#holiday-dining

#holiday-dining

The calendar year may be winding down, but luckily, such is not the case for New York City's bar and restaurant scene. As anyone who lives here can tell you, December is never quiet: just walk by Rockefeller Center or Bryant Park if you don't believe us. But tourist hordes and giant Christmas trees aside, this last month of the year is quite literally festive, which means dining and drinking out right now takes on an extra glittery and magical sheen.

We've reached the last month of the year, a time that zips by as we're inundated with holiday music and decorations and discounts from seemingly every retail store we've ever purchased from. But it's worth slowing down to appreciate the season, which typically involves a peaceful City of Angels as transplants empty out the last two weeks of the year.

Imagine hopping aboard a train with Santa and Mrs. Claus, hot chocolate in hand. But instead of heading to the North Pole, you're journeying through the Napa Valley in beautifully restored antique rail cars. The Napa Valley Wine Train is once again running its Santa Train experience, a magical journey aimed at kids, but enticing enough to lure kid-free couples and singles-especially when you get a peek at the onboard menu.

Santa Claus and Mickey Mouse will be busy at the Disneyland resort this Christmas season as the famous elf and mouse make the rounds between the theme parks and Disney hotels amid a returning lineup of familiar holiday parades, fireworks and live music. The winter holiday season returns to Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel and Downtown Disney from Nov. 14 through Jan. 7.