During the holidays people often find themselves playing host to relatives from out of the area. The best thing to do is be prepared for things to do to keep them busy and let them know what is worthwhile in Solano County.

One of the priorities is feeding the hungry guests. There are a lot of good restaurants locally. “When we have family come to visit us, we always go to Olive Garden,” said Secilia Sandoval. “My family likes Olive Garden.” Chain restaurants are popular choices, like Red Lobster, but so are unique restaurants like Kings Buffet. And if kids are visiting, it’s best not to let them be bored, so a visit to Chuck E. Cheese is a great prelude to Hop-N-Play in the mall.

This area is full of great amusement parks with a range of budget choices. Those with a lot of spare cash may want to take their guests to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom for Holiday in the Park, or California’s Great America for Winterfest.

A little less expensive, and a great destination for those younger children, would be Children’s Wonderland Park in Vallejo or Fairyland in Oakland.

There are lots of festivals nearby, including on in Napa on Saturday and Sunday, December 14-15, called Santa’s Helpers Napa. In San Francisco, there is a festival of lights called The Illuminate 2019. It features 39 light sculptures and will be going on until New Year’s Eve.

Even just a family trip to the movies can get the guests out and about. Some of the movies coming out in December include Jumanji: The Next Level (released December 13).

Plan to stay inside? Holiday movies are always a hit. It might be worthwhile to watch Home Alone, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, or The Nightmare Before Christmas.

It can get crowded with all the extra people, but there are plenty of places for guests to stay including Motel 6, Super 8, Econo Lodge, Hampton Inn, and Suites Suisun City Waterfront.