Updated: October 29, 2026
Want Christmas lights without flying anywhere? These three Southern California towns each have one weekend that books up first. Pick the one that fits your calendar, then book that weekend now.
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Overview
| Getaway | The weekend to book | Drive from LA | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bear Lake | Sat, Nov 28 (tree lighting, Thanksgiving weekend) | Mountain drive; check chain controls | Snow, cabins, alpine village |
| Solvang | Fri–Sat, Dec 4–5 (tree lighting + parade) | About 2.5–3 hours up the 101 | Danish village, Julefest |
| Santa Barbara | Fri, Dec 4 (State St parade) or Sun, Dec 13 (Parade of Lights) | About 1.5–2 hours on the 101 | Beach, boats, fireworks |
1. Big Bear Lake: earliest, snowiest
Big Bear's Village Christmas Tree Lighting is Saturday, November 28, 2026, at Christmas Tree Corner (Village Dr & Pine Knot Ave). It's free, with music, games, and Santa. The City hasn't posted 2026 times yet—check the City of Big Bear Lake events page closer to the date. Because it falls on Thanksgiving weekend, rooms walkable to The Village go first.
👉 Where to stay: Big Bear Christmas hotels near the tree lighting
Tip: it's cold after dark. 👉 Shop hand warmers on Amazon. Renting? An AWD car helps on mountain roads: Compare car rentals – Los Angeles
2. Solvang: the full Christmas-village weekend
Julefest runs Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027. The two big nights are the Tree Lighting, Fri, Dec 4 at 5:30pm in Solvang Park, and the Julefest Parade, Sat, Dec 5, 11am–1:30pm. Nearly every hotel is a short walk from the park, so you can park once and stay on foot.
👉 Where to stay: Solvang Julefest hotels walkable to the park
Tip: nights drop into the 40s °F. 👉 Shop packable puffer jacket on Amazon
3. Santa Barbara: two parades, beach weather
The Downtown Holiday Parade returns to State Street on Fri, Dec 4 at 6:30pm, its first time back since 2019. Then on Sun, Dec 13 the waterfront hosts the 40th Parade of Lights: paddlers at 2pm, Santa and snow on the City Pier 3–5pm, about 30 lit boats at 5:30pm, and short fireworks around 7pm. Both are free.
👉 Where to stay: Santa Barbara Christmas hotels
Tip: it gets chilly on the water after sunset. 👉 Shop waterproof picnic blanket on Amazon
Doing two in one trip?
Dec 4 is the one night that clashes: Solvang's tree lighting (5:30pm) and Santa Barbara's State St parade (6:30pm) are about 45 minutes apart via US-101, so pick one. A clean combo: Santa Barbara parade Fri, Dec 4, then drive up to Solvang for the Julefest Parade Sat, Dec 5 at 11am.
FAQ
- What's the earliest Christmas event near LA in 2026?
- Big Bear's Village tree lighting on Saturday, November 28.
- When is the Solvang Christmas parade 2026?
- Saturday, December 5, 11am–1:30pm.
- When is the Santa Barbara Parade of Lights 2026?
- Sunday, December 13, with the boats at 5:30pm.
Last checked October 29, 2026. Sources: bigbear.com, solvangusa.com, downtownsb.org, santabarbaraca.gov.
Explore more getaways
Looking for more weekend trips from these cities? Check out all our getaways: