December is one of the quietest and most charming months on the Monterey Peninsula. Crowds are light, the town dresses up for the season, and a handful of long-running traditions make it worth planning a trip around. Here are the dates for 2026.
Pacific Grove Holiday Parade of Lights: Thursday, December 3
Pacific Grove’s 23rd annual Holiday Parade of Lights rolls down Lighthouse Avenue in downtown Pacific Grove on Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Storybook Christmas,” with marching bands, lit floats, dance teams, animal groups, and Santa Claus. It happens rain or shine, so bring a warm layer and find a spot along Lighthouse Avenue early. Details are on the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce site.
Christmas in the Adobes: Friday and Saturday, December 11 and 12
Monterey’s signature holiday event, the 42nd annual Christmas in the Adobes, runs December 11 and 12, 2026, from 5 to 9 p.m. For two evenings, historic adobes across Old Monterey open their doors, with luminarias lighting the paths, holiday decorations, music, and refreshments, and staff and volunteers in period dress.
A few things to know before you go, from the organizer, the Monterey State Historic Park Association:
- Buy tickets ahead. Tickets are sold online and at the Custom House Store, with early bird pricing through November 1. Youth 17 and under are free.
- Pick up your wristband first. Online buyers check in at a will-call location (Stanton Center at Custom House Plaza, Casa Gutierrez at 590 Calle Principal, or Stevenson House at 530 Houston Street) to get a wristband and map. Mobile tickets are not accepted at the individual adobes.
- It is rain or shine, and tickets are non-refundable. Wear comfortable shoes; you will be walking between buildings all evening.
Proceeds support Monterey State Historic Park’s history programs for children and schools. To see the adobes in daylight, read our guide to Old Monterey and Monterey State Historic Park.
Monarch season in Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove is nicknamed “Butterfly Town, U.S.A.” for a reason. Western monarch butterflies overwinter in the Monarch Grove Sanctuary (250 Ridge Road) from about October through February, clustering on pine, cypress, and eucalyptus trees. Volunteer docents are on hand during the season, and the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History posts current counts. Numbers vary a lot from year to year, and the butterflies fly most on sunny, mild days, so a bright midday visit is your best bet. Look, but do not touch: disturbing the butterflies carries a $1,000 fine in Pacific Grove.
Where to stay
- Stargazer Hotel on Munras Avenue is a short drive or ride to Old Monterey for Christmas in the Adobes, and has an indoor heated pool for cold December evenings.
- Cannery Row Inn is the closest Otter hotel to Pacific Grove’s parade and the monarch sanctuary, and select rooms have fireplaces.
- El Castell Hotel on North Fremont Street is near Highway 1, minutes from downtown and Cannery Row.
See every upcoming date on our events calendar, and our season-by-season guide for what winter on the coast is like.
