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Holiday Happenings Around San Diego

 Holiday Happenings Around San Diego

Every year here at the Sofia Hotel—one of the best-loved San Diego hotels—we have the pleasure of hosting guests on holiday vacations in America’s Greatest City, which just so happens to be a wonderful (and warm) place to celebrate this time of year.

In case you’re able to join us during this Yuletide/New Year’s stretch—and we hope you can!—here are just some of the festivities going on around town that you might consider taking in.

Multiple Nutcrackers

For many, it’s simply not the Christmas season without attending a performance of Tchaikovsky’s whimsical ballet, and you’ve got multiple productions to choose from during your San Diego holiday getaway: by the California Ballet at the San Diego Civic Theatre (Dec. 21 through 23); the 25th Anniversary Tour of the Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker at the Jacobs Music Center (two performances on Dec. 21); by City Ballet of San Diego at the Spreckels Theatre (through Dec. 24); and, after the New Year, Culture Shock San Diego’s outside-the-box version (Jan. 1 through 7).

San Diego Symphony: Noel Noel

On December 22 and 23, the San Diego Symphony presents a heartwarming slew of classic holiday tunes (including some sing-along caroling) at the Jacobs Music Center.

A Christmas Carol at Cygnet Theatre

Indulge in another defining holiday tradition by attending Sean Murray’s Cygnet Theatre adaptation of the Charles Dickens story (through Dec. 24), which of course sees old Ebenezer Scrooge reckon with the Christmas spirit through the course of a supernatural night. The crotchety fellow at the center of the action is played once again by Tom Stephenson.

Holiday Installations

Festive displays come alive all over San Diego this time of year. To really immerse yourself in holiday magic, swing by the Global Winter Wonderland (through Jan. 7) at SDCCU Stadium , which evokes iconic landmarks around the world in lit-up lantern form, or the celebrated Garden of Lights at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas (through Dec. 23 and then again from Dec. 26 through 30), which features more than 125,000 lights and sundry seasonal activities. At the San Diego Zoo, meanwhile, check out Jungle Bells, spotlighting cold-climate critters in Northern Frontier’s Holiday Forest and treating visitors to caroling, “trampoline elves,” and other delights.

The Holiday Bowl & Parade

On December 28, San Diego goes all out for the Holiday Bowl, which’ll see the Washington State Cougars square off against the Michigan State Spartans on the SDCCU Stadium gridiron. The game itself kicks off (literally!) at 6 PM, but of course before that there’s the Holiday Bowl Parade: the biggest darn balloon parade in the whole country! The procession—with its giant inflated characters, floats, marching bands, and other pageantry—begins at 10 AM and draws more than 10,000 spectators; streetside viewing is free.

Holiday Movies on the Beach

Outdoor movies in December? Sure—in San Diego, anyway! Take in holiday flicks at Coronado Beach at 8 PM on December 23 (A Christmas Story) and December 30 (Cool Runnings).

New Year’s Eve

Some folks like to mark New Year’s Eve with a quiet gourmet dinner; some like to party till the sun comes up; some always intend to stay awake for the midnight toast, but invariably crash early. No matter your preferred method of celebration, the Sofia makes for tiptop New Year’s Eve accommodations—and if you want to go the revelrous route, you’ll find heapfuls of merry bars and clubs in the Gaslamp Quarter.

We’d love to see you this magical season here at one of the most historic and happening San Diego hotels, but no matter what your plans are, the whole Sofia crew wishes you a very happy holidays!

Source: Check In San Diego