Coronado’s holiday lights run from one cul-de-sac of hand-painted cutouts to a downtown tree, a light show on the Hotel del’s lawn and a line of lit boats across the bay. The organized nights below have 2026 dates; the neighborhood display does not post one, so check before you go.
Candy Cane Lane
Where: the cul-de-sac at the end of Country Club Lane
Neighbors decorate with painted plywood cutouts and keep the look old-school on purpose, the Coronado Times has reported. A long-time resident told the paper in 2011 that the tradition dates to the early 1960s and that the lights go up by the second weekend of December (Coronado Times, 2011).
In past years: the lane has held a one-night open house with the street closed to cars: December 11, 2022 and December 8, 2024, both 5 to 6:30 p.m., per Coronado Times event listings.
2026: Nothing posted for this year as of our October 31, 2026 check. Another check is planned for the first days of December, then again mid-month.
- The street ends in a cul-de-sac, so park nearby and walk in.
The Rotary Plaza tree
Where: Rotary Plaza, on Orange Avenue near 10th Street
The town tree is lit at the end of the Holiday Parade. The Coronado Times reported in 2025 that it carried more than 18,000 lights, about two miles of them, with the lights co-sponsored by Discover Coronado and the City of Coronado (Coronado Times, 2025).
In past years: in 2025 the parade started at 6 p.m. on Orange Avenue at 8th Street, and Santa lit the Rotary Plaza tree at 7 p.m., according to the same report. That was last year’s plan, not this year’s route.
2026: The Coronado Chamber of Commerce has set the parade and tree lighting for Friday, December 4, 2026 (Coronado Chamber); the route and start time were not posted yet when we checked.
Ride the Lights
Where: starting from Spreckels Park
The City of Coronado’s Mobility Commission has hosted an evening ride on decorated bikes.
In past years: Sunday, December 14, 2025, 4:45 to 7 p.m., from Spreckels Park (City of Coronado calendar).
2026: Nothing posted for this year as of our October 31, 2026 check. The City’s calendar gets another look from us during the first days of December.
Coronado evenings with a 2026 date
Lightshow Spectacular at the Hotel del
When: Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 5 to 9 p.m. · Where: Founders Lawn, Hotel del Coronado
The hotel’s historic pines are draped in lights for a show that repeats every 30 minutes. The same holiday festival evening lists Skating by the Sea on Windsor Lawn from 4 to 10 p.m., a skydiving Santa at 4:30 p.m. and fireworks at 6:45 p.m., weather permitting. Hotel del holiday festival.
San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, seen from Coronado
When: Sundays, December 13 and 20, 2026, 5:30 p.m. · Where: Shelter Island to the Coronado Ferry Landing
The 56th parade finishes at the Coronado Ferry Landing, and the Port’s viewing areas include the Coronado pathway and the Coronado Ferry Landing. Parade route and viewing areas.
The rest of the island’s season, from the Turkey Trot to skating, is in our Coronado outdoors guide.
Making a night of it
- A midweek evening on the island is often calmer than a weekend one.
- The bay breeze makes December nights feel colder, so a warm layer helps.
- Look at the source pages on the day you go; schedules can move.
Coronado lights questions
Where is Candy Cane Lane in Coronado?
In the cul-de-sac at the end of Country Club Lane. The street ends in a cul-de-sac, so park nearby and walk in.
When is Coronado's tree lighting in 2026?
The Coronado Chamber of Commerce lists the Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting for Friday, December 4, 2026. The tree at Rotary Plaza is lit at the end of the parade.
Can you see the Parade of Lights from Coronado?
Yes. The parade runs from Shelter Island to the Coronado Ferry Landing on Sundays, December 13 and 20, 2026, from 5:30 p.m., and the Port lists the Coronado pathway and the Ferry Landing as viewing areas.
Sources, checked Oct 31, 2026: Coronado Times, Dec 2011; Coronado Times, Dec 15, 2024; Coronado Times event listings; Coronado Times, Nov 29, 2025; City of Coronado calendar, Ride the Lights (2025); City of Coronado calendar, December 2026; San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, route and viewing areas; Coronado Chamber of Commerce; Hotel del Coronado.
Residents, the hotel, the City and local groups put on everything listed here; this site is independent of all of them. Places and dates were confirmed on October 31, 2026 from the linked pages. When you visit Candy Cane Lane, please stay on the street.
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Related reading
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