Holiday Family Fun in San Francisco
When I was growing up, one of the highlights of my holiday season was a trip into San Francisco. It's something that I still love to do with my family, and there's so much fun to be had. Here are our picks for festive family holiday fun and traditions in the city.
Tree Lighting and Santa at the Civic Center
Led by the Civic Center Community Benefit District, the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting features festive holiday entertainment; toy and book giveaways for children; food; music; DIY activiies; “snow” flurries; and more! The fun take place from 4–7 pm on Wednesday, December 3 and culminates with the lighting of Civic Center Plaza’s 50-foot noble fir at 5:30 pm.
San Francisco Civic Center Tree Lighting
Attend a Magical Holiday Performance
For us, Christmas wouldn't be complete without attending a performance of the spectacular San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker. In addition, you'll find holiday performances from most of the city's leading performing arts organizations—there's something for everyone! The San Francisco Symphony offers a variety of holiday concerts including their Deck the Hall family program on Sunday, December 7, a performance of Peter and the Wolf with guest narrator, A Charlie Brown Christmas—LIVE!, and screenings of Frozen.and Home Alone with a live orchestra. At Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, ODC/Dance presents its beloved production of The Velveteen Rabbit November 29–December 7, while spectacular Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill offers family-friendly holiday concerts like Sing You A Merry Christmas from December 13–23, and the Presidio Theatre presents their holiday panto show Peter Pan, November 29–December 28.
San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker
Visit San Francisco's Spectacular Grand Hotels
San Francisco's luxury hotels always pull out all the stops with their fantastic and opulent holiday decorations! Don't miss the two-story, 25-foot-tall gingerbread house at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill, which opens Saturday, November 22 with a ribbon cutting and tree lighting at 11 am and make sure you swing by the lobby of the Westin St. Francis Hotel on Union Square to see their amazing 12-foot holiday sugar castle, on view in the hotel's Tower Lobby from November 26–January 2. In addition to holiday displays, many of the city's finest hotels offer festive holiday family teas and even overnight family packages in special holiday-themed rooms.
The Sugar Castle at the Westin St. Francis at Union Square
Ice Skating, Shopping and Sightseeing at Union Square
Union Square, San Francisco's premier shopping district, is always fun to visit during the holidays. You can shop, check out the holiday lights and shop windows (the holiday windows at Macy's with the cute puppies and kittens from the San Francisco SPCA are always our favorites), and even ice skate at the outdoor skating rink.
Take a Ride on a Decorated Cable Car or Streetcar
San Francisco's iconic cable cars and historic Market Street Railway streetcars boast colorful Christmas decorations inside and out. Take the kiddos on a ride they'll never forget this holiday season to check out the city's lights and decorations on one of these rolling museum pieces. Cable cars cost $8 to ride each way (free for 4 and under) and F-Market & Wharves historic streetcars cost the standard Muni fare of $3 for adults and $1.50 disabled/seniors (free for youth 18 and under and seniors 65+ except for cable cars). Single- and multi-day passes are available. Both cable cars and historic streetcars run 365 days a year all day. Learn more about riding here.
Photo: SFMTA
Lightscape, San Francisco Botanical Garden
Lightscape is a one-of-a-kind, immersive light and music experience that transforms the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park into a mesmerizing world of wonder, food and beverages, and more than one million twinkling lights. Stroll through a mile-long trail of dazzling lights, dramatic colors, otherworldly lighted sculptures, and water features. Lightscape takes place from 5–8:15 pm from November 21, 2025–January 4, 2026. Advance tickets are required. Learn more.
Let's Glow SF, Downtown San Francisco
Billing itself as the nation's largest free holiday projection arts festival, Let's Glow SF returns to downtown San Francisco from December 5–14 from 5:30–10 pm nightly. Eight iconic buildings will be transformed into colossal, colorful canvases with animated projections featuring work by 19 international artists. Locations include the Ferry Building, the Pacific Stock Exchange, the Transamerica Pyramid, and Salesforce Tower. Admission is free. Learn more.
