San Diego Sparkles This Winter
Holidays at Hotel del Coronado
San Diego is a popular winter getaway, offering a temperate climate, world-class attractions, 70 miles of sparkling beaches under sunny skies and a variety of holiday activities for visitors to enjoy. Highlights include Balboa Park's December Nights, Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" live on stage at the Tony Award®-winning Old Globe theater, college football bowl games and a number of festive holiday events. Following are just some of the many offerings that are sure to make a winter visit to San Diego merry, memorable and bright. FESTIVALS, PARADES AND LIGHT DISPLAYS - On November 27, kids and adults can "hang-ten" with Santa during the Surfing Santa at Seaport Village event along San Diego Bay. Dressed in board shorts, Santa arrives to this bay front shopping complex by watercraft; following his arrival, a lively parade takes place on the Seaport Village boardwalk, along with festive entertainment, live holiday tunes, stilt walkers, an eco-friendly tree lighting ceremony and more. Guests can also take photos with Santa and enjoy holiday crafts. http://www.seaportvillage.com/holidays/surfing-santa.php
- Cultural delights abound during the annual Balboa Park December Nights, held December 3 – 4. This popular holiday event, the largest free community festival in San Diego, includes carolers, live entertainment, dance performances, children’s rides, a re-creation of a traditional Native American village, free admission to the Park's museums and cultural organizations and delicious foods from around the world. www.balboapark.org/decembernights
- During the 39th Annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights on December 12 and 19, more than 100 private boat owners decorate their boats with holiday lights and sail along the waters of San Diego Bay, followed by an extravagant firework show over the water. Great views are available on dry land from Shelter Island, Harbor Island, the Embarcadero, Seaport Village, Marina Park and Coronado’s Ferry Landing. www.sdparadeoflights.org
- Guests enjoy the dazzling Holiday of Lights at Del Mar, taking place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds November 25 – January 3, 2011. This is the largest animated drive-through light show on the U.S. West Coast with more than 400 brilliant holiday light displays. www.sdfair.com/holidayoflights
- On December 3, Coronado hosts a grand Holiday Celebration with a festive parade along Orange Avenue, the lighting of a 75-foot Christmas tree, holiday music and a firework show over Glorietta Bay. www.coronadovisitorcenter.com
- Chula Vista’s 48th Annual Starlight Parade lights up the night sky at 6 p.m. on December 4 with carolers, holiday cheer, floats, drill teams, marching bands, classic cars, a children’s event and visit from Santa. http://thirdavenuevillage.com
- The La Jolla Christmas Parade and Holiday Festival on December 5 in downtown La Jolla includes marching bands, floats, equestrian units, vintage automobiles and more. www.ljparade.com
- The Mission Bay Christmas Boat Parade of Lights on December 18 on Mission Bay includes over 100 brightly illuminated powerboats and sailboats. The parade ends with a fantastic firework show at 9 p.m. over the water. www.mbyc.org
SPARKLING ATTRACTIONS - SeaWorld San Diego’s Christmas Celebration returns November 26 – 28, December 4 – 5, 11 – 12 and 18 – 31. Festivities include the sea lion and otter comedy show, Clyde and Seamore's Night Before Christmas, and the Shamu Christmas presentation with live choirs and musical soloists. Guests can also enjoy festive décor throughout the park, an ice skating rink, The Polar Express 4-D Experience and the lighting of SeaWorld's 320-ft. Holiday Tree of Lights. www.seaworldsandiego.com
- The San Diego Zoo will be aglow with bright lights December 10 – 23 and 26 – 30 during Jungle Bells. This holiday event features large light displays that represent many of the animals on the Zoo grounds including elephants spraying water, monkeys playing in the trees and a condor taking flight. Special holiday entertainment will also be featured at shops and eateries around the park. www.sandiegozoo.org
- LEGOLAND® California in Carlsbad celebrates the season with Holly Jolly Holidays during December 1 – 31. Thousands of LEGOS come together to create a massive 30-ft. tall Christmas tree decorated with hundreds of LEGO ornaments, and a firework show lights up the sky every night during December 26 – 31. In addition, guests can enjoy the Let it Snow musical and life-size LEGO displays of Santa and his reindeer. http://california.legoland.com
CURTAIN CALLS - The San Diego Symphony presents a celebration of holiday classics during its Winter Pops concert series. Performances include One Singular Sensation: Marvin Hamlisch! , November 12 and 13; the Holiday Pops featuring vocals from Brian Stokes Mitchell, December 17 – 19; Judy Garland In Concert , January 21 and 22, 2011 and many more. www.sandiegosymphony.com
- America's favorite holiday fable jumps right off the pages of the classic Dr. Seuss book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! for the 13th joyous year. Guests can catch this whimsical production at the Tony Award®-winning Old Globe theatre in Balboa Park during November 20 – December 26. www.theoldglobe.org
- During November 30 – December 30, Lamb’s Players Theatre presents its annual Festival of Christmas, a musical tradition that takes place each year at its resident theatre in Coronado. This year’s performance is set in an all-girls school in the 1950s and includes classic ensembles and music of the season.
During December 12 – 26, Lamb’s Players Theatre also presents An American Christmas at the landmark Hotel del Coronado. When guests step inside the gorgeous hotel ballroom, they are transported back 100 years for a memorable Christmas celebration where 30 performers fill the evening with music, dance and song, all woven throughout a delicious 5-course meal. www.lambsplayers.org
- The timeless holiday classic, The Nutcracker, will be presented by The California Ballet during December 11 – 12 at the Civic Theatre in downtown San Diego. www.californiaballet.org
OUTDOOR ICE-SKATING - The Hotel del Coronado offers a unique Southern California experience with Skating by the Sea, an outdoor ice-skating rink adjacent to Coronado Beach and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. During November – January, the resort’s famous Windsor Lawn is transformed into a seaside skating rink offering three-hour skating sessions daily. www.hoteldel.com
- Downtown San Diego’s rink, Fantasy on Ice, located at Horton Plaza, offers daily ice-skating 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. during November through January; exact dates TBA. www.sdice.com
- Viejas Outlet Center in San Diego’s East County is proud to be the home of Southern California’s largest outdoor ice-skating rink this holiday season, December through January; exact dates TBA. www.shopviejas.com
CULINARY CELEBRATIONS - During November 17 – 21, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, the region’s largest wine and culinary event, features 170 wine and spirit purveyors and 70 of San Diego’s top chefs. Held at venues throughout downtown San Diego, the festival includes gourmet food, celebrity chefs, wine tasting, an elegant Reserve & New Release Tasting event and more. www.worldofwineevents.com
- San Diego’s culinary community joins forces during January 16– 21, 2011 for San Diego Restaurant Week. Approximately 180 of the region’s top restaurants offer prix-fixe, three-course dinner menus, at just $20, $30 or $40 per person, so visitors can sample the signature cuisine and sophisticated style that makes San Diego’s dining scene one of the region’s top attractions. www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com
SPORTING GOOD TIME - The San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl presents NCAA college football post-season action on December 23 at Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley. The game matches a team from the Mountain West Conference against an at-large opponent. www.poinsettiabowl.net
- Football fans can catch another exciting post-season college football game at the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl on December 30. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. that morning with the Big Bay Balloon Parade along downtown San Diego's waterfront. The parade is the country's largest balloon parade featuring floats, giant inflatable balloon characters and national marching bands. Later in the evening, two top college teams from the PAC 10 and Big 12 square off at Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley. www.holidaybowl.com
- Runners compete in San Diego's oldest marathon during the Carlsbad Marathon & Half-Marathon on January 23 along a scenic course that hugs the Pacific coast in San Diego’s North County. www.carlsbadmarathon.com
- The Farmers Insurance Open comes to Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla during January 24 – 30, 2011 and features top players from the PGA Tour. The event also includes Pro-Am and practice rounds. www.buickinvitational.com
HAPPY NEW YEAR! - The annual First Night Escondido New Year's Eve gala presents an amazing family-friendly event to ring in the New Year. Held at three adjoining venues in Escondido, Grape Day Park, City Hall and the California Center for the Arts, guests can enjoy 12 stages of music and dance performances, restaurant and vendor foods, hands-on art activities, a Chinese Dragon Parade and a dazzling firework display. www.firstnightescondido.com
- Families celebrate the New Year at LEGOLAND® California during a one-of-a-kind Kids' New Year's Eve Party. The party includes fun-filled entertainment until countdown, at 6 p.m., to the New Year. Like a child's version of Times Square’s New Year’s celebration, but a few hours earlier, the party concludes with a LEGO "Brick Drop" and a firework extravaganza. http://california.legoland.com
MARDI GRAS MERRIMENT - Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp Quarter is the largest Mardi Gras party on the U.S. West Coast. Taking over the streets of downtown San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, the Fat Tuesday celebration on March 8 features two Mardi Gras parades and an outdoor block party with several stages of live musical acts. Participating restaurants and bars also offer Mardi Gras specials. This is a ticketed event for guests ages 21 years and older. www.gaslamp.org
- Uptown San Diego joins in the Fat Tuesday festivities on March 8 with Mardi Gras in Hillcrest, a street party with food, beer, live entertainment and beads galore. This is a ticketed event for guests ages 21 years and older. www.hillcrestmardigras.org
- The rhythm of Brazil comes to San Diego on March 5 during the 19th Annual San Diego Brazil Carnaval in downtown San Diego. The event features caipirinhas, the national cocktail of Brazil, along with performances of the Brazilian martial-arts dance form capoeira and non-stop musical performances of samba, marcha and more. www.brazilcarnival.com
Happy happens in San Diego. For more information on San Diego offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau's Web site, www.sandiego.org, or call (619) 236-1212. In San Diego, visit the International Visitor Information Center, located along the Embarcadero at the corner of West Broadway and Harbor Drive in downtown; the La Jolla Visitor Center, located at the corner of Herschel Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla; or the California Welcome Center, located at the Viejas Outlet Center in Alpine. # # # Contacts:
Joe Timko (619) 557-2812
Kate Buska (619) 557-2889
Stephenie Medina (619) 557-2838
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