18 Places To Visit in California During Winter

There are many incredible places to visit in California during winter, whether you want a warm beachy getaway or a snowy winter retreat in the mountains.

You may not think of California as a winter destination since it’s well-known for warm weather and beaches, but we do get snow in many areas! The difference is that most Californians “go to” the snow vs. just experiencing snow at our doorstep.

What makes California unique, among many other things, are the vastly different climates throughout the state. You can go from sunny and 75ºF in one area to a below-freezing snowy mountain in just a few hours!

Places To Visit in California During Winter

Although snow and winter are not my favorite, it’s fun to head to the mountains for a wintery weekend in a cute cabin! Other times I head to Southern California for some sunshine or the Northern California coast for a more moody, cozy trip.

I’ve lived in California for my whole life and have explored the majority of the state. After a lifetime of winters here, this is my list of the best places to visit in California during winter!

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Filoli Historic House & Garden

My favorite place in the Bay Area is the giant estate called Filoli Historic House & Garden. It has a large mansion you can tour and huge gardens to explore.

The most popular time to visit is in spring when the flowers are in full bloom throughout the house and gardens, but they also have some great seasonal events.

Holidays at Filoli is their winter event, which takes place between November and January each year. The specific dates range each year — this year it's from November 16, 2024-January 12, 2025.

You can visit on these dates during the day or at night! The night is when the holiday lights are lit throughout the estate, with cozy firepits and outdoor heaters, warm holiday drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and a fully decorated mansion.

This is not only my favorite place in the Bay Area, but also my favorite holiday activity in Northern California!

Filoli is about 30 miles south of San Francisco. If you don’t mind driving, you can stay in San Francisco at The Westin St. Francis overlooking Union Square’s giant Christmas Tree and ice skating rink.

Note: Be prepared for commuter traffic on weekday evenings and road closures on Sundays for bikers on Cañada Road.


Solvang

The Danish Capital of America goes all out for the holidays and winter season, decking out the Danish buildings with holiday decor and lights for the annual Julefest.

Julefest begins after Thanksgiving and runs until the beginning of January. It’s a month-long celebration with caroling, a maker’s market, and other festive activities.

Even if you can’t visit during Julefest, Solvang is a great winter destination in California throughout the whole season! They have adorable Danish-style buildings, a Christmas store open year-round, and delicious pastries and other Danish food.

Pop into Birkholm’s to get a bucket of the best cookie assortment, grab some Aebleskivers at Solvang Restaurant, find all the windmills, and stroll through Hans Christian Andersen Park.

Solvang is a magical tiny town that can easily be visited in just one day, but would be a great place to stay for a fairytale weekend getaway at Hotel Ynez (luxury), Royal Copenhagen Inn (mid-range), or The Hamlet Inn (budget)!


Santa Barbara

While Filoli is my favorite place in the Bay Area, Santa Barbara is my favorite place in California. Winter is a great time to visit Santa Barbara if you want nice weather, stunning sunsets (seriously, the best ones are in winter!), and fewer crowds.

Throughout December you can find some holiday cheer throughout the city, including a Christmas Tree in Paseo Nuevo, holiday lights in La Arcada, and Christmas lights on houses throughout the city.

Santa Barbara is amazing to visit year-round, but winter feels special — take it from someone (me!) who lived here for years and now visits every few months!

Places to Visit in California During Winter - Santa Barbara

Fewer people visit Santa Barbara in winter, which makes it feel empty compared to the busy summers. Enjoy less crowded streets and easy dinner reservations (if any at all!), all while still getting mostly sunny weather.

Plus, did I mention the sunsets?? There are typically more clouds in the sky, more moisture in the air, and the position of the sun all contribute to making Santa Barbara’s winter sunsets a vibrant show each evening.

Winter is also the best time to see whales in Santa Barbara. You can go on a whale-watching tour to try and spot some!

While Santa Barbara does get a few days of rain each month in winter, I’ve experienced many warm and sunny days during this season. It’s still good to plan for cold weather and potential rain, just in case!


San Francisco

Something about big cities during the holiday season feels exceptionally magical! Maybe it’s all the huge buildings decorating their windows, the hustle and bustle of locals doing their holiday shopping, or just the general cheeriness.

Whatever it is, San Francisco has it! Growing up in the Bay Area, we always made the 1-hour drive to visit San Francisco for a day trip, evening in the city, or even overnight stays in a hotel.

There are so many holiday activities in San Francisco, like ice skating, visiting the decorated hotels (check out the Fairmont gingerbread house), and visiting reindeer at the Cal Academy!

Like Santa Barbara, winter in San Francisco (after the holidays) is the least crowded time to visit. January-March typically has the fewest number of tourists and although it is very chilly, it’s a lovely time to visit.


Mendocino

Mendocino is a lovely area for a cozy, coastal weekend getaway. The weather remains pretty constant year-round, though winter gets more rain.

We visited mid-winter and had the most relaxing stay at Packard House, one of the three Inns of Mendocino. All of their inns deliver breakfast to your door each morning and are within walking distance of the cute downtown and gorgeous coast!

Mendocino is a tiny town with friendly people, great restaurants, and one of the most beautiful coastlines. Grab a coffee at The Waiting Room, lunch at Gnar Bar or Mendocino Cafe, and dinner at Patterson’s Pub (the outdoor patio is so cool!).

While you can venture further out of the downtown area to explore more of Mendocino (or even Fort Bragg), you may not want to leave the cute town!


Lake Tahoe

Visit Lake Tahoe for a snowy getaway full of skiing, snowboarding, and sledding! Multiple resorts around Lake Tahoe have slopes for winter sports and activities.

If you aren’t a winter sports person (same), Lake Tahoe is still a lovely place for a winter wonderland weekend! You can stay in a cozy lodge or cabin, go ice skating, ride a gondola, or head out on the lake for some paddle boarding.

South Lake Tahoe tends to be the most popular area for winter trips since it’s home to some of the best ski slopes, has Heavenly Village, and gets more snow than other areas.


Calaveras Big Trees State Park

Giant redwoods in the snow are such a pretty sight! Calaveras Big Trees State Park is in Arnold, a small town a few hours east of the Bay Area.

Arnold gets a tiny amount of snow each winter. Not enough for winter sports, but just enough for a cozy cabin trip and cute winter pics. While there isn’t a ton to do around Arnold, walking through Calaveras Big Trees is one of the top activities!

It’s hard to predict snowfall in Arnold and even we we visited in January 2024, there wasn’t any snow yet. Big Trees is still gorgeous without snow — it’s just not a winter wonderland the whole season if that’s what you’re looking for.

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Carmel-by-the-Sea

The fairytale cottages in Carmel-by-the-Sea are like real-life gingerbread houses year-round! They look like they were plucked straight out of a storybook.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is just south of Monterey on the central coast. The weather gets cold in winter and you’ll want to wear warm layers. The 17-mile drive is a great way to sightsee without having to leave your car!

The walk along the coast is one of my favorite things to do in Carmel. You can also take a tour of the mission, explore the cute downtown, and have some mulled wine by the fire at Forge in the Forest.


Roaring Camp, Felton

Tucked in the Santa Cruz redwoods forest, this 1800s railroad camp is definitely one of the more unique things to do in California!

Roaring Camp is almost a mini town, with a big barn, blacksmith, stores, and a restaurant. It also has an authentic steam train you can ride through the gorgeous redwood forests or to Santa Cruz!

During the holidays, they offer some festive train rides that tour Santa Cruz or take you to Bear Mountain for a holiday lights walk.

Just next to Roaring Camp, there are great walking trails at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. We visit throughout the year to walk through the redwoods and Roaring Camp!

It’s free to visit Roaring Camp, but you will need to pay for parking if you park in their lot (recommended) or want to ride the train. Be sure to book your train ride well in advance as they’re popular and sell out.


Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is one of the most beautiful national parks in the country and we are so lucky to have it in California! It’s wonderful to visit any time of the year, but winter can be extra special when there’s snow.

Some roads near Yosemite close in winter due to snow, so plan the route ahead of time and give yourself plenty of time to get there. Areas of the park also close in winter, but Yosemite Valley and Wawona are open year-round!

Tioga Road (also known as Tioga Pass), Mariposa Road, and Glacier Road all close seasonally, starting in November and through early summer. Tioga Pass was even still closed when we did a Highway 395 road trip in June!

Yosemite gets snow in winter and is cold! Dress and pack for true winter conditions. If you plan to stay in the park, somewhere with four walls and a heater is recommended (like Yosemite Valley Lodge) — especially since most of the campgrounds close for the season.


Mammoth Lakes

One of the best places we visited during our Highway 395 road trip was Mammoth. It has hot springs, snowy mountains, and unsurprisingly… lakes!

Mammoth Lakes gets tons of snow in the winter, and some areas at higher elevations even had snow when we were there in June. Snow makes it a bit trickier to reach some areas, like Wild Willy’s Hot Spring, but is ideal for skiing and snowboarding.

The Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort lift and gondola open in November and remain open until late spring or early summer.

All the photos of Mammoth below were taken in June — there will be much more snow in winter!

Places To Visit in California During Winter - Mammoth Lakes

The downtown becomes your quintessential California mountain town with snowboarders grabbing beer and food at Mammoth Brewing Co. after a day on the slopes.

While the mountain gets a ton of snow with the peak being at over 11,000ft elevation, even the town gets a decent dusting! The Village is the large resort right in the middle of downtown that is the ultimate luxury ski resort with all the coziness of a cabin.

Like other areas that get snow this season, there are road closures, and the Minarets and Devils Postpile are not reachable. Other areas like Wild Willy’s Hot Spring and Hot Creek Geological Site are still accessible by foot once you park on the main road.

If you want to explore further, take a short drive just north of Mammoth Lakes to visit Mono Lake and June Lake!


Warner Bros. Studios Hollywood

I watched Gilmore Girls for the first time a few years ago and fell in love with the quaint, forever-fall/winter town of Stars Hollow. Since then, I’ve researched and researched towns to visit that are similar to it.

When I discovered you can visit the REAL LIFE Stars Hollow set at Warner Bros. Studios in Hollywood, I threw out my whole winter activities list and put this at the top!

Warner Bros. Studios offers tours of their sets, which change constantly depending on which shows are filming at that time.

One set that comes back every year is the town of Stars Hollow, which is included in all the Studio Tours when the set is open — Dec. 18, 2024–Jan. 5, 2025!

You can explore the streets that Rory and Lorelai walked through, grab a coffee at Luke’s where they serve the coffee brand created by the actor who played Luke — Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee, and see all the recognizable landmarks throughout town.

This is only available for a short window each year, so grab your tickets before they sell out!

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Universal Studios Hollywood

Harry Potter tends to go hand-in-hand with the holidays since Christmas is featured in a few of the movies (and books). The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, as well as the rest of the amusement park, gets a holiday makeover. 

“The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle” is a show that projects holiday-themed lights onto the Hogwarts Castle each night, there are carolers throughout Hogsmeade, and the year-round butterbeer always makes for a cozy treat.

In addition to the Harry Potter holiday magic, Universal Studios also has “Grinchmas” throughout December and early January. There’s a nightly tree lighting ceremony, the Grinch is out and about, and there are other Grinch-themed activities and events.

After the holidays are over, the park quiets down and lines get shorter. You may get some rain, but being in Southern California chances are pretty low!

If you want to visit Universal Studios without the crowds, winter before and after the holidays is the time to go.


Disneyland

This may be a controversial one since people seem to love or hate Disneyland, but I love it! They truly go all out for the holidays with fun events, decorations, and characters in their winter outfits.

The Haunted Mansion becomes Nightmare Before Christmas-themed during Halloween but remains that way through the holidays with more Christmas decorations and a Santa outfit on Jack Skellington.

Around Christmas time when kids are off school, the park is at its most crowded. Early December is a safer bet if you want to catch the Christmas and holiday decorations. 

After the park transforms back to its usual decor and kids are back in school—mid-January through mid-February—the crowds die down and you will have shorter lines.

We used to visit in early February when I was a kid since it was one of the least crowded times of the year!


Palm Springs

Winter and spring are the high seasons in Palm Springs since the blazing desert heat in summer detracts visitors. Though summer in Palm Springs is one of my favorite times to visit, winter is more comfortable weather-wise.

Palm Springs is in the southeastern part of California, just over 100 miles east of Los Angeles. If you’re in the Bay Area, flights out of San Jose and Oakland airports are fast and usually pretty cheap!

One of the best reasons to visit Palm Springs in winter is the aerial tramway that takes you to the top of San Jacinto Mountain where it snows every winter. Even though the temperatures average around 65-75ºF in downtown Palm Springs, the temperature at the mountain peak can be as low as 30-40ºF.

When we visited the peak, it had just snowed 6ft overnight and it was a winter wonderland! People were sledding, building snowmen, and having a great time in the snow.

It’s a unique experience to go from mild temperatures to a snowy paradise in just 10-15 minutes!


Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is a fun day trip from Palm Springs or just a trip on its own! It’s slightly cooler than Palm Springs in winter, but still pretty mild during the day.

If you’re camping, you will endure some freezing or almost freezing temperatures at night. Joshua Tree even gets snow at some higher elevations in the wintertime.

The park itself is one of my favorite national parks in California — though all 10 of them are incredible. Joshua Tree’s rock formations and landscapes are unreal and the nearby town of Twenty-Nine Palms has some really unique things to do!

Joshua Tree and Palm Springs make a great combo for a unique weekend winter getaway in California.


San Diego

Head down to San Diego for a warm winter trip with lots of sunshine and beach days. Southern California has mild winters with sunny days and just a few rainy days each winter month.

Although it won’t feel like winter, especially if you’re from somewhere that actually experiences seasons, it’s a great place to escape the cold!

I never missed cold, rainy winters while living in Southern California. Going to the beach in December is a regular occurrence in San Diego and flip-flops are worn year-round.

Downtown San Diego is great, but North County is my favorite. Encinitas is a small, trendy beach town and Carlsbad is similar just north of it. I recommend either of those areas if you plan to visit San Diego in winter!


Alabama Hills

Alabama Hills is a photographer's dream! This area is run by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and is a popular spot for camping, road trips, and photography.

Sunrise on Movie Road has become THE spot to snap a sunrise photo, with the long dirt road leading towards the snowy hills that surround the area. There were many old Western movies filmed here, as well as some more modern movies like Iron Man!

Winter is a lovely time to visit when the hills have snow on them. Alabama Hill isn’t just about the hills though! There are also hiking trails, cool rock formations, and free camping.

Though the nearby town of Lone Pine is pretty small without much to do, Alabama Hills is a must-see destination. It’s the perfect addition to a Highway 395 road trip.


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Kessler

I’m a travel blogger and photographer from the San Francisco Bay Area, splitting my time between there and Santa Barbara. I love to share comprehensive guides about my travels, with a focus on all things sun, sea, and beach! When I’m not exploring new destinations (probably somewhere by the coast), I love being home with my husband and two fluffy kitties, Captain Jack and Sparrow.

https://www.kesslerelsewhere.com
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