We went to Imaginarium in December 2025, and it was such a cool experience! We arrived right as it was starting to get dark, which was perfect since it wasn't too crowded yet. There were so many beautiful light displays and plenty of great photo opportunities. The lighting in the Santa area was a bit darker and very red-toned, but you can try to adjust by tweaking the warmth and tones when editing photos on your phone. They also had animatronic dragons that were really impressive, with sounds that made them feel even more lifelike. Ice skating and carnival rides were available as well, though those were an additional cost. Overall, it was a really fun and festive outing! read more

Imaginarium - Santa, this is after some edits. The area was a little dark and very red-toned. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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We had an incredibly fun experience at Imaginarium! My family arrived not really expecting much and we were quite surprised with the vast amount of outdoor and creative indoor exhibits! We've been to extravagant light shows, like Luminaria Lights at the Botanical Gardens in Southern Cali, so that was our comparison and we honestly weren't expecting much with Imaginarium. Really happy that we decided to give this a shot! It was held at the Cal Expo so parking is extremely generous. However, we went on a Thursday evening in early December to avoid the crowds and I, for one, absolutely appreciated not having any lines or difficulty going in and out of the parking lot. Hardly anyone was there on a Thursday evening on the first week of December but I can imagine it would've been annoyingly packed if we went during rush season closer to Christmas or weekends. Pretty hilarious how we initially thought the front entrance exhibits and cute little photoshoot setups were it, until we walked past some food vendors to be shocked and awed at the enormous amount of creative setups they had in the main staging area. There was even a little circus act for some entertainment! Enjoy your time with family, walk around to your leisure, and they even had lots of neat room setups to experience. The kids enjoyed the art exhibit the most where they could color in beautifully drawn artistry with chalk! Santa was available for photos towards the exit.m at no charge. Nice! Tipped him, of course, to care for his elves and reindeer. Biggest tip is to be aware of where the restrooms are in case any urgencies arise. We found them to be to the right of the main area once we passed the food vendors thanks to friendly staff and security personnel. Highly recommended for everyone around the Sacramento and Roseville area, near and far! Great for families, dates, solos, and friends. Security is tight since it's Cal Expo so it felt rather safe for our family. Lovely organized event and enjoyed a magical evening surrounded be a wonderment of lights and glamor! (Is wonderment even a word? I don't know, but if fits the bill for Imaginarium for sure) read more

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I reserved the tickets for November 24th as it was originally set to open on November 21st. However, it was not opened until November 26th. I received a last minute text and email from them on the 24th stating the event closure. In the email, it did state they will give a complimentary ticket for the inconveniences but nothing was attached. I emailed them back about this and no response for many days. I did eventually receive the complimentary ticket. We finally got the chance to check them out. There were many lights to but some i felt were kinda repetitive. Many photo boxes for photo opportunities. The lights were nice but nothing "wow". We paid extra for ice skating. The rink is ok in size. A tad smaller than the rink from downtown. There are no lockers to store your personal items. They do have skating assistance for kids and adults but first come first serve. Parking is $10. read more

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Great place to visit in Sacramento for the holidays! It's mostly light up attractions with plenty of themed spaces around the area for photo opportunities. There's a foam machine that makes fake snow that my friends and I pranced and danced around in. Perfect for families, friends, or a nice date. They have a carnival area with classic carnival rides and carnival food you can purchase. Otherwise, I didn't see anyone selling food on site. I recommend making this a before/after dinner activity. My friends and I ended up getting ice cream after this! It was cold, yes, but we're never too cold for ice cream. read more

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I had purchased tickets for this in early December for the date of 13th. A family emergency came up that day and I was unable to make it. When I emailed customer service to see if I could reschedule, they were prompt to reply and guided me in the right direction. I was able to change the date to the 20th... though I had to change again due to it raining. So I set it for the 27th... and this time was finally a go. There was stop-and-go traffic about five miles from the freeway exit and it was pretty much that way getting into Cal Expo. I think I underestimated how many people were going to show up being it was after Christmas. But needless to say, I could see what all the hype was about. The lights on display were a thing of beauty. And I admire the thought process of putting this all together. We took a lot of great photos. The circus show was a little short, but fun to watch. It can be a little overwhelming navigating the drive as well as through crowds of people at a big event like this. But it's a good time with family and festive vibes. There was so much to take in thay we ended up staying longer than expected. Not a bad thing of course. read more

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This is such a fun and festive activity to do with your family and friends. We bought tickets online and got the unlimited ride option. There was a long line to get in but it went quickly. The decorations were all so pretty and there were so many great photo ops. There are a lot of good food options as well. Only downside is getting your ride wristband. We had to wait in a really long line that is the same line to purchase wristbands. They should've had a separate area for redeeming prepaid wristbands. read more

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Took our family of five the weekend after thanksgiving and it was a very long line to get in! We stood in line for about 30 minutes, however once we got inside the line, the crowd dispersed, and it didn't feel as crowded. This isn't our first time here but I really loved the change in flow. Before you would walk in right to the lights and all the vendors would be in the back however, this time you've got like a sample of some lights and you had to walk through all the food vendors to get to the main attraction and rides. This sucks for parents as the kids will for sure ask for a churro or two but it's awesome for the small businessss! The only on that I have from this event is that I didn't buy a ride tickets upfront, and the line to purchase tickets were extremely long as they only had two booths working. Also, the price for a family of five to enter was a bit high for our two hour spent. Overall it was a great family evening to kick off the holiday season! read more

Imaginarium - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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This is a cute place to look at Christmas lights and take pictures. It's at the Cali expo so the event is huge. So many lights to look at. They have some rides but mostly for kids, some shopping booths, and food tents for hot chocolate or funnel cakes. They also offer music concert, a circus show and ice skating. If you want to take your family out or go on a cute date I would definitely check this place out. read more

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The lights displays were lovely and abundant, eve though I came after the holidays were over. I enjoyed the lights and set ups with my friend, and we had fun with taking photos, riding the ferris wheel and sliding down slides. Ice skating and other rides were also available. I enjoyed the hefty gyro food truckvfir dinner and liked how Thai, pho, and Iater tacos were available too. A circus show with performers from Las Vegas was fun. We had a nice time walking amidst the lights and displays in the winter cold. read more

Imaginarium - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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CA largest display of beautiful lights, our family of 4 were in pure awe gazing at all 15 million! The Christmas Circus was amazing and it was a special moment visiting Santa and ending the night with making lighted water lanterns! So many delicious food vendors, interactive photo op areas, characters, shopping, a carnival and even an ice skating rink! For dinner eldest wanted to try Pretzel Bros! We ordered the Pizza Pretzel w/ Mild Nacho Sauce and Bacon & Cheddar Pretzel. Pretzel Bros, you have my heart! My daughters and I thought your BIG cheesy hand-rolled pretzels were amazing!! Great dip too! Last Day is 1/4, we bought tickets online when they were on sale! It's definitely worth a visit, we may just make this a holiday tradition!! Bundle up and check it out!! SYOY! :D *Song Credit: This Christmas by AlexiAction Site: https://pixabay.com/music/-this-christmas-126736/ read more

I thought Imaginaruim really fun for a family event! My kids are age 6, 7 and 12 and they all said they want to go back next year. The lights are beautiful and fun to walk-through and take photos. They had lots of interactive things for the kids. The ice skating rink wasn't worth it in my opinion but everything else was. They had food trucks, but not as many at the fair. There were a lot more in the back, but you have to walk to get to them and not just stop at the ones right in front that have a really long lines. Same with the carnival rides and games. There is a decent amount, but not as much as the fair. I would compare it to a mini state fair. It worth the trip if you're looking for some family fun in winter! read more

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So much fun for a dates or a family outing! I've been twice and this year it was far more updated than two years ago. They have sooo many lights to see. There's rooms with different vibes and photo opportunities. There's gardens to walk through, different seating and giant sculptures. There's also a room with chalk to color! They also have food trucks available for pizza, thai food, sweet treats and other fair-type food. There's also a small market to purchase backpacks, blankets, jewelry, pillows and my favorite was a little gem, rocks and minerals shop. There are carnival rides and games to play. I took away one star because the rides and games are quite ridiculous in price. They also have some shows to watch, like a motorcycle show where they ride around inside a tiny ball upside down and such. Pretty cool! I paid $18 to get in, and about $50 on drinks and food. It was a lot of fun! Definitely great for some pictures. read more

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It's very beautiful and colorful, I'm satisfied, it's worth the money.good so beautiful read more

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We had a great time!! Lights are amazing, children had fun! I love the photo booths. Love the show of Big Bee- transforming robot car. read more

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We try to bring the kids every year. We love it as a family. There are a ton of lights, displays, photo booths when walking around. It is pricey but definitely worth it since we go once a year. The whole place just looks magical and pictures are usually amazing. read more

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This was our first time visiting the Imaginarium in Sacramento at Christmas, and it was definitely worth every penny! OKAY, THIS PLACE IS SO UNDERRATED -- FOR REALS!!! If you want a family-friendly event that won't break the bank like Disneyland, you've got to try this. It was such a fun experience for my teenagers and for us as adults -- I can only imagine what goes through little kids' minds when they see all the lights. They do a really great job decorating for Christmas. If you haven't tried this as a family, I say you've got to go at least once! read more

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This is a great experience my fiancé and I like to do every year. They always have a huge light displays that are different themed every year. Games, rides, carnival food, different food vendors, live performances, ice skating, and more. They have a discounted price if you buy a 4 pack of tickets. I always have fun when I come here :) read more

Imaginarium - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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2026 is the worst. Logistics and communications rated at below zero. Handicap parking located at the back of the parking lot. How is that legal? The least amount of lights and displays . They make you walk through entire food court before getting to the lights. We had 100$ worth of rides from previous year on a card that won't work no more. If you haven't both tickets already don't. Or return them if you can. 100% not worth it read more

After, being to several Christmas light shows through out Norther California, this was the most disappointing one of all. Honestly, it look like someone just took a bunch of displays and lights and randomly threw them together. Very disappointing. It reminded me of the state fair but with random Christmas lights..lol. I would definitely, recommend checking out other Christmas lights shows through out Northern California if you can. read more

I came here with my family who were visiting from out of town. They have two young children and we thought that the Imaginarium would be a nice diversion for the kids and a source of entertainment. I had been to this light show at Cal Expo a few years back with Joe K. when it was called Global Winter Wonderland. We always enjoyed going every year when it was happening on a seasonal basis. This time, they made a lot of changes from touring the world to a more whimsical and fantasy theme. I liked how they devoted areas of lit flowers and wheat fields, making it fun for children to explore. I kind of missed the previous "under the sea" theme, but they also had a falling snow section, a lighted maze, ice skating rink and a building reserved for plenty of photo opportunities, including a professional for hire. They offered several clever display rooms of different designer backgrounds for people to model and act silly during picture taking (which were free to utilize). There was also the usual fair rides and fair food sections. My brother-in-law purchased a hot pretzel with garlic flavoring and was charged a whopping $13.00! It was good, but the price was a bit of a shock! In my opinion, the previous Global Winter Wonderland had more sights to see and more detail connected with each display. But even so, I couldn't help but appreciate all the work, artistry, creativity and beauty that went into each unique light scene! I'm pretty sure a lot of time and effort was put into each and every display! As you look closer, you can see that metal is welded, structured and molded into an art piece. Then, a special type of colored or painted opaque fabric is skillfully applied, turning something into a special character, a background, or environment, enhanced by special glowing lights from within! It was kind of magical in my eyes and I felt like the kids who were running around were having a great time! All in all, my family had a nice time being together, and it was worth exploring the eye catching lay of the land. This is definitely an event that children and adults of all ages would enjoy! read more

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1/10 experience. Food sucked. Unless you like cold hotdogs and cold coffee. I'm not even going to mention the prices. Parking attendants had horrible communication skills. Light show itself was the most disappointing. My home was decorated with better taste as well as my street. To be honest. There are better decorated neighborhoods in Sacramento area that you can go and enjoy for free. Just pick up up hot chocolate at your local coffee shop and go for a ride. You will enjoy it better, spend way less money and won't have to deal with less than pleasant people. read more

Imaginarium is a fun holiday activity for families, kids, couples, anyone! It's better than driving to see Christmas lights because there is more to do here - tons of beautiful lights and photo opportunities, carnival food and food trucks, circus performances, a small vendor area, and carnival games and rides. Highly recommend the gourmet pretzel stand, they are pricey but there are so many flavor options! Doors open at 5pm right when it gets dark which is perfect for families that need to get home by bedtime. Weekday prices are a bit cheaper but I still thought it was reasonable for a weekend. You can get a bit of a discount if you buy family 4-packs also, and kids under 3 are free. Parking is $10 and they will accept cash or card. I thought it might be super crowded for a Sunday evening but it wasn't too bad at all. We didn't wait too long in any lines and got parking easily when we arrived around 4:50. We stayed for 2.5 hours so there is plenty to see and makes the ticket price worth it! read more

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We had an amazing time and I would recommend it for everyone! From Transformer bumblebee coming to life to the yummy giant corndogs , every moment felt like holiday magic.. read more

A fun place for my kids to play. They were intrigued with all the lights, the fake snow, and the rides. This place is quite pricey. However, visiting annually and seeing the laughter and smiles were priceless. read more

Imaginarium - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Waist of money , beer is 16$ and up , hotdogs are 15$ and dry and disgusting, people everywhere way overcrowded.

I visited Imaginarium last weekend with family for the first time and it was a nice kick off to the Christmas season. Did it blow me away? No, but they did have a few cool features such as the tent full of photo ops. We could have spent all night in there just taking pictures and playing. I heard that it is a new additional this year. The lights and displays were very pretty, but it was kind of chaotic especially as more people started arriving and we weren't really sure where to go or begin without missing anything. They do have a beer garden that also serves hot chocolate and hot butter beer plus some fair treats like deep fried Oreos. Overall, it's mostly just a small fair vibe with lots of lights. The large moving gargoyle and dragon animatronics didn't make sense to me. Neither did the giant Wizard of Oz display. I expected a more Christmasy vibe. Not sure if I'll be back next year considering all of this plus the price. read more

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We took our toddler here as a family outing so he can experience the lights and just run some energy out. This place was amazing. Our oldest daughter came along as well. I think I saw a commercial on TV about it and googled it. It's at CalExpo. We went early so we could be there when it first opened at 5pm. I'm glad we did because the line kept getting longer as we stood there. It was a little wait before they opened and let everyone in. Then you go through the metal detectors and get checked (make sure you follow the clear bag rule on the website). Then you either go to the box office to buy your tickets or show your tickets to get scanned. I'm actually glad I didn't buy the tickets online beforehand because it ended up being cheaper. Also, it's very cold so make sure you bundle up. I checked the weather and picked the warmest evening for the week which was still cold but not freezing . We visited the first area of lights when we walked in. Took a family picture. It just opened so our daughter went and ordered some French fries while there was no food line, then we went and ordered hot chocolates to warm us up. We walked around more and took pictures of all the different characters and expositions. We finally came towards the back and found the carnival and more food vendors. There were rides and a big tent with different selfie booths. It was cool. We had to walk back, so we could buy tickets for the rides. Our son rode the little toddler train. They have to be at least 36 inches to ride. It was a great evening. Check out the website for parking (it's $10) and other details. read more

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Holiday lights, carnival rides, food, ice-skating and shopping. Parking $10, there were long lines yesterday,(12/22/2023), and tons of photo ops. The ice-skating rink was hand made and my family said the ice needs to be smoothed out and made skating not as enjoyable as other ice rinks. The popcorn was good, churros cold and not fresh, caramel apple was okay, parchment paper needed to be used instead of the paper that was wrapped around the apple. There was an area for selfie opportunities, a small shopping area, and an entertainer doing a juggling act. I enjoyed the lighted maze, and the various lighted sculptures which made for fun photo ops. I had an enjoyable time. There was plenty of space for the lighted installations, as well as the carnival area that my niece enjoyed. A fun holiday experience. read more

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Had a good time seeing the lights at Cal Expo. They had some very nice lights around Cal Expo. Loved watching the pirate show. They have some carnival rides. Managed to get some good photos of the lights. read more

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I'd say overall it was mediocre for what you pay for a decent family size. With little information about parking being an additional charge of $10. As well as little to no information on other "forbidden items" such my camera holder not being allowed in at security. So I just threw it away and security still had the nerve to ask a stupid question if I wanted to through my camera away too. Little to any information or maps on how to get the best views or to know what's where such as "the free circus" which is near the end of the park by the exit and by then you waiting for the next shows. Seems there's a lot of work needed to be done to get it right. I've been before years ago where you enter from the side entrance and that sees way more organized than this year. Would I go again maybe but every year? No thanks it's more of a trip if you have nothing else to do and want to walk around crowed in a random park with random beat up used stuff everyone. read more

Came here with our 3 year old kiddo in tow. The rear of the park had the carni rides, games and food concessions. We weren't terribly interested in that but rather all of the light displays. Our kid seemed to enjoy all of the visual light stimulation and lit up displays. Highly recommended for families. read more

Imaginarium is a fun, spread out light display located at Cal Expo. The price was a lot more reasonable than the other christmas displays in area and the place was much bigger. There are different "themed" areas of the park to explore and the lights varied between traditional Christmas light as well as light-up animals, plants, etc. I really enjoyed the variety and everything was very well down. There are a lot of opportunities to take fun photos/videos. I also really appreciated that it was spaced out so I never felt crowded and I could stop without worrying about other people. They have a fun acrobatic show as well as a car transformation to watch which are included in your ticket price. I think that adds some fun and value as it's entertainment beyond just walking around the lights. There are also the typical fair rides and food vendors available which we did not try. I am always weary of those rides personally. Food and rides are at an additional cost. Parking at CalExpo is somewhat expensive, but that's to be expected. There is a huge lot so no issue finding parking at all. Plenty of restrooms inside the park. Everything (except rides) is handicap accessible. Strollers were allowed everywhere and there was plenty of room to use them inside. This is probably my favorite of the light show/displays in the area around the holidays. It is on the expensive side, but that is to be expected and I didn't feel like it was a rip off as we explored and were entertained for just over 2 hours. I will definitely be back for future years. read more

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This place is one big line with virtually no security with the same displays year after year. Got cut in line after waiting 30 mins for food and the person behind me was so mad that they started calling the people who cut the n word and was trying to hype up my husband to fight them. All in front of my 3 kids so we all got out of line and just didn't get food. No cops walking around no security at all. read more

Refuses to give refunds after cancelling last minute several times, with no consideration of financial situations. Keeps saying to just plan another trip no matter how far you live. read more

We had purchased tickets for Monday night before we found out that there were technical issues and they would not be open for the first 5 days! They offered one free ticket but never sent an email or message about how to get the ticket. They finally were able to open on Wednesday night and we got in line before the opening time of 5:00. The doors did not open until 5:27! There was never an announcement to the guests in line that there would be a delay in the opening. Everyone was waiting in line, cold, and getting frustrated with the lack of communication. Once we were finally let in there were 2 employees scanning tickets and I witnessed a couple of families experiencing issues with their tickets and had to wait for customer support. Luckily we were able to get in even though our tickets were originally for Monday night. Once inside there were no maps or times for the circus shows. So we missed the first showing and decided not to stay for the later showing. Only 2 times were available for that night even though their website says 3 shows a night. It was very unorganized. The only reason I am giving it 2 stars is that my 2 year old grandson did enjoy all the lights. Would I return again? No. One and done. read more

Not happy with this company! They are not offering refunds despite canceling the event for so many days. Some people can't go the other days, we bought tickets for the day we could go! read more

Had a really cute date night over the weekend. It changes only a little every year but not by much. I feel like it's becoming less and less lights and more like a winter carnival. It's great for the family though. I can't speak to the cost of things as we were only here for the lights. I just love this time of year. It's so whimsical and romantic. read more

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We come here as a family every year, it's a tradition! This year, I had to reschedule the very last minute and through email communication over the weekend, the Imaginarium team was very responsive and helpful. In fact, I had paid for weekday tickets and we attended on a Sunday and they did not charge me the difference. This year, everything was much more organized, LOT of food vendors, the car show was super cool, and it wasn't packed which is an absolute plus for us. We had a blast. Until next year!! read more

I thought the event was going to have bigger space. I think for the price you pay for the entrance it should also cover the carnival games and rides but it does not. The carnival games and rides are a separate cost. There are food and drinks available for purchase. The lights were nice. They had some themes of bootleg Disney characters as well. Lots of photo opportunities and great for kids. Overall my family and I had a good time but I do think it was over priced. read more

Imaginarium - Lights (instagram: wooneats) - Amusement Parks Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Brought my parents here as a fun Christmas gift, and it was awesome. There were so many lights and fairy tale exhibits that you could take pictures at. It did not feel too cramped either and there were several places to take pictures at with similar light backgrounds so we didn't wait in line too long to take pictures. When you first walk in, theres fake snow in the form of soap bubbles that really add to the aesthetic and joy, especially for the little kids who were jumping around and throwing the bubbles around. In addition there was a free circus performance that doubled as a comedy show with things like an aerial silk performance, and pretending to throw daggers around a participant (who thought the daggers were actually being thrown lol) Along with the imaginarium specific lights and exhibits, there were also state fair type rides and food being served - which my family and I didn't partake in because it was pretty expensive. The entry tickets were reasonably priced, but I think if you start adding on food and rides, it can get pretty pricey, so keeping it just to the lights and circus show is a good deal! also parking was $10. read more