Winter is here and for those that live in SoCal or are visiting SoCal for the holidays, it can be difficult to imagine Christmas without snow. Growing up in places that have snow, the holidays have so many memories for us that include snow and ice including ice skating. And now as our families grow, we love creating new traditions and incorporating some of our favorites from when we were growing up.
One of our favorite holiday traditions in San Diego is the Skating by the Sea at the historic Hotel del Coronado. There is no place else that we know of where you can ice skate while taking in views of the ocean. And on most days it is a balmy 60-70 degrees outside so no need for a huge parka like you would in the frozen tundra of the Midwest.
This year, in celebration of their milestone 130th birthday, the Hotel del Coronado is welcoming special celebrity guest and famed Olympic American figure skater, Tara Lipinksi, for an exclusive one-day-only event at Skating by the Sea. Tara will skate around the rink on December 15th with up to 50 children, giving family travelers a once-in-a-lifetime holiday experience to “Skate by the Sea” to Tara’s custom holiday playlist with her! After ice time with Tara, kids can take photos with Tara while she signs autographs. Tickets are $150 and only available to 50 children under the age of 18, that includes an opportunity for signing autographs and taking pictures.
One of the things we are looking forward to is the new lounge area this year called Frostbite. This is a great option for those that might just want to watch from the sidelines or if your group wants to take a break between sessions. Guests can reserve their very own rink side lounge at Skating by the Sea and enjoy plush seating around a roaring fire put with front row seats to watch the skaters. Unlimited hot cocoa and coffee are included, as well as the ability to order from a fun, a-la-carte holiday menu of snacks and libations. Drinks include Gnome for the Holidays and Blitzen’s Brew. Seating for 90 minutes is included and available for groups of 4 or 6.
Here are some tips if you plan on going
- Dress warm. Check the weather and plan accordingly. We also like to pack an extra set of socks and pants for the kids to change into after in case they get wet from falling on the ice.
- If anyone in the group or family is just starting out, it can be great to take them to an ice rink a couple times beforehand, that way they feel comfortable on the ice.
- Don’t forget to check out the Christmas decorations and other festivities the Hotel del Coronado has. From the famed Christmas tree in the lobby to carolers, we love taking a family picture by the tree every year.
- After you skate, stroll by the sea and through downtown Coronado. One of our favorite things to do at the Hotel del Coronado is just walk by the ocean. If you are lucky, you can see the famed sand castle builder making one of his creations. There are also so many fun shops and restaurants in downtown Coronado. We love making a day out of it
