30 Best Family Christmas Events in San Diego for 2025

North County Holiday Express

Dates: Dec 6-7 (six-seeeven), 13-14

Cost: $25 plus processing fees. Purchase tickets on Nov 14, sells out quickly.

If you’re looking for a Polar Express that will leave you cash for Christmas presents, you’ve found it! This Polar Express transforms the North County Coaster into a Christmas wonderland for two weekends. Tickets go on sale November 14th and they ALWAYS sell out within a few days. It doesn’t matter which car you select for your tickets because all the characters visit every car. The best part? No snow on this Polar Express, you get beach views all the way there and back.

Your $25 dollar ticket gets you an hour-long train ride with visits from Anna & Elsa, carolers, elf conductors, and the Big Man himself (Santa!). The train is decked out for the holidays as well. They distribute a Christmas list for the children to write down what they want for Christmas and deliver it to Santa’s mailbox. Also you have the unique experience of meeting Santa Claus and viewing the Pacific ocean at the same time! It’s the perfect way to kick off the holiday season.

A few tips: arrive early because the train leaves on time! Give yourself time to wait in line, take a few photos outside, and board. Between 15 and 30 minutes should be good. Kids under 2 are free and strollers are NOT permitted on board. They do not allow food, so feed everyone before your departure. There are bathrooms on board. Parking at the station is free. Not everyone was in Christmas PJs but it would have been way more fun if they were.

Jingle Jets on The USS Midway

Dates: Runs on select nights, Nov. 28 – Dec. 30, 2025

November: 28, 29, 30

December: 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. PST (last entry at 7:30 p.m.)

Cost: $30 for adults, $20 for kids, 3 and under are free! Discount for museum members.

This is the most San Diego Christmas outing! They’ve taken all the jets on the aircraft carrier docked downtown and turned them into Christmas jets! You can walk through a giant light tunnel in the hangar, sit in decorated cockpits, sip hot chocolate overlooking the water and the city and write letters to active duty service members.

This is the third year of this event. If you’ve never been to The Midway before, I think you will be really impressed with the museum itself and the volunteers. They are very kind to children and go out of their way to talk to them and answer their questions.

Link to tickets

Lightscape at The San Diego Botanic Gardens in Encinitas

Dates: November 14 – January 4

Cost: $28 for adults, $18 for kids, 2 and under are free (discount for members). Buy tickets in advance as the early slots fill up. You also have to purchase parking in advance for $10 on regular days and $15 on peak days. Parking purchased on site is $20-$25 per car.

This event is so magical! I was a little nervous about losing my kids in the dark maze that is the San Diego Botanic Garden, but the path was well marked and everything was lit up. The event goes from 5:30-7 pm every night and you will need a timed ticket for entry.

It is stroller friendly, though there is some rough terrain so you may prefer a baby carrier. The entire loop takes 20-30 minutes walking slowly. We looped it twice, once with our phones out and the second time to just enjoy it with our own eyes. The show takes place every night until January fourth, rain or shine. You may prefer the rain, it makes the lights so much more beautiful!

Link to buy tickets here

San Diego Ballet Nutcracker Tea at Liberty Station

Dates: December 7th only (it’s earlier this year!). Two shows, 11 am and 3 pm.

Cost: $72-$82/ticket. Buy tickets ASAP as it sells out quickly!

This is the CUTEST holiday event. The San Diego Ballet has adjusted The Nutcracker to a kid-friendly show with professional ballerinas. It’s during the day and not quite as long so it’s the perfect place to introduce kids to The Nutcracker. Before the show, they come out and go over the plot so the kids can follow it. They also talk a little bit about theater etiquette like when to clap and how to act. My kids actually listened to them! Kids sit on the floor on cushions super close to all the action.

At the end they have a little dance lesson. You get tea and holiday cookies plus delicious snacks! It really is a magical holiday experience. Make sure to dress the kids up for pictures in front of the Christmas trees! Tickets on sale now and they will certainly sell out. 

Link to tickets here

LEGOLAND Holiday Celebration

Dates: November 22-30, December 6-7, 13-31, January 1-4

Firework Dates: December 6, 13, 20-31

Cost: FREE for passholders. No advance reservation required.

FYI their Black Friday deal is also about to happen, I will share a link to that soon. This event is included for passholders (no extra fee like Brick or Treat Halloween event).

LEGOLAND’s Holiday event is super fun! Make sure you don’t miss the giant LEGO tree and the LEGO wreath over by the waterpark entrance. They also have super cute shows. My favorite was the Jingle Jamboree. Sit close for a HUGE snowfall at the end! You can also meet LEGO Santa and a LEGO Snowman. The Mint Marching band is also cute, they do a whole toy solider routine.

They also do fireworks on many nights right over the Christmas tree.

The crowds usually aren’t too bad surprisingly. Wait times were kind of high in the middle of the day, but toward the evening everything cleared out. Make sure to stop for churros by the Pirate ride!

Link to tickets and more info here

Walk Through Bethlehem Poway

Dates: Friday Dec 12- Monday Dec 15 6-9 pm every night.

Cost: FREE and they give out cookies and hot chocolate.

Address: 15750 Bernardo Heights Parkway, San Diego, CA 92128

For those looking for a little more Christ-centered Christmas event, this is a great option. A local church creates a walk-through Bethlehem experience complete with actors and animals. Kids and adults get time to linger at each scene and learn more about the story of Christ’s birth.

The event begins with Nativity displays from around the world. My kids enjoyed looking at these the most! There are over 100 to see and each is so different. From there you begin your walk through the night of Christ’s birth. There’s music and sets and lighting and such a special spirit present! This is a great way to explain the meaning of Christmas to your kids.

The walk takes about 20-30 minutes and it’s outside so dress accordingly. When you finish, there is an area to mingle with friends and neighbors. They also give out hot chocolate and homemade cookies donated by church members. There’s a tree where kids can detail what gift they can give to Christ this Christmas season and put it on the Christmas tree. It’s fun to look through these, my favorite one said: “to not hit my sister.”

More Info and address here

Dr. Seuss How The Grinch Stole Christmas Play at The Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park 

Dates: Nov 5-Dec 31st

Cost: $62 for adults, $51 for kids. Buy tickets in advance, usually sells out the popular performances.

This event is a San Diego classic! This event is best for kids 5 and older who can sit through an entire movie. Note that kids under three are only allowed at the 10:30 am performances. People dress up and take photos in front of the Old Globe Christmas tree. The Old Globe is a theater in Balboa Park that is a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe in London, England! This is their best family friendly event all year.

Earlier in November is cheaper and tickets get more expensive the closer you get to Christmas. Most showings are at 7 pm but they do have some matinees too!

Link to buy tickets is here!

There is also a Christmas Carol variation show called Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big San Diego Vacation. It looked cute and it’s a little cheaper to see than The Grinch. Children under 5 are not permitted at this show FYI.

Link to buy tickets

Life-size nativity scenes and Christmas decor in Balboa Park

Dates: Nov 5-Dec 31st

Cost: Free!

Another way to help kids understand the nativity is to visit the nativity statues in Balboa Park. Whether you get tickets to the Old Globe show 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).

55th Annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights

Dates: Dec 14th and 21st

Cost: Free!

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 theme this year is “An Out of This World Christmas” so expect to see some aliens!

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

Dates: Nov 21-Jan 4th

Cost: Free! Unless you ice skate or buy food.

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 plan to get there when it’s still light, enjoy the sunset on the beach, and then the lights at The Del.

We also 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 fancy 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. The rink is small and the Westfield UTC ice rink is way better. 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! The theme this year is A Holiday in Oz. It looks like they will have a fun Wizard of Oz themed trail this year, I can’t wait to see it!

More Info Here

Westfield UTC Peppermint Beach Club

Dates: Nov 15 – Dec 24

Cost: Free to visit, Santa photos and other activities cost money. Santa photos are cheaper in November, so go early!

Westfield is updating their Christmas offering from the magical snow globes to Peppermint Beach Club. There are tons of characters to meet and greet and photo ops including some with Mrs. Claus. Look for magical snow shows and characters on select dates!

They also have ice skating here in the basement. This is one of my favorite places to ice skate as they have excellent assist devices for children and it’s reasonably priced. While you’re here, I highly recommend visiting Salt & Straw and trying their Snickerdoodle ice cream!

More info here

San Diego Zoo Jungle Bells

Dates: Dec 19-Jan 4

Cost: Free for passholders!

Every year the San Diego Zoo stays open later through December with an impressive holiday light display. Don’t miss their show as well toward the back! It’s fun to walk around and see the nocturnal animals. They have seasonal treats as well! Best of all, it’s free if you’re a zoo member.

Their Santa Factory is fantastic and open starting November 28th. Don’t miss the light walk through Tiger Trail!

More info here

Safari Park Wild Holidays

Dates: Nov 28-Jan 4

Cost: Free for passholders!

Okay this was really cool. There are light displays throughout the park that make EXCELLENT photo ops. It reminded me a lot of Lighscape at the San Diego Zoo Botanic Garden. If you’re a zoo member, do not skip this Christmas event!

More info here

The Campo North Pole Limited

Dates:Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays, November 28th – December 21st, 2025

Cost: Adults $30, kids 1-17 $15. Under age 1 free. Buy tickets in advance, it sells out. And don’t be late to your reservation!

This family friendly train ride begins at the Campo Train Depot and departs for the North Pole where Santa and Mrs. Claus board the train. They have cookies, snacks and hot chocolate on board. There are magic tricks, holiday story reading and caroling by a crew of elves. Santa and Ms. Claus make their way through the train and visit with each family. The ride lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Make sure to dress warmly because Campo is in the mountains. When we went was 60 in SD and 35 in Campo. Campo Cafe has decent burgers pizza and milkshakes, but they do take a while to make the food so make sure to leave plenty of time.

Whatever you do, do NOT be late for your train time. Trains leave at exactly 5 and 7 and there’s no way to catch it once it’s gone. I suggest being there around 30-45 minutes before departure time to play on their playground and look at the gift shop and take the kids to the bathroom.

This event begins on the weekend of Friday November 28th. Trains depart at 5pm and 7pm each night.

And because I know I am going to get asked, this train ride is more magical than the Coaster in Oceanside. It’s dark and in the mountains so it’s cold. The North Pole set up outside the train is pretty spectacular and the kids loved coming up on it. Wear Christmas jammies!

Link to buy tickets

The Giving Machine and Decor in Old Town San Diego

Dates: Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s

Cost: Free, donate to local San Diego charities through The Giving Machine

Something very cool happened for the first time last year in San Diego! We got our very own Giving Machine! What’s a Giving Machine you may ask? It’s a vending machine but instead of getting things OUT, you use it to donate money to local charities around San Diego. I always choose to donate to either Birthline of San Diego (helps low-income moms get essential items for their new babies) or Gently Hugged (takes people’s donations and makes them into a year’s worth of clothes for at-risk babies).

It’s fun to see your “item” come out and it’s a great way to get kids involved in holiday giving. Our Giving Machine is located at 4040 Twiggs Street San Diego, CA 92110. It’s the parking lot across from The Old Town Trolley Station.

When you’re done, head over to Fiesta Del Reyes for some fun Mexican-inspired Christmas decor. They really go all out! We like to eat at Barra Barra Saloon (kids eat free!) or Casa Guadalajara.

More info here

Del Mar Highlands Holiday Displays and Surfboard Tree

Dates: TBD, the lights go up pretty early in Nov usually!

Cost: Free! Except you’ll need to buy Handel’s Ice Cream.

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

See the best decorated holiday streets all over San Diego

Dates: Lights go up after Thanksgiving.

Cost: Free!

I have a separate post with a map of the best holiday houses in San Diego, that’s here!

Here some of the best streets that put up impressive displays every year. The lights start going up after Thanksgiving and more and more houses join the closer it gets to Christmas. I like grabbing holiday donuts and blasting Christmas songs while we drive!

1. Christmas Card Lane Rancho Penasquitos: 9190 Oviedo Street SD
2. Candy Cane Lane: Hickory Street Poway
3. Merry-tage Court Scripps Ranch: Stonebridge Pkwy & Merritage Ct SD
4. Carlsbad Christmas House: 6646 Elegant Tern Place Carlsbad
5. Jingle Bell Hill: Peegen Place El Cajon
6. Harmony Grove Escondido: Trail Blazer Lane Escondido

Rancho Bernardo Inn Life Size Gingerbread House

Dates: Nov 28-Jan 1st

Cost: Free!

This is the chillest easiest daytime Christmas outing. This year’s theme is The Nutcracker, Clara’s Land of Sweets! There is a fancy hotel in Rancho Bernardo that makes a life size Gingerbread house every year! It smells AMAZING. It’s free to park there and free to view it. We like playing “I Spy” with the candy decorations. The house goes up around early December and stays through New Years. When you’re done, you can look at all the Christmas trees throughout the hotel. There is also a fancy restaurant there. We’ve never eaten there, but we have heard good things about it.

If you’re coming from out of town, we like to go visit Rancho Bernardo Community Park afterwards. It’s right by the 15 freeway. There’s also lots of playgrounds in 4S Ranch up the road. The display goes up on December 1st.

More info here

The Perris Polar Express

Cost: $56-$88/person. Closer to Christmas is more expensive!

Dates: Nov 20th-Dec 31st

This Polar Express is more of a show on wheels. They recreate the Polar Express book with a team of talented actors while you ride a real train from The So Cal Train Museum in Perris. Perris (not PARIS that’s in France) is inland and between San Diego and Orange County. It takes about 45 minutes to get there from North County San Diego.

The price is steep at $50-$80/person depending on when you go. Kids 2 and under are free, everyone else will need a ticket. Weekdays are a little cheaper. They also have special sensory friendly departures. Your ticket includes admission to the train museum in Perris, CA that has a ton of fun for train lovers. This museum also hosts Day Out With Thomas events in November which are a ton of fun!

The event runs from November 20-December 31st with multiple departure times per day.

See more info and buy tickets for the Perris Polar Express

Belmont Park Winter Wonderland / The Polar Plunge

Cost: Free to see the decor in Belmont Park! Tickets and rides are their normal cost.

Dates: TBD

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.

More info here

Coastal Christmas Del Mar

Dates: Dec 12-Dec 26th, select dates

Cost: Entry price is $25 (includes the light walk through and Santa visit, rides and ice skating are extra).

This is The Del Mar Fairgrounds Holiday event! There’s a light walk through and other fun festive things to do such as meet holiday characters. Note that your $25 entry price doesn’t cover the rides or the ice skating and those are extra per person. There are rides and bounce houses. The ice skating rink is actually “glice” meaning it’s synthetic ice. We had trouble skating on it, though I do like that it’s eco-friendly. It’s fun to rent an igloo and do smores! Again that is an extra charge.

If you choose to go to this event, just be aware that you will likely be paying more than the $25 cover charge as there isn’t a ton to do that’s included beyond the light walk through.

Link to tickets here

Lakehouse Igloos

Dates: Nov 29-Dec 26th

Cost: $7 entry includes light displays, a holiday boat ride, the train, Frozen Fun Zone (bounce houses). You can also book an igloo for $250 for up to 8 guests which includes smores. $450 gets you a charcuterie board and drinks for up to 8 people.

This event is at The Lakehouse Hotel in San Marcos. It’s really pretty there and a fun spot to hang out. The light tunnel is really cute and great for photos.

If you’re just doing the boat ride and the train, this is a fun and inexpensive outing to take kids to. I wouldn’t drive from very far to go here, it isn’t huge! The boat ride is really cute and the kids liked it. Waits can get long on some of the event days so be aware of that.

Renting an igloo would be super fun for a festive girl’s night out or a date night with a group!

More info here

Sesame Place: A Very Furry Christmas

Update: CANCELED for 2025. Hopefully it’s back in 2026!

This is a super cute event, especially if you’re a passholder. Plus, kids go free! Though all the waterslides are closed, they still have the parade and shows and dry rides open. We really loved the Christmas tree maze, meeting Cookie Monster Santa, and all the decor.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Temple Christmas Display in La Jolla

UPDATE: CANCELED for 2025 likely back in 2026.

This beautiful building by the 5 freeway in La Jolla puts on an impressive Christmas display every year. You might recognize it as the Elsa castle type place that jumps out at you from the side of the freeway. The temple itself is closed for remodeling at the moment, but you are welcome to park and enjoy the grounds for free. They wrap the palm trees in Christmas lights and put out Christ statues that you can view or take photos with.

It’s free to visit and free to view the lights. Displays go up around Thanksgiving and come down around New Years. My kids like running free on the grass in front of the temple.

If you’re curious about what happens in temples click here. When the temple finishes its renovation work it will be open to the public for tours for a limited time. I will be publicizing that on my Instagram, so check there for updates!

If you’d like a church to attend on Christmas Eve (it’s on a Sunday this year!) in your community, you can plug in your address here to find a family-friendly service.

Other San Diego Christmas Events that are great with reviews coming soon!

SeaWorld Christmas Celebration

Camp Christmas Pine Valley

Petco Park Holiday Market

December Nights Balboa Park