Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Ten Ways to Save While Visiting California Read Post

Ten Ways to Save While Visiting California

Hey, that's my city! Photo via Gadling.

California is my favorite place all year round, but I think it's an especially great state for family travel during the winter months; it takes an escape from bone-chilling weather far above and beyond five days of lazing on the beach (does anyone really enjoy that?). That being said, a California vacation can easily come with a hefty price tag, which is why I cheered when I stumbled across Gadling's Ten Tips for Visiting California on a Budget. It's a brilliant, not-to-be-missed list (and many of the tips apply to travel in any state, too).

Some of my favorite tips:

Check out areas around the state's big cities
It can be very expensive to stay in some of the major cities in California ... Check out nearby cities where you'll easily find accommodations while still using the city's public transit. San Francisco has one of the countries best public transit systems, so chances are you won't even need a car. Great cities not far from San Francisco include Berkeley, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto and San Jose. There are great things to do in these cities as well, and they offer a convenient and cheaper alternative to a money-gouging big city hotel.

Visit California's top-notch farmers' markets for inexpensive meals
California is already famous for its bountiful harvests of fruits and vegetables. Why not take advantage of all that deliciousness and save some money while you're at it? All throughout California you'll find some of the country's best farmers' markets ... These markets offer fresh fruits and vegetables, and most offer inexpensive food stands with delicious local treats.

Check out the full list here, and if you have other thrifty tips for a California vacation, leave them below in the comments.
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Thrifty Travel Fun: San Diego, CA Read Post

Thrifty Travel Fun: San Diego, CA

As temperatures start to drop off in the rest of the country, sunny San Diego becomes a delightful destination for family travel. With lots of water and sand (70-mile's worth, to be precise), and a laid-back, California vibe, there's lots to explore in this ocean-side city.

Sunny picture via San Diego Blog

1. San Diego's Balboa Park is its most famous, and a beautiful, spacious place to spend an afternoon. Pack a picnic (and some bubbles) and enjoy the stunning architecture and landscaped gardens. And don't forget to stop and smell the roses: the Botanical Building (and most of the gardens) are free to enter, and well-worth a visit. 

2. Have you ever come across your kiddos playing cops and robbers? Ever taken a mini police officer trick-or-treating? San Diego has a museum for you! The County Sheriff's Museum has a kid-oriented, educational feel, and youngsters will love exploring the police cars and motorcycles on display in the courtyard (they can even sit in a car and try out the siren) the mock jail cells inside, and more. The museum also houses artifacts, photographs, and other sheriff's department memorabilia. Admission is free!

3. Don't miss the boardwalk. Sure, it's a bit of a no-brainer, but it's quintessentially San Diego, and also ideal for some family fun. Make your stroll into a scavenger hunt: break the family into teams and have everyone keep their eyes peeled for three surfboards, a family wearing matching shirts, a boy eating ice cream, five sea gulls...you get the idea.

Accommodation Tip: The Best Western Golden Triangle Inn  puts you close to all the touristy spots on your to-do list, but keeps you close to what you really came for, too: the beach! 
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Thrifty Travel Fun: The East Bay, CA Read Post

Thrifty Travel Fun: The East Bay, CA

Photo by Sharon Danks

While my family gears up to head out of the Bay Area for our spring break, many other families are pouring in to see what the area has to offer - and there's so much! Be sure to spend some time in the East Bay, where opportunities for family fun abound: my three tips this week all come from the FANTASTIC East Bay family website 510 Families. Check them out for more ideas and goings-ons - and have a blast!

1. If you're visiting the West Coast from anywhere else in the country, chances are your already earlier risers will be raring to go even earlier than usual, which makes for a long wait til 10 or 11, when most things open. Albany Bowl to the rescue: this family-friendly bowling center opens at 9 a.m.! And I love the family-oriented details; you can even tell your bowling computer which bowlers need bumpers, and each time it's their turn, the bumpers will lower - genius. The going rate is $4 / shoe rental and $5 / game, but if you're going early in the day, you're likely to time it with a special: check their page for details and other special events.

2. Keep this one on hand for a rainy day, although you may be tempted to go no matter the weather. The Junior Center for Art and Science is a wonderful non-profit for local schools, and every Tuesday and Friday they host Free Animal Discovery Sessions. Would your little one like to meet Gary, a 30-year-old desert tortoise? How about a bearded dragon? Some toads? You get the idea! In addition to petting (!) the creatures, staff is on hand to teach and answer questions, and there are even crayons and paper set out for some inspired nature sketching. Read more about a local family's visit here.

3. Wish we still lived in an era of free, gone-for-hours neighborhood play, before antibacterial wipes and safety-everything? Well, then: welcome to Berkeley's Adventure Playground. Written up as one of the country's top ten playspaces by National Geographic (and other publications as well), Adventure Playground gives children the space to play and build creatively, whether with hammer and nails or a zip line or some other tool for adventure. Admission is free, and children under seven must be kept within arm's reach. Don't forget sturdy, closed-toed shoes, and let the adventures begin! (There is a second, tamer park located nearby, as well as public restrooms - family vacation bonus!)

Accommodation tip: The Best Western Plus Bayside Hotel  has affordable rates, views of Oakland's historic estuary, and easy access to the greater Bay Area. 

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Thrifty Travel Fun: Los Angeles, CA Read Post

Thrifty Travel Fun: Los Angeles, CA

There's no shortage of fun to be had in Los Angeles: read on for three suggestions of family-friendly activities that will leave some room in the budget for extra-big ice cream cones all around!



1. All aboard! The Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum was created by railroad enthusiasts for railroad enthusiasts...and really, who doesn't love trains? Bring the family over on Sundays between 11 and 3 p.m. for a ride on their 7 1/2 gauge model trains (free with a suggested $3 donation). There's lots more to see on the grounds, too - don't forget your little one's conductor's hat.

2. Surely you'll be swinging through Hollywood: why not turn the obligatory stroll down the Walk of Fame into a family scavenger hunt? Make a list of Stars (including plenty the kids will have heard of, like Dr. Seuss, Donald Duck, Snow White...), break into teams, and see who can check off all the names first. Bonus points if you take a goofy picture at each Star on your list!

3. Here's a surprising fact that might make certain little ears perk up: the most famous Ice Age excavation site in the world is located right in L.A. - excavators have been at work there since 1913! Bring your explorers to The Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits, where you can check out over one million fossils from 650 species (!), take a tour of fossils still trapped in tar, and even see real-life excavators at work. Admission is $5 / $12 for children / adults.

Affordable accommodations: Best Western Hollywood Plaza Inn, just steps away from Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Bowl, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Universal Studios, and famous star-studded attractions, hot spots and nightlife of the Sunset Strip.
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7 reasons to visit Disneyland during the holidays Read Post

7 reasons to visit Disneyland during the holidays

During the holidays the happiest place on Earth becomes the merriest place on Earth. Here are seven reasons to visit Disneyland this December.

1) Over 50,000 lights turn the facade of Disneyland’s beloved “It’s a Small World” ride into a sparkling wonderland every evening through January 6.

2) Prancing reindeer, skating silver snowflakes, marching toy soldiers and dancing gingerbread cookies march down Main Street during the daily Christmas Fantasy Parade. You'll also see your favorite characters atop floats: Mickey and Minnie take a romantic twirl on a frozen pond while Woody and Buzz wave from atop giant wooden building blocks.

3) When the sun goes down, shimmering icicles and twinkling lights make Sleeping Beauty's castle appear even more enchanting.

4) Jack Skellington and the residents of Halloween Town from Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' take over the Haunted Mansion ride.

5) Kids can decorate cookies and sit on Santa Claus's lap at the Jingle Jangle Jamboree. Also, don't miss the live toe-tappin music from the likes of Billy Hill and the Holiday Hillbillies.

6) Dazzling pyrotechnics burst high above Sleeping Beauty Castle in the Believe... In Holiday Magic fireworks spectacular, complete with a snow flurry finale.

7) Snow (really soapy suds) falls on Main Street after the fireworks show.

Best Western tip: Stay at the Best Western Anaheim Inn, just across the street from the Disneyland entrance.
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3 hotels where you can find sun—even in winter Read Post

3 hotels where you can find sun—even in winter

Anyone looking for some sun? Here are three hotels where you can soak up some rays, lie by the pool and get a tan even in the middle of winter.

1) Best Western Fort Walton Beachfront, Fl.
Could the decor in the lobby of this hotel be any cuter? The playful colors--flamingo pink, key lime pie green, ocean blue--recall those days in the 1960s when travelers were just discovering Florida's impossibly white beaches, turquoise waters, and fragrant orange groves. Better yet, this stylish property sits on a beach with sand that's like white sugar.

2) Best Western Beachside Inn, Santa Barbara, Calif.
The sun is always shining in Southern California. This boutique-style hotel sits across the street from the Santa Barbara harbor filled with yachts and sailboats. From here you can walk to the town’s commercial district, State Street. Or swim in the hotel's courtyard pool

3) Arroyo Roble Sedona Hotel and Creekside Villas, Az.
Escape to the Arizona desert. This hotel is set among 14 acres of parkland surrounded by majestic red rock mountains. Go for a hike, swim in the pool or relax in the sauna.


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Hike through the redwoods: Muir Woods is free this weekend! Read Post

Hike through the redwoods: Muir Woods is free this weekend!

In honor of Veteran's Day, admission to California's Muir Woods National Monument is free on November 11 and 12.

Could there be a better way to spend this weekend than hiking through one of the Bay Area's most magnificent stands of redwoods?

Parking can be a challenge so go early or take the shuttle from Mill Valley.

Tip: Stay at the Best Western Plus Corte Madera Inn with a gorgeous swimming pool. It's a short drive from the redwoods.

More info

Photo: Samantha Decker / Flickr


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Best places to pick apples Read Post

Best places to pick apples

The best apple I ever ate was pulled off a tree at Kiyokawa Family Orchards in Oregon's Hood River Valley. I remember that piece of fruit well. Is was a rose-colored Honey Crisp with a dense, juicy flesh that was the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

I actually picked that apple myself at the Kiyokawa "pick your own" orchard. The beautiful setting amidst an orchard spreading across a valley overlooked by snowy Mount Hood only made the apple more delicious.

On a clear, cool fall day my kids and I filled a bucket with apples, and ate nearly half of our harvest on our drive back to Portland. We didn't even have enough leftovers for pie!

Across the country you'll find orchards where you can pull apples right off the tree. Here's a list of places to help you find a pick-your-own orchard:

About.com: Apple picking in New England

All About Apples: Online resource for Apple Varieties, Orchards, and Health

Apple Hill Growers Association, California

Massachusetts Department of Agriculture: Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards

Mommy Poppins: Apple Picking Orchards in New York and New Jersey

New York Apple Country

Ohio Apples

Pick Your Own: Online database of pick-you-own orchards

Time Out New York Kids: Pick your own apples and pumpkins in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut

USA Today: 10 Great Places to Pick Your Own Apples

Virginia Apples: Guide to Pick Your Own

Photo: Courtesty Hilltop Orchards
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What's the tastiest treat at Disney's new Carsland? Read Post

What's the tastiest treat at Disney's new Carsland?

Oh, Chili Con Queso at the new Disney Carsland in Anaheim, Calif. Let me count the ways how I love thee:
Your cone made from bread is perfectly chewy.
The spicy chili that fills your cone has a kick but you're not too spicy so kids love you too.
Your melted cheese adds richness;
And the Frito's chips add crunch,
Which makes you fun to munch.
I love how I can hold you in my hand as I eat you.
You're this most perfect hand-held meal.
No wonder everyone walking around Carsland was eating you.
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Double rainbow graces San Francisco sky Read Post

Double rainbow graces San Francisco sky

Last night I stepped outside to water the plants and I was greeted by the most gorgeous double rainbow arcing across a glazed pink sky above San Francisco.

"Come look!" I shouted to the kids.

"Wow!" my daughter squealed.

"Let's go find the pot of gold," my son said.

We ran to front of our house out onto the street to get a fuller view of the colors gracing the sky. The glorious arc reached high above the downtown skyscrapers. Neighbors were standing in the middle of the street, their cameras pointing for the sky. We all stood there in awe—and watched the rainbow slowly fade into the darkening sky.

All of this beauty created by a light rain.

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Mirror images: Is it Disney's new Carsland or Route 66? Read Post

Mirror images: Is it Disney's new Carsland or Route 66?

Four years ago our family drove Route 66, 2,400 miles, between Chicago, Ill., and Santa Monica, Calif. We drove through baking hot desert, climbed majestic mountains, and make stops in a litany of fabled towns: San Bernardino, Flagstaff, Gallup, Albuquerque, Tucumcari, Amarillo, and Joplin. We saw the Grand Canyon, the St. Louis Gateway Arch andMeramec Caverns. And we followed in the footsteps of dreamers, ramblers, drifters, and writers: John Steinbeck, Woody Guthrie, and Jack Kerouac.

We also followed in the footsteps of the Disney and Pixar animator and director John Lassetter and his crew of movie makers who rove the highway only a couple years before us to get inspiration for Cars. The animated film about an anthropomorphic race car named Lightning Queen who helps save Radiator Springs, a dying town that was once a popular stopover on Route 66. The town and many of its characters are based on real-life places and people along the famed American Highway.

And now Disney and Pixar have created a new land in California Adventure based on the film—and another crew of Disney imagineers made the trip along Route 66 to gather ideas.

Our family visited Carsland this summer and we spotted similarities between those roadside diners, auto shops, gas stations, souvenir stands, and burger joints we visited along Route 66 and the shops, restaurants and fluorescent signs lining Carsland. We snapped a lot of photos at the new area of the park and we later pulled out our Route 66 pics. It was fun to draw connections between what we saw at Disneyland and places we visited along Route 66.

Below I've paired a few Route 66 and Carsland images. Can you tell which one is the real deal and which one was created by Disney?





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Disney California Adventure: Flo's V-8 Cafe takes you back to the 1950s Read Post

Disney California Adventure: Flo's V-8 Cafe takes you back to the 1950s

Where's the best place to fuel up at the new Carsland in Disney California Adventure. We loved Flo's V-8 Cafe, that's inspired by the drive-ins along Route 66 and takes you back to the 1950s. We tried the roasted citrus turkey breast and chocolate Ugly Crust pie.






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What's the hottest-selling souvenir at Disneyland this summer? Read Post

What's the hottest-selling souvenir at Disneyland this summer?

Goodbye mouse ears! Hello tire hats.

This year Disneyland fans are walking around the park wearing Luigi Flying Tires hats for sale at $24.95 at Sarge's Surplus Hut in the new Carsland.
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The day I surprised my kids with a trip to Disneyland Read Post

The day I surprised my kids with a trip to Disneyland

 The plan was to not tell the kids we were going to Disneyland for the day. Instead we told them that we were meeting a work friend of my husband's. His friend had two toddlers and their assignment was to watch the children who we named Aidan and Emily. We told our kids that if they behaved at the meeting, we'd buy them ice cream.

They were obviously annoyed but perked up after I told them about the ice cream. We were living in a Southern California mountain town at the time. The kids were attending an art camp and my husband and I were working remotely. It was a two hour drive into Los Angeles, where we were supposedly going to meet my husband's work friend.

But instead we turned off the freeway into Orange County.

My kids have only been to Disneyland once when they were young so they had no clue where we were going. We drove in a back way to avoid signage but when we turned onto Disneyland Drive and the Matterhorn was in sight my son asked, "Mom, is that the real Disneyland?"

I told him, "Yes."

And then he asked nonchalantly, "Can we go?"

My husband and I broke out into joyful screams, "We're going to Disneyland!!!"

My kids looked at us absolutely dumbfounded. I thought they'd be screaming too but they were too surprised to make a sound.
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Happy Birthday Golden Gate Bridge! Read Post

Happy Birthday Golden Gate Bridge!


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Maker Faire Bay Area in photos Read Post

Maker Faire Bay Area in photos

We spent the weekend at the Maker Faire, just outside of San Francisco. It's like a science fair, only much cooler and bigger. My son spent the afternoon with his dad taking apart computers and then gluing the little pieces together to create sculptures. My daughter and I headed for the sewing area where tables were piled high with used clothing, ribbon, buttons, lace, and patches. There were also sewing machines and glue guns galore. We decorated an old pair of pants with Strawberry Shortcakes that we cut out of a pair of pajamas. Here's a look at all we saw and did that day:





















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Best Western Golden Key, Auburn, Calif. Read Post

Best Western Golden Key, Auburn, Calif.


My 9-year-old daughter was too embarrassed to wear her snow pants to breakfast at the Best Western Golden Key.

"Mommy, people will think I'm weird!" she said.

She's at that age when everything is starting to make her feel awkward.

But as soon as we stepped inside the lobby and saw that nearly everyone sitting down and enjoying the hotels hot breakfast was dressed in ski clothes, my daughter blurted out, "Mommy I need to go back to the room to get my ski pants!"

Yes, in the winter time, when the Sierra Nevada are covered in snow, this friendly hotel in the foothills attracts a ski crowd. Only a 45 minute drive from the slopes, this makes for a great stopover on your way from the California Bay Area to the mountains.

Our rooms were comfy, clean and quiet. My kids were disappointed that they didn't bring their swim suits because there's an indoor pool and an outdoor hot tub. The breakfast—with waffles, fresh fruit, and yogurt—is complimentary. And as with all Best Westerns, the wi-fi is free.

I'll also make a special call-out to the people behind the front desk who are especially friendly. We checked out of the hotel and I returned my keys and then I realized that I'd left the luggage in the room. I needed to get a new key card!

Luggage in the car. Ready to go. My daughter screams out, "I forgot my blankie under the covers!"

I went back into the lobby to request yet another key.

The hotel clerk chuckled and told me to just leave the key in the room.

"You need to get up to the mountains," he said.
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