FRIDAY
6
NOVEMBER
Christmas in San Francisco with Kids
December in San Francisco is four outings. Macy's tree and the Safeway rink hold Union Square; Pier 39's free live tree lights December 3; the SF Zoo's ZooLights returns as a ticketed evening; SF Ballet's Nutcracker is the splurge.
Season: Nov–Jan 1 · Updated October 21, 2026 · refreshed weekly
- Union Square rink: Safeway Holiday Ice Rink, open daily November 4, 2026 – January 18, 2027
- Macy's Great Tree: 83 feet and free — no 2026 dates posted yet
- SF Zoo ZooLights: November 6, 2026 – January 3, 2027, Wed–Sun evenings — $30 adult, $21 child
- Pier 39: Live 60-foot tree, lit Thursday, December 3; holiday season November 23 – January 10
- SF Ballet Nutcracker: War Memorial Opera House, December 4–27, sensory-friendly matinee December 27
Union Square: the tree and the rink
Macy's Great Tree and the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink share one block, which makes Union Square the efficient first stop. Powell Street BART and Muni put you there without a garage bill.
Macy's Great Tree — San Francisco
An 83-foot tree at the center of the square, lit nightly and free to stand under.
Dates
- No 2026 dates posted yet
Know before you go
- The department-store holiday windows are a block away
Who it's for
Any age, any budget — it costs nothing and takes ten minutes
Skip if
You need the outing to fill a whole evening on its own
Safeway Holiday Ice Rink — San FranciscoVisit official site →
An outdoor rink set up directly beneath the tree, running sessions all day.
Dates
- Open daily November 4, 2026 – January 18, 2027
Tickets
$22 general, $17 kids 8 and under, skate rental included; hour-long sessions start every 90 minutes
Know before you go
- Book weekend slots online
- Take BART or Muni to Powell Street — downtown garage rates add up fast
Who it's for
Kids steady enough on skates to want an hour of it
Skip if
You are coming during school break with small kids — go on a weekday before it
Free lights on the water
Pier 39 and the Embarcadero carry the free half of the season. Both are evening events on the waterfront.
Pier 39 tree show — San FranciscoVisit official site →
A live 60-foot tree in Entrance Plaza, one of the largest live Christmas trees in the Bay Area, with the sea lions barking backup.
Dates
- Holiday season November 23, 2026 – January 10, 2027
- Tree lighting Thursday, December 3, 2026, with live music
Tickets
Free — you pay only for parking, food and the carousel
Know before you go
- The carousel is the natural closer for a young-kid evening
Who it's for
Toddlers up; nobody has to sit still
Embarcadero Center Holiday Market and lighting — San FranciscoVisit official site →
An evening market of local shops, live music and games that ends with the four towers outlined in 17,000 lights.
Dates
- No 2026 date posted yet
Who it's for
Families who can stay out for the lighting at the end of the evening
Skip if
Your kids will not last until the lights go on
Zoo Lights and the Nutcracker
Two ticketed evenings. ZooLights runs from early November into January; the ballet runs most of December.
ZooLights at the SF Zoo — San FranciscoVisit official site →
An all-new lights program: over a million lights across 14 zones, light-up playgrounds, a frozen photo zone and the Dinos Rule! exhibit after dark.
Dates
- November 6, 2026 – January 3, 2027
- Wednesday–Sunday, 5:30–9pm; closed Mondays and Tuesdays
- Santa visits in December
Tickets
$30 adults, $21 children, $3 off for members — a separate evening ticket, no reservation needed, sold online and at the gate
Know before you go
- Dress warm — the zoo sits in the city's foggiest corner
- A ticket is good for any one night of the run, so a foggy evening costs you nothing
Who it's for
Young kids who want lights plus a playground, with a 5:30 start that suits early bedtimes
Skip if
You want the big lantern festival — that is Glowfari in Oakland
SF Ballet's Nutcracker — San FranciscoVisit official site →
Tchaikovsky in a gilded opera house, set in a Victorian-era San Francisco home.
Dates
- December 4–27, 2026
- Sensory-friendly performance Sunday, December 27, 11am
Know before you go
- About two hours: acts of 47 and 50 minutes with a 20-minute intermission
- The sensory-friendly matinee is a relaxed performance, aimed at neurodiverse audiences and first-time young balletgoers
Who it's for
Kids old enough for a full ballet; the sensory-friendly matinee widens that
Skip if
Money is the constraint — everything else on this page is cheaper
Upcoming holiday events in San Francisco
The next 9 of 14 upcoming holiday lights events across the Bay Area, refreshed daily.
ZooLights (San Francisco Zoo & Gardens) — All‑new winter holiday lighting display illuminates the zoo.
Glowfari at Oakland Zoo displays hundreds of animal lanterns themed around California forests, San Francisco Bay, Montana, Florida Everglades, and Hawaii, for all ages.
WEDNESDAY
11
NOVEMBER
THURSDAY
12
NOVEMBER
FRIDAY
13
NOVEMBER
Holiday lights display transforms Downtown San Jose into six themed zones—Golden Christmas, Enchanted Jungle, California Garden, Mermaid Current, Cactus Mirage, White Christmas Wonderland—with food and treats.
SATURDAY
14
NOVEMBER
Holiday Lights transforms Filoli’s gardens into a glowing wonderland of lights and fireside treats.
WEDNESDAY
18
NOVEMBER
Forty‑year building lighting ceremony and holiday market at Three Embarcadero Center’s street level feature festive activities and seasonal shopping.
Annual tree lighting ceremony at Richmond Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center.
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FAQ
When does the Union Square ice rink open?
November 4, 2026, open daily to January 18, 2027. Hour-long sessions start every 90 minutes at $22, or $17 for kids 8 and under, skate rental included. Weekend slots are worth booking ahead.
How much is ZooLights at the SF Zoo?
$30 for adults and $21 for children, with $3 off for members. It is a separate evening ticket, good for any one night from November 6 to January 3, Wednesday to Sunday, 5:30 to 9pm.
Which outing would you pick with a four-year-old?
Pier 39 on a weeknight: the tree is free, the sea lions are free entertainment and nobody has to sit still. ZooLights is the next call if a 5:30pm start in the fog works.
Does the Tom and Jerry Christmas house still happen?
No. The display at 21st and Church ended after its creator, Tom Taylor, died in 2020. For free lights, do Pier 39's tree or the Embarcadero towers instead.