Long Beach’s floating holiday trees. Photo courtesy of the Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine and the Long Beach Public Library.
Chill, The Queen Mary
The Queen Mary’s “Chill” lives up to it’s name, as the ships dome, once home of the famed Spruce Goose, has been transformed into an Ice Kingdom following story of The Nutcracker. Come with a thick coat and a pair of warm boots; temperatures drop to 9°F. With six-lanes of ice tubing, an outdoor ice-skating rink and a holiday forest of gingerbread houses and Santa’s cabin, the Queen Mary seems determined to bring the most “wintery” experience to Long Beach.
WHERE: The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway
WHEN: Now until Jan. 5, 10 AM to 11 PM
WEBSITE: Queenmary.com/chill
ADMISSION: General Parking, $20; Preferred Parking, $25. Event ticket prices are available online.
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Waterfont Tour of Lights
If you’ve always been curious as to take a double-decker bus tour, the Big Red Bus is making holiday rounds around Long Beach’s decorated coastal line. The tour, hosted by none-other than Santa Claus, will highlight multi-million dollar homes bright with Christmas lights and Alamitos Bay’s floating Christmas trees.
WHERE: Starts at Tilted Kilt Long Beach, 6575 E. Pacific Coast Highway
WHEN: Daily until Dec. 31, 5:30 PM- 6:30 PM; 6:45 PM- 7:45 PM; 8PM- 9 PM
WEBSITE: Bigredbus.com/touroflights
ADMISSION: Kids 3 and under: FREE. General Admission: $12. Groups or 8 or more: $10 per person For reservations, call 562-852-9888 or email [email protected].
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Somberton Senior Residence Presents The Nutcracker
There’s no shortage of quirky retellings of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but The Nutcracker, on the other hand, hasn’t been experimented with as much, despite being one of the most famous ballets ever written. Thankfully, the Found Theatre has put their own unique stamp on the Christmas classic, setting the tale in a fictional senior rest home. The performance is also said to be all-age appropriate.
WHERE: The Found Theatre, 599 Long Beach Blvd.
WHEN: Dec. 27-28 and January 3-4, 8:30 PM; Sunday matinees on Dec. 28 and Jan. 5, 2:30 PM
WEBSITE: Foundtheatre.org
ADMISSION: $15 per ticket, available for purchase at the door or by phone at (562) 433-3363.
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Fuego New Year and Christmas Dinners
You don’t have to be home for the holidays to enjoy a warm feast. Hotel Maya’s Latin infused restaurant Fuego is offering a four course meal with an open-air view of the ocean. The courses include an appetizer, entree, desert and non-alcoholic drinks. On top of a Christmas meal, Fuego keeping it’s kitchen open on New Year’s Eve. This seating, however, is more complicated and pricey than it’s Christmas counterpart. For one, a visit is arranged into party packages, each of which has its own price point, schedule and entertainment. Specifics on party packages can be read here. Regardless of the entry arrangement, diners can expect to see the Queen Mary alight by midnight fireworks.
WHERE: Hotel Maya, 700 Queensway Drive
WHEN: CHRISTMAS: Dec. 24, 5 PM- 9 PM; Dec. 25, 12PM- 9 PM. NEW YEARS: Dec. 31. Package One: seating at 5:30PM, 6PM and 6:30PM; Package Two: seating at 8PM, 8:30PM and 9PM; Package Three: entrance (cover charge) 9PM- 1AM
WEBSITE: Hotelmayalongbeach.com/fuego
MENU: Christmas / New Years (PARTY PACKAGES)
ADMISSION: CHRISTMAS: $44 + tax and tip. Reservations are encouraged; call (562) 436-7676. NEW YEARS: Package One, $100 per person; Package Two, $150 per person; Package Three, $50 per person in advance, $75 per person on New Year’s Eve