Christmas Lights in Boulder Creek, CA

Popular picks this season include Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train (From Nov 27), Roaring Camp Holiday Tree Walk (From Nov 27), San Jose Holiday Lights (DOCA Festival) (Nov 13 – Jan 1) and Christmas in the Park - Downtown Park Experience (Nov 27 – Jan 1). In all, 25 displays are mapped in and around Boulder Creek, from decorated houses and neighborhoods to ticketed light shows.

Free options include Christmas in the Park - Downtown Park Experience, Winter on the Wharf, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Winter Wonderland and Boulder Creek Winter Festival and Tree Lighting. 16 of the 25 displays near Boulder Creek are free to visit; most home and neighborhood displays cost nothing to drive by.

Yes. Sparky's Holiday Lights, Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake County Park (Ticketed per vehicle, bought in advance) and Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake (Advance tickets only; drive-thru was about $20 per vehicle in past years). Drive-thru shows usually charge per car, and buying tickets online ahead of time is often faster.

Yes. Los Gatos in Lights - Winter Celebration, Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake County Park (tune to Holiday music via car radio) and Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake (tune to Holiday music on car radio (station varies)). Synced displays broadcast their soundtrack on a low-power FM station so you can listen from your car.

The earliest Boulder Creek-area displays turn on Nov 13, and most are running by the weekend after Thanksgiving. Many stay lit through New Year's; check each display's page for its exact dates and nightly hours.