Los Gatos Fantasy of Lights Drive-Thru

I am not a fan of the cold – I guess that’s what happens when you’re born and raised in California. Yet, there really is something so magical about a winter stroll through a display of dazzling holiday lights that makes it absolutely worth braving the cold for. The Fantasy of Lights Walk-Thru in Los Gatos was absolutely worth braving the cold for when we visited back in 2018.

However, that was before Kona came into our lives. While Kona will never be able to experience the walk-thru version of the Fantasy of Lights, dogs are allowed to participate in the Drive-Thru. And I have to say, there’s something even more magical about a winter drive through dazzling lights from the warmth and comfort of the car! Check out our ultimate guide for more neighborhood holiday lights in the Bay Area that are absolutely worth the winter drive (or stroll) together with your dog.

This was our first year attending the Fantasy of Lights Drive-Thru. We went together with my parents on a Thursday for the 9-9:30pm time slot, the last one for the night. I was surprised to learn that this was my parents first time ever visiting the Fantasy of Lights and was excited to not only see their reactions to the mesmerizing lights, but Kona’s as well.

Tips for a smooth drive-thru experience:

Follow the driving directions on the Eventbrite ticket! Or else you’ll end up like us and spend an extra 10-min driving around in a big circle to reach the end of the long line of cars waiting at the correct side of the entrance. TLDR: Hwy 17 → Exit Lark Ave (Los Gatos) → Left onto University Ave → Follow the signs and turn left onto Blossom Hill Rd → Left into Vasona Lake County Park.
Give yourself at least 20-30 min of extra time to ensure you arrive at the entrance within your ticketed time slot – there are a lot of cars waiting to enter the event, even on a weeknight.
Read the FAQs section on the Eventbrite ticket.

One of the FAQs on the ticket recommended “reviewing how to turn off your vehicle headlights prior to the event.” I chuckled. They ask visitors to turn them off in order to observe the light displays at their best. Okay that’s straightforward, I don’t need to review that! But I spoke too soon. We drove my parents’ new Subaru, which apparently comes with daytime running lights that remain on whenever the engine is running and is now a standard safety feature found on most new cars. Every time we tried turning it off, it would turn back on within five seconds – this is not an issue I deal with in my 2010 Toyota Camry! We weren’t the only car struggling – the lights on most of the other newer cars were flickering on and off, just like us. Luckily the DRLs are dim enough that they don’t interfere with the display lights, so we stopped trying to figure out how to turn them off and just let them be for the rest of the drive.

Most of the animated 2D displays have remained the same over the years, but I was pleasantly surprised to see some new 3D displays scattered throughout the park like the mini garden filled with seven, very large and colorful flowers. I hope they continue to plant more flowers in the future until that display turns into a full blown botanical garden!

My favorite one is still the Dinosaur Den filled with dancing triceratops, pterodactyls, tyrannosaurus rex, and many more. It’s also the only display with sound – roll down the windows to hear the roars, rumbles, and chirps of dinosaurs come to life.