Los Angeles might not have a reputation for being especially Christmasey, but that’s just the weather’s fault. Once you get over the beach weather, it’s clear Los Angeles is one of the most magical places to be come for the holidays. Some of the oldest Christmas lights displays in the country are located right here, as well as special festivals and over-the-top decor at beloved institutions across the city.
Below are 10 of the most beautiful lights and decor displays to get into the holiday spirit in Los Angeles.
Candy Cane Lane (Woodland Hills)
In 1952, a group of neighbors decided to string holiday lights all the way down their Woodland Hills street for Christmas. The tradition has persevered over the last 70 years, and proliferated way beyond a string of lights.
Today, Candy Cane Lane is one of the most famous Christmas streets in Los Angeles, with 80-100 homes each year taking part each year in the increasingly extravagant lights display. Expect everything from towering Christmas trees swaddled in thousands of sparkling lights, to animatronic Santa’s.
Decorations go up in early December through New Years, and are on every night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Candy Cane Lane
(Between Lubao Ave. and Oxnard St.)
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel (Downtown Los Angeles)
Downtown LA is a fabulous place to get into the Christmas spirit, with its Art Deco buildings, holiday ice skating rink in Pershing Square, and of course, the Millennium Biltmore. The grand dame of downtown LA, The Biltmore was one of a number of luxury hotels built in the area in the 1920s. Today it’s the last one standing, offering a rare glimpse into Hollywood’s Golden Age.
The hotel’s Beaux Arts architecture comes alive during the holidays, garnished with fresh wreaths of spruce and fir, twinkling lights in every room and countless Christmas trees, including the massive one put up every year in the hotel’s regal atrium lobby.
The LA Conservancy even hosts a Holiday Lights Walking Tour which starts at the Biltmore, giving the history behind its holiday traditions.
The Millennium Biltmore
506 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Casa Vega (Sherman Oaks)
This beloved Mexican Restaurant has been drawing stars like Marlon Brando and Cary Grant to the Valley since the 1950s. Today Casa Vega remains one of the city’s favorite eateries, as much for its authentic Mexican food as well as its festive, old-school dining room, filled with red leather booths and antique paintings.
But come the holidays, Casa Vega transforms into a quirky, dramatic winter wonderland which is definitely worth a visit. Think pounds of tinsel and ornaments streaming from the ceiling, and Christmas lights on every surface and wall.
Casa Vega also serves a number of special Christmas dishes around the holidays, including tamales, pozole, and Mexican coffee.
Casa Vega
13301 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Griffith Park Holiday Light Festival Train Ride (Hollywood)
For holiday cheer the little ones will love, head to the holiday train ride in Griffith Park. Every year, the open-air train ride transforms into a SoCal Polar Express, its mile-long expedition through the bridges, forests and a replica Old West town, decorated in a spectacular lights display.
The Holiday Train runs from November 29-January 3, Monday–Thursday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Friday–Sunday: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Tickets are $8
Griffith Park Holiday Light Festival Train Ride
4400 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027
The Mission Inn (Riverside)
Riverside’s Mission Inn is one of the city’s oldest and most grand hotels, dating back to 1876. Its stunning Spanish Colonial facade and interiors are a treat to behold any time of year, but especially come Christmas. Since the 1990s the hotel has held its annual Festival of Lights, decorating the entire building, which covers a whole city block in downtown Riverside, with over 5 million tiny white lights.
Enjoy the spectacle in the Spanish Patio, the hotel’s stunning central courtyard.
The festival starts with a lighting ceremony on Saturday, November 23, through December 31.
The Mission Inn
3649 Mission Inn Avenue
Riverside, CA 92501
Marina Del Rey Holiday Boat Parade (Marina Del Rey)
There are distinct advantages to celebrating the holidays in a city without snow, and boat parades definitely rank high on that list. Marina Del Rey has one of the best in the state, featuring over 80 boats decked out in extravagant, obsessively-detailed Christmas displays. Grab a blanket and a mug of hot cocoa and get a cozy seat at Burton Chase Park for a one-of-a-kind holiday show.
Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade
December 14th, 6 p.m.
Burton Chase Park
13650 Mindanao Way.
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
Christmas Tree Lane (Altadena)
In 1885, over 150 deodar cedar trees were planted along this mile-long street in Altadena. Today, those trees are over 100 feet tall, and the backdrop for one of the loveliest lights displays in Los Angeles.
Now in its 104th year, the Christmas Tree Lane lights festival is the oldest large-scale outdoor Christmas display in the world, and was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Lights start on December 7, with a lighting ceremony at 6 p.m., and are up through early January.
Christmas Tree Lane
Santa Rosa Avenue, between Woodbury Avenue and Altadena Drive
Altadena, CA 91001
Rodeo Drive (Beverly Hills)
Rodeo Drive isn’t somewhere LA locals tend to find themselves. For all intents and purposes, it operates as a super-expensive Time Square most of the time. And while the crowds of tourists certainly don’t wane come December, the holiday decorations almost make a trip worth it.
No other street in Los Angeles goes as hard for the holidays as like Rodeo Dr. does. Each year decor is slightly different, but expect dazzling lights, countless Christmas trees and lavish installations only luxury retail could produce. If you haven’t been to Rodeo Dr. in a while, it’s more than worth a stroll come December 1.
Rodeo Drive (between Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards)
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
The Ordinarie Tavern (Long Beach)
Most of the year, The Ordinarie Tavern in downtown Long Beach serves as a regular, if beloved local watering hole, with wood-clad walls, simple drinks and excellent pub food. On November 21st, however, the tavern transforms into a true holiday wonderland, what the owners call the “Miracle Pop-Up Bar”. Expect some of the most over-the-top decorations in Los Angeles, a bacchanal of kitsch that you can’t help but smile at.
The Ordinarie also hosts special events for the pop-up, including an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party and live music most nights, and boasts some fabulous specialty cocktails, including a Snowball Old Fashioned.
Decorations are up from November 21st through last call on December 24th.
The Ordinarie Tavern
210 The Promenade N
Long Beach, CA 90802
Venice Canals (Venice)
The Venice canals’ unique architecture make for one of the prettiest lights displays in the city. The neighborhood doesn’t hold any official festivals, but walk the canals come December and you’ll see homes decked out in traditional and not-so-traditional decorations. The canals make the effect even more beautiful, with the lights sparkling in the water.
Venice Canals
Carroll Canal Court, Venice, CA 90293
Whether you’re looking for somewhere fun to celebrate with family or need a solo infusion of Christmas joy, these 10 spots for Christmas decorations in Los Angeles are sure to induce holiday cheer asap.
