 Holiday Lights Around Town
Date: 11/25/04 - 1/2/05
Brighten up your holiday season with dazzling lights from one end of the county to the other! Watch as boaters illuminate San Diego and Mission Bay with festive lights and decorations or drive through the Del Mar Racetrack for the largest display of holiday lights on the West Coast! You can also get into the holiday spirit with an evening under the stars amidst the radiance of thousands of sparkling lights at Quail Botanical Gardens, the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park or SeaWorld (pictured right).
Other Holiday Highlights:
Balboa Park December Nights, Legend of the Ice Princess,
Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
Date: 11/25 -1/2
Drive through the renowned Del Mar Racetrack for the largest and most dazzling display of seasonal festival lights in San Diego. See more than 360 crowd-pleasing, family-oriented displays including Candy Cane Lane, Toyland, the Candy Mountain Express, elves making a snowman, the Twelve Days of Christmas, the Friendly Dragon in the Lake, and a tribute to the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76).
Hours: Sun - Thurs, 5:30 - 10pm; Fri & Sat, 5:30 - 11pm
Admission: $11, vehicles up to 5 people; $16, vehicles with more than 6 people, vans and large SUVs
Information & tickets: 858-755-1161 or www.sdfair.com
Date: 11/26- 1/1
Don't miss this multicultural celebration of the holidays as the beautiful courtyard of the Bazaar is transformed with thousands of twinkling lights, a life-size nativity, vivid poinsettias, and special music and dance performances. Free festivities and a visit from Santa take place from 5-7pm, November 26.
Information: 619-296-3161 or www.bazaardelmundo.com
Date: 11/29
See the world's largest LEGO® Christmas tree adorned with more than 240 ornaments and 100 holiday candles in a special tree lighting ceremony that starts at 5:30pm (park open until 6pm). This special LEGO brick tree will also be the centerpiece of the 6th Annual Holiday Block Party celebration (12/16-12/30) when the entire park is transformed into a holiday wonderland complete with nightly fireworks.
Hours: 10am-5pm; closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays
Extended hours: 12/26 - 12/31, 10am -7pm
Information: 760-918-LEGO (5346) or www.legoland.com
Date: 11/30-1/2
A holiday tradition since 1969, SeaWorld's 320-foot Skytower Tree of Lights will shine nightly from sunset to midnight. This festive tree is strung with 2,022 light bulbs and can be seen by ships 12 miles out to sea.
Information: 800-380-3203 or www.seaworld.com
Date: 12/12 & 12/19
Large yachts to sailboats will illuminate the bay with festive lights and decorations for this spectacular boat parade. Crews dressed in holiday costumes and yuletide tunes will add to the merriment. The parade route follows the curve of San Diego Bay, passing by Shelter Island, Harbor Island, the Embarcadero, Seaport Village and ending near the Coronado Ferry Landing. Landlubbers can catch the action from the north and south ends of the Embarcadero, the pathway along Coronado, Harbor Island and the park behind Seaport Village.
Parade: 5:30-9:00pm; fireworks begin at 5:30pm
Information: 619-224-2240 or www.sdparadeoflights.org
Date: 12/10-12, 16-23 & 26-30
Take a stroll through the Gardens and experience the radiance of more than 90,000 sparkling lights illuminating plants and trees. Enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides through garden paths, marshmallow roasting, a visit with Santa, crafts for all ages. and a wonderful collection of Nutcrackers on view in the Children's Activity Building. On December 11, a live reindeer will make a special appearance with Santa. La Posada Theme Night is December 18, complete with Mariachi Band & Mexican food.
Hours: 5- 9pm
Admission: $6, non-members; children 3-12, $2; free for 2 & under. Additional fees apply to some activities
Information: 760-436-3036 x206 or www.qbgardens.org
Date: 12/10 - 12/23 & 12/26 - 12/30
Celebrate the holiday season amidst the radiance of more than
100,000 lights featuring a 52-foot lighted train, 9-foot-tall
nutcrackers, 6-foot-tall toy soldiers, an animated horse
and buggy, a giant teddy bear, a cart-wheeling gingerbread man,
and more! Holiday crafts, activities, carolers, choirs, storytellers,
dancers, nighttime rides on Wgasa Bush Line, visits with
Santa (thru 12/23), and a slide down Snow Hill will add to the fun.
Hours: gates open 9am-8pm; Festival of Light activities 4-9pm
Information: 760-796-5615 or www.sandiegozoo.org
Date: 12/11/04
Watch over 100 festively decorated boats as they cast off from Quivira Basin, holiday tunes resounding from their decks.
The parade will follow a five-mile route along the shoreline of
Mission Bay and end at SeaWorld with the lighting of the Skytower
Tree of Lights and a fireworks display at 9pm. Shamu (the costumed
character) will spread Christmas cheer from the San Diego fire boat,
"Trident." Best bets for viewing are Ski Beach on East Vacation Isle, Rivera Dr., Crown Point Dr., and the western side of Fiesta Island.
Parade: 7pm
Information: 858-488-0501
Best Western Stratford Inn of Del Mar - Rates starting from $75.00 based on availability
Lake San Marcos Resort - Rates starting from $83.00 based on availability
Holiday Inn Express Old Town - Rates starting from $89.00 based on availability
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina - Rates starting from $99.00 based on availability
Grand Pacific Palisades Resort & Hotel - Rates starting from $100.00 based on availability
Paradise Point Resort & Spa - Rates starting from $159.00 based on availability
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa Spoil Your Senses Package - Rates starting from $569.00 based on availability
Parking will be limited in and around the bay during the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation such as the trolley. Trolley stations with parking lots that provide convenient service to the North Embarcadero area include Fashion Valley, Old Town and America Plaza. For more information, call 800-COMMUTE or visit www.sdcommute.com. Another alternative is to park downtown and take advantage of San Diego Pedicab service to the Embarcadero.
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