San Francisco Is A Awesome Place To Visit For The Holidays

The holidays are a awesome time to plan a trip to San Francisco. It's a time when the city comes to life with colorful and festive events and entertainment. There are also wonderful tradition that include ice skating in Union Square. And, here are some holiday experiences to enjoy on your trip:

• Presented by Alaska Airlines, the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square is a favorite holiday tradition in San Francisco. Featuring new events and holiday festivities, the season kicked off on Nov. 1st and runs through mid January.

• Along with ice skating, another favorite to be featured is the Macy’s Union Square Holiday Window with SF SPCAthat will be presented on Friday, at 5 p.m., on the Corner of Stockton and O'Farrell St. The San Francisco SPCA traditionally unveils the Macy’s Union Square Holiday Windows with adorable and adoptable animals.  Last year 25 animals found forever homes, bringing the total Holiday Windows adoptions to more than 9,000. Join the SF SPCA on the corner of Stockton and O’Farrell Streets on November 17 as they begin the holiday season with the unveiling of lovable animals. Plus, San Francisco pastry chef Yigit Pura partners with Snoopy to kick off the celebrations with a special performance by the De Marillac Academy Choir, and much more. The excitement continues to dazzle as Snoopy and guests open the curtains together.

• Don't miss the Great Dickens Christmas Fair and Victorian Holiday Party. Under colorful swags of Union Jacks and boughs of holly, a cherished Bay Area tradition returns for five weekends amid the theatrically-lit halls of the historic Cow Palace to offer visitors a delightfully immersive holiday experience unlike any other. An annual tradition for Bay Area natives and visitors alike, The Great Dickens Christmas Fair’s 800 Victorian characters, from waltzing royals to scrappy chimney-sweeps, populate over three acres of twilight-lit shops, pubs, stages, and dance halls. This season’s event will debut an expansive new children’s area, new juried crafts, and the premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta “Trial by Jury” – the perfect setting to revel in the joy of the season.   

• Showing until the end of December at Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd is the Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon Holiday Extravaganza. This festive performance features a chorus line of tap dancing Christmas trees, parodies of traditional Christmas carols, hilarious spoofs of pop culture and political characters, and the legendary gigantic Yuletide Hat, Beach Blanket Babylon’s Holiday Extravaganza is sure to delight everyone ... even the biggest Scrooge.

• Now in its fifth year, “Illuminate SF Festival of Light” shines a light on 36 dramatic, eco-friendly light art installations and a variety of other light-related events and activities.  All are accessible by public transport and many are free for all to view. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, art lovers are invited to embrace the power of light and tour San Francisco’s art installations by a diverse range of local and world renowned light artists. “Illuminate SF Festival of Light” has grown to include intimate artist talks, museum tours and a myriad of other light art activation's across the city. Dates and details for these events will be announced in November and will be available at www.illuminatesf.com. More events will be added to the website as they are confirmed.

Plan Your Holiday Trip To San Francisco

 To explore holiday events, performances, programs, and offers, visit the San Francisco Travel Association at www.sftravel.com.




 Photo Credits: Union Square Ice Rink