Widmer World

Although last year I made the most of what was available - Around the Bay and Away: Light Up My Life and the Bay like the reimagined paid drive-thru Christmas In the Park, a.k.a. Blinky’s Illuminated Holiday, I am pleased that most of the staples have returned for 2021.

Some are long-time favorites that I have been faithfully visiting annually, like the two-story Fairmont Gingerbread House, the Pier 39 tree, festive lights at Ghirardelli Square and the Christmas in the Park walk-through - Around the Bay and Away: Christmas By the Bay, Around the Bay and Away: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. 

Another is Widmer World, one I discovered after Christmas, just months before the pandemic hit.  I loved it so much, I ended 2019 with it as my 100^th Yelp review of the year and 1000^th review overall. 

Although it has been around for over 30 years, it has vastly expanded to what it is today. 

Welcomed with lighted trees in sync with Christmas music, 

you enter Widmer World where their yards are turned into a lighted wonderland with displays ranging from Disney 

to Snoopy 

to Nutcrackers 

to the Department 54 village 

and much more.  

There’s even one dedicated to Bears.  

making me wonder if one of them may have attended my alma mater.  Go Bears!

The reindeer coin toss at the end is a great way to get rid of those extra coins while helping offset their costs.  They start setting up the display in August and I suspect the last of it is not put away until April, so show them some love and make a donation after you enjoy it so they can continue this tradition for another 30+ years. 

 

Knowing what we know now, I hope many of you have returned to your favorites and continue to support those who were there for us last year, as we now know how temporary everything truly is. 

 

Widmer World

3671 Chelsea Court

Pleasanton, CA 94588

Daily from 6-9PM until 12/31/21 weather permitting