Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Chino Hills for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are Holiday Scavenger Hunt (from December 1) and Library Winter Luau (December 8). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our California Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Chino Hills
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Chino Hills
- Meet Santa: Library Winter Luau (December 8)
- Season: December 1 (Holiday Scavenger Hunt) to December 8 (Library Winter Luau)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
What are you looking for?
All 2 events
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Chino Hills
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday event
Holiday Scavenger Hunt
- When: Tuesday, December 1, 2026 to Thursday, December 3, 2026 (Runs for three days, Tuesday through Thursday, during the branch's posted open hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.), 10 am to 8 pm
- Where: James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library, 14020 City Center Dr, Chino Hills, CA 91709 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Families, all ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Small elves are hidden all over the James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library, and kids search the building to find every one. Turn in a finished hunt sheet at the desk and each child who completes it gets a prize. There is a second game too: wrapped mystery book bundles are tucked around the library, and each day one of them hides a Golden Elf that wins a grand prize for whoever checks it out.
The hunt runs from Tuesday, December 1 through Thursday, December 3, 2026, at 14020 City Center Drive. No set time is given, so it is a drop-in activity during library hours, which the branch posts as 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on those days. The page lists it for families of all ages and shows no price or sign-up.
Parent tip: Because only one Golden Elf bundle is hidden each day, going soon after the 10 a.m. opening gives you the best chance at it. Bring a library card, since the grand prize goes to the person who checks the bundle out.
- Host
- San Bernardino County Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library, 14020 City Center Dr, Chino Hills, CA 91709 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Chino Hills events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Chino Hills daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Chino Hills.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Chino Hills event researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Chino Hills.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Chino Hills before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 1 Santa
- 1 Crafts
- 1 Zoos and museums
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Chino Hills every week.
Santa visit
Library Winter Luau
- When: Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 3 to 6 pm
- Where: James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library, 14020 City Center Dr, Chino Hills, CA 91709 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Families, all ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The Chino Hills library mixes Christmas with an island theme for an afternoon: tropical-style activities, holiday crafts and a visit from Santa. The library also ties in a reading reward, where every 15 items a family checks out earns an incentive and an entry in a grand prize drawing.
The Winter Luau is on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library, 14020 City Center Drive. It is listed as a special event for families of all ages. The page gives no price and does not mention registration.
Parent tip: The event falls on a school-day afternoon and lasts three hours, so you can come straight from pickup and still catch Santa and the crafts. Bring a tote bag if your kids want to reach the 15-item checkout mark for the prize drawing.
- Host
- San Bernardino County Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library, 14020 City Center Dr, Chino Hills, CA 91709 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Chino Hills events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Chino Hills daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Chino Hills.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our California Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Chino Hills Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Holiday Scavenger Hunt in Chino Hills on December 1; the last runs to December 8. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Holiday Scavenger HuntChino Hills · Dec 1 to Dec 3
- Library Winter LuauChino Hills · Dec 8
Looking further afield? Our California Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Ontario, Anaheim, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Chino Hills
In 1858 the Chino Hills area was a stop for the stagecoaches of the Butterfield Overland Mail, long before the city itself was incorporated in 1991. These days the Christmas season for families centers on the branch library on City Center Drive, with an elf hunt in early December and a Winter Luau with Santa.
How Chino Hills celebrates
The San Bernardino County Library's James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library is the organizer behind this season's family listings. For three days at the start of December it hides elves around the building for a Holiday Scavenger Hunt, with a prize for every child who finishes and a daily Golden Elf tucked inside a wrapped book bundle. The following week the same branch holds its Library Winter Luau, a tropical take on the holidays with crafts and a visit from Santa. Both are listed for families of all ages at the library at 14020 City Center Drive.
Fun facts about Christmas in Chino Hills
The land that became Chino Hills was part of an 1841 grant known as Rancho Santa Ana del Chino and was used for cattle ranching for decades. The city was incorporated in 1991 with a population of 42,000, and the 2020 census counted 78,411 residents. Much of its 44.8 square miles is undeveloped rolling hills, including Chino Hills State Park, which has 60 miles of trails and fire roads. The city also has 44 municipal parks.
Traditions today
- Holiday Scavenger Hunt: Kids search the Chino Hills branch library for hidden elves and turn in a completed hunt at the desk for a prize.
- The Golden Elf: Each day of the hunt, one wrapped mystery book bundle hides a Golden Elf that wins a grand prize for whoever checks it out.
- Santa at the Library Winter Luau: Santa visits the library during an island-themed holiday afternoon with crafts for families.
- Checkout prize drawing: At the Winter Luau, every 15 items checked out earns an incentive and an entry in the library's grand prize drawing.
- The rolling hills: Chino Hills State Park and the city's 44 municipal parks give families open space for a winter walk between holiday events.
A fact for kids
In the 1953 movie The War of the Worlds, the first Martian spaceship lands in the hills around here. In real life, stagecoaches stopped in Chino Hills back in 1858.
Questions about Christmas in Chino Hills
When did Chino Hills become a city?
Chino Hills was incorporated in 1991 with a population of 42,000. The push for cityhood followed a surge of home building in the late 1980s, when developers were drawn by the scenic views and the short distance to Los Angeles and Orange counties.
What was Chino Hills before it was a city?
After Mission San Gabriel was founded in 1771, the area served as extra grazing land for mission cattle and horses. In 1841 it became part of a land concession to Antonio Maria Lugo called Rancho Santa Ana del Chino, and cattle ranching continued for decades.
Did stagecoaches really stop in Chino Hills?
Yes. In 1858 Chino Hills became one of the stagecoach stations of the Butterfield Overland Mail. The land was later sold in 1881 to Richard Gird, a miner from Tombstone, Arizona, who had plans to develop it.
How many people live in Chino Hills?
The 2020 census counted 78,411 residents, up from 74,799 in 2010. The city sits at the western end of the Inland Empire in San Bernardino County and covers about 44.8 square miles, much of it undeveloped rolling hills.
What parks does Chino Hills have?
The city has 44 municipal parks, including Overlook Park with views of the Pomona Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains. Chino Hills State Park adds 60 miles of trails and fire roads, a picnic area, camping sites and a historic barn.
What happens at Christmas in Chino Hills for kids?
This season the branch library has two family events. The Holiday Scavenger Hunt runs December 1 through 3, 2026, and the Library Winter Luau, with holiday crafts and a visit from Santa, is on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 3 to 6 p.m.
Who organizes these Christmas events?
Both are programs of the San Bernardino County Library, held at its James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library. They are part of the branch's regular series of Chino Hills programs and events and are listed for families of all ages.
Where are the Chino Hills library Christmas events held?
Both take place at the James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library, 14020 City Center Drive, Chino Hills, California 91709. The elf hunt happens throughout the building, so expect to walk the whole library with your kids.
Is there a cost for the library's Christmas events?
The library's pages do not list a price or tickets for either the Holiday Scavenger Hunt or the Winter Luau. A library card is useful, since the Golden Elf prize and the luau prize drawing both depend on checking items out.
Sources
- Chino Hills, California, Wikipedia
- Holiday Scavenger Hunt, San Bernardino County Library
- Library Winter Luau, San Bernardino County Library
Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every California city.
Chino Hills Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Chino Hills to start with?
Start at the James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library. The Holiday Scavenger Hunt runs December 1 through 3, 2026, with hidden elves and prizes, and the Library Winter Luau on Tuesday, December 8, from 3 to 6 p.m. adds holiday crafts and a visit from Santa.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Chino Hills?
The library's pages for the Holiday Scavenger Hunt and the Library Winter Luau list no price and no tickets. Neither page uses the word free, so treat them as drop-in library programs and ask the branch if you want to confirm before you go.
Where can kids meet Santa in Chino Hills?
Santa is the featured guest at the Library Winter Luau on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the James S. Thalman Chino Hills Branch Library on City Center Drive. The afternoon also includes tropical-themed activities and holiday crafts.
Do Chino Hills Christmas events need tickets or sign-up?
The two library events listed here show no registration step. The Holiday Scavenger Hunt from December 1 to 3, 2026, is done at your own pace during library hours, and the Winter Luau on December 8 is an open three-hour event for families of all ages.
How does the Golden Elf prize work at the Chino Hills library?
During the Holiday Scavenger Hunt, December 1 through 3, 2026, wrapped mystery book bundles are placed around the library. Each day one bundle hides a Golden Elf, and the person who checks that bundle out wins a grand prize. Everyone who finishes the elf hunt also gets a prize.
What can kids do at the Library Winter Luau?
On December 8, 2026, families can join tropical-themed activities, make holiday crafts and see Santa. Checking out books counts too: every 15 items earns an incentive and a chance in the library's grand prize drawing. It suits all ages.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Chino Hills?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s California Christmas train rides guide. This Chino Hills guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.