Start on Rodeo Drive, then follow the lights across the city
On the evening of Thursday, November 19, 2026, the blocks of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills fill with people waiting for the season's first switch to be thrown. It is free, the time is announced closer to the date, and it sets the pattern for the six weeks that follow: Los Angeles marks the holidays with lightings, parades and outdoor ice, spread from Beverly Hills to Arcadia. Plan your visit around those anchors rather than a single square, and you can string together several in one trip.
Walk a garden of light after dark
Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge runs "Enchanted: Forest of Light" from November 22, 2026 through January 9, 2027, open 5:30–10 PM and closed November 26 and December 25. General admission starts at $29 for adults and $19 for children ages 2–12. Popular nights sell out, and weeknight or early entry times are the cheapest way in. At the L.A. Zoo, L.A. Zoo Lights returns on select nights from November 20, 2026 to January 10, 2027, with tickets from $19 and free parking at 5333 Zoo Dr. Both reward arriving early and walking slowly; the point is the route, not a single display.
Watch a parade, then find the ice
- 94th Hollywood Christmas Parade — Sunday, November 29, 2026, along Hollywood Blvd. Curbside viewing is free along most of the route; grandstand seats are $120 for adults and $60 for children under 16.
- L.A. LIVE Christmas tree and LA Kings Holiday Ice Festival — November 27, 2026 through January 3, 2027 at 800 W Olympic Blvd, with a 62-foot tree carrying more than 124,000 LEDs.
- 64th Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade — Saturday, December 12, 2026, themed "Hollywood Under The Stars," viewed from Burton Chace Park and Fisherman's Village.
- Burbank Mayor's Tree Lighting — Saturday, December 5, 2026, 6:00–6:30 PM at Burbank City Hall, 275 E Olive Ave; free.
Shop a market under artificial snow
Westfield Century City, at 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, hosts holiday performances and snowfall from November 21 to December 28, 2026. Snow falls Thursday through Sunday at 12, 2, 4, 6 and 8 PM and at every live performance — a reliable way to combine seasonal shopping with a show. For a ticketed market atmosphere, Enchant Christmas takes over Santa Anita Park in Arcadia from November 20 to December 27, 2026, with tickets from $29. Eat before or after rather than mid-schedule: the snowfall times and parade start times are fixed, so build meals around them.
Choose your dates around the calendar
The season opens with Rodeo Drive on November 19 and thickens through Thanksgiving weekend, when the zoo lights, Enchant, Century City and the L.A. LIVE tree are all running. Late November brings the Hollywood parade; early December, Burbank's tree lighting; mid-December, the Marina del Rey boats. Weeknights are quieter and cheaper at Descanso, and the lights at the zoo and Enchant run on select nights, so check before you commit to a date.
Pick two or three anchors, book the ticketed ones early — Descanso's popular nights go first — and leave the evenings between them for walking, eating and the unplanned stop. The city's holiday season is long enough in 2026 that a well-built itinerary will fit around your flights rather than the other way round.