Silicon Valley does the holidays with small-town traditions and big-city lights. Here are the dates worth planning around this season, all a short drive from El Camino Real.
Christmas in the Park: November 27, 2026 to January 1, 2027
San Jose's free holiday tradition fills Plaza de Cesar Chavez downtown every day from noon to 10 p.m., including Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
- Walk through a forest of decorated trees and more than 40 animated displays.
- Visit with Santa during the season. Check christmasinthepark.com (https://christmasinthepark.com/) for special nights.
- Weekend evenings are the busiest. Go on a weeknight for a calmer visit.
Santa Clara Holiday Tree Lighting: Friday, December 4
The City of Santa Clara has been lighting its holiday tree for more than a century. This year's celebration is at Central Park, 909 Kiely Boulevard, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with live entertainment, food, kids' activities, and photos with Santa before the tree is lit. It is free. Details: City of Santa Clara (https://www.santaclaraca.gov/our-city/departments-g-z/parks-recreation/parks-recreation-special-events/holiday-tree-lighting/).
Holiday football
The 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, November 29, and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, December 13, both at 1:25 p.m. at Levi's Stadium. Check the official schedule (https://www.49ers.com/schedule/) for any time changes.
Holiday shopping and a quiet morning
- Santana Row and Westfield Valley Fair are about 10 minutes away for holiday shopping.
- For a calmer morning, walk the gardens at Mission Santa Clara on the Santa Clara University campus, about 6 minutes down El Camino Real.
Staying at Granada Hotel
Granada Hotel is on El Camino Real in Santa Clara, a few minutes from Central Park and about 15 minutes from Christmas in the Park. Kitchenettes with a microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker make longer holiday stays easy, and on-site laundry helps with family visits. Book direct at granadasantaclara.com.
A past Christmas in the Park exhibit in San Jose. Illustrative photograph; not a photograph of the 2026 events. Photo: Christmas in the Park exhibit 1 by Oleg Alexandrov, via Wikimedia Commons. Original photograph and this image adaptation licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized; website renditions may be cropped and converted to WebP for display. This license applies only to the photograph.
