Today I would like to welcome all the Blogtrotters out there to Double the Adventure. I am a mother of twin three year olds living in Orange County, CA who loves to travel, hike, and explore with my children. I hope you enjoy my introduction to the outdoor side of Orange County and stick around to join us on all of our adventures around the country and beyond. If you are one of my usual readers and not familiar with Blogtrotting, I suggest you check it out. Its a great way to learn about amazing places around the world from the people who live there.
When most people think about Orange County, CA, they think of Disneyland, the original “Real Housewives”, and wealth pouring out of people’s eyeballs. I am not going to lie- there is an obscene amount of wealth in Orange County and I have run into my fair share of pampered women but MY Orange County is far from anything that television has portrayed it to be. The Orange County I love has incredible weather, friendly people, and fantastic outdoor opportunities.
The most obvious outdoor opportunities are at the beach. I don’t think I will ever grow tired of a day watching the waves crash as my children frolic and play at water’s edge. Our beaches vary widely from the stereotypical wide spans of sand, lively piers, and bike filled pathways of Huntington and Seal Beach to the grand cliffs and serene beauty of Crystal Cove and Laguna.
Orange County beaches offer everything from world class surfing to quiet places to get up close and personal with nature at the tide pools. Some people choose to just lay back and absorb the rays while others are much more interested in being active in one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. We love to hike so following one of the ocean front trails is always high on our “to do” list.
And lets not forget those perfect sun
sets…
What alot of people don’t realize is that there are many more outdoor opportunities beyond the beach in Orange County. Yes, Southern California is a sea of humanity and Orange County alone has a population of three million. Luckily developers have not snatched up all the land and there are still plenty of protected spaces that are perfect for hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing.
One of my favorite spots is the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park with its incredible vistas, beautiful rock formations and the only natural lakes in Orange County. We love hiking here year round because the ocean breezes keep the trails cooler than many places more inland.
Another great place to explore is Whiting Ranch. You start your hike with houses on either side of you and quickly escape to true wilderness complete with deer, snakes, rabbits, and even the rarely sighted mountain lion (which I plan on never seeing!). Can you believe all of these pictures were taken on the same hike?
I hope you enjoyed experiencing the gorgeous and diverse outdoorsy side of Orange County. We certainly enjoyed having you here and hope you will come back for another visit again soon!
When most people think about taking a vacation in Orange County with their kids they think Disneyland. Yes, Orange County is home to the Happiest Place on Earth but there is so much more to OC than Mickey Mouse. What I love most about Orange County is that there seems to be an infinite number of things to do outside. The next time you and your family take a Disney vacation consider taking a day off from the theme park madness and enjoying some of these outdoor treasures that Orange County has to offer:
1. Fantastic Family-Friendly Hiking Trails: Whether you take a hike in in a coastal canyon, a stroll around Newport’s Back Bay or explore Saddleback Mountain in search of Holy Jim Falls, you are destined to find a piece of Orange County that few tourists every see. Orange County is still wild. You just have to know where to look.
2. Beautiful beaches just waiting to be explored: Enjoy Orange County as it has been for generations at Crystal Cove State Beach, explore some fantastic tide pools at Little Corona Beach during low tide or have the ultimate Southern California beach day at Huntington. Either way, make it down to the water. Orange County beaches are nothing short of spectacular.
3. Get out on the water: Did you know that gray whales are thought to use Dana Point in Orange County as a landmark during their great winter migration from the Bering Sea down to Baja? Hop on board a whale watching cruise in Dana Point Harbor and see one of these mighty beasts for yourself. Don’t be surprised if you see dolphins and sea lions along the way. If you would rather to the paddling yourself, rent a kayak and explore Newport Bay. This ecological reserve is a birders paradise and the perfect place for first timers to learn how to paddle.
This post was inspired by Caroline at Kids Go West, who gave me a little shoulder tap in a game of blogger tag that began with Katie at Tripbase. Caroline shared some great things to do in Maui that are a bit off the beaten path but well worth the trip. She then tagged me and other bloggers to share their travel secrets. I will be tagging a few more fellow travel bloggers because I can’t wait to read what secrets they are willing to divulge.
The goal is to create a virtual index of some well kept travel secrets from travelers all over the world. Katie from Tripbase is keeping the list as bloggers keep the tags going.
2009 has been quite a year for my family. It started with a move from Northern California to Southern California which is essentially like moving to an entirely different state. We suddenly had a whole new world to explore and couldn’t be happier doing it. Ben started intensive therapy for his autism spectrum disorder and made huge strides. He is in preschool now and is doing a great job. We couldn’t be prouder. Mari is working hard at improving her speech and coming up with new words every day. She is also a dancing diva extraordinaire and did great in her first recital (which you can watch here. Its adorable. I promise).
This blog is dedicated to exploring the world around us with our kids and we did some serious exploring this year. Here are some of the great things we did:
-We explored lots of Southern California beaches from San Onofre to Torrey Pines to Crystal Cove to Marina Del Rey. (Read about some of those amazing beaches here.)
- We went to Arizona, twice. Once to Tucson and once to the Phoenix area. You can read about some fun things to do in those areas here (with more to come soon!)
- We discovered lots of great Orange County Parks (read about them here), California State Parks (check them out here) and National Parks (explore along with us here)
-We took a 24 day road trip from California to Canada and back down through a bunch of National Parks. It was amazing and I am almost done writing about it all! You can read about it here.
-Paul and I got away and took a nice vacation on Oahu (well he worked most of the trip while I explored). I found lots of great things for families to do on the island and you can read about them here with more to come soon.
We also lost Tuesday, a child that will live on in our hearts and minds forever. May God bring peace to her family and help continue to do great things in her memory.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and look forward to sharing many more adventures and ideas with you in the future. I have high hopes for a total blog redesign as well. Happy New Year!
Lately I have had quite a few people email me for tide pool information. As a result, I have decided to create a resource for people looking for some good Orange County tide pool information. This is by no means a comprehensive list, so if you know of somewhere special that I missed, please shoot me an email or post a comment and I will be happy to add it. Orange County beaches are always great places to find educational family fun. Remember, these tide pools are very fragile ecosystems and nothing should be removed or destroyed. If you see anyone doing anything that they shouldn’t, don’t be afraid to speak up. And if you see any trash in the area, pack it out. The starfish will thank you.
TIDE POOLS IN ORANGE COUNTY
CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK:
This state park is one of California’s gems. There are some wonderful tide pools and many volunteer lead tide pool walks (view their calendar for details by clicking on the calendar icon on this website). Crystal Cove is a great place to take out-of-towners because the beach is pristine and reminiscent of California beaches of yesteryear. Plus there is a restaurant on the sand and a shake shack up at the top of the hill on PCH. I LOVE THIS BEACH. There is parking on the south end of the park on the ocean side of the highway, and on the inland side of the highway at the more popular (ie: near food) north entrance. Both spots are great places to park and head towards the tide pools which are in the middle of the stretch of beach belonging to the park. This beach is located on Pacific Coast Highway between Laguna Beach and Corona Del Mar. Good directions can be found by typing the words “crystal cove” into Google Maps.
LITTLE CORONA BEACH:
This is my favorite OC beach for tide pooling. This beach is not commonly known by tourists (which means it isn’t usually crowded with people) and it has my favorite tide pools in the region. I have seen more diversity of tide pool animal life here than anywhere else in Orange County. Little Corona Del Mar Beach is located in Corona Del Mar at the corner of Ocean Blvd and Poppy Avenue. You park in the residential neighborhood above the beach (and oh what a neighborhood it is!) and then walk down the path to the beach. There are restrooms located halfway down the path.
LAGUNA MAIN BEACH/ HEISLER PARK PRESERVE:
This tide pool spot is a great one for visitors of Laguna Beach to explore. I have heard from a couple different people that the occasional octopus can be spotted in this area though I have yet to see one. Nevertheless, its a beautiful spot and a nice place to stroll the shops, play in the surf, and search for crabs and sea stars. Main Beach is located where Laguna Canyon Road meets PCH and Heisler Park and the tide pools are just a 10 minute stroll north up the sand. If you type “Heisler Park Laguna Beach” into Google Maps, you will get accurate directions.
SHAW’S COVE, LAGUNA BEACH
Photo Courtesy Flickr User TypeFiend
This local spot is popular with divers, snorkelers, and tide poolers. There are no bathroom facilities here so make sure you have emptied your bladder before heading down. There is access to this spot at Fairview Street and Cliff Drive. A stairway off Cliff Drive leads down to the cove. Here are good directions.
TIDE TABLES
You don’t want to head to the beach to explore tide pools without checking the tide tables. Nothing is more disappointing than arriving at a tide pool only to find it under water! Here is the online tide table that I use. Follow the San Clemente, Newport Bay Entrance at Corona Del Mar, or Balboa Pier times depending on what beach you are visiting.
TIDE POOL ANIMAL INDENTIFICATION
Its important to know what you are looking at when exploring tide pools and the Doheny State Beach website has a great printable identification pamphlet. Everything from limpets to purple sea urchins can be indentified using this handy dandy resource. Print out a copy and bring it with you as you explore the tide pools.
Last week it was 75 degrees outside. In December! As a recent Northern California transplant I found this to be amazing. I grew up in Southern California but it has been so long since I lived down here that I forgot just how warm the weather can be any time of the year. I decided since it was 75 degrees outside in December we needed to get our butts to the beach. Maybe after a while the novelty of the winter warm spell will wear off but for now I am absolutely tickled pink about a winter day at the beach that doesn't involve a parka. I decided to go to Crystal Cove State Park because I knew there would be a parking lot that didn't require me to attempt to cross Pacific Coast Highway with my toddlers like that old Atari game, Frogger, while hoping nobody got killed in the process. We pulled into the almost empty parking lot and followed the trail down the bluff to a beach that was almost completely empty. I couldn't believe it. We live in a population center of millions and hardly a soul was at the beach! Were they insane? I think so. It was 75 with just a slight ocean breeze. You couldn't ask for a better day to be at the beach. And what a gorgeous beach! Since it is a state park it looks exactly as it did 100 years ago and it will continue to look the same way for years to come. There are pristine beaches, steep bluffs covered in native plant life (instead of the ever present multi million dollar mansions), and large expanses of tide pools surrounded by rock. Paradise. Truly.
The twins had an absolute blast running around in the sand, exploring tide pools, and just being kids. I just kept having to pinch myself. I felt like I was on vacation. It was wonderful.
We were lucky and stumbled upon the peak of low tide. The kids loved exploring the pockets of water which were filled tiny sea life. Pelicans and sea gulls flew overhead (I am not a big sea gull fan. I like to refer to them as flying rats) and huge rocks were covered with the biggest mussels I have ever seen. The kids just couldn't get enough of the tide pools that we spent nearly three hours exploring.
There are two main sections of beach at Crystal Cove. There is El Moro Cove (this is where we were) which is basically a large expanse of beach front with tide pools, bluffs, rocks, and sea life. The other section of beach, The Historic District, has cottages for rent (at an affordable rate I might add. Truly a wonderful way to have a beach vacation), a boardwalk, a shake shack, The Beachcomber Cafe, and more sand and sea. Then there is the back country area which has plenty of hiking trails and some primitive hike in campsites. They are also in the process of building a large drive in camping area which will be across the street from the beach. Finally, there is the underwater park which allows people to dive or kayak in an 1140 acre protected are of ocean. Not bad, eh?
Come June and July, Crystal Cove will be packed full of surfers, swimmers, and beach combers so why not take that next warm sunny day and head out to Crystal Cove State Park so you can have it all to yourself (well you may have to share it with me and the kids but I promise to share)?
Today's guest post is being done by my friend and fellow twin wrangler, Shannon B. Shannon is a mother of 3 and military wife. In other words, she's superwoman. Recently, her family took a trip to the Grand Canyon, the Polar Express Train, the Petrified Forest, and a couple National Monuments. I am completely jealous of their trip and thought it would be a wonderful story to share with you. Once again proving that getting out and exploring the country is such a fun and rewarding thing to do with your kids! Enjoy!
Some people think its crazy to attempt camping and long road trips with young children.
I say, why wouldn't you want to experience these things with your kids?
We are a military family after all, so we are highly motivated to take full advantage of the regions we live in because we can never be sure how long we will be in one area.We would be kicking ourselves if we lived on the West Coast all this time and never saw Yosemite National Park, or explored all the nearby beaches, or even traveled to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon.We have done all of those things (and more), but most recently was our trip to Arizona in December.
The idea for this trip originated from an email I received from a friend last summer, about the Polar Express train trip that is put on by the Grand Canyon Railroad each year at Christmas-time.It is a very sweet re-enactment of the book, The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. The train goes to “The North Pole”, and then Santa gets on the train to briefly greet the kids and give each of them a special gift.We thought this would be a wonderful surprise for our 5-year-old son Luke, and while our girls (twin 2-year-olds, Dana & Brynn) wouldn’t really remember it, they were sure to have fun as well.We decided to stay in Williams, AZ, since that’s where the train depot is.Williams is about 60 miles south of the Grand Canyon, so we knew we had to include that in our plans as well.We also wanted to try and explore other national parks and/or monuments nearby, but made no other specific plans for those since, with small children in tow, you have to be flexible.
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
We left southern California on a Monday (camped overnight in a KOA in Needles, CA), and got to Williams on Tuesday. Yes, it took two days to get there---pulling a 28-ft camper/trailer and traveling with young children takes longer than usual!We also chose a KOA in Williams, because those tend to be the easiest to stay at when traveling with children.When the kids are older, we’ll “rough it” more, but for now its nice to have certain amenities that places like KOA offers (playgrounds, bathrooms & showers, etc.).
The train ride wasn’t until Wednesday, so we had most of Tuesday afternoon to check out Grand Canyon National Park.We didn’t go to there with intentions of doing any big hikes because honestly, we had no desire to try and hike down into the canyon with our three small kids.Too many hazards to consider, and it would just take way too long for us to get down there.And then we’d have to hike back up---most likely in the dark since the shorter, winter days are here. Plus, it was COLD.About 30 degrees when we got there, so there was no way we’d do that sort of thing this time. So we stuck to the driving tour, which fortunately for us, was fully accessible by car. By going in December, the whole South Rim road was open to drive on, whereas Mar. 1--Nov. 30, you have to take a shuttle if you want to go past Grand Canyon Village.We were also lucky to have been there in the afternoon because we caught a spectacular Grand Canyon sunset, plus an almost full moon rising.
Even though we didn’t do any major hikes, we definitely feel that we got a good first Grand Canyon experience with the kids (my husband and I had been there before kids) by just driving and stopping to make short hikes at the turn-off points.There were no crowds, and we even had up-close wildlife sightings of deer and elk at a few points along the road.The animals seemed to be used to all the people around, but as always you don’t want to get too close.I saw one bold photographer do this, and he almost got charged by an elk.Luke & the girls were fascinated by these impressive animals, and it was especially exciting for these SoCal kids to see snow!
SUNSET CRATER VOLCANO AND WUPATKI NATIONAL MONUMENTS
It was finally Wednesday, the day of our Polar Express train ride.But, that didn’t start until 6:30pm, so we had the whole day to fill with other adventures.So we packed our cooler with enough food & drinks to last through the afternoon, and drove northeast of Flagstaff, AZ to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Wupatki National Monument.We did a mostly driving tour of Sunset Crater (which last erupted in 1064-65), and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of meadows, lava flows, and cinder dunes. The Loop Road is about 36 miles long, and continues through to Wupatki National Monument.
We got to stretch our legs a lot more while exploring the remains of masonry pueblos at Wupatki.We started at a 0.5-mile loop trail behind the Wupatki Visitor Center (a great little mini-museum with kid-friendly, hands-on exhibits), which leads to the Wupatki Pueblo. The pueblo was built by ancestors of today’s Hopi and Zuni Indians in the 1100s.The kids loved running around on the trail and even got to play in and around some of the buildings.But we were careful to remind them (especially Luke, our budding Indiana Jones) that anything he picked up must be put back exactly where he found it!The ranger who was working that day was very friendly and even showed Luke a spot where it was common to find small shards of Indian pottery---and even let Luke hold some of it.To say that my son was impressed is an understatement!
THE POLAR EXPRESS TRAIN RIDE
Before we knew it, we needed to head back to Williams to eat dinner, get the kids dressed in their Christmas pajamas, and then get ourselves to the train depot for our departure to the North Pole!As I said before, this was to be a surprise for Luke, so he had no idea where we were going until we got to the train station.He didn’t believe us at first, and then was a little worried that we were sending him on the train to see Santa on his own (like the boy in the book).Once he realized we were all going, he started to get really excited.
The train trip was everything we had imagined and wanted for our kids.The train itself was beautiful and impressive---it felt luxurious, not like your modern-day Amtrak ride!The ride was also well-organized.Relaxed.Magical.We were treated to hot chocolate and cookies on the ride to the “North Pole”.Then one of the “elves” read The Polar Express story to the children, going around and showing each page as they read.Note to self: if we do this again, bring our copy of the book so we can read along!
When arriving at the North Pole, you never get off the train.The “North Pole” is meant to be seen from the windows of the train.The kids all marveled at the festive lights, and then they spotted Santa and his sleigh (packed with a GIANT sack of toys!), which was parked in front of the little village setting.He waved at us as the train slowly passed by.Then we stopped.After a few minutes, the train started backing up, and Santa was no longer outside waving at us! Hmmm, where did he go? They informed us that Santa had gotten on the train (audible, excited gasps from the children could be heard throughout the train car at this news!), and to be patient since he had several train cars full of children to greet.It didn’t actually seem to take that long, because they did a pretty good job of distracting the kids with Christmas carol sing-alongs (they even passed out a songbook so the parents could help sing along too).
Then Santa appeared and the kids were all just buzzing with excitement.He made his way to where we were sitting and Luke was sweet, polite, and in awe of this friendly, authentic-looking Santa who was standing before him.Santa handed him a large, silver sleigh bell.He then handed one to Brynn, who immediately (and expectedly) shrunk into me, and he gave me another one for Dana, who had fallen asleep.My husband Will was up and ready to capture a quick photo of this sweet moment.As Santa made his way through the rest of the train cars, we enjoyed the rest of the ride back to the train depot where he stayed for a little while for more formal photo opportunities.
I highly recommend this trip to families with young children, probably best for at least age 3.Our 2-year-olds enjoyed the ride (well, Brynn did, since Dana slept for most of it!), but they are only just learning who Santa is!The trip made the biggest impression on Luke---he still marvels at his bell that Santa gave him, at the fact that he can hear it ring so it must mean he is a true believer :)
PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
We decided that even though it was a long drive (about 2 hours each way) from Williams, that we just couldn’t leave AZ the next day without visiting Petrified Forest National Park.Will went there when he was a child, but I had never been.So, again, we packed food, movies for the kids to watch in the car, and away we went.This park had the most kid-friendly hikes of all the parks we visited on this trip.Most were easy, not too many hills to climb, and were just long enough for the kids to release their pent-up energy from being in the car for so long!There is a great visitor center at the southern end of the park, called the Rainbow Forest Museum.They have exhibits there about petrified wood, geology, and paleontology.The dinosaur skeletons & fossils were the highlight of the museum, according to Luke! We started our first hike in the park from the museum, on the easy 0.4-mile paved (with some stairs) Giant Logs Trail. Then after eating our picnic lunch, we moved on to another easy hike, the 0.8-mile paved Crystal Forest Trail, probably our favorite hike in the park. We still had to remind our son (several times!) that he could absolutely NOT keep any of the rocks he found there on the trails.There are so many tiny “wood chips” that may be tempting to keep, but it is against the law to take anything from the park.But there are places outside the park where pieces of petrified trees (mined from nearby sites outside the park) can be purchased if you want them for a souvenir. Before leaving the park, we also stopped at other sites that show evidence of early human occupation, such as the remaining foundation of Puerco Pueblo, and petroglyphs (found at Newspaper Rock and Puerco Pueblo).
I was truly surprised by the stark beauty of this place.I’m not sure what I expected before we got there, but was just stunned by how time, wind, and water have shaped this place over millions and millions of years.It is amazing to think that this region was once a floodplain, full of tall conifer trees (now fallen and petrified!) instead of a dry grassland/desert. And to be able to see and touch those ancient trees that had transformed into stone was just amazing.
During our travels that week, we were surrounded by another wonder of the American southwest: The Painted Desert.We could see gorgeous vistas of it from Sunset Crater, Wupatki, and also from the Petrified Forest NP. Before we made the 2-hr drive back to Williams, we did go into the Painted Desert Visitor Center.We had to get our National Parks Passport book stamped (boy that thing is filling up in the Western Region lately!), and also drove around a short loop there which had several turnouts with great viewpoints for taking photos. Perhaps for another trip we would research some desert hikes to explore it further.
We had a wonderful time on this trip, even if it was just a quick one.We feel very lucky to be able to take advantage of travel opportunities wherever my husband is stationed. It does take a bit of extra work & planning to take young children along on these adventures, but the great memories we are making are worth it.And even if you aren’t a military family who doesn’t know how long you’ll have to explore your area, it may help to have that “temporary” mindset.Because if you keep putting it off because it’ll always be there, it may just never happen!
You know what one of my favorite things about Southern California is? That it can be 75 at the beach in February. This past weekend was filled with absolutely perfect weather. We knew that we had to get in the car and head west (well technically south west…)! We decided to spend the day in La Jolla, a gorgeous seaside community just north of San Diego. In addition to being home to world class beaches and upscale living, it is also home to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and Birch Aquarium.
Birch Aquarium is a small but wonderful aquarium run by Scripps. What this aquarium lacks in size, it makes up for with quality exhibits and plenty of hands on educational opportunities. The tanks in the Hall of Fishes are filled with plenty of beautiful examples of the wonders of the ocean. Here, your kids can get eye to eye with clownfish (if Nemo is as popular in your house as it is in mine, this is a BIG deal), various small sharks, eels, creatures of the kelp forest, along with many more inhabitants of the sea. If you plan your visit right, you can watch a good old fashion feeding at the huge kelp forest tank. There is also a cute little fish nursery where you can see some aquatic life in their most infantile state.
Outside, there is a nice tide pool exhibit where kids can get hands on with some creatures that call the intertidal zone their home. As beautiful as the tide pools are, it is hard not to be distracted by the incredible views from the deck. Birch Aquarium is perched on the cliffs above the beach and the view is just amazing. I could spend all day just gazing out at the never ending expanse of ocean. Unfortunately, my three year olds don’t exactly have the same attention span so we had to head back inside to check out the rest of the exhibits.
Once inside, we discovered an interesting exhibit about CO2 levels and the effects of climate change on our oceans. I believe it is an important exhibit because it provides some nice evidence for climate change skeptics and helps educate children about the importance of conservation and environmentalism. My kids had a blast turning the crank and finding out how much more energy it takes to power a traditional light bulb as opposed to a compact fluorescent. Another fun exhibit was the Wonders of Water which allowed kids to send plastic boats down a track of their creation and learn about the force of ocean currents. I think my kids could have played there for hours.
We ended our visit in the sea horse exhibit. I don’t know what it is about those delicate little animals but they do seem to peak the interest of everyone who walks by their tanks. I especially enjoyed the video of the male sea horse expelling hatched sea horses from his abdomen. It was satisfying to finally see a man experience some labor pains.
The Birch Aquarium is located at 2300 Expedition Way in La Jolla, CA. Adult admission is $12.00 and child admission is $8.50. Children under 3 are free. This month is Museum Month in San Diego. If you visit any Macy’s in San Diego County, you can pick up (at the cash register) a free museum pass good for half off ALL participating museums (listed here) in San Diego County for the entire month of February. Each pass is valid for up to four people so if you have more than four people in your party, just ask for more passes. Its that easy. We are planning on using our pass as much as possible to explore some of the fantastic museums San Diego has to offer. I hope you pick yours up too!
Orange County seems to have a never ending supply of gorgeous beaches. After living here for almost a year, I have seen quite a few but I am constantly finding more for us to explore. Recently, I took the kids to the Dana Point Marine Reserve for a hike along the coast. The reserve is located behind the Ocean Institute (a place I hope to visit soon) near the mouth of the Dana Point Harbor. There is a secluded beach at the beginning of the reserve with plenty of sand to run around on, rocks to climb, and large waves to watch crashing towards the shore. Tall cliffs rise high above the sand and rocks below.
Beyond the small beach, the shore is narrow and filled with rocks. A small trail hugs the bottom of the cliff and leads up the coast toward the Dana "point".
Along the way there are tide pools and sea caves. The lower the tide, the further you can follow the trail. The kids loved playing in the small cave we found and I look forward to coming back at a minus tide and venturing out to the larger sea cave.
This is a great family hike and perfect on hot days when it is too warm to hike inland. The cool ocean breezes and dramatic scenery are hard to beat. If you would like more information about this hike click here.
I know, I know. Another Yosemite post. I swear I will stop with the Yosemite promotions (for a while anyways) after this. I just wanted to give you all some basic info and links so you can plan your own vacation. I am also always happy to help you in your planning. Just drop me an email. Hopefully this info will prove to be useful to many of you. Please be sure to send me your own stories and pictures if you decide to go!
Yosemite really does have something to offer all budgets, ages, and travel styles. Whether it’s the luxury of the Ahwahnee Hotel or a pup tent in the back country, accommodations are available to suit your needs. There are beaches to lounge on, tours to be taken, horses to be ridden, and a river to float down. If you only have one day and want to see what Yosemite is famous for, head to the valley. Here you will find Bridelveil and Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, and Half Dome in all their glory. You can take a wonderful two hour tour guided by park rangers in an open air tram to get the complete rundown. I wouldn’t personally recommend this with toddlers since it is asking an awful lot to have them sit still for two hours but school age kids on up should enjoy the ride. Inside the valley you can rent bikes (including those ever so handy toddler trailers) and helmets are included. The Valley is only one mile wide and seven miles long so a bike is a perfect way to explore. You can also rent rafts to float down the Merced River. What a perfectly lazy way to stay cool and enjoy the scenery on those hot summer days. Children must be at least 50lbs to raft down this mellow river. Both the bike rentals and raft rentals are available at Curry Village.
Children at least 7 years old and 44’ tall can take a trail ride on a horse! What a memorable way to see Yosemite. Stables to rent horses are in the Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne High Country, and Wawona. There are 2 hour, half day, and full day rides available.
If you have older children maybe rock climbing is up their alley. Well Yosemite is the perfect place to learn. Yosemite Mountaineering School is happy to teach you the ins and outs.
Of course the big “to do” in Yosemite is a hike on one of its amazing trails. There are long, strenuous climbs to the tops of mountains, short walks to waterfalls, and plenty in between. Even the disabled can still see a lot of what Yosemite has to offer. I could go on and on about all the hikes in Yosemite but I found this site to be a great one and used it in my own research.
It breaks the hikes down by region, difficulty, scenery and crowds. There are plenty of hikes the whole family will enjoy together and hikes that are for older kids. You know your kids. Can they walk 4 miles or will they throw themselves on the ground at mile 2 and refuse to keep going thus causing you to have to walk uphill for two miles with a 50 pound child on your shoulders? My recommendation- start small and if things go well try something more difficult. If the trails are stroller friendly bring it along just in case. (I know Tuolumne Grove, Mariposa Grove, Lower Yosemite Falls, Bridelveil Falls, Glacier Point, and all the bike trails throughout the valley are all stroller friendly) My 21 month old daughter walked about 1.5 miles no problem but her twin brother would never make it that far. He likes to linger in one spot for hours on end and the art of following directions is not his forte. We keep trying with him though because eventually he will get with the program and all the exploring he does do can only help expand that brain of his! Now for the lodging. If you only travel in the lap of luxury then the Ahwahnee is for you. Be prepared to spend over $300 a night but your money will get you a stay at one of the most beautiful hotels in any of our nation’s national parks. You can still stay in a hotel in the park without spending an arm and a leg. Yosemite Lodge is in the heart of the valley and the pricing is more budget friendly. There is also near the park entrances available such as the Tenaya Lodge and Wawona Lodge at the south entrance. If you would like to semi-rough it then Curry Village is for you. They have hard sided cabins with and without bathrooms. They also have tent cabins. Sure Curry Village is crowded but it is close to lots of conveniences such as groceries, food, rentals, and it has a pool for your kids to cool off in. What I liked about staying there was that there was a place to contain the kids at night without worry of them sneaking out of our tent. As much as I love tent camping I just didn’t feel this was the right age to do it. I think Mari would have done fine but Ben would have been a royal pain in the butt. I think next year may be a good time to try the mighty tent. For those of you who have very little ones who aren’t mobile yet (oh how I miss those days sometimes) or children that are old enough to not continuously run away from your tent or spend hours eating dirt, I say you MUST camp! It is such a fun family bonding experience and Yosemite is the perfect place to do it. There are campsites in the valley and all over the park. The campsites outside the valley will give you more peace and quiet but the ones in the valley will give you lots of convenience. Here is a good link for campsites in Yosemite:
Finally Yosemite has a junior ranger program for children ages 7-13 and Little Cub program for ages 3-6. I think these programs are great because they encourage children to get involved and learn about their national parks. You can find more info at the Visitor Center or at Happy Isles Nature Center (something I am determined to see with my children next time)
I hope all this info inspires you to get started on planning your own Yosemite vacation soon. If you have a story you would like to share about one of your journeys in America’s National Parks or someplace you think is special send me an email and I would love to feature your adventure!
LA is weird. One second you are in the ghetto, the next you are surrounded by million dollar homes. Regardless of the socio-economic level of any given neighborhood, one thing is constant. Traffic is a bitch. Where else can you sit traffic at 3AM because a car chase is speeding on down the 5? Given some of its less than desirable qualities, LA does have some great weather and fantastic beaches.
The other day I decided to head up to Marina Del Rey and pay my brother a visit. His apartment (that he pays both of his arms and legs for) is conveniently located across the street from the marina which conveniently has cute little beach and playground.
This beach is more like a lake than the ocean since its at the marina. This is boring for surfers but pretty great for parents since they can let their kids play in the water without fear of them being swept out to sea. It isn't the prettiest beach I have ever been to but the kids loved wading safely in the water and then running back up the beach to go down a slide or take a quick swing. Plus they enjoy the view of all the boats in the marina. You can make a nice afternoon of it at the Marina Del Rey Beach and dine at the Cheesecake Factory which is on site. Or grab a piece of cheesecake and bring it back to the beach if you would rather sit and enjoy the rays.
I have to end this post with a couple pictures of our time at Chris's apartment. The kids were in love with his kitten. The kitten was not nearly as impressed with Mari and Ben.
We ended our day with Chris because he had plans. He had to put on his purple jumpsuit and head off to Lebowski Fest. Yep. I did say purple jumpsuit. Here are shots of him dressed as Jesus from the Big Lebowski. Enjoy!
Salt Creek Beach is one of those beaches you might not know is there unless you are a local or staying nearby. You know it has to be a nice beach when the Ritz Carlton corporation decides to plop a hotel on the bluffs above it (and a gorgeous hotel at that). My first visit to Salt Creek was a couple years back when my brother took Paul and I there to play volleyball. I was amazed by how gorgeous the beach was and loved that there was a grassy hill above the beach with incredible views. Plus I love imagining I am staying in one of the exclusive homes up on the bluff. Sipping on a cocktail. Watching the sunset from my balcony. Wondering what I am gonna do next.... Its not hard for me to slip on over to my happy place when I am at the beach. Anyhow, we took Paul's sister to Salt Creek to watch the sun set her first night (and only kid-free night) of her visit with us last week. It had been cloudy all week but the beach gods smiled down upon us and gave us a spectacular sunset. Here are some of the many pictures we took that evening.
Last weekend, Americans celebrated Memorial Day, honoring our country’s soldiers and celebrating the unofficial start to summer. California’s 278 state parks are the perfect place to spend those gorgeous summer days. These priceless public assets offer spectacular and accessible natural wonders. The Nature Conservancy has been working with diverse partners for over 50 years to preserve California’s iconic state parks. Check out their Top 10 Most Memorable State Parks:
A trip down the world famous Avenue of the Giants is a sight you’ll never forget. This memorial grove nestled in Humboldt Redwoods State Park is home to some of the most ancient and tallest trees on the planet. The park is over 53,000 acres, including 17,000 acres of old-growth redwoods, and offers prime camping and outdoor activities. This was one of California’s first parks to be preserved when the state park system was established in 1928, and it protects about one-eighth of all remaining old-growth redwoods, the largest continuous stretch in the world.
Named after three arches carved out of a mudstone cliff, Natural Bridges State Beach offers traditional summer activities in a dramatic and diverse setting. Although the namesake bridges have been lost to the sea, their rocky remains provide a gathering spot for pelicans, cormorants and other sea birds. Catch a glimpse of otters and sea lions off shore and explore tide pools filled with colorful creatures. Learn about the area’s natural history at the visitor center, walk the nature trail through the wetland, play in the surf or just relax on the beach. Afterwards, visitors can visit the nearby Seymore Discovery Center at Long Marine Lab to stand in awe by the assembled skeleton of a blue whale, the Earth’s largest animal. This 87 foot skeleton, from a whale that washed ashore nearby in 1979, is one of only four displayed in North America and is believed to be the largest displayed worldwide.
A soothing soak in the therapeutic, green waters of Grover Hot Springs State Park surrounded by majestic Sierra Nevada granite peaks is as relaxing as it gets. There is a hot pool (102 - 105 degrees) fed by six mineral springs and a refreshing cool pool. Unlike most hot springs, there is almost no pungent scent of sulfur. Visitors have been coming to this natural spa since the 1850s to “take the cure”. You can also camp overnight or hike to the Hot Springs Creek waterfall.
The weathered summit of Mt. San Jacinto is the highest point in the California State Park System at 10,834 feet in elevation. Visitors to Mt. San Jacinto State Park can take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway up to 8,500 feet and enjoy panoramic views of the high country, and then hike through beautiful granite mountains covered with pines, mountain meadows, and streams. The park also offers camping, horseback trails, picnic areas and food service and spectacular wildlife viewing.
Pismo Beach is home to the famous Pismo clam, which is the largest clam in California. This self-proclaimed “Clam Capital of the World” even has a clam festival every October. Visitors can try their luck at clamming (salt-water fishing license required) or enjoy the seaside activities this top California beach has to offer. With over 23 miles of soft sand, there’s something for everyone including camping, golfing, picnicking, fishing, swimming, walking the nature trails or soaking in the sun on the beach.
Visitors can also explore the nearby Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge - 18 miles of 500 foot towering peaks stretching from Pismo State Beach to Point Sal. In the 1980s, The Nature Conservancy acquired more than 3,000 acres of dunes to protect them from development and has since transferred them to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage as part of the Refuge.
The lush open country of the Central Valley is ideal for the once endangered Tule Elk, found nowhere else in the world except their native California. Tule elk are smaller than their cousins the Roosevelt elk, and are sometimes called dwarf elk despite their respectable heft, power and massive antlers. They are breathtaking to watch and are truly are a unique state treasure. Famed cattleman Henry Miller embarked on a 50 year effort to save Tule elk in 1874 after once vast herds were on the brink of extinction. In 1932, the herd at what is now Tule Elk State Natural Reserve was given permanent protection. Visitors can take a guided tour, view exhibits at the visitor center or enjoy a picnic and watch elk roam past.
You don’t have to be a movie star to enjoy Malibu’s famous beaches – once referred to as the American Riviera. A stroll down iconic Malibu Pier at Malibu Lagoon State Beach is better than any red carpet. Visitors can fish off the pier, or if they don’t want to catch their lunch can relax at one of the local restaurants, grab an old fashioned shake or enjoy a picnic on Surfrider beach where Gidget and other beach-blanket movies were filmed. The pier also has facilities to rent beach equipment, book a harbor tour or go deep-sea fishing. This is also a world-class surfing spot and located in the epicenter of California’s beach culture. Visitors can also explore the Spanish-style Adamson House, a National Historic Site, or the adjacent Malibu Lagoon Museum which features pictures of various Malibu eras from the native Chumash to the birth of the surf craze.
As you enter California Citrus State Historic Park, visitors are greeted by a replica of an orange stand – a reminder of a bygone era of when “Citrus was King” and a second Gold Rush ensued as citrus barons flocked to Southern California to make their fortunes. This 377 acre park nestled in majestic palm trees and fragrant fruit groves captures and preserves the importance of the citrus industry to the state’s history and economy – which helped define California as the “Golden State”.
Visitors can learn more from the interpretive displays in the visitor center which is a model of a packinghouse, enjoy summer concerts in the amphitheater, picnic or explore the demonstration groves where navel and Valencia oranges, grapefruit and lemons are still grown.
Whether your vessel of choice is a drift boat, raft or a good, old-fashioned inner tube, it doesn’t get more relaxing than a refreshing float down the Sacramento River, California’s longest. As you drift, you’ll see scenic countryside filled with elderberries, wild grapes, sycamores, and wild roses which are home to diverse wildlife like river otters, herons, song birds and turtles. At the end of your trip, you can grab a picnic lunch under a massive oak or cottonwood tree or take a nature walk in Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park. This is also a popular spot with anglers who can catch salmon, steelhead and shad, and The Nature Conservancy and its partners are working to restore the habitat necessary for fish and fresh water which is so important to the community, recreationists and local economy. They have undertaken one of the largest riparian restoration projects in the United States.
Located on the international border between Mexico and California, Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve is one of last salt marshes remaining in Southern California and is home to over 370 species of migratory and native birds – including six endangered species. This is a key stopover point of the Pacific Flyway. Whether you’re into photography or you just like to look at them, visitors can explore four miles of walking trails for prime bird watching.
A stop at nearby Border Field State Park to view the sand dunes and salt marshes that give refuge to critically threatened and endangered birds such as the Western Snowy Plover, the California Least Tern, and the Light-footed Clapper Rail or is also a must.
Once you’ve visited one of these most memorable parks, capture that memory with a picture and submit it to The Nature Conservancy.
Every year they come by the hundreds of thousands. They converge on a strip of sand just a north of the international border, and watch as sculptors of sand create their masterpieces. This year, we decided to join the masses and see what all the fuss was about.
Entrants have only 5 hours to create a sand sculpture in the pursuit of $21,000 in prize money. What they come up with is definitely above and beyond anything I have ever created with a shovel and pail. Spectators file up and down the beach, checking out the progress of each masterpiece in progress, squeezing through the crowds to get a front row view of the action.
Finally 2PM rolls around and the creations are complete (or as complete as they are gonna be). The professionals draw the biggest crowds with their fancy camera crews and media attention but I think every sculpture was worthy of star treatment.
The oil spill in the gulf was a popular theme this year. I suppose looking out at California’s pristine beaches, its hard not to think about what has been happening on the other end of the country.
But most of all, creativity ruled the beach.
If you would like to see these impressive sculptures be built right before your very eyes, be sure to head out to Imperial Beach next year. For more information, click here.
