In the past, LAUSD has only given students two days of vacation for the Thanksgiving holiday but in recent years the district had decided to give us a whole week off. The break is a breath of fresh air for most students but staying at home, doing nothing tends to get boring. If you want to do something over break but have no clue what or where to go, I have five things for you to make your vacation memorable.

1. LA Zoo Lights Since the 2014 holiday season, the Los Angeles Zoo has opened it’s door during the night for visitors to experience a self-guided tour of the zoo’s christmas lights. The zoo also offers other things to do beyond watching the array of lights set up throughout the facility. This includes a reindeer exhibit, a “black light party” in the reptile house, and pictures with Santa Claus on select dates! The experience costs $18 for adults and $14 for children with free parking included.

2. Watch A Movie Movies have always been a great way to spend your time, even more now with things like Netflix and Hulu. Recently Netflix has released new series such as “Haters Back Off”, a series based on YouTube sensation Miranda Sings. On November 25th, the greatly anticipated ‘Gilmore Girls: A year in life’ comes out. If you’d rather watch a newly released movie, Tuesdays at the Cinemark theater in the South Bay Pavilion are $6 discount days.

3. Volunteer At A Soup Kitchen As the holiday season is approaching, it is always good to give back to those in need. It very easy to volunteer at soup kitchens or homeless shelters during this holiday in particular as many places like to give free Thanksgiving meals to homeless people. An organization you can volunteer with is the Westside Thanksgiving Community Dinner and Celebration. With this organization you can help set up the day before Thanksgiving, the day of thanksgiving, or donate items(foods, clothing, money). You can find more information on their website: http://www.westsidethanksgiving.org/ index.html

4. Ice Skating At The Pike Every year, the LA Kings host seasonal ice rinks all throughout Los Angeles and this year they have decided to have on at the Pike in Long Beach. General admission is $17, which includes skate rentals. For being in a city that never gets snow, this will be a great opportunity to experience and get you excited for winter.

5. Go On A Food Adventure Los Angeles is filled with many trendy places to eat. No matter what you’re in the mood for, you can find a restaurant in the county to satisfy your craving. If you’re craving donuts try California Donuts, if you’re craving ice cream try Creamistry in Long Beach, if you’re in the mood for Asian food, try Guppy Tea House in Cerritos.

We also have food reviews on www.rdpswolfpack.com

*Bonus* RDPS leadership will be hosting a school fair, November 18th from 3:30 to 5pm. Come and start your break off right.