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Holiday Lights Around Town
 Holiday Lights Around Town
Date: 11/24/05 - 1/3/06
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 Hotel del Coronado, the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, or SeaWorld.
Other San Diego Holiday Highlights:
Balboa Park December Nights presented by Barona,
San Diego Restaurant Week,
Pacific Life Holiday Bowl Game & Parade
11/24/05 -1/1/06
Drive through the renowned Del Mar Racetrack for the largest and most dazzling display of seasonal festival lights in San Diego. See more than 350 crowd-pleasing, family-oriented displays including Candy Cane Lane, Toyland, the Twelve Days of Christmas, and Elves at Play.
Hours: Sun - Thurs, 5:30 - 10pm; Fri & Sat, 5:30 - 11pm. Admission: $12, vehicles up to 5 people; $17, vehicles with 6 or more people
Information & tickets: 858-755-1161 or www.sdfair.com
11/24-11/26/05 & 11/30/05 - 1/3/06
Don't miss the 50,000 dazzling lights that annually adorn the the historic Hotel del Coronado. In addition, 10,000 lights will illuminate the Ocean Towers and California Cabanas. A special event for the whole family will take place November 30 and include St. Nick and his elves at Santa's Village, holiday booths with games and prizes, outdoor ice skating on the Del's new beachfront ice rink, and a special holiday fireworks display.
Information: 619-435-6611 or www.hoteldel.com
11/28/05
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 5:15pm. This special LEGO brick tree will also be the centerpiece of the 7th Annual Holiday Block Party celebration (12/17-12/30) when the entire park is transformed into a holiday wonderland complete with nightly fireworks. You'll also be able to build your own snowflakes and pose with a LEGO Santa, his sleigh and two reindeer for a one-of-a kind holiday photo.
Hours: 10am-5pm; closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays. Extended hours (including Tuesday & Wednesday): 12/26 - 12/31, 10am -7pm
Admission: $49.95 Adults, $41.95 Children (3-12) and Seniors
Information: 760-918-LEGO (5346) or www.legoland.com
11/30/05-1/1/06
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.
Hours: Vary by season. Hours are extended during holiday season.
Admission: $50.95 Adults, $40.95 Children (3-9)
Parking: $8.00 (car)
Information: 800-380-3203 or www.seaworld.com
12/9-11, 15-23 & 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, hot mulled wine, a visit with Santa, crafts for all ages, and a wonderful collection of Nutcrackers on view in the Children's Activity Building. La Posada Theme night is December 16, complete with a Mariachi Band & Mexican food.
Hours: 5- 9pm
Admission: $6; children 3-12, $2; free for 2 & under. Additional fees apply to some activities.
Information: 760-436-3036 x206 or www.qbgardens.org
12/9 -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, visits with Santa and a slide down Snow Hill will add to the fun.
Hours: gates open 9am-8pm; Festival of Light activities begin at 4pm
Admission: General admission includes admission and Wgasa Bush Line Railway. Adults $28.50, Children (3-11) $17.50
Information: 760-796-5621 or www.sandiegozoo.org
12/10/05
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
12/11 & 12/18/05
More than 75 boats will illuminate the bay with festive lights and decorations for this spectacular light 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
Inn at Mission Bay SeaWorld San Diego - rates from $59 based on availability
Handlery Hotel & Resort - rates from $89 based on availability
Town and Country Resort & Convention Center - rates from $89 based on availability
Inns of America Suites - rates from $97.17 based on availability
Bahia Resort Hotel - rates from $99 based on availability
Holiday Inn SeaWorld - rates from $99 based on availability
Homewood Suites by Hilton - Del Mar - rates from $109 based on availability
Humphrey's Half Moon Inn & Suites - rates from $109 based on availability
Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside - rates from $112 based on availability
Sommerset Suites Hotel - rates from $119 based on availability
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina - rates from $159 based on availability
Hotel Del Coronado - rates from $170 based on availability
Two outdoor skating rinks will offer a unique Southern California Christmas experience! The whole family will enjoy ice skating overlooking the Pacific ocean on the brand new ice rink at the Hotel del Coronado. Located on the Windsor Lawn, the rink will be open from November 23, 2005 to January 2, 2006. Information: 619-435-6611 or www.hoteldel.com
San Diego's downtown rink, Fantasy on Ice, adjacent to Horton Plaza, offers daily ice
skating. Other events include a special tree lighting and performances by professional
skaters, November 17, 2005 to January 16, 2006. Information: 858-966-5887.
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