Holiday Road Calabasas review: Is this California Christmas wonderland worth the hype?

The weather outside is frightful - so it must mean Christmas is nearing in Aotearoa.

Although it feels like we haven’t had a sun-drenched festive season since Covid was a mere typo, and skinny jeans were the height of fashion, one place that’s always sunny is California.

It can be easy to imagine a US Christmas in New York’s Times Square, the prestige of Washington DC or the snowy mountains of Colorado, but it turns out California might just be the perfect Christmas destination.

After a quick visit, I found myself immersed in Christmas magic that came with moderate temperatures and found a Calabasas (yes, town which is home to the Kardashians) village that’s somewhat of a local secret.

Appropriately named Holiday Road, this 237ha property transforms every festive season to become the stuff of dreams, and thanks to Amazon’s premiere of Candy Cane Lane, I and the global media contingent had it all to ourselves.

The captivating purpose-built village brought the joy, the jolly and the vodka hot chocolates well worth making the trip for.

Here is everything you need to know about Holiday Road, Calabasas.

Holiday Road is a fully interactive experience. Photo / Holiday Road Facebook

What is Holiday Road?

Holiday Road is a purpose-created pop-up “village”, located on a wildly expansive and very famous property known as King Gilette Ranch.

It’s rural and away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and you can expect to see larger-than-life holiday displays to walk through, as well as interactive displays.

There are millions of lights and candy-cane decor, festive animals, elves, and even Santa and Mrs Claus are there to collect wish lists and spread cheer.

I highly recommend before starting your walking adventure, that you hit up one of the holiday bars, featuring vodka hot chocolates and a spiked apple cider - I decided on one for each hand for the lengthy walk - about an hour from start to finish. Under-21s need not take this advice and should stick to the standard hot chocolates.

There’s also a pre-show area full of games, activations, photo ops, food trucks - with some of the best local food trucks in LA. I had an All-American Girl burger from the famous Baby’s Badass Burgers, and a Maple glazed doughnut from a local doughnut vendor and both were incredible.

When it comes to the self-guided trail, you can take it at your own pace and the walk is filled with tons of Insta moments, tunnels of fairy lights, a grove of trees dripping in white lights, and music and light shows along the way. The experience really does make you feel the festive cheer like only America can and filled me with a level Christmas joy that I thought only those without bills and responsibilities were able to feel.

It’s perfect for all ages, very stroller-friendly and super safe for kids to walk independently - though within eyeshot. The experience truly is what you make it and it’s fun for all ages.

The entrance to Candy Cane Lane. Photo / Holiday Road Facebook

Who owns the mega piece of land?

The property itself is impeccable, but absolutely bonkers in real estate terms and history.

First purchased in 1926, when millionaire businessman King Gillette - the man behind Gillette razors and one of the wealthiest men in the world - bought 145ha in Las Virgenes Canyon to build the retirement home of his dreams.

With 25 rooms and a fountain in the middle, his dream was completed in 1929, but Gilette died in 1932 and his widow sold the property to MGM film director Clarence Brown. He then sold it to a Catholic order, then it went to the Church Universal and Triumphant (a religious order that espoused beliefs in mysticism, the paranormal and alchemy) who sold it to Japan’s Soka University.

Finally, in 2005, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority bought the site, which had grown to 237ha, for NZ$56 million and it’s been managed by them since 2007 so the public can now enjoy it, or rented out for the likes of the larger-than-life Holiday Road.

Part of the light show display at Holiday Road. Photo / Holiday Road Facebook

How to get there and when does it start?

Holiday Road takes place from November 24 to December 27 in the evenings from 4.30pm-9.30pm and bookings are essential.

Ticket prices are US$24.99 and up, depending on the day you attend and the time of the season, and children under 2 are free.

King Gillette Ranch is at, 26800 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas, CA 91302, and is about an hour’s drive from downtown LA.

You will need a rental car or to get an Uber or taxi, which will set you back about US$60 for the ride, as public transport to the area is very limited.

Air NZ, Delta and American Airlines all fly non-stop from Auckland to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).