Magical Places to See Holiday Lights in Los Angeles in 2026!
Where can you see holiday lights in and near Los Angeles?
(Updated for 2026) The holiday season in Los Angeles comes alive with glittering lights, festive decor, and immersive displays that bring out the magic in every neighborhood. If you’re searching for the best places to experience holiday lights in and around L.A., this list has everything from classic displays to unique light shows. Grab your friends, family, or a special someone, and check out these festive spots where you can truly feel the holiday spirit!
BIG list of places to see holiday lights in and near LA:
Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA
Rodeo Drive kicks off the season with its Holiday Lighting Celebration on Thursday, November 19, 2026, when the palm trees along the famous stretch between Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards are wrapped in white lights and oversized ornaments, joined by the shining Holiday Helpers display. The decor is free to visit and typically stays up into early January, though the exact 2026–27 end date hasn't been announced yet — check rodeodrive-bh.com closer to the new year for the last night to see it.
Downtown Santa Monica
Downtown Santa Monica's Winterlit is expected to return for the 2026 season, transforming the Third Street Promenade, 2nd Street, and 4th Street with tens of thousands of lights, decorations, and garland. Downtown Santa Monica Inc. hadn't posted exact 2026 dates as of late September — check downtownsm.com closer to the holidays for this year's schedule.
Dell Avenue, Venice
The bridges and many of the homes in the surrounding canal have gorgeous lights that make for a wonderful evening stroll. You really get into the spirit of the season at this place!
5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
LA Zoo Lights returns November 20, 2026 through January 10, 2027, nightly from 6 to 10 p.m., with an immersive landscape of lantern sculptures, blooming lights, and photo-ready displays throughout the Zoo. This year's calendar includes a Sensory-Inclusive Night on December 8 and a Pride Night on December 17. Tickets run $25 for ages 13 and up, $15 for ages 2–12, and are free for children under 2 — entry is date- and time-specific, so book ahead at lazoo.org.
26800 W Mulholland Hwy., Calabasas, CA 91302
Holiday Road is not happening this year, so there's no walk-through light experience at this address for the 2026 season. Holiday Road will return with the full Holiday Road experience in 2027 — we'll update this listing as soon as it's back.
309 Palm St, Newport Beach, CA 92661
Celebrate the season seaside-style at the 118th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, running Wednesday through Sunday, December 16–20, 2026, with decorated yachts, sailboats, kayaks, and canoes cruising the harbor most nights around 6:30 p.m. Opening night (Dec. 16) kicks off with fireworks off the Newport Pier, and this year adds drone shows at Balboa Bay Club and Peninsula Park. Marina Park (1600 W. Balboa Blvd.) is one of the best free viewing spots — bundle up, grab some hot cocoa, and watch SoCal's most iconic holiday tradition float by!
700 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Sparkle DTLA at The Bloc lights up 18 million hues synchronized to festive music for one of LA's largest interactive holiday displays — free to attend and open to all ages (furry friends welcome, too). The Bloc hadn't posted 2026 dates as of late September (last year's show started December 6); check theblocla.com for this year's kickoff date.
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
Holidays at Universal CityWalk brings a towering, LED-icicle-draped Christmas tree and a choreographed holiday water-and-light show at the “5 Towers” plaza each winter, typically running from late November through early January. Universal Studios Hollywood hadn't announced exact 2026 dates as of late September — check universalstudioshollywood.com closer to the season.
13650 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292
The 64th Annual Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade sails Saturday, December 12, 2026, themed “Hollywood Under the Stars,” with a light show opening the evening before the decorated boats circle the main channel. Exact start times hadn't been posted as of late September (last year's show began around 6 p.m.) — check mdrboatparade.org for this year's schedule, and watch from Burton Chace Park or anywhere along the channel.
Lubao & Oxnard Streets, Woodland Hills, CA
Candy Cane Lane is a group of homeowners on Lubao & Oxnard Streets in Woodland Hills who, each year, collectively put on a fantastic holiday display of lights and decorations. For over 60 years, these eight blocks have been lit up. The displays light up stars on the second Saturday in December and last through the end of the year.
Seaside Ranchos neighborhood in South Torrance
Tucked away in South Torrance, the 'sleepy hollow' neighborhood known for its idyllic elm trees is home to the spectacular annual holiday lights display. This family tradition is brought to you by the residents of Seaside Ranchos and can be driven or walked by visitors. Displays traditionally go up Thanksgiving weekend and stay lit through January 1, nightly from 5 to 10 p.m., though exact 2026 dates hadn't been confirmed as of late September.
309 Palm St # A, Newport Beach, CA 92661
Experience Newport Harbor in complete holiday décor aboard a decorated Newport Landing cruise, viewing multi-million-dollar waterfront estates and vessels wrapped in thousands of lights. For 2026, cruises run December 4 through January 1, with nightly departures at 5:30, 7:00, and 8:30 p.m. (about 75 minutes each); general admission runs $36 for adults, $32 for juniors, and $10 for infants on non-peak nights, with private charters also available — book at newportlanding.com.
34571 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629
Join the 51st Annual Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights on December 11, 12, and 13, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. nightly, themed “Harboritaville” this year. Watch for free from the harbor's boardwalk and parkscapes, or book a holiday boat parade charter cruise for a closer look — either way, it's a one-of-a-kind local holiday tradition.
3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside 92501
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa's Festival of Lights is one of the nation's largest holiday light collections, voted "Best Public Lights Display" by USA Today. Every year, the festival grows in popularity, drawing visitors from across the region to downtown Riverside.
The 34th Annual Mission Inn Festival of Lights kicks off with a switch-on ceremony on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 5 p.m. (arrive by 4:30), and the display continues into early January. New this year: Breakfast with Santa at The Steakhouse, a Holiday Marketplace, and Lights and Delights walking tours; the on-site ice rink runs $20 per skater including rental. Check missioninn.com for the full schedule.
88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
WinterFest OC transforms the OC Fair & Event Centre into a winter wonderland with oversized holiday decor, more than a million lights, and endless photo ops. The 2026 season runs November 27, 2026 through January 3, 2027 on select dates, with new additions including unlimited ice skating, an expanded Inflatable Land, and Polar Putt-Putt mini golf bundled with the Bounce Pass — check winterfestoc.com for tickets and the full calendar.
26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Capistrano Lights returns for select nights from December 18–30, 2026 (dark on December 24, 25, 28 and 31), with a brand-new digital projection show, The Story of the Mission ~ In Sound and Light, that turns the ruins of the Great Stone Church into a canvas retelling the mission's history after dark. Your ticket also covers daytime admission, the nightly tree lighting, Dickens-era carolers, a nativity scene, and Santa visits through December 23. General admission runs $16–$23 depending on age (kids 4 and under are free), Mission members pay just $10, and the grounds close at 7 p.m. on event nights. The City of San Juan Capistrano kicks off the season with its own tree lighting on Saturday, December 5 — see the city's website for details.
1015 N Michillinda Ave, Pasadena, CA 91107
Drive through the neighborhood of Upper Hastings Ranch and enjoy a festival of lights and parkway displays that began back in 1951, when a few Ranch families decorated their driveways with luminaria to guide Santa Claus. The tradition has continued every December since — including in 2025, its 74th year — with themed streets and creative homemade decorations throughout the neighborhood; exact 2026 dates hadn't been posted as of late September, so check closer to December.
Shields Avenue and Shaw
Catch Fresno's seasonal tribute to the holidays, Christmas Tree Lane, along a 2-mile stretch of Van Ness Boulevard between Shields and Shaw Avenues, where roughly 140 homes deck themselves out in dazzling lights. It's free to drive or walk, though donations are welcome. The display traditionally opens in early December; 2026 dates hadn't been announced as of late September, so check christmastreelane.com before you go.
5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine, CA 92612
Join Hikari for a celebration filled with joy and light at Tanaka Farms! Loosely translated, Hikari means "shine" in Japanese, and each holiday season the farm glows with over a million twinkling lights. Enjoy a cozy wagon ride through the “Land of a Thousand Lanterns,” then wander the light displays and photo spots on foot before making your way to the Gingerbread Forest. Tanaka Farms typically opens the display the day after Thanksgiving; 2026 dates, hours, and ticket prices hadn't been posted as of late September — check tanakafarms.com/pages/hikari closer to the season.
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