LA's holiday pop-up scene runs from late November through early January, with immersive bars, an ice rink, mall wonderlands, a free neighborhood light display, and one Gilmore Girls set turning up again this year. All ten below returned for the 2025 season and are recurring annual events, though exact 2026 dates and prices are usually announced in October.
The lineup holds steady this year. Nothing on this list has closed for good, though two details changed since it was last checked: the Fairmont Century Plaza's Alpine pop-up rebranded from "Swiss Chalet" to "Après LA" and moved from a flat ticket price to an a la carte menu, and Westfield Topanga shifted its Santa set from Level 1 near Nordstrom to Level 1 near Target.
Most of these open reservations in October or November for the new season, so treat the dates and prices below as the confirmed 2025 pattern, and check each venue's site once 2026 dates go live.
Pop-ups at a glance
| Pop-up | Neighborhood | Typical window | Price |
|---|
| Frosty's Bar | Hollywood | Late Nov. into late Jan. | $$, reservation |
| Candy Cane Lane | Woodland Hills | Late Nov. through New Year's Day | Free |
| Grinchmas | Universal City | Late Nov. through first weekend of Jan. | $$, park admission |
| Santa's Secret | Beverly Grove | Mid-Nov. through New Year's Eve | $$, 21+ |
| Après LA (formerly Swiss Chalet) | Century City | Late Nov. through New Year's Eve | $$$, a la carte |
| Photos With Santa | Canoga Park | Mid-Nov. through Christmas Eve | $$ |
| Holidays on the Hill | Universal City | Thanksgiving weekend through early Jan. | $$ |
| Smorgasburg Holiday Market | Downtown LA | Four Sundays in December | Free |
| The Holiday Village | Century City | Late Nov. through day after Christmas | Free, paid add-ons |
| Holidays Made Here | Burbank | Mid-Dec. through first weekend of Jan. | $$, with Studio Tour ticket |
Holiday bar$$ (reservation)
Frosty's takes over a Hollywood Boulevard venue every winter and wraps it in roughly 100,000 twinkle lights, themed cocktails, and a full cast of costumed characters working the room. It's the most theatrical of LA's holiday bar pop-ups, the kind of place where a peppermint martini comes with a side of the Grinch stopping by your table. Its most recent season ran November 20, 2025 through January 30, 2026, and reservations open on its website each fall.
Know before you go: the entrance is on Whitley Avenue, not Hollywood Boulevard, easy to miss if you're not looking for it.
02
Candy Cane Lane
Woodland Hills
Neighborhood lightsFree
Candy Cane Lane is the real thing, not a corporate pop-up. Homeowners on this eight-block stretch near Oxnard Street have been decking out their houses since 1952, and it's still free to walk or drive through once the lights go up each night. The display returned again for the 2025 season, lights switching on the first weekend of December, a good sign it'll be back the same way this year.
Know before you go: this is a residential street, so keep noise and headlights considerate, and expect some houses to go dark by 10pm on weeknights.
Theme park event$$ (park admission)
Universal Studios Hollywood turns its plaza into Who-ville for the holidays, with a 65-foot tree, nightly snowfall, a live Who-liday stage show, and photo ops with the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who. It's included with regular park admission, no separate ticket needed, which makes it an easy add to a park day you're already planning. The 2025 run went November 24 through January 4, and Universal typically confirms the next season's dates that October.
Know before you go: wear green. The Who-ville cast tends to single out guests dressed for the occasion.
04
Santa's Secret
Beverly Grove
21+ speakeasy$$ (21+)
This is the grown-up version of a Santa photo op, an immersive, 21-and-over holiday speakeasy inside the Beverly Center with burlesque performances, craft cocktails, and eight themed installations to wander through before reaching the main room. It's built for a night out, not a family visit. Its most recent run opened November 14, 2025 and stayed open nightly through New Year's Eve.
Know before you go: book the latest available slot for the fullest version of the show, and confirm current ticket pricing on the official site before you buy, since it's sold through a third-party ticketing partner.
05
Après LA (formerly Swiss Chalet)
Century City
Alpine dining$$$ (a la carte)
The Fairmont Century Plaza's answer to an actual ski chalet is back for another year, though it's since been renamed from Swiss Chalet to Après LA and switched from a flat cover charge to an a la carte menu. Expect private heated chalets that fit two to eight people, cheese fondue, charcuterie, and a serious whisky list. The 2025 season ran November 22 through December 31 (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day), open 3:30 to 9:30pm.
Know before you go: a fondue order runs around $46 and cocktails start near $20, so budget for an a la carte tab rather than a set ticket price.
06
Photos With Santa
Canoga Park
Mall Santa$$
Westfield Topanga's Santa setup skips the chaotic mall-line energy for a properly lit set, a reservation system, and a few package tiers, worth it if you'd rather not spend an afternoon in line with a melting-down toddler. It has moved within the mall since this list was last checked, now on Level 1 near Target rather than near Nordstrom. Its 2025 season ran mid-November through Christmas Eve.
Know before you go: package prices and exact hours are confirmed on Westfield's site each season, so check before you book rather than relying on last year's number.
07
Holidays on the Hill
Universal City
Ice rink and buffet$$
Set at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City with sweeping hill views, this one bundles an outdoor ice rink, a Santa's workshop photo set, a holiday pop-up bar, and an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet into one venue. It's more of a whole-evening destination than a quick stop. It operated again for the 2025-2026 season into early January, and the ice rink is seasonal, so don't be alarmed if it shows as closed outside the winter window.
Know before you go: book a private event at the Jingle Bell Tavern if you want the space to yourself for a holiday party.
08
Smorgasburg Holiday Market
Downtown LA
Food marketFree
Smorgasburg LA's regular Sunday food market at ROW DTLA gets a holiday makeover in December, with small-business vendors added to the usual food-stall lineup and a costume contest thrown in because this is still LA. Entry is free and parking is validated for the first two hours. The 2025 run covered four Sundays, November 30 through December 21, 10am to 4pm, with a themed closing event on the final Sunday.
Know before you go: the first 100 people in line each Sunday get a $5 token to spend at any vendor, worth showing up early for.
09
The Holiday Village
Century City
Mall wonderlandFree (paid add-ons)
Westfield Century City builds out a full holiday village each winter, complete with a Market and Town Square area, a Reindeer Railway, live costumed performers, and scheduled snowfall. Walking through is free; Santa's Bungalow and the Blitzen's Bar cocktail setup are reservation-based add-ons. The 2025 season ran November 22 through December 28.
Know before you go: snowfall happens on a set schedule through the day, so check the posted times if that's what you're there for.
10
Holidays Made Here
Burbank
Studio tour$$ (with Studio Tour ticket)
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood decorates its full Stars Hollow set for the holidays, Luke's Diner, Lorelai's house, and the Dragonfly Inn all included, plus a tree lighting and light show. It's not a separate ticket, it's built into any Studio Tour admission booked during the event window, with extended evening hours. The 2025-2026 run went December 18 through January 4, closed on Christmas Day.
Know before you go: there's usually a daily costume meetup in front of the Stars Hollow High School set, worth timing your visit around if you're a fan of the show.
Frequently asked
What's the cheapest way to do LA's holiday pop-ups?
Candy Cane Lane, the Smorgasburg Holiday Market, and walking through The Holiday Village are all free to enter. The paid options vary in cost and are worth checking each fall once new pricing is posted.
When do these pop-ups usually open for the season?
Most open in mid-to-late November and run through New Year's Day or the first week of January, with Holidays Made Here starting later, in mid-December. Exact 2026 dates typically get announced in October.
Which of these are good for kids?
Candy Cane Lane, Grinchmas, Photos With Santa, Holidays on the Hill, Smorgasburg Holiday Market, and The Holiday Village are all family-friendly. Santa's Secret is 21 and over, and Après LA and Frosty's Bar lean more toward an adult night out.
Do I need a reservation?
Frosty's Bar, Santa's Secret, Après LA, Photos With Santa, and parts of Holidays on the Hill and The Holiday Village (Santa's Bungalow, Blitzen's Bar) are reservation-based. Candy Cane Lane, Grinchmas (with park admission), Smorgasburg Holiday Market, and general access to The Holiday Village don't require booking ahead.
Is parking easy at any of these?
Smorgasburg Holiday Market validates free parking for the first two hours at ROW DTLA. The mall-based pop-ups (Photos With Santa, The Holiday Village, Santa's Secret) have standard mall parking structures. Candy Cane Lane is a residential street, so expect to park a block or two out and walk in.
Has anything on this list closed for good?
No. All ten returned for the 2025 season. The only changes since this list was last updated are a rebrand at the Fairmont Century Plaza (Swiss Chalet is now Après LA) and a location shift for Photos With Santa within Westfield Topanga.
