When the holiday Season starts, Rubí can’t wait for the start of the Holiday Light Displays in SoCal. We both look forward to them every year! In Southern California we are blessed with a multitude of inspiring options to go see, and we’ve put together a list of light displays that we hope we can enjoy this year. Check out our list of Holiday Light Displays in Southern California to see which sounds exciting to you, and let us know in the comments below!
Nov 20th 2022 – Jan 8th 2023: Enchanted Garden of Light at Descanso Gardens
First up on our list is the Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles county. Enchanted Forest of Light starts on November 20th and runs all the way up until January 8th , excluding Nov 24th Christmas Eve, and Christmas.
This event is a 1 mile walk through with multiple unique lighting experiences. You can see a video on their website of the different light displays you can expect.
When we visited we saw sparkling geometric installations, a small town worth of houses made in a “stained glass” style, exquisite lighting in the Ancient Forest and so much more! It has definitely been a highlight of our Christmas Season! We even enjoyed their snacks and beverages (though the pretzel was a little too salty for Rubi’s taste, we both loved the bread pudding!) You can see a little of how much fun we had at Enchanted Forest of Light as we featured our footage as part of our “Christmas in Southern California: Top Things to See and Do” YouTube video.
It’s worth noting that the tickets must be purchased online in advance, AND that it is a NON-refundable RAIN-OR SHINE event but it sure was worth it to us!
- Name: Enchanted Garden of Light
- When: November 20th 2022 to January 8th 2023 from 5:30pm to 10pm
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Location: Descanso Gardens
[ 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011] - Website: Descanso Gardens Enchanted Forest of Light
- Other Details:
- General admission tickets are $40 each (children under 2 are free, but still require a free ticket purchased)
- Tickets must be purchased online and in advance and are date and entry time specific (every 30 minutes) with last entry at 8:30pm (event closes 10pm)
- The event has a
rain or shine
policy since its outdoors. If you don’t want to go due to inclement weather they ask that you consider your tickets a donation (no refunds, no rescheduling) - No outside food or drink is permitted (food and drink available are for sale within the event grounds)
Nov 23rd – Dec 30th 2022: WildLights at the Living Desert Zoo
We attended WildLights at the Living Desert Zoo in 2021 and had a blast (you can check out our youtube vlog about it here)! In Palm Desert (near Palm Springs), WildLights has previously won recognition as one of the top 5 Best Zoo Lights by USA Today. You will find large animal-shaped lanterns, beautifully lit pathways, a carousel, smore’s stations and other themed treats, grab a free souvenir photo with Santa and more. There is even a 1:24 scale model train, with 3,300 feet of track, that is decked out for the holidays!
- Name: WildLights
- When: Open October 25th & 26th December 2nd & 3rd, 9th & 10th and then December 16th through 30th (excluding the 25th). Entry times 6pm to 9pm
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Location: The Living Desert Zoo
[ 47900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert CA 92260] - Website: WildLights at the Living Desert Zoo
- Other Details:
- $16 General Admission, $14 Member Ticket $12 Child Ticket (3-12 years old, children under 3 are free)
- Tickets are Date and entry time specific (every half hour from 6pm to 8pm)
- Park closes and empties at 5pm for WildLights; daytime entrance does not provide entry to WildLights (WildLights entry must be purchased separately)
Nov 25th 2022 – Jan 6th 2023: 30th Annual Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn
The Mission Inn Festival of Lights, once voted by USA today as Best Public Light Display, is one you don’t want to miss! We went there last year and the sights were absolutely beautiful to take in. Now in its 30th year, the Mission Inn website claims that The Festival of Lights is one of the nation’s largest holiday light collections! For us it was worth the drive, especially once the sun went down; it was quite a sight! There are an amazing array of lights covering the front of the Inn, and quite a few to be found as you walk all the way around the city-block sized hotel.
In Pre-Covid times, along Main Street (a Pedestrian walkway to the east of the Inn that continues up to the Riverside City Hall) there were vendors selling food and also light-up toys and balloons. When we went there was only one or two vendors selling the light-up toys and balloons, but hopefully this year it will return to a much bigger and more lively event! Main Street had a number of sculptures and holiday decorations itself, so it was also worth time to explore. A tip from us: There are a couple of nice coffee shops across from the Inn where you can grab a hot drink, especially if you come early to get easier parking.
The best thing about this event?: It’s free! There is no charge to view the lights, though they do ask that visitors don’t disturb the patrons staying at the inn.
- Name: 30th Annual Festival of Lights
- When: November 25th 2022 to January 6th 2023 (lights turn on at dusk)
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Location: Mission Inn
[ 3700-3662 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA 92501]] - Website: Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn
- Other Details:
- This is a free family event!
- Various options for parking (including street parking) can be found within a short walking distance for minimal cost (Quarters or Credit card).
- The event can be quite popular so be prepared for crowds.
Dec 1st – 31st 2022: Santa’s Speedway at Irwindale Speedway
Santa’s Speedway at Irwindale Speedway was a drive-thru lighting experience last year, which this year has been converted to a walkthrough Holiday Light Display experience! Located in Irwindale in Los Angeles county and running most nights from December 1st to December 31st one of the most unique features of this experience is that you get to be on a NASCAR racetrack!
Highlights from last year included three different LED light tunnels, 3-story high drive-thru ornaments, a 30ft tall Teddy Bear made of lights, Under the Sea Land (an ocean of Lights), and much more! It will be interesting to see how they adapt it for walking through the displays this year: for example it is mentioned on the website that the concessions are now in-person (previously it was drive-through style). There is also mention of a Christmas Village where you can buy dinner and drinks!
- Name: Santa's Speedway
- When: Open most days from December 1st to December 31st 2022, starting at 5pm. (Not open 5th,m 6th 12th and 13th)
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Location: Irwindale Speedway
[ 500 Speedway Dr, Irwindale, CA 91706] - Website: linkme
- Other Details:
Dec 14th – Dec 18th 2022: 114th Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade
The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade has been described as one of the largest boat parades in the country! Hundreds of ships of all sizes participate, decorating with lights and lanterns to win awards for over half a dozen categories. On top, many of the bayfront estates decorate to compete in their Ring of Lights competition!
According to the website, the boat parade tradition is over 100 years old. The opening night and closing night both will include fireworks! You can see the parade from various areas of the shore, or you can opt to purchase a 75minute holiday cruise to enjoy all the boats and the decorations of the Bayfront estates from the water starting from just $32 per person!
- Name: Newport Beach Boat Parade
- When: Dec 14th to December 18th with three parades nightly at 5:30pm, 7:05pm and 8:30pm
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Location: Balboa Peninsula and Balboa Island (general area)
[ 309 Palm St Newport Beach CA 92661] - Website: Newport Beach Boat Parade
- Other Details:
- Public viewing from the shoreline is free! There is a downloadable PDF map on the website. Briefly described, there is viewing from Marina Park, Edgewater, the Balboa Village boardwalk, and the shores of Little Balboa Island to name just a few places.
- It is possible to buy a ticket to cruise as a passenger to view the parade from the water starting from $32, or to just view the lights of the houses from the water (without the parade) from $20.
Dec 10th 2022 – Early January 2023: Christmas Tree Lane in Altadena
Designated Historic Landmark #990 back in 1990, Christmas Tree Lane is the oldest large-scale Christmas lighting spectacle in Southern California. The more than 120 magnificent Deodar (cedrus deodara) trees still standing from the original 134 planted over 135 years ago are draped in lights by volunteers every year under the guidance of the Christmas Tree Lane Association of Altadena.
This year on the 10th of December they are holding the 100th Annual Lighting Ceremony and Winter Festival at the Altadena Public Library, after which the trees will stay lit in the evenings until an undisclosed time in early January of 2023. The winter festival is said to offer food and beverages as well as local arts and craft vendors. The tree lighting ceremony starts at 6pm and the lights will turn on at 8:30pm!
- Name: Christmas Tree Lane - Altadena
- When: Evenings from December 10th 2022 until early January 2023 (estimated January 8th)
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Location: Santa Rosa Avenue, Altadena
[ E Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA 91001] - Website: The Christmas Tree Lane Association of Altadena website
- Other Details:
- This is a free community event! There is food and drink available for purchase on site during the Lighting Ceremony and Winter Festival at the Public LIbrary.
- Street parking is available nearby during the Winter Festival and Lighting Ceremony.
If you want to find more about the Holiday Events and Christmas Festivals in Southern California Check out our master list or read one of the other Event articles in this series below:
- Master List for the Holiday Season in Southern California 2022
- Festive Christmas Events in Southern California in 2022
- Christmas at the SoCal Theme Parks
- Bonus Holiday and Christmas Activities in Southern California in 2022
Or watch our Youtube video here where we present the highlights of our list… and don’t forget to like and subscribe!
If you’ve been to any of the Christmas and Holiday events above, let us know in the comments below what you thought of them, or what you enjoyed the most. If there is an event that you’ve been to (and loved!) that we missed, please share about it with us here so we can go and check it out as well!