Famous for its beaches, amusement parks, and warm weather, it's almost a given that west coast families will spend at least some of their vacation time here. Our own family visits several times a year because we have relatives in the area, and in this guide I share some of my favorite things to do in Santa Ana, Laguna Beach, Orange, Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and other parts of Orange County
There's something special about taking your own kids to do something that was magical for you as a child. For me, the opportunity to be up high, sailing through the sky on the Astro Orbiter, is a hazy childhood memory, so it has been fun to revisit this ride ...
There's no doubt that Disneyland can be magical for its youngest visitors, but the large scale can sometimes be overwhelming too. That's why we always try to seek out a few spots where the kids can feel like they're having an experience that's all their own ...
We've all heard the "expert" advice for Disneyland, arrive early, bring a stroller, plan to wait in line. I thought it would be fun to ask travel bloggers who've visited with their own kids for advice that goes against the conventional wisdom.
End the Summer at Disneyland
Summer ...
Radiator Springs Racers is Cars Land's "E-Ticket" ride, and the one that kids tall enough to ride it will likely be most excited about. It's at the very end of Route 66, so you'll pass Luigi's Flying Tires and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree on the way ...
I've never been to Disney's World of Color before. Located in Disneyland's California Adventure, it starts after the Disneyland fireworks are over, and it has always seemed just a little bit too late for my very young kids. With them sound asleep in the hotel during the ...
I've written about Cars Land's Main Street (Route 66) and Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. Today I want to share pictures of and review Luigi's Flying Tires, the ride that most intrigued me when I first heard the details about the new rides that would be in Cars ...
Cars Land is officially open, and I was lucky to visit with my husband and three kids during the Californa Adventure Grand Reopening Celebration! Everyone's big question (including my own before we went) is "what are the rides like?" I'm excited to be able to share peek at ...
Last Wednesday was one of those epic days. It was the last day of school, with Darya's Pre-K graduation, a ton for me to do during the day, and a rush from the schoolyard to the airport to catch our evening flight to Orange County for the Cars Land ...
Everest is not the bravest child on the planet. As oldest, I'm sure his caution stems from the worries and concerns I had as a new mother, and the ongoing care I take with every new adventure he undertakes. Still, for the past few years, we've been working ...
Cars land is officially open, and I was lucky to visit with my husband and three kids during the Californa Adventure Grand Reopening Celebration! I wanted to share a few pictures and early thoughts. I'll be sharing more stories this week, culminating in a giveaway next Monday for four ...
Looking for photos and pictures of Cars Land now that it's open? click here
Disneyland's California Adventure is getting ready to open in just over a month ( on June 15, 2012) but I was able to get a sneak peak at the rides and attractions that are planned ...
Whenever we head to California, we make a stop at In-N-Out. For the kids, that u-turn logo has become an iconic part of our visit. They also love the sticker puzzles that are free for young kids so much that when my parents visit, they beg for stickers from "turnabout ...
Is there anyone out there who wouldn't want one of these pretty candy apples? They're a whole fantasy unto themselves
About Photo Friday:
You are invited to join us for Photo Friday! It's a great way to get to know other bloggers and to help them get ...
On this trip, we were invited guests of Disneyland. The Disneyland Resort paid for the cost of our air tickets, hotel, activities, and some meals. They did not require that I express a particular point of view.
When we visit Disneyland, I spend as much time reliving the past as ...
When we're out and about, Eilan and I sometimes go on a "bear hunt" looking for bears in everyday places. We're never successful, so imagine both of our surprise when we showed up at Disneyland and met Duffy, Disneyland's newest character! (Duffy is Mickey's Stuffy)
Related ...
I always hope that the kids will be inspired by our travels, and that the opportunity to see new places will help them be open to new ideas. Of course I have no control over which ideas will resonate with them, and sometimes that puts us in amusing circumstances.
For ...
We visited Pretend City at our own expense (including baby Eilan slept through the whole visit!). Whenever I accept a free service, I will always let you know.
While we were down in Orange County visiting family, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to check out a brand new ...
If you follow my blog regularly, you know that I rarely write about deals and promotions. Most just aren't that newsworthy, or they are too location dependent to be relevant to most readers. However, Disney just made an announcement that I think is so exciting I wanted to make ...
This winter, Disneyland updated the classic "Small World" Ride. In addition to structural improvements, some newer Disney characters were added to the ride. According to Disney 29 Disney and Disney•Pixar characters are now represented in the attraction
With the opening on Feb 6 came lots of controversy, with some ...
We approached Disneyland a bit more prepared today than on our last visit. Armed with tips from my readers a few healthy snacks, and two tired but excited kids we entered the park via the Monorail that runs from the hotel area to Tomorrowland.
Tomorrowland was the perfect first stop ...
This post is about a trip paid for by Disney. Disney did not express any expectation that I would express a particular viewpoint in my posts. I do not accept pay-per-post or pay-per-positive reviews, and on the rare occasion that I do accept a free service from a sponsor I ...
If you are participating in Photo Friday this week, don't forget to enter the url for your Photo Friday post (not your blog's home page) in the Mr Linky so that readers can find your post weeks or months later!
We're flying down to Disneyland for a ...
Next weekend, Disneyland is flying the whole family down to Southern California for a special mom bloggers event. Needless to say, after whetting their appetites less than a month ago, the kids cannot wait to hop on the plane. E asks my every day whether we can go to Disneyland ...
There must be thousands of articles about how to get the most out of your visit to Disneyland. The Internet is littered with them. So how many do you think I read before visiting? Me, the person who usually plans our trips down to meals and snacks? The person who ...
When I was in college in Orange County, California, my husband (then my boyfriend) and I often visited the secluded Crystal Cove beach. Visitors hiked through dry California landscape to reach the hidden cove, which meant that it was not as packed with beachgoers as nearby Laguna Beach. Until recently ...
On our most recent visit to my in-laws, P spotted some $5 kites at the store. He brought back one for each of our two kids, and we headed to the local playground to try them out. The kids (neither of whom had ever flown a kite before) were beside ...