November 7, 2005 - Lighting Up Del Mar
Holiday of Lights at Del Mar
Nov 24, 2005 - Jan 1, 2006
It's that time of year again. November is upon us and the holiday displays are going up. Here's one worth checking out -- the largest drive-through animated display on the west coast.
You can see over 350 displays as you drive along a route that goes through the Del Mar Fairgrounds and around the racetrack. Check their web site for exact times and prices. (The web site plays Christmas music, so if you prefer quiet, hit your mute button.)
more about the San Diego coast
November 13, 2005 - A Jazzy Thanksgiving in San Diego
26th Annual Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival
November 23 - 27, 2005
Celebrate Thanksgiving with great jazz and good food. The Festival features more than 20 bands, playing a variety of jazz sounds, including classic ragtime, New Orleans, Dixieland, swing, and more. Performances are in a variety of settings, from small intimate venues to large concert rooms with dancing.
You can enjoy a Thanksgiving Champagne Buffet, pick up a snack at the food stands, or enjoy a meal at any of the five restaurants available.
The Festival is held at the Town & Country Resort & Convention Center, on Hotel Circle in the Mission Valley area of San Diego.
more about the San Diego coast
November 14, 2005 - A Very Victorian Christmas in San Francisco
Great Dickens Christmas Fair
November 25-27, 2005
December 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18, 2005
You'll feel like you've been planted in the middle of a Dickens novel as you stroll the streets of Victorian London, recreated in the San Francisco Cow Palace Exhibition Halls. Explore the shops for unique treasures and enjoy a bite at one of the many pubs and tea shoppes.
You'll meet characters from Dickens' novels and enjoy a variety of entertainments, including a Dance Party at Fezziwig's Warehouse, musical, dance, magic and novelty acts at the Victoria & Albert Bijou Music Hall, Punch and Judy shows at the Sugarplum Playhouse, and much more.
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair has been a Bay Area holiday tradition for 27 years.
November 18, 2005 - All Aboard the Santa Cruz Holiday Train
Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train
November 25-27 and December 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 20-21, 2005
This annual holiday tradition is back again this year. Travel through the streets of Santa Cruz in style aboard these trains, all decked out in their festive lights. You'll enjoy hot-spiced cider and be entertained by carolers. Even Santa Claus will be there.
November 28, 2005 - The Return of the Monarch Butterflies
Every fall, starting in October, Monarch butterflies west of the Rockies began to migrate en masse to their winter homes along the California coast. They congregate in groves of pine or eucalyptus, where they mass together for warmth and protection. And here they'll stay until the warming of spring tells them it's time to be off making new butterflies.
The sight of thousands of butterflies hanging like bunches of shimmering orange leaves attracts quite a few visitors. Many places celebrate their return with festivals, parades, nature walks and tours. Although Monarch butterflies can be found all along the coast, from Mendocino to the Mexican border, the best places to find them are on the central coast.
Now is one of the best times to visit. The Monarchs have completed their migration, and the groves are full. If you go on a warm, sunny day, you're likely to see butterflies flitting about or sunning themselves on the ground. Watch where you step!
More info:
Where to See Monarch Butterflies Along the California Coast
The Annual Butterfly Migration
