Christmas / Lights / Los Angeles
The best Christmas lights in Los Angeles
7 displays · 4 free · California
Los Angeles does Christmas lights with a showman's confidence, which makes sense for a city built on production value. You get world-class botanical light trails in the foothills, lantern festivals at the zoo, and block after block of neighborhoods where homeowners treat December like opening night.
The season here starts in mid-November when the big ticketed gardens switch on, and the famous residential streets follow in early to mid-December. The smart play is mixing one paid walk-through with a free neighborhood cruise, since they scratch completely different itches.
1.Candy Cane Lane
El Segundo
A short residential stretch of East Acacia Avenue that has been transforming into a candy-striped wonderland since 1949. Nearly every house on the block participates, and Santa often makes appearances on weekend evenings. It packs a remarkable amount of charm into just a few hundred feet, so walk it rather than drive.
Season: Mid-December through Christmas
2.Christmas Tree Lane
Altadena
Often cited as the oldest large outdoor holiday lighting display in the country, this mile of towering deodar cedars along Santa Rosa Avenue has been strung with lights since 1920. Volunteers hang more than 20,000 bulbs using ropes and pulleys each year. Its return after the 2025 Eaton Fire made it one of the most moving light displays anywhere in America.
Season: Mid-December through the first week of January
3.L.A. Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow
Griffith Park
The Los Angeles Zoo trades animals for animal-shaped lanterns after dark, with glowing zones themed around pollinators, Southeast Asian wildlife, and African landscapes. The oversized illuminated sculptures are genuinely impressive up close, and parking is free, which is a small miracle in this town.
Season: Mid-November through mid-January
4.Enchanted: Forest of Light
Descanso Gardens, La Canada Flintridge
A one-mile nighttime walk through Descanso Gardens that leans artistic rather than kitschy, with Tom Fruin's stained-glass house sculptures, glowing geometric installations from HYBYCOZO, and light effects woven through the ancient oak forest. Timed tickets sell out well in advance, so book early. It is the closest thing L.A. has to a museum-quality light show.
Season: Late November through early January
5.Lightscape
L.A. County Arboretum, Arcadia
The Arboretum's after-dark trail winds past a flickering Fire Garden, dancing illuminated palms, and the crowd-favorite Winter Cathedral, a soaring tunnel of light. Food trucks and a bar line the route, which makes it an easy date night. Weeknights are noticeably calmer than weekends.
Season: Mid-November through early January
6.Sleepy Hollow Christmas Lights
Torrance
A sprawling South Bay neighborhood display covering dozens of blocks around Sharynne Lane, where homeowners have been going all out since the 1950s. Expect animated scenes, rooftop sleighs, and vendors selling hot cocoa on busy nights. It is big enough that you can drive it, but the best details reward walking.
Season: Mid-December through Christmas
7.Upper Hastings Ranch Holiday Light Display
Pasadena
This Pasadena neighborhood has coordinated its holiday displays for more than 70 years, with each street adopting its own theme and matching lamppost decorations block after block. The organized, community-wide approach sets it apart from freelance light displays. It is an easy add-on if you are already heading to Christmas Tree Lane nearby.
Season: Mid-December through New Year
Local tip
Traffic is the real Grinch in L.A., so do your paid garden event on a weeknight right at opening, then hit the free neighborhoods after 8 p.m. when the early family crowds thin out. Christmas Tree Lane and Upper Hastings Ranch are ten minutes apart, so pair them in one trip.
Displays and prices are researched from recent seasons and stated approximately; hours, routes, and admission change year to year, so check an event's official page before you drive out.
Want your house on this list someday?
See your own home decorated before you buy a single strand: upload a photo and our free AI visualizer lights it up. Then let the light calculator tell you exactly how many bulbs the real thing needs.
Common questions
When do Christmas lights go up in Los Angeles?
What is the best free Christmas light display in Los Angeles?
Is Enchanted: Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens worth the price?
Can you drive through any Christmas light displays in Los Angeles?
Which L.A. light displays are best for young kids?
Share this guide
Lights in other cities
Lights season, planned properly.
Seasonal decorating tips and the occasional new tool, straight to your inbox. One list, no spam.