SF Bay Area Holiday Bucket List

East Bay

  • Menorah Lighting- December 14, 5-7pm

  • Northgate Church (Benicia)

    Christmas Light Show- A magical display of Christmas lights with music, lasers, and more! Enjoy the show from your car. Tune in on your FM Radio to listen along as Larry the Lightbulb walks you through an entertaining Christmas show! December 1-21

    Free but reserve tickets at thisis.church/events

  • Telegraph Ave (Berkeley)- Holiday Street Fair- Starting December 9

  • Downtown Danville- Lighting of the Old Oak Tree- November 24, 5:15-8pm

  • Civic Center (Dublin)- Holiday Tree Lighting- Enjoy performances by local musicians and dancers, and help count down as the 30-foot holiday tree is illuminated. Be sure to be on the lookout for a special guest from the North Pole!  November 30, 6pm

  • Breakfast with Santa- Families are invited to enjoy a delicious hot pancake breakfast served with sausage, fruit, coffee, and juice, followed by the arrival of Santa Claus!  Santa will pose for holiday photos following each session. Purchase your ticket here. December 2

  • Main Street (Fremont)- Niles Festival of Lights Parade- This wonderful holiday tradition features over 60 unique floats and other entries, marching bands, specialty service units, costumed characters and of course, an appearance by the man himself, Santa Clause - November 24, 6pm

  • Downtown Lafayette- It’s a Wonderful Life in Lafayette Holiday Celebration-This FREE, fun, family-friendly celebration includes Santa sightings, free train rides on the Lafayette Express, official holiday tree lighting ceremony, one-of-a-kind photo ops, live musical entertainment, kid’s crafts, holiday treats and more! Arrive early and plan to stay! December 3, 4:30-6:30pm

  • Downtown Livermore

    -Holiday Village in the Park (Carnegie Park)- Twinkling booths will be set up around Carnegie Park where you can partake in holiday treats, gifts, food faire and experiences. Fun kids activities and family fun for everyone! The Gazebo will be hosting Santa Visits for free. They will also have special visits from some fun holiday characters! The Gingerbread Girl and The Candy Girl will be joining the festivities. December 1, 4-8pm

    -Holiday Sights and Sounds Parade and Tree Lighting- Enjoy floats and performances by local businesses, bands, schools, clubs, and more. December 2, 6pm

  • Downtown Martinez- Holiday Tree Lighting & Movie Night- Tree lighting activities from 4pm-5:30pm. There will be a snow globe photo booth, Character appearances & photos with the Grinch and Cindy Lu Who and holiday music. Tree lighting starts at 5:30pm. November 25

Glowfari

  • Glowfari (Oakland Zoo)- This wildly popular, family-friendly experience is back with hundreds of ALL new, larger-than-life animal lanterns throughout the Zoo. November-January (visit Oaklandzoo.com for details and tickets)

    Adults $26, Kids $22, under 2 free 

Oakland Temple Hill

  • Christmas Party for Kids- December 4
    Nutcracker- December 15-16

    Reserve free tickets and see other events here.

  • Jack London Square (Oakland)- Holiday Tree Lighting- Photos with Santa, Frosty, Holiday Teddy Bear and The Peppermint Princess, laser light show and live performances. December 2, 5:45-8pm

  • Fairyland (Oakland)- Fairy Winterland- Starting December 15

  • City Center (San Ramon)- Tree Lighting Ceremony- December 1, 6-7pm

    Tilden Park Merry Go Round (Tilden Park)- Christmas Carousel- November 24-January 7 *check page for times/dates and other special events such as breakfast with Santa.

  • Broadway Plaza (Walnut Creek)- Holiday Parade of Lights & Tree Lighting- Activities from 5:30pm-7pm. The Grinch, Jack Frost, Elsa and Anna will be available for Meet & Greets near the Christmas Tree. 7pm-8pm is the holiday parade and tree lighting. November 30


*Events outside of the East Bay

Dollie and Me Tea

Gilroy Gardens

San Francisco​​

Grace Cathedral

Pier 39

  • Pier 39 is fantastic fun with its beautiful tree and holiday entertainment

    Decorated from Nov 21-Jan 7

Sugar Castle

Santa Suite

Gingerbread House

  • Entwined in Golden Gate Park- Located in Peacock Meadow from December 7, 2023 through April 28, 2024

  • City Hall Christmas Tree- December 6, 4-7pm on the calendar for this year’s Annual Civic Center Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting! 

  • Let’s Glow SF, the country’s largest holiday projection event!

    Dec 1 - First Night 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Dec 2-10, 2023 from 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

  • Elf Movie Party with themed games, props, and singing loud for all to hear. Showing on 11/16, 11/19, 12/6, 12/16, 12/17 and 12/23. Reserve your tickets ahead of time.

North Bay

  • Merry Meritage: Go ice skating at Meritage Resort Nov 17- Jan 7, Merry Meritage also has these amazing outdoor igloos to enjoy hot chocolate in! The scenery is beautiful and straight out of a hallmark movie!

  • Napa Valley Wine Train, enjoy Santa Train Jolly journeys! With different trips such Santa’s Cookie Car, Gourmet Express, Jingle on the Rails and Very Merry Vista Dome, there’s a train trip for everyone! Book early, tickets sell out fast.

  • Festival Napa Valley’s performance on The Nutcracker!

    Dec 15-17 at Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center

The Nutcracker

  • Imaginarium 360 in sac expo- Nov 17- Jan 7 at 1600 Exposition Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95815

    Select Weds: 5:00pm – 10:00pm | Thur: 5:00pm – 10:00pm | Fri- Sat: 5:00pm – 11:00pm | Sunday: 5:00pm – 10:00pm

  • Santa Rosa NorthernLights Art Walk- Opening reception on December 1, 6:00 to 8:00 pm, at the Center’s campus, 50 Mark West Springs Road, in Santa Rosa. 

    Free and open to the public - open every evening from dusk to 9:30 pm, December 1 – January 1, 2023 for all to enjoy the magic of early winter nightfall.

  • Six Flags Holiday in the Park in Vallejo Nov 24- Jan 7

    Experience enchanting holiday magic for the entire family at Holiday in the Park! Featuring musical shows, twinkling lights, holiday treats, Santa, and much more at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Iceless Skating

South Bay


We hope you enjoy this holiday season and get to create some fun memories with your family!

Lauren ThayerComment