What to Know
- Several Southern California locations will feature holiday marketplaces, tours, and special happenings over the first weekend of December
- Castle Green's ticketed Holiday Tour is on Saturday, Dec. 2 ($60)
- La Venta Inn's holiday pop-up makes merry on Sunday, Dec. 3 ($55 for adults 21+; other ticketing tiers are available)
Driving our sparkly sleigh, the kind of magical vehicle that is awash in sparkles and snow puffs, from one end of Los Angeles to the other in a single day isn't really possible.
But we wish we possessed such a marvelous machine, the sort of transport that would allow us to visit all of the myriad marketplaces and tours sprouting over the first weekend of December, like so many pretty poinsettias.
Alas: With no magical sleigh in the garage, we'll have to choose one to call upon. Here are just a few of the festive expressions of the season kicking off the final month, but you can bet other attractions, hotels, and destinations will also be doing it up (so check your favorite spots).
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Castle Green opens to the public a few times a year — usually, only residents and their guests have access to the Pasadena landmark — and one of the most beloved events is twinkling on Dec. 2: It's the Castle Green Holiday Tour, when you can behold the vintage venue wearing its festive finery. Tickets are $60 each.
The Craft Contemporary on the Miracle Mile is holding a Holiday Marketplace on Dec. 2 and 3. Look for an assortment of imaginative finds, from jewelry to house goods to textiles, at this creative destination. Your marketplace entry is free with your museum admission.
The Pasadena Holiday Look-In Tour, which supports the Pasadena Symphony as well as the oh-so-popular POPS concert series, will beckon visitors inside four decorated homes on Dec. 2 and 3. Savoring the outdoor spaces is part of the look-around fundraiser, too. A ticket is $45.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
Victorian Ghost Stories will haunt Heritage Square Museum on the evening of Dec. 2. The opportunity to step inside some of the storied abodes of the Arroyo Seco Parkway-close park is also on the chilling-but-cheery roster. A ticket is $55.
It's "A Very La Venta Holiday" at La Venta Inn. The cliff-top Palos Verdes spot will welcome revelers on Dec. 3 with food stations (they're holiday-themed, yep), cocktails from Gray Whale Gin, ornament decorating, and complimentary family photos. A ticket is $55 for adults 21-plus; other ticketing tiers are available.
