Attractions

Everyone is always looking to find the perfect Christmas lights during the holidays, so I did the work for you and picked my five favorite spots in San Francisco!

Top 5 San Francisco Christmas Lights:

1. Union Square
2. Civic Center Plaza
3. Ghirardelli Square
4. Fisherman’s Wharf
5. San Francisco Skyline

Union Square

Macy's Tree in Union Square

Why not start off with one of the most popular Christmas trees in San Francisco? Tourists and San Franciscans alike come to Union Square to enjoy the present Macy gives to the city every year, an eighty foot Christmas tree. While you are there, grab a cup of hot chocolate from the local coffee spot and take a spin on the ice skating rink!

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San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker, photo courtesy of San Francisco Ballet

The highlight of my daughter’s holiday season last year was a trip to the San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco’s Civic Center neighborhood. A trip to the City is always special during the holidays, but this trip was even more exciting! We dressed in our finest holiday outfits, packed binoculars and enjoyed the magic of the Nutcracker.

War Memorial Opera House is not a huge venue, so even the balcony seats feel close to the action. Tickets are expensive, however, but a worthy splurge. Balcony seats start at $18, with center box at $236 a ticket. Mid-week shows are less expensive, with weekend matinees the most costly.

Be sure to arrive early, you are going to want to enjoy the beautiful Opera House. The Opera House Café, in the lower lobby of the War Memorial Opera House, opens one and a half hours before each evening and Sunday matinee performance.

Another reason to love the San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker? Local children from the San Francisco Ballet School participate in the Nutcracker, and it is always exciting to see names of friends from school in the performance!

San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker runs through December 27, 2009. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit San Francisco Ballet.

Related posts:

Holiday Lights and Events in San Francisco Bay Area
The Holidays and San Francisco = A Perfect Evening
Popular Holiday Events for Families in San Francisco

Olympic Countdown Clock

With less than three months to go before the 2010 Winter Olympics begin in Vancouver, British Columbia, excitement is high in Canada. If you are considering a trip to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games, here are some tips to help you plan your adventure:

Buying Winter Games Tickets:

Check out Tourism Vancouver for information on purchasing event tickets. If you are not Canadian, you will need to purchase event tickets through your country’s National Olympic Committee or official ticket agent – International Ticket Sales.

Accommodations during the Winter Games:

Again, Tourism Vancouver has a great page devoted to information about booking accommodations during the Olympics. Events are held in Vancouver, as well as Whistler, so be sure you know what you would like to see and plan your accommodations accordingly.

Attractions outside the Olympics:

Yes, it is possible, you might go to Vancouver and decide you need a little time away from the games! Rest assured, there are loads of attractions in Vancouver, especially in the winter. Tourism Vancouver offers information on many of the different things to do in Vancouver, including sports, entertainment and cultural attractions.

Related posts:

Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Sutton Place, Family Friendly Hotel in Downtown Vancouver
Exploring Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada

Photo courtesy of Gudrun Enger, Kitchen Gadget Girl Cooks.

Macy's Christmas Tree, photo courtesy of celesteh on Flickr

If you find yourself in Union Square, San Francisco, the day after Thanksgiving, be sure to stick around for the 20th Anniversary of the lighting of the Macy’s Great Tree. An annual tradition, the tree lighting ceremony is quite a worthy attraction in San Francisco. The ceremony begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, November 27, 2009.

An 85-foot Shasta Fir is brought into the middle of Union Square and over 21,000 lights are used to illuminate the tree. The evening event also includes live musical performers and a visit from Santa! You can adopt a light on the tree for $5, with all proceeds benefiting UCSF Children’s Hospital.

The Holiday Ice Rink will be up and ready for skaters, through January 18th. Visit Union Square Ice Rink for more details.

And, be sure to check out the beautifully decorated windows in the Macy’s store at Union Square. Macy’s partners with the San Francisco SPCA and presents the Holiday Pet Adoption windows. Cute and cuddly animals are featured in the windows and are available for adoption. My kids love to sit at the window for hours on end, looking at each animal, explaining to me how great it would be if Santa brought one to our house for Christmas. You have been warned!

Related Posts:

Top 10 Hotels for Holiday Shopping in USA
Holiday Lights and Events in the San Francisco Bay Area
New Delhi Indian Restaurant, San Francisco, California

Photo courtesy of celesteh.

Magnificent Mile Lights Festival

Chicago’s Magnificent Mile Lights Festival began quite humbly 50 years ago, when Saks Fifth Avenue sold its traditional metal Christmas decorations and strung tiny white Italian lights on the branches of the elm trees in front of the store. This year, Mickey Mouse, as master of ceremonies, will lead the illumination of one million lights along North Michigan Avenue during the 18th annual Magnificent Mile Festival of Lights, scheduled for Saturday, November 21st.

The event will kick off at the Harris Stage in Pioneer Court, 401 North Michigan Avenue, with an exciting schedule of live music from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Simultaneously, a series of special events are planned along North Michigan between Wacker Drive and Oak Street. Try your hand at cake decorating at the Eli’s Cheesecake booth or have your photo taken next to the 9-foot high replica of the John Hancock Tower, made entirely from Legos. And don’t forget to stop by the Culinary Pavilion for demonstrations of some of Chicago’s most festive cuisine! Read More »

With its plethora of lovely old restored homes and storefronts, historic Dearborn Street in Englewood, Florida is the site for dozens of special events throughout the year. One of the most popular, the Fine Arts Festival hosted by the Rotary Club of Englewood, features well-known local artists and exhibitors from all over the United States and Canada. Fine art available in all mediums is available, including: sculpture (metal, wood and glass), paintings (watercolor, acrylic, oil and pastel), jewelry (gold, silver, and gemstones), photography, pottery and ceramics, and mixed media.

Fine Arts Festival draws exhibitrs and attndees from all over the country

The theme of this year’s festival, “Colorful Mutton,” is drawn from the work of Captain Jim Roberts, a Florida native who combines his passion as an angler with his background in graphic arts to create sea life designs through Gyotaku, an art created by pressing rice paper onto fish. His “Colorful Mutton” artwork Read More »

San Diego celebrates spooks and spirits this Halloween with a wide variety of activities.  Whether you are seeking tame  fun for a little one or are looking for some  adult Halloween thrills, you can find  it in San Diego.

Here are San Diego attractions offering some serious  fun this Halloween:

Bates Nut Farm

When people think of San Diego they seldom think of scare crow contests, farm animals,  and hay rides.  All this and more awaits visitors to Bates Nut Farm just 45 minutes from Downtown San Diego in Valley Center California.  This pumpkin patch has it all…a general store full of nuts and old fashioned candy, a hay bale maze, a cute skit about how pumpkins grow, and of course tons giant pumpkins.  A visit to Bates Nut Farm is a Halloween tradition for many families in San Diego.  For directions and information about special events visit https://www.batesnutfarm.biz/.

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With eleven country pavilions surrounding World Showcase Lagoon, live music performances, and Disney character appearances, Epcot is fun any time of the year, but the best time to visit this theme park may be during the annual International Food and Wine Festival. For six weeks each fall, guests can sample the world’s tastiest regional foods and drinks at kiosks specially set up for the event.

International Food and Wine Festival at Walt Disney World's Epcot

Between visits to year-round pavilions (Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, Canada) and stops to enjoy live musical performances, visitors eat their way around the world. At more than 25 kiosks, appetizer-sized entrees and desserts are offered for prices ranging from $2.75 to $7.25, with most in the $3-4.50 range. Wines, beers and specialty alcoholic Read More »

Since 1991, the Sarasota Blues Fest in Sarasota, Florida has featured the best blues musicians one day each October. Previous events have drawn big crowds to hear famous names such as Buddy Guy and Gregg Allman. But this year, promoters were worried the economy would keep people home; they knew a big name headliner was needed if the festival was to survive. Many acts were considered, but one name kept popping up – the same band promoters had been trying to book in years past but could never quite nail down. They flew to New York, begged, pleaded and nagged until finally convincing Little Feat to appear at this year’s festival.

Little Feat

Sarasota Blues Fest 2009 is scheduled for October 24th at Ed Smith Stadium, located at 2700 12th Street. Performances begin when the gate opens at 11 a.m., with Fogt’s Jr. Allstars kicking off the program. Other Read More »

State Fair Fun

For many people in the United States, State Fair time is a rite of summer.  From grandstand shows to prize animals and vegetables to food on a stick, there’s something about a state fair that people love.  But of all the fairs that are out there, which is the best?  Well, that may just depend on what you’re looking for.  I offer the following state fair suggestions.  Read More »