There are so many holiday activities happening in and around San Francisco, that it can be hard to know where to start. While adults might get their fill of Christmas spirit at seasonal pop-up bars, holiday markets, or the Guardsmen’s annual crab dinner, we can’t forget about the joy this time of year brings to the under-18 crowd. Read on for a full breakdown of our favorite Christmas events for kids in the San Francisco Bay Area.
1. Holiday voyages aboard Roaring Camp’s vintage train
Roaring Camp’s Santa Cruz train route always has fun seasonal events throughout the year, and the holiday voyages are always a big hit. See the gorgeous vintage train decked out with sparkling holiday lights and decorations and continue the fun at the Boardwalk. This year you can also board a new Chanukah-themed train on with Chanukah stories, dreidel games, and kosher treats.
🗓️ Dates:
- Holiday Lights Train: Dec. 7-8, 14-23, 2024
- New Year’s Train: Dec. 26-31, 2024
- Chanukah Train: Jan. 2, 2024
2. Holiday Craft Making at the Ferry Building
This series of kid-friendly crafting workshops is completely free! Sprinkle some fun and creativity into your gift-shopping errands at the Ferry Building. Families can create homemade ornaments, art, terrariums, gift tags, and more. We love these more low-key holiday activities for kids in San Francisco.
🗓️ Dates: Sundays in December until Christmas
3. Sing you a Merry Christmas at Grace Cathedral
Grace Cathedral is putting on countless Christmas concerts and events throughout the season, but the most kid-friendly one is Sing You A Merry Christmas, a family-friendly sing-along event led by toys brought to life from St. Nicholas’s workshop.
🗓️ Dates: Dec. 7, 14, 21, and 23, 2024
4. The Great Dickens Christmas Fair
This beloved annual event drops you into Victorian London, brought to life by hundreds of costumed players and a plethora of shops, stages, parties, and memorable performances. Guests can enjoy a spectrum of performances across 7 stages including Irish singers, English pantomime, Bedouin belly dancers, and juggling. When it comes to kids’ Christmas activities in the Bay Area, the Dickens Fair is frankly the stuff of legends.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 23 – Dec. 22, 2024
5. Let’s Glow SF holiday light projections in Downtown SF
Downtown SF is once again pulling out all the stops with Let’s Glow SF, their popular holiday light display that uses projection mapping on buildings around the Financial District. Each building’s façade will be brilliantly illuminated with a dynamic light show designed specifically for that location, created with eleven 4K 32,000-lumen projectors and two 4K 22,000-lumen laser projectors.
🗓️ Dates: Dec. 7-15, 2024
6. Candlelight Holiday Concerts
Another festive activity for both kids and adults is one of Candlelight’s Holiday concerts that recreate popular holiday tunes in a magical setting. As you’re bathed in the warm glow of candlelight, you can hear your favorite carols and Christmas pop songs among other compositions, reimagined in the classical form.
7. 22-foot gingerbread house at the Fairmont Hotel
One of San Francisco’s most celebrated holiday installations is the two-story gingerbread house at the Fairmont Hotel. The fascinating creation is 22 feet tall, composed of thousands of gingerbread bricks and gallons of royal icing.
🗓️ Dates: Opening Nov. 23, 2024
8. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s at Thrive City
Thrive City’s Winter Wonderland is here! Check out the tallest holiday tree in the Bay Area at 90 feet tall, plus a North Pole mailbox to send letters to Santa, nightly “snowfall,” and a series of special events. Make sure you RSVP for the free events in advance.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 30 – Dec. 31, 2024
9. Giant menorah lightings at Union Square
The Bill Graham Menorah Project is gearing up for its 49th annual giant menorah lighting and display! A 25-foot menorah will glow over Union Square every night of Hanukkah.
On the fourth night, you can enjoy fun activities, food, music, and more for “Bill Graham Menorah Day” from 2-6pm. This celebration will accompany the fifth lighting ceremony at 4:45pm. Enjoy a variety of kids’ crafts and entertainment.
🗓️ Dates: Dec. 25, 2024 – Jan. 2, 2025
10. Christmas in the Park in San Jose
Christmas in the Park is back this year! San Jose is decked out in tens of thousands of sparkling lights, decorations, and more prepared by community groups. At History Park you can embark upon a magical musical journey by car, where you’ll pass through a mind-blowing light tunnel and enjoy a synchronized holiday light show with millions of colors. But don’t forget to stop by nearby Cesar Chavez Plaza for more surprises.
🗓️ Dates: Drive-through opens Nov. 21, 2024. Downtown displays open Nov. 29, 2024
11. Special events at Union Square Ice Rink
Union Square Ice Rink has some fun events on the calendar that are enjoyable for all ages. Here are some to keep an eye out for.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 6, 2024 – Jan. 20, 2025
- Dec. 5: Drag on Ice
- Dec. 12: Silent Skate
- Jan. 1: Polar Bear Skate
- Saturdays and Sundays: Free Skate lessons
- Whynot Wednesdays
- Flashback Fridays
- Classical Sundays
12. Glowfari animal lantern festival at Oakland Zoo
Hundreds of gigantic hand-painted animal lanterns have been placed throughout the Oakland Zoo’s campus, making for a totally unique tour of the zoo by night. The spectacular lanterns are arranged throughout a mile-long pathway, taking you through the forests of North America with mountain lions and wolves, a frozen Arctic scene with puffins and polar bears, the Deep Ocean with mysterious and rare sea creatures, and an alligator-filled swamp.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 13, 2024 – Jan. 26, 2025
13. Dancing around SF with the Tree Twins
This pair of anonymous well-wishers makes the rounds in SF dressed as luminous Christmas trees, spreading holiday cheer to all who are lucky enough to encounter them. Although the Twins haven’t revealed specific times and locations for their SF appearances (this type of merriment is more effective when spontaneous), you can follow them on Instagram for clues.
🗓️ Dates: Dates will be announced on Instagram at @treetwins
14. Santa visits, crafts, and movies at Ghirardelli Square
One of the coziest escapes in the city is Ghirardelli Square, which is a must for shoppers on any day of the year, but turns up the charm during the holidays. Look out for the Peppermint Bark Day, a menorah lighting, and Santa visits.
🗓️ Dates:
- Dec. 6, 2024 (3-7pm) – Peppermint Bark Day
- Dec. 8, 2024 (2-4pm) – Audiopharmacy Holiday Set
- Dec. 12, 2024 (4-8pm) – Santa Visits the Square feat. Cathedral School for Boys Band and Diaspora Co.
- Dec. 15, 2024 (3-6pm) – Menorah lighting with JCCSF
- Dec. 19, 2024 (5-8pm) – Santa Visits the Square feat. Diaspora Co.\
- Dec. 21, 2024 (5-6pm) – Surprise event
15. Essential Bay Area ice skating rinks
If you want to look beyond Union Square, there are plenty of other fantastic ice skating rinks that are worth a visit in the Bay Area. We found a mix of seasonal and permanent rinks that offer the chance to strap on a pair of skates and hit the ice — you can see them all here.
16. Most beautiful Christmas tree lightings and displays in San Francisco
San Francisco has so many gorgeous Christmas trees in December, it’s hard to keep track. We decided to round up the best ones so you can catch them all before the season ends! Whether you’re totally feeling the Christmas spirit or you could just use some holiday cheer, these displays around the city are worth seeking out.
- Pier 39
- Uncle John’s Tree at Golden Gate Park
- Thrive City tree at Chase Center
- See more tree lightings here
17. Try the best hot chocolate in SF
You don’t have to be a kid to know that hot chocolate is one of the most underrated drinks on any cafe’s menu. As we head into the winter season, it’s a great time to compile some spots to visit next time you’re craving this delicious drink. See the list here.