Things to do this Memorial Day Weekend in Southern California

Memorial Weekend is here and there are so many fun things to do this weekend. Here is a list of some of the best and free or almost free things to do with the family  Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy!

• Garden Grove Strawberry Festival - May 28-30
• Fiesta Hermosa in Hermosa Beach- May 28-30
• Free Day at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art- May 31
• Movies on the Lawn at the Orange County Great Park - May 29
• Movies on the Beach - Newport Dunes- May 29-30th
• National Orange Show Festival San Bernardino- May 28-31
• Grunion Fishtival at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium- May 29

Disney Interactive and giveaway!

Last week I was invited by the folks at Disney Interactive Studios to a special blogger event to preview and to play with some fun games that will be hitting the market soon and games that are currently available on Disney.com. I packed the kiddos in the car and we headed up for an incredible evening.

We were able to check out a couple of really fun games but there were some that my little ones became obsessed with. We really loved playing all of them but if we had to pick our absolute favorite it would be Disney's Sing It Family Hits. This game comes with a microphone and features Disney Movie favorites It's sort of like a Karaoke contest but featuring your favorite Disney songs. My kiddos loved singing "You got a friend in me" from Toy Story. I think they "competed" with each other at least five times! It was hard getting them to stop playing and allowing others to have their turn. I can't wait for this game to be released. It will be released later this summer, sometime in August. It will be available forWii and Playstation 3 systems.

Our second pit stop was playing Pixie Hollow. This online game had this mama hooked! I loved creating my own fairy and my own world. I could honestly play this game for hours. I think this is one that both kids and parents can partake in. The best part is that you can play this game for absolutely free! If you want to give this game a try, head over here.

My daughter was able to also play Camp Rock on DS and that game was absolutely one of her favorites from the night. We also had a chance to check out Club Penguin which is also available online and that you can play the basics for free.

We had an incredible night and now I can share a bit of that night with you with a fun giveaway. I have Disney's Alive in Wonderland's Wii game to giveaway along with a month premium upgrade to Pixie Hollow and a 6 month premium membership to Club Penguin. All that you have to do is leave a comment telling us your favorite Disney game or why you would like to have this game. You have until Sunday May 30th to leave a comment. Good luck!

Disney's The Lion King at the Orange County Performing Arts Center

Did you know the Tony Award winning, Disney's The Lion King, is currently playing at the Orange County Performing Arts Center? I watched this show when it first came to Southern California almost 10 years ago. I love this show and I can't wait to take my kiddos to this fantastic show.

Disney's The Lion Kill will play at the Orange County Performing Arts Center from May 26th to June 13th. Tickets start at $25.75 and this week only on a weekday performance  you can purchase Rush student tickets one hour before the performance for $20. You can call the box office on the day of the performance to verify if there will be student tickets available.

The music is incredible and this would be an incredible treat for the entire family.
To purchase tickets and for additional info head over here.

Garden Grove Strawberry Festival

Can you believe Memorial Day is almost here! That means in my mind summer is right around the corner. I am really looking forward to this weekend. One of the staples of Memorial Weekend for our family is a visit to the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival.

The theme of this year's Strawberry Festival is "Celebrating the Magic of Music". There will be entertainment, carnival rides,contests, plenty of food and of course strawberries.

The Festival is held at the Village Green, between Euclid and Main Street Streets in downtown Garden Grove, CA. 
Garden Grove Strawberry Festival
May 28-31
Admission is FREE! 


For additional information head over here.

Battle of the Mariachis at Mission San Juan Capistrano

If you are looking for something to do today, you might want to check out the  Sixth Annual Battle of the Mariachis Festival, a celebration of the talent, interpretation and inspiration of young musicians from across Southern California.

The Mission's  Courtyard will host a day full of live musical entertainment, authentic Mexican food, folkloric dance workshops, mariachi workshops and bilingual puppet theater performances.

I'm going to try to head down there this afternoon because I have wanted to watch this now for a couple of years.

Annual Battle of the Mariachi Festival

Sat, May 22, 11 am - 3 pm -

Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano

$9/Adults, $8/Seniors, $5/Children
4 and under are free.

For additional information head here.

Giveaway winners

The winner of the Irvine Park Railroad Giveway is jamiejane  who said...
I would love to win this giveaway. We've decided to skip a long vacation this year and decided to do little weekend activities. This would be perfect for our little family. I hope I win! By the way, thanks for all the great ideas. We can't wait to try all the fun suggestions.
 
 The winner of the She's Having a Baby Event is...Janette  who said... Oh I just found out about this the other day and would love!!!!!!!! to go I am 30 weeks pregnant and would love a fun day to celebrate. Thank you for all the hard work you do on your blog i just love it. :)  

Please email me at mom@daytrippingmom.com with your info as soon as possible. Thank you all for entering and stay tuned for two very fun giveaways tomorrow! 

City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation Open Houses

I have a little boy that is in love with trucks and especially trash trucks and this is something we do not want to miss out on.  The Bureau of Sanitation is hosting a series of Open Houses at local district refuse yards on specific Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The kiddos will be able to  enjoy truck demonstrations, tours, games, prizes, free food and refreshments. The best part of course is that these events are free! 

If you are looking for something to do today, there will be an open house from 9am to 3pm at the North Central Yard which is located at 
452 N. San Fernando Rd
Los Angeles
For additional info head here.

The rest of the dates are

• June 5, 2010 - South Los Angeles District Yard
• June 12, 2010 - Harbor District Yard
• June 26, 2010 - West Los Angeles District Yard

Jim Henson Company's Family Day

*** Update- This event has been canceled.

If you are looking for something fun to do with the family this Saturday, look no further!

To celebrate the June 21 premiere of Sid's "No School Singalong Special," Sid himself will be on hand at the first ever Jim Henson Company's Family Day happening at the Egyptian Theater on Saturday, May 22 from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. There will be tons of terrific photo opportunities, show screenings and educational activities to get kids excited about learning - and meet their favorite TV characters, of course!

Also in attendance will be Buddy the T-rex from “Dinosaur Train,” the new hit series on PBS KIDS®.  Additional special guests include Red Fraggle, star of the hit series “Fraggle Rock,” with world-renowned puppeteer Karen Prell; Paul Rugg, star of the PBSKIDS GO! Web destination “Wilson; Ditch: Digging America,” who will demonstrate the Emmy ® Award winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio; and creative Guru Courtney Watkins, star of the online creativity destination “The Possibility Shop” featured on Disney Online’s FamilyFun.com


WHEN:             May 22, 2010, 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.       

WHERE:           Egyptian Theater, 6712 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Tickets: Adults - $11, Kids - $9. Tickets can be pre-purchased online at www.fandango.com or http://www.americancinematheque.com/indexegyptian.html

Free Developmental Screening Day at Pretend City

If you have little ones that are 5 years old or younger this is something you do not want to miss! Pretend City is offering a free developmental screening for your little ones, including motor, communication, social and thinking skills by a qualified health professional. 

Here is what you can  expect at the screening:

• A complete developmental screening for your child (ages birth through 5 years) in approximately 30-45 minutes
• On-site healthcare professionals to answer child development questions
• Plenty of activities to keep the little ones occupied while you wait; timed ticketing will be implemented if needed

Screening Times:
General admission - First come, first serve: 9:00a.m.- 11:00a.m. The event is free and you do not have to pay museum admission.

For additional info head here.

She's Having a Baby Event and Giveaway

So lately I have been thinking about possibly expanding my family and when I was invited to this event, I could not wait to share. If you have a baby, are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant this is one event you do not want to miss.
Jayneoni Moore's She's Having a Baby Event will feature the baby products, product demonstration, shopping, mommy pampering and much more. Plus every attendee will go home with a goodie bag..
I have one ticket to giveaway. If you would like to attend please leave a comment and I will pick a winner at random this Friday night. For extra entries "like" me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
Good luck

She's Having a Baby Event
Sunday May 23rd
10am to 3pm
The Beverly Hills Hotel

To purchase tickets to head  here.

Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park and Giveaway!

Irvine Park Railroad will have a  grand opening  celebration of their new bike rentals-Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park.

To promote their new fleet of bikes, they are having a grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 22nd and Sunday, May 23rd. Each person who rents and rides a bike or paddle boat during the grand opening celebration will receive a free hot dog and soda. If a family of 5 rents and rides a surrey bike… they'll each receive a free hot dog and soda!!

There will also be a moon bounce for kiddos to bounce around in!  

To celebrate the opening of Wheel Fun Rentals- Irvine Park Railroad has given us a price pack of a rental and tickets to giveaway to one lucky reader. The winner will receive  6 train tickets + a $25.00 credit toward the rental of a bike or paddle boat. The credit will cover the rental of a surrey, deuce coupe, 2 choppers or 2 quad sports.   

The contest will run from today to Friday at 5pm. Winner will be picked using Random.org. To enter just leave a comment and let us know why you would like to win. For additional entries "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Good luck! 

Touring Hearst Castle with children

My family loves the central coast of California. It is one of my favorite places in the world. I spent a couple of days in the Central Coast with the family two weeks ago and we had an amazing time. My husband and I would  visit he coast several times a year before we had children, but had never made the trip up since we've had kids. We took a road trip up Hwy 1 and made Hearst Castle one of our stops.

I know what you are thinking, there is no way my kiddos would survive the tour. I had the same belief, but I was pleasantly surprised and learned a few tricks! First and foremost take tour 1, The experience. It is a short tour and plenty of wiggle room for the kids. The kids loved it from the very beginning. We started the tour by watching the Building the Dream movie. My almost 5 year old and 3 year old were perfectly still during the entire movie. It is a must to really understand the history and beauty of the castle.

After the movie, we lined up for our tour and the kids were giddy with excitement because they were going to ride the bus to the top of the hill. The kids loved the ride up and so did we because of the incredible views. The kids were in awe of the pool and the grounds. They loved taking in the views and of course we also enjoyed every minute of it. There is stair climbing and places to walk around and the kiddos loved being able to get their wiggles out. I have to admit that my son did want to touch things and sometimes had a hard time staying on the carpet on on the inside part of the tour. I was starting to worry a bit, when one of the wonderful workers told me about their kids room. It is found only on tour 1 and it is a room inside the Castle where you can unwind for  a bit, change diapers, nurse and let the kids take a breather. We stayed there for a few minutes and were able to rejoin our group and finish off the tour.

We had a great time and I believe it is possible and downright fun to tour the Castle with the kiddos. The best part is that the little ones 5 and under are free. Youth Tours from 6-17 are $12 and adults are $24.

We had a fantastic time as a family and I would definitely recommend it to others. I think sometimes I do not give my children enough credit and they seem to surprise me at how well they are able to handle things. If you are planning your summer vacations and are planning a trip to the Central Coast make sure to add this to your itinerary For additional information head here.

Winner of Tooth Fairy

The winner of the Tooth Fairy giveaway is    Autumn  who said...
We missed this one at the theater but the kids have been waiting for the DVD to come out. Looks very cute!

Email me at mom@daytrippingmom.com.

Please stay tuned - I have some fabulous giveaways during the next couple of days.
 

Deal on Discovery Science Center Family Membership

If you have been meaning to buy an annual pass to the Discovery Science Center, you will not want to miss out on this deal that expires soon. You can purchase a family membership for one year for only $70. My family loves the Discovery Science Center and they are sponsors on our site. It is a great place for the entire family and if you are looking for things to do with the kiddos this summer, this membership will definitely come in handy!

To take advantage of this offer, just head over here.  

You Are What You Eat Event

If you are looking to make some healthier changes in your lifestyle this is one event for the entire family that you don't want to miss! You Are what you Eat is an incredible event that will take place at the Brea Community Center tomorrow May 15th from 10am to 4pm. This event will feature many amazing speakers including Mariel Hemingway, Anna Gentry, and so many more. There will be family friendly activities, Green Truck Caterers, vendors, classes, FREE CHILD CARE and an eco friendly playground/play area.

This event is one that you do not want to miss! Especially if you want to learn and teach your kiddos about eating healthier. Tickets are $10 each and children 12 and under are free. Print out this flier for 2 for 1 admission. This means that an entire family can attend a fun filled day of events for only $10!

You Are What You Eat Event
Brea Community Center
1 Civic Center Cir
Brea, CA

To celebrate this event I will be giving a pack of 4 tickets on Facebook. If you would like to enter head over to Daytrippingmom's Like Page and just leave a comment under this post. Winner will be picked tonight.

This is one you don't want to miss! Anaheim Children's ART FESTIVAL

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day and weekend. You will have to excuse my sporadic posting but I've had a husband who has been in the hospital and a week of vacation before. My husband is home again healthy and I'm hoping to catch up with some posting and giveaways.

I wanted to share about a fun event that is not to be missed! The Anaheim Children's Art Festival will take place this Saturday, May 15th from 9am to 3pm. This is one event you do not want to miss. I can't rave enough about this wonderful event.

This event is ideal for the entire family and features storytelling, art/craft projects for every age group, arts, crafts, music, dance, exhibits, puppets, kiddie carnival and so much more. There is also a chalk drawing contest that is a big hit with the kiddos. The children will also be able to experience many hands on projects that include, drawing, puppet making, clay, paint and more!

The best part is that parking, admission and pretty much everything else except for carnival games and food is FREE!

The carnival will be held on the Center Street Promenade between Harbor and Anaheim Blvd in Downtown Anaheim.

For additional information head here.

Bella Cristalli Winner

We have a winner for the bracelet givewaway! The winner of Bella Cristalli bracelet is ....Una Mama Feliz!

if you weren’t the lucky winner and would still like to order a personalized mother’s bracelet, you can contact bella cristalli at bellacristalli@gmail.com or see them on etsy.

I have a week full of goodies to give away this week! Please stay tuned!