Things to Do in El Cajon

PB Christmas Trees spreads holiday merriment with noble, douglas, and grand firs individually selected from forests in Oregon along with fraser firs from North Carolina. On the lot, trees stand in water and receive additional watering from the staff each day to keep needles healthy and green. Trees vary in size from 2' up to 16', ensuring customers can a perfect specimen no matter how high their ceilings or how modest their budget. Complimentary hot cider keeps patrons warm as they peruse the lot, and once they've found their perfect tree, the crew will gladly grab a rope and secure it to a car or riding mower at no additional charge.

Ghostly Tours in History's passionate guides unlock a portal to the paranormal, leading visitors to haunted and eerie sites around San Diego's Old Town district and Gaslamp Quarter. Depending on the tour, stops include Victorian mansions, the Whaley House, known graveyards, and even unknown graveyards, below which lie the bodies of restless souls. Featured on both the Travel Channel and the Fodor’s Top 400, the company offers walking tours as well as bus and limousine tours for guests tired from giving their assigned ghost a piggyback ride.

In keeping with the historical nature of the tours, each guide dons a period costume and alter ego, ranging from reformed vagabonds to pioneering entrepreneur cowboys. In reality, the cast of guides is equally as diverse, encompassing trained actors, students, a Navy serviceman, and past and present members of the San Diego Historical Society.

Pacific Nature Tours' experienced captains and their crews navigate a seaworthy 70-foot, US Coast Guard–inspected vessel—the Eclipse_—through Mission Bay waters in search of friendly marine life and ambivalent birds. As the _Eclipse safely sails around island coasts, knowledgeable naturalists narrate the expeditions, which include two whale-watching excursions. Aquatic creatures ranging from dolphins and sea lions to pool noodles can be spotted in their natural habitats from the ship's spacious deck or from within the interior viewing area, which is equipped with satellite TV. As the Eclipse navigates Mission Bay, passengers can feast on the galley's appetizing offerings, including Chris's world famous clam chowder, served with 4.5 hour tours. Meals are also included in longer trips and items available à la carte for all voyages. All tours operate out of Seaforth Sportfishing.

At Inflatable World at the Bay, a 35-foot slides tower above 40,000 square feet of carpeted space as youngsters cavort among the outdoor park's 24 air-filled attractions. Nestled among the soaring slides, bounce domes shelter leaping tykes and obstacle courses challenge adventurers to navigate obstructed terrain. Themed inflatables in the shapes of dragons, pirates, and saber-toothed tigers host open-play participants, as well as parties and fundraisers. Inflatable World at the Bay also rents out its stock for events, pairing football enthusiasts with end-zone bounce houses or existentialists with specially deflated items.

Wine and Canvas sends local artists to restaurants and comfortable bars to guide students through featured paintings from the studio's monthly calendar. As instructors offer step-by-step instructions, pupils mimic the motions of their brush to re-create scenes inspired by nature, Impressionist masters, and alcoholic libations themselves. After the night has ended, students carry their finished masterpieces home to hang proudly on their walls or avant-gardely on their fish tanks.