HOTEL DEL CORONADO… may boast a bevy of pop culture staples and hallmarks, from serving as a memorable setting in the beloved film “Some Like It Hot” to its whimsical connections to “The Wizard of Oz” through author L. Frank Baum (the hotel’s Crown Room chandeliers sprung from the writer’s imagination, the same imagination that brought us the Emerald City and the Wicked Witch of the West). But for many Del devotees, a weeks-long embrace of holiday joy is what springs to mind first when they think of the turreted landmark, a surfside resort that has welcomed guests in three centuries.
THE HOTEL’S HOLIDAY SPIRIT… is lavish, luminous, and full of merry moxie, and the planning begins months ahead of Thanksgiving, which right around the moment that merry moxie moves into glad-hearted gear. With that in mind, The Del just revealed its 2026 theme: A Holiday Through Time, which “… invites guests to experience the holidays through the eras that shaped The Del’s extraordinary legacy, showcasing the timeless traditions, milestones, and stories that made The Del an enduring icon of American history.” Some of those traditions include Skating by the Sea — pirouette on a rink that’s just steps from the sand — and the Frostbite Lounge, which offers fire pits and sunset views. The Lightshow Spectacular, Holiday Movies on the Beach, and the new Holiday Lodge, which will feature activities like stocking decorating, are also on the sparkly schedule.
Hotel del CoronadoHotel del Coronado
Skating by the Sea will twirl outside The Del from late November through the earliest days of January.
THE DATES TO KEEP IN MERRY MIND… for all of these Del-y diversions? Most of the effervescent offerings will twinkle from Nov. 20 through Jan. 3, 2027, though keep in mind that fact that some events will occur on select dates rather than daily (Holiday Movies on the Beach will pop up each Friday and Saturday evening from Nov. 20 through Dec. 31). There are special holiday meals, too, like the Thanksgiving feast with all of the trimmings, a Crown Room favorite. Eager to ice skate by the Pacific and admire the decorations adorning the lobby’s opulent tree? There’s a detail-packed page devoted to A Holiday Through Time and all of the cheery and charming activities the grand hotel has planned for the upcoming season.