We're just a few weeks away from the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year – which falls on December 21 this year. As the late afternoon sun fades to early darkness, it's time to flip the switch and see the light. Drive through an ancient grove of decorated cedars, stroll through a whimsical herd of glowing animated elephants, take a tour of illuminated DTLA landmarks, or just shop 'til you drop beneath a starry sky. From the whimsical and magical, to simply enchanting, make your season bright with LA's spectacular holiday displays.
Lamplight Holiday Celebration Heritage Square 3800 Homer St. Los Angeles, CA 90031
Dec 7 & 8 Get immersed in a retelling of Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol as you tour the historic houses of Heritage Square. Afterward, enjoy a festive and tasty reception while enjoying the glittering holiday lights. Heritage Square is a living history museum that explores the settlement and development of Southern California from the Civil War to the early 20th Century, offering visitors a look into the everyday lives of Southern Californians at the close of the 19th Century.
Christmas Tree Lane Santa Rosa Ave. (between Woodbury Ave. & Altadena Dr.) Altadena, CA 91001
Dec14 Mark your calendars the 99th Christmas Tree Lane Lighting Ceremony & Winter Arts and Crafts Festival. Christmas Tree Lane in Altadena is the oldest large-scale Christmas lighting spectacle in the United States. In 1885, real estate magnate John P. Woodbury of the Woodbury Family, the founders of Altadena, planted 134 deodar trees (broad conical cedars) as a grand mile-long driveway entrance to the mansion he would build. Woodbury’s mansion was never built, but the trees thrived and the “driveway” became Santa Rosa Avenue. Every Christmas season for more than 80 years, the majestic deodars on the “Mile of Christmas Trees” are strung with 10,000 lights.
LA Zoo Lights 5333 Zoo Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90027
Glowing animals welcome you on an unforgettable nighttime journey that includes the world’s largest illuminated pop-up storybook, a magical disco ball forest, giant glittering snowflakes, and a twinkling tunnel filled with dynamic swirls of color. L.A. Zoo Lights is a not-to-be-missed holiday light experience that has glowed brighter each year since its debut in 2014. This year’s event features more light animals than ever before, spectacular new additions – both hand-crafted and high-tech – and returning favorites.
Enchanted Forest of Light Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Drive La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Enchanted Forest of Light is an interactive, nighttime experience unlike anything else in Los Angeles, featuring a one-mile walk through unique lighting experiences in some of the most beloved areas of Descanso Gardens. There are a variety of large-scale light displays, many of which are interactive, allowing visitors to manipulate the lights and sounds.
Moonlight Forest LA County Arboretum & Botanical Garden 301 N Baldwin Ave Arcadia, CA 91007
The Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden invites you to experience the Moonlight Forest, a fantasy of lights that takes you to new places. Dive under the seas with exotic fish and a giant shark in the new Ocean Visions exhibit. Next step into a winter wonderland with the new Polar Dreams experience. Enjoy live entertainment nightly. Parking is free. If onsite Arboretum parking lots are full, you’ll be directed to additional parking at Santa Anita Park. Free shuttles run from and to Santa Anita throughout the event. If you rideshare, the Depot entrance is the dropoff and pickup location.
Winter Glow DTLA Grand Park 200 N. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Expanded across Grand Avenue to include the newly renovated Music Center Plaza, Grand Park’s Winter Glow returns for its second annual nighttime public art display, offering an immersive experience that spans two county locations this holiday season. As the days shorten and darken, the park celebrates light as a giver of warmth, a source of beauty, and the key component to bringing people together during the fall and winter months. In this interconnectivity, guests and families can share thoughts, identity, and space, making new holiday memories as they stroll through an illuminated and interactive art installation. Familiar pathways and historic fountains will lead to exciting new discoveries as the latest in light and projection technology transform spaces on The Music Center Plaza and in Grand Park.
DTLA Holiday Lights Tour Union Station 800 N. Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Lights, decorations, festivities and holiday cheer abound as you stroll through the central city during the most joyous time of the year! DTLA Walking Tours' Holiday Lights Special witnesses the beauty of Downtown LA at night to celebrate the seasons of Christmas, Hanukkah and many more! Tour highlights include Union Station decorations, "Las Posadas" at Olvera Street, Grand Park Winter Glow Festival, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Broad Museum, Pershing Square, and return trip via Metro Rail to Union Station (rail fare not included). Starting Point: Los Angeles Union Station (between the Information Booth and Cafe Crepe).