Nov 23^rd – Dec 30^th 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!

Nov 25^th 2022 – Jan 6^th 2023: 30^th 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 30^th 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.

Dec 1^st – 31^st 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 1^st to December 31^st 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!

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!

Dec 10^th 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!