San Francisco draws endless crowds during the holidays, and it’s no wonder why — from the Union Square ice rink to the Fairmont’s two-story gingerbread house, there’s enough holiday spirit in the air to cheer up even the grumpiest Scrooge. For those who seek some inspiration to start planning around Christmas time, we’ve made a list and checked it twice. Read on for your ultimate guide to the holidays and Christmas in San Francisco for 2025.
Need more ideas? Read our guides for things to do this December and things to do this winter in the Bay Area.
1. Bay Area ice rinks
Is it really winter without a day of ice skating at a charming local rink? See how much skill you’ve retained since last year by zooming (or hobbling) around one of the Bay Area’s most popular ice rinks.
- Nov. 7, 2025 – Jan. 19, 2026: Union Square Ice Rink
- Nov. 25, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026: Merry Meritage
- Nov. 7, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026: Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink
- See the full list of local ice rinks here
2. Holiday markets
Holiday spirit is already in the air and the crafters of San Francisco are working at full throttle to sell their wares! We’ve gone ahead and rounded up some of the best holiday markets, craft fairs, and more in the San Francisco Bay Area, perfect for finding some memorable and unique gifts for your loved ones. See the running list here.
3. Union Square festivities
When you think of Christmas time in San Francisco, you probably first picture Union Square. During the holidays this area comes to life with expansive holiday decorations and attractions. Look for the famous Union Square Ice Rink, the Bill Graham Menorah, and the towering Christmas tree. Read our full guide to Union Square during the holidays here.
4. AURA at Grace Cathedral
AURA is quickly selling out, so make sure you get tickets ASAP to see this epic light and sound show in Grace Cathedral. The award-winning audiovisual experience lights up one of San Francisco’s most beautiful architectural spaces with an unforgettable blend of cutting-edge light projections and symphonic original music.
5. Thrive City’s Winter Wonderland
This popular holiday activation at Chase Center includes a North Pole mailbox to send letters to Santa, nightly “snowfall,” and a series of special events on select days in December. Look forward to events including a Hanukkah celebration, free ice skating, and a Kwanzaa/”Noon Year’s Eve” celebration.
🗓️ Dates: TBA
6. SF Christmas tree lightings and displays
San Francisco has so many gorgeous holiday trees up these days, it’s hard to keep track. We decided to round up the best ones, so you can catch them all before the season ends! Have you seen all of these glittering trees? Here are some of our favorites.
7. Fairmont Hotel gingerbread house
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.
A team of engineers, builders, and of course pastry chefs began planning this year’s gingerbread house back in July. Each year, the life-size Victorian structure takes 520 hours to build, light, and outfit with thousands of pieces of candy. It’s created using over 8,000 baked 12×4 inch gingerbread cookie bricks, cemented together and decorated with a mountain of royal icing which requires 150 gallons of egg whites and 1,000 pounds of powdered sugar to make.
🗓️ Dates: Opening Nov. 22, 2025
8. GLOW exhibition at the Exploratorium
The Exploratorium’s visitor-favorite GLOW light art exhibition always wows visitors with compelling sculptural pieces that manipulate light and darkness in creative ways. Last year’s exhibition expanded the showcase with artworks that allowed visitors to compose music with light, play experimental LED dungeon crawlers, discover hidden crystals, and more.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 20, 2025 – Jan. 25, 2026
9. SF Ballet’s Nutcracker
Nutcracker is a classic holiday ballet that is beloved by audiences all over the world — in fact, it’s the most performed ballet in the country. Every year, the SF Ballet’s Nutcracker draws large crowds who want to partake in the holiday festivities, and you can reserve your tickets now.
🗓️ Dates: Dec. 5-28, 2025
10. Candlelight Concerts
Candlelight presents a new lineup of fantastic holiday concerts this season! Grab tickets to experience your favorite Christmas carols and movie soundtracks in a magical SF venue lit by thousands of glowing candles.
11. Union Square menorah
The Bill Graham Menorah Project will install its 25-foot menorah in Union Square for its 49th year. You can attend one of its popular lighting ceremonies happening daily on the 8 days of Hanukkah — we recommend trying to make it for Bill Graham Menorah Day on Dec. 29th, which includes extra kids’ crafts, entertainment, and live music.
🗓️ Dates: Dec. 14-22, 2025
12. Holiday activities for kids
There are so many holiday activities happening in and around San Francisco that it can be hard to know where to start. We did a deep dive into the best kid-friendly holiday and Christmas activities so you can make the most of this time of year with the kids in your life. Check out the list here.
13. SF holiday concerts and performances
Don’t forget to get tickets to the best upcoming holiday and Christmas concerts in San Francisco. Here are a few we have our eye on, but you can read the whole list here.
- Candlelight concerts – These stunning classical concerts by candlelight are excellent, especially during the holidays.
- Grace Cathedral performances – Grace Cathedral is bringing a great lineup of musical performances, both Christmas-related and not.
- SF Symphony – You can’t go wrong with a performance by SF Symphony, and their lineup for the holidays is unparalleled.
14. SF Christmas bars
The holidays have arrived and bars across SF are dressing up for the occasion. These holiday pop-up bars capture the joy, nostalgia, and celebratory atmosphere of the holiday season, plus lots of tasty cocktails.
- Miracle at PCH – SF’s beloved holiday pop-up bar returns with even more exciting cocktails and thousands of colored lights.
- Nochebuena at Cavaña – A festive pop-up bar with tequila-based holiday cocktails and Latin American-inspired decor.
- The Jingle Bar – A festive Christmas bar on Pier 39 decked out in tinsel.
- And more – see the full list of Christmas bars here.
15. Oakland Zoo’s Glowfari
Glowfari is Oakland Zoo’s immersive light show of epic proportions featuring dozens of stunning lantern displays in a totally unique holiday light experience. Glowfari is a local favorite for both kids and adults, and we look forward to seeing it every single year.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 7, 2025 – Jan. 25, 2026
16. Christmas in the Park
Each year Lake Cunningham Park in San Jose is decked out with 2 acres of sparkling holiday lights decorated by local schools, businesses, and community groups.
You can explore the displays via their beloved Blinky’s Drive-Thru experience, which this year takes place at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds; or via the Downtown Park Walk-Through with plenty of exhibits and more at Cesar Chavez Plaza.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 28, 2025 – Jan. 1, 2026
17. “Garden of D’Lights” at Ruth Bancroft Garden
Each year, the Ruth Bancroft Garden adorns the plants with multicolored lights, lasers, and more, transforming the already spectacular 3.5 acre space into an otherworldly outdoor adventure. Guests can stroll through the beautiful glowing gardens for 1-1.5 hours to discover countless photo ops and exciting displays.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 21, 2025 – Jan. 10, 2026
18. Holidays at Filoli
Holidays at Filoli is one of the Bay Area’s most beautiful and lesser-known light displays, taking place at Filoli Estate & Gardens in Woodside. Thousands of glittering lights will adorn the garden’s trees, plants, and hedges for a must-see experience. One of the centerpieces at Holidays at Filoli is a 210-foot-long light tunnel where you’ll find yourself surrounded by sparkling lights on all sides.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 22, 2025 – Jan. 11, 2026
19. SF Christmas tree lots
The holiday season is here and for many folks that means that it’s time to decorate. Whether you’re looking for a festive wreath or a full Christmas tree, here are some great Christmas tree lots around the Bay Area where you’ll find the perfect fit.
20. SF bakeries serving Hanukkah treats
Stock up on sufganiyot, babka, challah, and hamantash at these wonderful Jewish eateries around San Francisco. From Wise Sons’ flavorful brisket to the gourmet pastries at Loquat, you’ll find all of your favorite Jewish treats at these local restaurants. See the full list here.
21. Holiday train rides
The Bay Area has a handful of seasonal train journeys that you can reserve this year.
- Nov. 28 – Dec. 23, 2025: Santa Train Jolly Journeys with the Napa Valley Wine Train – Take a merry voyage through wine country with these holiday train rides that feature Santa visits, dinner experiences, and more.
- Nov. 28 – Dec. 23, 2025: Roaring Camp – Speed down the coast to Santa Cruz on a vintage train decked out with holiday lights.
22. Merry Meritage in Napa
Every year, Bay Area hotels fully embrace the holiday season with specialized events, decorations, and more. The wine country Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa is no exception and will be bringing back its popular winter village throughout the holiday season. The festive wonderland contains an ice rink, fire pits and s’mores, VIP igloos, Santa story time, and more.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 25, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026
23. Après Village at Four Seasons Palo Alto
The Four Seasons in Palo Alto is known to host a gorgeous pop-up winter wonderland called Après Village, which is the ultimate holiday escape every year. Some of the best attractions include semi-private chalets with roaring fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, and blankets; a holiday sweet shop; and a giant snow globe and life-size sleigh for endless photo ops.
🗓️ Dates: Nov. 21, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026
24. Holiday gift shopping in SF
San Francisco is full of independently owned shops and boutiques where you can find the perfect items for friends and family during the holidays. Instead of heading straight to the mall, take a stroll down one of these charming SF streets that are simply packed with local shops and pleasant surprises.
25. Holiday desserts and treats around the city
The holiday season calls for something sweet, and bakeries across SF are baking delicious holiday desserts and other treats just for the occasion. Ranging from rich chocolate babka to powdered sugar-dusted stollen, these treats are sure to be a hit at your next holiday gathering.
26. Free admission to SF Botanical Garden on Christmas and New Year’s Day
While the San Francisco Botanical Garden is always free for SF residents, they offer free admission to the general public every year on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. If you have loved ones in town, take advantage of the free admission at the garden for a charming winter stroll. We’re partial to the Ancient Plant Garden, the Garden of Fragrance, and the Moon Viewing Garden.
🗓️ Dates: Dec. 25, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026
27. NYE 2026
We’re sure this list activities will help you close 2025 out on a high note. Here are a few articles to help you make the most of New Year’s Eve so you can start 2026 in style!
- What to know about the NYE fireworks show in SF
- Ways to celebrate NYE in San Francisco
- San Francisco event calendar
And finally, a few FAQs…
Most San Franciscans would agree that Union Square is a must-see during Christmas in San Francisco. Attractions include the popular Winter Walk, the giant menorah lighting ceremonies, ice skating, and SantaCon. You also can’t beat its proximity to SF Ballet’s Nutcracker, the Fairmont Hotel’s famous 22-foot gingerbread house, and Miracle at PCH pop-up Christmas bar. Make the most of Union Square at Christmas with our in-depth guide.
Yes, San Francisco comes alive during the holidays with endless light displays, charming seasonal attractions, and amazing food specials. If you’re thinking about booking a hotel over Christmas, consider reading our list of local hotels with the best holiday displays and events.
Yes, San Franciscans are lucky to enjoy dozens of Christmas markets all the way through November and December! Some ongoing nearby options include the Dickens Christmas Fair on weekends in Daly City, and the Yuletide Menagerie Oddities Market on Saturdays in San Jose. We keep track of them all in our running list of Bay Area Christmas markets, so make sure to check there for more options both in and out of SF.
As you might expect, many local businesses and attractions close down on Christmas Day. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still include a city outing. Here are few popular destinations that are usually open on Christmas Day.
- Union Square Ice Rink
- SF Botanical Garden (with free general admission on Christmas Day!)
- San Francisco Zoo
- Japanese Tea Garden
- California Academy of Sciences