Christmas Activities Your Family
Will Treasure
Tis the Season for Special Attractions
Are you ready to bring in the holidays with some fun Christmas activities? Make plans now to include a few of these annual holiday activities in your calendar. You and your kids will be glad you did!
Holiday of Lights at the Del Mar Fairgrounds
Dates: Thanksgiving night through January 3
Cost: $14.00 per car, up to 5 people per car
Phone: 858-793-5555
Discount tickets for $12 at Albertsons/Sav-on stores
You’re invited to drive your car around the infield racetrack to view more than 350 dazzling holiday light displays at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Christmas activities like this one will become a fun holiday tradition!
Visit www.holidayoflights.com for more information.
SeaWorld Christmas Events
SeaWorld’s Holiday Celebration transforms the park to a special nighttime wonderland. Enjoy these seasonal Christmas activities with Shamu’s Holiday Night show, strolling carolers, holiday animals and surprises around every corner.
Dates: November 27-29, Weekends December 5-13, Daily December 19-31
Breakfast with Shamu and Santa
Two seatings for breakfast at 8:30 am and 10:30 am. Gates open at 8:15 am for first seating.
Cost: $16-$26 plus park admission.
Join Santa for a special holiday Breakfast With Shamu! The buffet includes breakfast favorites such as French toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, fruit, coffee, juice, and more.
Advance reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 800-25-SHAMU (74268).
Balboa Park December Nights
Dates: Friday, December 4 from 5:00-10:00 pm
Saturday, December 5 from noon to 10:00 pm
Cost: Free
Contact phone: 619-239-0512
This celebration of the Christmas season is the largest free community festival in San Diego, featuring Christmas activities, food and crafts from around the world, plus music and events at participating museums.
More than 300,000 are expected to attend over the weekend, so be ready to maneuver in the crowds with your kids.
In the spirit of the holidays, participating Balboa Park museums open their doors free of charge from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. both evenings.
Balboa Park Poinsettia Display
Dates: December 3 through January 6
Where: Botanical Building which is free to the public on Friday through Wednesday from 10:00 am to 4 pm. It’s closed Thursdays and holidays.
More than 500 magnificent poinsettia plants turn Balboa Park’s historic wooden Botanical Building into a glowing tribute to the holidays. The seasonal display, offered to San Diegans and guests for the twenty-second year, opens at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 5, 2008 at a public dedication on the Botanical Building Lawn. A great Christmas photo opportunity for your family!
La Jolla Christmas Parade and Holiday Festival
Date: December 6, 2009 at 2 pm
www.ljparade.com
Enjoy beautiful La Jolla at this Christmas parade with marching bands and floats plus a festival featuring craft booths, carnival rides, food, games and entertainment.
San Diego Bay Parade of Lights
Dates: Sunday, December 13, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2000
5:30 PM until 9:00 PM both dates in the San Diego Bay
Cost: Viewing is free
Dazzling boat parade of lights on San Diego Bay. Free viewing.
If you plan on viewing the parade from Harbor Island, get there early and be aware that parking is at a premium for these Christmas activities. Another good spot is the park behind Seaport Village.
The parade takes approximately one hour to one and a half hours to pass any given point along the parade route. The approximate arrival time of the parade at various locations are:
Shelter Island (start of parade) - 5:30pm
Harbor Island - 6pm
The Embarcadero - 6:30pm
Seaport Village - 7pm
Ferry Landing on Coronado - 7:30pm
Christmas Activities: Click here for more on the Parade of Lights.
Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade
Date: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 10:00 am
Cost: Free
Location: Downtown San Diego
You don’t have to travel to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC to see enormous balloons of your kids’ favorite characters fill the sky. San Diego has its own Big Bay Balloon Parade to delight your kids!
More photos from the Big Bay Balloon Parade.
Visit with Santa Claus
Do your Christmas activities include snapping a photo with Santa Claus? If so, here are a few places to take your kids:
Fashion Valley
7007 Friars Rd, San Diego, CA
Santa parks outside Macy's from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day
Horton Plaza
324 Horton Pl, San Diego, CA
Find St. Nick on the first floor, not on street level near the ice rink
Seaport Village
879 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA
Surfin Santa arrives on November 28, and poses for pictures!
Parkway Plaza Shopping Center
415 Parkway Plaza, El Cajon, CA
Get in line in the Center Court area for a trip to Santa's lap
Fun Places to See Christmas Lights
Coronado - Cross the Coronado bridge and enter a different world! The residents of this small island do their best to dress Coronado up for the Christmas season! Drive around and look at the brightly lit homes then park near the Hotel Del Coronado and stroll down Orange Ave. Look at the beautiful tree in the Hotel Del’s lobby and enjoy a scoop of ice cream at Moo Town Creamery.
Chula Vista's Candy Cane Lane - Candy Cane Lane is one of the shortest streets in San Diego that carries the most Christmas punch. You can drive through this lit wonderland, or park your car nearby and walk. Either way, you’ll enjoy this generous display of Christmas spirit.
Candy Cane Lane is located on Whitney Street and Mankato, Christmas Circle is between First and Second Avenue, off H St and First Ave.
Downtown San Diego - From the green rings of The Westin on Broadway to the elegant displays at the U.S. Grant and the Westgate, your family will enjoy strolling downtown San Diego to look at lights. Horton Plaza is always decked out for Christmas to bring some extra cheer to your shopping experience.
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