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.