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50-Plus Fun Things to Do in California During the 2026 Holidays

50-Plus Fun Things to Do in California During the 2026 Holidays

Put these festive events, experiences, and shows on your list this season
Posted 12 hours ago
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There’s enough going on in California during the holidays to fill up your calendar from now through the New Year. To help you find the best bets for your crew, we’ve gathered more than 50 things we’re excited to do and see this season. From spectacular boat parades and themed train rides to Santa skiing adventures and over-the-top light displays, here are some merry ways to spend the holidays in the Golden State. 

Check out these events all over the state, along with some offerings unique to Northern, Central, and Southern California.

All Over the State

Watch a holiday boat parade

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
The coastline lights up this time of year with Great Holiday Boat Parades in California. Fancifully illuminated yachts, sailboats, and even rowboats have helped create local holiday traditions in towns such as Newport Beach, Oxnard, and Sausalito, to name just a few.

In coastal towns, you can also easily book a festive evening on the water, like the Harbor Breeze Holiday Cocktail Cruises along the Long Beach waterfront.

Visit a small town with Christmas spirit

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
From Gold Rush towns that look like they came straight out of a Charles Dickens novel to mountain villages covered in snow, check out these 15 California Towns with Holiday Spirit.

Go ice-skating, California-style

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Go skating outside with views of Mt. Shasta, San Francisco, or the Pacific Ocean. Check out these Cool California Outdoor Ice Rinks around the Golden State. 

Visit a zoo after dark

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Discover family-friendly holiday magic at one of the many zoos and wildlife parks in California. Here’s when to visit to enjoy lights and special activities:

Enter a dazzling world of color at California gardens

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Across the Golden State, botanical gardens feature immersive light displays throughout their lush grounds—some are holiday-themed, and some just dazzle with nature or other themes. Spend an evening walking through these, with stops for snacks or drinks (and check out more Holiday Season Light Displays in California):

Celebrate at a  theme park 

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Holiday Celebrations at California Theme Parks bring their own versions of decor, treats, and seasonal shows, some including evening snowfalls of bubbles. Save these dates to plan your trip:

See “The Nutcracker” ballet

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Do visions of sugar plums dance in your head? Book tickets to the Tchaikovsky holiday favorite—the Los Angeles Ballet even offers a set-in-L.A. twist. Check out these productions across the state:

Cruise through a drive-thru event

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Stay cozy in your car and enjoy the lights and displays at attractions all over the state—perhaps parking to get some food-truck cuisine or hot cocoa. Check out these Drive-Thru Holiday Experiences, including Fresno’s famed Christmas Tree Lane. 

Stay at a festive hotel

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Find that home-away-from-home magic at a hotel that does all the cooking, decorating, and sometimes even the shopping for you. Step inside a gingerbread mansion in San Francisco or skate on the beach in San Diego. Check out our list of Family Holidays at California Hotels that pull out all the stops.

Shop local

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Looking for unique gifts that also support a local community? Start your browsing at one of the Awesome Places to Shop Local across California, including a surf shop, a honey farm, and a whimsical toy store.

Run a race in a Santa suit

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
Holiday racers can also get their jollies—and sometimes a free Santa costume—at these fun runs:

Hop on a holiday train

Throughout the season, multiple destinations
All across California, vintage trains decked in holiday lights offer nostalgia-filled adventures. Check their sites for select dates throughout the season:

Northern California

Step into Victorian London

Select dates, Nov. 21–Dec. 20, Daly City
Don your finest capelet or tailcoat and immerse yourself in a holiday fair filled with Dickens-inspired characters, live music, sweet treats, and shopping at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in Daly City, located in San Mateo County.

Listen to the Sacramento Gay Men's Chorus sing holiday hits

Dec. 5, Sacramento
Ring in the season with family-friendly fun at Holiday Hits with a Splash of Sass. Hear popular holiday songs with hilarious twists at this concert extravaganza held at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. 

Shop and dine on Pier 39

Nov. 23–Jan. 10, San Francisco
Pier 39 becomes a winter wonderland with decorated stores and restaurants along Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. The Pier’s 60-foot Christmas tree, typically harvested from Siskiyou County, transforms into a light show set to holiday music every half hour from 5–10 p.m., and many stores are open on Christmas Day.

Wander the Illuminate SF Festival of Lights

Nov. 27–Jan. 31, San Francisco
Public art and holiday spirit converge to create the incredible Illuminate SF Festival of Lights. The event typically features more than 60 glowing light installations placed throughout more than a dozen San Francisco neighborhoods.

Celebrate a Gold Country–style Christmas

Select dates between Nov. 27–Dec. 18, Grass Valley
Grab a glass of mulled wine and head to Downtown Grass Valley for an old-fashioned Cornish Christmas. Browse sparkling window displays, listen to carolers, and keep your eyes peeled for Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Travel to Sonora Christmas Town

Throughout the season, Sonora
Feel like you’ve entered a real-life snow globe in the historic Gold Rush destination of Sonora, which transforms into a festive Christmas Town every year. Enjoy holiday installations, parades, and wagon rides, typically starting in the first days after Thanksgiving with the annual parade.

Santa Train Journeys at Silverado Resort

Select dates, Nov. 28–Dec. 19
Climb aboard the magical Santa Train at the Silverado Resort in Napa, where kids can meet Santa and enjoy holiday stories, treats, and fun activities. This family-friendly journey brings the enchantment of Christmas to life in the scenic Napa Valley.

Watch the lighting of a wine barrel tree

Nov. 25, St. Helena 
If you're in Napa Valley, be sure to make a stop for tastings and a selfie in St. Helena, which marks the season with a 36-foot wine barrel holiday tree built from repurposed Beringer Vineyards barrels. On Nov. 25, the mayor lights the tree for the first time of the season and everyone celebrates with Beringer wine, hot toddies, and small bites created by local chefs.

Do a wine country winter weekend

Starts Dec. 4, Healdsburg
Head to Sonoma County for a Merry Weekend in Healdsburg. The celebration kicks off with a tree lighting and continues with live music and a very merry sidewalk sale. Tuck into Hotel Healdsburg for a holiday tea service, served at the onsite Dry Creek Kitchen Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 5–20.

Stuff your stocking in El Dorado Hills

Dec. 5, El Dorado Hills
Kids get to combine the fun of trick-or-treating with the magic of the holidays in El Dorado Hills, located east of Sacramento. Typically the first 300 children who attend the Christmas Tree Lighting can fill up their stockings with special gifts from local businesses. 

Get a pic with Santa on Wednesdays through Sundays during the holiday season at the nearby California Welcome Center.

Attend the Parade of Lights and Festival of Trees

Dec. 3, Lodi
The wine country town of Lodi kicks off its annual festivities with the Lodi Parade of Lights: More than 80 illuminated floats, marching bands, and dance troupes twinkle their way through downtown, followed by Santa perched on a Lodi fire truck.

Over the following weekend, admire more than 60 Christmas trees trimmed with original designs at the San Joaquin County Historical Museum’s annual event. Docents dressed in Victorian and pioneer attire add to the event’s fun and historic flair.

Get into the spirit at a tractor parade

Dec. 5, Calistoga 
The Napa Valley town of Calistoga hosts a Tractor Light Show Parade—a lineup of illuminated floats that includes tractors as well as construction and utility vehicles. 

Admire Illuminated 18-wheelers

Dec. 12, Eureka
Gaze at glittering Mack trucks and incandescent 18-wheelers during the annual Trucker’s Parade in Eureka. Some trucks require three generators just to support their 40,000-plus adorned lights. Festivities will also include bandstand platforms, dancing reindeer, and flying fish.

Experience a Victorian holiday

Select nights, Dec. 6, 9, 13, 16 & 20, Nevada City
You might feel like you’ve stepped into a holiday time machine in this Gold Country town, where the downtown streets come to life with strolling carolers in full period garb, roasting chestnuts, and vendors offering charming little gifts during the Nevada City Victorian Christmas. Runs on Wednesdays and Sundays.

See America’s tallest living Christmas tree come to light

Dec. 6, Ferndale
This little North Coast town pulls out all the stops come Christmas time. Join this tight-knit community as it watches the lighting of a fir tree that towers more than 160 feet in the air—the tallest living Christmas tree in the United States—complete with complimentary cookies and hot cocoa. Afterward, stroll down the Victorian-style historic downtown lined with garland-wrapped streetlights.
 

Celebrate an Old English Christmas at the Bracebridge Dinners

Select dates from Dec. 8–22, Yosemite
A legendary holiday dinner show, the Bracebridge Dinner is one of the most beloved traditions at The Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park. The Christmas celebrations—inspired by Washington Irving's Sketch Book—first started at the Ahwahnee in 1927 and have grown to include more than 100 performers, Renaissance music, and a seven-course, 18th-century-style feast. 

Spots often sell out, check the website for more details on booking your dinner. Be on the lookout for December 2027 tickets to start becoming available during the 2026 holiday season.

Celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas in Coloma

Dec. 12–13, Coloma
Year-round, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park offers a window back in time to Gold Rush–era California—and the holidays are no exception. At Christmas in Coloma, you can try your hand at wreath-making, ride a horse-drawn wagon, and sing carols around the campfire.

Soak Up the Cheer in Livermore

Throughout the season
See how the Bay Area town of Livermore is turning up its holiday charm. See the Holiday Sights and Sounds Parade (Dec. 5) while enjoying holiday treats and hot cocoa while shopping from local makers. 

Snowshoe to a chalet for dinner

Throughout the winter, Olympic Valley
This winter, join a guided snowshoe tour at Palisades Tahoe, where a local will lead you to a cozy chalet for a four-course Bavarian-inspired meal with optional wine pairings, starting with champagne upon arrival. (21-plus only.)

Stroll a decked-out Union Square

Throughout the season, San Francisco
During the holiday season, San Francisco’s Union Square offers a charming throwback holiday with its Winter Walk. Browse the decor and check out the Bill Graham Menorah (Dec. 4–12) and the larger-than-life Ornament Trail on Powell,  then take a spin on the ice rink (Dec. 6–Jan. 24). 

Be sure to explore Stockton Street between Ellis and Geary Streets for the Winter Walk, a two-block street fair with food trucks, bar gardens, entertainment, and family-friendly activities.

Enjoy a Circus-Style Holiday Show

Nov. 18–Dec. 30, San Francisco
The acclaimed circus collective The 7 Fingers performs the show Dear San Francisco: Home for the Holidays, a seasonally-themed spin on its famous “Dear San Francisco” show set in iconic North Beach, which celebrates historic San Francisco moments from the Gold Rush to the tech boom. 

The 90-minute show at Club Fugazi combines acrobatics, multimedia storytelling, and live music, as well as cameos by members of the SF Gay Men’s Chorus and alums from San Francisco’s long-running musical revue Beach Blanket Babylon. 

Central California

Celebrate Julefest on the Central Coast

Nov. 27–Jan. 3, Solvang
The Danish-heritage town of Solvang looks like the set of a Hallmark movie year-round, but during the holidays it really shines. Celebrate Julefest, starting after Thanksgiving, which features a tree-lighting ceremony, parade, the Solvang Nativity Spectacular, and more. Get in the spirit by purchasing a gingerbread house–making kit at the Solvang Bakery (order ahead to pick up in person).

Take a twilight tour at Hearst Castle

Select dates in Nov. and Dec., San Simeon
Get a glimpse of how mogul William Randolph Hearst used to celebrate the holidays on this guided seasonal tour of the legendary estate in San Simeon. The experience takes visitors through decorated grounds, the guest house, and the social rooms at Casa Grande, complete with giant Christmas trees.

Shop by the Beach

Nov. 21, Pismo Beach
Kick off your holiday shopping at Pismo Beach’s Dolphin Bay Resort, which hosts the Dolphin Bay Holiday Cheer Market: Browse local artisans’ wares from the small businesses that set up shop at on the resort’s north lawn, paired with holiday-themed goodies and a story time with Santa.

The hotel hosts other fun holiday events, too, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and NYE dinners.

Shop all season long in Cambria

Nov. 27–Dec. 31
The Cambria Christmas Market—decorated with 3 million twinkling Christmas lights—offers a variety of local artisan vendors, live music, and food and drink in charming Cambria. 

Watch a big holiday parade in SLO

Dec. 4, San Luis Obispo
Watch the Central Coast’s biggest holiday parade make its way through downtown San Luis Obispo; the 90 floats plus marching bands, dancers, and more will celebrate the parade’s 50th anniversary. Check out more holiday fun in the rest of San Luis Obispo County.

Shop and play in the snow around Paso Robles

Dec. 11-13
In Paso Robles, The Mid-State Fair Market (Dec. 11–13) has its own lineup of local crafters and artisans—think jewelry, art, antiques, and homemade treats.

For snowy fun, head to Sunken Gardens (Dec. 11) in nearby Atascadero to play in 70 tons of man-made snow with a giant snow slide, bungee jumps, obstacle courses, and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Explore a Gilded Age mansion in Fresno

Nov. 20–Jan. 3
Tour the historic Kearney Mansion—built in 1906 by M. Theo Kearney, an agricultural mogul known as the Raisin King—and see the dozen elaborately decorated and themed Christmas trees (Nov. 20–Jan. 3). The Christmas at Kearney festivities also include a Christmas Market with Santa (Dec. 5–6), a Holiday Tea Party (Dec. 12), and a Succulent Social planting workshop (Dec. 18).

Enjoy a Christmas tamale

Dec. 5, Oxnard
Christmas tamales are a beloved holiday tradition in many cultures. Oxnard throws its own masa-wrapped party at its Annual Tamale Festival (Dec. 5), offering both sweet and savory tamales along with a holiday crafts fair, kids activities, and live music in the Central Coast city’s Plaza Park.

Stroll through decorated coastal inns

Dec. 8, Pacific Grove
During the Christmas at the Inns event in Monterey County, you can visit nine bed-and-breakfasts and inns decorated for the holidays. Bring the whole family to enjoy live music and holiday treats as you wander through the picturesque properties. Tickets are $30 per person.

Walk through historic adobes decked in lights

Dec. 11–12, Monterey
Enjoy an Alta California–inspired holiday celebration at the 41st Annual Christmas in the Adobes. Follow candle-lit luminarias to Monterey ’s historic adobes.

During the first four weekends in December (Dec. 4–20), the city also celebrates the 10th Annual Christmas on the Wharf: Admire the 19-foot tree and purchase treats at the free-admission event; enjoy live entertainment from choirs, youth dancers, and singers, as well as Santa sightings at his little house on the Wharf.

Pay homage to the Nation's Christmas Tree

Dec. 13, Kings Canyon National Park
In 1925, the town of Sanger held a holiday celebration under the branches of the General Grant Tree. More than 100 years later  the tradition lives on, always on the second Sunday of December: Head to Kings Canyon National Park where you’ll trek to the awe-inspiring sequoia President Calvin Coolidge named the Nation’s Christmas Tree.

Enjoy a Mariachi Christmas

Dec. 20, Bakersfield
Head to Bakersfield’s historic Fox Theater for evenings of music by acclaimed group Leyendas del Mariachi.

Paddle a Harbor with Santa

Dec. 13, Ventura
Join Santa as he works on his core at this group paddle on Ventura Harbor. Rent a kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or character pedal boat—duck, swan, or dragon—from Ventura Boat Rentals and come dressed in your favorite holiday sweater, Santa hat, or reindeer antlers. The paddle will do a loop from the rental shop to the Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center and back, winding through the marina. 

On shore in Ventura’s Harbor Village, the Winter Wonderland & Holiday Marketplace features Santa meet and greets, live reindeer encounters, faux snow, and plenty of boutiques offering local, artisan-made gifts.

Southern California 

Cheer for the Grinch at the Old Globe Theatre

Nov. 4–Dec. 31, San Diego
Soak up the ambience of Balboa Park’s Old Globe Theatre—modeled after Shakespeare’s London landmark—in this musical version of Dr. Seuss’s holiday tale. (Dr. Seuss, or Theodor Geisel, was a longtime resident of La Jolla.) 

On Dec. 4–5, check out another beloved holiday tradition in San Diego’s city park: December Nights is a two-evening open-air celebration of lights, music, and food vendors.

Immerse yourself in a themed village

Nov. 7–Jan. 10, Skyforest
Year-round you can hike, bike, and ride zip lines at SkyPark at Santa’s Village, located near Lake Arrowhead. But during the holiday season the Inland Empire park transforms into the North Pole, with ice skating, mini train rides, and Christmas-themed puppet shows. There’s even an adorable gingerbread house bakery that serves cookies and cinnamon rolls. 

Make it an event by going to one of the breakfasts with Santa that includes a buffet, a build-your-own-hot-cocoa bar, and pics with Kris Kringle.

Order a holiday cocktail that “sleighs” 

Opens Nov. 12, Carlsbad
Book a stay or even just pop in for a drink at the Omni La Costa resort in Carlsbad, which will host Blitzen’s Pop-Up Bar during the holiday season. Expect festive decor and creative cocktails curated by expert mixologists. Takes place from 5–9 p.m. 

Watch Santa land in a helicopter

Nov. 21, Torrance
Santa will arrive in Torrance early during the holiday season, gliding in aboard a helicopter. After he lands outside the Robinson Helicopter Company HQ, he’ll be available for photos and meet-and-greets; the other festivities at Santa Takes Flight include a toy drive, kids activities, food trucks, and a European-Inspired Christmas Market.

Cheer for Santa as he fends off pirates

Dec. 1–Dec. 31, Buena Park
Buena Park’s family-friendly dinner-theatre venue, Pirates Dinner Adventure, has a holiday story to tell—one where Santa and Mrs. Claus have been captured by pirates and must free themselves to save Christmas. Admission to Pirates Take Christmas includes a four-course dinner and the promise of acrobatics, stunts, and audience participation.

Bask in the lights at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

Nov. 21–Jan. 3, Riverside
Riverside’s grand dame hotel boasts a whopping 10 million lights as part of its annual Festival of Lights. You don’t have to be a hotel guest to stroll the grounds that are also dotted with 200 animated figures, decorated trees, and the world’s largest mistletoe. Don’t miss a stop in the resort’s Candy Lane Store, and consider staying overnight with one of the holiday season packages.

Downtown Riverside offers more holiday cheers at its Festival of Trees (Nov. 24) at the city’s convention center featuring more decorated trees, a holiday marketplace, and seasonal food-and-drink stalls.

Explore a Swiss Winter Village 

Nov. 18 & Nov. 27, Santa Monica and San Diego
Browse the stalls of Swiss Winter Village—two European-style Christmas markets that have serious street cred, having been created by the organizers behind several of Switzerland’s actual holiday markets. 

The two villages will debut in both San Diego (at former naval base Liberty Station) and in Santa Monica at the Santa Monica Pier. Expect dozens of artisan booths, an ice rink, and food and drink vendors, including a chalet-style Swiss raclette spot with a fireplace, couches, and heaps of molten cheese scraped over potatoes and bread.

Meet Surfin’ Santa in San Diego

Nov. 28, San Diego
The man famous for his red suit and sleigh shows up on a watercraft wearing a Hawaiian shirt at the annual Surfin’ Santa parade and meet and greet in Seaport Village, just outside downtown San Diego.

Watch a candy cane demo

Throughout the season, Ontario
Opened in 1933, Logan’s Candies in Ontario is known for its unforgettable candy-cane-making demonstration. Watch as owner (and now-TikTok star) Jerry Rowley creates the store’s most iconic item. Try sweet samples as he walks you through the mesmerizing process of forming this iconic red-and-white-striped treat. The demo ends with the bending of your very own warm candy cane.

Experience Temecula’s Wine Country Holiday

Throughout the season, Temecula
Enjoy Temecula’s cowboy culture-meets-wine country ambience during its Holiday Taste of Old Town event (Dec. 3), where your ticket grants you admission to a street fair with holiday lights, live music, and free goodies and discounts at participating restaurants and businesses. 

You could easily build a whole day or weekend around the fun at the nearby winery resort Europa Village. Explore its European Holiday Market while noshing on empanadas and spiced hot chocolate, then have dinner at Giardino del Cielo, where you can enjoy a prix fixe, family-style dinner for up to eight inside a private igloo.

Check out more Temecula Holiday Chilled events including the GrapeSeed Spa shopping event at South Coast Winery, Santa’s Electric Light Parade, and the Grape Drop on New Year’s Eve.

Stroll a European-style market 

Dec. 5–6, Thousand Oaks
Feel transported to a European winter market during Holidays In The Village, A European Marketplace (Dec. 5–6), an annual tradition at The Oaks in Conejo Valley. Do some holiday shopping among the 60 artisan shops and fortify yourself with bratwurst, soft pretzels, French pastries, and Glühwein (mulled wine), as well as cider and hot cocoa. 

Families will love the Kris Kringle Village, with its crafts, a holiday train, and meet-and-greets with Kris and Mrs. Kringle. 

Enter a gingerbread competition

Dec. 5, Santa Ana 
Tap into your creativity and enter the Science of Gingerbread Competition at Discovery Cube Orange County in Santa Ana. Guests can browse the constructions and learn about the science behind winter weather. 

Go all-in on tamales

Dec. 5–6, Indio 
For all your masa cravings, head to the Indio Tamale Festival. A tradition for more than 30 years, the festival near Palm Springs offers live mariachi music, the world’s biggest bounce house, and a sprawling night market.

Ride a tram, hang out with Santa

Throughout December, Palm Springs
Climb 6,000 feet on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and be greeted by expansive mountain views and a breakfast with Santa on Dec. 7 and 14. 

If you’re in downtown Palm Springs on a Thursday, be sure to stroll down Palm Canyon Drive, where the weekly VillageFest embraces the holidays on Dec. 3 (cookies with Mrs. Claus); Dec. 10 (VillageFest Holiday performance); and Dec. 17 (Santa comes to VillageFest) amid twinkling lights, festive decorations, and unique handcrafted gifts.

Hear a brass Christmas concert

Dec. 8, Costa Mesa
The award-winning ensemble Canadian Brass will perform a concert of both classical music and new holiday classics in Costa Mesa. The program at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall may include works such as Mozart’s overture to "The Magic Flute" and Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time Is Here.” 

Hear the ‘Messiah’ in Spanish

Dec. 11–13, San Diego
Experience the holiday season classic in a different way: San Diego’s Bach Collegium will present performances of Handel’s Messiah/El Mésias, including one in Spanish; the concerts will take place at three different venues around the city, including La Jolla’s Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center.

Stroll the real Stars Hollow from ‘Gilmore Girls’

Dec. 12–Jan. 3, Hollywood 
The charming town of Stars Hollow is located on the backlot at Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood—and you can come experience it in all of its seasonal glory. This year’s Gilmore Girls Holidays will feature an expanded footprint and new experiences including Luke’s Apartment, the Chilton School Graduation Courtyard, Gilmore Estate and Rory’s Basket Auction. 

While you’re there you can partake of  special merch and themed food and drinks, such as Stars Hollow Creamery shakes inspired by Dean, Jess, and Logan. Scott Patterson (who played Luke) will make special appearances too.

Dance and ride rides at a Christmas-themed music festival

Dec. 12, San Diego
If the holiday spirit makes you want to party, head to SantaCon, a Christmas-themed electronic-and-house music festival at San Diego’s beachside Belmont Park. Check out the lineup of a dozen musical acts and ride all the rides at this old-school amusement park, home of the nearly century-old Giant Dipper roller coaster.

Families will love the free-admission amusement park this time of year during its Winter Wonder, with its combination of twinkling lights, seasonal sweets—like a red velvet funnel cake—and holiday makeovers of attractions, including Peppermint Putt Putt and the Polar Plunge at the park’s Plunge Pool.

Holiday lunch & tour beneath Air Force One 

Dec. 17, Simi Valley
Enjoy a holiday lunch at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley: Have a festive lunch next to Air Force One, tour the museum’s exhibits, and take in live music. The museum typically has special holiday trees, like a Gold Star Family Memorial Tree, which welcomes ornaments from Gold Star families.

See the Capistrano Lights

Dec. 18–30, San Juan Capistrano
On select December evenings, Mission San Juan Capistrano comes alive under colorful lights. The 10-foot wreath, large-scale nativity scene, and Dickens-style carolers make for excellent family photo backdrops.

Laugh your way through a holiday comedy show

Select dates in December, Los Angeles County
Embrace the funny moments of the season while checking out serious talent in Los Angeles, a hotbed for California comedy clubs. A good place to start: Head to Melrose Ave. for the Groundlings’ holiday annual shows; check the venue’s calendar for the latest dates and lineups.

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