Visitors walk through the Deacon Dave light display in 2019. After going on hiatus last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the popular Livermore display — and its 640,000 lights — is back.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGate.com

With so many holiday displays to see, it can be challenging to figure out where the best ones are.

Fortunately, Alex Dourov has assembled a guide through his website, California Christmas Lights. It offers an extensive list of the best holiday-decorated houses to safely explore in the Bay Area this year.

Unfortunately not every holiday home is back in 2021. One of San Francisco's most popular holiday homes, the Tom and Jerry house, is not lit up this year. Also Mattos Orchard in San Jose has also pulled the plug. "Mattos orchard in San Jose closed its display – the owner donated most of the stuff to the San Jose Christmas in the Park," noted Dourov.

Below Dourov, shared his must-see holiday lights recommendations and neighborhood light displays this year below, which include a few SFGATE staff favorites as well.

352 Hillcrest Ave., Livermore, Alameda County, 94550

If you only have time to visit one holiday-decorated home, make the trip to Livermore to Deacon Dave's house, which is most likely the largest home display in the Bay Area. This year, his home has 712,325 lights.

The display has been entertaining crowds for 37 years, and contains one of the most extensive shows in the Bay Area. The best nights to view the house are Mondays and Tuesdays, when the crowds are the lightest. The display will be open every night from 6 to 9 p.m., and until 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, until Jan. 1. For more info, go to http://www.casadelpomba.com. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, masks might be required and are encouraged.

3671 Chelsa Ct., Pleasanton, Alameda County, 94588

Widmer World (aka Bob's World Two), is back again this year after a one-year hiatus. It's another must-see home, even though you have to get out of your car. The display, which has been going on for over 36 years, is mostly in the backyard of the house. The lights turn on nightly from 6 to 9 p.m. On Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Eve, the family will run the front lights until 10 or 11 p.m., but the backyard will be closed. More info on Facebook.

467 Knottingham Circle, Livermore, CA 94551

This mixture of old-school and modern lighting is celebrating its 30th year. Dourov's own display in Livermore is once again fully open with a snow machine and with numerous new interactive items for kids of all ages to enjoy and play with. "People are invited and encouraged to come ONTO the property and onto the porch for photo ops with the 6-foot-tall, chainsaw-cut Santa," said Dourov. "Last year, as you may recall, I chained off the driveway, had no snow, no interactives."

4461 Drury Lane, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, 95401

This year's grand-prize winner of Season 9, Episode 3 of the ABC TV show "Great Christmas Light Fight" was built over thirty years by Tom. It's an interactive display for children and adults. This display includes toy, cookie, and candy cane factories, a pond with small fish, and a train carrying bears and dolls to Toy Land.

2132 Calder Place, Fairfield, Solano County, 94533

Another contestant this year on the "Great Christmas Light Fight," Ben and Nancy’s Fairfield house is a Christmas lights tribute to Disneyland. You can listen to the musical light display on 88.3 FM from your car.

The display has a computer-controlled animated light show from 6 to 10 p.m., with extended hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For more information, go to facebook.com/magicalholidaymoments

49 Eagle St., San Francisco, CA 94114

A little bit of exploring will find this holiday light display celebrating its second year on Eagle Street in the Castro. As this two-story house sits on top of a hill, you look up at the holiday display from street level. The display includes a polar bear, Santa, a garage decorated as Santa's coat, and a magical tree on the sidewalk covered in blue and white icicle lights. The display runs nightly, weather permitting, from 5 to 11 p.m.   

15 Phillips Court, Tracy, San Joaquin County, 95376

Dourov calls this light show "out of this world," with lights are synchronized to music via Light-O-Rama. The light show lasts 45 minutes (last viewing begins at 7:45 pm) and runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Visitors must park outside the court, which is closed to vehicular traffic during the show. Tom BetGeorge, who designed the display, asks that people practice social distancing during performances.

The light display runs on weekends (Dec. 10-12, Dec. 17-19), Christmas Eve, Christmas night, and Dec. 26. The will be no presentation during heavy rains. More info on Facebook.

34 Devonshire Drive, Novato, Marin County 94947

This home was the grand prize winner of ABC's "The Great Christmas Light Fight" in 2019.

Known as "The Rombeiro Christmas House," the house has been decorated inside and out for 29 years. This year, due to COVID-19 safety protocols, the family is not conducting any tours inside the house. Lights are on until 10 p.m. nightly.

340 Shoveller Drive, Suisun City, Solano County, 94585

This is another must-see this year, noted Dourov. VnA’s Gingy House is a life-sized gingerbread house baked from scratch by its owners. "Almost everything is homemade and designed for the kid in all of us. Everything looks good enough to eat," he explained.

The display is available to view daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., through Jan 5. For more information, check out the Gingy House on its Facebook page.

1745 Gary Owens St., Manteca, San Joaquin County, 95337

In its second year, the Maan Family Lights show is synchronized to music. The show grows daily, and by Christmas Day, it's a three-hour show. The display also has a 25-foot-tall Christmas tree and singing Santas. It runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 6 to 10 p.m. on weekends. More info can be found on its Facebook page.

1234 Riesling Circle, Livermore, Alameda County, 94550

This U-shaped street in Livermore has 26 decorated houses and is walkable, with socially distanced hay bales to sit on.

There will be outdoor movies projected on one garage for people to watch three classic cartoons from the 1930s and 1940s. People can watch and listen from the safety of their vehicle.

The lights will be on nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1.

1 Woodview Court, San Ramon, Contra Costa County, 94582

In another walking neighborhood, 161 homes will be decorated in the Vista San Ramon neighborhood, which is known locally as the "Festival of Lights."

Due to COVID-19, it is recommended that people view the lights displays from the safety of their vehicles. If you do walk, please practice social distancing and park at San Ramon Central Park or Iron Horse Middle School. Contra Costa Food Bank bins will be set up for donations on Woodland Terrace Drive at Overlook Drive, and at Woodland Drive.

The busiest night will be on Dec. 18, when over 2,000 luminaries will decorate the streets of the Vista San Ramon neighborhood. Bumper-to-bumper traffic is expected that night. Some houses will be lighted by Dec. 7, and all houses by Dec. 14.

36040 Wellington Place, Fremont, Alameda County, 94536

The neighborhood display in Fremont has been known as the Crippsmas Place for over 40 years, with more than 50 houses taking part.

The light show starts Dec. 11 and ends on New Year's Day. Candy canes are only handed out through Christmas. You can drive through, or park and walk through the displays. Face masks are required for visitors who are walking through the neighborhood. Tune to 103.1 FM for Crippsmas Radio. For more info: http://www.crippsmasplace.org/

3200 block of Thompson Avenue, Alameda, Alameda County, 94501

Known locally as "Christmas Tree Lane," this walkable neighborhood has over 53 houses on the 3200 block of Thompson Avenue, south of High Street in Alameda. 

For more details about the display, read our story about Thompson Avenue. Full display starts on Dec. 10 and lights will remain on until Jan. 1.

1716 to 1881 Fulton Ave., Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, 94303

Since 1940, the 1700 and 1800 blocks of Fulton Avenue have been known as "Christmas Tree Lane," with each house on the street decorated. Each home also has matching live Christmas trees lining the road, each lit with colored lights.

Starting Dec. 10th through Christmas Day, Christmas Tree Lane will be lighted each night from 5 to 10 p.m. It is recommended to park and walk to enjoy the lights, but remember to socially distance from other groups.

1963 Eucalyptus Ave., San Carlos, San Mateo County, 94070

The 1900 and 2000 blocks of Eucalyptus Avenue are normally known as a walking neighborhood. Lights are on nightly until Dec. 25. Almost every house on those blocks is lit up with holiday cheer. During December, the street is one way to help with traffic flow. Traffic flows from Orange Avenue.

Birch Street, which is the next block over, also has many decorations.

1450 Emory St., San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95126

A new edition to the Bay Area holiday lights, this display in San Jose will have music broadcasting on an FM radio from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly. There will also be snow from 5 to 8 p.m., when it’s not raining. Donations for Second Harvest Food Bank are also accepted.

Picardy Drive, Oakland, Alameda County, 94605

1779 Hayes St., San Francisco, CA 94117

This home has been displaying the holiday spirit with neighbors for the past 17 years. The lights celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah. The garage looks like a giant gift-wrapped package.

78 Kilkenny Place, Alameda, CA 94502

This display, known as "Reflections of Christmas," is best viewed from the rear of the house, as it is reflected in the lagoon from 5 to 10 p.m. Drive or walk across the lagoon on Auginbaugh Way and cross the street to Baywalk Road. The lights are on until Jan. 5.

Espada Court, Fremont, Alameda County, 94539

For over 20 years, this house with Victorian figurines has been part of a "walking neighborhood." There are some well-decorated homes in the immediate vicinity, and houses are lighted until Dec. 31.

3732 Colonial Court, Antioch, Contra Costa County, 94509

Known as the "Disney House" around town, this house has over 35,000 lights. The homeowner makes all of the yard art displays by hand. The lights are on from 6 to 10 p.m.

1260 Rainier Ave., Pacifica, San Mateo County, 94044

This Pacifica house has 35,000 LED lights programmed to music broadcast on 90.1 FM. There are also speakers in the yard. The family recently added two 18-foot RGB pixel trees.

2580 Bean Creek Road, Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz County, 95066

Some joke that with these many lights, the display can be seen from Silicon Valley. The display has 48 channels of lights synchronized to Christmas songs. The display will be up until Jan. 2, and can be seen from 5 to 10:30 p.m. daily.

D Street, Petaluma, Sonoma County 94952

D Street is known for its large stately homes and elaborate Christmas decorations.

"If you're an Edgar Allen Poe fan, you will appreciate this house," said contributor J.J. Harris. "It's the same every year, and each year I see it, I always think 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' There's no Mickey or Minnie or three Wise Men here."

2192 Penny Lane, Napa, Napa County, 94559

This house burns 30,000-plus lights in a dense, blinding display. There's also a life-sized Mr. & Mrs. Claus that stands in front of the front door. They are out every night, except when it rains. Speakers mounted on the property pipe in music. The lights are on Sunday to Thursday until 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until at least 11 p.m., depending on traffic.

802 Gray Fox Circle, Pleasanton, Alameda County, 94566

This holiday house displays animations that move to music that you can hear on an FM station or the outdoor speakers. There will be a sign posted with the FM frequency of the music. Lights are on daily from 6 to 10 p.m. (and later on weekends) until Jan. 1.

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