New Year's Eve at Disneyland/DCA

If you're still scrambling for something fun to do with your kids to ring in the New Year- look no further. Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure will both be hosting New Year's Eve events. Like any event at either theme park - rest assured that it will be fun, safe and enjoyable for kids of all ages NEW YEARS AT DISNEYLAND Where: 1313 S. Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, 92802 When: 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., Dec. 31 Admission: $66 and up Don't miss: New Year's celebrations and countdowns will be held throughout the park including a Jump, Jive, Boogie Swing Party featuring the Eric Ekstrand Ensemble, performances from Ellis Hall and the Truth, The Side Street Strutters, Doug Legacy and the Zydeco Party Band and El Soul, DJ Steve Shanahan, 'Believe...In Holiday Magic' fireworks, a 'New Year's Eve' Fireworks Spectacular will welcome the New Year at midnight and more. click here for more info NEW YEARS AT DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE Where: 1313 S. Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, 92802 When: 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., Dec. 31 Admission: $66 and up Don't miss: New Year's celebrations and countdowns will be held throughout the park including a Radio Disney "Noon" Year's Eve, a Hollywood Pictures Backlot "Noon" Year's countdown with Lil' Romeo, Playhouse Disney performances and Kids Karaoke, a KBIG 104 Disco Street Party with Jay Rhodes, KEARTH 101's Rockin' the Oldies Party, and more. My family and I plan on heading out to California Adventure to ring in the New Year. Hope to see you there!!

Rose Parade Viewing Tips

If you are thinking of heading out to Pasadena to view the 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade- here's a list of tips to make it a fun and comfortable experience 1. Layer up- The high for New Year's Day is supposed to hit a high of 76 degrees- but it is very chilly at night and in the early morning. Dress in layers so that you can easily remove a layer or two when it starts to warm up. If you're bringing little ones I would also bring scarves, gloves and mittens. 2. Overnight camping is permitted only on the night before the parade. Do not arrive before noon the day before the parade. 3. If you plan on camping - bring plenty of blankets, sleeping bags and pillows. You are also allowed to bring a small barbecue. You may not bring tents or start any form of bonfire. 4. If you are camping be prepared for a sleepless night. I've camped out a couple of times with my family and didn't sleep a wink. The crowd also gets a bit rowdy. I really wouldn't recommend camping out if you have small children. 5. If you would like to view the parade in style and be as comfortable as possible- splurge on grandstand tickets. For more info click here- Tickets are still available. 6. If you are light sensitive make sure to sit on the west side of the street 7. The Tournament of Roses Parade follows the same route every year: Starting on Ellis St., it heads north on S. Orange Grove Blvd., then east on Colorado Blvd, north (left turn) on Sierra Madre Blvd., and ending at Paloma Street.- Plan ahead to determine where you would like to seat- also there is no public, curbside parade viewing on Orange Grove Blvd. from Del Rosa to Colorado Blvd. and on Colorado from Orange Grove to Terrace. Grandstand ticket holders only. 8. If you would like to see the parade live in person, but have small children or the idea of camping out seems like a nightmare- this might be for you- Our friends suggested to leave about 30-45 minutes before the parade starts and head over to the end of the parade - on Sierra Madre blvd. You can easily find a spot without having to camp out. 9. Parking can be a nightmare. You can park in residential areas but be prepared for a walk. You can also pay anywhere between 10-25 dollars and park close up to the parade route in any of the private lots. If you are planning on this make sure you bring cash. 10. The parade starts at 8am sharp and is approximately 2 and a half hours long. 11. Bring plenty of water and snacks. If you have little ones- bring them along in a wagon and store your supplies in the wagon. 12. If you would still like to view the floats close up but can't make it out to the parade don't worry- Buy tickets for the best and most interesting part of the Rose Parade: float viewing. You can get closer to the floats and talk to their builders here. Crowds will be smaller if you can arrive immediately when they open on the morning after the parade. Use an area park-and-ride lot, or if you have a carful of people, try for one of the paid lots near Pasadena High School. I will be covering this in a later post Happy New Year!!!!

Tournament of Roses Parade- float preview

Does your family want a sneak peak of the 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade? If you are in Southern California this weekend and are looking for something fun to do-look no further!! You can experience the magic of the Rose Parade before New Year's Day.

There are four locations in the Pasadena general area where you can take a close up look at the majestic floats in their final stages. You will be able to see what it takes to put together a float and watch as volunteers apply the finishing touches to the breathtaking floats.

I've always wanted to do this and will be taking the kiddos this weekend to catch a glimpse. I hope to see you there!!!

There are two Locations at the Rose Bowl Stadium:

• Rosemont Pavilion
  700 Seco St., Pasadena
• Brookside Pavilion (accessible to mobility-impaired viewers)
  Lot I - South side of Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena
  
  Schedule:
  December 28 and 29: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  December 30: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  December 31: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Located in the City of Pasadena and the City of Duarte:

• Rose Palace
  835 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena
• Buena Vista Pavilion (accessible to mobility-impaired viewers)
  2144 Buena Vista, (City of Hope) Duarte
  
  Schedule:
  December 28, 29 and 30: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  December 31: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.

Admission: $5 for any two visits, children 3 and under are free

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas from Day Tripping Mom!

Disney on Ice

If you are a fan of Disney on Ice and your daughter happens to be a princess fanatic do I have something for you. Princess Wishes is the latest Disney on Ice tour to hit the Southland and is a must see for Disney Princesses fanatics. It's currently playing at the Staples center and will move on to the Honda Center of Anaheim , Long Beach Arena and the LA Sports Arena. The show will also be making stops in Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

Enter a world of wishes with your favorite Disney princess. Tinkerbell is your guide and the show features the abbreviated stories of Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White, Mulan, Jasmine, Aurora and Belle. If you are still looking for that last minute gift for your little princess head over to Ticketmaster and make sure to scoop up some tickets.

If you can't make it out to see the show during the next couple of weeks or if you are reading this and are not in the West Coast - don't worry. There are currently three different Disney on Ice shows that are touring nationwide. If you miss this show you can catch a showing of Finding Nemo or Princess Classics.

For more info click here

Glory of Christmas and crutches

Just in time for the holidays! Your Daytripping Mom here tweaked her knee while dancing at a company party last Saturday night. I am on crutches and waiting to find out from my ortho if I will need surgery. Let me just say that I do not intend on letting this slow me down. I still plan to bring you more fun places to visit during the holidays.

I may get around a little slower, but I am actually looking forward to getting some use out of the temporary handicap parking placard that I was issued. It will come in handy during the next two weeks!

If you get the chance, be sure to take the family to see The Glory Of Christmas is performed annually and is currently running through January 5, 2008 at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove. This is a live nativity musical with prerecorded orchestration by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Live animals take the stage and angels fly as high as 80 feet and travel as fast as 25 miles per hour.

The Glory of Christmas has been performing every year since 1981 at the Crystal Cathedral, an iconic landmark in Garden Grove, California. 714-54GLORY. Tickets are $20-55. Visit the Web site for ticket information. Performance are up to 3 times a day beginning at 4:30 on the weekends. Some dates might already be sold out.

Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade

The 99th annual Newport Beach Christmas Parade will set sail beginning Wednesday Dec 12th for five consecutive nights. The New York Times has called it one of the top ten holiday happenings in the nation. This year's theme is "Twas the night before Christmas"

The parade starts off Collins Island at 6:30 pm and finishes at the same site at approximately 8:30 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, and 9:00 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (Two separate routes are run on different evenings.) The boats follow a longer route on the weekend, taking about three hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Parade takes about two and a half hours to make its rounds on Wednesday and Thursday.

You can view the parade from pretty much anywhere along the harbor free of cost. The only problem is finding parking. All city parking lots will be open throughout the parade to accommodate viewers. There are also private lots along the parade route but they can be pricey. The lots I encountered ranged from ten to fourteen dollars.

One of the best places to view the Boat Parade is at the Balboa Island Ferry Landing at the Fun Zone on the Balboa Peninsula. Another great spot is from the bridge to Balboa Island. We decided to watch the parade from Balboa Island and had a fantastic view. We arrived thirty minutes before the start of the parade and it took us about thirty-five minutes to find a spot. I strongly recommend arriving at least one hour before the parade start time. Make sure to bring a jacket as it gets very cold. We brought plenty of blankets, scarves, hats and mittens. I would also suggest to bring something warm to drink. It is chilly on the bay!!

Although parking is a bit of a hassle the extra effort is well worth it. The parade is spectacular and you will thoroughly enjoy it!!

For more information click here or here

Zimmer Children's Museum

If you are in Los Angeles or planning a visit to Los Angeles make sure to visit the Zimmer Children's museum. The museum's mission is to promote values that help make a better society through interactive learning, creative self-expression and art experiences for children and families. The Zimmer is located on Museum Row in Los Angeles and features hands on exhibits for children 0-8. My two year old daughter and year old son had a fantastic time. The museum has 9 exhibits split between two levels. The lower level of the museum holds most of the exhibits. My children's favorite exhibit was the Zimmer neighborhood located on the lower level of the museum. The exhibit is made up of different displays. There is a corner market where the kids can shop for groceries. A home complete with kitchen and dining room where your children can cook up a meal . The neighborhood also has a synagogue where kids can explore and learn about Jewish traditions. There is also a bookstore and puppet theatre, a community park, toddler playland and the Blue Bagel cafe where your children can take turns playing a restaurateur or customer. People helping people is an exhibit that shows children that being a true hero is helping others. The exhibit has a full size ambulance where the kids can learn about saving lives and even take turns "driving". There is a section where you can make well cards for patients at local hospitals and a hospital desk where you can intake patients. This exhibit was a big hit with my two year old daughter . She loved "driving" the ambulance. My personal favorite was the replica of the Western Wall (the Kotel) in Jerusalem . Here you can write your wishes or hopes for the future on a piece of paper and tuck the note between the stones of the wall as people do at the wall in Jerusalem. The lower level also contains a water exhibit where kids can learn about conserving water and can also splish slash around. There is a water table that was a big hit with the kiddos where you can sail a boat or a duck through a water maze. Music Island is the Zimmer's newest exhibit and allows children to compose their own music or play a musical match game. There is also a newsroom where kids can learn about what goes on in the making of a newspaper. The ground level has the Zimmer plane exhibit which allows you to be a pilot for a day. Put on your safety vest and be prepared for a ride. My two year old was able to "pilot" the plane which is equipped with navigation tools, a flight simulator and electrical control panels. I had to literally pry my two year old and also my 23 year old baby sister from this exhibit. There is also a theater complete with a blue screen that allows you to be star. You can change costumes and partake in as many productions as your heart desires. I can't rave enough about this little museum. If you visit you will discover why Los Angeles magazine named it the "best little known museum". It truly is a gem!! Zimmer Children's Museum 6505 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Located on the lobby level of The Goldsmith Jewish Federation Center Parking when available is free in the west parking structure Museum Public Hours Wednesdays 10:00am - 5:00pm Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays: 12:30pm - 5:00pm Fridays 10:00am - 12:30pm Closed Monday and Saturday and on most Jewish and national holidays. Admission Adults: $8.00 Children 3-12: $5.00 Children 2 and under are FREE Grandparents are FREE when accompanied by a grandchild

Aquarium of the Pacific-Long Beach

Ever wanted to touch a shark? or have a lorekeet land on your head? If you have or even if you haven't, load up the kids and head down to the Aquarium of the Pacific. We took the kids and they had an absolute blast.

The aquarium is one of the largest in the United States and has more than 500 species of marine life on display. There are three main galleries that represent distinct areas of the Pacific Ocean. The Southern California/Baja gallery contains 18 exhibits that give us a peek into the coastline that runs between Southern California to the Sea of Cortez. The Northern Pacific gallery features twelve exhibits and gives us a glimpse of sea life in the Bering Sea and Alaskan coast. The third gallery is the Tropical Pacific gallery which showcases marine life in the warm Pacific waters. The Tropical gallery consists of 16 exhibits and is my personal favorite because it holds thousands of brightly colored fish

Another personal favorite is Lorekee Forest. It's an outdoor adventure where you can get up close and personal with these fun little birds. You can buy some nectar at the entrance to the exhibit and be prepared to have them land on your arms or even your head.

Once you have had your fill of birds head over to Shark Lagoon for an unbelievable experience. The exhibit contains almost every type of shark imaginable and you can even touch a couple . There are also live presentations and displays.

There is only one downside to your visit , well at least there was with ours - our daughter didn't want to leave at the end of the day!!

Hours :
Open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day of the year, except December 25 and during the weekend of the Grand Prix of Long Beach (April 13-15, 2007).

Address :
100 Aquarium Way Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 590-3100

Aquarium Admission Aquarium admission includes all the galleries, hands-on labs, and presentations as noted on the daily handout.

Adult: $20.95 Child (3-11): $11.95 Senior (62+): $17.95

A new thing at the aquarium is the Aquarium Admission Plus Harbor Tour. We plan to try this soon. Your tour takes you through the Long Beach/Los Angeles Harbors with Harbor Breeze Cruises for a 45-minute narrated cruise around one of the most active ports in the world. See the downtown shoreline, ocean vistas, ships from around the world, and even sea lions. Tours are offered daily throughout the day. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 562-590-3100, ext. 0 or at the ticket window.

Adult: $28.95 Child (3-11): $14.95 Senior (62+): $23.95
Member Prices: Adult: $10 Child (3-11): $5 Senior (62+): $8

For additional information click here

The Science Of Gingerbread - Discovery Science Center

At the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, CA, they are currently featuring the science of gingerbread as their holiday exhibit. We took the kids today and they loved it. The exhibit is very hands on and features everything from cookie decorating stations , gingerbread house designs, "A Matter of Taste" weekend stage show which explores the bitter, sour, salty and sweet sides of flavor and a good old fashioned arts and crafts station that of course is gingerbread themed. Once you get past the initial taco bell smell you will be delighted by the fragrant aroma of fresh baked gingerbread.


Here is the science center's favorite recipe:

Ingredients: 3 Cups All Purpose Flour 1/4 Teaspoon Salt 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda 2/3 Cup Molasses 2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg 1/2 Cup Granulated White Sugar 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature) 1 Large Egg 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

Directions:

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Set aside. In the bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (an electric mixer works best). Add the egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until incorporated.

Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside while you roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out the cookies. With a spatula, lift the cookies onto the baking sheet, placing the cookies about 1 inch apart.

Bake for about 8 - 12 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. They are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown.

Hours

10 a.m. to 5 p.m everyday

The Science of Gingerbread exhibit runs from Nov 19th, 2007-January 6th, 2008

Discovery Science Center is open daily except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Main Number: 714-542-CUBE

Address: 2500 North Main Street Santa Ana, CA 92705

Signing Time DVDs

This is a blog about day-tripping, which means that during your trip you probably pop something into the DVD player in your vehicle to entertain the tykes on the way to your destination.

If you are looking for something educational for your young children and do not want listen to another round of Baby Einstein (which, don't get me wrong, I happen to love!) I recommend you try out a Signing Time DVD. At my last count, there were 10 volumes of this. Using American Sign Language set to fun songs, your little children learn sign language. The target audience seems to be for the babies who are still unable to use words, they can actually learn to communicate with sign language. While my 11 month-old son still hasn't caught on to what's being taught, my daughter has picked up quite a bit. I've seen some other babies in my family (mostly the girls) communicate at least a few words after watching these videos.

Heck, I think anything is worth a try. They also sell music CD's one the kids begin to learn the signs, they can practice to just the music. This is great if you don't have a dvd player in the car, they can at least listen to the songs and sign along!

Here is a link to volume one at Amazon.

Disneyland at Christmastime

Living in Orange County allows us to make frequent visits to Disneyland. As I've mentioned in earlier posts, we are annual pass holders and visit Disneyland and DCA several times a month. This also provides plenty of blog fodder and tips to pass along.

November through December is undoubtedly the most beautiful time of the year to visit Disneyland. They even keep later hours during the weeknights to allow visitors to enjoy the nighttime entertainment.

A new feature of the holiday's this year at the park is “Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle” covered in freshly fallen snow. The castle has been decorated to appear as if it is covered in snow. Durin the day, it is a neat effect, but at night it's down right magical. The castle also serves as a stage for the new music, lighting and special effects that will precede the legendary “Believe ... in Holiday Magic” nighttime fireworks spectacular. Throughout the night a special little show takes place at the castle with an increasingly number of lighting effects being added. It is just too hard to describe, you have to see it for yourself. The little ones will love this.

The firework show ends with a touching rendition of “White Christmas” and one of Disneyland’s most beloved new holiday traditions: a climactic snowfall that swirls down on Main Street, small world mall and New Orleans Square.

My warning to you is that the space around the castle becomes very congested throughout much of the evening. During the snowfall sequence following the fireworks, Main Street comes to a halt. Just be prepared to be patient. It's also worthwhile to catch the snow effect over in New Orleans Square which is the least crowded of the three "snow" areas.

Our other favorite experience during this time of the year is Small World Holiday. It's a small world gets a holiday make over with decorations and a new holiday theme song. My children love this ride year round, but even more so during Christmas. The line is often long but it moves rather quickly. While you are there, don't miss the Very Merry Christmas parade. Santa even makes a visit at the end.

Even though the three weeks following Thanksgiving are consided off-season at Disneyland, the growing popularity of the Christmas decorations has made it a very busy time at the park. I cannot recommend enough to check out the park during this time of the year, just do it as early in the month as possible.

Sick Days

I just wanted to let you know why I haven't posted much this week. I've been hit with the cold/flu bug. It's so frustrating. It's the thing that I feel like I dread the most during fall/winter. We've been homebound for a couple of days. I'm hoping to feel better by this weekend. There are a couple of great places I had planned to visit and I hope I can do so this weekend. Just a friendly reminder to everyone-Make sure to get your flu shots if you haven't already done so.

Disney Cruises - California Style

Image (c) Disney

While we have yet to experience this, it is definitely something you can do with your little ones. Just a few years ago, Disney began bring the Disney Magic cruise ship to the west coast for summer cruises from LA to Mexico. Pricing begins at $1599 per adult double occupancy. Children under 3 are $189, 3-12 start at $999 and 13 and up begin at $1199.

There is definitely a premium paid for the Disney cruises, but with that premium you get the "Disney" experience. Entertaining the children is the priority on these ships. Children are divided into the following groups:

• Flounder's Reef (Infants 12 weeks-3 yrs)
• Oceaneer's Club (Kids 3-7)
• Oceaneer's Lab (Kids 8-12)
• Teen Activities (Teens 13-17)

The chidren are kept entertained for hours. Flounder's Reef Nursery will even watch the little ones all day while the adults and big kids are out experiencing shore excursions. This is group babysitting and requires an hourly fee, but by all accounts, it is worthwhile.

The 2008 dates for the 7 night voyages are:

* 05/10/2008 (Itinerary: 15 Night Panama Canal Crossing)
* 05/25/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 06/01/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 06/08/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 06/15/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 06/22/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 06/29/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 07/06/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 07/13/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 07/20/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 07/27/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 08/03/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 08/10/2008 (Itinerary: Mexican Riviera)
* 08/17/2008 (Itinerary: 15 Night Panama Canal Crossing)

Order your free dvd from Disney here.

San Diego Zoo

Pandas, Pandas, Pandas!! This is all I've heard from my daughter Lauren for the past couple of weeks. A while back she was watching the Wonder Pets which featured a Panda rescue and this is when it all began.

We're very lucky that we happen to live only about an hour and a half from one of the greatest zoos in America, if not the world. So we packed a diaper bag yesterday and headed south to the San Diego Zoo. The zoo is one of three(National and Atlanta) in the states that have pandas on display. Lauren was beside herself with excitement. We arrived after a short drive and snagged a great parking spot. There is one parking lot adjacent to the park and one across the street from the park. Parking was plentiful in the afternoon and free. We loaded the kids in the double stroller and started our adventure. We grabbed a map and started our trek to the panda research station but Lauren had other plans. On our way there we stopped by the monkey/gorilla exhibit and she was mesmerized. She did not want to budge. We knew that the pandas had limited viewing hours and we wanted to make sure that we could get there in time. Lauren liked the monkeys and orangutans so much that she almost forgot about the pandas. I have to keep reminding myself that with young children it's not about our timing but theirs. I realized that both my one year son Michael and Lauren were having a great time observing the monkeys and if we didn't make it in time to view the pandas it wouldn't really matter since really it's about them and not us. We stayed there until the kids were ready to move on. I think this is one of the most valuable lessons I've learned as a parent. You can't be rigid about schedules- Life is too short and children will pick and choose what they want to do- If it makes them happy and the purpose of your outing is to have fun then let it be. Throw expectations out the window and the good times will follow.

The walk to the research station was beautiful. We walked through the aviaries and enjoyed all of the different birds on display. The zoo is very accommodating to strollers. The grounds of the zoo are lush and beautiful. It's hard to believe that the zoo is in the middle of a busy city. I felt like we were transported to another place far away from urban sprawl.

We arrived to the research station and made it in time to catch long glimpses of two pandas on loan from China. Our family was in love. We waited in line for a couple of minutes but it was well worth the wait. Both pandas were in the middle of dinner and put on quite a show. I have seen plenty of pandas on television before but it was magical to actually see them in person. Lauren was bursting with excitement and to be honest so were we. It was a pretty amazing to observe such beautiful majestic creatures. It was definitely one of the highlights of our holiday weekend.

As we were heading out of the park Lauren mentioned that she was hungry and we decided to eat inside the park. We ate at the Canyon Cafe. The food was tasty and reasonably priced. One of the best deals of the park is the kid's meals. They come with a souvenir cup, souvenir bucket, meal, chips, raisins and cookies. It was a big hit with the kiddos.

I wanted to pass a couple of helpful tips if you are planning a visit
1. Make sure to bring comfortable shoes
2. Bring plenty of water
3. Make sure to pack a jacket for the late afternoon. It gets chilly.
4. If you can only come out for one day make sure to arrive as soon as the park opens to take it all in. We were there for a couple of hours and were only able to take in two exhibits.
5. Remember to write down your parking aisle.
6. If you can make sure to ride the Skyfari Aerial Tram. You will get a bird's eye view of entire zoo.
7. If you forget a stroller they have them available for a fee. You can either rent a single or double stroller

We really enjoyed our time at the zoo and can't wait until our next trip. I hope you can make it out soon.

San Diego Zoo- Hours of operation:
(open every day of the year, including all holidays)

Current Hours
(through March 14):
9 a.m.–4 p.m.
(grounds close at 5 p.m.)
Admission prices vary. Children 2 and under free.
The San Diego Zoo is located at 2920 Zoo Drive in Balboa Park, just north of downtown San Diego.

TSA SimpliFLY Video

This is pretty clever!!

Holiday Light Festival - Griffith Park

With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, I am starting to get excited about the upcoming holiday season. I just love this time of year. I love the music, yummy food, decorations and my favorite part of it all is the wonderful lights. I've been searching for fun things to do this weekend with my family to really get into the holiday spirit, and just as I was searching for something to do (other than shopping), I caught a segment on the local news about the Los Angeles DWP Holiday Light Festival at Griffith Park. I've been a couple of times and have decided to begin visiting it a new family tradition. It's a really unique Angeleno experience. The section of Griffith park runs about one mile with the displays of lights along Crystal Springs Drive. The displays even feature music. It is a must see. I'm planning on visiting sometime this weekend. If you will be attending this weekend and possibly beating the crowds make sure to bring a good pair of walking shoes, a jacket, and a stroller for the little ones. Most of all, bring your holiday spirit. If you are planning to be in the Los Angeles area this holiday season include this on your list of things to see and do. The festival will be a walk-through only event from Nov 21th -Nov 25th from 5pm to 10pm. Then it becomes a drive-through event from Nov 26th -Dec 30th, also from 5pm to 10pm. Make sure to arrive early!!! The best part is that it's absolutely free!!! For more information: here is the website

Knott's Merry Farm

Living in Southern California, we are close to numerous theme parks. Many of these places have special holiday events this time of the year. One of the family friendly and less expensive places is Knott's Berry Farm which transitions into Knott's Merry Farm during November and December every year.

One fond memory that I have as a child was visiting Knott's during December and being able to sled down a mountain of real snow inside the park. The park has discontinued this element, but continues it's annual Christmas Craft Village, which takes up a chunk of Ghost Town. You can access the craft village separately from the theme park on Monday through Friday for just $8 and children 3-11 are just $2. You can shop for holiday decorations and gifts or just soak in the atmosphere. During the weekends, you can only enter the fair via a regular theme park admission ticket.

Photo Courtesy of Knott's

There is something very relaxing about visiting the park during the cool daytime weather during the holidays. It's probably a nostalgic feeling from my own childhood. Create some memories for your children and bring them to experience this event.

It is worth noting that admission for SoCal residents is only $33.99 for adults and $19.99 for children. That's almost half of what you'll pay down at 1313 Harbor Blvd.

Christmas at Knott's also means a new Snoopy ice show, A Christmas Carol and Gift of the Magi in the Birdcage theater, carolers and a Christmas parade. This year they have also brought back Elf Mountain Christmas - which is the log ride decorated with Santa's little elves preparing for Christmas.

Also: Toys for Tots
December 1-2, 8-9, & 15-16
Bring a brand new toy valued at $10 or more (not gift wrapped) to donate to Toys for Tots and you'll receive free admission to Knott's.

Lastly, here are some great coupons including kids eating for $2 at the TGI Fridays located in front of Knott's.
Enjoy!

Strollers on a Plane

In an earlier post, I mentioned about how easy it is to use a stroller at the airport. The good news is that you can bring it all the way up to the plane. What happens at that point is that the stroller is folded up and checked-in by a flight attendant. Then when you arrive at your destination, the stroller is right there waiting for you just outside the plane door. It is much more convenient than you might expect. Now I cannot be sure that every airline handles this the exact same way, but I would imagine that most do. After all, they do allow early boarding for people traveling with small children. I noticed while checking our blog stats that someone found our blog while searching google with "can I bring a double stroller on a plane." What we discovered is that this is totally possible. It would work the same way as mentioned above. Had we known this before our recent trip to the islands, we would have brought our double stroller instead of making our 2 year-old walk all over the airport. Our 10 month old is also much happier in the stroller when he has his big sister sitting next to him. We have a Combi double stroller that is uber-portable and both kids love riding in it. Oh well, live and learn! UPDATE: Apparently, Southwest recently eliminated pre-boarding with small children. To the best of knowledge and research, most all other carriers still allow it. It has also been brought to my attention that this stroller process that I have discussed may not work the same way if your flight has multiple legs. If nothing else, just ask a helpful airline employee.

Thanksgiving Travel Tips That Won't Gobble Your Fun- Part 1

With Thanksgiving just a short week away, one of the busiest travel times is fast approaching. Millions of Americans will be traveling to visit family and loved ones. We have the tradition of making a four hour trip to Las Vegas to spend the holiday with my husband's aunt. Here are some tips when traveling long distances by car with little ones for busy holidays:

• Leave as early as possible - for instance we try to leave the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving and then return home the day after. If you can't leave early then experts agree that you should leave the day of the actual holiday. We have found that traveling to Las Vegas on Thanksgiving was lighter than the day before. Don't leave during the morning rush or afternoon rush.. Aim for mid-morning or very early morning

• Stop at least every two hours for a potty or snack break. Although if they are asleep, we try to just keep chugging along.

• Bring plenty of snacks and bottled water in the car. It's better than having to buy food in traveler traps along the way.

• Load your car with entertaining things for the children like books, DVD's for the portable DVD player (they are so inexpensive these days, there is no excuse not to have one), and music. We have found that our children are both highly entertained by the Kids Stuff music station on our Sirius Satellite Radio.

• Make sure to bring a couple of plastic bags just in case you might have to change a diaper or two and there are no changing stations around. I've found that the front seat makes an excellent changing station.

• Just be prepared to be flexible and give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go. Young children are unpredictable and are not always going to feel like cooperating with mom and dad's scheduled plans.

Overcoming Your Fear of Flying

Psst... I have a secret to confess- although I love to travel and discover new places I find that there is one thing that most always sends me into a panic. It happens the moment that I receive an email with a flight confirmation number or as soon as I get off the phone with an agent. It's that dreaded feeling of knowing that I will have to get on a plane and fly somewhere. I haven't always had this fear, I was able to fly without a care in the world as a child and as a young adult. All was well until just a couple of years ago. The horrific events and scenes from September 11 were engraved in mind and paralyzed me with many fears, including the fear of flying. Weeks before we are set to fly, I will start to have nightmares, tense up whenever someone will bring up vacation plans, and eventually as our vacation approaches I will start to say to my husband - maybe we shouldn't go... What if...? We all know that we are living in the safest era of American aviation. According to the National Safety Council your odds of dying in a plane crash in any particular year are about 1 in 432,484. The odds of dying in a traffic accident are 1 in 6,535!! Air travel is definitely the safest form of transportation. I decided before our last vacation that I needed to overcome this fear because it had started to affect my children. Lauren , my two year old daughter, started to say "oh planes scary mommy." Once I heard her say this I knew that this had to change. As a parent we are supposed to be examples to our children. How could I pass along my irrational fears to my children?? This set me on a mission to overcome my extreme fear. I knew that it was my responsibility to help Lauren understand that flying can be fun and most importantly safe. I researched on the net ways to overcome my fear. I read plenty of articles and books, but nothing seemed to help. That's when I stumbled upon a wonderful site that helped me overcome my fear overnight. It's http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/ . It's an online course designed specifically for people just like me. It was miraculous, I was able to board a plane and actually enjoy the ride. Ok I'm actually exaggerating a little about the enjoying part- after all I was traveling with an infant and a toddler!! The course was developed by a commercial pilot who has dealt with many nervous and fearful passengers. It took me about two and a half hours to finish the first night I stumbled upon it and then I reviewed it again with my two year old to help ease her fears. I can't recommend this site enough. It's a fantastic course and the best part is that it is absolutely free to enroll in it. If you know someone, perhaps a family member, your child or if that someone is you, do them or yourself a favor and take the online class.

Tote a Tot

If you are planning on flying with an infant or toddler and plan on bringing along a carseat you must get your hands on a Tote a Tot. I know you are wondering what's a Tote a Tot and why do I need one so badly?? Here's the scoop on the Tote a Tot- It allows you to transport your child, a piece of rolling luggage, a carseat and a diper bag all in one hand. It's basically a snap on attachment that allows you to connect your carseat to your rolling luggage. It's fantastic - we bought one and I highly recommend it if you plan to travel with your little ones. The attachment is easy to install- It took me less than two minutes. The best part is that it comes with a built in diaper bag and it's easy to store. For more info go to www.toteatot.com.

Benefits of Season Passes

My husband has been a Disneyland annual passholder since 1984 when he was just 8 years old. His family had the tradition of visiting the park every Friday afternoon for about an hour or two. He bought me one the week before we became engaged and our family has continued the tradition. It's a once a year investment that allows us instant entertainment anytime we decide to drive the 15 minutes to go over there. Since both of our children are under 3 years of age, they are both free. Even for the premium pass, which currently sells for $379, you get your money's worth after six visits. Plus there is a 10 to 15% discounts on food and merchandise and parking is included in that price. It's totally worth it. In addition, we also have season passes to the San Diego and Santa Ana Zoo, Sea World and the Discovery Science Center. Read through the blog archives for some of our experiences there. Regardless of where you live in the country, you can find season passes at local museums, amusement parks and zoo's. If you have never considered buying them, consider it. They often pay for themselves after just a few visits. Some places offer "buy one day, get a year free" deals that make it even more worth the value. The other great thing is that you don't have to feel rushed thinking you've got to see everything in one day. This is especially helpful when you have little ones that tire out by 3 PM. You can take your time and enjoy yourselves.

Rental cars

I just wanted to share something that has helped me tremendously when booking a rental car. It's all about timing. The best time to call and make a rental reservation is about an hour after the rental office has opened. This is because usually there will be cancellations and you will be able to find great deals. I've discovered that you can usually get the best deals by calling the agency directly than by booking online. We needed a rental car last minute while on vacation last month. I decided to call the local agency directly, Enterprise and was able to score a roomy full size truck - with lots of cargo space and plenty of room for us for the price of a compact car. This was all due in part to a last minute cancellation. It worked out great and they were able to pick us up and even had car seats available at no extra charge. Remember it's all about timing!!!! With regards to car seats, you can typically rent them for a daily nominal fee. While in Hawaii, we were fortunate to be loaned two seats by some of our extended Hawaiian family. There are compact, travel car seats available, like this Eddie Bauer one at Amazon. In another post, I'll explain how easy it is to maneuver a double stroller at the airport right onto your plane.

Hawaii: Part 1 - The Dole Plantation

One of our first outings while on vacation in Oahu last month was a visit to the Dole Pineapple Plantation in Wahiawa. We packed the two kiddos in our rental truck (it was the same price as a compact but with more room!) and headed north for our little adventure. It's a beautiful and scenic 40 minute drive from Waikiki on Kamehameha hwy. My two year old had a great time enjoying the beautiful rainbows we saw along the way.


It's a great place to visit, especially if you have little ones. The first thing we did once we arrived was head to the Pineapple Express. It's a 20 minute train ride that takes you on a narrated tour of the plantation. The kiddos were in love and so was I. It was a fun little train ride and the views were amazing. We learned all about pineapples and how they are grown. The tour was a lot of fun and it's a must do if you visit the plantation.

Once we managed to pull the kids away from the train we moved on to the plantation's free garden tour. It's a self guided tour of the gardens which showcase the different types of crops that are grown in the North Shore of Oahu. We had a great time on the tours but really when you visit the Dole Pineapple Plantation what you really want to do is eat some yummy pineapple. We stopped at their snack shop and had a tasty Dole whip, some fresh cut pineapple and a pineapple float. We were in pineapple heaven!!! We had such a great time and if you are heading to Oahu with your little ones make sure that you make this one of your pit stops. You won't regret it!!!

World Famous Pinapple Split

Dole Plantation-64-1550 Kamehameha Highway, Wahiawa, HI 96786
Visitors Center/Plantation Garden Tour - 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
Pineapple Express 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily

Visiting Dole Plantation is free.
Pineapple Express Train	Adults - $7.75, Children - $5.75
Plantation Garden Tour	Adults - $4.00, Children - $3.25

Oh, almost forgot- children under 4 are FREE!!!!

Flying with infants/toddlers

I've totally been a slacker with this blog and I keep making excuses but really I need to just get on the ball with it. I really like this blog and like writing little posts but sometimes life gets too busy and I run out of time but here's the deal I have made a personal commitment to try to blog at least once a day. You can hold me to it!! Okay I know most of you have read somewhere or have been given good advice on what to do or what to take with you to make a flight pleasant. I'm not an expert but this is what I discovered. First if you have a formula fed infant buy one of those snack dispensers. They usually have about 5 compartments and dish out about 5 bottle servings. This was a lifesaver with our 9 month old. Per the TSA regulations you can bring formula this way just don't bring in water. You can buy it at the airport. Now that I've gotten that out of the way let me go on to strollers. I had tried to look up info on what to take with me and I couldn't really find any info on what to do with strollers. Well I must have not really researched this too well because I soon discovered you can take a double stroller all the way up to the door of the plane and the crew will tag it and have it waiting for you at your destination. I didn't know this so I only took my single umbrella stroller and we struggled carrying our two year old who soon became disenchanted and tired as we made our way through the maze that is LAX. Our airport trek would have gone a lot smoother if we had our double stroller. Another helpful hint is that if you are bringing a car seat make sure to buy a rolling car seat carrier bag. We bought ours on Amazon and basically it's a strap/bag that attaches your car seat to your rolling luggage. You can strap your kid on the seat and tote them around this way instead of a stroller if you prefer. I prefer the stroller. I will be posting more product info on a later post. Now on to entertainment and snacks. Remember that you can't bring water to the airport but you can purchase at one of the airport shops after you have been through TSA screening. You can bring as many dry snacks as you want to. I brought goldfish, crackers and some candy. For my 9 month old I brought a couple of jars of baby food and crackers. I also bought a kid pack from the airline. This usually comes with a fun bag, more treats and some kind of activity. I also bought a DVD player and a couple of movies. I can't tell you enough what a lifesaver the DVD player turned out to be. It kept my two year old entertained most of the way. Also if you can ,try to book a late afternoon/evening flight. We took a 7pm flight and our 9 month slept through most of it. Also if you are flying with a toddler make sure to buy them their own seat. It really made it a pleasant flight because we all had room to move around. If you have a toddler make sure to also bring books, crayons and some type of coloring book. For my 9 month old I just brought a teething ring but he didn't even use it because he slept most of the way. Make sure to also pack plenty of diapers, wipes and a sippy cup or two.. and oh one last thing, well actually two - try to get seats in the back of the plane. Usually there are more families in the back and if you need to calm a baby or if they are restless you can usually hang out in the back with the flight attendants. I did this along with two other moms and it helped with our restless little ones. Last but not least is to relax and know that as long as you are prepared you can handle any situation. My husband and I were terrified of flying with an infant and a toddler but it actually wasn't that bad. I hope I've been able to provide some useful information and please feel free to share any tips that you have found helpful when traveling with tots.

Mickey's Halloween Treat

This October, Disney's California Adventure held it's third year of Mickey's Halloween Treat, a special ticketed event. The park adds additional decoration, special entertainment and trick or treat station throughout DCA.

In the Sun Plaza, there is a giant candy corn and a dj playing music that you can dance to on a dance floor just in front of him.

There are also several meet and greet photo locations.Our daughter's dream came true as she was able to meet Cinderella, who took her hand and walked with her.


This event invariably sells out every single year. Tickets go on sale in the summer and are usually sold out by the end of September. It is an excellent event for young children but children of all ages are encouraged to wear their Halloween costume to the park. It runs for four hours either from 6:30 to 10:30 or 7:30 to 11:30 PM depending on the night of the week. Even though the remaining dates are sold out, you can check ebay for available tickets.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Kidsfaire

Just wanted to post a little bit about the upcoming kidsfaire at the Orange County Fairgrounds. It will be held October 6-7th and from what I've been hearing this is a must if you have young children. It's pretty much a big expo for kids with age appropriate fun zones, shows and appearances by favorite characters such as Barney, Strawberry Shortcake and other cartoon characters. Admission is 8 for adults , children 2-12 are 5 and under two free. You can bring a picnic lunch or purchase from concession stands. I am definitely bummed that I will be missing this!! Hours are 10 am to 5pm.. for more info www.thekidsfaire.com

Las Vegas with Kids

So you have heard that Las Vegas is no longer the family-friendly place that they tried (unsuccessfully) to be in the 90's. This is true, but do not let be a deterrent to bring the little ones if you feel like it. We put this to the test with our two kids under 3 it discovered that it can be fun!!! This weekend we took them for a quick weekend getaway and we had a blast. We only did a couple of things and they had such a good time. First off, it's important to choose a good hotel that can be kid-friendly. We stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club . It was a great choice. We stayed in one of their one bedroom suites and I can't rave enough about what a great place this was. We had a one bedroom suite, with almost a full size kitchen (it even had a dishwasher) and a washer and dryer.. Yes a washer and dryer. The kids were in heaven. They have two full size pools, a small grocery store, and a fun game room. There was plenty of room to relax in our suite and I think that's essential when you are traveling with small children. While it is a part of their vacation club program, you can still book rooms there just like a regular hotel. Saturday morning we headed out to Green Valley Resort in Henderson for brunch. The food was fantastic and the kids had a great time. We explored the resort and then headed back to our room. We were in town for a wedding so that took up most of our Saturday afternoon. Once we left the wedding we headed over to the Strip for a drive and to see the Bellagio Water show. Our kids had a great time just looking at all the lights and just people watching. My two year old loved the water show. She kept saying Mommy the water is dancing!! She also said as we were exploring the city - this is like Chuck E Cheese. I can go on and on about the many things to do but I will limit myself to a few on Las Vegas Blvd. First off, at the end of the strip would be a visit to Circus Circus and their fun zone. You can head further down and explore the shops in the Venetian and even ride one of their gondolas. You can also watch the free Treasure Island show right on the strip. I think they perform every hour. A little further down is the Mirage. There they have a free volcano show also right on the strip. This place is great because of the white tiger and dolphin exhibits. They also have an aquarium but its currently closed for renovations. You can literally spend all afternoon in this place. Further down Las Vegas Blvd is my absolute favorite. I love the water show at the Bellagio and it's also absolutely free. If you have time after all of this, head over to the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef. It's a fabulous aquarium that is open daily from 10 am to 11 pm. I believe admission is 15.95 for adults. 10.95 for children 4-12 and under 4 are free!! I know that they say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but seriously this city can be enjoyed by kids. There are so many places to sight see, free shows and seriously cheap dining options. We had a great time and I would recommend it to anyone.

Hawaii

We are preparing for a trip to Hawaii next month with both our 8 month old son and 2 year old daughter. This will include a flight to and from the island. We will be sure to report to you the things we learned and tips that we picked up along the way. Stay tuned.

Cinema City

While it's not advisable to take real young children, there is a movie theater is Anaheim Hills with $4 early matinee prices and first-run movies. You have to be there before 11 AM for that rate, but before 6 PM the prices are only $5. With that low price, you can afford to bring you toddler to a film like Ratatouille and not worry about losing a lot of money if the experience does not work out and you end up leaving the film early.

Another fantastic thing about this theater is that all screens now feature digital projection and stadium seating is found in each auditorium.


The theater is easy to find off the 91 Freeway at Imperial Highway and La Palma in Anaheim Hills. Their recorded message number is 714-970-6700. The box office is completely automated with ATM-like machines to purchase your tickets. Credit cards are accepted.

(This theater was formerly known as Cinemapolis and is still to referred to as such by everyone we know that goes there!)

Local Festivals, events

I will be adding more posts to the blog about local events that are family friendly in Southern California...I will keep you informed!!

Hullabaloo's Clubhouse

August is almost over and school will be back in session, that means more trips for our kids since we won't be fighting as many crowds and it won't be as hot... I wanted to write about a fun little spot in the city of Orange - Hullabaloo's Clubhouse. This is one of those fun indoor bounce house spots with a little more. First off you don't have to be a guest at a birthday party to visit this spot. They have an awesome house/wonderland climbing plaything. I can't really explain it other than it's fun kids can jump around and climb and have a good time. They also have a really big slide/jumper thing that the kids seem to go wild for. My toddler is a real ham so of course she loved the stage/karaoke area. You and your kiddos can karaoke and be a total rockstar!! There is also a cute little toddler play area. They have open play time every Monday and Tuesday from 5-8pm. Kids are $5 each and the best part is adults are free!!! They also have mommy and me playtime Monday and Tuesday from 10:30am to 1 pm. You can also call and ask if they have other playtimes during the week. Hullabaloo's Clubhouse- 1201 W Katella Ave, Orange, CA 92867- directly across from Douglas Nissan

Knott's Soak City

Water parks are always a fun way to spend the hot days in Southern California. In SoCal you've got several choices: Raging Waters in San Dimas, Wild Rivers in Irvine (at least through the 2008 season), Hurricane Harbor in Valencia and then there is the chain of water parks owned by Cedar Fair: Soak City.

You can find Soak City in Buena Park, across the street from Knott's Berry Farm, in Palm Springs and San Diego.

Each of the aforementioned water parks feature toddler play areas for your little ones. We recently visited Soak City in Buena Park for the first time with our toddler and had a great time. The Gremmie Lagoon is especially for the little ones with wadding pools and splash areas.
Life vests are provided free of charge for anyone that wants one. Children under 48" tall are required to wear them in the wave pool and lazy river. There are also several inner tube slides where they are also permitted to ride. Our toddler spent the majority of her time in lazy river and play area and loved it.

Small, hand-held coolers are allowed in the park with bottled water or sports drinks only. There are plenty of places to buy food inside the park. Also note that personal floation devices are not allowed in the park. The inner tube rides have tubes free of charge for use and you can rent your own for the day for a nominal fee if you want.

Tickets are $22.95 for adults if you print @ home and $16.95 for children 3 to 11. The park is open daily through Labor day and on weekends through October 23. Hours vary.

Downtown Disney

Okay first of all I want to apologize for being MIA- I had many plans for the week but then our family was hit with a nasty cold/flu bug. We were all miserable - especially since we've had a couple of gorgeous days and we were stuck inside. I'm happy to report that we are all 100% better and ready to hit some new places.. During this time I really didn't visit anywhere but before we became ill we did have the opportunity to visit Downtown Disney. This is another of my favorite places. I like to call this place one of my favorite late afternoon/night trips because I think it's the best time to enjoy this gem. We usually start by trying to get there about 5 or 6pm so that we can score some great parking. If you get there early you can usually find parking adjacent to the Rain forest Cafe. Parking is free for the first three hours and you can validate for another two at either AMC or one of the restaurants. If parking is pretty tight we usually validate. It's six dollars but it's definitely worth it- if you can't find any or there are limited spaces. Once we are up and running and we have settled our kids in the stroller our first stop is usually some form of entertainment between Espn and the Rainforest Cafe. There is usually some type of musical entertainment in the little plaza area. Last time we were there my little one could not stop dancing to a South American band. Usually you will recognize it because there will be some type of crowd and small children dancing around. We usually eat at the Rain forest cafe and there is usually a wait - so we put our names on a wait list and listen to the music or people watch. Once we've had our musical fix we usually head over to the Rain forest store to look around or wait for our name to be called. Kids love this restaurant and when I mean Love - I meant it. I love it too!! I enjoy their thunderstorms, the fun food and the overall ambiance. I think this is a must when hitting Downtown Disney. Once we are all fed and full of energy we take our time strolling through the shops and the different kiosks. A must stop is the Lego store. It's fun to look around but beware- Your kids or husband will probably ask you to buy them something!!! We usually stroll to the center of Downtown Disney where there is inevitably some other type of musical entertainment and the dreaded balloon guy/girl. If you have one under 5 you will probably crack and buy them one. It's almost impossible to say no to this. It's either a balloon or a bear from build a bear. Yes there is a build a bear and it's quite popular. Just be prepared. Bring some cash!!! We usually window ship and buy some sort of treat. We usually end up with a pretzel from Wetzel's or a yummy smoothie from Jamba Juice. Oh almost forgot if you have a little girl make sure to check out Libby Lu. It's a fun girly girl store that your little one will love to browse through. We usually end up at the end of the strip with the Grand Finale of shopping- The world of Disney Store. You can literally spend an hour there just browsing through all of the Disney Merchandise. It's a great store but you have to have willpower to resist all the Disney goods since they are just too cute but oh so expensive!! We usually end our evening in front of one of the water fountains by the LaBrea Bakery. This is really a fun place but we usually wind up spending way too much. If you are on a budget make sure to eat before you get there and just splurge on a snack. Also be firm and strong and do not be swayed by the Disney goods!!! They are tempting!! In all seriousness this is a great place for kids. It's stroller friendly and a fun way to spend an evening with your family. Enjoy!! p.s. My sister in law wrote to me and told me they have free screenings of Disney classics on Wednesday mornings at the AMC there. I am looking into this and will update as soon as I get all the scoop!! Downtown Disney- is open everyday of the year and is usually open till midnight on weekends- the best thing about this place is that it's absolutely free!!!

TSA Regulations for flying with children

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm This is the government website with tips for traveling with children by plane. There are some helpful ideas here. My favorite is: "NEVER leave babies in an infant carrier while it goes through the X-ray machine." Even with that silly tip, the website is thorough and extensive in its rules and instructions. I will be going over this extensively as I plan to take my children on a trip to Hawaii this fall.

Burger King

While I am in no way a fan of fast food, I have recently made a fun discovery. The Burger King located on Santa Ana Canyon in Anaheim Hills has two indoor play areas. The playground is two stories. The best part of this is that the lower level play area is especially for toddlers and is set inside the dining room area. The toddler area is also quite small which is a turn-off to older kids. I'm really not sure how many other Burger Kings might have a toddler area, but it is worth investigating at your local BK. Don't forget to ask for a paper crown on your way out!

Newport 's Balboa Island and Peninsula

Sorry- I had promised to post every day- however my two year old was a little ill this weekend and we really didn't do much of anything.

I hope you don't mind so many beach posts but it is summer and where else would you want to hang out on a hot day but the coast. I wanted to post about one of my favorite hangouts- Balboa Island and Peninsula. I love both of these places but I must warn you - it gets very crowded in the summer. The last time we headed there we started off in the Peninsula. We parked in the Public Parking lot off Balboa blvd and palm. Make sure to bring plenty of coins and dollar bills. I usually take out my stroller and head over to Balboa Fun zone. It usually takes a while because we stop at the little shops along the way and of course to people watch. The kids love this. There are a couple of great little pizza shops, snack vendors and gift shops along the way. We have brought bread to feed the pigeons in the little plaza-but beware there are many and are not shy. Once we've looked around or have taken a ride on the Merry Go Round we love taking one of the Harbor cruises. You can either choose a 45 minute or 90 minute cruise. When I've been with the little ones we take the 45 minute cruise. We try to take the sea lion cruise - make sure you choose this one because the kiddos really enjoy it. The kids really get a kick of seeing the sea lions close up. Once we are done with this we continue our nautical adventure with a ferry ride across to Balboa Island and head over for some shopping and dinner. The ferry ride is usually a blast. It only takes a couple of minutes but let's say you don't have the time to do a harbor cruise- well then do the next best thing and take a quick ferry ride. They leave every couple of minutes and your kids will love riding the ferry. The best part is that children 5 and under are free.

Once we've landed on the Island we just take our time strolling through all of the fun shops on Marine Avenue. You have to make a spit stop on one of the shops that offer frozen bananas or Balboa Bars. They are the best and worth the wait. There are so many shops that trust me your kids will enjoy their stroller ride with all the many people walking around and all of the dogs. I've eaten at a couple of the restaurants there but I would say that one of my favorites is the Shanghai Pine Garden. They have great Chinese food and great service- One other things their prices are very reasonable- only a couple of dollars more than fast food. Usually after all this excitement the kids will usually fall asleep on the trek to the car. Trust me you and your kids will enjoy a fun filled day.

Irvine Park

Okay let me start first by saying how much I love this place... I know I say it all the time. I am a firm believer that you can love many places- that's what is so fantastic about Southern California- there are sooo many places to love.

Hmmm where should I begin? First things first- don't let the name decieve you, the park is located in the city of Orange not Irvine. It's beautiful and the beauty of this place is that you could stay for only an hour or two or stay for the whole day. My visits depend on my mood. Sometimes I've been there for an hour- once I stayed the whole day. My visit usually always starts with a pony ride. This is always the highlight of the trip for my two year old. Pony rides are available from 11 am to 5 pm on weekends and also on holidays. During the summer they are open every day except for Mondays. Pony rides are $4.oo each. As soon as we finish with the pony rides we walk over a couple of yards to the Irvine Park Railroad and the concession stand. I love grabbing an icee while I wait for our train ride. It's a 10 minute ride that goes past the two lakes and some really nice scenery. If I remember correctly the train rides are $4.00 also.

Once we've finished our Icees and had our fill of train rides, we always head over to the OC Zoo. It's also located inside the park and what makes this little zoo so interesting is that all of the animals that are on exhibit are all native to the area or to the southwestern part of the United States. They have a couple of bears that are always fun to watch and they also have a couple of scary mountain lions that are also very interesting to observe close up. Admission is $3.00 per person- children 2 and under are free.

I usually buy some fast food or bring sandwiches and picnic in one of the many great areas to sit and just enjoy the outdoors. I usually also make sure to bring a loaf of bread to feed the ducks and geese.

I have never tried this but there are also bicycle and aquacycle rentals available by the old boathouse. It looks like a lot of fun but I just haven't gotten around to it. You can also bring your bikes and there are many trails to explore or just even to walk or hike.

Entrance to the park is $3 per car on weekdays , $5 on weekends and up to $10 on holidays.

Irvine Regional Park 1 Irvine Park Road Orange, CA 92862 (714)973-6835 or (714)973-3173 Locate Irvine Regional Park with Map Quest

Irvine Regional Park is located in Santiago Canyon, six miles east of the City of Orange. To reach the park, take the Newport Freeway (#55) to the Chapman Avenue East offramp. Head east on Chapman for approximately five miles. Turn left on Jamboree for one fourth a mile to the park entrance. Open: Nov. 1 - March 31, 6:00am to 6:00pm Open: April 1 - Oct. 31, 6:00am to 9:00pm Office Hours: Mon. - Fri., 8:00am to 4:00pm Sat. - Sun., 8:00am to 11:00am

San Diego Wild Animal Park

A couple of weeks ago on a Saturday the four of us headed down south on the 15 to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. We got there a little past 11 and the crowds were actually not that bad. Okay first things first- Make sure you bring great walking shoes, a great stroller, plenty of sunscreen and of course water!!! We did have to wait a bit for parking and parked a bit away from the entrance. You can either hike up from the parking lot or take the tram up to the entrance. We figured it would be more of a pain to take the tran with the stroller and decided to just hike up. It actually wasn't too bad since the weather was only in the low 80's. We went ahead and bought our tickets -( make sure you buy the one with the journey into Africa tour!!!)and decided since the line was too long for the season pass that we would upgrade on our way out. This is definitely the way to go.. If you live in So Cal I would go ahead and get the season pass. It's only 20 dollars more and you have access to both the Wild Animal Park and the San Diego Zoo. You also get two free tickets to either the Zoo or the Park. Just keep your ticket stubs and present them on the way out.. we waited all of 5 minutes.. It was easy and fast.

First thing we headed off to was the Journey to Africa Safari Tour. I would go there first. The lines tend to get long - sometimes up to an hour and a half but if you head there first you will get it out of the way. It's about a 20 minute ride that tours the animal enclosures. My two year old got a kick out of it and so did I. Make sure to bring a pair of binoculars for this adventure. After we finished the tour we just checked out the park. One of our favorite parts was the Lorekeet Landing exhibit. You can buy nectar in teeny cups and feed the little birds. They land on your head, arms, shoulders, etc... It was fun but beware, one of those little stinkers bit me for no reason. It kind of hurt a little but not enough to make me stop feeding the birdies. My two year old was squealing in delight. Your kids will love this.

We stopped and watched a couple of the exotic animals. The animals actually look happy. I think it's because of the enviroment they are in. We called it a day at about 3:30 because my hubby got sunburned badly. I can't stress enough to bring plenty of the sunscreen. It's a must. Oh almost forgot the food is not too bad. We ate at the Mombasa Island Cooker and the food was pretty good for theme park standards. Also if you like soft drinks make sure to buy the souvenir cup. I think it's 9 dollars but you get free refills throughout the day.. We had a great time and can't wait to visit again soon

San Diego Wild Animal Park

15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, 35 miles north of the San Diego Zoo and east of Escondido

Park hours (The Wild Animal Park is open every day of the year, including all holidays.)
Current hours//Park At Dark (now–September 3):9 a.m.–8 p.m. (grounds close at 9 p.m.)
Fall hours (September 4–December 6):9 a.m. to 4 p.m.(grounds close at 5 p.m.)

Parking is 8 dollars...

Little Tokyo

First off let me start by apologizing for not updating this in the past couple of days. I have made a vow to myself and to my faithful readers that I will not let more than two days pass without a new post. There's a couple of places I want to blog about but I will start off with our fun outing yesterday. We headed off to visit Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles. It's one of only 3 Japantowns left in the United States.

It's easy to find since it's only a couple of blocks away from City Hall. We went on a Saturday and while it was busy- there wasn't wall to wall people and we actually walked around without a stroller. First thing is Parking. There are a couple of parking lots around Little Tokyo but we used the one directly in front of The Japanese American museum on 1st street. It's a 5 dollar flat rate for the day. The parking lot is perfect because you only have to cross one block and you are there(and trust me you don't really want to cross any streets in downtown LA unless you really have to)

We were hungry so we headed off to eat first. We ate at Oiwake. It's a great little place in the Japanese Village Plaza. The prices are very reasonable and they are family friendly. My kids and I both ate from the buffet and my husband ate some sushi. This place is great except you have to hike up a staircase but its well worth it. After we finished we headed off to do some window shopping. There are many shops that specialize in Japanese products- if your kids love Hello Kitty- this is the place to be. My daughter picked up a Hello Kitty purse that would cost about 10 dollars at the mall for 1.99. The merchants are friendly and even gave the kids lollipops. I wish I could say we did more like visit the museums or try out one of the bakeries but we didn't. You really need a full day and not just a couple of hours. I promise I will return with Little Tokyo Part 2, but for now I hope you might be a little curious about this great place and visit for your self....

For more information visit www.visitlittletokyo.com