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The Bay Area truly transforms into a dazzling wonderland when the Christmas lights turn on, offering everything from spectacular drive-thru experiences to charming, historic neighborhood strolls. Whether you're searching for a massive, professionally designed walk-through like Lightscape or Filoli's Holiday Lights, or prefer the heartwarming community charm of Willow Glen or Alameda's Christmas Tree Lane, our 2025 guide has every twinkling, animated, and glowing display covered. Let ePadosi be your trusted map to the most unforgettable festive light shows across San Francisco, the South Bay, and the East Bay—it's time to make some magical holiday memories!
Union Square’s 83-foot-tall holiday tree towers over the plaza all season long. See it lit up with those recognizable red and gold baubles and the glowing red Macy’s star. As the center of holiday celebrations in SF, Union Square will also be decked out with dazzling decorations throughout the plaza, including a 25-foot menorah, the always-busy ice skating rink, a giant ornament trail, and the popular winter walk.
Dates: Nov. 14, 2024 – Jan. 1, 2025
Location: Union Square, 333 Post Street, San Francisco, CA
Let’s Glow SF showcases work from 19 world-class artists and international visual design companies, each of whom lends a distinct interpretation of the holiday season to their massive canvases.
Let’s Glow SF is completely free to experience from 5:30 to 10 PM each evening. This year also includes a few kick-off events and more festivities — keep reading for details.
Dates: Dec. 5-14, 2025 from 5:30-10pm
Location: Select buildings in Downtown SF include the Ferry Building, Transamerica Redwood Park at Transamerica Pyramid Center, the Pacific Exchange, Salesforce Tower, 101 California Street, the Hobart Building, the PG&E Substation in the East Cut, and Yerba Buena Lane at Market Street.
Admission: Let’s Glow SF is free to attend. If you want to join the free After Glow celebration on Dec. 5, attendees are encouraged to reserve a spot on the website. website -DowntownSF.org
San Francisco truly comes to life during the holidays with concerts, light displays, tree lightings, and more. One of the coziest escapes in the city is Ghirardelli Square, which is a must for shoppers on any day of the year, but turns up the charm during the holidays. Read on for a summary of events and activations happening there through December, from Christmas movie screenings to DIY crafts and live concerts.
Crafts and activities
DECEMBER 13 & 14, 2025
San Francisco’s annual Lighted Boat Parade returns this Friday, December 13th, at 6 pm. This beloved holiday event hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club dates back to 1994 and is a welcome sight along the waterfront every year.A procession of about two dozen illuminated boats will set sail from Pier 39 around 6 pm and cruise along the waterfront to Crissy Field.
If you miss the procession on the SF Bay, consider catching the San Mateo Holiday Lighted Boat Parade on Saturday, December 14. The best viewing is along the berm in front of the Coyote Point Yacht Club. You can also check out Winter Fest in Sausalito, which hosts a boat parade on December 14 starting at 6 pm.
⭐ Experience the enchanting Garden of D'Lights, a self-guided holiday light display that transforms the renowned; nonprofit Ruth Bancroft Garden into a magical nighttime wonderland. Perfect for families and pets, create lasting memories while supporting a cherished local community resource!
General Info
Dates and times: choose in the ticket selector
Duration: 1 hour
Location: The Ruth Bancroft Garden
Age requirement: all ages are welcome and children 4 & under enter free!
Accessibility: the venue is ADA-compliant
Christmas in the Park will be back in San Jose this year from Nov. 21, 2024 through Jan. 1, 2025. The popular event has two main attractions in different parts of San Jose: the drive-through holiday light show at History Park, and the Downtown Park Walk-Through with Christmas exhibits and more at Cesar Chavez Plaza.
Christmas in the Park kicks off just a week after the light show on Nov. 29, and you can visit the Downtown Park displays daily from through January 1. Read on for more details about these magical events.
San Jose’s Christmas in the Park programming dates back to 1950, and it’s still outdoing itself. This year, check out a walk-through Christmas tree towering 65 feet above Cesar Chavez Plaza, plus new light displays and more surprises. A community stage will host a variety of acts including local choirs, bands, dance troupes, and special holiday movie nights.
This Castro District house is arguably the most festive home in all of SF and the photo says it all. We're stoked to see the decorations are back for another year, drawing attention and visits from folks near and far.
One great place to find San Francisco Christmas lights is at Pier 39, where the magnificent 60-foot-tall Christmas tree will be glistening every night during the holiday season.It will also offer a light show every half hour between 5 pm and 10 pm.
Pier 39 is one of San Francisco's premier tourist destinations for its variety of restaurants, shops, family activities, and proximity to the waterfront and ferries.This is a great place to hang out and soak in the holiday cheer.
The first lighting will take place on December 4 and will remain lit through January 11.Find Out More About Pier 39 Click Here
Glowfari dates:
Glowfari is Oakland Zoo’s immersive light show of epic proportions, featuring dozens of stunning lantern displays in a totally unique holiday light experience. It is a local favorite for both kids and adults, and we look forward to seeing it every single year. The display opened this week and will remain open on select dates until January 26, 2025. Tickets for the creative light installation are now on sale through December 12th.
