Category Archives: Family Travel

You’re stuck together, you might as well go places.

Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove

Posted on November 12, 2010 | 3 Comments

I saw the first Monarch Butterflies fluttering around the streets of San Luis Obispo, about fifteen miles away from the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove. I’m glad that I did, or I would have completely forgotten that they start arriving at their winter home in the groves of Pismo Beach in early November. So then I would have just driven right by them on Highway 101, and I would have missed the best pit stop ever.

If you’re in the Pismo Beach area between the months of November and February, follow Highway 1 to Pismo State Beach and the North End Campground entrance. Find the free parking in the campground and follow the marked path. Besides seeing trees full of butterflies, you’ll find docents, displays, and some binoculars set up for the kids to get a closer view.

I have already written about our annual visits to the Natural Bridges Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Santa Cruz, California: here, here, and here. I know that I’m a little obsessed with these orange buggers. It’s just that they’re so darn cool. So what are you waiting for? This winter, go find a butterfly grove near you.

→ 3 Comments

Posted in California's Central Coast, Family Travel, Geek Stops

Tagged , , , ,

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Posted on October 25, 2010 | 3 Comments

I have a kid who is donning a zookeeper costume for the second Halloween of his young life, so I tend to spend a lot of time at zoos with my little animal enthusiast. We have seen more elephants, giraffes, and lemurs than I’d like to remember. But since I’m here to share our adventures, I will remember our few trips out to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly known as the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park). Here are our favorite San Diego Safari Park experiences:

1. Elephant Overlook

There are not many places where a kid can see an elephant herd in California, so the Elephant Overlook exhibit is definitely worth a visit. There are eight baby elephants to ooh and ah at. Be sure to follow the elevated pathway alongside the huge exhibit until you get the best close-up views of the pachyderms. We found these guys hanging out in a corner of the exhibit, but the enclosure is pretty big so keep looking, you won’t miss them. Ha.

2. Lion Camp

This not the place where you want to set up your tent and roast marshmallows, but it is the place to go find the kings of the jungles lazing around just inches away from you (through the thick glass window, of course). This exhibit lets you and the kids get safely and uncomfortably close to the lions, much closer than most zoo exhibits. They looked quite cozy on their bed of boulders, but I wouldn’t go tapping on the window.

3. Journey Into Africa Tour

The park’s main visitor draw is this 25-minute tram tour through the Heart of Africa exhibit. Among the many African animals, you will see the giraffes, rhinoceros, gazelles, and impalas out the tram windows. This is not a tour that will let you experience a closer interaction with the animals (you will have to pay for the photo caravans if you want the giraffes to come up to the window), but it will let kids get a glimpse of animals wandering around more freely in their bigger enclosures.

4. Lorikeet Landing

This is the place to go if you like green-naped lorikeets swooping down on you and your kid. The lorikeets are not afraid of people, mostly because the homo sapiens come into the aviary with cups of nectar for them to dine on. The people may be afraid of them though, so this is not the place for kids who don’t like lorikeets climbing-or potentially pooping-on their heads. My kid, a.k.a the crocodile hunter, feared no lorikeet and loved every minute of it. So much so, that we had to go get another cup of nectar. It does make for a great photo opportunity though.

Tips:

This park is part of San Diego Zoo, but it’s about 35 miles away in the inland city of Escondido. Don’t expect to do this park and the zoo in one day unless you have some sort of death wish. Give yourself at least a good half-day to explore the Safari Park, we’ve been twice and still not seen the whole thing, mostly because it involves a lot of walking in the California desert heat.

It’s hot, so plan to go early in the morning during the summer or just avoid that season altogether.

Plan to do a lot of walking because there are fewer but larger exhibits that are spread out throughout this huge zoo park. But don’t let that stop you from exploring at least some of the park by foot, there is much more than the tram tour.

Check the website for special events, additional experiences and the occasional deal (kids get in free this October, for example).

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Family Travel, SoCal

Tagged , , ,

Columbia State Historic Park

Posted on October 19, 2010 | 4 Comments

What: Columbia is a preserved and recreated Gold Rush town located about three miles north of Sonora, California. There are exhibits displaying historical artifacts throughout the town, and some even provide hands-on activities for kids. You can also take a stagecoach ride or try your hand at gold panning. Some of the proprietors of the shops, restaurants and hotels are dressed up in period clothing.

Why: We were driving back from a trip to Yosemite National Park along historic Highway 49 and knew this was the perfect opportunity to introduce the kiddo to a slice of California history.

My Kid’s Picks: He didn’t let the lanky cowboy intimidate him while he tried panning for gold at the Hidden Treasure Gold Mine place in the town’s southern end. It took a few tries and some refinement of his technique, but he got to take a few “gold” flake home for show-and-tell. At the working blacksmith shop, he also got his named hammered into a horseshoe souvenir. We took an ice cream break at the Fallon Ice Cream Parlor and also bought a few bottles of sarsaparilla (looks like a beer bottle) soda. And of course, our kid-approved activities wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the ol’ candy shop.

Mom’s Verdict: This is one of the best sites along the Mother Lode highway for kids to get a feel for the Gold Rush era. It may not be the most historically important town, but its neatly restored buildings and living history component makes it the most enjoyable for kids. It was worth walking up a few blocks to check out the old Columbia Schoolhouse, where school is no longer in session, but you can take a peek at the rows of desks and dunce chair at the front of the room. You can also get a bathroom pass and check out the historical outhouses by the school. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s always good for kids to get a bit of perspective, so that they can better appreciate the bathroom at the at the next gas station pit stop.

Useful Tidbits: California’s Gold Country towns can get unbearably hot during the summer. Be prepared for the heat or plan your trips for summer or fall instead. Admission and parking are free. The museum open 10-4 daily, most businesses are open until 5. Gold Rush Days are held on the second Saturday of every month 1-4. Check the website for regular town tour times.


→ 4 Comments

Posted in Family Travel, Geek Stops, Gold Country

Tagged , ,

Today’s Tip: When You Give a Kid an iPhone

Posted on October 14, 2010 | 7 Comments

…he just may find a way to pass the time.

He’ll never be bored while waiting for his flight…

…or while waiting for his kid’s menu at the restaurant…

…or even while waiting for the big tall dude to sit down and stop shaking his pom-pom at the big playoff baseball game.

But if his mom leaves him unattended with the iPhone camera for too long, she just may have to delete a lot of very embarrassing pictures. (Sorry you’re not getting any photos of me with the clown hair and big red nose.)

Photo creations by the kiddo using Faces iMake and Squiggles apps. I found out about these apps while browsing two very helpful kid’s apps sites Moms With Apps and Best Kids Apps.

→ 7 Comments

Posted in Family Travel, Something Actually Useful

Tagged , ,

Spawning Kokanee Salmon in Lake Tahoe

Posted on September 20, 2010 | 5 Comments

Every autumn the Kokanee Salmon of Lake Tahoe, make their triumphant but tragic journey up Taylor Creek to fulfill their spawning destiny, and every year I drag my son out to see it. Maybe I’m just giving him one more reason to hate me when he turns sixteen, but I’d like to think I’m teaching him all about one of nature’s most fascinating cycles. So far, my son thinks the whole thing is pretty cool.

Throughout the month of October, you can walk the trail along Taylor Creek and come within inches of the salmon as they swim upstream. There are sections of the creek that turn red, they’re so full of salmon. The trail goes through the Stream Profile Chamber, where you can get an underwater view of the creek and a look at a few informational exhibits on the wildlife of Taylor Creek. Did you know that the Kokanne males develop a humped back and a hooked jaw to help their chances with the whole mating thing? Well you and the kids may get a close-up view of this distinct hooked jaw through the aquarium windows. They will also enjoy looking at the 180-degree diorama mural of Taylor Creek and spotting the animals hidden throughout the room.

I have to admit that besides witnessing the exciting journey of the Kokanee, I enjoy our autumn visits to Taylor Creek because of the beautiful views of the aspens in their fall colors. There are not many places in California where I can walk in forest of golden trees, so the Rainbow Trail at Taylor Creek is one of my favorite fall foliage destinations. The trail is paved, an easy hike for all ages, and begins outside the Visitor Center. There are other trails that fork out from the visitor center, including the bike trail that leads to Tallac Historic Site.

I hope I can make a visit to Taylor Creek again this year (haven’t asked my son, though). I’m penciling in a weekend in October, packing my picnic basket, and looking forward to a brisk autumn afternoon with the Kokanee.

Useful Tidbits: The Taylor Creek Visitor Center is off Highway 89 in South Lake Tahoe, just north of the Tallac Historic Site. The Kokanee Salmon Festival will be held on the weekend of October 2-3 this year. Although I have never gone, there are plenty of kids’ activities, food, ranger talks, and Sammy the Salmon Mascot. This weekend may be more crowded, so check website link for more information. Oh, and there are bear sightings during the spawning season, so take precautions.

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Family Travel, Geek Stops, NorCal

Tagged , , ,

Best Family Travel Advice

Posted on September 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

I’m always quick to share my advice with friends (I’m bossy like that), so I’m lucky to be joining the team of traveling moms at the recently launched website: Best Family Travel Advice.

Some of my favorite travel blogging moms got together to share all their hard-earned travel wisdom in one place. The idea is simple: parents ask the questions and other parent experts answer them. Have you wondered how to tackle a red-eye flight with a toddler? Well, there’s an answer for that. Or maybe you want to take your young kids snorkeling, well there’s some advice for that too.

Take all of your how-to-travel-with-kids-and-not-lose-your-sanity questions to the experts at Best Family Travel Advice. The best part is that your questions may be get multiple answers. I think that one of the best parts about the site is that there’s room for different opinions and views. I may think that my advice is golden, but there are other moms out there who see things differently. Good thing.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Family Travel, Something Actually Useful

Be An Aquarist for the Day

Posted on August 30, 2010 | 2 Comments

I may not be able to get my son a backstage pass to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie set, but I have been able to pull a few strings to get him a behind-the-scenes look at some of his favorite aquariums. No, I don’t know some very important aquarists, but I do possess a very powerful credit card. I’m here to tell you that participating in the special programs offered at many aquariums is well worth the cost, so save your pennies and get ready to handle some squid.

Morning Rounds at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

You have to be eight years old to participate in the Morning Rounds tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, so my son waited patiently for years to get a very special look at one of his favorite places on earth. He wasn’t disappointed. As soon as the tour was over, he wanted to know when we would be back to do it again.

In this program, you arrive at the aquarium about an hour before it opens to the general public, put on an apron with a special eau de fish, and get a a very memorable tour of a very quiet aquarium. Our group of 12 wannabe aquarists was led by an education specialist and an aquarium volunteer to take a look at some of the exhibits before the general public came in. We saw the aquarium’s newest rescued sea otter pup-a.k.a. as 502, for its number as the five hundred and second sea otter rehabilitated at the aquarium-playing with it’s adoptive mother. You don’t get to feed the otters, and on the morning we went, the sea otter pup was getting a check-up from the vet.

Then we got right to work feeding the anchovies, the bat rays, the rainbow trout, the sardines in the Kelp Forest exhibit, and the fish in the Monterey Bay Habitats tank. Feeding the bat rays in the touch pool, was the most interactive of all the feedings, since we held shrimp and squid under the water and waited for the rays to come slurp them up out of our hands. The whole experience was a bit squishy, but we were soon petting the rays like they were a family pet (move over Hermie the hermit crab). Feeding the fishes in the bigger tanks involved throwing handfuls of juicy krill and squid, so we were thankful for our aprons and good aim.

Inside the aquarium’s food-prep area, we slipped the penguin’s vitamins inside some fishes. I know that most mom’s will have no trouble relating to the old hide-the-vitamins-inside-the-food trick. We didn’t get to feed the penguins ourselves, but that’s alright with me, since I don’t think it smells all that great inside those penguin tanks anyway.

We were only aquarists for a couple of hours, but we managed to get a glimpse about what it takes to keep this world-renowned aquarium ticking and learn at thing or two about some of the animals. For more information about the Morning Rounds program, or other behind-the-scenes tours, click over to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website.

Sea Turtle Mania at the Maui Ocean Center

Most families make a stop at the Maui Ocean Center while on their Maui vacation, but a few lucky ones may get to visit when the aquarium offers some of their behind-the-scenes programs. We visited the Maui Ocean Center in August, when the aquarium has special activities and tours that focus on the sea turtles. The programs have a changed a bit since the year we went (they actually got cheaper), but the main activities of their Sea Turtle Package are similar to the one we participated in a few years ago.

On our tour, we learned all about how the aquarium’s sea turtles are cared for, and also got to prepare the food that we fed to the turtles in the lagoon exhibit. Feeding the sea turtles was a much less smellier experience than our fish feedings at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, since the sea turtles like to eat their veggies. He was only five years old, when we did that tour at the Maui Ocean Center (there is no age limit for the Sea Turtle Package tour) but he was captivated by his visit to the aquarium kitchens and those hungry sea turtles.

Looking over the Maui Ocean Center website, I noticed that they now offer the Amazing Aquarist Tour on some months, as well as other package tours that take guests behind the scenes. Check their calendar section and click on the month you will be making your visit on, for more information.

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Family Travel, Geek Stops, Hawaii, NorCal

Tagged , , , ,

Old Lahaina Luau

Posted on August 19, 2010 | 2 Comments

Where: Lahaina, Maui

Why: This was my son’s second trip to Maui (he’s one lucky kid) and my parent’s first trip (they loved it) and they all wanted to try out the luau experience. I picked the Old Lahaina Luau because it was close to our hotel, the views are amazing, and I was looking forward to some pretty tasty luau food.

My Kid’s Picks: He enjoyed walking around the grounds before the dinner and show to check out the crafts stations and the Kalua pig being unearthed from the imu oven. The fruity smoothies with umbrellas were a big hit (he now claims he loves Lava Flows, heh), as was the buffet dinner. While the show also captured his attention, the location of our table made it difficult for him to really engage with the dancers.

Mom’s Verdict: I had only been to one other luau and hadn’t had a good experience, so I came into the Old Lahaina Luau not expecting much. I was glad to be proved wrong. Walking the grounds while watching the sun set with my favorite little guy was pretty memorable and so was the food. Poi rolls and mahi-mahi anyone? Yes, it’s open bar, but that’s not a big priority for me. I also appreciated that the hula dancing was strictly Hawaiian, you won’t see any fire-breathing at this show. It makes this luau a bit less Vegas and a lot more relaxing. I still think that the price of a luau is pretty steep, so this is not something I would do on every trip to Hawaii or with very young kids. All kids under the age of 12 that occupy a seat will require a ticket. But if you’re going to spend hundreds of dollars for a luau, this one is a pretty good bet.

Useful Tidbits: I would make reservations early and pick the traditional table seating-on low tables with mats on the ground-because they are closer to the stage. We opted for the table seating because it was easier on the grandparents, but we got a table with limited viewing. The 2010 prices are about $95 for adults and $65 for children under twelve. Check out the website for more information.

Linking up to Talking Trekaroo’s Spotlight Thursday. Go check out what other family travel bloggers have to share this week.

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Family Travel, Hawaii

Tagged , , ,

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Posted on August 6, 2010 | 5 Comments

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Please Note:

  1. I have never had a deep fried Twinkie.
  2. Riding on the new swing ride is the closest thing to flying over the beach like a seagull.
  3. I was very brave to go on the sky ride and the swing ride on the same day, since I loathe hanging from any high wires.
  4. Keeping your flip-flops from falling off your feet and landing on someone’s cotton candy is one of life’s essential skills.
  5. They may sell Texas-size donuts at the Boardwalk, but the caramel apples are the only dessert worth eating.

Linking up these photos of one of our favorite summer past times to Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday. Please note that there will be more fabulous travel photos to be found there.

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Family Travel, NorCal

Tagged ,

Today’s Tip: Pack It Up

Posted on July 24, 2010 | 15 Comments

I dislike packing so much, that I am not enjoying writing the topic very much either. Wait. Don’t go anywhere. Just because the topic of packing makes me a bit grouchy, doesn’t mean it’s not an important one to discuss. Behind every other travel tale I’ve ever written about on this blog, is a well-packed suitcase. Or two.

I was never good at packing before I became a mom, and my shortcomings were only aggravated when my little travel companion (along with all his kiddie stuff) came into the picture. But I had to rise above my inability to make a packing list, carry small suitcases, and bring enough pairs of socks. It has been a learning process, but I’m just becoming more of a packing ace with every trip we take.

I haven’t packed a suitcase bigger than a carry-on for each of us for the last few years, even for trips longer than 2 weeks. I know some of you are not impressed by this, since you can travel the world for years with nothing but a backpack. But for the rest of you who haven’t stopped reading this post yet, I’m going to offer up some of my expertise.

Here’s how I pack it up.

1. I’m addicted to packing cubes. Initially, I bought packing cubes because I was looking for an alternative to disposable plastic bags. They have turned out to be a great investment. I just roll (this step is key) the clothes, fill the cubes, and easily stuff them into the suitcase. I like that I can separate items of clothing for my son and that I have different colors for his and mine. As an added bonus, the packing cubes easily come out of a suitcase and into the dresser drawer of a hotel room.

2. I choose the outfits wisely. I am not a fashionista when I’m at home, so I don’t pretend that I’m going to be one while on my trip. I pick a few basic colors for my clothes, take few shoes, and try to choose clothes that will wash easily. Luckily, my son would wear his favorite shirt every day if I let him, so he doesn’t have a hard time limiting the outfits he packs.

3. I prepare for the inevitable laundry. There is no way to pack light, travel for a lengthy period, and get away with not doing laundry. If you know of a way, please do share. I can’t afford to have the hotel do the laundry for me, so it usually means a lot of Woolite and hanging clothes to dry in the hotel bathroom. If the hotel has a washing machine on the premises (or even better, in your room) then you’ve got it made. The keys to washing clothes by hand are: to take clothes made out of materials that will dry quickly and to use a travel towel to wring them out. I love my travel towel so much, I could write a whole post about it. Stay tuned, I know you’re eagerly anticipating that post.

4. Seriously, we don’t have to take every toy we own. This rule goes for both me and my son. I realized I could live without my bulky laptop and he doesn’t have to take his baseball bat (although it may have come in handy while we were in the subways of NYC this summer). When my son was younger, I would pack up too many of his playthings for fear that he would get antsy and whiny. He never played with more than a few things, since we were always too busy on our travels. Besides, I found that it’s better to save room in his backpack for a few souvenirs.

5. If I didn’t pack it, I can always buy it when I get there. This mantra was the hardest one for me to learn and follow. I came to the realization that there were very few things that I absolutely couldn’t leave my home without (medications, documents, and my phone), everything else I could do without or just buy when I got there. I learned the hard way, that I don’t have to take enough cotton balls to fill half my suitcase.

Feel free to share any of your packing tips in the comments below. I’m always looking to improve my skills.

Linking up to Trekaroo’s Spotlight Thursday.

→ 15 Comments

Posted in Family Travel, Something Actually Useful

Tagged , , ,