Snow-covered grass, mitten-clad hands and cherry red noses are common occurrences in December. In multiple movies set around the holiday season, friends and families are often seen grabbing their ice skates and heading outside to glide over a frozen lake. Sadly, as residents of the Bay Area, we aren’t fortunate enough to get this experience. However, while we may not be able to go outside and build snowmen and skate over frozen puddles, there are ways of experiencing these activities not far from home.

 Each holiday season, Union Square in San Francisco puts up an outdoor ice-skating rink outside of Macy’s. Yes, an outdoor rink in the middle of San Francisco, despite the occasional sunny days and warm weather. This rink is made possible by Willy Bietak Productions, a company that has made ice skating sets for many holiday movies.

The rink will host a drag queen night on Dec. 2 and invites everyone to join in. It is open seven days a week until Jan. 17. There is also an outdoor rink in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Center for the holiday season.

 Transportation to San Francisco can come in many forms. There are busses that make trips to the city daily, but plan extra time for this trip because these busses make multiple stops. Another great option to avoid having to park in San Francisco is the Larkspur ferry.

For those students that can’t afford a trip to San Francisco, Redwood Empire Ice Arena decorates the ice every year to celebrate the holidays. It may not be the same as gliding on an outdoor rink, but Snoopy’s Home Ice does its best to spread holiday cheer.

Sonoma County may not be a typical winter wonderland, but ice skating is a great way to feel a little bit closer to the snow this winter.