It’s Not You, It’s Me. {California Dreamin’}
I know, I know. It’s starting to appear that I’m winding down our relationship but really, I’m not. Everything’s fine. I’ve just been well, busy, is all.
In four weeks, we leave for the US of A. That in itself is not something new. We’ve been twice already this past year as part of my husbands mission to install himself there permanently. (He keeps his watch on US time year round. I wish I was kidding.)
What is new and different is that this time, it’s going to be a proper holiday. No work, no schedule, just relaxation and fun. And the other never-before-attempted thing? We’re taking the small people. Uh huh. Thirteen hours long haul, three children. We’re outnumbered and I’m nervous. Truth be told, I brace myself just taking all of them to the grocery store together. This is big.
They, of course, are becoming more excited by the hour and I’m starting to feel like a human Google with the constant requests for sneak peeks of Disney/Legoland/The Hollywood Sign.
This is where you come in. Well, the American component of you, that is. We have around five weeks or so to really explore California. While I’m all up for the usual tourist haunts, and need to know which ones are worth the time, effort and dollars, I also want to know about that great little restuarant/quirky gift store/fantastic vintage shoppe that can’t be missed. The ones that you’d never find without the help of a local. Shows you might have seen, great art exhibitions, anything at all really.. We’re staying in Orange County for most of our trip but very willing to explore a little further afield.. If you have any suggestions for things to make our trip extra wonderful, I’d be ever so grateful!
Here’s a rather blurry, overexposed me Magnetic Island last weekend. Mid wedding shoot, taken by someone who should probably not have been in charge of my camera.
S xx
83 shared sentiments
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One of my favorite things to do is go to Beachcomber restaurant in Crystal Cove (Newport Beach) for an early breakfast and let my son play at the beach afterwords during the week. The weekends are pretty bisy but they do accept reservations. Plus there are a lot of cool buildings/structures for picture taking.
There are so many fun places in the area. I am a born and raised Orange County girl. If you have any specific questions, let me know.
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I am not a local of California, but if you happen to want to make your way up the I-15 to So. Utah, there are many beautiful things here to see.
Have a great holiday.
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I have no words of advice for California having never even been. :( But I am interested in what others have to say, and also next time: The East Coast is where it’s at. As a NJ/Philadelphia and around to NY girl myself.
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Orange County is gorgeous, that’s my top spot to live. But all my family lives in Vegas, and OC close enough to visit a few times a year, so I’ll probably never move! You’ve GOT to get tickets to see the play ‘Wicked’ at Pantages Theater in Hollywood, you’ll love it. There are a few really fun places to shop. My favorite is on Del Mar in San Clemente, 30-40 minutes from Disneyland. Another great place to browse/dine is in Dana Point. The possiblities are endless. Laguna Beach is another favorite spot, but the parking always seems so difficult. One other place that is a sea of deals is the Orange County Swap Meet…art, clothing, souveniers, luggage to put all your souveniers in, {my personal favorite place to buy expensive hair care products for cheap, cheap, cheap}. You can bargain with the vendors, which I love! But what ever you do, have a splendid time!
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I heard this was store was amazing: http://www.timelesstreasuressf.com also Tara Whitney could direct you to some fun spots!!!
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Central Coast is beautiful. Monteray; the Aquarium, San Luis Obispo; The Nest Antique store is super cute and has great stuff for good prices.
So Cal. Spend a morning at Burke Williams Day spa being pampered. Maggiano’s. Diddy Riese.
The Wild animal park in San Diego.
I need to make a trip to So Cal some time soon.
I hope your trip is wonderful and relaxing :)
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I wish I could give you information about california, I have never been but wish that I could go. I live on the other side of the Country in Beautiful Crystal Coast North Carolina.
Two completely different worlds. None the less I do hope you fine every little teeny, quirky, fabublessy, vintage thing you could hope for…
Enjoy your trip!
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Umm…I am not a Cali girl either! But I have been there twice in the last few months! We went to Venice Beach this last time {in March} and loved it. There were lots of poor people but it is very touristy, a nice beach with great sand and fun!! And tons of graffiti to take pics at!! Loved that part of it!
If you want to make a little road trip to Arizona, I am about 6 hours away and would LOVE to meet you!! :) Heck, I would even drive there!! We want to take the kids back and hit up Legoland ourselves! And the beach again!
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We’re going to Disney World in Florida this summer with all 3 kids. That’s only a 2 hour flight for us and I’m completely panicked. I’m afraid I’m going to be the mom that gets kicked off the flight for not being able to tame her toddler. That really happened awhile back to another couple. Apparently their toddler was having a tantrum and they were asked to leave the plane because she was disrupting the other passengers. I hope I didn’t scare you more if you didn’t already hear about that story!! I wish you all the luck with the 13 hour trip. By the way, you look really cute in that picture!!
Much love from NJ,
Sue
xoxo
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If you are heading to the San Diego area for Legoland, you may want to check out lacosta resort and spa:
http://www.lacosta.com/
Spa for you…Kids club, water slides, arcade for the kiddos! We also love World Famous for breakfast on the beach in San Diego. Someone mentioned Wicked, but it is no longer in L.A. If you want to see it you will have to travel North to San Francisco where it’s currently playing at the Orpheum Theatre. It is out of this world fabulous if you can see it. There won’t be a shortage of things to do in the O.C. either! There is a great children’s museum there too. I am born and raised So. Cal girl so if you have any other questions let me know! Have FUN!!
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FYI — if you join the lego brickmasters club (about $45 US… not sure shipping for Aus) you get a ticket for free admission and the kids get a lego kit and magazine every other month. We just ordered last week and got it a couple days ago. Or, you some people sell the coupons on Ebay.
To order more than one, you may have to call.
Have a great trip!
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Oh I’m loving the suggestions!! Thankyou SO much :) Keep them coming!
Karen, we’re already meeting up with Tara, she’s definitely a girl in the know!
Thanks again..
S xx
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Oh and Peta, yes, we got the Buy One Get Twelve Free or something. How cheap are airfares? Crazy.
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I lived in SD for 3 years. San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park(I like the zoo better for kids), Sea World, Coronado Island(hotel del etc), Mission Beach, Children’s Pool in La Jolla, Balboa Park(huge city park with museums and such), Point Loma Lighthouse, tons more.
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Hi, Sheye. I follow your blog and live in southern CA. I would say Disney is a must. We hold annual passes and go all the time.
A Hollywood landmark is Pink’s. http://www.pinkshollywood.com/ When my friend from out of state visited, she insisted on eating there. Me? I’d never heard of it.
The Magic Castle would be cool to get into but you have to be invited or know someone.
There are a ton of museums here depending on your family’s interests.
I would be happy to help be your tour guide. ;)
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I’m in San Diego! I work at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park (not sure how long you’d stay in SD, but if you’re not super limited on time it’s a great place… there’s also a New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego though). If you know in advance if you want to come, I may be able to snag some general admission passes for you (contact me and I’ll see what I can do).
Some favorite eateries: Konos Surf Club for breakfast in Pacific Beach (right by World Famous as someone else mentioned), Corvette Diner (now in Point Loma at Liberty Station) is a fun 50s style diner, The Old Town Mexican Cafe in Old Town has AMAZING Mexican food and you can watch them make the tortillas (Casa Guadalajara is also really good in Old Town), and Soltan Banoo for Persian in University Heights (just a couple of miles north of Balboa Park). Fiji Yogurt (locally owned) is in a few different spots… self-serve frozen yogurt (pay by the oz)! Always a delicious treat!
As a kid, I remember loving Belmont Park at Mission Beach when we’d come visit San Diego family. Sea World is always fun. I recommend the Wild Animal Park over the Zoo, but overall you can see more animals at the Zoo (it’s also walking distance from the rest of Balboa Park).
Wow! That’s a lot. Haha. I’d be happy to answer other questions or help out however I can! I’ve lived in Southern California most of my life and California all of my life, so I’m happy to make suggestions for other places you might be considering as well (Disney! Disney!).
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So many great suggestions… some of our favorites in san diego are definitely Balboa Park- tons of cool museums and awesome architecture for great backdrops in photos. And the zoo!! Rent bikes or roller blades on coronado island to really get to explore the place at your own pace. The USS Midway is a real air craft carrier ship that has been turned into a museum. You can explore every nook and cranny, including climbing in and out of the helicopters and airplanes that sit atop the deck. It is in San Diego Harbor just off of Broadway. Little Italy in downtown SD has some great italian… try Filipe’s for some yummy pizza. If your in Orange County go to Montage Gardens- a beautiful place to walk the beach, or enjoy a picnic. Also Ruby’s Diner (yes a chain) is located at the end of Newport pier and Huntington Beach pier- the kids get a kick out of eating over the ocean… hope you have a WONDERFUL trip!
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Don’t miss the American Girl store in Los Angeles in The Grove shopping center. I could spend an entire day there! We also love the French Crepe Company for breakfast or lunch!
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We used to live on the Central Coast, which has a lot to offer, as another person mentioned. It is about a three hour drive from LA (if you’ve seen the movie Sideways, that’s where it all took place — it’s wine country for sure (though I don’t drink!)). Anyway, Santa Barbara is a fun town with lots of shopping. You can stop in Monticeto (where Oprah lives) and go to the place where she raves about the meatballs, Molly’s Tattoria. Pismo Beach has the best Clam Chowder ever at a place called Splash Cafe (very casual). If you keep going up there’s San Luis Obispo, which is another fun, cute town with great shopping. Also the home of the Art Cafe, that Oprah single handedly saved from shutting down after eating a sandwhich from there (can you tell I’m a big Oprah fan? And a big food fan too?). There are some really great steak houses in the area, Jacko’s (sp?) and The Hitching Post get a lot of hype. One of the best meals of my life was eaten at The Brother’s Restaurant at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos. Unfortunately, lots of these ideas are not all that kid friendly. As far as kids go, you have to hit In and Out for burgers, and we love Rubio’s a fish taco chain that started in San Diego. We did Lego Land and were a little disappointed. Although, now that my son is more into legos, he might get more of a kick out of it. Sea World is great and of course Disneyland. Have so much fun. You are amazing and I love your blog!
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Hi Sheye,
Sounds like your blog family has you all hooked up! Hoe great! I was raised inNorthen Cali, near San Fransico..you will be too far from there tho’…I hope your trip is Awesome and relaxing and If you do decide to come to Oregon…hahah let me know…Blessing Shi~ ps. loved the picture…
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hiya, sheye:)
have a great time in cali!!!
l,
d xxxxx… x
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hi sheye! i have a new neice named after you (well, really shea stadium in boston…but i think of you!)
anyways, if you could i would definitely get the kids to yosemite or the redwoods outside of san francisco. the tress are amazing & a must see. nothing like them in all the world. you guys are used to beaches… maybe you can see some mountains or redwoods? they would also love the san diego zoo. it’s great. have fun!julie
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Hi Sheye,
I’m an OC girl and love it here. I would never live anywhere else! I would definitely hit Laguna Beach and Avila’s El Ranchito for some yummy mexican food – our Friday night favorite. The Montage Hotel/beach is beautiful and a great spot for pics. Laguna has some great little hideaway shops and it is very artsy. Ruby’s for sure is fun for the kids and the Irvine Spectrum is a great outdoor mall with a fun ferris wheel for the kiddos. We love fish tacos in Dana Point and you MUST hit the Sprinkles cupcakes in Newport Beach for the best red velvet cupcake you have ever tasted! Fashion Island is a beautiful outdoor mall for shopping and eating and you should rent bicycles on Newport peninsula, then ride the ferry over to Balboa island for a Balboa bar. Can you tell that I know all the best food spots? Legoland is awesome for younger kids. My 7 year old loves it. Let me know if you want more tips. Have a GREAT time!
Jen
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Hi Sheye,
I’m an OC girl and love it here. I would never live anywhere else! I would definitely hit Laguna Beach and Avila’s El Ranchito for some yummy mexican food – our Friday night favorite. The Montage Hotel/beach is beautiful and a great spot for pics. Laguna has some great little hideaway shops and it is very artsy. Ruby’s for sure is fun for the kids and the Irvine Spectrum is a great outdoor mall with a fun ferris wheel for the kiddos. We love fish tacos in Dana Point and you MUST hit the Sprinkles cupcakes in Newport Beach for the best red velvet cupcake you have ever tasted! Fashion Island is a beautiful outdoor mall for shopping and eating and you should rent bicycles on Newport peninsula, then ride the ferry over to Balboa island for a Balboa bar. Can you tell that I know all the best food spots? Legoland is awesome for younger kids. My 7 year old loves it. Let me know if you want more tips. Have a GREAT time!
Jen
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OoOo awesome! Have fun! Cali has gotta be great! I promised myself I’d get over there someday. :) Much luck with the kiddos!
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Hi Sheye,
I’m a Minnesota girl – Krysta’s cousin as a matter of fact. A few places I thought were interesting when I visited California were the Winchester Mansion. http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com; Alcatraz http://www.alcatraz.us; and also Route 1, the scenic byways that follow the coast – BEAUTIFUL! http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2301/
I look forward to hearing about your adventures!
Sara
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If you want to stay overnite at Disney Land, I suggest the Grand Californian. It’s an oasis of calm in the nonstop noise/lights/action that is Disney/California Land. Make sure you get the special passes so you don’t have to wait in line (as long. Book a breakfast with the princesses for a special treat for Ivy.
Check out French General. I think they are only open Friday, but check the website. It’s full of Lovely Things. ;)
Also, you might want to go to Catalina Island. The boat ride is fun (unless you get sea sick) and the island is neat to explore. They also have cool jazz concerts there.
Let me know if for some mysterious reason you decide to head up to Sacramento. I’ll give you and yours a tour! ;)
Have fun!
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orange county is a bit on the ritzy side.
If you could afford hours of driving (4-8 one way), check out:
Bodie, California (amazing ghost town, rich history with gold digging, saloons, immigrants)
Yosemite National Park
Mono Lake & the Exxon Gas Station @ Lee Vining, CA (unbelievable food– fish tacos, steak salads.. yes, at a gas station)These are all in north-central California
In your neck of the woods, I’m not too familiar with the area! Sorry!
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It does seem like a lot of the suggestions are on the ritzy side (to quote Jonathan), but all of Orange County is not necessarily like that.
For kids: Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and Legoland down in the San Diego area, Disneyland/California Adventure in Anaheim, Universal Studios in Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park (can’t believe no one mentioned it!), Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana… a lot of the museums have kid related things, so definitely the Getty (the one in LA or the one in Malibu, but the latter requires tickets reserved in advanced), The Bower’s Children’s museum in Santa Ana, Medieval Times in Buena Park, The Long Beach Aquarium, etc.
In terms of beaches, I’d say skip Huntington Beach (too many people) and Newport Beach (too many snobs) and go to San Clemente instead. San Clemente still has the beachy, small town feel but a lot of great stuff… I remember an Italian Deli with cranky owners and delicious sandwiches, an ice cream shop in the vein of the Cold Stone Creamery and a charming used book store.
I’m sure you’re aware, but be careful when you drive, especially on the 405. People here are all crazy. Have fun!!!
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It does seem like a lot of the suggestions are on the ritzy side (to quote Jonathan), but all of Orange County is not necessarily like that.
For kids: Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and Legoland down in the San Diego area, Disneyland/California Adventure in Anaheim, Universal Studios in Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park (can’t believe no one mentioned it!), Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana… a lot of the museums have kid related things, so definitely the Getty (the one in LA or the one in Malibu, but the latter requires tickets reserved in advanced), The Bower’s Children’s museum in Santa Ana, Medieval Times in Buena Park, The Long Beach Aquarium, etc.
In terms of beaches, I’d say skip Huntington Beach (too many people) and Newport Beach (too many snobs) and go to San Clemente instead. San Clemente still has the beachy, small town feel but a lot of great stuff… I remember an Italian Deli with cranky owners and delicious sandwiches, an ice cream shop in the vein of the Cold Stone Creamery and a charming used book store.
I’m sure you’re aware, but be careful when you drive, especially on the 405. People here are all crazy. Have fun!!!
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Well, it seems like alot of the stuff I thought of has been suggested! Definately Laguna Beach, I also like Venice Beach & Santa Monica. If you happen to be in Fullerton, theres a cute Italian restaurant called Angelo & Vinci’s- family friendly, crazy decorations & lights covering all the walls/ceilings & great food. Downtown Fullerton is also cute with lots of little shops. My kids love strawberry picking at Tanaka Farms in Irvine (they also give a little wagon tour) & they’re organic. Not sure if strawberries will still be in season by the time you get here though.San Juan Capistrano is a quaint little town, theres a mission (it’s considered the birthplace of Orange County) an old historic district & the usual shops, art galleries etc. Theres also a little petting zoo there called Zoomars with horse rides & a little train. Calico Ghost town is on the way to Vegas if you happen to head out there. Medeval Times or Pirate dinner adventure in Buena Park. If you make it out to Riverside county & if you like antique stores, theres alot in Old Town Temecula. Olvera Street, the birthpace of Los Angeles is a cute little historic distict with shops & restaurants, The Grove & farmers market in L.A., Universal Studios in Hollywood…oh, & I think you would love this: http://www.crystalcovebeachcottages.com/html/index.php. Here’s a good website for info on stuff to do in So Cal: http://www.daytrippen.com/index.html. And I just have to say although I completely want you to have a relaxing non-working vacation, I do wish you were booking sessions while you’re here! :) Good luck with the flight- I’m totally with you on the grocery store thing. ;)
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Oh Sheye… I know EXACTLY how you’re feeling… I am leaving for San Diego on *Tuesday* for almost 2 weeks… I am packing my daks thinking about the 13 hour flight with just my 2 year old… I tremble at the thought of travelling with any more kiddies than that! When I come back, I’ll be sure to pass on my experiences… this has actually been a very useful post for me, because there have been some great suggestions made by your fellow American readers… some of which I may have to check out myself… :) So far, the main things we have planned are Sea World, Legoland & San Diego Zoo… all of which appear to be highly recommended…
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I’m a brissie girl Sheye and I absolutely love California, we’re hoping to get back there next year with our two kiddies in tow. They will be 11 and 10 next year, great fun to take them to Disneyland. I can’t believe no-one has mentioned Hearst Castle on the Highway 1 to San Fran at San Simeon. Google it, you will be absolutely amazed, the pool is recognisable from so many travel shows, the whole place will blow your mind. We also went to Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, heaps of fun. Try and spend a few days in San Francisco, great eclectic community and awesome place to take photos. I’m not sure whether you can still do it, but we did the walk around the canals at Venice Beach. You can walk around a path basically through everyone’s back yards, such an amazing way to people watch. Venice Beach is great too, always some great street performers. If I think of anything else out of the ordinary will come back and let you know. Have a fun time and hope the kidlets behave themselves.
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After 10 years in Long Beach, CA, I recently moved to Chapel Hill, NC. (Long drive!!!) One of my very favorite spots was mentioned in an earlier post by Cinthia but I wanted to second her recommendation (actually, they’re ALL very good!) of the Bowers Museum and Kidseum in Santa Ana, CA (which is in Orange County.) It’s an amazing place, with several permanent exhibits for both adults and children. Here’s the website: http://www.bowers.org/index.jsp. It would be a great choice for a quiet day between more active pursuits. Also, as she mentioned, the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park and the Long Beach Aquarium are well worth seeing. (Skip the Los Angeles Zoo; the last time I was there, half of it was under construction and it was a total mess!) Five weeks sounds like a long time, but there is so much to see and do in SoCal that the time will fly by. I don’t know how traffic is your area but be prepared to experience some world-class slowdowns on the freeways. Take along games, toys, etc. to keep the kiddies occupied as you creep along! And have a wonderful, memorable vacation!!
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What about going to a baseball game? Lots of fun is to be had at an Angel’s game!!
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If you can drive north on beautiful Highway 1, you’ll run into many great spots, including Monteray — GREAT for the kids, Carmel by the Sea — a really great town with beautiful scenery, great little shops/boutiques/art galleries/restaurants (just what you are looking for). It’s one of my favorite places to visit. http://www.carmelcalifornia.com/
Have fun! Good luck on the plane ride! A dose of Benadryl works wonders for the kids!
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Vacation for 5 weeks! 3 Kids in tow! Ahhhhh…sounds wonderful! Wishing both parents smooth sailing. :)
Kati
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Hmmmm….I think I am responsible for this lovely candid shot of you sweet girl! Remember, I took your camera for just a few moments? I did alright huh?
x
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It’s not in the O.C. but Tom’s Farm – which isn’t a farm at all – http://shop.tomsfarms.com – is a place my family has enjoyed for years. It’s not far from the O.C. In Orange County I don’t remember exactly where, there’s a little beach called Aliso Creek Beach that is just gorgeous and I’ve never seen it crowded (and parking is free!) I don’t remember exact directions though, so I’ll have to pay attention next time we go, if you’re interested in knowing where.
And yes, you must do Disneyland!
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Sheye,
I’m from NY but a lot of my family lives outside of LA. These are some things that we do when we are there.You really need to head North for at least part of your stay. Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks are BREATHTAKING!!!!! They are all next to each other and worth the drive. Other great things to do is to head East to Las Vegas. (Lots of fun… even for the kids.) While in Vegas you could charter a helicopter ride to bring you to the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon. It drops you off at the bottom with a river guide to take you white water rafting. (I know that you don’t seem much of an “outdoorsey kind of girl”… but it would be an amazing experience for the kids.)
Since you’ll be in SoCal you might as well take a trip to Mexico for a day or two and have a real margarita!
Too bad that California gets you for the entire 5 weeks….. don’t get me wrong, California is nice BUT there is SO MUCH MORE of this country to appreciate.Have fun!
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I’m not a Cali girl either but I wanted to wish you luck on your trip! I’m also loving all these suggestions, I plan on visiting Cali someday hehe. I’ll be sure you ask YOU Sheye some advice when I vist Brisbane some day (soon hopefully… I’d sooooooooo live there if my anchors weren’t keeping me here)
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I agree that you should definitely head north, if you have the time. I’ve lived in California most of my life and love love love the northern part of the state. Tons of beautiful forests and beaches, totally different than So Cal. One of our family favorites is going hiking at Muir Woods and then to Sausalito for lunch on the water and this beautiful little restaurant. http://www.horizonssausalito.com/ … It’s close to San Fransisco, which is always a fun place to hang out for an afternoon. The kids would love to go the pier 39 to see the sea lions! And even though it is probably WAY to far out of the way I am going to suggest that you must go to Humboldt County. It’s full of the most beautiful places and lots of great food.
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So many fun suggestions!
I have an aunt and uncle that live in Orange County and as a child I “remember” visiting SOCAL every summer… Oddly enough my mom clarified that for me a few years back and it was really only 4-5 times before I graduated! The memories from those trips were so vivid to me.
I actually got to take my family there two years ago, we skipped Disneyland (super bummed about that!) because we have a nervous 7year old, two year old, and I was prego. I didn’t figure that we would get our money out of it! But your family should do lovely!
The Long Beach Aquarium was very cool if you have never seen anything like that! I was in awe as were the kids.
Ruby’s diner seems like it would be just your style. I can “picture” your photos from a lunch there. Lots of windows, and very retro. Its a must! Our kids were on empty, and I was dreading “one more restaurant” but it was so upbeat, kid friendly and fun… it was a breeze!
Enjoy your trip!
oh, and I don’t really know for sure when the oranges are in season (seems like we were there in June and they were at least started), or exactly where to tell you to go. But the orange fields(is that what they are called?) would be a fun place for pics! There are lots of farms and often they have a stand on the side of the road to buy fresh stuff.
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Sounds like a great trip!
I am up in northern California – SF Bay Area. Napa/Sonoma Valley. If you are coming up this far north let me know and I will send you some information on wine tasting and tours if you are interested. There are so many gorgeous spots up this way and SO many fabulous restaurants and shopping spots. I am lucky enough to work and live right in the middle of wine country and would happily share some of the spoils (ie. free tastings and passes). ;)
Good luck on the flight!
-erin
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I’ve never been to California, I too live on the other side of the country in Virginia. I hope that you have a wonderful trip! If you ever hit the East coast…
I was at this great site the other day called One Step Ahead and they had this awesome looking contraption that turns a infant/toddler seat into a rolling airport stroller. I just thought I would share the link, you know for Ivy…
http://www.leapsandbounds.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=533888&parentCategoryId=85184&categoryId=117191I hope you have a great trip!
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Hi again! If you’re meeting up with Tara W. you must be getting your family photos taken!!! I can hardly wait to see the amazing results!!!!! THAT just might be the highlight of your trip!!! Have fun and safe travels!(and we’ll miss you here in blogland! Take your laptop!)
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hi sheye,
we lived in LA a while back and still visit frequently and i have kids mixed ages. i really love hanging out on montana avenue in santa monica, great for people watching, cafes, shops, pleasant. also will rodgers park in santa monica: climb to the top of the hill and check out the view on a sunny day, bring a picnic lunch and blanket maybe, fred segal santa monica (must see LA trend shopping and great lunch: best sandwiches and healthy california pizza ever, also check out across the street there is another part of the store). really pleasant to hang out, venice beach is something to see, plus all the crazy architecture like the building that looks like binoculars, great cafes etc. around there also. rose cafe, cuban restaurant versailles for casual cuban roast pork and avocado salad. legoland is great fun, i like it better than disney or universal studios. i can’t recommend highly enough a day in santa monica. the sea breeze is wonderful, the movie stars, the gorgeous palms. the third street promenade is more mall like and touristy but still movie stars getting smoothies and coffee drinks. the other things are more like things people would do that live there, which i enjoy far more than the super touristy stuff. check this out http://www.fredsegalfun.com/ and http://www.rosecafe.com/ santa barbara is nice too but a bit of a drive from orange county. also my kids fly to japan, europe etc and are seasoned travelers who love it. if the parents work hard on the flight and have a few tricks up their sleeves, all goes well. have a great trip.
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Hi Sheye,
you should come to Alberta Canada. You should go to the edmonton and go to West Edmonton Mall and go swimming!!! We would so come!!
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I used to live in Southern California, (Oceanside to be exact). They have a really neat pier area. Also, in San Diego, is the United States most “haunted” house, The Whaley House, which I always thought was kind of interesting.
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I love seeing in frames, I love the beauty in the ordinary, I love my camera, I love that when I see images I hear too. I love the latelight, I love finding moments I didn’t imagine and I love creating moments I did. I love learning more every day, I love sharing what I’ve come to know, and I love making pictures pretty.
I’m so glad you stopped by. xx
did you get in on qantas’s crazy kids-fly-free dealie? I’m heading back with Rachel and family around the same time and we are all bracing ourselves for the same crazy long haul trip! I’m far from local, but hopefully you will get some great suggestions! Have fun!!