San Diego Holiday Events 2025: The Best Things To Do This Holiday Season

SAN DIEGO, CA — The most wonderful time of the year is also one of the busiest in San Diego County. From holiday concerts and light shows, to theme parks and zoos decked out for the holiday season, there's plenty of festive things to do in the region.

• Also see: San Diego Holiday Pop-Up Bars 2025: Festive Spots To Toast The Holiday Season

Here are some of the can't-miss holiday events happening in the San Diego area:

A Holiday in Oz

• When: Open through Jan. 4
• Where: Hotel del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado
• Details: Hotel del Coronado partnered with EPIC Entertainment Group to bring the timeless tale of "The Wizard of Oz" to life through immersive design, themed trees and the all-new "Wonder of Oz" Lightshow Spectacular.

Abbey Road: A Tribute To The Beatles

• When: Dec. 23
• Where: Belly Up Tavern, 143 South Cedros Ave., Solana Beach
• Details: Performed by the tribute band Abbey Road, this high-energy show fuses the timeless hits of the Beatles with festive holiday classics.

Camp Christmas

• When: Remaining dates include Dec. 17-23
• Where: Camp Christmas, 8668 Pine Creek Road, Pine Valley
• Details: The fifth annual event features all the lights and sounds of the holiday season in one place, from a colorful dancing water show to holiday photo ops, train rides, winter hayrides and more.

Christmas Celebration

• When: Open through Jan. 4
• Where: SeaWorld San Diego, 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego
• Details: More than 1 million sparkling lights illuminate the theme park, including the SkyTower Tree of Lights, which SeaWorld calls San Diego's largest Christmas tree. Event highlights include an all-new holiday sea lion show, nighty snowfall, real reindeer, photos with Santa Claus and festive fireworks.

Coastal Christmas

• When: Select nights through Dec. 26
• Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar
• Details: Coastal Christmas has returned to Del Mar with a reimagined experience. The 10-day holiday light spectacular features a light trail, skating rink, holiday market and more.

Holidays at Legoland

• When: Select dates through Jan. 4
• Where: Legoland California Resort, 1 Legoland Drive, Carlsbad
• Details: The theme park has transformed into a Lego winter wonderland for Holidays at Legoland. The event features a three-story-tall Lego Christmas tree built from more than 360,000 bricks, as well as other holiday Lego brick models, Lego holiday characters, Lego builds and festive experiences, including an elf hat scavenger hunt.

Jingle Belle Family Cruises

• When: Dec. 20-24
• Where: Cruises depart from Bahia Resort Hotel, 998 West Mission Bay Drive, San Diego
• Details: The family-friendly cruise aboard the 100-foot-long William D. Evans sternwheelerfeatures twinkling décor, cheerful carolers, holiday cocktails, homemade cookies, kids' crafts, and photos with Santa and his helpers.

Jungle Bells

• When: Select dates through Jan. 4
• Where: San Diego Zoo, 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego
• Details: The family-friendly holiday event features festive entertainment, shimmering lights, and seasonal food and drinks.

Lightscape

• When: Open through Jan. 4
• Where: San Diego Botanic Garden, 300 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas
• Details: Now in its fourth year, the popular light experience Lightscape features new artistic installations and returning light-filled favorites throughout a mile-long illuminated walking trail.

Rady Children's Ice Rink

• When: Open through Jan. 4
• Where: Rady Children's Ice Rink, Arts District Liberty Station, 2875 Dewey Road, San Diego
• Details: Net proceeds from the rink support the Thriving After Cancer Program at the Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Rady Children's Hospital. The program provides education and resources for more than 500 cancer survivors each year.

Wild Holidays

• When: Select dates through Jan. 4
• Where: San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido
• Details: The family-friendly holiday event features musical entertainment, festive storytelling, twinkling lights, and seasonal food and drinks.

Winter Wonder at Belmont Park

• When: Open through Jan. 4
• Where: Belmont Park, 3146 Mission Blvd., San Diego
• Details: The historic 100-year-old amusement park has been decorated with thousands of lights and themed photo opportunities for the holiday season. The park-wide festival features rides, live weekend entertainment, family programming, and seasonal food and drink offerings.

Winter Wonder at Lakehouse Resort

• When: Open through Dec. 26
• Where: Lakehouse Resort, 1025 La Bonita Drive, San Marcos
• Details: The lakeside festival features family-friendly programming, igloo reservations, seasonal attractions, and a Candy Cane Cruise on Lake San Marcos.

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