The SoCal Holiday Plan for Families, Week by Week

The holidays in Southern California don't look like anywhere else. It can be 70 degrees, the boats have Christmas lights, and you can skate on a beachfront lawn one day and be in actual snow by the weekend. There's a lot to do. The hard part is that the good stuff doesn't all happen at once, and some of it sells out weeks ahead.

So here's the whole season in order, from now through New Year's Day. Start with the short list of things to book early, then use the rest week by week. Dates and prices come from organizers' own 2026 pages where they've published them, but plans change, so check the link before you drive.

Book these first

• Holiday trains. The Polar Express in Perris is on sale now. Irvine Park's Christmas Train warns that it will sell out, so look for open slots today. North Pole Limited in Campo runs weekends Nov 27 to Dec 20 and is the museum's most popular event.
• MOXI's Noon Year's Eve in Santa Barbara. Tickets go on sale Nov 10 at noon. It's the kind of New Year's Eve plan that lets everyone sleep.
• Turkey trots. Some races raise prices as race day gets closer, so pick one of the 30 near you soon.
• Irvine Park's Train of Lights. Sales open Monday, Dec 7 at 10am, and it's expected to sell out. Put it on your calendar now.
• Winter break camps. Long Beach Winter Fun Days is free for ages 5 to 12, and registration opens Dec 7. More camps and break dates are in our guide.

Nov 10 to 20: skates on

Holiday rinks are the first real sign of the season. We track 28 rinks across SoCal, including helper and age rules, which matter more than you'd think with little kids. Four to start with:

Nov 21 to 22: the season opens

• Mission Inn Festival of Lights, Riverside. Opening night is Saturday, Nov 21. The city lists the festival through Dec 31, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the hotel lists it through Jan 3, 2027.
• Seal Beach tree lighting. Saturday, Nov 21, 4 to 7pm.
• Christmas Market at Old World, Huntington Beach. Santa is there Nov 15, Nov 28 and 29, Dec 5 and 6, Dec 12 and 13, and Dec 19 and 20.
• Cut-your-own trees. Peltzer Pines in Silverado opens Nov 21 (cash or check only, and you can choose a tree early and pick it up later). Sand Haven Pines in Perris opens the same day. All 11 farms and lots are in our guide.

Thanksgiving week: Nov 23 to 29

Thursday morning is turkey trot time. The Little Gobbler's 1K in Rancho Mission Viejo is $16.90, and Dana Point's 1-mile Gobble Wobble is for ages 2 to 12. If family is in town and you've run out of ideas by Friday, our Thanksgiving guide covers what's open and what's closed.

• Bowers Museum, Santa Ana. Open Friday to Sunday, and kids under 12 are free with a paying adult.
• Underwood Family Farms, Moorpark. Christmas on the Farm opens Friday, Nov 27, with tree sales, wagon rides and Santa on weekends. Farmakis Farms in San Juan Capistrano opens for trees the same day.
• Liberty Station tree lighting, San Diego. Friday, Nov 27, 5 to 9pm.
• Winter Fest OC, Costa Mesa. Opens Friday, Nov 27.
• Hollywood Christmas Parade. Sunday, Nov 29.

December: pick a night for lights

We've mapped 280 Christmas light displays across SoCal, from neighborhood streets to drive-through shows, with free and ticketed clearly marked. That's 93 in Orange County, 67 in Los Angeles, 46 in San Diego and 45 in the Inland Empire, plus Ventura and Santa Barbara. Neighborhood displays cost nothing but gas and cocoa, so they're the easy weeknight plan.

If you're after a photo with the big guy, we also keep a guide on where to see Santa.

Dec 5 to 13: parades and traditions

• Palm Springs Festival of Lights. Saturday, Dec 5, 5:45pm on Palm Canyon Drive.
• Belmont Shore Christmas Parade, Long Beach. Saturday, Dec 5, 6 to 9pm, free with no tickets.
• Giant Menorah Lighting, Long Beach. Sunday, Dec 6, 4pm at 2nd & PCH, free.
• Hanukkah Festival at the Skirball, Los Angeles. Sunday, Dec 6, noon to 5pm.
• Una Noche de Las Posadas, Santa Barbara. Friday, Dec 11, 7 to 9pm, free.

More parades and tree lightings and Hanukkah, Las Posadas and Kwanzaa events are on our guides, so you can find what's closest to you.

Mid-December: shows on stage and on ice

• Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, Redondo Beach: Dec 10 to 13
• American Ballet Theatre, Costa Mesa: Dec 10 to 24
• Disney On Ice, Anaheim: Dec 11 to 14
• Long Beach Ballet: Dec 12 to 20
• Sensory-friendly Nutcracker by LA Ballet: Dec 26, 2pm

All 49 family holiday shows are in one place if none of these fit.

Dec 11 to 20: the lights float

Boat parades are the most SoCal thing on this list, and watching from shore costs nothing. Bring a blanket, because it gets cold on the water at night.

Newport is the big one, with five nights. Fireworks go off Newport Pier at about 6:15pm on opening night, Dec 16, if conditions are safe. To time it with kids, arrive just before the boats reach your spot: roughly 6:54pm at Marina Park, 7:15pm at the Fun Zone, 7:45 to 8:11pm on Balboa Island and 8:46pm at Lido Marina Village. Those times are approximate, so check the official map.

Winter break: Dec 18 on

Most SoCal schools are out starting Dec 21, and LAUSD is out for three full weeks. Our winter break guide has district dates and camps. A few ways to start it:

• San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Wild Holidays runs Dec 18 to 23.
• San Diego Zoo. Jungle Bells starts Saturday, Dec 19.
• Newport Beach Winter Day Camp. $113 for each 3-day week.
• Aquarium of the Pacific camp. $220 for Dec 28 to 31, ages 7 to 12.
• Snow. Grizzly Ridge Tube Park in Big Bear is $39 to $64 per session, and riders must be 42 inches tall. Snow Valley Snow Play in Running Springs is $20 to $29 all day with no height limit, so it works for toddlers. Check snow and chain rules before you drive. More in our snow guide.

Christmas Day: what's actually open

Christmas morning can be over by 10am. If the kids are restless by then, these are open on Dec 25:

• San Diego Zoo: open until 8pm, with Jungle Bells
• LEGOLAND California: open, with Christmas Bricktacular
• Skating by the Sea, Hotel del Coronado: 10am to 10pm, $45 with skates
• Santa Monica Pier: free to walk, 6am to 11pm

Closed that day: the L.A. Zoo and Cabrillo National Monument.

Rose Parade week: Dec 28 to Jan 1

The best parts for kids may happen before New Year's Day. From Dec 28 to 30, Decorating Places lets you walk past the floats while volunteers finish them. Equestfest on Tuesday, Dec 29 is your chance to watch the parade's horses and riders perform. The 138th Rose Parade starts at 8am on Friday, Jan 1, and it's free from the curb. Curbside camping opens at noon on Dec 31. Our Rose Parade guide covers the whole week.

New Year's Eve, no midnight required

You don't have to keep the kids up to ring in 2027. We rounded up 48 New Year's Eve and New Year's Day options, including noon countdowns, early fireworks and free city parties. Three easy ones:

• Temecula Grape Drop: 5:30 to 9:30pm, with a drone-show countdown at 9pm
• Big Bear Torchlight Parade at Snow Summit: free viewing, 6 to 10pm
• Queen Mary fireworks over Long Beach Harbor: midnight, for the older kids

One more thing

We're giving away a $100 Amazon gift card, with one winner drawn on Jan 1, 2027. It's free to enter, and you'll get our weekly email of family things to do near you. No purchase necessary, U.S. residents 18 and older. Amazon is not a sponsor.

If you find something great that isn't here, tell us. We'd like this list to get better every year.

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