Road Trip 21- Park City

You know what I love about Wyoming? It is still almost completely wild. The drive from Grand Teton National Park to Park City, Utah was filled with vast wilds. We drove mile upon mile without so much as a car passing us. We saw multiple herds of pronghorn antelope running through the sagebrush towards the shelters of the forest. We took in enormous skies and expanses so grand that only God could have created them.  I think its a good thing that Wyoming’s winters are so harsh and inhospitable. Its keeps most people from wanting to settle up this beautiful part of the country.

And so we drove from one amazing  part of country to the next. On this day our destination was Park City. Originally, it was just meant to be a stop over. Park City is a winter sport destination and not a summer vacation spot, right? Wrong! I had no idea there was so much to do in Park City. We stayed in the fantastic Hotel Park City and could have spent a week just on their grounds. Our cottage was gorgeous and the view was amazing (If you would like to read more about the hotel, read my review here).

We ended up spending most of our afternoon at the Park City Mountain Resort. There are so many fun things to do there from mini golf to zip lining to alpine sliding and coasting. We opted to take the kids down the alpine slide. It is one of the longest slides in the world and the only way to get to the top is to take the ski lift. To most people this is no big deal but for me, it was a huge deal. I am incredibly afraid of falling and heights and hanging above the trees for the 10 minute ride was excruciating. I couldn’t freak out because  than the kids would freak out which in turn would cause me to freak out even more. So I held onto Mari with a death grip and instructed Paul to do the same with Ben. I felt my stomach doing flip flops and my pulse race but I kept a smile on my face and pointed out all the cool things we could see from the lift. Maybe I wasn’t really trying to comfort the kids. Maybe I was trying to comfort myself. Either way, I survived.

Mari was less than excited about getting on the slide with her Dad but once she got on the slide she laughed and squealed. Ben was happy the whole way down with me. It was a ton of fun and having the ability to brake when you felt like the slide was going to fast was very reassuring.

Paul was trying to encourage me to try the zipline but in order to do so I would have to go back on the ski lift and that was certainly not going to happen. In hindsight I wish I had sucked it up and tried the zipline because our plans to zipline the next month on Oahu were thwarted by the fact that there were no zip lines on Oahu. Doh!

My kids played mini golf for the very first time in Park City. Ben was an immediate pro and Mari was much more interested in carrying around her ball and checking out the course decor than actually using her club to hit the ball in the hole. This is not to say she didn’t enjoy the experience, she just had a different approach to the game than most.

One of my biggest regrets is that we just didn’t have enough time in Park City. I wanted to check out the Olympic Park, take hike, and spend some time in that beautiful Hotel Park City pool. Alas, another trip from another time. We still had two more National Parks on our radar…

Family Travel Tips
Park City

Legoland- My take

Last week for Mari and Ben's third birthday we decided to had over to Legoland. We live less than an hour away from the park and had never been, mostly because of the cost. I figured that we better go while I could get the kids in for free or else we might never go.  I searched the web for cheaper tickets (which were still expensive) and found a deal at Costco that allowed us to go to the park and the aquarium for $55 per person. I cringed and made the purchase. At least I was getting a separate trip to  the aquarium out of it, right?

Lucky for us, the day we went the park was not very crowded. We were able to wait less than 5 minutes for most rides. The rides seemed to be mostly geared towards kids 6 and under. They were cute but I wouldn't say they were anywhere close to the caliber of rides available at Disneyland. The Lego creations were very impressive and truly the highlight of most rides.

  

I absolutely loved Miniland. Seeing an accurate portrayal of San Francisco in Lego block form was such a treat. It made me feel homesick for one of my favorite cities.

 

The kids loved racing the cars on the miniature Daytona racetrack. I loved all the details from the RVs camped out in the center of the track to the crowd full of onlookers.

There were so many incredible places created with Legos, from the New York City skyline to Las Vegas theme hotels to a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans.

The water play areas were a highlight of our visit as well. Legoland does a great job at providing a variety of water attractions that appealed to every age group.

  Overall, we had a fun time at Legoland but I am not sure that we will be returning if we have to pay $55 per person. That is over $200 for a family of four and a bit too rich for my blood. I personally feel Legoland is overpriced and with an annual pass to Disneyland in my pocket, I am much more likely to spend my theme park time there.

Family Travel Tips
Oceanside

Gilroy Gardens

(photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

 

Circus trees. They were the brain child of Axel Erlandson and have mystified tourists in the Santa Cruz area since the late 1940's. At their peak, over 70 circus trees existed. Now only 25 survive in Gilroy Gardens, which proclaims itself to be the only horticulture theme park in the country. Mr. Erlandson never divulged his trade secrets, only claiming that he "talked to the trees" . His legacy now lives on amongst the Garlic Twirl and Budgy the Goldfish rides. This is not a Six Flags heart pumping thrill ride type of theme park by any means. The rides are more geared to the younger set and the gardens make hours of watching your children go in a slow circle while sitting inside of a variety of whimsical creatures much more enjoyable for the adults.

 

 

There is a water area open in the summer which is quite nice since it can get pretty hot in Gilroy come June, July, and August. Luckily there is also plenty of shade from all the gardens and plenty of water to enjoy.

If you have little ones and are looking for a nice place to spend the day in between hours of sampling garlic ice cream, garlic jelly beans, and garlic fries at the Garlic Festival this summer, I highly encourage you to check out the circus trees at Gilroy Gardens. Who knows, maybe you will inspire your little one to one day set up her very own horticultural circus.

Things To Do
Gilroy

Santa Monica Pier

I have lived in California pretty much all my life. 18 of those years I lived in Southern California. Now you would think in all that time maybe, just maybe I would have been to the Santa Monica Pier. But no. Never. So on a recent trip to see my brother's new  baby kitten Sofia Cheetara (do you like the Thundercats reference?), I made the executive decision to have lunch at the pier.

 

There is just something quintessentially LA about the Santa Monica Pier. Maybe its the beach that is so wide that it seems to stretch on forever. Or perhaps it is the vendor trying to sell you a picture of yourself next to a cardboard cutout of your favorite star. It could even be the family wearing matching Mexican ponchos that are way too small for them which they probably purchased earlier in the day at Olvera Street. Or maybe it is all of those things combined. The day we went was cold and dreary but I can just imagine the beach full of bikini clad girls and middle aged fat European men in speedos come summer.  It isn't as big as I thought it would be. Certainly no Santa Cruz Boardwalk but there is a charm to it. Carnival rides, souvenir shops, and locals trying to cast a line and get lucky. Not a bad place to spend the afternoon.

 

 

PS- Anyone know what movie this is from????

Its a Small World After All

Note to self: if the weather has been bad all day and things have turned to tolerable, head to Disneyland.

This week has been filled with rain. We are discovering the leaks in our new home and watching to the gutters turn to streams. It has also been filled with visitors. My best friend Chrissy and her family were in town for a winter vacation at Disneyland. They have since left but now I have another set of friends in town for their family Disney vacation. Needless to say, a season past is must when so many people visit my neck of the woods for a little Disney fun.   Monday the kids and I met up with Chrissy to visit and get that ever important season pass. I was a bit concerned because of all the rain we had been getting all day but lucky for us the water stopped falling from the sky just as we arrived at the park.  Sure things were wet and chilly but the park was relatively empty. We walked on most rides and I think our longest wait was ten minutes. I have been to Disneyland many times but never have I been able to walk on rides.  The kids were in heaven running around the park, meeting the characters (with no line I might add) and hanging out with some of their favorite people. They even got to ride some rides they had never experienced including Peter Pan, the train, and a newly revamped Its A Small World.

I had been dying to take my kids on Its A Small World. It is such a huge Disney tradition. Sure its campy and the song stays in your head for weeks but what little kid doesn't love that ride? This year they redid the ride with a whole new holiday theme. The animatronic children sang well known holiday songs in different languages while dressed in native costume. Everything was brilliantly decorate. The kid's  eyes were as wide as they could possibly get as they gazed at all the sparkles and lights.  The outside of the ride was covered in lights and decorations. It truly felt like Christmas. 

Main Street had its tree in the lit up front and center. It was covered in enormous red and green bulbs. Lights were strung from store top to store top. Cinderella's castle was covered in white lights that gave the illusion of snow and more lights blanketed the castle as the night went on. 

 

The whole experience made me fall in love with Disneyland all over again. When it isn't 95 degrees outside and wall to wall people, Disneyland truly is a magical place.

Some Days Life's a Fairytale

I don't miss Sacramento. Sorry all you Sacramento fans out there but it wasn't for me. There are a few things in Sacramento that I do miss. Dos Coyotes Border Cafe. That restaurant holds a very special place in my stomach. Whenever I come back up for a visit you better believe I will be waiting in line for my Ranchero Burrito. Chico's tacos.  Still the best shredded beef tacos I have ever had.  Driving over the river in fall. It really is so pretty see tree tops of all different colors edging the river below. And Fairytale Town. A Sacramento institution that is truly the perfect place to take a toddler.

We went to Fairytale Town with Auntie Chrissy one last time before the big move.  The kids hadn't been in a year and I wanted to take them back since they are big two year olds now.  Fairytale Town brings nursery rhymes and fairy tales to life with farm animals, play structures, and plenty of whimsical scenery. Everything is detailed to delight the toddler eye, right down to the hippo drinking fountain.

You want Three Little Pigs? They actually have three little pigs. You want Mary's Little Lamb? Well I do believe we spotted her (though I don't think she is quite so little anymore).

If you want to run under the Little Old Lady's Shoe, sail in Captain Hook's Pirate Ship, ride in Cinderella's Pumpkin Coach, climb through the Giant's foot on your way to slide down the Beanstalk, or help Jack and Jill fetch a pail of water, you can do it at Fairytale Town.

Whether its you find yourself sliding down the slide at Farmer Brown's Barn

or playing peek-a-boo in the Crooked House at the end of the Crooked Mile,

I guarantee a wonderful day will be had by all those young at heart.

The Big Disneyland Post

Its been a long time coming. Things kept getting in the way. I have been totally distracted by the Olympics amongst other things including a trip to Colorado. But finally it is time. Time for the great Disneyland post of "08.

I grew up going to Disneyland. Most of my childhood I lived in Simi Valley and it seemed like we made the journey to the "happiest place on earth" annually. It was only $20 for Southern California residents back then. Not the sixty something dollars per person it is today. I even chose to spend my sixteenth birthday at Disneyland. I have so many memories of that place. I remember crying in line for Thunder Mountain because I didn't want to go on such a scary ride but my dad insisted that we try it. I remember going on Space Mountain for the first time and being so proud of finally conquering a roller coaster and loving it.  I remember waiting forever to get on Dumbo and feeling like it was worth every minute  of extreme boredom in line as I soared through the air.  I remember Grad Night and having a strange boy hand me a rose because he thought I was pretty (this was huge for a not so confident 18 year old). And I remember going to Disneyland in college and getting stuck half way out of Small World in the rain. Our boat was poking out far enough to keep us wet but not far enough to keep us away from the continuous singing.  Enough to drive anyone mad.

I couldn't wait to make some new memories. It had been a long time since I had last been to Disneyland. About 10 years. I guess most childless people in their 20's don't put going to Disneyland for the 20th time high on their priority list (unless their name is Chrissy...) I was so excited to bring my little munchkins and even more excited that they would be getting in for free. Grandma was nice enough to treat me, Paul, and my brother Chris to a day at the park. She really is a great grandma.  Chrissy tagged along with her season pass in  hand to be the ultimate tour guide and experience her favorite place with her godchildren for the very first time. The first thing I noticed was the parking structure. When I was growing up you parked in Goofy and huffed it to the entrance. Nowadays there is a state of the art parking structure  and you have to take a tram to the entrance.   The former Disneyland parking lot that I remembered was now California Adventure and Downtown Disney. My how times had changed. Luckily when we got through the entrance I was instantly taken back in time . They still had the same entrance to Disneyland! Some things don't change. And honestly, much of Disneyland was just as I remembered it.

We headed towards Tomorrowland for the kid's first Disney ride. The rockets had a relatively short line so we decided to take those on first. I was disappointed that the rockets were no longer on top of the building housing the People Mover (the People Mover no longer exists!) but they still looked like a pretty fun ride. It was the kid's first experience in waiting in a substantial line because when we go to Marine World there is barely a line to speak of. They actually did quite well. Once they realized the pay out of standing in line they did extremely well in the rest of them. Here are some waiting in line shots:

And here are some shots of our first ride. Note the terrified look on Grandma's face in one of the pictures. Priceless.

The kids had a great ride and were geared up for more. We used our fast pass and got on the Buzz Lightyear ride next. It is so fun to shoot all the monsters and gather points but the kids were way too awestruck to participate. So many lights! So many colors! So many sounds! It was toddler sensory overload, but in a good way.

From there we headed over to Storybookland (some of us at a more brisk pace than others) and checked out all the miniatures on a boat ride that is one of the original rides from when Disneyland opened back in 1955.  They had updated some of the displays by adding more recent movies such as Aladdin and Little Mermaid but it was nice to see alot of the old ones still there. The kids were highly entertained.

I won't bore you all with a ride to ride rundown but I will give you a few highlights. The kids went on Pirates of the Carribean and did so well. I was worried that the drops or darkness would scare them but they really enjoyed it.

They were actually tall enough to go on the Matterhorn but I think that would be a little scary for a not even two year old, regardless of how giant they may be.  One of the most fun rides I went on was Splash Mountain with my brother and Paul. We got in the log with two other sizable people and I was up front and in trouble. Chris and I didn't just get wet. We got drenched. I literally saw a wave of water go over my head and on to us. The weight in our boat made for one spectacular soaking. Luckily it was warm out so it felt great. During this time my mom and Chrissy took the kids on Winnie the Pooh where they fell in love. They really liked the ride and afterwards they saw the people dressed as the characters and actually wanted to go see them. Normally my kids will not get close to anything dressed in a giant fur suit but this time they wanted to. So Mom and Chrissy got them in line for pictures. Luckily I got off the ride just as the kids were getting their turn. Note the drenched version of Sharlene in the pictures. Mari slowly warmed up to the critters as we went from Pooh to Eeyore to Tigger. She even ran to Tigger and gave him a hug! Ben was so excited that all he could do was run in circles around Tigger, squealing. It was so cute.

We tried to get a shot of the kids in front of the castle in the mouse  ears but this is the best we got

because this is what they did as soon as we put the ears on.

Here is a shot of them passed out during nap time. Nap lasted about 45 minutes which isn't bad considering they were surrounding by so much activity and even with the lack of sleep they did great the rest of the day. They didn't even fall asleep again until we got home that night.

The kids got to do a few rides in Fantasyland that didn't have a huge wait. These included the always popular Carousel,

Snow White and Pinnochio. I especially enjoyed these four shots of Ben's experience with Uncle Chris waiting in line for and riding Pinnochio:

They remind me of some sort of demented photo booth.

And since we are showing Uncle Chris bonding with the little ones I can't pass up on this gem of a shot in which Mari wants to get away from Chris ASAP but it was the best shot we could get of the two of them together and I think its rather cute:

I would like to give the final shout out to the Disneyland parade. The kids loved it. They sat still as statues the entire time. Wide eyed, completely amazed little statues. Ben got the best seat in the house on top of Daddy's shoulders while Mari took  shifts with Grandma and Mommy. That girl is getting heavy! Anyhow- these are some of my favorite parade shots:

To those who say 22 month olds are too young to get anything out of Disneyland I say hogwash! My kids had a great day. They loved the rides and the parade and truly gained alot from their first Disney experience. They were able to spend the day with their family in the "Happiest Place on Earth" and learn that waiting (in line) can lead to great rewards. They were able to give giant stuffed animals big hugs,  ride in rockets, watch pirates fight on either side of their boat,  and a see their favorite Disney movies come to life right before their eyes. Just think of all those little brain cells they created that day with all those new experiences. Too young for Disney? Never!