🎄 HOLIDAY NEWS 🎅
🚂 Winterfest Steam Train Rides | Dec 13-14, 20-21 ; 11:00 AM-7:00 PM (ticket sales end at 7:00 PM) | Redwood Valley Railway, Tilden Park, Berkeley | 👶 All Ages | 💵 | Info
Decorated and lighted holiday steam train rides extending into after dark! Father Solstice rides on a special looping train and waves to children. 5-minute ride through shaded woods. Tickets available only at station or gift shop (no online sales). Best times: at opening or 3-5 PM to beat crowds. Parking can be challenging; additional parking available at back lot (requires short walk). Bring glowsticks or headlamps for nighttime visibility. Weather permitting.
✨ Fairy Winterland | Dec 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 ; 12:00-7:00 PM | Children's Fairyland, Oakland | 👶 All Ages | 💵 | 📝 Tickets Required | Info
Family play days making Fairyland your winter destination for a season full of magic!
🚂 Annual Holiday Train | Dec 11-28 (Thu-Sun) | 6:00-9:00 PM (gate closes 8:45 PM) | Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, Los Gatos | 👶 All Ages | $10 train, $5 carousel, $14 combo | Info
Ride a decorated train through the first third of Vasona Park's Fantasy of Lights show. Tickets sold on-site only, no reservations (historically it does not sell out). Free for ages 2 & under.
🩰 SF Ballet Nutcracker | Dec 5-11 & 28 | Various Times | War Memorial Opera House | 👶 All Ages | 20% off first 4 performances with code FIRSTFOUR | Info
Helgi Tomasson's magical production featuring Clara's Victorian San Francisco journey through a dazzling blizzard to the Crystal Palace. Live orchestra, Sugar Plum Fairy, and international cast of characters in this 80-year Bay Area tradition.
🩰 Mark Foehringer's Nutcracker Sweets | Dec 6-21 | Multiple Showtimes | Fort Mason Center | 👶 All Ages | $23.50-$65.50 | Info
50-minute family-friendly production blending contemporary dance and ballet with live chamber orchestra, beautiful costumes, and colorful sets. Perfect for small children and ballet newcomers!
🩰 SF Ballet Family Dance-Along | Dec 21 | 455 Franklin St, San Francisco | 👧 Ages 3-7 (Sensory-Friendly Experience Ages 5-12)| $25 per person | Info
Interactive Nutcracker experience! Learn choreography, discover music, explore costumes and pointe shoes, plus hands-on arts and crafts.
🎅 Santa Brunch at Pinstripes | Nov 29-Dec 21 (Weekends) | 10:00 AM-2:00 PM | Pinstripes San Mateo | 👶 All Ages | $38 adults, $16 ages 6-12, free ages 5 & under | Reservations
Brunch buffet with action stations, breakfast classics, chocolate fountain, and Santa visits each table throughout the morning (10 am - 2 pm). Celebrate the holidays with the whole family!
Klabbit Note: Get patio seating if you’ve got restless little ones so they can run around on the lawn when they’re done eating.
🎄 Christmas Tree Lane | Dec 1-26 | 5:00-9:30 PM | San Carlos | 👶 All Ages | Free | Info
Walk or drive—FYI streets can be very crowded—through this beloved neighborhood light display. The best times to visit are rainy days (for driving) or weekdays around 5 PM to avoid crowds.
🫖 Toto's Holiday Tea | Dec 7, 20, 21, 22, 23 | 11:00 AM & 2:30 PM | Filoli | 👧 Kids | $85 (includes daytime admission) | Registration Required
90-minute holiday tea with sweet treats, stories, and a Toto dog plushie keepsake for every child. Adults enjoy complimentary festive drinks. Includes admission to Holidays at Filoli's Gilded and Thistlewyck.
Klabbit Note: Thistlewyck, the holiday train wonderland, is incredible even in the daytime! While you won’t see the lights, the grounds and the manor are still decked out in spectacular holiday splendor.
Lightscape 2025: San Francisco Botanical Garden Holiday Lights
Experience Lightscape 2025 at the San Francisco Botanical Garden — an immersive holiday lights trail with dazzling colors and family fun.
Timing & Parking: Buy tickets for the earliest available slot to avoid massive crowds (arriving at 6:30 PM resulted in a 1.5-hour walk); arrive early for parking, and enter 30 minutes prior to your ticket time to enjoy food trucks (quesadillas, mac n' cheese).
Gear & Comfort: Dress very warmly (ski jackets, long underwear) as it is cold with lots of standing; bring a wagon for young children (ages 5-7) to handle the long walk to the parking spot.
Route Strategy: The first half is narrow and packed; it thins out past the "rainbow tree" where concessions and port-a-potties are located. If needed, you can "shave off a loop" at the concession stand to leave early.
Highlights & Facilities: The popular light tunnel is at the very end (great for photos); use the bathrooms before the tunnel to avoid long lines at the exit. Loaner headphones are available for sound-sensitive children.
Oakland Zoo Glowfari
Tickets are now on sale, available on a rolling 28-day basis. Check out Instagram for pro tips before you book.
🎄🚗 💵 Dickens Fair | Opens Nov 22. Runs 5 weekends through Dec. 21. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM | 🚗 Cow Palace | 👨 All Ages | 💵 | Info
An immersive adventure into Victorian London, it’s an elaborate holiday party with hundreds of costumed players performing and interacting with patrons in over 140,000 square feet of theatrically-lit music halls, pubs, dance floors, and festive shops.
Go early in the season if possible - it gets increasingly crowded closer to Christmas, arrive before 10am opening - they sometimes let people in early (around 9:40am), and plan for 2-3 hours minimum, or consider going twice in one season as there's too much to see in one visit
Parking is $20 in the lot, or park free on nearby streets (may be closer anyway). Bring cash - while some vendors take cards/Apple Pay, many are cash-only and budget roughly $50-60 per child for activities and treats.
What to Do First: Head straight to the back where the kids' area is (animal carousel). Sign up for the free children's tour of London - about 1 hour long, great for ages 6-12+, shows you everything you need to see. Use the bathroom as you enter - they're not conveniently located throughout
Sample activities: Fairy house making, Ornament painting/decorating, Small carousel ($5), Tiny steam train ($5), Puppet shows (free), Parades with Queen Victoria and Father Christmas, Santa photos (12pm & 4pm), and Fencing lessons.
Check the website schedule ahead of time for show times or grab the "newspaper" at entrance for schedules. Shows are free but fill up fast - arrive early.
What to Wear: Dress in layers - temperature varies (can be cold or hot inside). Costumes not required, but fun! Ideas:
Women: long skirts, high collars, boots
Men: sports coat, scarf, top hat
Or just festive holiday wear
Kids can dress as "time travelers" in futuristic outfits
✨ Holidays at Filoli | Starting Nov 22 - Jan 6 | Filoli Gardens | 👶 All Ages | 💵 | Info
The historic estate is transformed into a wonderland of breathtaking beauty and festive delight! Three signature experiences: Gilded (daytime decorated House & Garden), Thistlewyck (enchanted Redwood village), and Holiday Lights (evening).
Letters to Santa programs (and he writes back!):
Belmont Letters to Santa | Nov 3 - Dec 8 | Info Youth can write to the North Pole and get a free personalized response! Drop off at Santa's mailbox in front of the Belmont Parks and Rec office or USPS mail Attn: Santa Claus! |
Foster City Letters to Santa | Nov 17 - Dec 5 | Info Drop letters in the magical North Pole mailbox or USPS mailbox and wait for Santa's response! |
USPS Operation Santa | Info Postmark letters by Dec 6 to Santa's official North Pole address and yes, it is: Santa, 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888! Letters are published online (personal info redacted) where adopters can select letters and respond with gifts and notes. |
San Mateo’s outdoor Central Park ice rink
Recommended for ages 4+, you can book online ahead of time or it’s first come-first served for the free community skate days on Nov 18, Dec 2, and Dec 16. Klabbit Note:
Perfect rainy day fun for elementary-aged kids and toddlers. It gets pretty busy so I recommend arriving around opening time and heading there first.
SF day trip ideas:
Union Square Christmas Tree, see the Westin St. Francis Sugar Castle, or the Fairmont Gingerbread House display at the top of Nob Hill (take the trolley for tourist points)!
✨ Let's Glow SF | 5:30-10:00 PM nightly until Dec 14 | 👶 All Ages | Free Nation's largest FREE holiday projection arts festival! Breathtaking animated projections illuminate eight iconic buildings featuring 19 artists from around the globe. Ferry Building, 101 California, Salesforce Tower, Transamerica Pyramid, and more transform into colossal, colorful canvases. Ultimate convergence of technology and art celebrating creativity, community, and holiday spirit!
Other holiday news:
If you’re staying with family over the holidays, here are some of my favorite hostess gifts! A beautiful spoontula to replace their plastic one (even comes in right- or left- handed!), hand soap that actually gets rid of garlic smell, and salumi sets from a seriously good wine country meat company.
Doing a big clean-out before hosting for the holidays? Goodwill has extended donation hours to 9 AM - 9 PM every day of the week!
Make a reservation for free photos with Santa and a Yuletide breakfast at Bass Pro in San Jose!
