Oceanside CA— From its annual seaside Turkey Trot to the festive holiday boat parade and street market, Oceanside has always celebrated the holidays with SoCal flair. This season, a new attraction— helicopter holiday light tours— are adding to the California-infused fun. What’s more, Oceanside’s stunning backdrops perfectly position the destination as ‘holiday card’ worthy.

Helicopter Holiday Light Tours

This season, visitors can opt for a bird’s eye view of San Diego’s coastal light displays with the new Holiday Light Tours from Oceanside’s Waverider Helicopters. Offered Dec. 8 through Jan. 1, the 30-minute aerial light tours highlight beautiful light displays along the coast from Oceanside to Del Mar. Passengers enjoy the experience in a luxurious Robinson R44 helicopter that seats three passengers and includes leather seats, heating/air-conditioning and noise cancelling Bose headphones for easy conversation with the pilot or enjoying the experience while listening to a custom holiday soundtrack. Tours run between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. everyday and require a minimum of two riders. Waverider’s holiday special includes a third rider for half price. Tours are $150 per person. For additional information call (760) 691-9144 or visit www.waveriderhelicoptertours.com.

Picture Perfect Holiday Moments

With photo holiday cards at the height of popularity, Visit Oceanside is sharing ideas for capturing the perfect holiday card picture when visiting Oceanside. Whether seeking a traditional family portrait or a shot with an artsy flair, Oceanside is brimming with ideas for striking backdrops.
“Oceanside is definitely seeing a trend of more and more people hiring photographers during their vacations and many of these photos end up on holiday cards,” said Leslee Gaul, CEO of Visit Oceanside. “It’s fun for visitors to pair their goal of capturing family memories with a getaway to the coast on a photo-cation.”
Those seeking a creative scene can strike a pose in front of one of Oceanside’s stunning downtown murals or living art such as the succulent wall at SpringHill Suites Oceanside. For a photo with a beachy vibe, the Oceanside Pier offers interest, beauty and a variety of fun perspectives. Visitors can add a bit of retro inspiration to their photos at venues such as Roberts Cottages, Mission San Luis Rey or 101 Cafe— just three of Oceanside’s many historical landmarks. For ideas, locations and inspiration on planning a photo-cation, visitors can check out Visit Oceanside’s photo blog at: http://visitoceanside.org/blog/where-to-take-pictures-in-oceanside
Helicopter rides and photo-cations are just the tip of the ice-berg for holiday fun in Oceanside. Some of the annual events that entice visitors each year include:

• Parade of Lights celebration at Oceanside Harbor on Sat., Dec. 9 where fishing boats, sail boats, yachts and kayaks dress up in holiday swag and circle the harbor.
• Holiday Street Market on Thursdays evenings throughout November and December from 6 to 9 p.m. includes live entertainment, fun for kids, Santa sightings and gourmet eats from around the world.
• Tis the Season to Shop Local special events including a shopping passport, merry makers fair with handcrafted goods, beer and wine tasting event and tree lighting celebration between Nov. 25 and Dec. 22.
• Thanksgiving Turkey Trot on Thurs., Nov. 23 is renowned for its scenic ocean view course and family friendly spirit.
• Holiday Art Walk on Friday, Dec. 1 will be held at the SpringHill Suites Marriott Oceanside and include artist presentations, culinary expressions, musical performances, live art, an interactive section for kids and beer, wine and cocktail tastings for adults.
• Mission San Luis Rey holiday concerts on Dec. 1 and 2 take place in the beautiful historic church and include a dessert reception.

For a complete list of holidays events, times and details, visit www.visitoceanside.org/blog/spend-holidays-oceanside/