I know, I know…We haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving yet…but the spirit of the holidays is just so contagious!!! Especially in San Diego, where we put a sunny twist on “Seasons Greetings.”

Here’s a sneak peek at the holiday events kicking-off in November (click on photos for more info):

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! at the Old Globe Theatre; Nov. 21 – Dec. 27

Skating by the Sea at the Hotel del Coronado; Nov 25 – Dec. 18

Holiday of Lights at the Del Mar Fairgrounds; Nov. 26 – Jan. 3

Surfing Santa at Seaport Village; Nov. 28

Holly Jolly Holidays at LEGOLAND; Nov. 30 – Dec. 31

Tags: del mar, events, holiday, hotel del, legoland, old globe, seaport village, things to do, what to do

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Veterans Day falls on November 11, the anniversary of the Armistice of World War I — not a great battle but an achievement of peace.  Each year, San Diego honors United States veterans with the San Diego County Veterans Day Parade taking place downtown on Pacific Highway beginning at 11:00 A.M.  Everyone is invited to come and see one of San Diego’s most spectacular parades.

After the parade, you can visit the U.S.S. Midway Museum and watch as its newest addition — a restored World War II Corsair fighter plane — is lifted onto the fight deck.  Veterans will receive free admission to the museum and $1 from every ticket sold that day will be donated to the Veterans Village of San Diego.

While you’re there, check out the collection of military memorials along the bay, between the U.S.S. Midway and Seaport Village.

Building on the spirit of the occasion, LEGOLAND California has recreated the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in miniature.  The mini-memorial is situated in the park’s  Miniland, between the mini Lincoln Memorial and the mini Washington Memorial, just like the real thing in Washington, D.C.

Also in honor of Veterans Day, Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego will treat all veterans — active duty, retired, and honorably discharged — to an entertaining and enlightening city sightseeing tour on Wednesday, November 11.  Just bring your valid ID card showing active duty or retirement, or a DD214 (proof of release from the military), to any Old Town Trolley booth for your complimentary boarding pass.

And just so you know, the world-famous San Diego Zoo offers free admission all year round to active duty military personnel (U.S. and foreign) with valid military ID. Spouses and dependents receive 10% discount on the Best Value Admission, which includes bus tour and Skyfari aerial tram.

Here’s to making a happy Veterans Day happen in San Diego!

Tags: free, holiday, legoland, military, sightseeing, tour, zoo

(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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• Shamu and the gang will get into the “spirit” of Halloween with a new, not-too-scary celebration, SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular, featuring festive family fun tonight, tomorrow and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.  SeaWorld’s walrus, sea lion and otter comedy team will star in a Halloween show called Clyde and Seamore’s Trick or Treat, and Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween musical will entertain the littlest guests. Other festive fun will include cookie decorating and photo opportunities with Halloween-costumed characters. 
• LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad is calling all monsters, mermaids, witches, robots and pirates to its Brick-or-Treat Party.  Tomorrow from 5-9 p.m., the family theme park will be a not-too-spooky Halloween haven featuring costume contests, nighttime trick-or-treating on the Brick-or-Treat Trail, live music and entertainment. Little ghosts and goblins can also enjoy activities like building glow-in-the-dark treats, a dance-off with special prizes for the best dancer and the Howler of the Hour contest for young guests who really want to scream. Families can also climb aboard a giant jack-o-lantern that is more than 7 feet wide, made of 22,000 DUPLO bricks and weighs 850 pounds.  
• Tonight at 8 p.m., Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town State Historic Park will kick off a fun, freaky evening with a Beetlejuice movie night under the stars.  Tim Burton’s famous “bio-exorcist” film will be projected on a big outdoor screen, and visitors are invited to bring a warm blanket and enjoy the movie with friends and family.  Admission is free. 
• Tonight and tomorrow Old Town State Historic Park will host hilarious ghost tours through the park at 6:30 and 7 p.m.  Lead by an unfortunately clueless ghost hunter, the tours will highlight plenty of ghosts, many of them real San Diegans who experienced tragic deaths in Old Town during the 1800s.  Tours meet at the Old Town Visitor Center on Twiggs Street, located at the entrance to the park.  Tickets are available at the Visitor Center for $10 or online for $8 plus a service fee. 
• Trick-or-treaters are also invited to visit the park from 4-6:30 p.m. on Saturday to collect goodies from the park’s participating shops and museums where resident shopkeepers are always dressed in period costume.  The haunting evening continues at 8 p.m. with a live story telling of Old Town’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow, occurring in the spooky yard behind the Seeley Stables on Old Town’s main plaza.  Both events are free. 
• From 5-8 p.m. today and Saturday, ghosts, goblins, pirates and princesses will gather at the San Diego Maritime Museum aboard the Star of India for ghostly lantern-led tours of the historic ship and hear eerie legends from the ship’s past. During the tours, costumed docents will share tales of how young John Campbell fell to his death from the rigging, how an Army Captain on the ship slit his throat and more creepy events that occurred aboard the historic vessel.  The museum will also host a carnival 11 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow with games, prizes, food and costume contests for parents and kids of all ages.  Lantern-led tours are included with the general museum admission; admission to the carnival is an additional $5 per person.

Tags: family, Halloween, legoland, maritime museum, old town, seaworld

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For me, Google Maps is a must-have travel tool.  I use it to navigate when I’m on the road and I use Street View - the 360-degree photo setting - to get a sneak peek of what my hotel really looks like before I book. 

Now, I’ve got an even more fun way to use it.  Today Legoland became the first ever U.S. theme park mapped on Google Street View.  

The Street View team toured the park back in May 2008, weaving their tricycle-mounted camera equipment through crowds of guests and around the rides to map the park.

Now, I can walk right through the gates and virtually explore the park to plan a visit or just check out Miniland Las Vegas and the giant pharaoh in Land of Adventure. 

To try it yourself, click here and drag the ‘Pegman’ icon to start exploring.  Cool, huh?

Tags: legoland, travel tips

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Pop in here when you visit and get the real scoop on Carlsbad!

I thought I did.  Legos, flowers, strawberries and surfing, right?

Actually, yes.  But there’s so much more!

On a recent visit, I found out there’s also a charming, walkable downtown full of cute shops, an awesome slice of Hollywood history meets hacienda, a museum dedicated to rocking out (debuting the first ever MOOG exhibit on Aug. 29) and a thriving, dare-I-say urban, theater scene.  

During my explorations, I got to meet Kristianne Kurner, actor, director, producer and one of the founders of the New Village Arts Theater (yep, I feel like an underachiever!), located just steps from the Coaster stop in downtown Carlsbad, and I was totally charmed by both her and the 99-seat theater. 

When I was there, NVA’s professional ensemble was busy rehearsing and just about to open their Summer Comedy Festival (running through Aug. 16) but they were kind enough to give me a backstage tour of the show and their brand-new on-site art studios.  

Run by world-class artists (Kristianne and the other founders are alums of The Actors Studio - yes, that one), NVA has been producing critically-acclaimed plays for 8 seasons up in Carlsbad and they’re just about to kick off season 9 with a couple of regional premieres, some Tennessee Williams, a Pulitzer Prize winner and a smart comedy by none other than The Jerk (I love that he’s a writer!) about Picasso and Einstein in Belle Epoque Paris.

I thought I knew Carlsbad but turns out, it’s full of surprises.  If you head up there, I’d recommend stopping at their visitor center (in the gorgeous, historic Santa Fe train depot) and letting them point you in the right direction.

Tags: Carlsbad, flower fields, legoland, museum, strawberries, surfing, theater

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That's a military helicopter flying a car over San Diego Bay. Crucial plot point.

While you won’t see stunts like that everyday, you can inject a little high octane excitement into your vacation.  Here’s how:

• Rent a Go Car Tour around town.  Sharing the road in a little, yellow motorized scooter will give you a perspective on how it must feel to face down a giant robot/vehicle. Plus, they look kinda like Bumblebee.
• Call Corporate Helicopter tours to schedule a private chopper tour and get a Decepticons-eye-view of the downtown skyline and San Diego Bay. 
• Younger kids can learn the rules of the road and bone up for those high-speed chases at Legoland’s Fun Town Driving School. 
• Visit the San Diego Automotive Museum and imagine what Autobots of the past might have looked like. Is that vintage truck Optimus Prime’s grandfather?
• Or, see those classic cars in action each Thursday during the La Mesa’s weekly Back in Time rally or on Friday’s during Escondido’s Cruisin’ Grand events.
• If you just have to get behind the wheel yourself, sign up for San Diego Prestige’s Supercar Tour- a luxury car road rally through the gorgeous, winding San Diego back country.

Tags: classic car, film, legoland, san diego bay

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ShermansTravel, the renown online source for deals and travel advice, just announced their list of the country’s top ten places to celebrate July 4th.  Guess what?

The Big Bay Boom...loud and proud!

San Diego is the only place on the whole West Coast on the list.  In fact, with the exception of a little place called Mount Rushmore, we’re the only place West of the Mississippi to make the cut.

The experts at ShermansTravel called out our awesome beaches and fantastic fireworks.  There are fun things to do and lots of colorful displays of American pride all over town during the Independence weekend.  Here’s a few of my faves:

• The Big Bay Boom fireworks display over San Diego Bay is the biggest in the region with great viewing spots all along the bay front and cruises out on the water. 
• Smokey Robinson will perform July 4 at the San Diego County Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds before the 9 p.m. fireworks show and rides stay open until midnight. 
• Over the Independence weekend on July 3, 4 and 5, SeaWorld’s Summer Nights fireworks over Mission Bay will be set to patriotic music for a bigger, longer celebration. 
• In Carlsbad at LEGOLAND California, the Red, White and Boom celebration will include fun family games, a performance by kiddie favorites The Jumpitz and a 8:30 p.m. fireworks show. 
• On the Embarcadero on San Diego Bay on July 3, 4 and 5, the San Diego Symphony will present a Star Spangled Pops concert each evening at 7:30 p.m.
• It’s a picture-perfect party on July 4th in Coronado with a parade down Orange Avenue, concert in Spreckels Park and fireworks over Glorietta Bay.  

Tags: coronado, fireworks, in the news, july 4, legoland, san diego bay, san diego county fair, seaworld, summer, symphony

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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When I was kid, Star Wars was big.  Endless hours were whiled away by me and the neighbor boys rebelling against Darth Vader and the Empire. 

A few prequels and many years later and Star Wars is still big.  Huge even. 

Just look at this kid’s face:

The Force is with him.  Love it, do I. 

You can join in the fun June 13 and 14 during Star Wars Days at LEGOLAND California. 

Darth Vader and the 501st Leigion of Stormtroopers will be chasing Droids (that’s us) and posing for pictures.  There will be trivia, LEGO building and video game competitions and a daily costume contest for kids age 8 and younger or 9-15 with prizes worth up to $500 in Star Wars and LEGO collectibles.  

Mom and dad are welcome to dress up too but, if you were alive for the premiere of Empire Strikes Back, sorry, no prizes.

Tags: legoland, summer

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Shark at SEA Life Aquarium in San Diego

On May 29, the kid-centric SEA LIFE Aquarium in Carlsbad will unveil “Sharks Revealed” – a new interactive exhibit designed to introduce budding oceanographers to these mysterious and misunderstood creatures of the deep.

Fun, hands-on displays will include a graphic timeline that follows the evolution of sharks from 350 million years ago to today; a live display of sharks showing their development from eggs to adults; local shark species found off the coast of Carlsbad; an interactive “shark lab” where kids can get hands-on experience using microscopes; a large-scale model of a “mermaid’s purse” for a fun photo opportunity; plus crafts and ocean artifacts.

SEA LIFE Aquarium in Carlsbad already has more sharks than any of the other 29 SEA LIFE Centers world-wide including black tip reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, zebra sharks, leopard sharks, epaulettes, Port Jackson sharks and the rare grey reef sharks. Several new species will be part of the “Sharks Revealed” exhibit including the brown banded bamboo shark, the white spotted bamboo shark and the coral catshark.

We’re going to need a bigger boat.

Tags: animals, legoland

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