By Kevin Smead | SDUN Reporter
A walk through San Diego’s premiere holiday festival, along with a few other December happenings
Sometimes, I can be a Grinch: negative, less than friendly and, at times, downright cynical. It’s a wonder my girlfriend has been able to put up with it for more than a year now. In fact, it was around last year’s December Nights celebration that we began seeing one another. On somewhat of a whim, I invited her to go with me to December Nights. I searched for parking for nearly an hour and eventually ended up throwing in the towel and parking near the Hillcrest Whole Foods a mile and a half away.
Upon arriving at the park proper, we were greeted with massive crowds and an overwhelming sense of, well, being overwhelmed. Thankfully, somewhere between then and now my heart grew three sizes and she’s stuck with me. So, with memories of last year being once again brought up, I decided to approach this year’s December Nights with somewhat of a plan.
First, I had to determine where I would attempt to park. Sure, the event offers more than ample shuttle service from several spots around town, but I was determined. Hubristic? Maybe. In the end, my plan of parking on a side street off of Park Blvd. worked out, as I scored a spot on Essex Street, right across from Heat Bar and Kitchen. Sure, we still had to walk a few blocks, but nowhere near a mile and a half.
Second, we had to plan exactly what we wanted to see and do, allowing some space for potential goofing off in between. Now, this sounds like a bit of work — which it is — for something that’s supposed to be relaxing and fun. In reality, though, this year ended up being far more relaxing than last because of our pre-planned route. The Skyfari at the zoo was a must, so we made sure to do that first. It was certainly a contender for the best $4 I’ve ever spent. Even with the clouds left over from the rain earlier in the day, the festively adorned San Diego skyline seen from on high was beautiful.
The Artist’s Village always yields interesting finds, and I love exploring people’s work that I might not have noticed otherwise. The real highlight of that section of the park, however, is the man who sells and plays didgeridoos. There’s something hypnotic about the sound and delightfully odd about peddling an indigenous Australian instrument at a holiday gathering. We also made it a point to of course visit the Organ Pavilion and see the beautiful, illuminated tree, complete with carolers. Despite my occasional humbug tendencies, it’s a sight that always gives me that warm, fuzzy, insert-holiday-of-your-choice-here feeling.
The real key to having a great December Nights, though, is to be realistic about your experience. With around 275,000 attendees across two days, crowds, lines and general chaos are always factors, despite the event being well organized. We didn’t make it to the museums, which were free from 5 to 9 p.m., and the International Sprits Garden had just a few too many patrons engaging in some serious holiday cheer. That’s okay, though. The international houses are mainstay and with the park’s new all-inclusive museum pass, looking at dinosaur bones or internationally renowned works of art has never been easier. I can do either of those things year round.
When taking into account the countless number of food stands, vendor booths and multiple stages with a wide range of entertainment, two days doesn’t seem like enough. When it all comes down to it, I really came for the Christmas spirit and my stocking got stuffed with exactly what I was hoping for.
Did you miss December Nights, but still want to get out and into the holiday spirit? There are still plenty of ways to tinsel your tree!
Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo
A few times a year, the Zoo stays open a bit later, giving animal lovers a chance to see their favorite creatures get wild when the sun goes down. With hours running from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., you can wait in line to see the pandas and still have plenty of time to see all the other animals too. Plus, the zoo is even more fun when it’s festive, and a number of holiday-themed attractions and events such as a nightly tree lighting will see to it that this is the case. Really, though: capuchins after dark? Sign me up. For the full list of events, check out sandiegozoo.org/junglebells.
Garden of Lights at the San Diego Botanic Garden
There are plenty of neighborhoods that put on excellent light displays, but it’s hard to top the plants at the San Diego Botanic Garden. The garden boasts an impressive light show that incorporates the wonders of the natural world to create a different, more low-key sort of holiday vibe. With the inclusion live music, mulled wine, food, Santa and snow, you’ll surely have a very merry time. More information regarding the event, including ticket prices and a lineup of live music, can be found at sdbgarden.org/lights.htm.
Ice Skating at the Hotel Del Coronado
Oh, San Diego. Only here can you full-on ice skate on the beach. For a few weeks out of the year, the Windsor Lawn at the Hotel Del Coronado becomes an ice skating rink. For those wishing to fulfill their winter wonderland fantasies, it might be a bit difficult seeing as how you can see the ocean and the rink is surrounded by palm trees. However, this is pretty much a one-of-a-kind opportunity, and not to mention a really cool one at that. For the full list of dates and times the rink is open, as well as session prices, skate on over to hoteldel.com/holidays.aspx.
