Our favorite ways to spend Christmas in San Francisco – what to see, where to shop, where to eat and what to do on Christmas Day in San Francisco!
Holiday Activities
San Francisco comes to life with a variety of festive activities over the holiday season! From outdoor ice skating, to victorian Christmas fairs and brewery tours—there are San Francisco December events for everyone to enjoy!
Here is our list of “must do’s” during Christmas in San Francisco.
Holiday Ice Rink In Union Square
Cost: $18 Adults, $13 Children 8 & under, Skates Included in Admission (excluding $2.41 tax)
Location: 333 Post Street, San Francisco in Union Square
Dates: November 6, 2019- January 20, 2020
Open Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
Lace up your skates and get ready for some holiday fun! The annual Union Square San Francisco Christmas Ice Rink is now open for outdoor skating.
Located right in the center of Union Square, admission tickets to this rink include skate rentals, making it an affordable family activity.
Before or after your skating experience, be sure to explore this iconic plaza bedecked with all the sights, sounds and tastes of the season!
We recommend finding time to meander down E 14th Street to Le Cafe Coffee, where you can enjoy remarkable latte art, seasonal drinks and delicious snacks and pastries!
Open on December 24 & 25, this ice rink is an excellent choice for a Christmas day San Francisco activity! Click here to see all of the schedules and activities.
Embarcadero Center Ice Rink
Cost: $12 Adults, $7 Children 7 & under, $5 Skate Rental
Location: Embarcadero Plaza, San Francisco
Dates: November 6 2019-January 8, 2020
Open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve
Located right across the street from the Ferry Building at Pier 1, the Embarcadero Center Ice Rink is an ideal central location for your ice skating adventure!
If you’re staying at a hotel on Fisherman’s Wharf, this rink is even within walking distance. Just follow the flat terrain of the Embarcadero for about 1.5 miles until you come to the Embarcadero Center and the Bay Area’s largest outdoor ice rink.
After some outdoor skating, head over to the Ferry Building Marketplace for some hot drinks and refreshments!
To see the schedule and activities, click here!
Great Dickens Christmas Fair
Cost: $20-32 Adults, $10-14 Children 5-12, Kids 5 and under Free, $120 Season Pass
Location: Cow Palace Exhibition Halls, San Francisco
Dates: November 23-December 22 from 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Fans of the Victorian Era will not want to miss the traditional Dickens Christmas Fair!
For six weeks in December, the historic Cow Palace Exhibition Halls are transformed into a lifelike scene of Victorian London, populated by the beautifully costumed characters of Charles Dickens.
Here you can wander down small winding lanes, stop for drinks at lively pubs, listen to carolers at music halls, shop for handmade gifts, and enjoy hearty holiday fare and roasted chestnuts.
Holiday Light Displays & Christmas Tree Lightings
Every December San Francisco glows with spectacular light displays, magnificently decorated Christmas trees, and the brilliant artistry of Illuminate SF.
Viewing the holiday lights is an essential part of Christmas in San Francisco!
Pier 39 Nightly Christmas Tree Lighting Show
Cost: Free
Locations: Pier 39
Dates: November 26, 2019 – January 5, 2020 from 5:00-10:00 pm
Open Christmas Day
Every night is a celebration of Christmas lights at Pier 39! Come out to the pier entrance between November 26, 2019 and January 5, 2020 to marvel at the majestic 60 foot tree decorated with thousands of ornaments and enjoy a dazzling show of spectacular lights.
This San Francisco Christmas tree lighting display will take place on the Pier 39 Christmas tree at the top of very hour from 5-10 pm.
Union Square Tree Lighting
Cost: Free
Location: Union Square, between Sutter & Geary Street
Date: November 29, 2019 at 5:30 pm
This year will be the 30th annual Macy’s Christmas Tree Lighting! San Francisco’s most recognized Christmas tree will be decorated with 43,000 twinkling, energy-efficient lights and over 700 ornaments.
Also, don’t forget to visit Macy’s festive Holiday Lane on the 7th floor. This floor is lavishly decorated with Christmas trees and thousands of ornaments.
For the best view on the tree lighting, be sure to arrive early to claim your spot!
Ghirardelli Square Tree Lighting
Cost: Free
Location: Ghirardelli Square, West Plaza
Date: November 29, 2019 from 4:00-9:00 pm
Ghirardelli Square’s 55th annual tree lighting is a great way to start off the holiday season! Come out to the West Plaza on Friday, November 23 to enjoy live music, entertainment and a visit from Santa during one of the most traditional San Francisco holiday events!
The festivities last from 4:00-9:00 pm, with the lighting of the 35-foot tree taking place around 6:00.
While you may have to wait in a queue, it will be worth it to treat yourself to a delicious hot fudge sundae from one of Ghirardelli’s two ice cream parlors located on the square!
Fisherman’s Wharf 2019 Lighted Boat Parade
Cost: Free
Location: Viewing Points from Aquatic Park, PIER 39, the Marina Green, and Crissy Field
Date: December 13, 2019 from 6:00-8:00 pm
A beloved holiday tradition since 1994, the Fisherman’s Wharf Lighted Boat Parade is the oldest and largest on the San Francisco Bay. Yacht clubs and fishing fleets alike decorate their boats with festive lights and sail along the bay.
Dress warm and find a spot along the waterfront in Aquatic Park, Pier 39, the Marina Green, or Crissy Field for spectacular views of this event.
Or, make a reservation for a waterfront table at one of the many restaurants along the Wharf to enjoy a holiday meal while you watch the boats parade by!
Tom and Jerry’s House
Cost: Free
Location: 21st & Church Street in Dolores Heights
Date: December 2019
Every December Tom Taylor and Jerry Goldstein’s house transforms into an unbelievably huge, fantastically tacky Christmas display. This house is loved by multiple generations of locals and celebrates their 30th anniversary.
Every year the house is decorated with illuminated icicles, oversize gifts and stockings, dancing dolls, roller coasters and a ferris wheel. They even hand out candy canes!
Shopping & Christmas Markets
Some of our favorite Christmas things to do in San Francisco include visiting local artisan markets, holiday bazaars and San Francisco Christmas ornament shops.
The holidays just wouldn’t be complete without a little shopping!
SFMade Holiday Fair at CCA
Cost: Free
Location: California College of the Arts, 1111 Eighth Street, San Francisco
Date: December 15, 2019 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Featuring a wide array of holiday gifts, every item at the SFMade Holiday Fair was made locally in San Francisco.
Browse a selection of handcrafted jewelry, apparel, body products, toys, gourmet chocolates and local wines, all presented by the artisans who produced them.
Hosted in collaboration with California College of the Arts, you can also purchase artwork from CCA students!
SF Holiday Bazaar Nightlife
Cost: $15 Adult, $12 Members; 21+yrs
Location: 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Date: December 12, 2019 from 6-10 pm
One of Nightlife’s most highly attended events, the annual SF Holiday Bazaar at the Academy of Science is blend of local artisanal creativity and holiday-themed museum attractions.
Peruse holiday goods, participate in museum programming, and enjoy cocktails and refreshments at this Christmas market San Francisco soiree!
Christmas in San Francisco at Pier 39
Cost: Free
Location: K105A Pier 39, Beach Street, San Francisco
Date: Open Daily from 10 am – 10 pm
Go shopping for a San Francisco Christmas ornament at this year-round holiday store!
Boasting hundreds of specialty ornaments to suit every taste, this little shop on Pier 39 is the perfect place to pick up a memento from your visit to San Francisco in December!
Holiday Shows
Attending holiday shows is one of our favorite things to do in San Francisco in December!
Whether you’re looking to plan a memorable outing or just want something festive to do on a cold day, this list of our favorite 2019 Christmas shows in San Francisco is a great place to start!
The Nutcracker Ballet
Cost: $25-$299
Location: War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco
Dates: December 11-29 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm, December 29 at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm
Open Christmas Eve
Since it’s completion in 1932, the War Memorial Opera house has been considered one of San Francisco’s most magnificent architectural installments.
Every December, the iconic opera house sets the stage for Helgi Tomasson’s exquisite choreography of the Nutcracker Ballet.
Brought to life by some of the nation’s most entrancing performers, San Francisco Ballet’s production of the Nutcracker Ballet is a truly magical San Francisco Christmas time tradition.
Purchase tickets for one of the two matinees on December 24 to make a treasured Christmas Eve San Francisco memory!
A Christmas Carol ACT Geary Theater
Cost: $30-120
Location: 415 Geary Street, San Francisco
Dates: November 29 – December 24, 2019
Open Christmas Eve
No holiday season would be complete without a viewing of A Christmas Carol!
Featuring a large cast of adults and children, stunning costumes, and lively music, A.C.T. Geary Theater’s production of the Christmas classic has been one of the most anticipated San Francisco Christmas events for 42 years!
This festive production is playful, sensitive, and “true to the heart of Dickens’s timeless story”. We’d highly recommend putting one of the many December showings on your calendar!
The Messiah at Grace Cathedral
Cost: $25-125
Location: 1100 California Street, San Francisco
Dates: December 11-13 at 7:30pm
The awe-inspiring architecture of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral provides an enchanting setting for Handel’s timeless score in this production of the Messiah. If there is one thing I love during Christmas in San Francisco this is it!
A breathtaking chorus of soloists, choir and orchestra makes this event one of our top San Francisco Holiday events.
Presented by the American Bach Soloists, tickets for these showings sell out every year as visitors flock from far and wide to enjoy the symphonic strains. Purchase your tickets now from American Bach Soloists!
Christmas Dining and Lodging
Whether you’re staying for a night or a week, this list of our favorite restaurants and Fisherman’s Wharf hotel accommodations will help you enjoy an exceptional Christmas in San Francisco!
Christmas Day Brunch at The San Francisco Palace
Cost: $155 Adults / $80 Children (5-12)
Location: 2 New Montgomery Street, San Francisco
Dates: Tuesday, December 25 from 10:30am-4:30pm (last seating)
Open Christmas Day
One of our favorite things to do in San Francisco on Christmas Day is to treat yourself to a decadent Christmas Brunch, San Francisco style!
Hosted by the opulent San Francisco Palace, you’ll enjoy exquisite holiday dishes in a refined setting during this upscale holiday tradition!
Sotto Mare on Fisherman’s Wharf
Cost: $45 and under
Location: 552 Green Street, San Francisco
In our opinion, no trip to San Francisco is complete without a sampling of Sotto Mare’s exceptional Italian food. Renowned as having “the best damn cioppino in San Francisco”, Sotto Mare boasts a tantalizing selection of classic Italian seafood, pasta, soup and salad.
While this North Beach restaurant is not open on Sundays, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, you can stop in any other time—no reservations necessary for parties of two!
The Crab House at Pier 39
Cost: $25 and over
Location: 203 C Pier 39, San Francisco
Open Christmas Day
If you’re looking for San Francisco restaurants open Christmas day, we’d recommend the Crab House at Pier 39.
Here you can enjoy fresh steamed crab, steak, seafood, pasta, and a fun selection of classic kid’s menu items! Make your Christmas dinner San Francisco reservations now.
Argonaut Hotel
Cost: $170 + per night
Location: 495 Jefferson Street, San Francisco
If history and architecture are important to you, the Argonaut Hotel is definitely worth considering for your Christmas in San Francisco vacation!
Built in 1907 and adopted by the National Park Service, this pet-friendly hotel’s exposed brick and wooden beams give it a rich character and rustic charm.
Plus, this hotel is just a stone’s throw away from where our famous tour starts, so you can easily explore all that christmas in San Francisco has to offer!
There you have it, some of the seasons best holiday sights, shopping, and dining options to help you make the most of your Christmas in San Francisco!
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