WEEKEND GETAWAY: Celebrate the Holidays at the Palm Springs Tramway

PHOTO: Celebrity Tree Lighter Jack Jones with wife, Eleonora, and Tram Board Members Michael McCulloch, Nancy J. Stuart, Bary Freet, Jan Oliphant and Jerry Ogburn on Dec. 7, 2014.

The following is a news release from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway:

Santa visits the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway on Saturday, December 20 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Free candy canes and photo opportunities for the kids will bring another dose of Yuletide merriment to all who visit the Tram’s Mountain Station.

The Tramway operates a special schedule from December 20, 2014 through January 4, 2015. The first tram up each day will be at 8:00 a.m., the last tram up will be at 8:00 p.m.and the last tram down will be at 9:45 p.m.

On Christmas Day, December 25, Ride ’n’ Dine tickets—which include Tram admission and dinner at Pines Café (a cafeteria-style restaurant)—will be available for purchase beginning at 8:00 a.m. (rather than the usual 4:00 p.m.) Dinner service begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m. Combination tickets are $36 for adults and $23.50 children (ages 3-12). The holiday menu includes a spinach salad with a choice of dressings; a choice of carved turkey, honey glazed ham or vegetable lasagna; and citrus cranberry sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, home-style stuffing and candied carrots. Dinner roll along with a small fountain beverage, coffee or tea are included.

Peaks Restaurant will begin serving their regular menu along with traditional holiday favorites at 11:30 a.m. on Christmas Day. Reservations are recommended and may be made by either calling 760-325-4537 or via Open Table on the Tram’s website (www.pstramway.com).

Finally, continuing the Tram’s holiday musical program, the following choirs perform at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the Pines Café:

• Friday, December 12 – Xavier Prep High School Choir
• Sunday, December 14 – Martin Luther King High School Chamber Singers & Show Choir
• Friday, December 19 – Cathedral City High School Choir
• Saturday, December 20 – Raincross Chorale