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Christmas Lights in San Carlos, CA
The top places to see Christmas lights in San Carlos this season are San Jose Holiday Lights (DOCA Festival) (Nov 13 – Jan 1), Christmas in the Park - Downtown Park Experience (Nov 27 – Jan 1) and Holidays at Filoli: Holiday Lights (Nov 14 – Jan 10). We've mapped 3 displays in San Carlos and 35 more nearby (10 neighborhoods, 8 events, 8 tree lightings). 20 are free. 10 are synced to music. Tap any display for dates, hours and directions.
Updated Nov 12, 2026
Near San Carlos (within 25 miles)
Tap + Tour on a few displays to get one driving route you can send to your phone (how it works). Missing a house or show in San Carlos? Add it free.
Christmas lights in San Carlos: common questions
What are the best Christmas lights in San Carlos?
Popular picks this season include San Jose Holiday Lights (DOCA Festival) (Nov 13 – Jan 1), Christmas in the Park - Downtown Park Experience (Nov 27 – Jan 1), Holidays at Filoli: Holiday Lights (Nov 14 – Jan 10) and Glowfari at Oakland Zoo (Nov 6 – Jan 31). In all, 38 displays are mapped in and around San Carlos, from decorated houses and neighborhoods to ticketed light shows.
Where can I see free Christmas lights in San Carlos?
Free options include Christmas in the Park - Downtown Park Experience, Crippsmas Place, Christmas Festival at 3Crosses Church and Christmas Tree Lane, Thompson Avenue. 20 of the 38 displays near San Carlos are free to visit; most home and neighborhood displays cost nothing to drive by.
Is there a drive-thru Christmas light show near San Carlos?
Yes. Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake County Park (Ticketed per vehicle, bought in advance), Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake (Advance tickets only; drive-thru was about $20 per vehicle in past years) and Blinky's Drive-Thru Light Show (2025: $30 per car weekends, $25 weekdays). Drive-thru shows usually charge per car, and buying tickets online ahead of time is often faster.
Are there Christmas lights synced to music in San Carlos?
Yes. Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Los Gatos in Lights - Winter Celebration and Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake County Park (tune to Holiday music via car radio). Synced displays broadcast their soundtrack on a low-power FM station so you can listen from your car.
When do Christmas lights start in San Carlos?
The earliest San Carlos-area displays turn on Nov 6, 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.
Want your house to look like this?
Professional Christmas light installers in San Carlos hang, maintain and take down your lights, or install permanent lights you control from your phone. Tell us about your house and get free quotes.
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