New Years for the Family in Santa Monica

New Year's Eve in Santa Monica this year will be filled with fun and memorable things to do with the whole family. There are great events planned for families who might not want to participate in some of the more adult celebrations associated with New Year's Eve. Let's look at some of the events Santa Monica has planned and some ways you might structure a terrific day with the kids!

Why not start out the day with some ice-skating in Santa Monica? That's right, Santa Monica is sporting its own 8000 sq. foot, ICE at Santa Monica, skating rink. It's just a few minutes walk from the Promenade and Santa Monica Pier and offers fun for the whole family. Admission is only 10 dollars, including skate rental, and there is even a smaller, 800 sq. foot rink for the little ones. There is something to be said about ice-skating in a t-shirt under the warm California sun!

After a cool skate on the ice, you can take some time with your family and stroll about the Promenade and maybe walk out onto Santa Monica Pier. You can visit the Pier's historic Ferris wheel and you're guaranteed to find fishermen plying their trade in the chilly Pacific waters. There's always a festive atmosphere surrounding Santa Monica Pier, even in the final moments of the year.

If you aren't tempted to stop at one of the many, terrific dining establishments offered on the Promenade and the Pier, it may be time to head to your home base to clean up for dinner with your family. Or maybe dinner and a show. This year, the Santa Monica Playhouse is hosting "50 New Year's Eves", with 50 year's worth of some of the best the Playhouse has had to offer. The show includes a buffet dinner and everything you would expect of a New Year's celebration. Even better, there is a 6:30 show for families who might not want to be out to the wee hours, and it offers the same goodies as the 9:30 show. Tickets are very reasonable too at 39.50 for adults and 25 for children under 12. You can find out more and make reservations by visiting their website here-

Santa Monica Playhouse

Should you choose to carry on the evening after visiting the playhouse, maybe you will decide to round out the night by watching the beachside fireworks scheduled to start at 30 seconds before midnight down at Marina Del Rey. For best viewing, you can't beat the Marina itself, but expect it to get crowded as midnight draws nigh. You can do nearly as well by finding a place on the beach towards the south end of the Santa Monica beach and the north end of Venice Beach. Just be sure to dress warm if you're going to watch the fireworks on the beach. That Pacific air is COLD this time of year!

All in all, New Year's Eve in Santa Monica is a wonderful time to take your family and yourself out for a fantastic day and night that you and your family will treasure for years to come.

Source: Santa Monica Playhouse

http://SantaMonicaPlayhouse.com

Source: SantaMonica.com

http://www.santamonica.com/events-calendar/