11 Things to do in Los Angeles at Christmas

Los Angeles is a city with a unique charm, where you will have a huge amount of things to see and do, but at Christmas time all its magic is enhanced even more. At Christmas time in Los Angeles you will live incredible experiences that will remain in your memory forever. The decoration of the city, the lights that dress every corner, the exclusive shows, the carols, absolutely everything is fantastic.

Whether you plan to spend Christmas in Los Angeles as a couple, with family or friends, the city has the best plans to offer you, so you can live it to the fullest. Here is an itinerary of things to see and do in Los Angeles for Christmas.

You can visit Universal Studios Hollywood all year round, but I assure you that if you go during the Christmas season, it will be a unique and unforgettable experience. The parks and the main attractions dress up and get ready for Christmas with everything.

Among so many Christmas activities and attractions, you can enjoy the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which will be completely adapted for the occasion, with Christmas spirit, festive decorations and all the entertainment and shows with Christmas themes.

In addition, you can take a stroll through Universal CityWalk. Another great plan can be to enjoy a Christmas movie in the movie theaters of the Citywalk, I recommend you check the listings before you go. Keep in mind that Universal Studios is usually very crowded and even more so on special dates like Christmas. To avoid lines and save time and money, I recommend that you purchase your Universal Studios tickets in advance.

I can assure you that the lighting of the Venice Beach Christmas sign has become a Christmas classic in Los Angeles. You probably recognize the typical lighted sign that characterizes Venice Beach, located on Windward Avenue. Yes, that same one, is dyed red and green to welcome the Christmas season. This event is accompanied by a great celebration with music and activities for all tastes and ages.

Venice Beach is only half an hour from Downtown Los Angeles by car or cab and 1 hour and 30 minutes by bus. You can even get there on an excursion from Los Angeles and enjoy this coastal city in depth and even sign up for a surfing lesson! because the temperatures at this time of year allow it.

Christmas parades are a Los Angeles classic and there's something for everyone. You can welcome Santa Claus when he lands by sleigh in Hollywood, as well as witness the enormous number of boats and motorboats decorated for the holiday season and combine this experience with a boat ride around Los Angeles. Here's a little more about the classic Christmas parades.

• Hollywood Christmas Parade: On the Sunday after Thanksgiving every year, Santa Claus arrives in his sleigh, with an endless number of cars and huge inflatable figures that accompany him to Hollywood Boulevard for an incredible parade.
• Los Angeles Harbor Floating Parade: This floating caravan that you can enjoy in the Los Angeles Harbor is a true marvel that kicks off the holiday season for coastal communities. Keep in mind, the harbor is located about 40 miles from Downtown Los Angeles. If you are by car, it will take you approximately 30 minutes to get there by taking I-110 S, which is the most direct route. If you plan to go by public transportation, it will take about 1 hour and you can choose between streetcar or bus.
• San Pedro Christmas Parade: You can enjoy this particular event in the historic center of San Pedro. It is located about 30 kilometers from Downtown Los Angeles and to get there you will have about 25 minutes by car or cab along the I-110 S road. In case you prefer, you will also have the option of bus or streetcar and it will take you a little more than 1 hour.
• La Marina del Rey Boat Parade: This is a legendary event that has been held for more than 50 years at La Marina del Rey. It is about 20 miles from Downtown and can be reached in about 20 minutes by cab or car via I-10 W or in just over an hour by bus, subway or trolley.

The festivity and Christmas spirit is not only concentrated in the city, Los Angeles County is full of small towns that live Christmas in a more local style, but no less intense.

You will be amazed by the picturesque decorations, its colorful streets and you will have more natural outdoor spaces to enjoy Christmas with more calm, away from the noise of the city, but in an absolutely festive atmosphere, with the colors and traditions of Christmas. Here are some recommendations.

• Mammoth Lakes: a small town of just over 5,000 inhabitants located about 4 hours from Downtown Los Angeles by car.
• Solvang: a Danish town of about 5,000 inhabitants founded by a community of immigrants from Denmark in the 20th century. It is almost 3 hours drive from Downtown Los Angeles, although to visit it I recommend you to take a tour or excursion from Los Angeles that has it included in its itinerary.
• Newport Beach: a tourist and residential city in Orange County, California that has about 80,000 inhabitants and is a 1 hour drive from downtown.
• Yosemite and Glacier Point: a getaway in the middle of nature to visit Yosemite National Park and Glacier Point, a spectacular viewpoint over 2 km high above the Yosemite Valley.
• Santa Barbara: you can also book an excursion that includes a visit to Santa Barbara, a city located near the mountain in Mediterranean style, whose historic center is a true reflection of its legacy as a Spanish colony.

If you're not so fond of Christmas, there's an anti-Christmas plan in Los Angeles for you, too. When you visit Universal Studios Hollywood take part in one of the most popular attractions: Grinchmas. There you can have your picture taken with the Grinch, the enemy of Christmas, and his only doggy friend Max.

At Universal Studios Hollywood you will have many fun activities and attractions to visit with your family and you can also take a picture with Santa Claus and the gigantic tree of more than 20 meters high that will fill you with Christmas spirit.

Remember to buy your tickets in advance to save money and avoid long lines. Keep in mind that the Christmas season is one of the busiest and there is usually a lot of crowds.

And, one of the most comfortable and convenient ways to visit the city and not miss any of its most emblematic places decorated for Christmas, from Santa Monica Pier, the most famous seaside theme park in the world, as well as other great buildings like The Comedy Store or Paramount Studios ... and all this, booking a Big Bus tour. You can get off at as many stops as you like and resume your route at any time.

You can choose between two routes, one by Hollywood and one by Beach Shuttle, both with free stops and you will have your own audio guide so you won't miss any of the details of the tour.

From late November through January, the city lights up and the lights start to become part of the landscape, as the festive ambiance permeates every corner. In addition, at certain unique times, special light shows take place at various locations throughout Los Angeles. Here's where to find the best lights for Christmas.

• Music Center Plaza: this is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the United States and every year for Christmas the city's signature Christmas tree is installed there. You can be part of the lighting of the lights of this tree and officially welcome Christmas.
• Los Angeles Botanical Garden and Zoo: here you can appreciate "The Lights of the LA Zoo", the most exotic and wildest Christmas attraction of lights in the city, where the animals are the protagonists and everything is decorated and set with lights. It is truly a work of art.
• Union Station: it is the last great railway station built in the United States, in 1939 and here is where the Christmas tree lighting event takes place every year, with chocolate included for everyone present. Here you can also get your pictures taken with Santa Claus and the Snow Queen.
• Heritage Square: is an open-air museum of living history and architecture and is undoubtedly one of the best museums in Los Angeles. This is a must-see lantern-lit Christmas celebration.
• Grand Park: this mythical park is located in the civic center of Los Angeles and is where you will find the most impressive light attraction called Winter Glow, with exhibits by local artists and a large luminous fountain that lasts a whole month.

To continue getting to know the holiday spirit that unfolds throughout Los Angeles, you can't miss a visit to the local markets that are tailored to this time of year.

For this reason, I recommend that you include in your travel itinerary a stop at the Original Farmers Market. This is a historic Los Angeles market where you can find local produce, restaurants and trendy stores.

As expected, between the months of December and January, Christmas decorations and products become the main protagonists of this great market, you will find carol karaokes and choirs, Christmas music, decorative lights and much more.

Walt Disney Concert Hall is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Master Chorus and the fourth concert hall of the Los Angeles Music Center.

At Christmas time, you can enjoy there a magnificent concert of Christmas carols and traditional Christmas music and children's choirs, with fun and festive decorations. It is an ideal plan for the whole family, which can be enjoyed by both adults and children. Here is also an itinerary of things to see and do in Los Angeles with children to combine this activity with many others.

On the official website of this concert hall you can check the calendar of events to better organize your visit.

Between mid-November and early January, you can enjoy the Christmas festivities at Disneyland California, the only theme park that was designed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. It is one of the best times of the year to visit and feel the magic of Christmas that only Disney can offer you.

Your visit to Disneyland will be accompanied by all the fun, the most diverse styles of music for all tastes and delicious delicacies for the whole family. On this date, absolutely everything is adapted to celebrate Christmas to the fullest!

Disneyland California is about 40 kilometers from Downtown Los Angeles and you can get there by car or cab in about 30 minutes, by train in just over 1 hour or by bus in almost 2 hours.

Keep in mind that you should get your tickets online and in advance to avoid the long lines that usually exist at this time of the year, due to the high number of families.

If there's one thing you can't miss on a trip to Los Angeles, it's a trip to the best shopping malls in search of holiday shopping. In Los Angeles you will find a huge variety of stores, fairs and malls to browse through, which at this time of the year become true Christmas attractions.

All of them will be perfectly decorated for the occasion, with Christmas bridges, exhibitions and different activities such as craft fairs and local handmade products. Since this is Los Angeles you have a huge variety of shopping malls to visit, but I recommend a few must-see ones.

• Rodeo Drive: is the three-block shopping area located in Beverly Hills, which houses the boutiques and stores of world-renowned brands. Even if you are not going to buy anything, I recommend that you take a walk, because at Christmas time it becomes a real attraction.
• Hollywood & Highland: is a shopping mall located in the heart of Hollywood Boulevard with several floors and a lot of things to see and buy. On the highest floor you will have a viewpoint to appreciate the city from another point of view. At Christmas time this mall dresses up and becomes a nice plan to enjoy the Christmas spirit of the city.