Wondering what’s open on Christmas Day in San Diego? Turns out, there are 10 fun things to do on this special day
San Diegans have ample opportunity to soak up the sunshine and partake in family-friendly fun things to do year-round —and, lucky for us, Christmas Day is no exception. So after the gifts have been ripped open, the last drip of the best hot chocolate drunk, and the last seasonal treat is scoffed down, head out and expend some festive energy around town. If you’re wondering what’s open on Christmas Day, turns out, there are plenty of merry activities to make December 25th the most wonderful day of the year. From harbor tours and top-notch museums to dazzling lights and ice skating, some of our favorite things to do in San Diego are open on Christmas Day. PS: Check out our winter bucket list for more ways to make the most of your holiday break.
Treat your family to a day on the ice at Hotel del Coronado's famous beachfront ice rink. Dust off your winter hat and mittens for a spin with the most stunning views of the Pacific. Enhance your experience by reserving a rink-side or ocean-side Frostbite Lounge with plush seating, roaring fire pits, holiday-themed libations, and delectable bites. The resort is one of the most festive spots in San Diego to spend the holidays and also serves a Christmas Day Feast or brunch.
If you want to calm the crazy gift-opening energy, then drive out to the Cabrillo National Monument for serene sights and tide-pooling fun. The drive itself has beautiful ocean and city views. Spot sea urchins and starfish at the tide pools (turn right after you enter the ranger station and go all the way down towards the ocean).
Insider Tip: The next California King Tides (the lowest and highest tides of the year) will be December 23-24, 2022 and January 21-22, 2023. This is when you can explore the coastline during the lowest tide of the year—exposing sea life that is normally hidden. And even if you miss these dates, winter is still the best time to go tidepooling and see all the sealife and animals living on our coastline.
Seaport Village is fun for the whole family. Here you’ll find interesting local shops where your little elves can scope out some treasures. Plus, who doesn’t love a walk by the seaside and patio dining near the ocean? Specific tenant hours will vary but in general, Seaport Village is expected to be open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Be a tourist for the day and take a boat tour of the bay. This is the perfect way to spend the holiday with out-of-town visitors, especially if grandma or grandpa would prefer more of a "sitting" activity, while still seeing the sights and spending time with the family. Reserve a Christmas Day brunch (kids 3 and under are free) or dinner cruise, or just hop on for an hour-long sightseeing cruise that includes whale-watching cruises this month too.
Balboa Park is open 24 hours a day to walk around and you’ll even find some museums are open too! Enjoy the free open-air gardens and beautiful architecture. There are often food vendors and street performers (they may not be here on Christmas Day). The carousel and mini-train ($3 each) are open on holidays too; you’ll find them at the end of Spanish Village.
Find peace and tranquility in these beautifully landscaped gardens. There’s a smooth flat trail that meanders from the top down into the bottom of the ravine so it’s perfect for strollers, walkers, and wheelchairs. You’ll pass bamboo water fountains, koi fish pond, Japanese sculptures, bonsai trees as you go over arched bridges and jump across the stepping stones. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with the last admission at 3 p.m. and good to know—kids 6 and under are free.
What better day than Christmas to avoid the crowds and check out one of San Diego's top museums—the Fleet Science Center? Open 365 days a year, it's open on Christmas Day from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Their hands-on science exhibits will amaze any age (push buttons are self-sanitizing after every push!), check out their new DigitalMe and Automata exhibits and kids 5 and under will love playing in Kid City.
They just upgraded their IMAX dome screen to a laser projection; which means they’re now showing Blockbuster movies on their IMAX! On Christmas Day you can even watch the new release of Spider-Man: No Way Home (buy tickets early). You can always watch their beautiful short wildlife films; which are perfect kid-length shows, that are narrated by top actors like Morgan Freeman and Ryan Reynolds (currently Into America’s Wild, Great Bear Rainforest & Turtle Odyssey). They even have popcorn, snacks, and drinks.
Insider Tip: For any guests with difficulty walking, you should consider taking one of the guided bus tours, where you can sit down and still see a lot of animals.
Spend some family time at SeaWorld this holiday during their Christmas Celebration. All of their fun and educational animal shows have a really cute holiday twist to them. Watch their new Santa’s Cirque or Elmo’s Christmas Wish shows, head to Santa’s Cottage for Santa photos, dance through the light tunnel with synchronized music and catch their fireworks show 10 minutes before park closing.
Insider Tip: Plan your day around which shows you don’t want to miss
May your holidays be awesome when you visit LEGOLAND California on Christmas Day. Take photos with a life-size LEGO Santa on his sleigh, see the LEGO Tree decorated with over 400 LEGO ornaments with a “snow” fall as the lights dance to holiday music at the Light Show. There’ll be live music, festive food and of course the 60+ rides, shows and other attractions that LEGOLAND is known for.
Is it possible to ever get your fill of donuts? We don’t think so, which is why we’re so excited for Confetti Cakes’ brand-new cake kit that launched in honor of National Donut Day. An adorable way to bond with your kids in the kitchen, we might love this new donut cake kit even more than the original conversation heart, if that’s even possible! Find out more about the kit and where to order below.
Founder Elisa Strauss, the pastry chef behind Confetti Cakes, has been making cakes for over 20 years and is the author of two cookbooks, but the cake kits are a new venture in 2021. Elisa says, “Creating a baking kit has been a dream of mine for over a decade! I love teaching, and I want people to feel that they can create amazing cakes at home. Also, being a mom of 3 young kids, I see how wonderful it is to have a fun project, especially around sweets. The most important thing in childhood is to make memories. I hope I am helping people to do that whether they are 6 yrs or 106!”
The kit includes almost everything you need to make three mini cakes that you can decorate to look exactly like glazed donuts: vanilla or chocolate cake mix, buttercream frosting mix, stencils, cake molds, tons of fondant (there are more colors in this kit!) and more. You just need to provide the eggs, milk, oil and butter! There is even a tutorial video available on Confetti Cake's YouTube page.
Actress, mom and media mogul Drew Barrymore just celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in a very special way. Barrymore debuted the St. Paddy’s Day-esque sage green appliances from her new line, Beautiful Kitchenware!
Barrymore’s new kitchen collection is a collab with Made By Gather founder and CEO Shae Hong. The line includes a range of small appliances that creatively combine form and function.
Why did Barrymore and partner Hong, venture into the kitchenware world? According to Beautiful’s website, “Our vision was to create kitchenware that combines high performance with premium design. We always wondered why most kitchen appliances are black or stainless steel. Why not make elegant objects that look good on your kitchen counter?”
The pair partnered with top kitchenware/appliance designers to create a modern line of small appliances that come with touchscreen technology and more. Products include everything from a touchscreen air fryer and programmable coffee maker to a high-performance blender, electric kettle,and toaster oven. Beautiful Kitchen’s sage green line is available right now at Walmart.com. Additional colors will debut on Walmart.com on Mar. 29. Look for the rest of the collection online and in Walmart stores this April.
Award-winning actor Idris Elba just took on a new role—and it’s not for a movie. Elba recently signed a global multi-book deal to publish a range of children’s books with HarperCollins.
Elba’s new venture into the world of kid lit will include picture and fiction books, featuring characters and worlds the actor and writing partner Robyn Charteris developed.
Photo courtesy: Maarten de Boer / Contour by Getty Images
The writer/actor said, in a press release, “I feel privileged to have the opportunity to bring stories inspired by my daughter to life with my incredible partner Robyn Charteris, and the powerhouse team at HarperCollins.”
President and Publisher HCCB US, Suzanne Murphy, said of the partnership, “Idris Elba is a creative force, who has many wonderful stories to tell. We are honored to be working with him and with Robyn Charteris to bring Idris’s rich and imaginative storytelling to the world of children’s books, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the HarperCollins family.”
Elba’s new line of children’s books for HarperCollins will launch in 2022.
In a year unlike any other Kelley Blue Book is giving consumers an exciting new way to experience the 2021 Best Buy Awards with the launch of KBB.com HQ, a fully immersive virtual island created within the popular video game Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Players who visit the island can snap share-worthy photos, grab cool merchandise from the shop and participate in games and activities like virtually fishing in the ocean and rivers. As players fish out items to keep the water clean, Kelley Blue Book will donate up to $10,000 to American Rivers to help preserve rivers across the country.
“Car buying is meant to be an enjoyable experience, and what better way to celebrate the 2021 Best Buy Awards than through engaging with consumers in a way we’ve never done before with an activity that’s not only fun, but has also been a small escape from everything going on during 2020,” said Greta Crowley, vice president of marketing for Kelley Blue Book. “Games based on life simulation have surged during this time and we’re excited to venture into the gaming world for the 2021 Best Buy Awards. For those on the hunt for their next vehicle, we’ve designed the Best Buy Awards to instill confidence in the car shopping journey and help buyers narrow down their consideration set by defining the best of the best, so there is sure to be a car for everyone.”
Players can visit KBB.com HQ in Animal Crossing: New Horizons for a limited time, Dec. 8 through Dec. 17 from 3 p.m. to 12 p.m. ET.
The island will be accessible only through a unique Dodo code that players can receive after emailing KBBAnimalCrossing@coxautoinc.com.
Kids and teens have more access to the internet than ever before. Mobile devices have kids logging on without parental supervision. The internet experts at USDish.com, an authorized retailer of Dish Network, compiled the best online safety tips for parents and guardians.
According to the Pew Research Center’s 2018 report on Teens, Social Media & Technology, 95% of American teens ages 13 through 17 have a smartphone or have access to one. With so many social media platforms to choose from including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok it’s no surprise that about 90% of those surveyed say that they are online for a large part of the day.
Add in worries about the risks of sharing on the internet and cyberbullying, teens have a lot on their plates when they venture online. By starting the conversation early you can empower your child with the tools they need to protect themselves online.
Share what you learn through this guide with your teen and teach them how to consume online entertainment safely and responsibly.
Playing video games is a great way to pass the time. Verizon expanded its free gaming options yesterday for customers through the More at Home…On Us program! Since March, gaming has increased as much as 75% on Verizon networks.
More at Home on Us is a program offering customers access to premium TV channels and new learning tools at no additional cost. Now, they are offering customers more entertaining ways to virtually connect and redeem offers to receive the following:
Pokémon GO: Since it recently updated its format to support players who can’t venture outside, players get a Premium Battle Pass, 65 PokéBalls and 2 Incense to aid in catching Pokémon and connect with other players from the comfort of home.
Roblox: On the global platform where millions gather daily, players get 500 Robux to upgrade their avatar or access special in-game abilities while they explore immersive, user-generated 3D worlds with their friends.
Sago Mini World: Parents can offer younger children access to hundreds of activities designed to help preschoolers develop creativity and other skills through guided play. Verizon customers can sign-up to get access to 35+ fun apps on the platform for 60 days on us.
Customers who sign-up for Verizon 5G Home service can separately get Google Stadia Premiere Edition, as available, including a Stadia Controller, a Google Chromecast Ultra and 3 months of Stadia Pro on Us. More details at verizon.com/5g/home.
Many of us are well into our second month of social distancing. We have done our best to make a schedule for our children and to stick with it, and yet we still struggle with filling the day. It reminds me of the old adage about parenting, “the days are long, the years are short”… during the time of COVID-19, even the hours are long!
So what do you do when cabin fever sets in? One suggestion that doesn’t involve the car, a screen, or even special toys or equipment for when you don’t have something planned, or just need a break from the schedule is very simple: Take a walk!
It involves observation and conversation, two activities that engage children in what they do best. And this simple activity can enrich our lives in ways that a trip to the latest commercial fun zone cannot.
There will be clues about the season (even most cityscapes have some plant material present), a discussion about the weather (walks can happen rain or shine) and any changes observed since the last stroll through the neighborhood, or in our case, the local woods.
There may be sightings of furry or feathered friends, and there are always sounds to comment on like sirens, construction or demolition noises, busses, and trucks that roll by. Whether you take the same route each time you venture out or take a new turn, there are lots of things to see and hear and talk about. When retracing steps from the last walk, kids love to anticipate and guess what’s around the corner. Knowing what’s next gives young children confidence.
Children are endlessly curious and love to share their observations about the world around them. They relish the opportunity to comment on what they see and are beginning to understand. And you should never underestimate the message that you send to your child when you just listen to what they have to say.
Letting your child tell you about what they see around them shows them that they matter and that you appreciate their opinions. Do they like the new color the neighbor is painting their garage? Do they have a favorite flower along the way? What birdsong do they think is the prettiest. And be sure to share what you notice and appreciate as well.
These conversations, like all shared experiences, create connections.
The old cliche about the importance of the journey and not the destination can be especially true in these times. Sometimes, making the time and space for children to express themselves in a calm and relaxed setting is the most significant activity we can include in their schedule.
I am a parent and grandparent with over four decades of experience in early childhood education. I share my passion, wisdom and experience, with parents and the people who care for and about children at Little Folks Big Questions, where we're out to answer the questions parents face in today's world.
Bring together your love of coffee and Hostess with this epic mashup. Following the widely successful launch of Hostess snack cake-flavored coffees, cappuccinos and hot cocoas, Trilliant Food & Nutrition announced they are expanding their partnership with the launch of Hostess inspired Ready-To-Drink Flavored Iced Lattes. It doesn’t matter which cake you like best, now you can enjoy a latte that makes your morning coffee taste like dessert.
Whether you like Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Honey Bun or Sno Balls, this iced beverage has you covered. Twinkies Iced Latte pairs the taste of coffee with vanilla creme and Ding Dongs Iced Latte adds a splash of chocolate and vanilla to your drink. Honey Bun Iced Latte has a distinctive honey flavor while Sno Balls Iced Latte tastes like chocolate cake and coconut.
“We’re proud to announce our next venture with one of the most loved American brands”, said Christoph Zickler, Marketing Vice President for Trilliant. “We’re bringing innovation to the Ready-to-Drink category with these iconic Hostess flavors. They’re the perfect, sweet-treat pick-me-up for any time of day.”
Hostess Ready-To-Drink Flavored Iced Lattes will soon be available at retailers nationwide.
Forget about standing in long lines or getting up extra-early to drive an hour to the mall. This year LEGOLAND Florida’s Black Friday deals offer the park’s biggest savings of the year—and you can score deep discounts for seven days.
Save at least 50 percent on vaycay packages and annual passes from Wednesday, Nov. 27 through Monday, Dec. 3, 2019 online at legoland.com.
photo: Edward Linsmier for LEGOLAND Florida Resort
This year’s deals include 50 percent savings on vacation packages at LEGOLAND Pirate island Hotel, LEGOLAND Hotel or LEGOLAND Beach Retreat. Black Friday packages start at $58 per person per day (plus tax) for stays between Jan. 5 and Jun. 30, 2020 and include a one-night stay plus a two-day theme park and water park combo pass for each member of your family/party. Available stays exclude nights from Apr. 4 through Apr. 11 and May 22 through May 24, 2020. Along with the park tickets, hotel guests who purchase this special package will also get free breakfast with each paid night, free parking and an exclusive LEGOLAND holiday gift set.
If you’d prefer an annual past, you can also score more than 50 percent off the Awesomest Annual Pass. Get the 12-month unlimited admission pass for $99 (regularly priced $209.99) during the seven-day sale. Not only will you get a years’ worth of admission to the theme and water parks, but you’ll also get free admission to all seasonal events during the “Year of the Pirate,” exclusive hotel savings and free standard parking. If you decide to venture away from LEGOLAND Florida, you cal also visit Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE Aquariums, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, the San Francisco Dungeon, LEGOLAND California and LEGOLAND New York (opening in 2020).
LEGOLAND Florida’s Seven Days of Black Friday Deals starts at midnight on Nov. 27, 2019. Visit the theme park’s website here for more information.