All events are subject to change. Please confirm with the event organizer before attending.
November 2020
Six Flags Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience
NOVEMBER 20 - JANUARY 3: Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience will include eight distinctly different areas throughout the park with millions of twinkling lights choreographed to festive music, beloved holiday characters decked out for the holidays, iconic Holiday in the Park decorations, and a drive-by featuring Santa and his elves. Price is $20-30 per car.
Holidayz at the Park – OC Great Park in Irvine
NOVEMBER 21 - JANUARY 3: ‘Tis the season for family fun and holiday cheer at the Orange County Great Park. Enjoy Holidayz at the Park, when the park will be transformed into a winterscape featuring holiday-themed events, displays, and lights.
Santa’s Speedway Christmas Lights Drive-Thru – Irwindale Speedway & Event Center
NOVEMBER 25 - JANUARY 10: Drive on an actual NASCAR racetrack, as you enjoy Santa's Village with elves hard at work, a land filled with Christmas sweets, Rudolph's Enchanted garage filled with Racecar Reindeers, and the world's largest free standing light tree, measuring 110 feet!
Lighting of the Bay – Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort
NOVEMBER 27 - JANUARY 1: Stroll the bay and enjoy the sights and sounds of the holidays. The Back Bay will glow from sunset to sunup with with over 40 electric Christmas trees. Food and drink available for family picnics on Fridays and Saturdays. Ticketed events also offered.
Hikari: A Festival of Lights Drive-Thru Experience – Tanaka Farms in Irvine
NOVEMBER 27 - JANUARY 10: Join Tanaka Farms for a celebration filled with joy and light! Drive through the 30-acre farm and be dazzled by farm-themed lighting. Plus, ever Friday-Sunday, get a very special visit from Santa! Use code "tanakalights2020" at checkout to save $5 when you book your reservation (until 11/8/20).
Nightly Tree Lighting – Irvine Spectrum Center
NOVEMBER 27 - JANUARY 3: Stop by the beautifully decorated 75-foot tree in Giant Wheel Court every night to see it come to life with a choreographed light show every 30 minutes beginning at 5pm.
Once Upon a Christmas with Once Upon an Island
NOVEMBER 27 - JANUARY 3: Enter the North Pole and make a wish with one of Santa's real-talking reindeer! Become one of Santa's helpers and make a gift for your loved ones and don't forget to write your letter to Santa. Once Upon an Island is offering safe, sanitized, single-family Christmas experiences by appointment only. Experiences include the Elf Experience ($75, Monday-Friday), the Santa & Elf Experience ($175, Saturday & Sunday), and Santa Photo Sessions ($50-95, Saturday & Sunday).
🖥 Streaming Event: A Christmas Carol – South Coast Repertory
NOVEMBER 28 - JANUARY 3: Experience A Christmas Carol unlike any other—past, present or future. Staged exclusively for this production, this must-watch streaming event conjures the powerful spirits of Christmas and brings all the magic of live theatre home for the holidays.
December 2020
Kids Free in December – Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching
DECEMBER 1-31: Purchase two full price adult whale watching tickets, one child (up to age 12) is free. Purchase two full price adult fishing tickets, one child (up to age 14) is free.
Bionerds Winter Break Camps in Irvine
DECEMBER 21-23 and 28-30: Bionerds welcomes children Kindergarten-6th Grade to participate in fun, hands-on biology. Your child will learn vast biology topics from micorganisms to humans.
Lil Chef School – 3-day Winter Baking & Savory Camps
Lil Chefs will bake up some fun Holiday dishes while learning proper baking techniques as well as knife skills, how to follow a recipe and working as a team to complete each dish. Lil Chefs will get to enjoy what they make in class. Sign up for one day or one week.
Holiday 3-Day Sewing Camps – Sewing Lab in Los Alamitos
NOVEMBER 23-25, DECEMBER 21-23 and 28-30: Sewing Lab is open for in-person sewing camps this holiday season. They have 3-day camps for both Thanksgiving and Winter Break. Camps are suitable for both brand new and returning students. Sewing projects are always fun and tailored to you!
Winter Break Skateboarding Camp – Skatedogs in Long Beach & Irvine
DECEMBER 21-23 and 28-31: Whether your kids (5-13, all levels) are just learning or ready to learn advanced tricks, this camp is right for them! They’ll make new friends, advance their skills, play games, and most importantly, have fun!
Alpine Slide and Snow Play
NOVEMBER - EASTER: Enjoy tubing and snow play, plus take a chairlift ride to the top of the Alpine Slide. Here, riders navigate their own individually controlled sleds, each with teflon runners and ball-bearing wheels, down their choice of two quarter-mile long cement tracks filled with high-banked turns and long straightaways. Experience the new Mineshaft Coaster, the first and only mountain coaster in CA!
SkyPark at Santa’s Village in Skyforest
NOVEMBER 21 - JANUARY 10: Join Skypark for a Nostalgic Christmas in the Woods inside Santa’s Village! Enjoy visits with Santa and Northwoods characters, ice skating, light displays, storytelling, crafts, holiday treats and more.
South Coast Botanic Garden’s GLOW Light Exhibit
NOVEMBER 21 - JANUARY 10: South Coast Botanic Garden is proud to present GLOW, a visually stunning art installation that will transform their lush botanic oasis into an oceanic experience for their Garden Lights & Ocean Waters theme. Enjoy music and this unforgettable after-dark walk through the Garden.
The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Holiday Journey: Drive-Thru Experience in Pomona
NOVEMBER 6 - JANUARY 3: Drive through a dazzling light spectacle with toy-repair workshops, gingerbread villages, and all the sights and sounds of the holidays, blended with a touch of high-spirited fun.
SoCal WonderLAnd Drive-Thru Experience – Woodland Hills
NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 30: Celebrate the holiday season with millions of lights and themed decor during a festive WonerLAnd drive-thru show. Enjoy elaborate sets, semi-enclosed and open-air tunnel installations, photo opps, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Elves!
Hot Wheels Ultimate Drive-Thru – Toyota Arena in Ontario
DECEMBER 3 - JANUARY 10: Use code KGM10 for $10 off your ticket! Journey into a one-of-a-kind, contactless experience where the world of Hot Wheels comes to life right outside your windows! Drive through this larger than life showcase of everyone's favorite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks, specialty Monster Trucks, Garage of Legends vehicles, robots and more.
Happy Place: Drive-Thru Experience
NOVEMBER 20 - JANUARY 10: Happy Place - The Drive Thru features 18 larger-than-life experiences and interactive moments. Some highlights include the world's first giant piano you play with your car, a rainbow road, and a pulsating nightclub for your car.
Holidays in Your Car – Del Mar Fairgrounds
DECEMBER 5 - JANUARY 2: Discover a symphony of sight and sound at one of Southern California's largest drive-thru holiday light spectaculars! Holidays in Your Car features more than one million LED lights, holograms, and projection mapping animated to classic holiday tunes.
Holidays in Your Car – Ventura Fairgrounds
NOVEMBER 22 - JANUARY 2: Discover a symphony of sight and sound at one of Southern California's largest drive-thru holiday light spectaculars! Holidays in Your Car features more than one million LED lights, holograms, and projection mapping animated to classic holiday tunes.
Nights of Lights OC – Drive-Thru Experience at OC Fair & Event Center
DECEMBER 10 - JANUARY 10: Guests will be guided through a mile-long course featuring over one million lights, themed holiday scenery, animated light shows, and tunnels synchronized to music, special effects, and more. Tickets, $39.99-69.99.
A Cabazon Dinosaurs Christmas – Roadside Attraction
NOVEMBER 6 - JANUARY 1: Celebrate Christmas in a big way! For the first time ever, Mr. Rex has put on his Santa suit and is ready for your family Christmas photo! Santa Claus and his Velociraptor pulling sleigh will be at the Cabazon Dinosaurs for family photos. Stroll through the Outdoor Dinosaur Trail and visit the Wafflesaurus Truck for treats on select days.
Big Bear Snow Play
NOVEMBER - EASTER: Big Bear Snow Play sports the longest runs in Southern California. Night Glow Tubing, Big Bear Speedway and Ropes Course are also offered.
Christmas in Color: Drive-Thru Animated Light Show at Raging Waters
DECEMBER 4 - JANUARY 3: Drive through millions of lights perfectly synchronized to holiday music you’ll hear right through your radio. Drive by giant candy canes, snowmen, arched pathways and more. Admission, $35 per vehicle.
Reflections at Descanso Gardens
NOVEMBER 14 - JANUARY 10: Enjoy art pieces in the garden, special seasonal plantings, self-guided activities, and a beautiful Wishing Tree created by artist Kaz Youkou Kitajima. Highlights include the Golden Grove, Floral Arches, Mirror Tree, Winter Plantings, and Deer Sculptures. Included with admission.
Holiday Road: Drive-Thru Experience at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas
DECEMBER 4 - JANUARY 10: From the team that brought you Nights of the Jack, welcome to Holiday Road. See larger-than-life holiday installations, thousands of Christmas lights, Santa, Mrs. Claus, Elves, and countless candy canes.
Let’s Glow Winter Day Camp – YMCA OC
A glow-themed holiday break filled with physical activities, art projects, science experiments, dance parties, and more! Variety of Orange County locations.
El Dorado Nature Center Winter-Break Workshops – Registration Starts December 1
Workshops for ages 5-8 include Batty for Bats, Winter Wonders, Wildlife Workbench, By the Light of the Moon, Tasty Tree-ets and more. Registration begins December 1. Register early as workshops fill up fast.
Winter Camp – City of Long Beach
DECEMBER 1* and 21-31: The City of Long Beach will offer programs to safely engage youth during winter break. The programs will adhere to lower staff-to-camper ratios and other enhanced safety protocols. Campers will be able to enjoy fun new games that follow COVID-19 safety guidelines. *Registration begins December 1.
Electric Noel – SilverLakes Park in Norco
DECEMBER 3 - JANUARY 3: Discover the neon glow this holiday season with Electric Noel, a high-tech Christmas drive-thru experience! Journey from Santa’s command center and the elf village, to Main Street and Mistletoe Lane - amongst many other magical, high-tech spectacles. The highly mechanized technology culminates with an automated surprise you won’t want to miss.
January 2021
Yeti’s Snow Play at Mountain High
NOW OPEN! Tis’ the season for winter cheer and there is no better place to find it than the Yeti’s Snow Play at Mountain High. Come play in the snow, slide down the tubing lanes, take a scenic sky chair ride, or meet the Yeti. Have your picture taken with Santa and the Yeti free with the purchase of any tubing or snow play activity. Now open weekends & holidays.
🖥 Virtual Parent Webinar Series – Pretend City Children’s Museum
SELECT DATES, JANUARY 6 - MARCH 17: Join guest experts and Pretend City's Education Team in exploring hot topics in parenting today. Topics include parent self-care, family mental health, race conversations, STEM & number sense, etc.
Electric Mile – A Drive-Thru Audiovisual Experience – Santa Anita Park
NOW - JANUARY 24: Journey through seven unique worlds of Insomniac's most iconic festivals and brands complete with music, lights, art, visual effects, installations, and more in a COVID-friendly environment. Electric Mile is an all ages, family-friendly affair, welcoming all from young to old.
Kayak Harbor Tour at Ocean Institute
JANUARY 9: Join the Ocean Institute for a 2-hour interactive kayak tour around the Dana Point harbor. Learn about the history of the harbor and its unique ecosystem from one of their expert Naturalists.
Acorns & Oaks Parent-Child Educational Program – LA County Arboretum
SUNDAYS, JANUARY 10 - MARCH 28: Acorns & Oaks fosters parent and child bonding through tactile play with nature, crafts, songs, stories, and sensory integration. The program provides little ones (age 5 and younger) with a natural environment in which to practice and further develop all growing abilities, particularly gross/fine motor, cognitive, and social-emotional skills.
U-Pick Wagon Rides at Tanaka Farm
JANUARY 11-31: Come out to the farm for a U-Pick Wagon Ride adventure that includes a wagon ride around the farm. You will learn about Tanaka Farms and its history, farming methods, and the crops they grow. You will make a few stops in the fields to pick three different types of veggies and/or fruits. And take a walk through the Barnyard Educational Exhibit.
🖥 Virtual Hour of Code: Beginning Python with Shared Science
JANUARY 12 & 26: Learn how, why, and when to write python code functions, the powerhouses of the cell! Instructor Burk will guide students (3rd grade +) through the codesters.com lesson as a zoom-along.
Birding Opportunity at Rancho Los Cerritos
JANUARY 14: Stroll through the grounds of the historic rancho and watch both resident birds and seasonal migrants. Family friendly!
Jurassic Quest Drive-Thru – Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena
WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY, JANUARY 15-31: See over 70 moving and roaring dinosaurs, including the 50-foot-long Megalodon! Enjoy your own personal audio tour guide and see realistic and interactive baby dinosaurs too!
Donut Life Museum – Westminster Mall
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, THROUGH MARCH 28: OC's newest donut experience that captures moments in life through the creative world of donuts. This is a unique and creative space where you can have fun, immerse yourself and take photos.
Inside Out: Dissections at Ocean Institute
Learn about a squid’s internal and external anatomy in this outdoor, socially distanced dissection. After, participants will be able to observe animals at the ocean institute including swell sharks, variety of fish and a California spiny lobster. Each booking will receive their own individual squid to dissect.
Whole Family Yoga – LA County Arboretum
SATURDAYS, JANUARY 16 - MAY 1: This gentle, all-levels yoga series explores a nature-based theme each week with a correlating technique. Bring your own mats and blankets.
A Cabazon Dinosaurs Valentine
JANUARY 16 - MARCH 31: The world's biggest Valentine greeting from Mr. Rex and his friends are ready for photos with you and your loved ones.
Weekend Tours at Ocean Institute
WEEKENDS, THROUGH FEBRUARY: Ocean Institute offers a Harbor Geology Tour on Saturdays, and Native Plant Garden Tour on Sundays. Book online.
Free Entrance to All National Parks in Commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
JANUARY 18: National parks across the country will waive entrance fees in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
🖥 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration – California African American Museum
JANUARY 18: Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day immersed in music, culture, and community. This year’s virtual festival highlights MLK’s dedication to labor and workers’ rights, and these movements’ continued importance today. Enjoy these vibrant programs and activities for all ages.
Construction Instruction Fun – Shared Science at Rancho Los Cerritos
JANUARY 18: Shared Science will be onsite at Rancho Los Cerritos for a Long Beach History STEM education lesson. This is a student/parent visit. A Rancho Los Cerritos docent will guide students in an adobe construction activity. Then, alongside a Shared Science instructor, students will create a LEGO robotics earthquake simulator platform, further exploring structural stability.
Martin Luther King Mini Camp – Lil’ Chef School in Irvine
JANUARY 18: Join Lil' Chef School for a southern feast! Chefs (ages 4 and up) will learn knife skills, how to follow and complete a recipe, and how to properly measure ingredients. On the menu, chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate cherry cola cupcakes.