleidoscope, as well as seasonal treats and cocktails, while the famed zoo in Fresno showcases light displays of all shapes and sizes with animal, Christmas, and Lunar New Year themes—and lasts until Jan. 1.
Enter a dazzling world of color at California gardens
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Across the Golden State, botanical gardens feature immersive light displays throughout their lush grounds. Watch as the flora at Descanso Garden’s Enchanted Forest of Light, Turtle Bay Exploration Park’s Redding Garden of Lights, and Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens’ Festival of Lights twinkle brilliantly on an evening stroll, which you can enjoy with hot cocoa, apple cider or holiday treats in hand.
The popular Lightscape display, a display of 1 million lights, tunnels, and art installations, will also return this holiday season to the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas.
Celebrate at a theme park
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
California’s theme parks celebrate the holidays in their own ways: In Anaheim, Disneyland Resort decks out classic rides (including It’s a Small World) and observes a variety of cultural traditions at its Festival of Holidays. In Buena Park, Knott’s Berry Farm morphs into Knott’s Merry Farm. Universal Studios Hollywood, meanwhile, makes the most of the season at its Grinchmas, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Down in San Diego County, choose from holiday parties at LEGOLAND California and SeaWorld San Diego.
Santa Cruz’s Beach Boardwalk offers a Winter Wonderland (select days, Nov. 27–Jan. 4) including a three-story-tall Christmas tree and photo ops with Santa in a Giant Dipper roller coaster car.
Glimpse famed holiday streets
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Walk through Fresno’s famous Christmas Tree Lane to experience 2 miles of elaborately decorated homes, a tradition that goes back more than a century. For more decked-out roads, check out Visalia’s Candy Cane Lane Parade (Dec. 1), Calabasas’ epic new Holiday Road (select dates, Nov. 29–Dec. 28), showcasing larger-than-life light and sculpture installations, and Torrance’s long-running Sleepy Hollow Christmas Lights Extravaganza.
See “The Nutcracker” ballet
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Do visions of sugar plums dance in your head? Book tickets to the Tchaikovsky holiday favorite. See the San Francisco Ballet’s rendition at the stunning San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center or head across the bay to watch the Oakland Ballet at the Paramount Theatre. The Los Angeles Ballet delivers a California twist, setting the production in turn-of-the-century L.A. In San Diego, enjoy a two-fold performance where the Golden State Ballet is accompanied by the San Diego Symphony. San Jose, Sacramento, and San Luis Obispo put on high-quality renditions too.
Cruise through a drive-thru event
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Stay cozy in your car and enjoy the lights and displays at attractions all over the state—perhaps parking to get some food-truck cuisine or hot cocoa. Check out these drive-thru holiday experiences, such as Christmas in the Park in downtown San Jose or Christmas Tree Lane in Oxnard.
Stay at a festive hotel
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Find that home-away-from-home magic at a hotel that does all the cooking, decorating, and sometimes even the shopping for you. Step inside a gingerbread mansion at the Fairmont San Francisco or skate on the beach at the Hotel del Coronado on Coronado Island. Check out our list of more California holiday hotels that pull out all the stops.
Shop local
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Looking for unique gifts that also support a local community? Start your browsing at one of the Awesome Places to Shop Local across California, including a surf shop, a honey farm, and a whimsical toy store.
Run a race in a Santa suit
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Trade your wicking t-shirt and athletic visor for a Santa suit and bright red hat. With nearly 20,000 jolly elves annually, the San Diego Santa Run 5K (Dec. 13) might be the largest, but it’s not the only California-based race where festive garb comes with your registration. Holiday racers can also get their jollies at Run for a Claus 5K (Irvine, Dec. 20); Santa Runs Griffith Park (Dec. 7, Los Angeles); Holiday Half Marathon (Dec. 12–13, Pomona); Santa Run Silicon Valley (Dec. 14, San Jose); Santa Hustle Half Marathon (Dec. 14, Roseville); Santa to Sea Half Marathon (Oxnard, Dec. 14); Santa Claus for a Cause 5K and 10K (Huntington Beach, Dec. 6); and Santa Paws 5K (Dec. 20, Palm Springs). Sausalito’s Jingle Bell 5K (Dec. 14) offers the extra motivation of an official brunch afterward.
Hop on a holiday train
Throughout the season, multiple destinations
All across California, vintage trains decked in holiday lights offer nostalgia-filled adventures. Step aboard the Magical Christmas Train in West Sacramento, Irvine Park Railroad’s annual Christmas Train, or the Polar Express Train Ride in Sacramento to chug through local scenery on your way toward a Santa meet and greet. In San Bernardino County, Fontana’s Festival of Winter offers its own train rides as well as Santa photo ops and snow sledding.
The historic Skunk Train’s redwood-lined route in Willits is infused with Christmas magic in Mendocino County. Roll through the Santa Cruz streets as you belt out Christmas carols on the Holiday Lights Train.
The Napa Valley Wine Train does the family-friendly Santa’s Cookie Car (with cocoa, cookies, and a visit from Kris Kringle himself) but also offers more adult-focused food-and-wine excursions. Consider the Gourmet Holiday Express, the lounge-car-based Jingle on the Rails, or the Very Merry Vista Dome, set in a train car with 360-degree views of wine country.
The Napa-based train also offers a Peppermint Tea excursion—set in a vintage car with the optional enhancements of a caviar course and their "Sommelier Flight" of wines—as well as a six-hour Midnight in Paris: Legacy Train experience on New Year’s Eve, which salutes the 50th anniversary of the ‘76 Judgment of Paris.
Northern California
Step into Victorian London
Select dates, Nov. 22–Dec. 21, Daly City
Don your finest capelet or tailcoat and immerse yourself in a holiday fair filled with Dickens-inspired characters, live music, sweet treats, and shopping at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in Daly City (located in San Mateo County).
Listen to the Sacramento Men's Gay Chorus sing holiday hits
Nov. 29th, Sacramento
Ring in the season with family-friendly fun at Holiday Hits with a Splash of Sass. Hear popular holiday songs with hilarious twists at this concert extravaganza held at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center.
Shop and dine on Pier 39
Nov. 28–Jan.6
In San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39 becomes a winter wonderland with decorated stores and restaurants. The Pier’s 60-foot Christmas tree, typically harvested from Siskiyou County, transforms into a light show set to holiday music every half hour from 5–10 p.m., and many stores are open on Christmas Day.
Wander the Illuminate SF Festival of Lights
Nov. 28–Jan. 31, San Francisco
Public art and holiday spirit converge to create the incredible Illuminate SF Festival of Lights. The event typically features more than 60 glowing light installations placed throughout more than a dozen San Francisco neighborhoods.
Celebrate a Gold Country–style Christmas
Select dates between Nov. 28–Dec. 19, Grass Valley
Grab a glass of mulled wine and head to Downtown Grass Valley for an old-fashioned Cornish Christmas. Browse sparkling window displays, listen to carolers, and keep your eyes peeled for Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Nearby, the historic railroad town of Colfax celebrates its Winterfest (Dec. 14) with a parade, street fair, and caroling, capped off with a tree lighting and fireworks.
In the Placer County town of Loomis, watch the lights come on and see Santa show up in a fire truck outside the Loomis Train Depot during the annual Loomis Family Christmas Tree Lighting (typically the first Saturday in December).
Travel to Sonora Christmas Town
Throughout the season, Sonora
Feel like you’ve entered a real-life snow globe in the historic Gold Rush destination of Sonora, which transforms into a festive Christmas Town every year. Enjoy holiday installations, parades, and wagon rides, starting Nov. 28 with the annual parade.
Santa Train Journeys at Silverado Resort
Select dates, Nov. 29–Dec. 21
Climb aboard the magical Santa Train at the Silverado Resort, where kids can meet Santa and enjoy holiday stories, treats, and fun activities. This family-friendly journey brings the enchantment of Christmas to life in the scenic Napa Valley.
Watch the lighting of a wine barrel tree
Begins Nov. 26, St. Helena
If you're in Napa Valley, be sure to make a stop for tastings and a selfie in St. Helena, which marks the season with a 36-foot wine barrel holiday tree built from repurposed Beringer Vineyards barrels. On Nov. 26, the mayor lights the tree for the first time of the season and everyone celebrates with Beringer wine, hot toddies, and small bites created by local chefs.
Do a wine country winter weekend
Starts Dec. 5, Healdsburg
Head to Sonoma County for a Merry Weekend in Healdsburg. The celebration kicks off with a tree lighting and continues with live music and a very merry sidewalk sale. Tuck into Hotel Healdsburg for a holiday tea service, served at the onsite Dry Creek Kitchen Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 6–21.
Stuff your stocking in El Dorado Hills
Dec. 6, El Dorado Hills
Kids get to combine the fun of trick-or-treating with the magic of the holidays in El Dorado Hills, located east of Sacramento. Typically the first 300 children who attend the Christmas Tree Lighting can fill up their stockings with special gifts from local businesses. Get a pic with Santa on Wednesdays through Sundays during the holiday season at the nearby California Welcome Center.
Attend the Festival of Trees
Dec. 6–7, Lodi
Admire more than 60 Christmas trees trimmed with original designs at the San Joaquin County Historical Museum’s annual event in Lodi. Docents dressed in Victorian and pioneer attire add to the event’s fun and historic flair.
Get into the spirit at creative parades
Dec. 6 & 13, Calistoga and Eureka
The Napa Valley town of Calistoga hosts a Tractor Light Show Parade—a lineup of illuminated floats that includes tractors as well as construction and utility vehicles. Up in Humboldt County, gaze at glittering Mack trucks and incandescent 18-wheelers during Eureka’s annual Trucker’s Parade. Some trucks require three generators just to support their 40,000-plus adorned lights. Festivities will also include bandstand platforms, dancing reindeer, and flying fish.
Experience a Victorian holiday
Select nights, Dec. 7–17, Nevada City
You might feel like you’ve stepped into a holiday time machine in this Gold Country town, where the downtown streets come to life with strolling carolers in full period garb, roasting chestnuts, and vendors offering charming little gifts during the Nevada City Victorian Christmas. Runs on Wednesdays and Sundays.
See America’s tallest living Christmas tree come to light
Dec. 7, Ferndale
This little town on California’s North Coast pulls out all the stops come Christmas time. Join this tight-knit community as it watches the lighting of a fir tree that towers more than 160 feet in the air—the tallest living Christmas tree in the United States—complete with complimentary cookies and hot cocoa. Afterward, stroll down the Victorian-style historic downtown that’s lined by garland-wrapped streetlights.
Meet both Santa and Bigfoot in the Redwoods
Dec. 8–18, Sonoma County
Visit the Bohemian Corridor for this holiday drive-thru experience, then meet up with Santa and Bigfoot at the historic Union Hotel in Downtown Occidental.
Celebrate 18th Century-Style at the Bracebridge Dinners
Select dates from Dec. 10–23, Yosemite
The legendary holiday dinner show, the Bracebridge Dinners, is a one of the most beloved traditions at The Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park. The Christmas celebrations—inspired by Washington Irving's Sketch Book—first started at the Ahwahnee in 1927 and has grown to include more than 100 performers, renaissance music, and a seven-course, 18th-century-style feast.
As of presstime there were still 2025 spots available, but dinners often sell out. Either way, be on the lookout for December 2026 tickets to start becoming available during the 2025 holiday season.
Celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas in Coloma
Dec. 13–14, Coloma
Year-round, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park offers a window back in time to Gold Rush–era California—and the holidays are no exception. At Christmas in Coloma, you can try your hand at wreath-making, ride a horse-drawn wagon, and sing carols around the campfire.
Ski in a Santa suit
Dec. 14, 23–25, Wrightwood and South Lake Tahoe
Hit the slopes in your best Mr. Claus attire. On Dec. 14, Mountain High Resort in Wrightwood is getting in the holiday spirit by offering free skiing and snowboarding to anyone in a full Santa suit on its annual Santa Sunday. In South Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Resort is throwing its own series of “Ugly Sweater Ski Day” après-ski gatherings from Dec. 23–25 at Tamarack Lodge. (Don’t have an ugly Christmas sweater? Santa suits are also encouraged.) Then, walk the streets of South Lake Tahoe to check out the confectionery architecture created by different businesses as part of its Gingerbread House Crawl (starting Dec. 15).
Travel back in time at Columbia State Historic Park
Dec. 20-21, Columbia
Step back into the 1850s at Columbia State Historic Park to experience what Christmas in a California Gold Rush town may have looked like nearly 200 years ago. At Miner’s Christmas, families and friends can listen to prospectors tell holiday stories, actually indulge in chestnuts roasted over an open fire, and make old-timey arts and crafts.
Soak Up the Cheer in Livermore
Throughout the season
See how the Bay Area town of Livermore is turning up its holiday charm. See the Holiday Sights and Sounds Parade (Dec. 6) while enjoying holiday treats and hot cocoa while shopping from local makers.
Snowshoe to a chalet for dinner
Throughout the season, Olympic Valley
This winter, join a guided snowshoe tour at Palisades Tahoe, where a local will lead you to a cozy chalet for a four-course Bavarian-inspired meal with optional wine pairings, starting with champagne upon arrival. (21-plus only.)
Stroll a decked-out Union Square
Throughout the season, San Francisco
During the holiday season, San Francisco’s Union Square offers a charming throwback holiday with its Winter Wander-Land. Browse the ornaments and decor at Gump's Holiday Pop-Up, check out the Bill Graham Menorah (Dec. 14–22) and the larger-than-life Ornament Trail on Powell, then take a spin on the ice at The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink (Nov. 5–Jan. 19). Be sure to explore Stockton Street between Ellis and Geary Streets for the Winter Walk, a two-block street fair with food trucks, bar gardens, entertainment, and family-friendly activities.
Get a Head Start on Movie Award Season
Dec. 28–30, Half Moon Bay
The Beach Break Film Festival in Half Moon Bay returns for its fourth year with an array of compelling documentaries. Keep an eye on the lineup as films are announced—past entries have included Let the Canary Sing, an intimate look at the life and career of Cyndi Lauper.
Central California
Celebrate Julefest on the Central Coast
Nov. 28–Jan. 4, Solvang
The Danish-themed town of Solvang looks like the set of a Hallmark movie year-round, but during the holidays it really shines. Celebrate Julefest, starting after Thanksgiving, which features a tree-lighting ceremony, parade, the Solvang Nativity Spectacular, and more. Get in the spirit by purchasing a gingerbread house–making kit at the Solvang Bakery (order ahead to pick up in person).
Take a twilight tour at Hearst Castle
Select dates in Nov. and Dec., San Simeon
Get a glimpse of how mogul William Randolph Hearst used to celebrate the holidays on this guided seasonal tour of the legendary estate in San Simeon. The experience takes visitors through decorated grounds, the guest house, and the social rooms at Casa Grande, complete with giant Christmas trees.
Shop by the Beach
Nov. 22, Pismo Beach
Kick off your holiday shopping at Pismo Beach’s Dolphin Bay Resort, which hosts the Dolphin Bay Holiday Cheer Market: Browse local artisans’ wares from the small businesses that set up shop at on the resort’s north lawn, paired with holiday-themed goodies and a story time with Santa. The hotel hosts other fun holiday events, too, such as a screening of Elf on the lawn on Dec. 5 and a Holiday Wine Dinner on Dec. 10.
During the month of December, you can do more charming holiday shopping and snow play in the rest of San Luis Obispo County. The Cambria Christmas Market—decorated with 3 million twinkling Christmas lights—offers a variety of local artisan vendors, live music, and food and drink (Nov. 28– Dec. 31). In Paso Robles, The Mid-State Fair Market (Dec. 12–14) has its own lineup of local crafters and artisans—think jewelry, art, antiques, and homemade treats. For snowy fun, head to Atascadero’s Sunken Gardens to play in 70 tons of man-made snow with a giant snow slide, bungee jumps, obstacle courses, and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Try a Christmas tamale
Dec. 6, Oxnard
Christmas tamales are a beloved holiday tradition in many cultures. Oxnard throws its own masa-wrapped party at its 17th Annual Tamale Festival (Dec. 6), offering both sweet and savory tamales along with a holiday crafts fair, kids activities, and live music in the Central Coast city’s Plaza Park.
Stroll through decorated coastal inns
Dec. 9, Pacific Grove
During the Christmas at the Inns event in Monterey County, you can visit nine bed-and-breakfasts and inns decorated for the holidays. Bring the whole family to enjoy live music and holiday treats as you wander through the picturesque properties. Tickets are $30 per person.
During the first four weekends in December, the neighboring city of Monterey celebrates the 9th Annual Christmas on the Wharf with live entertainment from choirs, youth dancers, and singers, as well as Santa sightings at his little house on the Wharf.
Walk through historic adobes decked in lights
Dec. 12–13, Monterey
Enjoy an Alta California–inspired holiday celebration at the 41st Annual Christmas in the Adobes. Follow candle-lit luminarias to Monterey’s historic adobes.
Pay homage to the Nation's Christmas Tree
Dec. 14, Kings Canyon National Park
In 1925, the town of Sanger held a holiday celebration under the branches of the General Sherman Tree. One hundred years later the tradition lives on, always on the second Sunday of December: Head to Kings Canyon National Park where you’ll trek to the awe-inspiring sequoia President Calvin Coolidge named the Nation’s Christmas Tree.
Sing along at a Merry-achi Christmas
Dec. 19, Bakersfield
Head to Bakersfield’s historic Fox Theater for a production of The Nutcracker performed by the Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet dance company on an international tour.
Paddle a Harbor with Santa
Dec. 20, Ventura
Join Santa as he works on his core at this group paddle on Ventura Harbor. Rent a kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or character pedal boat—duck, swan, or dragon—from Ventura Boat Rentals and come dressed in your favorite holiday sweater, Santa hat, or reindeer antlers. The paddle will do a loop from the rental shop to the Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center and back, winding through the marina. On shore, the Ventura Harbor Village’s Winter Wonderland & Holiday Marketplace features Santa meet and greets, live reindeer encounters, faux snow, and plenty of boutiques offering local, artisan-made gifts.
Southern California
Cheer for the Grinch at the Old Globe Theatre
Nov. 5–Dec. 31, San Diego
Soak up the ambience of Balboa Park’s Old Globe Theatre—modeled after Shakespeare’s London landmark—in this musical version of Dr. Seuss’s holiday tale. (Dr. Seuss, or Theodor Geisel, was a longtime resident of La Jolla.) On Dec. 5–6, check out another beloved holiday tradition in San Diego’s city park: December Nights, a two-evening open-air celebration of lights, music, and food vendors.
Immerse yourself in a themed village
Nov. 13–Jan. 4, Santa’s Village
Year-round you can hike, bike, and ride zip lines at SkyPark at Santa’s Village, located near Lake Arrowhead. But during the holiday season it transforms into the North Pole, with ice skating, mini train rides, and Christmas-themed puppet shows. There’s even an adorable gingerbread house bakery that serves cookies and cinnamon rolls. Make it an event by going to one of the breakfasts with Santa that includes a buffet, a build-you-own-hot-cocoa bar, and pics with Kris Kringle.
Order a holiday cocktail that “sleighs”
Nov. 13–Jan. 3, Carlsbad
Book a stay or even just pop in for a drink at the Omni La Costa resort in Carlsbad, which will host Blitzen’s Pop-Up Bar during the holiday season. Expect festive decor and creative cocktails curated by renowned mixologist Julie Reiner, who was a judge on Netflix’s Drink Masters. Runs Thursdays through Saturdays. from 5–9 p.m.
Extend your stay with one of the La Costa hotel deals, such as its Golf Geek Getaway or the 4th Night Free.
Watch Santa fend off pirates
Nov. 21–Jan. 1, Buena Park
Buena Park’s family-friendly dinner-theatre venue, Pirates Dinner Adventure, has a holiday story to tell—one where Santa and Mrs. Claus have been captured by pirates and must free themselves to save Christmas. Admission to Pirates Take Christmas includes a four-course dinner and the promise of acrobatics, stunts, and audience participation.
Bask in the lights at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa
Nov. 22–Jan. 6, Riverside
Riverside’s grand dame hotel boasts a whopping 10 million lights as part of its annual Festival of Lights. You don’t have to be a hotel guest to stroll the grounds that are also dotted with 200 animated figures, decorated trees, and the world’s largest mistletoe. Don’t miss a stop in the resort’s Candy Lane Store, and consider staying overnight with one of the holiday season packages.
Downtown Riverside offers more holiday cheers at its Festival of Trees (Nov. 25) at the city’s convention center featuring more decorated trees, a holiday marketplace, and seasonal food-and-drink stalls.
Meet Surfing Santa in San Diego
Nov. 29, San Diego
The man famous for his red suit and sleigh shows up on a watercraft wearing a Hawaiian shirt at the annual Surfin’ Santa parade and meet and greet in Seaport Village, just outside downtown San Diego.
Watch a candy cane demo
Throughout the season, Ontario
Opened in 1933, Logan’s Candies in Ontario is known for its unforgettable candy-cane-making demonstration. Watch as owner (and now-TikTok star) Jerry Rowley creates the store’s most iconic item. Try sweet samples as he walks you through the mesmerizing process of forming this iconic red-and-white-striped treat. The demo ends with the bending of your very own warm candy cane.
Experience Temecula’s Wine Country Holiday
Throughout the season, Temecula
Enjoy Temecula’s cowboy culture-meets-wine country ambience during its Holiday Taste of Old Town event (Dec. 3), where your ticket grants you admission to a street fair with holiday lights, live music, and free goodies and discounts at participating restaurants and businesses.
You could easily build a whole day or weekend around the fun at the winery resort Europa Village. Explore its European Holiday Market while noshing on empanadas and spiced hot chocolate, then have dinner at Giardino del Cielo, where you can enjoy a prix fixe, family-style dinner for up to eight inside a private igloo.
Check out Temecula Holiday Chilled events including the GrapeSeed Spa shopping event at South Coast Winery, Santa’s Electric Light Parade, and the Grape Drop on New Year’s Eve.
Enter a gingerbread competition
Dec. 6, Santa Ana
Tap into your creativity and enter the Science of Gingerbread Competition at Discovery Cube Orange County. Guests can browse the constructions and learn about the science behind winter weather.
Go all-in on tamales
Dec. 6–7, Indio
For all your masa cravings, head to the Indio Tamale Festival. A tradition for more than 30 years, the festival in Greater Palm Springs offers live mariachi music, the world’s biggest bounce house, and a sprawling night market.
Ride a tram, hang out with Santa
Dec. 6–7, Palm Springs
Climb 6,000 feet on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and be greeted by expansive mountain views and a breakfast with Santa on Dec. 6. On Dec. 7, Tramway visitors can behold the annual Tree Lighting ceremony, complete with the Palm Springs High School choir and string quartet. If you’re in downtown Palm Springs on a Thursday, be sure to stroll down Palm Canyon Drive, where the weekly VillageFest embraces the holidays on Dec. 4 (cookies with Mrs. Claus); Dec. 11 (VillageFest Holiday performance); and Dec. 18 (Santa comes to VillageFest) amid twinkling lights, festive decorations, and unique handcrafted gifts.
Hear the Vienna Boys Choir and a brass Christmas concert
Nov. 24, Dec. 10, Costa Mesa
Get a seat for the timeless concert sponsored by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County. In November, the Vienna Boys Choir—one of the oldest musical organizations in the world, dating back to 1498—will perform Christmas classics at the Soka Performing Arts Center, including pieces by Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Britten.
In December, the award-winning ensemble Canadian Brass will perform a concert of both classical music and new holiday classics at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. The program selections may include works such as Mozart’s overture to The Magic Flute and Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time Is Here.”
Dance and ride rides at a Christmas-themed music festival
Dec. 13, San Diego
If the holiday spirit makes you want to party, head to SantaCon, a Christmas-themed electronic-and-house music festival at San Diego’s beachside Belmont Park. Check out the lineup of a dozen musical acts and ride all the rides at this old-school amusement park, home of the nearly century-old Giant Dipper roller coaster.
Families will love the free-admission amusement park this time of year during its Winter Wonder, with its combination of twinkling lights, seasonal sweets—like a red velvet funnel cake—and holiday makeovers of attractions, including Peppermint Putt Putt and the Polar Plunge at the park’s Plunge Pool.
Holiday lunch or dinner at the Ronald Reagan Museum
Dec. 14 & 18, Simi Valley
Enjoy a holiday lunch or dinner at the presidential museum in Simi Valley: Lunch features a Nutcracker performance while the dInner, next to Air Force One, features a tour. The museum typically has special holiday trees, like a Gold Star Family Memorial Tree, which welcomes ornaments from Gold Star families.
See the Capistrano Lights
Dec. 19–30, San Juan Capistrano
On select evenings in December, Mission San Juan Capistrano comes alive under colorful lights. The 10-foot wreath, large-scale nativity scene, and Dickens-style carolers make for excellent family photo backdrops.
Experience a winter wonderland with a German twist
Dec. 20, Big Bear Lake
Make a party—and a getaway—out of last-minute holiday shopping at Big Bear Christkindlmarkt. The annual event features live German entertainment, carolers, free arts and crafts, and a giant Wishing Tree, plus a lot of unique vendors. Kids can enjoy visits with the Christkind Angel and St. Nicholas while adults indulge in traditional German foods and libations.
Laugh your way through a holiday comedy show
Select dates in December, Los Angeles County
Embrace the funny moments of the season while checking out serious talent in Los Angeles, a hotbed for California comedy clubs. A good place to start: Head to Melrose Ave. for the Groundlings’ holiday annual shows; check the venue’s calendar for the latest dates and lineups.