Zoo lights in LA and Oakland, boat parades in Newport and San Diego, the Nutcracker in San Francisco, Disneyland and Knott's dressed for Christmas — and the camps that cover the weeks school is out. Honest about which ones are free.
Each event has its own page with dates, ages and a direct link to tickets. Boat parades and Christmas in the Park are free.
America's first full-length Nutcracker, set in 1915 San Francisco
LA's own Nutcracker at Royce Hall, Dolby Theatre and Redondo Beach
Immersive light displays and glowing animal lanterns across Griffith Park
Mile-long lantern festival with giant illuminated animals
Interactive one-mile light walk through Descanso Gardens
Haunted Mansion Holiday, Christmas Fantasy Parade and Festival of Holidays
Christmas crafts village, snow on Ghost Town and Charlie Brown Christmas show
100+ decorated yachts circle Newport Harbor over five nights — free from the shore
Decorated boats parade past Shelter Island, Harbor Island and Seaport Village
Holiday lights, entertainment and reindeer at the zoo
Outdoor skating under the giant Union Square Christmas tree
Free downtown holiday village with 500+ decorated trees and a skating rink
Drive-through and walk-through light show at Vasona Lake County Park
Ice skating on the fountain, lights and holiday shows
Artisan holiday village with snow, crafts for kids and Santa
18 California break camps — science centers, zoos, aquariums, children's museums and coding studios. Registration opens six to eight weeks ahead.
Winter and spring break science camps in Golden Gate Park
Holiday and spring break space camps with planetarium time
Winter break and spring break STEAM camps at Bay Area sites
Winter and spring break day camps for younger kids
Coding and game-design camps during winter and spring breaks
LEGO engineering camps over winter and spring break statewide
L.A. Zoo Lights and Enchanted: Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles; Glowfari at Oakland Zoo and Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake in the Bay Area; Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo; Christmas in the Park in San Jose (free).
Christmas in the Park in San Jose, the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade (from the shore) and the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights are free; Union Square's tree and Disneyland's Downtown Disney decorations cost nothing to see.
San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker at the War Memorial Opera House (the first full-length American production) and Los Angeles Ballet's Nutcracker at Royce Hall, the Dolby Theatre and Redondo Beach, both in December.
California Academy of Sciences, Chabot, Kidspace, Discovery Cube, Aquarium of the Pacific, Fleet Science Center and the LA and San Diego zoos all run winter-break day camps, usually for ages 5–12 — see the 18 listings in the break-camps directory.
Most districts close from around December 21 to January 5; LAUSD and San Francisco Unified publish exact dates each spring. Many districts also close for a week in February (ski week).
Light trail, market, show or camp — tell us and we'll add it. Listings are free.