San Diego goes ALL OUT for Christmas! I posted a question in my Instagram stories asking for the best Christmas houses/streets and you delivered. Here is a map of all the submissions. The green markers are individual houses and the red markers are full on Christmas streets!

If you spot a house that needs to be on the list OR removed from the list, please send me a DM on Instagram and I will add it to the map. This list grows every day, so sure to bookmark and check back as the season progresses. I am hopeful everyone can find a holiday light display near them!

While wandering these neighborhoods, be sure to be respectful, pick up your trash, donate to any of the kids selling hot cocoa / raising money for food banks etc. I also always bring a travel potty for the children OR make sure to stop by the bathroom before going to see the lights. 

I also added the best Christmas lights displays at malls, hotels, and theme parks with yellow markers. Most are free to visit and view the displays, some are paid.

Here’s the info on the 30 best Christmas events in San Diego with ticket links and pricing. I also have a community events calendar where you can submit and browse public Christmas community events all around San Diego. Link to that here!

If you’re looking for the best annual pass deals for Christmas gifts I have info on that as well! Here are my top picks.

Don’t forget about the free light displays throughout San Diego County! Our favorite is Hotel Del Coronado and their light show set to music out back. We also like The San Diego Zoo Jungle Bells displays. The San Diego Bay Parade of lights features boats going by all done up for the holidays. We like to watch from Shelter Island! December Nights in Balboa Park is also cool. We like the Christmas tree done up for The Grinch outside of the Old Globe Theater and their nativity scene.

For paid displays, check out Jingle Jets aboard the USS Midway or Lightscape at the San Diego Botanic Garden off of Quail Gardens Dr. in Encinitas.

Bressi Ranch in Carlsbad

This neighborhood goes all our with holiday lights for Halloween and Christmas too! The houses are nice and close together with sidewalks so it’s easy to walk from house to house. Also check out the Carlsbad Christmas House while you’re nearby. Carlsbad Christmas House: 6646 Elegant Tern Place Carlsbad

Christmas Card Lane Rancho Penasquitos

I love this one in the night or daytime during the whole holiday season! Every house is themed after a different movie (think Star Wars and Disney movies) with painted wooden characters. There are a few houses with holiday trains running too! Start on Olviedo Street. I also love taking my kids during the day (less crying) to see all the displays. 

Merritage Ct or Merry-tage Court in Carmel Mountain Ranch

This house has some great streets with twinkling lights. We also like grabbing holiday treats from Krispy Kreme that’s right nearby to add to the holiday magic! This is on the west sides of Stoney Gate Pl. Fairway Village in Carmel Mountain is another spot to check out nearby.

Jingle Bell Hill El Cajon

This circular street in El Cajon is known for their light displays and holiday spirit! Navigate to Peegen Place El Cajon to find it.

Harmony Grove in Escondido

This is such a cool place to find holiday cheer because of their light tunnels! The kids love running through them. Nice sidewalks, easy to walk around. Make sure to buy hot chocolate from the kids that are always selling it. 

Candy Cane Lane in Poway on Hickory St. and Hickory Ct

This spot is so fun! Only one way in and out so be ready for traffic especially as we get closer to the holidays. Santa is out handing out candy canes on select dates leading up to Christmas Eve! I love all the done up palm trees especially. 

Christmas Circle Chula Vista

This circular street always gets into the Christmas spirit with their holiday displays! This is one of the best places to go for lights in Chula Vista.

San Elijo Hills in San Marcos

This cute neighborhood high up on a hill always gets into the holiday spirit. The best street is Callistoga Way but there are also entire cul-de-sacs that are done up!

The following neighborhoods are user-submitted and we haven’t had the chance to check them out yet! Reviews incoming. 

Starlight Circle in Santee

Happy Lights in Ramona

Ammonite Place in Carlsbad

Little Italy Downtown San Diego

Tomel Court Santee

Banker’s Hill Point Loma

Mt. Abernathy Ave. San Diego

Other Free Holiday Light Displays

53rd Annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights

This one is a San Diego original. Tons of boat owners deck out their vessels and float them through Mission Bay! There are tons of places to watch including Shelter Island and Seaport Village. The parade happens on December 7th and 21st this year!

Here is the expected schedule for when the parade gets to these locations:

• Shelter Island (start of parade)   5:30 p.m.
• Harbor Island                                   6:15 p.m.
• The Embarcadero                            6:45 p.m.
• Seaport Village                                 7:15 p.m.
• The Pier at Cesar Chavez Park    7:30 p.m.
• Ferry Landing on Coronado          7:45 p.m.

If your kids go to bed early, I recommend watching from one of the first few locations. When we have been traffic hasn’t been terrible. I typically have my husband drop us off and then walk back after finding parking!

More info here

Hotel Del Coronado Holiday Light Display and Skate by the Sea

If you have ONE outing to do this holiday season, make it this one. In my opinion, The Hotel Del has Disneyland beat for holiday lights. AND it’s free! Don’t miss the giant ornament for pictures, the massive tree inside the lobby, and the holiday light show (with snow!) out back! We like watching that show twice, once lying down and once standing up.

One big tip I have for you is to NOT use The Hotel Del’s parking lot. Our neighbors accidentally paid $80 to park here for one night. I recommend parking on Orange Avenue or using one of the many metered spots on the streets around The Del. We also always eat at the Chipotle across the street before going because we know our kids will actually eat that food and it’s not too expensive. Miguels is pretty good too and has outdoor dining. If you have a bigger budget and less wiggly kids, there are also food options inside.

This is also the location of ice skating on the beach! It’s pricey at $40/person so we’ve never done it. We are content to watch and walk around and enjoy the amazing lights for free.

The event runs from November 21st through January 4th. I like going super early in the season and then again after New Years to avoid crowds!

More Info Here

Del Mar Highlands Holiday Displays

This is another mall that puts on an impressive holiday display of twinkling lights. Only in San Diego can you find a giant Christmas tree made out of surfboards. I like this outing because it’s just as fun during the day as it is at night! Don’t miss the trampolines on the opposite side of the mall by the escalators. Great for burning off kid holiday energy. They have a schedule for when Santa comes to visit his sleigh so check out their website for that.

We love Handel’s ice cream here and Batch & Box cookies. My husband always asks for a pint of Orange Dreamsicle Handels ice cream for his birthday. I also like Vuori for some good comfy mom clothes. Upstairs they have an amazing food court called Sky Deck that looks like Christmas year round. There is a ramen place in the back left corner that is my favorite place to eat here. Fun tip, if you’re visiting with kids you can order takeout from any of the restaurants and eat it outside on the deck so they can run around and not cause mayhem in the restaurant. Mine enjoy riding the escalators up and down while I eat.

The displays go up early and stay through the New Year.

More Info Here

Belmont Park Winter Wonderland / The Polar Plunge

This party in Belmont Park is free to enter and see the decorations. We love the life-size baubles and wrapped palm trees. They also have tons of photo ops with giant hot cocoa mugs and larger than life Christmas ornaments. If you would like to ride the rides, I highly recommend grabbing a wristband. It includes everything from a high ropes course to ziplining to laser tag and ALL the rides.

Right next to Belmont Park is the oldest public pool in San Diego. It’s housed in a beautiful art deco building with huge glass windows. The water is nice and warm. During the holiday season, they transform it into The Polar Plunge with igloos and Christmas decor!

The best part of The Plunge is their huge play structure! They recently updated their obstacle course and it’s so much fun. I saw lots of adults zooming around right next to the kids.

Tip: you can order beachside food from Beach House next door. They have a waiter that goes around and it’s the same prices (no delivery fee or anything).

Their prices are about $15 per person per hour. They also have Toddler Time most mornings 9-10 where tickets are discounted. If you have younger kids I highly recommend going during Toddler Time as the bigger kids can be rough on the water play equipment.

Enjoy the life-size nativity scenes and Christmas decor in Balboa Park

Whether you get tickets to the Old Globe shows or not, the decor in Balboa Park is worth a visit. We love visiting here even if we don’t have a show to attend or we aren’t going into a museum. We take the free parking tram all around the park. It goes right past the giant reindeer and Santa Claus flying up into the sky by Plaza Panama. We make a stop at Spreckel’s Organ Pavillion to see the life size nativity interactive displays telling the story of Jesus Christ’s birth. I tell the story to my kids a few times and we walk along the displays.

We finish up by grabbing a holiday treat at Panama 66 and walking over to The Old Globe to enjoy the Dr. Seuss Christmas tree and eat our treat on the little grassy area there. While you’re visiting, don’t forget to listen to the bell tower play Christmas carols every thirty minutes!

The decor goes up around Thanksgiving and stays there until past New Years. This is a chill winter break activity while the kids are out of school. Plus it’s free (except the treat).