One of America’s Most Magical Holiday Festivals Is Held at This Fairytale-like Hotel With 10 Million Lights

One of the country’s most magical holiday celebrations is held at a beloved, royal-worthy hotel in California. 

Every year, the historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa dazzles visitors with a mesmerizing display of enormous ornaments, enchanting animatronics, carnival rides, food vendors, and towering Christmas trees decked out in over 10 million lights. The extravagant Mission Inn Festival of Lights is now in its 33rd year of illuminating Riverside, a city about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. 

The festival began with a lively switch-on lighting ceremony in November and will continue to generate merriment and awe through Jan. 6. While it’s an especially beloved tradition for the Inland Empire community, the Festival of Lights has achieved national recognition for its elaborate displays, drawing in roughly 650,000 visitors a year. 

The sheer number of lights and exquisite decorations alone would make for a thrilling festival, but it’s the celebration’s unique setting at the Mission Inn that truly makes it magical. What began as a modest boarding house in 1876 is now a sprawling, castle-like complex with an eclectic fusion of architectural styles. In addition to the foundational Mission Revival style, Spanish Colonial, Moorish, Gothic, Mediterranean, Japanese, and Chinese influences are prevalent in the ornate labyrinth. 

The Mission Inn is also home to countless rarities that founder Frank Miller collected during his travels around the world. A collection of bells—including a 400-year-old Spanish treasure, medieval armor, religious artifacts, and antique art like stained glass designed by Louis C. Tiffany fill the hotel’s maze-like halls, soaring towers, grand rotunda, and catacombs.  

The Mission Inn’s lore grew evermore intriguing throughout the 20th century. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978, hosted several presidents (the Reagans honeymooned there) and celebrities, and underwent an extensive renovation helmed by late owner Duane Roberts in 1992. Now, every inch of the inn is steeped in history and splendor. 

Entry to the Festival of Lights is free. Additional activities like ice skating, boarding the Ferris Wheel, and horse-drawn carriage rides can be purchased on-site. Visitors should also budget for splurges at the holiday market, where a wide range of vendors offer artisan crafts, gifts, apparel, and every seasonal treat your heart desires, from gingerbread hot cocoa to funnel cake smothered in whipped cream. 

The hotel offers holiday packages for visitors looking for an extended stay with themed amenities and special access to some of its hidden wonders. Exclusive perks include private caroling performances, in-room storytime with an elf, and a spa credit to celebrate the new year.