Author: Rachel Schnalzer Jade Cuevas Design and Illustration
Good morning, fellow escapists. Nothing compares to the holidays in Southern California: the cheesy and alternative sight of the colorful lights on the palm trees, the wonder of surfing Santa, and the Christmas song adjustment of the Beach Boys are repeated for months.
In many ways, the fun of spending a holiday in Golden State can become speeding further east of your adventure. In this version of Escapes, you will find inspiration for road trips across California's interior, from the richly decorated historic riverside hotel to the sometimes snowy trails of San Jacinto Mountain State Park.
Where are you going to explore this December? What is your favorite holiday activity in California? Let me know so I can pass them on to other readers.
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Mission Inn’s Festival of Lights covers the entire neighborhood of downtown Riverside, which is a no-brainer for those who travel to and from the California desert looking for holiday joy.
Period writer Jeanette Marantos listed the impressive decoration of this nearly 150-year-old hotel and spa in her 26 best holiday light shows in Los Angeles and surrounding areas List.
Enjoying the exterior lighting of the Mission Inn is free, but for a better experience, you can book a hotel tour. The 75-minute walking tour details the history of the National Historic Landmark and costs US$25 for adults and US$5 for children aged 11 and under.
When you are in town, you may wish to head to the Main Street Pedestrian Mall near the Mission Inn to see more Christmas lights.
Can't spend enough vacation at Mission Inn? By booking accommodation, spend more time in the shining light. According to Marantos, rooms during the holidays start at $379.
In addition, time travel writer Christo Freynolds recommends that visitors book dinner at the Mission Inn restaurant, where the price of the main course ranges from $21 to $54. He wrote in the winter edition: "You might sit on a terrace table surrounded by domes, towers, arches and buttresses, and add angels, gnomes and polar bears this season, many of which are like Disneyland. Like the anime president Lincoln in here.” In his list of 40 best California experiences.
The next Christmas lighting on the agenda is 70 miles east of Interstate 10. On the way, look out for Cabazon Dinosaurs, they are wearing Santa Claus costumes and red noses. If you have an extra day of free time, you can consider adding your beloved road trip destination to your itinerary.
In the WildLights exhibit at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, you will see a group of life-size glowing animal lanterns, model trains running on more than 3,300 feet of track, and more than one million colorful holiday lights.
Like the Mission Inn’s festival of lights, WildLights also has a place on the list of the 26 best holiday light shows in Los Angeles and surrounding areas in Marantos.
If you are going, be sure to take photos in the light tunnel of Palm Desert Zoo and explore the newly opened passage for guests. Although festive lighting is the main event, visitors to WildLights can also catch a glimpse of some animals.
WildLights will be open to the public from December 10th to 11th, 17th to 24th, and 26th to 30th from 6pm to 9pm. The admission fee for adults and non-members is US$16, and the admission fee for children aged 3-12 is US$12.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tram boasts the largest revolving tram in the world and is a favorite of the desert-especially in the colder months.
"From the California desert to the top of the snow-capped mountain in 10 minutes, where can you travel? Only on the tram in winter," Reynolds wrote in his recent review of winter experiences.
The rotating gondolas provide visitors with a 360-degree view of the Chino Canyon. They ascend 2.5 miles to the mountain station, which is 8,516 feet in height.
If you plan to explore San Jacinto Mountains State Park at the top (which you should do), please bring an extra layer. Reynolds reports that it is usually 30 to 40 degrees cooler than Valley Station.
There are many hiking trails accessible from Mountain Station, and for those who are hungry or want to turn the experience into a date night, there are also some dining (and beverage) options. Reynolds wrote that Pines Café is a buffet restaurant serving lunch and dinner, while Lookout Lounge serves beer, wine and cocktails until 8pm. Peaks is more upscale, but now only serves lunch.
Passengers please note: If you want to see snow at Mountain Station, please be sure to check the weather before booking. Once there is enough snow on the ground, Mountain Station visitors can rent cross-country skis and snow shoes at the Winter Adventure Center on the top of the mountain.
The parking fee is US$10 and the tram fare for adults is US$28.95.
Want to add more Christmas magic to your weekend? From December 10th to 12th, at 5 and 7 pm, tram riders can enjoy festive tunes played by the local high school choir on the stage of the Pines Café in Mountain Station.
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At this point, you have experienced a lot of holiday joy. You can turn around and take Interstate 10 back to Los Angeles to spend a fulfilling weekend with festive lights and Christmas carols.
Or, you can spend an afternoon walking from the palm to pine scenic trail to Idyllwild, a cozy town nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains-also in Reynolds’s California 40 Best Winter Experiences On the list.
Visitors can easily spend a weekend (or longer) in Idyllwild, exploring its trails and downtown. If you are pressed for time and want to maximize the holiday atmosphere of the town, head straight to Candy Cupboard, which has been offering caramel apples, toffees, chocolates and more for the past 40 years.
If travelers encounter winter weather in the mountains and want to spend time playing in the snow, "Idyllwild Nature Center (open from Thursday to Sunday and located about a mile northwest of town) is a starting point," Reynolds reports.
When swinging on a swing near Idyllwild, look out for a golden retriever named Max-he is the mayor and may greet voters and travelers in the city center.
Song: "Cool Yule" by Louis Armstrong
Favorite lyrics: "From Coney Island to Sunset Boulevard/Someone will travel happily tonight/Take advantage of the bright moon."
Where to play: Cruising the North Palm Canyon Boulevard in Palm Springs
Get inspired to escape.
Explore California, the West and other regions with the weekly Escapes newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
Rachel Schnalzer is the participating audience editor of the Los Angeles Times. She wrote the "Times" business newsletter and travel newsletter. Schnalzer graduated from Johns Hopkins University and worked at BuzzFeed and Snap before joining The Times in 2019.
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