2026 Holiday Guide

Browse seasonal gifts and local makers at this holiday market.

Celebrate the season at this community Christmas tree lighting.

Browse seasonal gifts and local makers at this holiday market.

Browse seasonal gifts and local makers at this holiday market.

Browse seasonal gifts and local makers at this holiday market.

Browse art and handmade creations from local artists, plus secondhand treasures.

Watch decorated tractors, trucks and floats in Calistoga’s annual holiday parade. Check the organizer for the parade route and viewing locations.

Walnut Drive, the full dead-end street near 4150 Walnut Drive, also known as Candy Cane Lane.

Dewey Street, Roosevelt Avenue to Carson Street (1200 block).

Walk around Plaza de Cesar Chavez for decorated trees, animated holiday displays and the community Christmas tree. Free walk-through; no drive-through this season.

Fulton Street, from Embarcadero Road to Seale Avenue.

Hartley Drive and Hermit Way, each from Yulupa Avenue to its dead end.

Thompson Avenue, from High Street to Fernside Boulevard.

Enjoy holiday performances, crafts, Santa and snow flurries across from City Hall. The tree lights up at 5:30pm.

A holiday outing at Carl St & Parnassus Ave.

Share breakfast or brunch with Santa and take home a holiday photo. All attendees must register by November 25. Optional Santa gift upgrade: $5.

Celebrate with music, treats, family activities and Santa. Festivities begin at 5pm, with the tree lighting at 6pm. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for the Operation Santa raffle.

Shop handmade gifts at the young entrepreneurs’ mini market, get gifts wrapped by Colma teens and decorate a gingerbread house. Registration required for gingerbread decorating; one house per person. Gift-wrapping donations benefit the Colma Historical Museum.

Make a traditional Filipino Christmas lantern and enjoy hot chocolate and pandesal. All ages. Register by November 13. The adjoining night market runs 5–8pm.

Cripps Place, Asquith Place, Nicolet Court, Wellington Place and Perkins Street; Nicolet Avenue between Gibraltar Drive and Perkins Street.

Walk through the Christmas display at 352 Hillcrest Avenue. Opening-night procession follows Hillcrest Avenue from Fordham Way. Annual holiday tradition.

A holiday outing at Davies Symphony Hall.

Browse the holiday market, enjoy festive activities and watch Embarcadero Center’s buildings light up. RSVP through the organizer.

Eucalyptus Avenue, from Orange Avenue to Tamarack Avenue.

Fairmont, 950 Mason Street: the lobby gingerbread house, then Balsam Hill Holiday Lane in the lobby-level Loggia Hallway.

See the life-sized gingerbread house in Fairmont’s lobby. Opening lighting: November 21 at 11am.

Enjoy holiday lights, multicultural displays, crafts, puppet shows, Black Santa visits and warm cocoa at Children’s Fairyland.

Celebrate the lights with family performances, crafts, warm drinks and cookies on Fourth Street at Delaware.

Make holiday crafts, enjoy live music and meet Santa and the Grinch on Fourth Street.

Follow the garden paths through illuminated cacti, succulents, light sculptures and lasers. Timed tickets required; onsite parking is limited. Themed nights include December 18, January 1 and January 8.

Celebrate the season at this community Christmas tree lighting.

Walk the zoo pathways among illuminated animal lanterns. Timed tickets release at 9am, 28 days before each visit date. Separate Glowfari tickets required.

Greenview Court, from Dellbrook Avenue to the dead end and back.

A holiday outing at Support for Families.

Walk the illuminated gardens and light tunnel, then explore the decorated historic house. Evening Holiday Lights tickets required.

Explore interactive light exhibits across Redwood Hall at CuriOdyssey. Included with museum admission; an indoor light experience.

Borica Street, Entrada Court and Paloma Avenue, connected by Urbano Drive. Stops: 170 Borica Street, 80 Entrada Court and 101 Paloma Avenue.

Lake Street, Arguello Boulevard to 24th Avenue. Shorter option: 17th to 24th Avenue.

Watch animated projections on downtown buildings. Start opposite the Ferry Building at Harry Bridges Plaza.

Harry Bridges Plaza at the Ferry Building, then 101 California Street.

Walk a one-mile after-dark trail of about a million lights with new light art, color, and sound through San Francisco Botanical Garden. Timed tickets; kids 4 & under free; strollers OK.

Welcome the winter season with Los Gatos’s annual tree lighting and family festivities at Town Plaza Park.

See adoptable puppies and kittens in Macy’s holiday windows. Opening-day curtain reveal is November 20 at 5pm. Regular animal-viewing hours are noon–5pm, Wednesday–Sunday; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

A seasonal Nutcracker performance at Marin Country Mart (Under the Big Tent).

Stroll through the illuminated displays at Marin Center and the Marin County Fairgrounds.

Fire Station 7, 2300 Folsom Street at 19th Street. View the decorations from the sidewalk.

Celebrate with a holiday tree, caroling, an LED acrobatic show, balloon animals, cookies and hot chocolate.

Walk through the decorated theme park, North Pole Village and Tunnel of Lights. Park tickets required.

Follow the self-guided light sculpture walk through the Luther Burbank Center’s outdoor sculpture garden.

A seasonal Nutcracker performance at The Crowden School.

A seasonal Nutcracker performance at First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall.

A seasonal Nutcracker performance at Noe Valley Ministry.

Watch decorated boats travel along the Oakland–Alameda Estuary. View from Jack London Square or the Alameda waterfront near the yacht clubs.

Treeside Court from Chestnut Avenue to its end, plus Woodside Court from Treeside Court to its end.

Browse a rotating selection of independent makers, artists, food and drinks on Maiden Lane.

A seasonal Nutcracker performance at Sunset Library.

Santa photo fundraiser hosted by Golden Gate Lab Rescue. $35 donation for three high-resolution photos.

Picardy Drive, Seminary Avenue to 55th Avenue, including both sides of the central island.

Celebrate the season at this community Christmas tree lighting.

Celebrate the holiday season with an evening of downtown lights and family festivities around Cherry and Laurel streets.

See San Francisco Ballet’s holiday production with live orchestra. Select your performance time; the December 27, 11am show is sensory-friendly.

Walk through the themed light installations at Discovery Meadow beside the Children’s Discovery Museum. Tickets required.

A seasonal Santa visit at Ghirardelli Square.

A seasonal Santa visit at Hiller Aviation Museum.

Catch festive snow showers and holiday music every 30 minutes in Park Valencia, in front of Maggiano’s.

Explore Sausalito’s month-long holiday celebration with lights, markets, Santa visits and waterfront festivities. Tree lighting is December 3; the boat parade and fireworks are December 12. Individual activities have their own schedules.

Enjoy sing-alongs, local performances and Santa’s arrival at Tracy Way Plaza. The holiday tree lights up at 6:15pm.

Watch decorated boats along the Sausalito waterfront from Gabrielson Park. The parade starts at 6pm, with fireworks around 7:15pm. Arrive early for a viewing spot.

A seasonal Santa visit at The Village at Corte Madera (Santa's workshop.

Browse seasonal gifts and local makers at this holiday market.

Browse seasonal gifts and local makers at this holiday market.

Enjoy holiday performances by local arts and community groups, snow showers, Santa photos and balloons at Santana Row.

A holiday outing at Sports Basement Presidio.

St. Francis Boulevard, San Fernando Way to San Anselmo Avenue via Santa Ana Avenue.

Hear Temple Hill’s choir, soloists and orchestra, then explore the illuminated grounds. Doors open at 5:30pm; reserve free tickets.

Walk the illuminated Temple Hill grounds and rooftop gardens. Holiday performances are also offered; some require free reservations.

Four Seasons' holiday pop-up lounge at MKT with festive cocktails and holiday bites in an evergreen-forest setting. It's a cocktail bar, so check with the hotel before bringing kids.

Explore a Victorian London holiday market with costumed characters, performances and shops.

Ride the decorated Niles Canyon Railway train on a 90-minute round trip. All 2026 tickets are sold out.

Skate outdoors in Union Square. Book a 60-minute session; sessions start every 90 minutes. Daily hours are 10am–11pm, closing at 9:30pm on December 31. Calendar saves are all-day reminders; reserve your skating session separately.

Browse seasonal gifts and local makers at this holiday market.

Ulloa Street, Kensington Way to 16th Avenue.

Stroll through the park’s holiday lights and decorated midway, with seasonal shows and select rides. Park admission required.

Explore the zoo’s evening holiday light displays.