By Mario Cortez
The madness of the long waits for holiday shopping are behind us now. The stress of decorating and cleaning up for guests is in the past. The long process of cooking last night’s Nochebuena dinner is over and now only the leftovers remain for the next days. Today it’s Christmas and you might ask yourself: “what should I do today?” Maybe you would like to spend time with your kids or go out with your partner for a day under the sun.
Well as it turns out, there is a lot to do in San Diego for you and your family on this Christmas.
If you haven’t visited the Hotel Del Coronado, today’s a great day to go check it out. Inside the Del’s garden you’ll find a giant Christmas tree. The lighting of this tree is a tradition on Coronado Island that dates back to 1904 when the Hotel lit the very first public Christmas tree in the United States.
Inside the facilities of the emblematic hotel and historical landmark you will also find a seaside open-air ice skating rink. From this rink you can appreciate the sunset over the pacific and the elegance of the Hotel Del Coronado’s towers and ballrooms emphasized by the lights that ornament them this time of the year.
If you live inland and are looking for an option to go ice skating outdoors, you can visit the ice rink at the Viejas Outlet mall in front of Viejas Casino in Alpine. This is the largest ice skating rink in southern California and features the mountains of East County as a background as well as the richly decorated lawns that surround this attraction.
A white Christmas is not a typical postcard from San Diego. However, in the eastern communities nested in the mountains, snow sometimes arrives just in time for Christmas and the New Year.
Mount Laguna is the best option for hiking or playing in the snow in San Diego County. This mountain. This mountain is one of the highest elevated points in San Diego county at 6,000 feet over sea level and receives a snow cover that is good enough to sled down or hike through trails.
Palomar Mountain also sees a good amount of snow during winter time. Here you can appreciate cedar and pine trees along its roads which add an alpine touch to the scenery of this place. At 5,000 feet above sea level, this site sees snow but doesn’t suffer from the severe wind chills and mountain winds from higher elevations.
You can also find the Palomar Observatory on Palomar Mountain. This observatory serves as a research center and offers both tours and classes to the public. Although the observatory will be closed Christmas day, it will be open every day starting on the 26th of this month.
This December snow in Julian has been in short supply. However, one can still travel up to taste the town’s traditional hot apple cider and its ever popular apple pie that have brought a claim to fame to the small mountain town in East County. You can also walk down the charming main street of this mining town founded in 1870 during the second wave of the California gold rush. Julian is an hour east of San Diego on highway 78 and is also a good stopping point if you are returning from one of the previously mentioned destinations.
If you are thinking of visiting the snow attractions here in San Diego, please take precautions such as driving at the speed limit, obeying traffic signals and equipping snow chains in case they are mandatory on the road.
Closer to San Diego, you can observe the yearly migration of the humpback whales from the cliffs on Point Loma. These marine mammals travel in great numbers from Alaska to the Sea of Cortez every year, and swim relatively close to our local shores. From Cabrillo National Monument you can enjoy this view as well as a panoramic view of Downtown San Diego and its surrounding areas.
These are just a few suggestions for you if you wish to enjoy Christmas outdoors. But with so much to see and do in our city, surely you already have something going on today.