Awesome Christmas Lights on the San Francisco Peninsula

Gilroy Gardens Holiday Lights: For two weeks in December, this charming garden-themed amusement park opens at dusk for an evening that becomes more illuminating as the night goes on. Rides your kids have become familiar with on your regular visits, take on a holiday theme. Those cars that wind their way through early Gilroy, become the Twelve Days of Christmas, the walk into the park becomes Candy Cane Lane. Lights, figurines and holiday themes glow everywhere --- there is even a nod to Hanukah and Kwanzaa! The annual holiday event culminates in a fireworks and laser light show over the park’s Coyote Lake. Set to symphony music, this amazing show not only lights up the normally peaceful waters, it brings cheers from the crowds.

Fantasy of Lights: Vasona Park is transformed into an astonishing display of holiday whimsy. Imagine Santa Claus tossing a basketball to Rudolph and the ball flies over your car! A child plays with a dog, a young man rides an old fashioned bicycle, dinosaurs roam the land again ---these are only a few of the fun scenes spread out over the park’s acreage with the expressed purpose of dazzling visitors. When you enter the park, tune into holiday music on the station directed by park staff, drive slowly with highlights out and enjoy the show. Word of advice: Visit during the week! Wait times are very long on weekends. You will also pay a lower admission price if you visit in early December.

For nearly 20 years the residents of this quiet little street near Grant Road and Fremont Avenue have transformed their yards into a holiday wonderland. Reindeers perch from rooftops, Santa wave from front lawns and hundreds of lights delight visitors with a twinkle.

We’ve joked for years that the caretaker of this Christmas tradition has the most understanding wife in the universe! For nearly thirty holiday seasons, fellow holiday lovers have been invited onto the lawn here for a few hours each evening to watch elaborate trains travel through the front yard, into a tunnel and up a snow capped peak before entering one end of the house's large living room window winding around Christmas decorations and out the other end of the window before making the trip again. The operation of this display is weather permitting and dark on Mondays. The trains usually run from the day after Thanksgiving thru Dec 25 only, 6:30 - 9 pm. Please stay on the proper side of the rope and don't let your children touch the trains (believe me, they'll be tempted!). The family usually sets out mats to stand on in case the grass is damp. It's a nice little tradition that my train fanatics always enjoy and we are very grateful to these folks for keeping it going!

Each year the 1700 and 1800 block of Fulton Street in Palo Alto are turned into a tribute to the most wonderful time of the year. The concept of Christmas Tree Lane (originally called Christmas Fairyland Lane) was conceived more than sixty years ago by four residents gathered around a bridge table. It has survived black outs during World War II, the energy crisis of the 1970's and a few other challenges over the years but, is still going strong thanks to the hospitality of the street's residents. Whether you drive slowly down the street with only your parking lights illuminated and enjoy the displays from your car or park on a side street and walk past all of the Nutcracker characters, elves, reindeer and the Peanuts gang, please be mindful that these are people's homes and you are there at their invitation. Christmas Tree Lane usually rises mid-December. The lights displays turn on daily around 5 p.m. and continue through New Year's Eve, with the lights darkening each night at 11 p.m. No parking is allowed on Christmas Tree Lane, but parking is available in nearby neighborhoods.

Redwood City’s Dewey Street between Carson Street and Roosevelt Avenue becomes festive display of lights, decoration and holiday characters. Many visitors stroll the street on foot while others drive slowly down the street taking in all of the sites.

Located off Bay, near Marsh Road, the residents of this little cul de sac band together each season to transform the street into a festival for the eyes. Lights are strung through the trees, criss crossing the street. Characters fill the yards and twinkling colors light up the yards.

There are 101 Santas on display in the front yard of this house. In fact, just about everything in this yard either has a Santa on it or is somehow Santa-related. The lights are also synchronized to music. There is also usually a donation box and food barrel for City Ministries in the front yard. Donate if you can!

Approximately 100,000 lights with displays on roof and ground and almost all are entirely LED. Displays and animations line the roof and if you’re lucky, you’ll enjoy this light display on a night when Santa is also visiting. Word on the street is that hits up this address a few times during December to simply shake hands with anyone who happens to be in the area.

I cannot even comprehend how much neighbor cooperation it would take to convert a two-block section of a neighborhood into the holiday wonderland that is Eucalyptus Street! It is truly amazing!! Word of warning: park your car and walk in, it is better to get up close and personal with the displays and numerous photo opps. This area can also get vehicle congested easily.