California Events
San Francisco Great Dickens Christmas Fair
Thursday, November 26, 2026
THANKSGIVING NATIONAL HOLIDAY Nov.26, 2026
ALPINE: Viejas Casino Resort Ice Rink , 3-10 p.m. daily at Viejas Casino & Resort. Southern California's largest outdoor ice rink. Location: 5003 Willows Road, Alpine, California $20-25 approx. for 90 minute session rental skates included, viejasoutletcenter.com/skating-rink/
BRIDGEPORT: Bridgeport Winter Ice Rink late November-March. Free admission (bring your own skates) and enjoy! Location: US 395 and Hwy 182, Bridgeport, CA. Free, monocounty.org
ARCADIA: Enchant Christmas 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!
ATWATER: Old Town Atwater Ice Skating Center returns for its 2026-2027 Season, promising affordable holiday fun.
BIG BEAR LAKE: Big Bear Alpine Zoo Wild Lights 5-9 p.m. Wed-Sun. New event shines one million holiday lights on the treasured zoo where injured wildlife is cared for. $20, bigbearzoo.org
CALABASAS: Holiday Road USA at King Gillette Ranch features larger than life holiday installations and thousands of Christmas lights. Location: 26800 Mulholland Hwy., Calabasas, CA. $, holidayroadusa.com
OAKLEY: Oakley on Ice across from Oakley City Hall with parking at Main Street & Norcoss Lane. $, oakleyonice.com
CHICO: Chico Ice Rink in the Plaza in City Plaza. $12-15, chicorec.gov/chico-ice-rink
COARSEGOLD: Winter Wonderland Ice Rink, 12-10 p.m. at Chukchansi Gold Resort Casino. Seasonal outdoor ice skating, all ages. $, chukchansigold.com
CONCORD: Ice at the Veranda November 7, 2025-February 15, 2026 at The Veranda shopping mall. Come glide on Ice at The Veranda with open-air shopping, dining and entertainment.
CORONADO: Skating by the Sea 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: Winter Fest OC (Thursday-Sunday) at Orange County Fair & Event Center. Snow, ice tubing, ice skating, rides, fire pits and more. Location: 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA. $, winterfestoc.com
FOLSOM: Folsom Ice Rink November 8, 2025-January 19, 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/
FRESNO: IllumiNature at Fresno Chaffee Zoo, is a special holiday event featuring lighted lantern displays that entertain and amaze! $, fcz.org
HANFORD: Winter Wonderland Ice Skating at Civic Park, Downtown Hanford. Make it a date with family and friends for fun holiday ice skating. $, hanfordwinterwonderland.com
IRVINE: Dream Glow Lights Festival , Wednesday-Sunday at Wild Rivers Waterpark. West Coast debut of the newest lights spectacular for the holidays! Location: 10000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine, CA. $37-53, dreamglowfestival.com
IRVINE: Irvine Spectrum Holiday Ice Rink next to the Giant Wheel. Skating! Location: 71 Fortune Drive, Irvine, CA. $24-27 general admission, irvinespectrumcenter.com
INDIO: Coachella Valley Magic of Lights Drive Thru at Empire Polo Club. Holiday scenes and characters of the season using the latest LED technology and digital animations. Location: 81800 Avenue 51, Indio, CA. $, magicoflights.com
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE: Enchanted Forest of Light features an after-dark, mile-long walkthrough of holiday lights in Descanso Gardens, a unique Southern California botanic garden that's magical during the day, and mesmerizing at night. $27-45, descansogardens.org
LAKE ELSINORE: Electric Light Festival Drive-Thru , 5:30-10:30 p.m. at Lake Elsinore Outlet Mall. Over a million lights in fun, fantasy scenes and shapes. Drive through or ride the train. $15-up, electriclightfestival.com
LOS ANGELES: Pershing Square Holiday Ice Skating Rink . Sharpen your blades and skills or just go to chill with themed events and great music. $, holidayicerinkdowntownla.com
LOS ANGELES: LA Kings Holiday Ice at LA Live , 5 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Location: 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. $27 general admission, lalive.com
LOS ANGELES: LA Zoo Lights, Animals Aglow, 6-10 p.m. at Los Angeles Zoo. Nighttime display with lit lantern sculptures of animals among blooming flowers, glowing rivers, and a magical Holiday Forest with majestic pine trees and the return of Santa himself. Location: 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA, $29-35, lazoo.org
MOUNT SHASTA: Siskiyou Ice Rink. If you're a local, you know that this is one fun hangout for winter entertainment.
PALO ALTO: Winter Lodge Seasonal Ice Rink October 18, 2025-April 12, 2026, is back with public skating sessions, lessons and more. $20 session, $6 skate rental, winterlodge.com
PERRIS: Southern California Railway Polar Express. Family adventure on a magical train ride complete with dancing chefs, caroling, cookies and cocoa, re-creates the classic children’s story. $49-56, socalrailway.org
OAKLAND: Oakland Zoo Glowfari, 4:30-9 p.m. 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
PALOS VERDES PENINSULA: Astra Lumina, An Enchanted Night Walk Amongst The Stars at South Coast Botanic Garden, 5-10 p.m. Celestial, multisensory experience features out-of-this-world light sculptures in 9 themed areas. $30-65, astralumina.com
REDDING: Garden of Lights 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
RIVERSIDE: Mission Inn Festival of Lights. The National Historic Landmark dazzles with millions of holiday lights in Christmas displays called one of the best in the U.S. Free, missioninn.com
SACRAMENTO: Old Town Sacramento Tree Lighting Ceremony November 26, 2025. 60 foot tree is followed by Theater of Lights. Free, oldsacramento.com
SAN JOSE: Downtown Ice in the iconic Circle of Palms Plaza on Market Street. $, sjdowntownice.com
SAN MATEO: IlluminOdyssey 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 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 at City Center Bishop Ranch. Many special events include Elsa, Santa Claus, Barbie and Kristi's skating clinic. $26, citycenterbishopranch.com
SANTA BARBARA: ZooLights, 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 Niños Drive, Santa Barbara, CA. $21-35, sbzoo.org
SAN DIEGO: Rady Children's Ice Rink, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (except holidays) at Liberty Station. Have fun while skating fees support cancer program for kids. $25 includes skate rentals, rchicerink.org
SAN FRANCISCO: Union Square Ice Rink. Themed days and special events add to the fun. $22 session includes skate rental.
SAN JOSE: Blinky's Holiday Lights Drive Thru, 5 p.m. at Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. More than one mile of magical scenes and displays synced to favorite holiday tunes. $25-31, approx., christmasinthepark.com
SACRAMENTO: Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink at the Square on 7th & K Street. A tradition for over 30 years, the affordable holiday attraction only charges $15, skate rental included! godowntownsac.com
SANTA MONICA: ICE 2026-2027 Season at 5th & Arizona. 8,000 square feet of skating ice, including a kids zone for little ones. $22 admission & skate rental, iceatsantamonica.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.
TEMECULA: Peltzer Ice Rink at Peltzer Farm & Winery. Location: 39925 Calle Contento, Temecula, CA. $23.05 for 75 minute skate session, rental skates included, peltzerfarms.com
WALNUT CREEK: Walnut Creek on Ice. Skate 90 minutes for $20, ice skate rental included or $20 Ice Slide. Location: Civic Park, Walnut Creek, CA. walnutcreekonice.com
WOODSIDE: Filoli Holiday Lights , 4-9 p.m. Georgian revival-style mansion's 16 acres of exquisite English Renaissance gardens are transformed into a radiant wonderland of light and color at the historic 654-acre estate (seen in Falcon Crest). $49-55, filoli.org
Past events
HOLLYWOOD: Hollywood Christmas Parade includes celebrities and grand marshal with grand finale, Santa Claus! Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA thehollywoodchristmasparade.org
ONTARIO: Christmas on Euclid Street Nativity thru January 1, 2026.
SACRAMENTO: Theatre of Lights November 26-December 24, 2025 performed from a balcony overlooking the the streets of Old Town. Based on Clement Clarke Moore's classic Christmas poem 'Twas the night before Christmas. Free, oldsacramento.com
Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.