The most anticipated interactive displays, twinkling lights, glittering decorations and festive projections are coming back in full force to illuminate L.A. for the holidays. Between the ethereal Astra Lumina experience and Sparkle DTLA at The Bloc, Angelenos are well-located to have a glowing holiday season this year. Take a look at all the top spots to see Christmas lights in Los Angeles and surrounding areas as we close out 2024.
See our list of Los Angeles Christmas tree lighting ceremonies and holiday Candlelight concerts for even more festive plans.
1. Astra Lumina at South Coast Botanic Garden
In an elegant alternative to the usual array of snowmen, snowflakes and other LA Christmas light displays, this Palos Verdes botanical garden is shining the light back on nature. The 87-acre coastal haven has been transformed into a multicolored and multisensory galactic experience. Bring a jacket and walk through this mesmerizing glowing light forest of stars. Grab your tickets here!
📅 Dates: Tickets are available now through the end of January 2025.
📍 Location: Palos Verdes – South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
2. The Grove
At Christmas, The Grove transforms from a shopping destination into a magical wonderland. Expect nightly “snow,” jolly Santa visits, menorah lightings on the nights of Hanukkah, and holiday music filling the air. This year’s Christmas tree is 100 feet tall, serving as a magnificent focal point that casts light in all directions.
📅 Dates: Displays are up now. Their festive “Christmas at the Grove” event is on Dec. 24-25, 2024.
📍 Location: Mid-Wilshire – 189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
3. Lektrik: A Festival of Lights
Raging Waters LA welcomes a thrilling new holiday light experience this season. See the grounds adorned with over one million twinkling LED lights and more than 40 stunning handmade lantern landscapes. Wander the glowing pathways and encounter dazzling acrobatic performers, unique artisan vendors, and even stone-carving. Get tickets to Lektrik: A Festival of Lights here!
📅 Dates: Tickets are available now through March 2025
📍 Location: San Dimas – Raging Waters LA, 111 Raging Waters Dr, San Dimas, CA 91773
4. Animals Aglow at LA Zoo
Animals Aglow is back at LA Zoo with Christmas lights and larger-than-life animal lanterns placed in a glowing environment of luminous trees and blooming flowers. The nature-focused displays are a nice departure from your usual Christmas kitsch, although you’ll still enjoy a festive landscape at the Winter Wildlands with views of the “northern lights,” giant ice crystals, and snow-loving animals.
📅 Dates: On display now through Jan. 5, 2025
📍Location: Griffith Park – 5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
5. Sparkle DTLA at The Bloc
At The Bloc in Downtown L.A., you can get all your shopping done while wandering through a cheerful display of 18 million hues of holiday lights. ‘Sparkle DTLA’ will also put on nightly shows where the 32-foot Christmas tree twinkles in time to festive tunes, every hour on the hour from 5-9pm.
📅 Dates: The light show is happening daily through Dec. 31, 2024.
📍 Location: Downtown LA – The Bloc, 700 Flower St, Los Angeles, CA
6. Hikari at Tanaka Farms
Hikari is a Japanese word meaning “shine,” and Tanaka Farms in Irvine shines brightly every year with over a million twinkling lights throughout the grounds. Sip on hot cocoa and take a charming wagon ride to the “Land of a Thousand Lanterns,” where you can wander through the displays and pose for one-of-a-kind photo ops. Complete your visit with a trip to the Festival Grounds where you’ll be greeted by barnyard animals, snack on food from Tanaka Grill, and meet Santa.
📅 Dates: Open now through Dec. 29, 2024.
📍 Location: Irvine – 5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine, CA 92612
7. Christmas Tree Lane
We’re used to driving down streets lined with palm trees, but once a year visitors travel far and wide to catch a glimpse of Altadena’s Christmas Tree Lane. Rally up your household and cruise down this mile-long, sparkling hill. Keep in mind that this LA Christmas light display is in a residential neighborhood and be respectful of the neighbors’ properties.
📅 Dates: Neighborhood event – no set dates
📍 Location: Altadena – Santa Rosa Ave between Altadena Drive and Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA
8. Sleepy Hollow Christmas Lights Extravaganza
Torrance’s Seaside neighborhood (a.k.a. Sleepy Hollow) absolutely glows around December. Homeowners cover their properties in a sea of festive lights that draws crowds every single year. Lights usually go up in December along Robert Road in Torrance, although there are no official dates and times because this isn’t a city-sanctioned event. Note that there will be parking restrictions on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning the first week of December.
📅 Dates: Neighborhood event – no set dates
📍 Location: Torrance – Seaside Ranchos neighborhood, Torrance, CA
9. Venice Canals
This quaint seaside neighborhood is a popular destination all year long, but you’d be remiss not to plan a visit in December to see some of the most picturesque Christmas lights in LA. See the houses and bridges adorned with glowing displays when the sun goes down, a sight that’s made even more memorable with their reflections in the water. Don’t forget to look for the Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade, which dates back to 1983 and usually takes place on the first Friday in December.
📅 Dates: Neighborhood event – no set dates
📍 Location: Venice – Venice Canals neighborhood, Los Angeles, CA
10. Old Pasadena
This charming historic district is an incredible place to shop and dine for the holidays, plus it comes with the reward of knowing you’re helping preserve this vibrant neighborhood and the families that depend on it. The alleyways and courtyards are draped with dozens of fairy lights and during the winter season, they have festive projections lighting up every corner. You can wander through these old streets and buildings to soak up the atmosphere—and you can always shop online or order takeout from local shops and eateries too.
📅 Dates: On display now
📍 Location: Pasadena – 23 E Colorado Blvd Ste 200, Pasadena, CA
11. Christmas Nights at 123 Farm
Over one million golden lights adorn this Cherry Valley farm, covering every inch of its bountiful lavender fields, towering oak trees, and century-old olive grove. You’d be forgiven for losing track of time here, not just for the mesmerizing displays, but also for the abundant holiday attractions throughout the grounds. Explore charming market shops, take a spin on the illuminated tractor wagon, get lost in the glowing holiday maze, and eat delicious seasonal food.
📅 Dates: On display now through Dec. 23, 2024
📍 Location: Cherry Valley – 10600 Highland Springs Ave, Cherry Valley, CA
12. Festival of Lights at Mission Inn
Riverside’s magnificent Mission Inn Hotel is worth a visit any day of the week. But during the festive season, it really steals the show with 4.5 million sparkling lights and over 400 animated figures for its annual Festival of Lights. The event is completely free and draws roughly 500,000 people to see the displays every single year. The inside of the hotel is only accessible to hotel guests and restaurant patrons, but you can add on to your trip with a movie at the Van Buren drive-in.
📅 Dates: On display now through Jan. 6, 2025
📍 Location: Riverside – 3649 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA
13. Buena Vista Street
Disney fans can look forward to festive holiday lights and displays that will illuminate this quaint boulevard in all its 20s and 30s nostalgia. There’s nothing quite like this surreal old-world charm to remind you why this is the most wonderful time of the year. Look for the magnificent 50-foot Christmas tree coming to life daily at sundown.
📅 Dates: On display now through Jan. 6, 2025
📍 Location: Anaheim – Buena Vista St, Disney California Adventure Park, Anaheim, CA 92802
14. Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens is adorned with colorful luminous displays and creative light sculptures along a one-mile pathway. Tom Fruin’s popular tiny town of “stained glass” creations has returned to the Main Lawn, as has HYBYCOZO’s sprawling meadow of LED flowers in the Rose Garden. This is an opportunity to enjoy the gardens from a new perspective that’s not available during the rest of the year.
📅 Dates: On display now through Jan. 5, 2024
📍 Location: Flintridge – 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
15. Wildlights at The Living Desert
Here you can stroll through illuminated wildlife lanterns that reflect the natural inhabitants of the Palm Desert. There’ll also be a holiday-themed G-scale model train display and light shows synchronized to music throughout the zoo. For an additional fee, guests can toast s’mores around a campfire, take a spin on the carousel and get a photo with Santa on his sleigh.
📅 Dates: On display now through Dec. 30, 2024
📍 Location: Palm Desert – The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, 47900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA
16. Festival of Lights at Dana Point Harbor
The dazzling Dana Point Harbor holiday light displays run through the Christmas season. The harbor walkways and area will be illuminated with merry archways, wreaths, glowing whale sculptures and more. Pick up a toasty hot chocolate from Coffee Importers to keep you warm while you wander through the displays.
📅 Dates: On display now through Jan. 12, 2025
📍 Location: Dana Point – Dana Point Harbor, 34571 Golden Lantern Street, Dana Point, CA
17. Citadel Outlets
We wouldn’t be surprised if you could see Citadel Outlets’ holiday displays from space! The festivities are centered around the world’s tallest live-cut Christmas tree, decorated with thousands of glittering lights and ornaments. See “snowfall” around the tree every single day on the hour from 5-8pm, and make sure to get a photo of the world’s biggest bow cascading from the top of Citadel Outlets’ building. Santa Meet & Greets are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Dec. 22, and you can join the CHiPs for Kids Toy Drive through Dec. 20.
📅 Dates: On display now.
📍 Location: Commerce – 100 Citadel Dr, Commerce, CA 90040
18. The Americana at Brand
The Americana at Brand is another LA shopping center going all-out for the holidays, with both decor and events. An enormous 80-foot Christmas tree towers over the Americana’s beautiful courtyard, where you can enjoy nightly “snowfall” at 7pm and 8pm, take a ride on the festive trolley, and visit Santa in his charming North Pole house.
📅 Dates: Displays are up now.
📍 Location: Glendale – 889 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
19. Candy Cane Lane, El Segundo
El Segundo’s Candy Cane Lane has drawn thousands of visitors since 1949, and its fame even inspired a new Christmas movie called Candy Cane Lane starring Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross. The lights usually come on around 7pm and will be dazzling crowds all the way through Christmas.
📅 Dates: Dec. 9-25, 2024
📍 Location: 1225 E Acacia Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245
Written by Jamie Ferrell and Ashlyn Davis