The San Francisco Botanical Garden is well known for its sprawling gardens featuring plants from around the globe. With 55 acres, visitors regularly spend hours exploring the beautiful gardens. The botanical gardens routinely host events, including the popular Flower Piano series every September. Now, the garden has just announced they’ve added a new event to the 2025 calendar. This winter, the garden will become an interactive light show spanning one mile.
The light display, called Lightscape, has been displayed around the world, presenting light installations in botanical gardens and even UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visitors will be able to walk along a mile-long illuminated path and see over a million lights. Guests can also expect vendors serving food and drinks, including festive hot chocolate.
“We are excited to bring this world-renowned show to shine a new light on our beloved Botanical Garden,” said Gardens of Golden Gate Park CEO Stephanie Linder in arecent statement. “Visitors to the Garden will thoroughly enjoy this immersive experience, unlike anything San Francisco venues have offered before. Following sold-out shows in cities around the world, we look forward to transforming the Garden into an enchanting, festive, after-dark spectacle where family and friends celebrate and make memories. We are thrilled to launch and welcome locals and visitors to experience the wonder of Lightscape.”
The experience will open on November 21, 2025, and will run through January 4, 2026. Tickets start at $32 for adults and $20 for children. We recommend buying tickets in advance, as same-day tickets will have an additional $5 premium. The Bay Area has numerous holiday light displays every year, and in the past, Golden Gate Park has hosted a popular installation titled Entwined that featured illuminated trees. If you venture 30 minutes outside the city, the historic estate Filoli hosts a massive light display in their manicured gardens every winter.
You can learn more about the event and purchase tickets here.