The Best Christmas Lights in San Jose, According to a Local!
Looking for the best Christmas light displays in San Jose? This area is unique because there are several streets that neighbors band together to create gorgeous light displays and there are light displays put on by non-profit organizations. Read on and get into the holiday spirit with the best places to see Christmas lights in San Jose California.
1. Sunset Glen
Sunset Glen is a neighborhood located in south San Jose and it’s considered one of the best Christmas lights display in the area! It’s bounded by Colleen Dr., Chesbro Ave., Residents in the neighborhood go all out with Christmas light displays, decorating their homes with thousands of lights, music, animatronics, inflatables, and more.
Some homes coordinate their light shows to music broadcast on local radio. The light displays attract thousands of visitors each holiday season. Cars line up and down the streets to slowly drive by the lit-up homes. It’s become a beloved local tradition since the early 1990s.
This South Bay candy cane lane is free to attend and open to the public. Peak viewing times are usually 6-9 pm from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, though some homes have lights up by mid-November.
Always remember to be respectful to the homes and families by not leaving trash on the ground and staying off lawns!
2. Christmas in the Park
Get into the holiday spirit by stopping by Christmas in the Park. Located in Plaza de Cesar Chavez, Christmas in the Park is a downtown San Jose staple in which community groups decorate hundreds of trees in the Plaza. Christmas in the Park features over 600 Christmas trees, holiday displays, and lights that transform the park into a sparking Christmas tree lane each year.
Don’t forget to snap a picture in front of the 60-foot Community Giving Tree decorated with over 100,000 lights before heading over to their famous “Snowman” hot chocolate.
In addition to trees and light displays, there are moving displays, photo opportunities, a holiday market with vendors, visits with Santa, food trucks, live music performances on the community stage, and dance recitals with holiday cheer!
The park opens at 9 am, with music and lights turning on around dusk each evening. The event happens rain or shine, so dress accordingly for the weather. Food and drinks are available for purchase, but outside food and beverages are prohibited. Photos with Santa are free just be sure to bring a camera to snap a pic! Pets are not allowed in the park during the event, except for service animals.
Don’t forget to stop at the ice skating rink, Downtown Ice! Downtown Ice is returning to downtown San Jose this holiday season, operating from November through January 2024. The event takes place at the Circle of Palms near the San Jose Convention Center. This beloved winter attraction allows visitors the opportunity to ice skate outdoors among the palm trees, surrounded by festive lights.
Downtown Ice is managed through a partnership between Special Ice and the San Jose Downtown Association. The experience features 90 minutes of skating time included with admission. Skaters can either bring their skates or rent a pair on-site.
In addition to skating, Downtown Ice offers a Snowman Hot Chocolate cabin where guests can purchase warm beverages. Food trucks may also be available on certain days.
Advance ticket purchases for Downtown Ice are highly recommended and can be made online. Tickets will also be sold on-site each day, although availability may be limited for popular time slots.
History San Jose
The Christmas in the Park organization also has a drive-through winter wonderland light show at the History Park San Jose! Drivers at History Park in San Jose can book a time slot, set their radio to 93.5, and hear songs synced with more than 200,000 colorful lights along the route. This drive-thru experience started in 2020 during the pandemic and Christmas in the Park organizers say it’s now their biggest fundraiser of the year!
Tickets for the 2023 season are $35 per car. The light show runs 1.5 miles long.
The drive-thru entrance is located in the K4 parking lot of the Kelley Park Disc Golf Course at 799 Phelan Ave, San Jose, CA 95112. There are portable toilets available in the ticket queue parking area, but no restrooms at the end of the drive-thru. Unfortunately, there are no food vendors at the drive-thru itself this year, so visitors are encouraged to check out the food options downtown at the main Christmas in the Park event.
Dogs are welcome to come along for the drive-thru when kept safe inside vehicles. For safety reasons, guests must stay inside their cars for the entire drive-thru with no exceptions.
3. Willow Glen
Willow Glen’s Christmas lights offer visitors a festive way to celebrate the season. Located in San Jose, it is one of the city’s historic neighborhoods known for its small-town charm and small-town feel. Come December, it also becomes flooded with holiday lights and holiday décor.
The centerpiece of Willow Glen’s decorations is the iconic Christmas Tree Lane located on Glen Eyrie Ave and Glen Echo Ave. Hundreds of mature trees that line the street are adorned with thousands of colorful twinkling lights that form illuminated arches over the road. Visitors can stroll under the lights while sipping hot beverages and enjoying the view.
There is plenty of street parking on Willow Street and throughout the neighborhood and we recommend getting out and walking rather than driving through! If you do choose to drive through Willow Glen, make sure to put your radio station on one that streams Christmas music.
4. Enchant Christmas Event at Paypal Park
Santa’s Magic Timepiece by Enchant is a massive Christmas light maze and village that takes over PayPal Park in San Jose from November 25 through December 31, 2022. It features a 100,000-square-foot light maze with music, sculptures, and interactive elements along the path where guests can wander to solve light puzzles.
In addition to the maze, Enchant features an ice skating trail, holiday shopping and dining in the Christmas village with dozens of local artisans and food trucks, and special events like photos with Santa and storytime with Mrs. Claus. General admission tickets to walk through the light maze start at around $27 for adults and $15 for kids, with discounted weeknight rates available.
Add-on ticket options provide access to the ice trail, VIP experiences, unlimited rides or entertainment, and more.
5. Santana Row
Santana Row is an upscale shopping center and has holiday events every year! Bring family and friends together for snow showers & holiday tunes every 30 minutes from 6-8 PM in Park Valencia in front of Maggiano’s on select days during December.
Santana Row also offers holiday performances every Tuesday featuring local community groups on the main stage in Santana Row Park. While watching the show Left Bank will be offering Hot Cocoa to-go!
