California Events
Arcadia, CA. Enchant Christmas Nov.21-Dec.28, 2025
Friday, November 21, 2025
FOLSOM: Folsom Ice Rink November 7, 2025-January 2026 in Historic Downtown Folsom. Come have fun at the circular, 7,000-square-foot rink with REAL ice. Enjoy fire pits, Santa's Cottage and more! $, historicfolsom.org/ice-rink/
ARCADIA: Enchant Christmas November 21-December 28, 2025 at Santa Anita Park / Racetrack. Holiday attraction includes "World's Largest Christmas Maze," ice slides, ice skating rink, Santa Village, Marketplace shops and foods & beverages. $29-up!
SAN RAMON: City Center Tree Lighting November 21, 2025, 6 p.m. Bishop Ranch 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road San Ramon, CA Free, citycenterbishopranch.coom
SAN RAMON: Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Skating Rink Opens at City Center Bishop Ranch. Meet and see Kristi Yamaguchi as she opens the ice skating rink and skating season November 7, 2025-January 4, 2026, citycenterbishopranch.com
WALNUT CREEK: City of Walnut Creek Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony November 21, 2025, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Civic Park. Location: 1375 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, CA. Free, walnutcreekdowntown.com
WHITTIER: Gordon D. Crowell Observatory Public Nights 8-10 p.m. at Rio Hondo College. Meade 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, one of the largest in Southern California, is open to the public, free on special nights. Location: 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA. Free, gorio.page/observatory-nights | additional dates: December 5, 2025
Past events
ATWATER: Old Town Atwater Ice Skating Center is returning for the 2025/2026 season, promising affordable holiday fun.
BRENTWOOD: Brentwood on Ice No news as of Aug.1, 2025 - across from City Hall on 2nd Street celebrates its 8th season in Contra Costa County. $17, brentwoodonice.com
CHICO: Chico Ice Rink in the Plaza returns for the 2025/2026 season running mid November through mid-January in City Plaza. $5-25, chicorec.gov/chico-ice-rink
CONCORD: Ice at the Veranda November 9, 2024-February 2025 at The Veranda shopping mall. Come glide on Ice at The Veranda with open-air shopping, dining and entertainment.
CORONADO: Skating by the Sea November 21, 2025-January 4, 2026 at Hotel del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave. is one of the most scenic seaside ice skating rinks in the U.S. Public invited. $, hoteldel.com
COSTA MESA: South Coast Plaza Tree Lighting November 21, 2024, 7-9:30 p.m. Illuminating the 96-foot white fir tree at 6:30 p.m. at Town Center Park 686 Anton Blvd. Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Free, southcoastplaza.com/holiday/
ENCINITAS: Lightscape November 2025-January 2026, 5-8:30 p.m. at San Diego Botanic Garden includes over one million lights in artistic installations along a one-mile, easily walkable garden path. $, sdbg.org
ESCONDIDO: Wild Holidays November 28, 2025-January 4, 2026 at San Diego Safari Park. Festive decorations, incredible light displays and holiday entertainment await. Location: 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA. $, sdzsafaripark.org
FOLSOM: Historic Folsom Ice Rink November 8, 2024-January 20, 2025 in Downtown Folsom, 2oo Wool Street (behind Chamber of Commerce), Folsom, CA $, historicfolsom.org
HANFORD: Winter Wonderland Ice Skating returning November 2025-January 2026 at Civic Park, Downtown Hanford. Make it a date with family and friends for fun holiday ice skating. $, hanfordwinterwonderland.com
IRVINE: Irvine Spectrum Holiday Ice Rink November 2025-January 4, 2026 next to the Giant Wheel. Skating! Location: 71 Fortune Drive, Irvine, CA. $, irvinespectrumcenter.com
LOS ANGELES: Pershing Square Holiday Ice Skating Rink returns mid-November 2025-January 2026. Sharpen your blades and skills or just go to chill with themed events and great music. $, holidayicerinkdowntownla.com
OAKLAND: Oakland Zoo Glowfari November-January, information coming in Fall 2025! The Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival features wading wildlife along Africa's Nile River, ancient Egyptian structures, dinosaurs, barnyard animals and Avian Odyssey train ride. Advanced ticket purchase required: $26-41 adult, oaklandzoo.org
SANTA BARBARA: ZooLights November 12, 2025-January 11, 2026, 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Santa Barbara Zoo. See thousands of handcrafted silk-covered lanterns aglow with more than 50,000 LED bulbs, depicting wild places and animals from around the globe. Location: 500 Niņos Drive, Santa Barbara, CA. $21-35, sbzoo.org
SAN FRANCISCO: Union Square Ice Rink November 6, 2024-January 20, 2025. Themed days and special events add to the fun.
REDDING: Garden of Lights November 21, 2025-January 4, 2026 at McConnell Arboretum. Walk on the world-famous Sundial Bridge to the the Arboretum where over one million animated lights are on display select nights. $, reddinggardenoflights.org
SACRAMENTO: Imaginarium Information to be announced for 2025-2026 season at Cal Expo. Some exciting, new twists at the largest holiday light show in Northern California! Location: 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento, CA. $25-up, imaginarium360.com
SAN FRANCISCO: Embarcadero Center Building Lighting & Market November 21, 2024, 4-6 p.m. One, Two, Three and Four Embarcadero Center San Francisco, CA 94111 embarcaderocenter.com 17,000 lights! Each year, the weekend before Thanksgiving,
SAN JOSE: Blinky's Holiday Lights Drive Thru November 28, 2025-January 1, 2026, 5-11 p.m. in History Park San Jose. More than one mile of magical scenes and displays synced to favorite holiday tunes. $25-31, approx., christmasinthepark.com
SAN JOSE: Downtown Ice Information to be announced about November 2025-January 2026 season in Circle of Palms Plaza on Market Street. $, sjdowntownice.com
SAN MATEO: IlluminOdyssey November 16, 2024-January 26, 2025 at CuriOdyssey, a zoo and learning center containing native, non-releasable animals such as river otter, bobcat, gray fox and more. Location: 1651 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo, CA. $, curiodyssey.org
SAN MATEO: San Mateo on Ice November 14, 2025-January 11, 2026 in Central Park. Largest outdoor ice rink in the Bay Area features 11,000 square feet of REAL ice to skate on in sunny San Mateo - nice! $, onicerinks.com
SAN RAMON: Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Skating Rink November 7, 2025-January 4, 2026 at City Center Bishop Ranch. Many special events include Elsa, Santa Claus, Barbie and Kristi's skating clinic. $26, citycenterbishopranch.com
SANTA MONICA: ICE mid-November 2025-January 2026 at 5th & Arizona. Details coming soon! $, iceatsantamonica.com
SANTA MONICA: Santa Monica Tree Lighting November 21, 2024, 6-8 p.m. Santa Monica Place Tree Lighting 1300 Third Street Promenade Arizona Ave. & Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 downtownsm.com
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE: Heavenly Village Ice Rink November 1, 2025-March 31, 2026, subject to change. Ice Skating at the outdoor rink at The Shops at Heavenly Village features central location near shopping, dining and skiing.
WOODSIDE: Holidays at Filoli November 16, 2024-January 12, 2025. Georgian revival-style mansion with 16 acres of exquisite English Renaissance gardens at an historic 654-acre estate (as seen in Falcon Crest show) is all decked out with 20 miles of Holiday lights, food delights, Santa visits and add-on experiences like firepit nights. $41-45, filoli.org
Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.