• A gull flies toward Long Beach.seagulls of long beach image by joelcleofas from Fotolia.com
  
  November is as good a time as ever to visit Southern California. The weather is sunny in this region year-round, so you can always enjoy outdoor activity. November is also a month chock full of festivals and events, gearing up for Thanksgiving and the holiday season, from marathon races that the whole family can participate in to arts festivals and ice skating rinks.
  
  

Long Beach Turkey Trot

• This annual holiday race raises between $5,000 and $10,000 for charity each year. The trot takes place on Long Beach at the Belmont Pool in Belmont Shore, a couple blocks east of the Belmont Pier. Not only is the Long Beach Turkey Trot a good thing to do for society, it also helps to shed a few pounds before sitting down to that turkey dinner. More than 6,000 runners were expected to participate in the 2010 run. Four hundred holiday pies are passed out to random finishers in the race. In addition to the main races, the Turkey Trot also includes an annual half-mile wingding for kids. The top three girls and boys under the age of 12 are awarded prizes, and parents are welcome to run alongside their kids.
  
  

Sawdust Art Festival

• The Sawdust Art Festival, which takes place in November each year, is dedicated to showcasing the arts and crafts of Southern Californian artisans. It attracts more than 200,000 visitors from across the country each year. In addition to its sales booths, the Sawdust Art Festival has a number of demonstration booths, so that fair visitors can learn the art of glass blowing, for instance, and participate in hands-on workshops. There is also a special section for kids, and an on-site restaurant.
  
  

Woodland Hills Ice

• Each November, the Westfield Promenade opens up Woodland Hills Ice, a massive outdoor ice skating rink in Woodland Hills. Surrounded by pine trees, Woodland Hills Ice consists of 7,000 square feet of real ice. Daily recreational ice skating is offered, as are regular classes, special events, birthday parties and field trips. This is the only outdoor skating rink in the San Fernando Valley. Get a tan by skating during the day or skate under the stars by night.