Festival of Lights – Mission Inn & Spa
The Mission Inn Festival of Lights has been one of the main traditions during the winter season. It is an extravagant display of Christmas lights that combines with the famous and historic California hotel for a unique night out that is worth the drive to Riverside.
The Mission Inn is a National Historic Landmark. The AAA Four Diamond Hotel features 238 guest rooms, including 27 spacious guest suites. The property represents a unique blend of architectural styles and ornamental details, and incorporates design features from throughout the Southwestern United States, Mexico and several Mediterranean countries.
There is also a carriage ride that you can take to see the lights without waiting in the line.
2017 is the 25th Annual Festival of Lights celebration – A free, Six-week-long holiday extravaganza featuring one of the nation’s largest holiday light collections of its kind. 
The beloved Southern California tradition recently named “Best Public Lights Display in the Nation” by USA Today creates a magical, Disneyland-like experience in the heart of Riverside and attracts more than 500,000 visitors from all over the world each year. 
Highlights of Festival of Lights include 200 animated figures including angels, elves and Dickens carolers; appearances by Santa Claus, the world’s largest man-made mistletoe, horse-drawn carriage rides, elf tuck-ins, freshly fallen snow, elaborately decorated Christmas trees. 
Finding a parking place is very difficult during weekends, we found a free parking area nearby ‘The old Spaghetti Factory’ which is just 0.6 miles from the Mission Inn & Spa. There is a long line to get into the hotel on weekends to see the lights;
I was surprised to see the Mahatma Gandhi Statue there, It was created by artists Mandan and Aruna Garge of India, the statue commemorates the universal message of peace and non-violence of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, often referred to as Mahatma (“Great Soul”). Surrounded by granite, slate and several Indian Champa trees, the 9-foot, 1.5 ton bronze statue depicts Gandhi and seminal events from his life with inscriptions showcasing Gandhi’s values and guiding principles.
While there is not a lot of things to do, it is still fun to explore. You don’t need to worry about food. Pop up stalls selling hot chocolate, hot dogs, tamales and churros; Restaurants stay open a little longer for those who want something more filling.