Holiday events: Chic and unique

Holiday Fest -- The Beach on Ice

Beach Waterpark - 2590 Water Park Drive - Mason

There are plenty of activities available to help you celebrate the 10th Holiday Fest at the Beach this holiday season, including ice skating on the park's 7,500 square foot rink. You can also slide your sled down the "Cool Runnings" toboggan slide, take a carriage ride pulled by Percheron horses, enjoy millions of lights or even watch as elves plunge five stories for your entertainment!

Scuba Santa's Water Wonderland

Newport Aquarium - Newport on the Levee - Newport

"Scuba Santa's Water Wonderland" returns to the Newport Aquarium, featuring everyone's favorite jolly fat man underwater in the shark tank interacting with fans. Be sure to stop by Scuba Santa's post office and write him a letter, spot all the reindeer hidden throughout the aquarium and make an ornament (every day between noon and 3 p.m.) before you leave!

Festival of Lights

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden - 3400 Vine St. - Avondale/North Avondale

The 26th annual PNC Festival of Lights is up and running more efficiently this holiday season at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden due to the replacement of incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving LED ones. Those lights will surely help you see Madcap Puppet Theatre's "Winter Wonders" shows at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. nightly and the Polar Express 4-D Experience presented by Coldwell Banker.

Fountain Square Ice Rink

Fountain Square - Fifth and Vine streets - Cincinnati

Consider this time with your soulmate on ice. Whether you want to channel your inner Nancy Kerrigan or just spend time with your family, you can skate at the U.S. Bank-sponsored Fountain Square ice skating rink. Better start practicing those figure eights!

Christmas At EnterTrainment Junction

EnterTrainment Junction - 7379 Squire Court - West Chester Township

Head out to Greater Cincinnati's only all-train entertainment complex and home to the largest indoor train display in the world. The massive setup includes two walk-through attractions for the holidays as part of its "Christmas Journey" display, the first based on Charles Dickens' classic tale A Christmas Carol. The second part of the journey takes visitors off to the North Pole en route to Santa's village where the elves are busy making toys.