The ultimate San Francisco holiday bucket list
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Sure the balancing penguins are for kids, but can we get one for adults? Asking for a friend… Photo: Courtesy of Union Square Holiday Ice Rink
The holiday season is one of the best times of year in San Francisco as the city lights up and there are loads of fun events to help you through the cold evenings.
State of play: We'll keep you updated on all the one-off events happening through December in our weekend guides, but here's our pick of things you can do starting now.
Pro tip: Follow Axios SF on Instagram for more suggestions (like this truly amazing holiday tiki pop-up we visited!)
⛸️ Union Square Holiday Ice Rink and Christmas Tree
It's hard not to feel the holiday magic when you're zooming (or shuffling) around on the ice.
We visited the rink in person and managed not to fall over, which is a win!
- Now throughJan. 20, 10am-11pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for kids, which includes free skate rental and an hour on the ice (book online for the best availability).
🎪 Dear San Francisco: Home for the Holidays
Club Fugazi's iconic San Francisco-themed circus show gets a holiday makeover. Arrive early for a drink and tapas-style nibbles and you may even be able to get onstage for a pre-performance photo.
- Happening untilDec. 29, Wed-Sun. Tickets from $109.
💡 Let's Glow SF
Watch the buildings around downtown SF light up with spectacular holiday light shows. The lighting ceremony starts at 5pm on Dec. 6 and on Dec. 13 there will be a block party down on Front Street.
- Dec. 6-15 with nightly shows from 5.30-10pm. Free.
🎄The Great Dickens Christmas Fair
A chance to put on your finest period costume and transport yourself back in time to the streets of Dickensian England.
- Runs throughDec. 22, 10am-6pm, at Cow Palace. Tickets are $25 for kids and $45 for adults with reduced-price admission in the evenings.
🎅 Fairmont Hotel Gingerbread House
A true San Francisco tradition. The house is big enough to walk through and you can even book it for private tea or dinner!
- Free. The gingerbread house will stay up until the New Year.
😻 SF SPCA window displays at Macy's
Macy's in Union Square is back with another SF holiday tradition – adorable puppies and kittens from the SF SPCA playing in the display windows and available to adopt for free. Can't make it down? Watch the SF SPCA's puppy and kitten cams and consider donating to support them.
- Until Dec. 31, Wed-Sun, noon-6pm. Free.
🎄 The Golden Gate Park Christmas Tree
Why get a plastic tree when Golden Gate Park has so many real ones! The beautiful tree outside McLaren Lodge (on the corner of Stanyan and Fell) will be lit through the holidays for all to see.
- Lighting ceremony Dec. 5, 4-8pm (tree lighting at 6pm). Free.
👵🏻The Golden Girls Live: The Christmas Episodes
A perfect SF twist on a holiday show: the city's best drag performers don their grey wigs to recreate two episodes of The Golden Girls live on stage at the Curran Theatre. Thank you for being a friend!
- Dec. 5-22, Thurs-Sat at 8pm, Sun at 2pm. $39-$125.