Yuletide Yum Is Year-Round at SkyPark at Santa’s Village

What to Know

Skyforest, California (near Lake Arrowhead)
Open year-round; hours vary
A bike park, bouldering, skating, and more are summer musts; Santa's Village welcomes visitors throughout the calendar

SUMMER'S HOTTEST SPELLS... can have us reaching for gingerbready bites, gently spiced sips, and all of the deliciousness that captures our fancies, and our tummies, come December. Maybe we just need to imagine we're in a cooler place, and certain cuisines, and, yes, cups of cocoa, can help us to do that. And while it is perfectly acceptable to enjoy the foods of the yuletide all year long, in any location, these tasty tidbits do get a bit more magical when savored in a setting that has more than a bit of Christmas-style splendor. SkyPark at Santa's Village, which is located in picturesque Skyforest (just a short drive from Lake Arrowhead), boasts that Christmassy splendor all year long, even on the roastiest afternoons of August. Which means a day trip up to dine among the cute cottages may be just the spirit-lifting, keep-it-cool adventure we're seeking to send the summer off.

SOME OF THE CELEBRATORY EATS... and snazzy sips you'll find around the village, which takes its design inspo from the North Pole? Cookies, cakes, and confections for sweet starters. And something as sweet? Where you'll find them: In a beautiful building that takes its look from a gingerbread house. "There isn’t a single bakery in Southern California that I know of that serves guests out of a life-sized gingerbread house," says Michelle Johnson, Creative Director and Co-Owner of SkyPark at Santa’s Village. "We work hard to live up to that magical expectation. Everything we serve here is baked on-site. We have lemon meringue cookies that melt in your mouth and of course, iconic gingerbread men." Lovebirds can even find wedding cakes, too. "Our food is an essential part of that magical memorable experience we strive to give our guests."

HOLIDAY HEARTY FOODSTUFFS... are part of the supping scene, too, and there are several meal-type options to be found around the Christmas-cute clutch of woodsy buildings. Options include beef brisket and St. Louis-style ribs, burgers and Philly cheesesteaks, too, for before and/or after you devour your cookies and cakes. And to accompany your dining experience, if you're 21 or over? Look for cocktails and craft brews, too.