If you know me personally, you know I'm a sucker for Christmas lights. I spend many a rainy night during the holidays driving around with hot chocolate, looking at the lights, while my kids complain in the back seat. Here is a list of our personal favorite spots to go look at the lights, in no particular order...
1. Naples Island/Naples Canals
The houses of Naples Island and the surrounding areas love their Christmas decorations! House judging will happen on December 11th this year, so lights are going up now in preparation. Be advised that the canals are under contruction this year, so you may need to detour around to make a full circle. Boats will not be able to access the entire canal either. So while it is still sure to be a great view, keep this in mind when visiting.
Where to see it: You can simply park and walk around the canals, and the lights are perfectly visible. Park somewhere on the inner island, and head toward the canals. You can’t go wrong with direction, as the entire canal will be nicely decorated. If time permits, do the entire circle! (Remember to be prepared to take some detours this year). It can get quite busy as it gets closer to Christmas, so come early in the evening, or be prepared for a crowd. When crowded, it is difficult maneuvering a double stroller on the narrow pathways, so we suggest wearing little ones, or bring your single or tandem instead.
You can also see lights from the canals, such as aboard the popular Gondola Getaway. Be advised that the canals are currently under contruction, so the view will not be quite as Finally, you can take a tour of the area from the streets. The Long Beach Trolley or The Big Red Bus will take you on a 30 minute tour of lights. You can glimpse the lights in the canals from the bridges, but you will also drive by other impressive lights in the 2nd Street area, and get a nice tour of this part of the city.
Floating Christmas trees are located throughout the city of Long Beach. They are sponsored by local businesses and individuals, so each year the number of them depends on the number of sponsors. I have seen a lot of them out there this year, though!
Where to see it: You can see them pretty much anywhere there is water in the city, but a good place to start is Alamitos Bay. Park along the Bayshore Drive area, and visit Bayshore Beach to see plenty of them. Another great place to see them is Colorado Lagoon, where you can now stroll across the new-ish boardwalk bridge.
3. Daisy Avenue Christmas Tree Lane
With a small town feel, Daisy Ave, in North Long Beach, comes through with the Christmas spirit each year. The street hosts a parade (on the second Saturday of the month), and house judging takes place the day before the parade.
Where to see it: The best way to experience it is to park and walk the street, so you can really take in the details of the displays. The displays are located on Daisy Ave, between Hill St on the North, and PCH on the South.
You will find plenty of lights in Downtown Long Beach. With the ocean as a backdrop, it is a perfect place to stroll around and get into the holiday spirit.
Where to see it: A great place to start is the front of the Long Beach Performing Art Center, which is truly a Christmas sight to behold. From here, take the Rainbow bridge, where you can see 3,500 LED lights, as you cross over Seaside Way toward the Pike Outlets. Continue strolling, and head toward the Pike Outlets, where you can see the large Christmas tree, and holiday lights galore. You can continue your stroll to one of the many restaurants in the area, many of whom are nicely decorated for the holidays.
5. Individual Displays
Many homeowners decorate their homes, even if they don’t live in a highly decorated area.
Two amazing displays are locally famous:
1. The inflatables display at Gaviota and 37th in Cal Heights
2. The music and lights show at 5203 Ashworth St
There are also two great sites for finding individual displays. LB Post has an awesome map up on their site, where readers can suggest and vote for light displays. You can also search for individual decorated homes on https://www.christmaslightfinder.com/search/. All these homes were submitted by the homeowners themselves, so you are sure to find only homes that want you to visit them!
Some Nearby Lights Outside of Long Beach:
An impressive display of neighborhood lights, this is a popular place for LA locals to come to get into the Christmas spirit! There is also a Santa at the end, so it is worth walking the whole thing.
Where to see it: Located just South of LAX. You will need to park and walk, so bundle up, and bring something warm to drink. The homeowners would like to remind you to use the restroom before you come into the neighborhood, as there aren’t any provided inside.
This is a great place to drive through to see some impressive lights, if you are in the area. During the weekends, and around Christmas, you will also find nachos and hot chocolate available for purchase.
Where to see it: Light up officially begins on December 7th. The displays begin at Main and Ontario Pueblo (Gingerbread Lane), and continue to West Mission Road (Candy Cane Lane) in Corona.
With most houses (some say 97%) decorating in this neighborhood, this is a very popular place to visit to see lots of beautiful lights. Prepare for a crowd by coming early, or parking outside the neighborhood and walking in. If you do decide to drive through, you will be able to cover more of this large neighborhood, but you might not be able to stop easily to listen to the music or purchase some hot chocolate or churros sold by local kids. Either way, it is a wonderfully Christmassy experience.
Where to see it: There are several ways to enter this neighborhood, and all will lead to plenty of lights. You will then snake your way through, and exit through any of the exits.
If you are in the area, be sure to swing by the Christmas House, a neighborhood landmark in Fountain Valley. It is said to be decorated with 56,000 Christmas lights!
Where to see it: Located at Stanislaus St & Apache River Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
