As if SeaWorld couldn’t get any cooler… check out what they’ve got in store for us this winter:

A new ice skating rink: From Nov. 21 – Jan. 3, lace up some skates and glide beneath SeaWorld’s Tree of Lights to celebrate the season. In addition to a 5,000 sq. ft. ice rink, there will also be a special toddler rink  for kids 3 and under… the kiddies can also get special double-edged ice skates for extra balance.  Skate rentals will be an additional cost to park admission; price TBA.

“The Polar Express 4-D Experience”: Take an epic 4-D journey to the North Pole aboard the Polar Express but bundle up, becuase you’ll experience aamazing multi-sensory effects including snow, fog and gusts of wind.  The movie will only be available Nov. 21–Dec. 31 so don’t be late for the train…All aboard!

Tree of Lights with a Twist: Every night at 6 p.m. from Nov. 24 – Dec. 25, SeaWorld light up it’s 320-foot (skytower) Tree of Lights and cue it to a musical broadcast courtesy of KyXy 96.5. The skytower tree lights will dance, flash, swirl and glow to holiday music broadcasted throughout San Diego.

Tags: holiday, ice skate, lights, seaworld, winter

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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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Looking for something to do this weekend?  Consider:

1. Look to the sky this weekend during the MCAS Miramar Air Show at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The event showcases several types of aircraft, including vintage biplanes
   

   sunset at the air show, but the fun is just beginning...

   and stealth fighter jets, as well as simulated combat demonstrations, amazing areal performances and a nighttime show with the Great Wall of Fire and a firework grand finale.  I’ve heard that the wall of fire is AMAZING so I’ll be there to check it out this weekend.

2. Bratwurst, beer gardens and oompapa bands can only mean one thing—Oktoberfest! This weekend, check out celebrations of this German holiday during Oktoberfest in La Mesa, the largest festival the U.S. West Coast and Octoberfest in El Cajon. As the German’s would say, “Prost!”
3. Head to Julian this Saturday and Sunday for the 100th Apple Day celebration at the Menghini Winery from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The event includes apple displays, music and dancing, children’s games and activities, gold panning demonstrations, a beer and wine garden, food and merchandise vendors and of course, Julian’s famous apple pie.  The event costs $5 for adults and children ages 12 and under are free.
4. SeaWorld gets a little spooky this Saturday with the unveiling of the park’s Halloween Spooktacular featuring new shows and festive entertainment. Come see Clyde and Seamore’s Trick or Treat, Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween musical and enjoy special Halloween activities and photo opportunities with characters in costume.
5. Get your grub on this Saturday during Taste of North Park from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy yummy food samples and refreshing microbrew tastings at restaurants, galleries and boutiques throughout the neighborhood.  Tickets for the event are $30 with advanced purchase or $35 day of.

Tags: 5 to try, craft beer, food, Halloween, Julian, San Diego Events, seaworld, things to do, what to do

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Vizit Tours

For those of you that want to get out and see San Diego without having to worry about navigating the city streets, Vizit Tours offers four new sightseeing opportunities aboard a vintage Double Decker open top bus. 

Every tour is narrated by a local tour guide that will tell you the history, facts and insider tips about each location throughout the tour. You can even hop-on or -off at any stop and get back on at a later time to complete the tour.  Busses run every hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Or, you can catch the one-hour nighttime tour at 6 p.m. 

Tour highlights and stops include:

• The Balboa Park Loop: Seaport Village, Horton Plaza mall, Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo.
• The Old Town and Harbor Loop: Horton Plaza mall, Little Italy, Old Town, Maritime Museum/USS Midway Museum.
• The La Jolla and Beaches Loop: Old Town, SeaWorld, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Belmont Park, La Jolla. **This is the ONLY regularly scheduled sightseeing tour in San Diego that will take you to these beaches.**
• The Night Loop: Seaport Village, San Diego Bay, Little Italy, Gaslamp Quarter. This one-hour tour is perfect for a date or a fun outing with friends and family; adult beverages welcome so B.Y.O.D. (bring your own drinks).

A couple of weeks ago, I tried out and La Jolla Loop and had a great time! The views of La Jolla are truly breathtaking and I highly recommend an afternoon tour so you can see the ocean glisten in the sun. (I know that sounds corny but it is sooo pretty!)

Prices: Tickets are good for two days and cost $15 per person, per loop or $35 per person for all four loops.

Note: For those of you that want gorgeous views and prime photo opps., I recommend sitting on the top level.  (The views are unbeatable.) But, for those that are interested in learning about the history, facts and insider tips, I recommend sitting inside on the bottom level. (Due to the open top up there, it’s difficult to hear the tour guide on over the wind.)

Tags: balboa park, Gaslamp Quarter, la jolla, little italy, mission beach, ocean beach, old town, pacific beach, san diego bay, seaport village, seaworld, zoo

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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New Children's Museum pillow fight room! Yet another reason why I never want to grow up

Labor Day weekend is upon us, which unofficially marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall.  And while the transition of the seasons might go unnoticed in San Diego because our beach days and sunshine will last well into November (I’m not bragging, I’m just saying…), this weekend does mean “LAST CALL!” on some of San Diego’s summertime specialties:

1. This weekend, catch this year’s final celebration of  Summer Nights at SeaWorld with fireworks, live music, special animal shows like Shamu Rocks and Sea Lions Tonite and the award-winning dance show Riptide. The park will be open 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Monday. Note: It’s also the VERY LAST weekend to catch the Dolphin Discovery show before SeaWorld begins construction on a brand new dolphin show, Blue Horizons, coming in May 2010.
2. Spend your evenings exploring the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park during Park at Dark where you can see the park’s nocturnal creatures emerge, take a sunset tour on the Journey Into Africa tram and catch special summer shows. The park will be open from 9 a.m. – 8p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
3. Check out the Caras Silvestres celebration during Nighttime Zoo at the San Diego Zoo. Honoring the cultures of California and Central and South America, the Zoo will present live music, colorful dance performances and amazing shows with stilt walkers and exotic animals. The Zoo will be open from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
4. Hurry over and place your bets at the Del Mar Racetrack for the last weekend of horse races. Races will be in full swing Saturday through Monday but I suggest you try your luck on Sunday when the country’s top horses compete in the $1 Million Pacific Classic, Del Mar’s richest and most prestigious race (and if you win big, you owe me). Later that day, following the last race, stop by the Reggae Festival with featured performances from Ziggy Marley and Nikka Costa; entrance to the concert is free with racetrack general admission tickets.
5. This Saturday, Sunday and Monday, The New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego is celebrating the FINAL weekend of its first exhibition, childsplay, before they close in preperation for their new exhibition Animal Art, opening in October. So come on by for your last chance to jump in the pillow room, navigate through a two story maze and dance around in the Rain House. Note: Ziggy Marley will also make a special appearance at the museum on Saturday while he debuts his new children’s album, “Family Time.”

Tags: 5 to try, animals, del mar, downtown, labor day weekend, mission bay, seaworld, summer, things to do, what to do, wild animal park, zoo

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Jump on these summer deals at SeaWorld!

Summer vacation is officially here and SeaWorld has awesome deals to save you money when you visit Shamu and friends:

• score an adult ticket at the kids’ price and get a second visit free
• AAA members show your membership card and get an adult ticket at the kids’ price and a kids’ ticket at half price
• if you live in the area, spring for the SeaWorld Fun Cardand get free repeat admission to SeaWorld through the end of 2009
• and, especially appropriate as we head into the Independence weekend, the Here’s to the Heroesprogram provides free single-day admission to SeaWorld service members and as many as three direct dependents. 

When you visit this summer through Aug. 30, keep your fingers crossed as you enter the gates.  One lucky group is chosen each day to be the SeaWorld VIP Guests of the Day and win free tickets to the Dolphin Encounter, Quick Queue passes for all the rides, reserved seats at all stadium shows and an extra special shout out during Shamu’s show.

Tags: deals, seaworld, summer

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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A Fantastic Father's Day with a Beluga Whale at SeaWorld.

Father’s Day is coming up.  Are you looking for an unforgettable gift idea?

If you’re heading to San Diego, consider SeaWorld’s Wild Arctic Interaction.

This amazing experience begins with a behind-the-scenes tour to meet SeaWorld’s enormous Pacific walruses, playful harbor seals and polar bears.  Then, Dad will wiggle into a wet suit and step into 55-degree, Arctic-like water to hang with the beluga whales. 

During the interaction, he’ll get to touch, feed and give the whale training hand signals that cue behaviors like showing off the birdlike vocalizations — that have earned the species the nickname “sea canary.”  Maybe, he’ll even get a kiss! 

The program costs $170 plus park admission and includes wet suits, booties, lockers, changing facilities and showers.  Advance registration is required.

Tags: animals, father's day, mission bay, seaworld

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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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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Ben Stiller is hilarious but, I’m not sure I’d be up for spending a night at the museum when he’s on duty.  For families looking to make amazing memories without risking ancient Egyptian curses, San Diego has cool sleepovers in unusual places like:

• Ahoy, matey!  The San Diego Maritime Museum on San Diego Bay has family sleepovers aboard the world’s oldest active tall ship, the Star of India.  Sailors for the day can help set sail, haul cargo and stand watch at night.
• Grrrr…get wild with family sleepovers at The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and “Roar & Snore” camping at the Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in Escondido.  Both include behind the scenes access and animal encounters.
• Breakfast with the dolphins?  Over on Mission Bay at SeaWorld, the family sleepovers are just the beginning.  You can spend the whole following day exploring park’s rides, shows and exhibits - admission is included.   
  

  Good morning Mr. Dolphin!

Tags: balboa park, escondido, family, maritime museum, mission bay, san diego bay, seaworld, sleepover, wild animal park, zoo

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Dolphin Encounter gives you the personal quality time you've always wanted.

Watching the animals at Sea World perform is always fun, but there is nothing like getting close enough to shake hands with some of these creatures and getting a personal introduction to them by their handlers.  We met and fed walruses and porpoises, had a nice sit down with a Macaroni penguin, and – my favorite - played with dolphins during a quick version of the Dolphin Encounter program. 

Normally, those dolphins don’t give us the time of day unless we stand ready with fish in hand, but their trainers made sure we got the VIP treatment.  After getting acquainted with our dolphins and learning some basic hand signals, we were able to make them jump, “walk,” whistle and sing.  It was like conducting an orchestra of sea mammals.  They were so eager to play, I swear the dolphins were having more fun than we were.  I would strongly recommend this man and beast encounter to any son of mine. 

Some programs even allow you to jump in and interact with some of these creatures in their environment, though you don’t get fed for doing tricks like they do.  You have to buy your own raw fish.

Sea World’s variety of behind-the-scenes programs each have a cost above and beyond the price of admission, but talk about making memories for the family!  Set your significant other or your kids up on one of these Sea World extras and become an instant hero! 

A menu of Sea World’s animal interaction programs can be found here.

Tags: behind-the-scenes, fun, outdoors, seaworld, what to do

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