Winter Holidays in Marina del Rey

This oceanside day spa, featuring spa treatments, yoga classes and healing options is the perfect place to de-stress during the busy holidays.

Newly added to their extensive spa treatment menu and holistic classes is the new Aromatherapy Tea Bar. Their Aromatherapist and attendants will guide you through this adventure of teas, herbs, elixirs and tonics. Set in a relaxed atmosphere, you can enjoy the wonderful flavors and health benefits of the teas. Or after a spa treatment, you can re-energize yourself with one.
Chair massages are available.

You can stroll through their garden walk street to the ocean, watch surfers on the water; walk a bit further south to the Marina Jetty to watch the sail boats. Or go the few blocks to the east, and enjoy the views of the Venice Canals.

This also makes a great gift for friend and loved ones.

If you're looking for something a little different for that watersport addict -- or someone that has always talked about doing watersports, look no further than Marina Del Rey Boat Rentals.

They offer Holiday Gift Certificates for all their watersports activities -- boat rentals -- motorboat, sail boats and even the super fun for small groups, Duffy Electric boats -- kayaks, jetskis and the newest item, paddle surfboards. You can purchase by the hour, by the activity or just put on the dollar amount that works for your budget.

Get one for that someone special -- or even just yourself!

Every year, on New Year's Day, the Venice Penguin Swim Club celebrates wintertime in Los Angeles with a annual swim. Taking place at noon, various club members and community residents, young and old alike, make the 1-mile swim from the Venice Beach location and back. What an energetic way to start the New Year!

Take the stress out of the Thanksgiving Feast by enjoying all the flavors with none of the work at Shangai Red's Thanksgiving Buffet. This lovely restaurant in Marina del Rey's Fisherman's Village offers the best views of the harbor, and delicious array of a traditional Thanksgiving Meal for under $40 per person. Included in the feast is, of course, turkey with all the trimmings, but they also have prime rib of beef, leg of lamb and roast ham. Sides include mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, giblet stuffing, and for dessert traditional pumpkin pie. But it's all the other goodies that really set them off -- like shrimp, crab legs, mussels on ice, poached salmon, lox, seasonal fresh fruits, seasonal veggies, rice and pasta, chilled gourmet salads, assorted bread, sushi, cookies, cobblers, cakes and much, much more. And it doesn't have to be just for the dinner hour, beacuse Shangai Red's does it all day! From 9:30 a.m. -- which includes Egg Benedict and other egg dishes, bacon and sausage links, bagels with cream cheese, croissants, assorted danish, breakfast potatoes, waffles and omelete stations, chilled fresh juices -- thru the lunch hour to as late as 8:00pm there is a wide variety of hot entrees and delicious chioces. You will not know where to start. Children under 12 can eat for $15 and under 6 for $5. And if you are one of those early eaters, they will give you $5 off the adult price if you are seated before 10:30a.m. Reservations are highly recommended.

The Christmas season starts in Marina del Rey with the Holiday Lighted Boat Parade, usually the second Saturday of December. For 2009, the date is Dec. 12 and the theme is "Christmas in Paradise," featuring Zac Sunderland, the first teenager to sail around the world solo, as the grand marshall.

Starting at 5:55pm, there is a fireworks display to start the parade. Then at 6pm, festively holiday lighted and decorated boats glide down the main channel for all to see. The parade features nearly 40 boats, sometimes more, and every year they are judge on creativity and use of the theme. Many of the boats feature animated displays, piped music or live music provided by chorus groups or bands. There are small boats, large boats, some youth, some clubs, families, comercial boats but all celebrating the season.

Best viewing is from Burton Chace Park or Fisherman's Village. Parking is available at the various public lots for a minimal fee. Dress warm, bring a chair and perhaps something hot to drink. Or, you can find great viewing, dinner or cocktail deals at the various restaurants in Fisherman's Village.

On the second Sunday of December, join a walking tour of the Venice Canals to view a vibrant display of small, non-motorize boats, canoes and kayaks all brilliantly lit and festively decorated for the holidays. For 2009, it is set for Sunday Dec. 13, starting at 4:00pm. All the boats are themed decorated and manned by costumed participants, young and old alike.

Then after the parade, linger a bit longer to see the houses brightly lit and decorated for the Holidays along the canals. Walk the area, enjoying the pedestrian-only walkways and each family's take on the festivities.

If you have the time and inclination, enjoy a snack before or dinner afer, at one of the many restaurants or cafes along Washington Blvd., just a block south of the canals.

New Year's Eve would not be complete without the mid-night count down and in Marina del Rey there are fireworks to celebrate the start of a New Year. Watch the sky light up with amazing pyrotechnics shot from the south jetty of the Marina. The count down is punctuated by one firework per second; then when the clock strikes midnight, there is a dazzling five-minute fireworks show. It can be seen from almost anywhere in the Marina.

Prime viewing locations include Burton Chace Park,13650 Mindanao Way and Fisherman's Village, at 13755 Fiji Way. Make sure you dress warmly if you plan to view at either location. Also, many of the local private and public boat charters offer either dinner or cocktail observation cruises.