Plus, the Santee Drive-In says goodbye.
 
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Today’s Forecast

62º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:52 a.m. | Sunset 4:59 p.m. | High tides 6:25 a.m. and 8:27 p.m. | Low tide 1:53 p.m.
 

🧸 Winter break is child’s play

Where to have fun with kids in San Diego
SD Maruta Gardner Playground
The Maruta Gardner Playground at Bonita Cove is a little climber’s paradise. | Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday
Parents, this one’s for you. With winter break around the corner and the kids out of school for a couple of weeks, it’s a good time to circle back to kid-friendly activities and fun things to do with the family around SD.

Mission Trails Regional Park, 1 Father Junipero Serra Trail
Take your little explorers out on the trails. The paved Father Junipero Serra Trail is great for riding scooters or bikes and the Fortuna Region offers easy hikes for families.

Holiday Light Displays, locations vary
Cruise around festive SD neighborhoods and watch their little faces light up at every twinkling display.

Spanish Village Balboa Park San Diego

You’ll find all kinds of classes to join at the Spanish Village.

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Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday

Spanish Village Art Center, 1770 Village Place
This colorful landmark in Balboa Park features studios filled with working, local artists. Kids will love free drop-in art classes on most Saturdays, 12-4 p.m. It’s decked out for the holidays right now, too.

San Diego Zoo, 2920 Zoo Dr. | Memberships available
See the animals, visit the Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, and stay late for the seasonal Jungle Bells attractions.

Balboa Park Carousel, 1889 Zoo Place
The historic ride was recently restored and if you’re lucky, you might run into Bill Brown — the carousel manager and proud San Diegan who’s worked at the ride for the past 51 years. The carousel follows the San Diego Unified School District’s academic calendar, so it’s open daily Monday, Dec. 18-Tuesday, Jan. 2.

SD Poway Midland Railroad

A ride on the steam locomotive at Poway-Midland Railroad only costs $1 for kids.

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Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday

Poway-Midland Railroad, 14154 Midland Rd., Poway
Find this full-size, narrow-gauge railroad at Old Poway Park, with rides on most weekends on either its Steam Locomotive, Cable Car, or Speeder. Check the schedule before you go; kids tickets cost only $1.

Maruta Gardner Playground, 1100 W. Mission Bay Dr.
Climbing, swinging, sliding, spinning — there are many ways to shake out the wiggles at this bayfront playground. You can explore more parks, too.
24 more kid-proof ideas
Asked

Kid-friendly bars and breweries are:
A. A life-saver for me and my family
B. A fun place to gather with a group of friends
C. Places I actively avoid
Share your thoughts
Events
Friday, Dec. 15
  • San Diego Bead & Design Holiday Market | Friday, Dec. 15-Sunday, Dec. 17 | Times vary | Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, 1380 Harbor Island Dr., San Diego | $8-$10 | This market features jewelry, art, gems, crafts, and vintage finds.
  • Golden State Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker” | Friday, Dec. 15-Sunday, Dec. 24 | Times vary | Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., San Diego | $25-$129 | Clara, her Nutcracker Prince, and the company dance into the Land of Sweets as the San Diego Symphony performs Tchaikovsky’s score.
  • “Noel Noel” | Friday, Dec. 15-Sunday, Dec. 17 | Times vary | The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, 222 Marina Park Way, San Diego | $42-$95 | Enjoy the jolly tunes as a sweet, festive story comes to life on stage at the San Diego Symphony’s holiday concert tradition.
Saturday, Dec. 16
  • San Diego Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker” | Saturday, Dec. 16 | 1 + 5 p.m. | The Magnolia, 210 E. Main St., El Cajon | $45 | The company’s annual production of the holiday classic features 100+ costumed dancers — from sugar plum fairies to snowflakes — performing to Tchaikovsky’s epic score.
  • Almost Nakey SantaCon | Saturday, Dec. 16 | 1-10 p.m. | Beach House San Diego, Mission Beach | $60-$140 | This 21+ winter wonderland rave will feature 50-ft inflatables, life-sized snow globes, a Club Penguin Igloo Silent Disco, and more; come dressed in your best Santa-inspired outfit.
  • Holiday Pop-Up Market | Saturday, Dec. 16 | 3-8 p.m. | Societe Brewing Company, 8262 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego | Free | Browse 20+ local vendors with craft beer and food available for purchase.
  • San Diego Gulls vs. Henderson Silver Knights | Saturday, Dec. 16 | 6 p.m. | Pechanga Arena, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego | $25+ | The Gulls glide into Winter Wonderland night with the annual Teddy Bear Toss and a Hawaiian shirt giveaway.
Sunday, Dec. 17
  • ISC Record Fair x Japonesia Holiday Market | Sunday, Dec. 17 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Quartyard, 1301 Market St., San Diego | Free | Browse Japanese goodies, SoCal vinyl vendors, and food and drink booths.
  • San Diego Bay Parade of Lights | Sunday, Dec. 17 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | San Diego Bay, the route goes from Shelter Island to Coronado Ferry Landing | Free | The 53rd annual tradition features a procession of ~80 lavishly decorated boats lighting up San Diego Bay; this year’s theme is “Christmas Traditions Around the World.”
  • Gilberto Santa Rosa | Sunday, Dec. 17 | 7 p.m. | The Magnolia, 210 E. Main St., El Cajon | $99-$109 | The Grammy Award-winner — aka El Caballero de la Salsa — is known for his salsa and bolero sounds.
Events calendar here
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News Notes
Civic
  • The US Department of Transportation has awarded San Diego a $2.25 million grant to help the city update two pedestrian and bicycle safety plans. The funding is part of the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All Program; this is the second year SD has received funding from the initiative.
Development
  • Harrah’s Resort Southern California is planning a $24 million renovation of its Dive Inn Tower, set to be completed in summer 2024. The project will enhance the tower’s 203 guest rooms, as well as common areas. Reminder — this is the hotel that’s home to the Hell’s Kitchen restaurant.
Open
  • Mangia, mangia. Il Posto — an Italian restaurant and pizzeria — will officially open today at 4 p.m. at 2145 Fern St. in South Park. The first 100 customers will get a free appetizer sample. We hear you shouldn’t miss the Neapolitan-style pizza.
Environmental
  • New research from UC San Diego reveals that wildfires are not just impacting land — they’re also altering aquatic ecosystems. The findings show that fires can chemically transform plant debris and, in turn, that debris can impact aquatic ecosystems and how they store, process, and emit carbon. (UC San Diego Today)
Community
  • Encinitas City Council has approved an ordinance that aims to curb shopping carts left abandoned in the streets. Local businesses with shopping carts would be required to either have a wheel-locking system on their carts or a retrieval plan. The ordinance is expected to take effect in February 2024. (Fox 5)
Business
  • It’s going to be a bit pricier to dock your boat at Oceanside Harbor in 2024. Oceanside City Council has approved increasing monthly slip rental rates by $3-$7 starting next month. The hike is expected to generate $6.3 million, and will be used to pay for repairs to the aging harbor. (The Coast News)
Outdoors
  • Birch Aquarium will bring back its Tidepooling Adventure next month, a seasonal event led by aquarium naturalists at False Point or Dike Rock in La Jolla. The excursions (for participants age 3+) begin on Jan. 20, 2024, and run on select weekends through March. Tickets go on sale today.
Ranked
  • According to Thrillist, Christmas Card Lane in Rancho Peñasquitos is one of the best streets for holiday light displays in the US. The festive RPQ neighborhood at Ellingham, Oviedo, and Renato streets is up and running for the season — and it’s on our list of local standouts, too. (Thrillist)
Seasonal
  • Hankering for festive fun? The City of San Diego will host free Winter Festival Events over the next week at local community and rec centers. Try Brunch with Santa at Memorial Recreation Center tomorrow, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., or Cookies with Santa at Nobel Recreation Center Wednesday, Dec. 20, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Finance
  • This no-annual-fee balance transfer offer now lasts until 2025. Transferring your existing balance to a no-interest card could be the simple solution you’re looking for to finally get ahead of your payments. (Oh, and it offers cash back rewards on everyday purchases.)*
Wellness
 
Closing

🎬 Riding into the sunset

Final Feature: Santee Drive-In closing after 65 years in business
Santee-Drive-In-Garske-1
The Santee Drive-In has been around since 1958. | Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday
After 65 years in business, the Santee Drive-In is revving up for its last hurrah, officially shuttering on Sunday, Dec. 31.

“Sadly, due to the loss of customers, higher costs of business, and competition with streaming services, we can no longer afford to stay open,” reads the drive-in’s website.

The East County attraction’s final stretch includes nightly double features across its two theaters, starting at 6:30 p.m.

On the schedule: “Wonka,” “The Grinch,” “Trolls Band Together,” and “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” today through Thursday, Dec. 21. “Migration” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” will join the rotation Friday, Dec. 22, through closing night.

News of the Santee Drive-In’s impending closure surfaced in September. A potential industrial development is eyeing the location, but the Santee Swap Meet — which operates on the site every weekend — will stay put through June 30, 2024.
Other outdoor movie options
The Buy
 
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The Wrap
 
Monica Garske headshot

Today’s edition by:
Monica
From the editor
Friends, kindly drop everything you’re doing — five new Little Blue Penguins made their debut at Birch Aquarium this week, and they are absolutely adorable.

They moved to SD from Ohio and New Jersey as part of an ongoing, collaborative breeding program. You can see them daily at the Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins habitat. OK, as you were.
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