A free holiday light show with music and a snowy finale? Save this one for a Coronado evening. Hotel del Coronado’s Lightshow Spectacular returns November 20, 2026, through January 3, 2027, and you don’t need to be an overnight guest to watch.
This is a guide to the announced 2026 season. The show has not opened yet as of November 4, so use the dates below when planning your visit.
When and where to watch
Head to Founders Lawn at Hotel del Coronado. The official event page lists a 10-minute show every 30 minutes from 5–9 p.m. nightly during the season. The display lights up the lawn’s tall Norfolk Island pines, pairs them with holiday music and finishes with snow flurries.
Admission to the light show is complimentary, it is open to the public, and no reservations are required. There is also a holiday bar nearby, but food and drinks are separate purchases.
Make it a simple holiday outing
Keep the plan easy: arrive with time to find the lawn, watch a full show and leave a little room for a walk around Coronado. A warm layer and comfortable shoes are useful for an outdoor evening by the coast. Since the show repeats, you don’t need to squeeze the whole outing around one single performance.
If you want to add ice skating, Skating by the Sea also runs November 20–January 3 on Windsor Lawn. It is a separate paid activity with its own reservation and session rules. The free light show does not include skating, drinks or parking.
The free show can still come with parking costs
The hotel is at 1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118. The official parking page lists day-visitor self-parking at $39 for the first two hours and valet at $49 for the first two hours, with additional-hour charges. Rates can change, so check before driving in.
If you are planning a car-free day, my Coronado ferry guide covers getting around after crossing the bay. Remember that the Ferry Landing and Hotel del are in different parts of Coronado. Plan the onward trip and your return before making the lights your evening stop.
More holiday dates to keep separate
The light show is part of the hotel’s 2026 holiday program, which also includes seasonal dining, skating and other experiences with their own prices and booking requirements.
The community Holiday Festival is a separate event on December 2, with activities such as Skydiving Santa and fireworks. Those are not part of every nightly light show, so choose December 2 specifically if that’s the experience you want and check the festival schedule before going.
For more dates to put on your calendar, browse the November free-events guide and family-friendly November plans.
2026 event details checked against Hotel del Coronado’s official pages on November 4, 2026. Recheck the schedule and parking rates before visiting.
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