South Coast Botanic Garden Runs Two Schedules This November

On November 13, South Coast Botanic Garden adds a second schedule. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. it stays the garden Rolling Hills Estates residents know. From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. the grounds become Tinker Bell's Neverland, a ticketed light trail that runs through January 3. Each schedule has its own prices, its own parking rules and its own crowd. The day schedule has the advantage this month. Starting November 7, the daytime ticket includes a new outdoor exhibit at no extra charge, and daytime parking stays free.

That split shapes the rest of the month on this side of the hill. The garden is at 26300 Crenshaw Blvd. Its mailing address says Palos Verdes Estates, 90274. George F Canyon has two Saturday events in November. Palos Verdes Drive North is still under construction. Peninsula Center has a new restaurant on the way. Below, in date order, is how the month fits together.

This weekend is Dogtoberfest's last

Dogtoberfest ends with the weekend of October 31 and November 1. It has run on weekends since October 10, with live music, Oktoberfest games, dog races, Bavarian food and beer. On top of regular admission, a dog ticket costs $6 for members' dogs and $7 for non-members' dogs. VIP tickets cost $20 for members and $38 for non-member adults.

Those weekends happen while the light trail is being installed. The garden's closures page says areas of the grounds may be closed from October 25 through November 11 for the Neverland build. Other closures are separate from the build. The Amphitheatre Lawn is closed for lawn rehabilitation. The Banyan Grove Lawn and part of the Banyan Grove are closed for the foreseeable future while the new Children and Family Garden goes in. Parts of Tram Road may close at any time, so expect detours. For the first week and a half of November, some paths may be blocked off. The garden is still open, but plan for a shorter walk.

November 7: a free add-on by day, a guided walk in the canyon

Saturday, November 7 is the busiest day of the month for anyone who spends weekends outdoors.

At the garden, Dinosaurs Around the World: The Great Outdoors opens that day. It is included with general admission. The only extra charge is for the optional "Walking with Giants" tours: $15 for members, or $18 plus admission for non-members. Daytime general admission is $18 for adults, $14 for seniors 62 and older and for students with ID, $8 for children 3 to 12, and free for members and children 2 and under. The garden's October 2026 Dogtoberfest page lists the same prices. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on-site parking is free, with last entry at 4:30 p.m.

According to Palos Verdes Pulse's November events roundup, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy leads a George F Canyon Nature Preserve Exploration walk at 10:30 a.m. the same morning. It meets at the Stein Hale Trailhead, registration is required, and rain cancels it. You could do the canyon walk in the morning and the garden in the afternoon.

The canyon parking lot is the catch. The city is building a new George F Canyon Nature Center, a roughly 3,300-square-foot building with flexible learning spaces and exhibits on local plants and wildlife. During construction there is no parking on the project site. According to the city's project page, street parking, sidewalks, the nearby bus stop, and access to the canyon and trails remain open.

November 13: the same grounds, at night

The light trail opens Friday, November 13. From then on, the garden runs both schedules through January 3, with closures on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Here is what that means for a family of two adults and two children between 3 and 12. A daytime visit costs $52 at the gate, parking included. The same family at Neverland pays $102 in tickets before booking fees, then $20 to park. On a day ticket you get both the plants and the dinosaurs. The night ticket pays for the lights.

The evening trail is a real outing in its own right. The Fever listing describes a route from a glowing London skyline to the Lost Boys' hideout and Crocodile Creek, with hot cocoa and seasonal snacks for sale. It closes on Thanksgiving, November 26, and on Christmas Day. On select dates there will be off-site parking and a shuttle. Booking fees go to GOSH Charity, which supports a hospital for seriously ill children.

If you live nearby, think about traffic as much as tickets. A nightly 5:30 opening on Crenshaw puts the start of the light trail during the evening commute. On busy nights, the daytime garden is the easier way in.

The plant sale, and getting around on Palos Verdes Drive North

The Land Conservancy's George F Canyon native plant sale is Saturday, November 14, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. It sets up on the west side of Palos Verdes Drive East, about 400 feet uphill from Palos Verdes Drive North.

Nearly every November outing above uses Palos Verdes Drive North, and the corridor is still under construction. The city's October 15 update on the Palos Verdes Drive North and Dapplegray School intersection project says work is running past its original completion schedule. On October 9, the city issued the contractor a preliminary notice of default. The update gives no completion date and says the city will share one once it has a reliable schedule. The city has added an all-red signal interval, activated vehicle detection loops, adjusted signal timing for school traffic and arranged a second crossing guard for drop-off and pick-up. It also said it would post the next biweekly update on October 29.

If you ride or walk the bridle trails, the trail near Dapplegray School and Palos Verdes Drive North has been closed since September 16. The posted detour runs along Strawberry Trail to Palomino Ranch Trail. The city has not given a reopening date.

The other recent overnight work on this road is done. Cal Water's water line installation for the new nature center ran from October 13 to 17, overnight, on the eastbound side near George F Canyon.

Dinner after the garden

The garden's day schedule ends at 5. The newest dinner option close by is at Peninsula Shopping Center, where Canaan Chinese Cuisine was set to open October 28 next to MOD Pizza. Its location listing gives the address as 3B Peninsula Center, but its hours were still marked "Coming Soon" just before opening. Check before you head over. The chain advertises low-oil, low-salt cooking with no added MSG. Menu examples include handmade soup dumplings, steamed dumplings and braised beef noodle soup.

Up Silver Spur at Promenade PV, Mega Looma is still on its way. Hoodline reported in August that the 35,000-square-foot park is planned to include bumper cars, trampolines, arcade games, karaoke, party rooms and a photobooth, and that the owner had not disclosed a firm opening date. Promenade PV's directory lists it in Suite 116 as "Coming Soon," and the Mega Looma site still says "Coming Soon 2026," with no prices posted.

December 12 closes out the season

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Holiday Parade of Lights is Saturday, December 12, 2026. The route runs along Silver Spur Road and Deep Valley Drive through Promenade PV, and roads on the route close starting at 4 p.m. Free parking is listed at Town & Country Center, Peninsula Shopping Center and Promenade PV. The light trail keeps its usual 5:30 schedule that night, so if you're planning both, give yourself time for the 4 p.m. road closures.

The calendar around Silver Spur and Crenshaw changes often during the holidays. At Janet Chen Group, we follow what opens, what's detoured and what's worth the drive on the Peninsula, in English and Chinese. If you're thinking about what your Rolling Hills Estates home is worth this season, we'd be glad to set up a personalized consultation and free home valuation.