There’s something about driving through holiday lights displays that bring us back to our childhood. If spending hours on a ladder decking out your own roof is not your idea of fun, then take advantage of these options around the Bay where trains, cable cars, neighborhoods and parks are adorned with thousands of blinking lights. Tune your radio to some holiday favorites, set the kids up with the hot cocoa and enjoy the merriment.
Classic Cable Car Holiday Lights
What’s more San Francisco than a classic cable car ride? For a unique holiday spin, take it up a notch by riding a bedecked, motorized cable car through the Northern part of the city. You’ll view landmarks that are beautifully lit up for the holidays. Each tour comes with a (free) Santa hat. This jolly tour lasts 70 minutes and departs from Fisherman’s Wharf. What not to forget: blankets and a camera.
190 Napoleon St.
San Francisco, Ca
415.922.2425
Online: classiccablecar.com
photo credit: Classic Cable Cars
Fantasy of Lights, Los Gatos
This drive-through lights display has been delighting (get it, de-lighting?) South Bay families for almost two decades. Buy your ticket in advance (required) and enjoy your slow cruise through 1.5 miles of lights. Dinosaurs, pirate ships and all sorts of animals join Santa and his crew in the many light displays. December 6-30, 6-10 p.m. $20/car
Want to see the lights up-close? This year’s walk-through nights are Dec. 3-4, 4-9 p.m. Free 3-D glasses, shuttle service from Netflix (no parking on-site) and food from Moveable Feast will make this great fun for the whole family. $10 ages 13+, $5 ages 4-12 and under 4 are free.
Your third option is to ride through the Fantasy of Lights aboard the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad. Tickets are $6/person (age 3 and up) and that gets you 1 train ride and unlimited carousel rides. You can find the train at Oak Meadow Park which adjoins Vasona. Dec. 8-11 and 15-23, 6-9 p.m.
Vasona Lake County Park
333 Blossom Hill Road
Los Gatos
Online: parkhere.org
Holiday Circle of Lights, Oakland
Don’t let the fact this display is in a cemetery spook you, though it will take your breath away- in a good way! Thousands of lights adorn the main buildings at Mountain View Cemetery. This year’s show also includes a train full of toys, giant nutcracker, and a beautiful arch of lights. Dec. 1- Jan. 1, 5 – 9 p.m.
5000 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, Ca
Online: mountainviewcemetery.org
photo credit: Mountain View Cemetery
Tom & Jerry’s Christmas Display
You need to see it to believe it: a 65-foot tree in front of a Noe Valley Victorian, covered in lights and ginormous ornaments. Owner’s Tom and Jerome (Jerry) have been delighting visitors with their big, bold, and bright display has for more than twenty years now, and Santa makes a nightly appearance for the kiddos December 1 through Christmas Eve, 6:30–9:30 p.m. The lights are on display through Jan. 1.
3650 21st St.
Noe Valley, San Francisco
Facebook Page: Tom and Jerry Christmas Tree
Photo by Peretz Partensky
Widmer World, Pleasanton
This local display is so popular, it’s being featured in a nationally televised show! Because of this, lights started going up in October, and they’ll probably offer a sneak peek around Thanksgiving. The tradition started in 1980 with a plastic Santa and some other run-of-the-mill decorations, but has since exploded into almost an acre of glittering lights which includes a mini Christmas village, computer animated displays, and over a dozen scenes. No two years are alike, and this year promises plenty of new additions. Nightly from Dec. 1–31, from 6– 9 p.m.
3671 Chelsea Court
Pleasanton, Ca
Online: widmer-world.com
photo credit: Bob Widmer/Widmer World Facebook Page
You need to see it to believe it: a 65-foot tree in front of a Noe Valley Victorian, covered in lights and ginormous ornaments. Owner’s Tom and Jerome (Jerry) have been delighting visitors with their big, bold, and bright display has for more than twenty years now, and Santa makes a nightly appearance for the kiddos December 1 through Christmas Eve, 6:30–9:30 p.m. The lights are on display through Jan. 1.
3650 21st St.
Noe Valley, San Francisco
Facebook Page: Tom and Jerry Christmas Tree
Photo by Peretz Partensky
Marinwood’s Mickey Mouse Christmas House
When you take the most wonderful time of the year and combine it with the happiest place on Earth, you get this: The Mickey Mouse Christmas House. The Mize family started collecting Disney memorabilia in the 70’s, and since then their collection has grown and grown. More than 10,000 visitors stop by their San Rafael home to gaze at the brilliant lights, beautiful decorations, and unique displays.
417 Blackstone Dr.
San Rafael, Ca
Online: Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
photo credit: Eileen Mize/Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda
The Christmas spirit comes to life on this lively, lit up block in Alameda that has the whole package: beautiful lights, friendly neighbors, and people strolling galore—and it’s been going on since 1938! Decades later, the street is now known as Christmas Tree Lane and draws people from all over the Bay Area with its extravagant light displays and loads of holiday spirit. Dec. 1 through New Year’s Eve from 5:30 – 10 p.m..
3200 block of Thompson Ave.
Between High & Fernside
Alameda, Ca
photo credit: Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda Facebook Page
When you take the most wonderful time of the year and combine it with the happiest place on Earth, you get this: The Mickey Mouse Christmas House. The Mize family started collecting Disney memorabilia in the 70’s, and since then their collection has grown and grown. More than 10,000 visitors stop by their San Rafael home to gaze at the brilliant lights, beautiful decorations, and unique displays.
417 Blackstone Dr.
San Rafael, Ca
Online: Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
photo credit: Eileen Mize/Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
Zoolights, Oakland
The animals are on parade at this light spectacular put on by the Oakland Zoo. Thousands of LED lights adorn trees, create flocks of flamingos and cover the Outback Express train. Hop aboard the train or check out the rides at Candy Cane Lane. Dec. 2 – Jan. 1 (closed Dec. 24 and 25). 5:30 – 9 p.m. Not included with regular zoo admission. Adults $8, Kids 2-14 and seniors $7. Free member nights – Dec. 5 and 12.
Oakland Zoo
9777 Golf Links Road
Oakland
Online: oaklandzoo.org
photo credit: David Abercromble via flickr creative commons
The Christmas spirit comes to life on this lively, lit up block in Alameda that has the whole package: beautiful lights, friendly neighbors, and people strolling galore—and it’s been going on since 1938! Decades later, the street is now known as Christmas Tree Lane and draws people from all over the Bay Area with its extravagant light displays and loads of holiday spirit. Dec. 1 through New Year’s Eve from 5:30 – 10 p.m..
3200 block of Thompson Ave.
Between High & Fernside
Alameda, Ca
photo credit: Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda Facebook Page
When you take the most wonderful time of the year and combine it with the happiest place on Earth, you get this: The Mickey Mouse Christmas House. The Mize family started collecting Disney memorabilia in the 70’s, and since then their collection has grown and grown. More than 10,000 visitors stop by their San Rafael home to gaze at the brilliant lights, beautiful decorations, and unique displays.
417 Blackstone Dr.
San Rafael, Ca
Online: Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
photo credit: Eileen Mize/Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
Caltrain Holiday Train – San Francisco to the South Bay
The animals are on parade at this light spectacular put on by the Oakland Zoo. Thousands of LED lights adorn trees, create flocks of flamingos and cover the Outback Express train. Hop aboard the train or check out the rides at Candy Cane Lane. Dec. 2 – Jan. 1 (closed Dec. 24 and 25). 5:30 – 9 p.m. Not included with regular zoo admission. Adults $8, Kids 2-14 and seniors $7. Free member nights – Dec. 5 and 12.
Oakland Zoo
9777 Golf Links Road
Oakland
Online: oaklandzoo.org
photo credit: David Abercromble via flickr creative commons
The Christmas spirit comes to life on this lively, lit up block in Alameda that has the whole package: beautiful lights, friendly neighbors, and people strolling galore—and it’s been going on since 1938! Decades later, the street is now known as Christmas Tree Lane and draws people from all over the Bay Area with its extravagant light displays and loads of holiday spirit. Dec. 1 through New Year’s Eve from 5:30 – 10 p.m..
3200 block of Thompson Ave.
Between High & Fernside
Alameda, Ca
photo credit: Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda Facebook Page
When you take the most wonderful time of the year and combine it with the happiest place on Earth, you get this: The Mickey Mouse Christmas House. The Mize family started collecting Disney memorabilia in the 70’s, and since then their collection has grown and grown. More than 10,000 visitors stop by their San Rafael home to gaze at the brilliant lights, beautiful decorations, and unique displays.
417 Blackstone Dr.
San Rafael, Ca
Online: Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
photo credit: Eileen Mize/Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
Christmas Tree Lane, Palo Alto
Christmas Tree Lane (or Fulton Street in the off-season) has been putting visitors in the Christmas spirit with their holiday lights display since the 1940s. For the two weeks leading up to Christmas you can drive or walk through this display to see carolers, vintage lawn displays and lights, lights and more lights. 5 – 11 p.m.
Fulton Street between Embarcadero Ave. and Seale Rd.
Palo Alto, Ca
Online: christmastreelane.org
photo courtesy of YueStudio Y. via yelp
The animals are on parade at this light spectacular put on by the Oakland Zoo. Thousands of LED lights adorn trees, create flocks of flamingos and cover the Outback Express train. Hop aboard the train or check out the rides at Candy Cane Lane. Dec. 2 – Jan. 1 (closed Dec. 24 and 25). 5:30 – 9 p.m. Not included with regular zoo admission. Adults $8, Kids 2-14 and seniors $7. Free member nights – Dec. 5 and 12.
Oakland Zoo
9777 Golf Links Road
Oakland
Online: oaklandzoo.org
photo credit: David Abercromble via flickr creative commons
The Christmas spirit comes to life on this lively, lit up block in Alameda that has the whole package: beautiful lights, friendly neighbors, and people strolling galore—and it’s been going on since 1938! Decades later, the street is now known as Christmas Tree Lane and draws people from all over the Bay Area with its extravagant light displays and loads of holiday spirit. Dec. 1 through New Year’s Eve from 5:30 – 10 p.m..
3200 block of Thompson Ave.
Between High & Fernside
Alameda, Ca
photo credit: Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda Facebook Page
When you take the most wonderful time of the year and combine it with the happiest place on Earth, you get this: The Mickey Mouse Christmas House. The Mize family started collecting Disney memorabilia in the 70’s, and since then their collection has grown and grown. More than 10,000 visitors stop by their San Rafael home to gaze at the brilliant lights, beautiful decorations, and unique displays.
417 Blackstone Dr.
San Rafael, Ca
Online: Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
photo credit: Eileen Mize/Mickey Mouse House Facebook Page
Union Street Fantasy of Lights
December 3 is the kick off for this month-long celebration of holiday cheer on Union Street in San Francisco’s historic Cow Hollow neighborhood. Opening night includes holiday lights adorning the Victorian homes and shops, face painters, jugglers, live entertainment and photos with Santa. All month long you can enjoy special holiday happenings like store open houses and evening shopping under the lights.
Union Street between Van Ness & Steiner, Fillmore Street from Union to Lombard
San Francisco, Ca
Online: sresproductions.com/events/union-street-holiday-program
Photo Courtesy of Union Street Fantasy of Lights
This article originally appeared on www.redtri.com