Free Things to Do in Long Beach This Holiday Season

Because we’re still full of turkey… but the holiday madness waits for no one.

Okay listen — I’m still full from Thanksgiving. Like… I swear I’m 80% cornbread stuffing at this point. But the holidays are officially out here showing off in Long Beach, and if you’re anything like me, you’re already thinking: Where are we going? What are we doing? And how many times am I going to say “just Uber” before someone actually listens?

Because let’s be real: December in the LBC is basically a marathon of twinkle lights, cozy layers, waterfront magic, and scheduling your weekends around parades and your favorite adult beverage. (Red wine? Spiked cocoa? Espresso martini? Do you, boo.)

So here’s your guide to all the fun free things to do in Long Beach this holiday season. Bookmark it. Screenshot it. And pace yourself: December in Long Beach is basically cardio.

Downtown Long Beach Tree Lighting & Holiday Plaza Lights

Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Event starts around 5:00 PM (but people show up early for photos and to grab a good spot)

Plaza at Terrace Theater — 300 E. Ocean Blvd, Downtown Long Beach

If you haven’t taken pics in front of the giant tree at the Terrace Theater, do you even Long Beach? This thing is massive. The whole plaza turns into a full-on winter wonderland — giant ornaments you can lean on for photos, glowing light tunnels that make everyone look slightly more attractive, oversized presents, twinkle lights everywhere, and enough sparkle to make you forget you live in Southern California where the weather refuses to cooperate with the season.

It’s festive, it’s dramatic, it’s very “Long Beach doing the most,” and the best part… it’s completely free.

Parking:
If you don’t want to stress, park in a well-lit and easy lot like the Harvey Milk Promenade Garage (3rd & Pine). It’s safe, convenient, and just a quick walk to the plaza.
Other options:

• Civic Center Parking (underground, usually plenty of space)
• Pine Ave. & Broadway structure
  Whatever you do, don’t circle the plaza ten times hoping for street parking. You’ll just end up mad and missing the good photo lighting.

Should you get there early?
Yes. If you want those clean, crowd-free photos, go before the ceremony starts. By 5:30 pm, the plaza fills fast with families, couples, influencers, confused tourists, and people who accidentally stumbled upon the event after dinner.

Hot tip:
Take your photos at the plaza first while the lighting is still good, then go eat and drink — because once the ceremony starts, everyone crowds into one glowing mass and the line for the ornament photo-op gets longer than the Trader Joe’s parking lot on a Sunday.

What to do afterward:
Since you’re already downtown, you might as well turn it into a whole night out. A few solid options:

For drinks:

• The Auld Dubliner — the Irish pub that never disappoints. Loud, lively, and exactly the place to warm up after standing outside pretending it’s winter.
• The Stave — wine, whiskey, and dim lighting that makes everyone look like they got eight hours of sleep.
• Beachwood Blendery — sour beers, amazing flavors, and a very “we know good beer” crowd. Perfect if you want something different.

For food:

• ISM Brewing — casual, cool, and local. Solid food and great drinks if you didn’t get enough holiday cheer at the plaza.
• King’s Fish House — seafood staples, good portions, and a warm spot to escape the December breeze.
• Ammatoli — one of the best restaurants downtown, period. Levantine comfort food that will make you forget you ever considered skipping dinner.

Belmont Shore Christmas Parade

Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 6:00pm

Begins at 2nd Street & Livingston Avenue, runs east to Bayshore — Belmont Shore, Long Beach 90803

Every year, 2nd Street turns into a full-blown holiday block party with floats, marching bands, dancing kids, Santa waving like he pays rent, the whole thing. The energy is unmatched, the crowds are feral (in a festive way), and the parking… well, let’s just say it builds character. It’s the perfect way to kick off the season if you love Long Beach or just love watching adults visibly lose patience in holiday sweaters.

Here’s the real deal: if you’re wondering Where do I park? What time should I get there? Should I bring the stroller? Is there seating? — let me help you out.

Parking:
If you try to park on side streets off 2nd Street like Corona or Roycroft in Belmont Shore, I wish you the absolute best. Truly. If you’d like to maintain your sanity, park in Belmont Heights and walk down. Yes, walk. Consider it your warm-up. Traffic will be gridlocked, and Uber drivers will be in full survival mode.

Timing:
The parade usually starts around 6 pm, but if you try to roll in at 5:55, you are 100% going to be trapped behind a minivan from Lakewood doing 47-point turns. Get there early — or don’t, and just embrace the chaos.

Strollers:
Bring it if you want, but know this: you will be playing stroller Tetris the entire night. People pack in shoulder to shoulder. If you have a baby who likes motion, great — they’ll be jostled enough to sleep. If not, Godspeed.

Seating:
Unless you brought your lawn chair and claimed your spot at 6am with the other parade warriors, you are not sitting. You are standing, shifting your weight every few minutes, and pretending your lower back is fine.

Now, my personal take (and this is coming from someone who has lived through and even participated in many, many Belmont Shore Christmas Parades): if you live fairly close to 2nd St., some years you won’t even go down to the parade. You’ll stay at home, people-watch, and sip something seasonal while watching dads attempt parallel parking at 5:52 pm — loudly arguing with their partners about how “we would’ve been on time if you didn’t make us stop for Starbucks.”

One year, a float literally broke down in front of our house. Truly a gift. We invited the float owners in for cocktails while they waited for a tow truck, because that’s the kind of holiday hospitality we offer around here.

Here’s what you should do:
Eat early. Or grab a hot dog from one of the street vendors — they are the true MVPs of the night. Bring snacks for the kids (the parade is long, the waits are longer, and no one needs a meltdown under Christmas lights). Bring layers. Bring patience. Bring the holiday spirit — or at least fake it till the snow machines kick in.

It’s chaotic, it’s crowded, it’s loud — and every year, we still show up for it. Because it’s Belmont Shore, and this is just what we do.

Daisy Lane Parade & Holiday Displays (Wrigley)

Saturday, December 13, 2025
Parade starts at 5:00 PM
Location: Daisy Avenue between Pacific Coast Highway & Willow (You’ll know you’re close when traffic stops moving and everyone is walking in one direction.)

The Daisy Lane Parade is one of Long Beach’s oldest holiday traditions — we’re talking since the 1950s — and honestly, it still feels like stepping straight into a vintage small-town Christmas special. It’s wholesome, nostalgic, super community-driven, and cute in a way that makes you forget the city can stress you out the other 364 days of the year.

Expect classic hometown holiday energy: school bands, scout troops, dance teams, neighborhood floats, vintage cars, blow-up snowmen, and Santa rolling in like he’s contractually obligated to make the Wrigley kids scream.

Parking:
Let’s be very clear — you are not parking on Daisy. That ship sailed decades ago.
Your best bets:

• Side streets west of Pacific Ave (arrive early or walk far — your call)
• South Wrigley residential pockets — park legally and don’t block driveways unless you want a holiday “love note” from Long Beach parking enforcement
• Take Uber/Lyft — yes, it’s basic, but it keeps you from driving up and down the same street muttering, “This city hates me.”
• Park near Wrigley Marketplace and walk — Target + Food 4 Less area; it’s busy but well-lit and an easy stroll

Parking fills FAST — like “Belmont Shore parade PTSD” fast — so get there at least an hour early if you want a decent spot and a minute to breathe.

What to Expect:
The parade starts right at 5:00 PM, and the neighborhood comes out in full force. People bring chairs, blankets, hot cocoa, churros, glow sticks — the whole night feels like Wrigley’s unofficial family reunion. Kids are running around, neighbors are catching up, and there’s always at least one dog in a Christmas sweater trying its best.

Once the parade is over, don’t leave yet. The real charm of Daisy Lane is the historic holiday displays in the medians — the nativity scenes, the storybook characters, the little wooden Christmas villages, animated figures, all restored and re-painted over the decades. Some of these displays have been part of Long Beach history since your grandparents were kids.

Walking the medians after the parade is basically mandatory — that’s where the magic is. It’s calm, cozy, and the perfect way to wind down the evening once the loud part is over.

Should you bring kids?
Absolutely — they’ll love it.
Should you bring chairs? If you like your knees, yes.
Should you bring snacks? Also yes. The parade is long and kids get restless. Adults too, honestly.

Your game plan:
Arrive early, park far, walk in, enjoy the parade, stroll the displays afterward, and take a million pictures. It’s one of those Long Beach things you don’t skip — even if you say you’re going “just for a little while,” you somehow always end up staying the whole night.

The Gift of Christmas with Victory Boyd

Friday, December 19, 2025 College Park Church
7:00 PM–9:00 PM (doors open at 6 PM)
1901 Palo Verde Ave, Long Beach, CA

By the time December 19th hits, let’s be honest: we’re all exhausted. The parades, the lights, the parking battles, the shopping, the sugar, the kids, the in-laws, the events you agreed to when you were in a good mood — it all adds up. The holiday burnout is real.

Which is exactly why this free acoustic concert by Victory Boyd is such a gift. It’s calm, it’s intimate, it’s cozy, and it gives you two whole hours to just sit, breathe, and let someone else do the emotional heavy lifting.

If you’ve been running around Long Beach all month pretending you’re fine, this is your soft landing. The lights dim, Victory starts singing, and suddenly you’re not thinking about the 17 things left on your holiday to-do list. You’re just… still. It’s like a pressure release valve for your December brain.

The vibe:
Acoustic, warm, soulful, gentle. Zero chaos. No crowds pushing past you for a better photo. No floats breaking down in front of your house. No dad screaming about parking. Just music and a room full of people who are equally tired, overstimulated, and grateful for a moment of peace.

Location notes:
College Park Church is right off Palo Verde in East Long Beach — easy to get to, plenty of parking, and no one is fighting you for a space like it’s Black Friday at Best Buy. Doors open at 6 PM if you want a good seat, but even if you drift in right before showtime, you’ll still feel welcome.

This is the night you go because your soul is begging you for silence, simplicity, and something that isn’t a parade. It’s the perfect reset button before the final holiday sprint.

Naples Island Christmas Boat Parade

Saturday, December 20, 2025
Parade starts at 6:00 PM
Location: Naples Canals (Rivo Alto, Treasure Island, the whole sparkly maze)

One more parade before we wrap up the season, so don’t even think about retiring your walking shoes yet. And as a Long Beach local, let me be very clear: 60 degrees is freezing. If you think otherwise, you’re either new here or lying. Bring layers. Bring emotional support hot cocoa. You will need it.

Now, this is not the best parade in Long Beach — let’s not be dramatic. But it is one of the most unique, most magical, and most “only in the LBC” experiences we get every year. Boats glowing, lights reflecting on the water, holiday music echoing through the canals… it’s the kind of thing that makes you forget you live in a city where people will fight you for parking at Trader Joe’s.

Parking:
Let’s cut the fantasy right now.
You are not driving into Naples.
You are not parking in Naples.
You are barely walking through Naples with a stroller.
The streets become human gridlock, and cars have absolutely no business trying to squeeze in.

My personal take: again — Uber. Scooter. Bike. Walk. Teleport. Anything but driving. Park far (like “Belmont Shore far”) and walk in like the rest of us or get dropped off at the corner of The Toledo & 2nd Street.

If you try to be bold and “find a space,” I want you to know you’re about to ruin your night and possibly your relationship.

The Real Power Move:
Become friends with someone who actually lives in Naples.
This is the golden ticket.

If you get invited to a boat parade party — looking at you, Monica, queen of Naples — your night becomes an entirely different event:
Warm house. Fireplace. Comfort food. Real glasses, not to-go cups. Endless cocktails. Zero crowds. Prime water-view seating. No one bumping into you while yelling “SORRY! EXCUSE ME! IS THIS THE ROUTE??”

Honestly, it’s the LBC holiday jackpot.

If you don’t have a Monica (yet):
It’s still magical. Just prepare for:
Crowds. Lots of them. People bundled like it’s the Arctic tundra. Dogs in sweaters that cost more than your rent. Kids losing their minds over boats with animatronic reindeer. Adults pretending they aren’t drinking hot toddies out of insulated coffee cups. The whole thing is very Long Beach in the best way.

Your game plan:
Don’t drive. Wear layers — like, all of them. Walk everywhere. Enjoy the parade. Stay patient. Take photos. And if someone from Naples casually says, “Hey, want to come inside and warm up?” — congratulations. You have officially been adopted by the neighborhood.

Insider Tip:
Even if you skip parade night, the Naples canals are stunning all December long. The lights stay up, the homes go all out, and midweek strolls are way calmer. Great for “I need to walk off the stress before I scream” moments.

At the end of the day, December in Long Beach is its own beautiful kind of chaos — parades, lights, crowds, questionable parking decisions, and those perfect little moments that remind you why we love living here. Whether you’re squeezing into Belmont Shore, wandering the Naples canals bundled up like it’s 30 degrees, or hiding from humanity at a peaceful concert, there’s never a shortage of Free Things to Do in Long Beach This Holiday Season.

So layer up, charge your phone, and get ready to bounce from one neighborhood adventure to the next. Because the holidays here move fast, and the LBC does not wait for anyone. And honestly? You wouldn’t want it any other way.

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