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Downtown San Jose California Ice Skating at The Circle of Palms
Dates:
November 20, 2009 to January 18, 2010
SAN JOSE
--Downtown
Ice at the Circle of Palms in Downtown San Jose offers one more reason
to take a vacation to beautiful San Jose, California. The holidays are
magic in this entertainment, sports and museum mecca.
Downtown Ice, Circle of Palms, 170 S. Market St.
between San Jose Museum of Art and Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, California.
Call: (408) 279-1775 ext. 45 or sjdowntown.com
Time:
Usually 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. weeknights; Noon to Midnight on weekends;
Special holiday hours.
Cost: $13-$15. Skate all you want first-come, first-serve...no in and out privileges. Admission includes ice time and rental
skates with skate sizes ranging from toddler 8 to men's 13.
Because
California coastal weather is known to be balmy throughout the year,
Californians delight in anything reminscent of an old fashioned
Christmas or winter holiday season. That's why the advent of
outdoor portable ice rinks that have made their way into the cities
and towns of California for a one-to-several month runs from November to
January offer something to celebrate. On a cool, crisp San Jose evening, imagine looking up
at the towering palm trees, then past them to the moon and stars above
in the magical sky. There's nothing like gliding on ice in an urban
setting, surrounded by the vibrant city buildings and warmer weather
Californians enjoy on a winter night. For families, it has become a
tradition and way to herald the holiday season, be it Christmas,
Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.
Each year
San Jose dresses up for the holidays in a big way. Next to the long-time
favorite, a park filled with a toyland of statues and lights called
Christmas in the Park, is an 8,100 square-foot skating rink decorated
with over 30 stately, lighted palms. It is the perfect setting in
the renaissance downtown district that helped transform
San Jose into an appealing family destination.
Ice
skating is the event to put you in the holiday mood, and its exercise
benefits help wear off the added pounds many acquire eating chocolates,
cookies and drinking eggnog from Thanksgiving through the New Year
celebration.
Holiday
ice skating is becoming increasingly popular in California, but Southern
California faces challenges with the its warmer temperatures that tend
to melt the rink ice or make it more difficult to form. San Jose's
perfect location provides not only a two-month skate season, but also
the ideal conditions for ice skating, minus the snowstorms and sub-zero
temperatures tourists sometimes find in New York City's Rockefeller
Center ice rink. At the circular rink, you can skate the inner, smaller
arena, or head for the outer strip with its larger circumference.
History
of the San Jose ice rink: It is no surprise that San Jose loves ice.
Just down the street a few blocks you'll find the arena where the San
Jose Sharks play ice hockey. And San Jose State Spartans also have a
hockey team nearby. Downtown Ice has only been in existence for several
years, but an ice rink has seasonally been in San Jose for over a
decade. When it was relocated to a plaza near the San Jose Museum of Art
and Fairmont San Jose just a few years ago, the ice rink began setting
records for attendance. At one count over 40,000 people skated during a
holiday season and over 1,600 in a single day. With nearby corporations
finding the exposure valuable, a list of sponsors has grown and made
this event a huge success. Local residents love it, and conventioneers
to San Jose McEnery Convention Center can walk a short two blocks for
this fun, outdoor activity when attending conferences.
For a
really special holiday season, fly into
San Jose Airport, book a hotel
room downtown, and walk over to the ice skating rink and Christmas in
the Park for a winter celebration that can easily become a family
tradition. In addition to the downtown San Jose attractions such as the
annual
Ballet San Jose performances of The Nutcracker, be sure to check out
Santana Row's
holiday tree lighting ceremony.
When
visiting Downtown Ice, there's a cluster of convenient and quality
hotels (many four diamonds!), that offer guests a special feeling during
the holidays. The absolute closest to the ice skating event is
The Fairmont located basically next door. It is truly a special
place and one of San Jose tourists' favorites for vacations and business
travel.
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