Walking in a Winter Wonderland (Inexpensively.)
December 14, 2009
Grace Armstrong, Community Editor
Filed under Features
Even though the economy is foul, you don’t have to be a Scrooge over this Christmas break. Here are some fun activities that will get you out of the house without costing you a fortune.
Try ice blocking. Ice blocking is a fun outdoor activity that requires minimal cost. When it has been raining for a while and the grass is muddy, grab some friends, old clothes and a large ice block. Find a grassy hill in a wide-open space, sit on the ice block and slide down! It is recommended to put padding or a towel on the ice block for more comfort. Ice blocking is a fun activity that both boys and girls enjoy. You can purchase an ice block at any grocery store like Lucky’s and try Meadows Park on Meridian and Camden for a good hill. The cost: $5-$10 for the ice block. Warning: you’ll get very muddy and stay away from busy streets.
Christmas in the Park is a fun alternative to the movies and completely inexpensive. You can go downtown and walk through the maze of decorations and Christmas trees. While down there you can grab some hot chocolate and enjoy the fake snow. Also, you can try out the ice skating rink. No worries if you don’t know how to skate because the rink is filled with novices holding on to the side. Ice-skating is open noon-midnight and a waiver is required. Go to http://www.sjdowntown.com/pdf/DTIceSkateWaiver.pdf to print out the ice-skating waiver. If you’re interested in a day trip, check out other cities like San Francisco for similar events. The cost: $1 for hot chocolate. $14 for ice-skating.
Take a Christmas light drive. Get a large car and drive around neighborhoods like Los Gatos or Willow Glen to look at all of the nicely decorated lawns. Many houses in these neighborhoods are elaborately decorated and may feature different nativity scenes. You might even park and walk down famous streets with well-light houses. Vasona Park is also a popular place to gawk at light-filled trees. The cost: half a tank of gas.
Go Christmas Caroling. Gather a group of friends together and surprise friends or neighbors with a Christmas carol. Boyfriends may not be as excited about this activity but you and your girlfriends can belt out some traditional Christmas tunes. This is a fun way to visit other friends and get out of the house. You can enjoy some hot chocolate and gaze at the neighborhood Christmas lights in the meantime. The cost: none.
At the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk you can enjoy the Santa Cruz Train of Lights, which is a 60-minute light tour around the boardwalk in a train! Starting at Neptune’s Palace, the train tours downtown Santa Cruz to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus, Santa’s Kingdom, and listen to live entertainment. Price includes hot cider and the choice of one holiday activity: miniature golf, laser tag, or arcade games. For more information and to make advanced reservations go to http://www.roaringcamp.com/events.html. Cost: $22 for each ticket.
Also! If you’re up for a movie marathon, check out our article on the best movies to watch on the next page.
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