This is the year you have been waiting for. It is time to try something new for your family’s holiday traditions and explore a new location such as Oceanside. If you have been wanting to see beautiful beaches, gorgeous waves, and sunny weather you will not find somewhere better than Oceanside. Our Southern California home still has all of wonderful holiday events and activities so your family has an incredible stay. One of the best ways to enjoy a holiday retreat is to check out the local Christmas lights and displays in the areas. You will find tons of Oceanside Christmas lights at local events and strung up through the neighborhoods. Take a look at where you will find the best Christmas lights and displays across Oceanside:
Holiday Tree Lighting
No holiday season is complete without a local holiday tree lighting. Oceanside makes sure this tradition stands strong with our annual Holiday Tree Lighting that always takes place in early December. As with other larger cities Oceanside has its very own Christmas tree that will be lit up for the first time of the season at the event. This is not your typical holiday tree lighting though and instead a huge event with plenty for the whole family to do. The festivities always kick off at 5:00 PM with the area strung up with beautiful Christmas lights. You will find tons of games and activities for the whole family to enjoy including amusement park rides, bounce houses, live music, zip lines, and much more. Children will be able to enjoy free cookies and milk along with free arts and crafts projects that are holiday themed. Santa Claus will arrive in the area at 6:00 PM to begin the official tree-lighting ceremony. Our holiday tree features countless Christmas lights all around it making it a delight to see in person. Stick around after the ceremony to enjoy a meet and greet with Santa for photos. The annual Holiday Tree Lighting always gets scheduled in partnership with the Holiday Sunset Market that is another cannot miss event. Keep an eye out for the 2024 date to be announced soon! The Holiday Tree Lighting always takes place at 401 Mission Ave at Regal Plaza.
Holiday Gift Market
One of the best markets that takes place here in Oceanside during the holidays is the Holiday Gift Market. This is the ideal spot to find the perfect gifts for loved ones and enjoy food from all over the world. The Holiday Gift Market is also an incredible spot where you can check out all of the Christmas lights hung up around the area. The Holiday Gift Market takes place in Downtown Oceanside so you will see all kinds of holiday lights strung up between signs and businesses. Make sure to visit after sunset to get the most of your holiday light viewing in. The Holiday Gift Market is open 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Thursdays during the month of December.
Parade of Lights
Ask any local resident here in Oceanside what their favorite holiday event with Christmas lights is and you are sure to hear “Parade of Lights.” This is one of our most looked forward to events here in Oceanside. The Parade of Lights takes place each year out on the Oceanside Harbor where you will find an aquatic light parade. This event features local businesses and boat owners who decorate their boats that include yachts, fishing boats, kayaks, sail boats, dinghies, and more with their best holiday swag and Christmas lights. The Parade of Lights encourages creativity and you are sure to see plenty of it. Many of the boats will have Santa’s on board their vessel waving out to onlookers. The boats always have tons of Christmas lights on display making this event a favorite for light seeing. Locals report that the best way to get the best views of the parade is to stick to Oceanside Harbor. From this vantage point you will be able to see the boats go by twice! You can even dine out on a restaurant with a patio to enjoy the view as well. The Parade of Lights typically takes place the second Saturday in December from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Don’t miss out on this Oceanside exclusive event!
More Fun When You Stay at The Brick Hotel
As you can see, there are quite a few different events here in Oceanside to go check out the Christmas lights. When you stay at The Brick Hotel, you will be close to many of these events and have a comfortable stay in the area. Make sure to book an Oceanside holiday rental at The Brick Hotel soon before we have no vacancies for the holidays!
