Make this Winter a Wonderland

Catherine Zhang, Asst. Feature Editor

With the holiday season coming up, many Diamond Bar High School students are starting to plan activities for the long-awaited time off school. If you are unsure of how to entertain yourself, do not fret, activities such as laser tagging, jumping on a trampoline, and visiting a festive neighborhood notorious for its residents’ Christmas decorations are sure to relieve the boredom the break may cause.

Laser Quest, located in various locations such as Fullerton and Chino, definitely exceeded my expectations, proving to be the perfect way to spend a day off. Adding a modern twist on hide-and-seek, laser tag is suitable for all age groups, ranging from children to adults. In the game, participants are required to wear a rather heavy vest with sensors attached and carry a laser gun, which also has a sensor attached. The main objective of the game is to “tag” as many people as possible by aiming the laser gun toward one of the many sensors located on the vest or gun. Entrapped in a dark maze-like arena with two floors, hiding is an option for those who are less combative, however most players choose to actively seek out anyone who comes their way.  At the end of the session, your total amount of points is calculated, and a placing is announced.

       Laser Quest offers a Regular game, which consists of fifteen minutes in a maze-like arena with swirling mist and heart-pumping music for $9.50. In addition, the Ironman game is double the amount of playing time and costs $12.50, but it is available only on select days and times.

Another option for students to go to during winter break is Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline park, located in both Anaheim and Covina. Sky Zone offers multiple jumping sessions, ranging from thirty minutes to two hours. Attendees are required to bring a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. Specially designed Sky Zone socks with grips on the sole must be worn for the activity, and can be purchased for $2 at the venue.

        With the purchase of the socks, participants are allowed to play in the main court, foam pit, and various games of dodgeball and basketball. The main court is a vast open jumping area which is divided into multiple squares, and participants can jump or do flips on a single square. The foam pit is quite similar, except attendees temporarily experience the sensation of weightlessness by vaulting into a foam pit. Meanwhile the dodgeball and basketball games are held on a trampoline, which makes it more amusing, however much more challenging than its gravity induced counterpart.

       In my opinion, the pricing is quite fair since a two hour session costs only $25. It was definitely a lot cheaper than Laser Quest, which cost about $10 for 15 minutes.

As the holidays approach, visiting neighborhoods that go all-out decorating, such as the Eagle Hills community in Brea, is sure to get you in the holiday mood. While many homeowners decorate their property rather plainly, the residents of Eagle Hills elaborately deck out both the outside and inside of their houses, while blasting jolly Christmas tunes. This festive community attracts crowds of people who visit to see the astonishing decorations of the neighborhood.

      In previous years, some residents have even rented horse drawn carriages and coordinated their house’s Christmas lights’ to the music. Visiting Eagle Hills is free of charge, and will be open all of December.