Get in the Holiday Spirit in San Diego with these Family-Friendly Winter Activities

Songs about having a "White Christmas" and the weather outside being "frightful" may not conjure up images of San Diego, where the average high temperature in December is 66.3 degrees. Occasionally, it rains, but the sun is out over seventy percent of the time.

You might be wondering, in a place where sun and surf are holiday traditions, how can you give your children a holiday experience like the kind found in traditional Christmas songs? Here are a few suggestions.

Ice Skate Next to the Pacific Ocean in Coronado
The Hotel Del Coronado's holiday theme this year is "The Sweetest Season", so it will be decorated with peppermints, sugar plums, and other holiday treats. Not only that, but for the sixth year in a row the Windsor Lawn will be transformed into an ice skating rink, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The 100,000 twinkling lights covering the hotel and rink won't be the brightest thing around though, since a portion of the proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego. November 24 - December 17, Daily: 2pm - 5pm & 6pm - 9pm. Matinee Saturday & Sunday: 11am - 1pm
December 18 - January 2, Daily: 11am - 1pm (matinee), 2pm - 5pm & 6pm - 9pm
2-hour Matinee sessions are $15 for adults, and $10 for kids (10 and under), and regular 3-hour sessions are $20for adults and $15 for kids. Skate rentals are $5.
Location: 1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado. Call 1-800-468-3533 for more information.

See Some Snow... and Shop
What better thing to brighten up the mood while holiday shopping than a little snow? Two shopping centers in Chula Vista are going to be having some of the white fluffy stuff, the Otay Ranch Town Center and the Village Walk at Eastlake.
Otay Ranch Town Center
November 20 - December 24, Monday - Saturday at 5pm and 7pm & Sunday at 4pm and 6pm
Location: 2015 Birch Road, Suite 500, Chula Vista
Eastlake Village Walk
December 1-24, Nightly at 6pm and 7pm
Location: 878 Eastlake Parkway, Chula Vista

Hop on the North Pole LimitedGet the kids in their pajamas, and hop on the North Pole Limited leaving from Campo, and headed for Santa's Workshop. Santa's elves will be along for the ride, which includes the reading of a famous train Christmas Story, hot chocolate, and cookies. Santa boards the train for the return trip, and visits with children (of all ages).
November 26^th-December 18^th, Fridays and Saturdays at 5pm, and Saturdays at 7pm. Tickets vary in price from $30-$45 for adults, and $20-$35 for children 12 and under. Free for children under two years old.
Location:Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, Campo Depot, State Highway 94 & Forrest Gate Road, Campo. Call (619) 478-9937 on weekends and 619-465-7776 on weekdays for more information. (Please note, according to their website, Mapquest gives the best directions).

Sources used in this article:
National Weather Service
Hotel Del Coronado
Otay Ranch Town Center
Village Walk at Eastlake
Pacific Southwest Railway Museum