The holidays are coming! Grab your friends and family and celebrate a beautiful Bay Area fall at one of many colorful (and delicious!) events near you. Wine strolls, performing arts, a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, and holiday lights extravaganzas abound. May the glow of this season warm your heart and brighten your spirit. I wish you a grateful November!
Clue, Live On Stage | San Jose | Oct. 29-Nov. 3
Clue is the ultimate whodunit, based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount Pictures movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game. Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with a knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Head over to Broadway San Jose for a hilarious night that will keep you guessing until the final answer! Get tickets for Clue and other upcoming holiday performances here.
Water Lantern Festival | San Jose | Nov. 8-10
This awe-inspiring event on Lake Almaden brings people of all ages together to light up the water with lanterns filled with letters of love, hope, and dreams. Watch your unique lantern float across the water and join thousands of others as you reflect, share your dreams, and celebrate life together. For more information and tickets, click here.
21st Annual Holiday Stroll| Los Altos | Nov. 8
Kick off your holiday shopping in charming Downtown Los Altos with music and fun for the whole family! Find unique gifts and enjoy sparkling lights, strolling carolers, and shopping specials. Visit downtownlosaltos.org.
Fall Restaurant Week | San Francisco | Nov. 8-17
Celebrate the flavors of San Francisco’s unique and diverse neighborhoods through special prix-fixe menus for brunch, lunch, or dinner. For more information and to see the list of participating restaurants, click here.
Fall Wine Stroll | San Jose | Nov. 14
Stroll Santana Row while sipping wine from over 15 Livermore Valley Wineries in select shops and restaurants. Enjoy special shopping and dining perks, snacks, live music, and more! Purchase tickets here.
Holidays at Filoli | Woodside | Nov. 16 – Jan. 12
Start your holidays in style! Step into the magic of Holidays at Filoli where the Mansion is decked in holiday cheer and the winter gardens bedazzled with lights are all aglow. Reserve a private firepit to enjoy warm drinks with friends, enjoy an elegant Holiday Tea, or make your own Thanksgiving centerpiece or holiday wreath. Visit filoli.org for more info and tickets.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks | Santa Clara | Nov. 17
Cheer on the Bay Area’s 49ers in this showdown against the Seattle Seahawks! Kick-off at Levi’s Stadium takes place at 1:05PM. For more information, podcasts, and tickets, follow the Niners here.
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair | Daly City | Weekends from November 23 – December 22
Immerse yourself in Victorian London at the annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair at historic Cow Palace. This elaborate holiday party features hundreds of costumed players performing and interacting with patrons through the winding lanes and lamplit shops, pubs and theatres of Charles Dickens’ London Town. A treasured Bay Area tradition since 1970! Visit dickensfair.com.
***** Happy Thanksgiving! Nov. 28 ******
20th Annual Silicon Valley Turkey Trot | San Jose | Nov. 28
Participate in the largest Thanksgiving Day run in America on this flat and fast course that flows through Downtown San Jose and benefits four local charities. Sponsored by Applied Materials, this event welcomes all fitness levels! Click here to register.
Enchant | San Jose | Nov. 22-Dec. 29
Journey into the heart of a magical holiday tale this season at Enchant’s “Reindeer Games,” one of five of the world’s largest Christmas light maze experiences. Larger-than-life light sculptures, ice-skating, seasonal food and drink, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, live entertainment, and so much more await you and your loved ones as Enchant Christmas returns to PayPal Park this holiday season. Visit EnchantChristmas. com for tickets and info.
Holiday Wine Stroll | Saratoga | Nov. 29
Take a magical evening strolling through Historic Saratoga Village, sipping tastings from some of the best local wineries. A tree-lighting ceremony kicks off the evening, followed by live music, free horse-drawn carriage rides, shopping, tasty nibbles, and holiday cheer for the whole family. Purchase tickets in advance.
Holiday Lights Train | Santa Cruz | Beginning Nov. 29
Take a special holiday outing with the family on a train! Hop aboard the Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train—vintage excursion cars adorned with thousands of colorful lights—sip hot apple cider, sing along to Christmas carols, and soak up the holiday glow at this delightful seaside neighborhood. Visit roaringcamp.com for tickets and info.
WinterFest | Santa Clara | Beginning Nov. 29
Immerse yourself in an enchanted wintery world at California’s Great America. With over 60 rides and holiday attractions aglow with millions of lights, including ice-skating, spectacular live shows, Santa’s Workshop, and one of the Bay Area’s tallest Christmas trees (imagine the photo ops!), there’s something here for every guest and appetite. For more information, go here.
