Holiday lights are going up, calendars are filling fast and the scent of cinnamon seems to follow your nose from coffee shops to checkout lines.
In Southern California, the holiday season arrives with surf at the shore, snow on the slopes and inflatable Santas adorning lush lawns. And while plenty of travelers will brave airports and time zones in search of a white Christmas, a candlelit Hanukkah, a toast-filled New Year’s Eve and other traditions out-of-state and abroad, many locals will opt for something simpler: a year-end escape that doesn’t require a boarding pass.
With coastlines, mountains and deserts all within reach, SoCal makes it easy to trade Black Friday-level stress for tidings of comfort and joy. Soon, resorts across the region will deck their halls — and cabanas — with holiday menus, twinkling lights and family-friendly festivities that make staying close to home feel like a gift in itself.
So, if your idea of holiday cheer includes spa robes, gingerbread decorating stations and a poolside poinsettia spritz close by, you’re in the right place. Here’s a look at some properties putting the ho-ho-ho in hotel by promising a sensational staycation over the holidays.
Orange County
The Resort at Pelican Hill (pelicanhill.com) is about to unwrap “A Season to Savor” in what marks its penultimate yuletide before Newport Beach’s only five-star, five-diamond resort dons the St. Regis name in 2027. Steeped in Italian elegance and Southland sunshine, the resort’s festivities ramping up in December will please the senses — from the sounds of carolers and smells of holiday cookies to the sights of a golf course-fronted ocean view — all coinciding with a major phase in its rebranding journey.
The transformation to a St. Regis — officially named The Resort at Pelican Hill “Renaissance” (pelicanhill.com/renaissance) — involves reimaging its most iconic spaces while preserving the spirit of its original vision.
“From refreshed interiors to elevated guest experiences, each enhancement is designed to polish the property’s most beloved elements and usher in a new era of timeless luxury,” said Kevin Kelly, Pelican Hill’s managing director. “Guests staying with us this holiday season will enjoy an abundance of beautiful, curated experiences. While the Coliseum Pool & Grill will not be available, to mention one feature being elevated, we have no doubt that our guests will delight in making lasting memories.”
Dining-wise, the resort’s signature Italian restaurant reopens Dec. 1 with an Andrea Holiday Pop‑Up, while Fables & Feste weekend brunch (Dec. 6–28) pairs handmade pasta and panettone with live poetry and music. Christmas Eve at the deliciously dependable Pelican Grill offers a four‑course feast; Christmas Day at Mar Vista serves a caviar brunch with honey‑roasted ham, chargrilled tomahawk and salmon Wellington.
Other special events planned at the tony 504-acre resort include a Christmas market-inspired Italian Holiday Mercato (Dec. 7), the 12 Days of Spa (Dec. 1-12), a gingerbread house decorating class (Dec. 13 and 20) and an operatic holiday concert (Dec. 22).
Holiday rates at Pelican Hill start at just north of $1,000 a night for a one-bedroom bungalow and around $3,400 for the smaller villas that sleep up to six guests.
Eleven miles up Pacific Coast Highway, the more moderately priced, yet still luxurious Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa (hyatt.com) is busting its gumdrop buttons this holiday season, blending Spanish-inspired architecture and breezy Pacific views with a luxurious, yet laid-back escape over the holidays in the heart of Surf City USA. Just steps from the sand and a short stroll to the landmark Huntington Beach Pier, the resort offers 519 spacious rooms and suites — many featuring oceanview terraces, private firepits and adjoining or connecting layouts ideal for a multigenerational family staycation.
With rates starting at about $375 a night during December, the Hyatt Regency will feature its annual oversized sand sculpture, holiday-themed, of course, and a “Pete’s Christmas Vacation,” a pop-up that converts its seaside restaurant into a winter wonderland. Another holiday menu will be offered at its fine-dining Watertable restaurant.
While Santa pays the Hyatt Regency a visit to jot down toy requests from young ones, grownups can unwind at the gorgeous Pacific Waters Spa (pacificwatersspa.com), which will be offering holiday specials again this year.
(Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
If staying at the Hyatt Regency, Pelican Hill or any resort along the O.C. coast, one of the best reasons to go off-property, yet remain close, is the annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade (christmasboatparade.com). The 117th edition, themed “Magical Nights of Lights,” is set for Dec. 17-21 in Newport Harbor.
Traveling inland, the largest hotel in Orange County has finished a multimillion-dollar renovation just in time for the holiday season. The refresh touches nearly every corner of the 1,574-room Hilton Anaheim (hilton.com), from redesigned guest rooms to a newly renovated fifth-floor pool deck, now rebranded as Anaheim Rooftide Terrace. This versatile social and recreation hot spot has “family-friendly staycation” written all over it, offering a 1,200-square foot pool, two hot tubs, a splash zone for kids and a poolside restaurant flanked by lush landscaping, fire pits and flexible lounge areas.
The massive lobby level, where a Christmas tree lighting will take place on Nov. 17, looks snazzier than when it first opened in 1984. Past the new-look, open-space atrium is Poppy’s Restaurant, which promises a festive Christmas dinner.
Even with the property’s dynamic transformation, what’s going on across the street might be too tempting not to engage in a straycation from your Hilton staycation. On the north side of Katella Avenue, the Disneyland Resort (disneyland.disney.go.com) becomes “The Merriest Place on Earth” starting around now, and a big part of this seasonal celebration is Downtown Disney, which is in the midst of a metamorphosis itself.
Tinkerbell’s pixie dust is brightening the district’s shops, entertainment and eateries, including Paseo (paseoanaheim.com), a standout, design-forward Mexican spot. On Dec. 13 and 20, Paseo presents “Cocina Navidena: A Holiday Heritage Celebration,” a culinary evening that ends with an orange-mousse snowman cake and creative holiday cocktails.
Long Beach
Last holiday season, the Fairmont Breakers Long Beach was still putting finishing touches on the entire hotel, let alone its seasonal decor. Opened in late-November 2024, the 185-room property is widely considered the most luxurious in the city, and it’s about to unveil a classy Christmas motif in golds and whites in the lobby to prove it.
Rising like a gilded sentinel above Ocean Boulevard, the Fairmont (fairmont-breakers.com) is a masterclass in coastal revival. Once a 1926 landmark, now reborn with art deco-kissed modern elegance, the hotel is doing the holidays right. Fairmont’s five distinct bars and restaurants, each with its own personality and culinary focus, will feature special menus, literally topped by the glamorous Sky Room that offers panoramic views stretching from Catalina Island to Hollywood.
A rooftop New Year’s Eve bash is planned at the Halo lounge (starts at $95 per guest), preceded by a “Midnight in the Sky” prix fixe dinner in the Sky Room (two seatings priced at $175 and $195, respectively).
For some spa-la-la-la-la luxury, give yourself the present of pampering with a 60-minute “Cranberry-Pomegranate Brightening Facial” special in November ($240) or a 60-minute “Peppermint Hot Cocoa Melt” wrap and massage ($230) in December.
San Diego
The holidays at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego (hyatt.com) bring wintry touches to its waterfront setting, starting with tall Christmas trees in the lobby trimmed in navy and gold — a nod to the marina just beyond the windows. The resort’s Holiday Suites return this season — select units reimagined as themed retreats, featuring tasteful holiday decor and special seasonal touches. The room that most rivals raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens on the list of favorite things is the Santa Suite. This seasonal space offers more than 1,000 square feet of festive decor, twinkling lights and cheerful textiles. Available for bookings from Nov. 23 through Jan. 5, these sweet suites start around $700 a night.
At the resort’s waterfront restaurant, Sally’s, holiday menus highlight coastal ingredients with festive accents. Elsewhere on property, “Clicquot in the Clouds,” a pop-up featuring champagne cocktails crafted with Veuve Clicquot, will grace the 32nd floor of the hotel’s Seaport Tower. The limited-time lounge will be open Friday-Sunday from Thanksgiving through Christmas (except Dec. 12-14), then nightly through New Year’s Eve.
Coachella Valley
Brisk mornings, blue skies and dry heat set the scene for holiday memories at Southern California’s desert resorts. One of the best Christmastime combos on tap involves arguably the desert’s most iconic golf courses and one of Greater Palm Springs’ most storied resorts.
The $799 “Festive Fairways” package from PGA West (pgawest.com) lets golfers play three Pete Dye classics — Stadium, Mountain and Dunes — with range access, a holiday welcome gift, discounted merchandise, and seasonal cocktails and indoor simulator play at the Bunker Bar; available Dec. 1-Jan. 5.
La Quinta Resort & Club (laquintaresort.com), PGA West’s hospitality partner, complements the golf with rooms that lean into the property’s Spanish‑style DNA year‑round and take on an extra layer of seasonal warmth during the holidays. Expect festive touches in-room, thoughtful family conveniences, and layouts that make winter mornings and starlit evenings feel intentionally cozy. Holiday programming includes the official tree lighting on Nov. 30, Saturday chestnut roastings, spa specials and, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 14, breakfast with a certain jolly, old elf. A mimosa and Bloody Mary bar will be across from the lavish buffet, much to the delight of adults on Santa’s naughty list.