Best Places To See Christmas Lights In Los Angeles (2024)

From a magical landscape at South Coast Botanic Garden, to iconic displays at a seaside neighborhood, here are all the top places to see glittering Christmas lights around Los Angeles during the holidays.

Jamie Ferrell - Senior Staff Writer • November 6, 2024

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 for even more ideas.

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: Opens Nov. 8, 2024

📍 Location: Palos Verdes – South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274

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: Opens Nov. 25, 2024

📍 Location: Mid-Wilshire – 189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036

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: Opens Nov. 27, 2024

📍 Location: San Dimas – Raging Waters LA, 111 Raging Waters Dr, San Dimas, CA 91773

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: Nov. 15, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025

📍Location: Griffith Park – 5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

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: Opens Nov. 16, 2024

📍 Location: Downtown LA – The Bloc, 700 Flower St, Los Angeles, CA

A post shared by Tanaka Farms (@tanakafarms)

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: Nov. 29 – Dec. 29, 2024

📍 Location: Irvine – 5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine, CA 92612

A post shared by Christmas Tree Lane • Altadena, CA (@ctl_altadena)

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

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

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

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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: TBA for 2024

📍 Location: Pasadena – 23 E Colorado Blvd Ste 200, Pasadena, CA

The LA County Arboretum’s Lightscape event is a popular Christmas light destination every year, but it’s been reimagined for 2024 with even more memorable and interactive displays. You’ll want to look for Submergence by UK collaborative Squidsoup, where guests can step into a dynamic environment filled with thousands of suspended points of light. The photo ops are endless, but you can make an evening of it thanks to nightly food trucks, a full bar, and periodic Santa visits.

📅 Dates: TBA for 2024

📍 Location: Arcadia – 301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA

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: Nov. 7 – Dec. 23, 2024

📍 Location: Cherry Valley – 10600 Highland Springs Ave, Cherry Valley, CA

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: Opens Nov. 23, 2024

📍 Location: Riverside – 3649 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA

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: Nov. 15, 2024 – Jan. 6, 2025

📍 Location: Anaheim – Buena Vista St, Disney California Adventure Park, Anaheim, CA 92802

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: Nov. 17, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2024

📍 Location: Flintridge – 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011

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: Nov. 26 – Dec. 30, 2024

📍 Location: Palm Desert – The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, 47900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA

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: Nov. 13, 2024 – Jan. 12, 2025

📍 Location: Dana Point – Dana Point Harbor, 34571 Golden Lantern Street, Dana Point, CA

Written by Jamie Ferrell and Ashlyn Davis

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