Holiday and seasonal traditions for families in San Francisco
Planning a Christmas visit to San Francisco to take in some extra holiday cheer? We got you! Whether you BART, ferry, or drive, there are so many ways to make a day of it by celebrating Christmas in the City.
Holiday windows! Did you know that the Macy's holiday window displays include live animals that can be adopted? The SPCA and San Francisco Animal Care team up to from Nov. 22 to Jan. 1 (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) to bring pet magic including kittens, puppies, chinchillas, rabbits, and guinea pigs available to adopt from Macy's the same day. Find out more >
The best Santa Claus is at Macy's Union Square. My sources all agree that the best Santa Claus experience in SF is Santaland at Macy's from Nov. 29 through Dec. 24 on the 7th floor of Macy's. He has a real beard and you could leave with a real pet.
Winter Walk. Union Square comes alive with lights, skating, and all the hotel attractions (see below!) but also with its community performances, food trucks, family-friendly holiday activities, and all around merriment of Winter Walk from Nov. 29 to Dec. 31.
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Ice skating in the City. Lots of special outdoor ice rinks appear throughout San Francisco including ones at Civic Center, Embarcadero Center, Union Square, and Cal Academy of Sciences. Find more places to ice skate in the Bay Area over the holidays >
Cable car and cocoa. Wear a scarf and this classic mode of transportation feels extra Christmasy. From Union Square (or Powell & Market), hop on either the Powell/Hyde or Powell/Mason lines and take them to the end of the line. Refuel at Starbucks with hot chocolate right at the turnaround. Pro tip: for really little ones, I always get child size cocoas and an extra cup to split the drink and cut them further with cool milk.
High Tea in the City. High Tea at Christmastime is a lovely, albeit pricey, tradition for some families of mostly-well-behaved children. Here are a few places to try out your best outfits and shiny shoes for a morning or afternoon of goodies: Crown & Crumpet (Japantown), The Fairmont Hotel (Nob Hill), Lovejoy's Tea Room (Noe Valley), Children's Magical Tea @ Top of the Mark (Nob Hill), Sir Francis Drake Hotel (Union Square), Teddy Bear Tea @ The Ritz-Carlton, and Westin St. Francis Hotel (Union Square). Find out lots more about Bay Area Christmastime tea services >
Reindeer at the Zoo. Open every day — including Christmas and New Year! — the San Francisco Zoo invites reindeer to spread holiday cheer at from November 23 until January 1, at the Playfield Lawn, near the wildly popular Elinor Friend Playground. From 11:30 am -4 pm daily.
Christmas lights and festive decorations to see and love
Whether you plan a stroll or a drive-by, we love holiday lights to get in the Christmas spirit. Add hot chocolate and a twinkling tree and I'm happy.
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12/13/19 Lighted boat parade. From 6 – 8 pm, Fisherman's Wharf presents the oldest and largest lighted holiday boat parade on San Francisco Bay. Spectators can see it from Aquatic Park, PIER 39, the Marina Green, and Crissy Field. More details here. There are two terrific East Bay lighted yacht parades, too.
Tom and Jerry's house. A residential house with a lovely history, 3650 21st St around Church St. is just a bit extra. Push your stroller up the hill and take it all in.
Giant gingerbread house. Atop Nob Hill, Fairmont San Francisco’s two-story, life-sized Gingerbread House in the hotel’s grand lobby is a wonderful holiday attraction. There's an impressive moving train and giant Christmas tree, too.
Enormous sugar castle. Right off Union Square, the Westin St. Francis offers a 12-feet rotating holiday sugar castle in the Landmark Lobby of the hotel beginning on Wednesday, November 27 at 11 am. More info >
A festival of light. Throughout San Francisco from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, you can find 39 extraordinary light art and sculptures. For FREE. Check out where and what at Illuminate SF >
PIER 39 will dazzle you. Each night from Nov. 26 to Jan. 5, 2020, see a nightly kaleidoscopic tree lighting show synchronized to holiday music, every half hour from 5 – 10 pm. For FREE.
These holiday light displays in the East Bay (and beyond) are worth the drive >
Ticket alert: San Francisco dance, music, and theater performances
Buy your tickets to these San Francisco holiday shows before they sell out.
Sing-along-Sound-of-Music at the Castro Theatre
Where: Castro Theatre
When: Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 (times vary)
Buy tickets in advance >
A Christmas Carol
Where: A.C.T's Geary Theater
When: Nov. 29 – Dec. 24 (times vary)
Tickets are here >
ODC Dance Company in San Francisco presents The Velveteen Rabbit, a ballet.
Where: Yerba Buena Art Center
When: November 29 – December 8 (times vary)
Tickets are here > Discount tickets on our affiliate, Goldstar >
Bay Area Children's Theatre presents Construction Site on Christmas Night
Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Where: Children's Creativity Museum, 221 Fourth Street, San Francisco
When: November 30 – December 29 (times vary)
Tickets are here >
San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Holigays Are Here: Ring Them Bells
Where: Sydney Goldstein Theater and the Castro Theatre
When: Dec. 6 – 24 (dates and times vary)
Tickets are here >
San Francisco Lesbian Gay Freedom Band's The Dance-Along Nutcracker: Nutcrackers in Space
Where: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission Street
When: Saturday Dec. 7 @ 3pm & 7pm; Sunday Dec. 8 @ 11am & 3pm
Box office tickets are here >
Mark Foehringer presents Nutcracker Sweets
Great for children because it is only 40 minutes long, and you're allowed to eat in the theatre.
Where: Cowell Theater, Fort Mason
When: Showtimes from Dec. 7 – 22 (times vary)
Find tickets here > or Discount tickets here >
San Francisco Ballet presents The Nutcracker
Where: War Memorial Opera House
When: December 11 – December 28 (times vary)
Discount tickets are here >
SMUIN Contemporary Ballet presents The Christmas Ballet
Where: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard Street
When: Showtimes from Dec. 12 – 23
Find tickets here >
San Francisco Symphony presents Music for Families: Holidays around the world
Instrument petting zoo, free elf hat, and photo opportunities before exploring festive music from around the world in celebration of many wintertime festivities.
Where: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue
When: Saturday Dec. 14
Find tickets here >
San Francisco Girls Chorus
The SF Girls Chorus joins the SF Symphony for holiday season concert performances. Take your pick.
Where: Davies Symphony Hall
When: Dec. 16, 19, 20 (dates and times vary)
Tickets are here >
San Francisco Symphony presents A Charlie Brown Christmas
Live actors and musicians are set against a vibrant animated backdrop for this holiday show.
Where: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue
When: Dec. 21-23
Find tickets here >
African American Shakespeare presents Cinderella
An uplifting re-telling of the classic fairytale, featuring all of the pageantry, hilarity, and charm of the original, but with a decidedly soulful twist.
Where: Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue
When: Showtimes from Dec. 20 – 22, this will sell out
Find tickets here >
Find lots more Bay Area Nutcracker and holiday performances >
What do you like to do in SF for the holidays? Find our East Bay Christmas bucket list over here >
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