Car wash, carriage ride, ice skating: put these Virginia Beach events on your own holiday to-do list

Most of us have shopping lists for the holidays, but do you have a “how to celebrate” list?

‘Tis the season to enjoy all the great activities and family events that Virginia Beach has to offer. Fill your weekends with holiday bazaars, pet photos with Santa, grand illuminations and craft workshops.

I’ve compiled a list of activities that are a tad under Santa’s radar but will add a little magic to the holiday season.

Shop in style, ride in a horse-drawn carriage

Shopping isn’t free, but horse-drawn carriage rides are if you visit The Shops at Hilltop on Dec. 1, 7, 14 and 21. You board at Hilltop North (near Kitchen Barn) and at Hilltop East (near Taste Unlimited).

The rides are first come, first served and go from noon to 3:30 p.m. Visit hilltopshops.com for more info.

The ice rink at Virginia Beach Farmers Market as seen here on Nov. 15, will be open through Jan. 5. For information on hours, prices and special promotions, go to vbice.com. (Lee Belote/Freelance / The Virginian-Pilot)

It’s cold outside, so let’s ice skate

We don’t have Rockefeller Center’s ice rink, but we do have our own hometown version at the Virginia Beach Farmers Market. Open for its second season, the outdoor ice-skating rink is open through Jan. 5. Admission is $7 and skate rentals are $8.

The rink runs many discounts through the season such as Cheap Skate Mondays, which offers $3 off admission, and Date Night Thursdays, which includes admission for two plus skate rentals for $22.

Skaters can also enjoy concessions such as funnel cakes, fried Oreos and hot beverages. For more info on hours and specials, go to VBICE.com.; 3640 Dam Neck Road.

If you’re naughty, go run a race

Matty Sullivan and Ryan Conrad from J&A Racing model the running swag on Nov. 18 for the Bayport Credit Union Surf-N-Santa 5 Miler. This year’s theme for the Dec. 14 5-mile race is “Naughty and Nice.” (Lee Belote/Freelance / The Virginian-Pilot)

Are you being naughty and pigging out on too many fat and sugar-laden holiday calories? Have you had one too many sugar cookies? If the answer is yes, you may want to be “nice” to your body and run the BayPort Credit Union Surf-N-Santa 5 Miler on Dec. 14.

When you register for the twilight run, you get to choose if you’re on team naughty or team nice and will get the designated race shirt.

While running and burning holiday calories, you will be treated to a magical oceanfront light show because the race route takes you on the Boardwalk’s Holiday Lights Merry Mile.

Participants can expect naughty and nice surprises such as a “coal stop” that has chocolate doughnut holes, caroling groups and entertainment by DJs. To register for the race, go to surfnsanta5miler.com.

See Santa underwater

Every Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 30 through Dec. 22, you can watch Scuba Santa dive in the Red Sea Tunnel at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. Instead of reindeer, you’ll see him diving with spotted eagle rays and a zebra shark.

In case the kiddos ask, Santa has a special wetsuit, so his regular Santa suit can stay dry for the special deliveries on Christmas morning.

Scuba Santa is included with aquarium admission. Visit virginiaaquarium.com; 717 General Booth Blvd.

Go to a latke party

Celebrate Hanukkah with a latke party at The Simon Family Jewish Community Center’s Latkepalooza on Sunday, Dec. 15. The event is free and open to the community with RSVP. (Lee Belote/Freelance / The Virginian-Pilot)

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On Dec. 15, eat latkes and create Hanukkah crafts such as scratch art dreidels and washi tape menorahs at the Simon Family Jewish Community Center. There will also be games and story time from visiting book authors.

The event is free and open to the community with RSVP. Register for Latkepalooza at jewishva.org/latkepalooza2019, 5000 Corporate Woods Drive.

Take a ride through a car wash light show

Don’t neglect your car this holiday. Keep it clean for all those holiday functions and shopping trips. At Grand Slam Car Wash, you can enjoy a unique holiday-themed light show while driving your car through the washing tunnel (only at the Indian River location).

There’s also a holiday gift for all customers who donate a toy to Toys for Tots. When you bring a new unwrapped toy, you’ll receive a free manager special car wash ($20 value). The special runs through Dec. 15.

Visit the locations at 5668 Indian River Road and 493 South Independence Blvd.

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net