Right now, you may be looking outside and grimacing at the thought of winter break.
A house full of kids? And nothing to do? Uh-oh.
Well, don’t worry. We have some ideas that can help burn through those hours. Some may be best used after the snow melts. Others are worthwhile right now.
Forks in the road
Hollywood’s spotlight sure draws a crowd.
In November 2007, the Chamber of Commerce in Forks recorded 178 visitors. This November, 1,913 people stopped by.
One of the rainiest, gloomiest towns in the country, Forks has become an unlikely tourist spot du jour thanks to its role in “Twilight,” a book that topped best-seller lists, was adapted into a movie and, since its November release, has made more than $150 million.
The story is a hit among teenage girls, so they may be the ones most willing to take the 3 ½-hour drive — best put off until the weather clears — from Snohomish County.
Before heading out the door, visit www.forkswa.com. The site, run by the city chamber, helps you pinpoint locations from the book. It also includes addresses for shops such as Dazzled by Twilight, featuring collectibles based on the characters, and Princess Valiant Coffee, which carries a Twilight brew.
Upon arrival, expect rain. Granted, that’s not a problem for most “Twilight” fans. They expect atmosphere.
“When it is nice, people come here and they’re disappointed,” said Mike Gurling, visitor center manager for Forks.
Best place for snow: Your backyard
We were going to direct families eastward to enjoy some snow in the coming weeks. Then we looked outside.
With record amounts of snowfall on the ground, and record low temperatures keeping it there, a winter wonderland has appeared a bit closer to home than usual.
So got outside and find a hill. Go sledding. Build a snowman, complete with a carrot nose and charcoal eyes. Find a spot in the snow that isn’t stained by yellow, lay back, and make a snow angel. Just don’t sit around watching re-runs of “Elf” all day.
The conditions are rare. Despite all the obvious downsides — grim roads, untoward heating bills — the weather provides families an unusual chance to play outside together. So do that.
Bear with us
Even putting aside Point Defiance Zoo &Aquarium’s massive holiday light display, the Tacoma destination seems all too appropriate for a winter visit.
Polar bears, penguins, Arctic foxes and reindeer all call the zoo home, along with less-seasonal species, such as elephants and sharks.
After visiting the animals during the day, you can hit Zoolights at night. Now in its 21st year, the annual spectacle uses about 550,000 bulbs to create displays almost as exotic as the animals. While many animal exhibits are closed during Zoolights, the aquariums stay open, as does Animal Avenue, a new attraction featuring meerkats, scorpions and frogs.
Day tickets to the zoo cost $11 for ages 13 to 64, $10 for age 65 and older, $9 for ages 5 to 12, and $5 for ages 3 and 4. Prices increase in 2009. The zoo is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Christmas.
Tickets for Zoolights cost $7 at the zoo or $5.50 at Bartell Drugs. Zoolights is open from 5 to 9 p.m. every day through Jan. 4, except for Dec. 24. Unlike the zoo, it is open on Christmas.
For more information, visit www.pdza.org.
Andy Rathbun, Herald Writer, 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com
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