After spending a week visiting our relatives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, my family and I boarded a plane to California before going back to our home state of Alabama. Sight-seeing California was a much anticipated experience for all of us, and we were very eager to finally arrive. After landing on the LAX runway, we grabbed our bags and were taken to our rental car, a Dodge Charger. Immediately we drove to San Luis Obispo where we stayed the night at the world famous Madonna Inn.
Following a wonderful night’s stay in the charming two-story “Sky Loft” room in the Madonna, we drove to San Simeon which is home of the beautiful Hearst Castle. This magnificent estate, originally owned by William Hearst, contains several buildings, ranging from 2,600 to 60,000 square feet each. Each building contains several rooms with antique pieces of brilliantly created artwork and upholstery, and the entire estate itself is clearly designed for entertainment. Two swimming pools, one indoor and one outdoor, sit on this extravagant piece of property. The outdoor pool is constructed with pillars, statues, and fountains, and the indoor pool draws every tourist’s attention to its partially golden bottom. My family and I were fortunate to take a two hour tour of this magnificent estate, and we left in complete awe of the splendid Hearst Castle.
We eventually drove to Santa Monica, ate a delicious dinner, and went to a hotel for a good night’s rest in order to be prepared for the exciting day that would follow in Los Angeles.
Once awakened by our anxiousness, we set out for our day in the middle of Los Angeles. Upon entering the heart and soul of the big California city, we found ourselves driving along the famous Hollywood Boulevard. After finding a decently priced parking garage, we began our exploration and were amazed by what we found. The boulevard sidewalks were busy with locals quickly walking by and tourists taking time to point out each significant mark by taking multiple pictures. My family and I first noticed the beautiful Chinese Theater and later were surrounded by people dressed as celebrities. While my mother spent a few minutes getting her picture taken with “Marilyn Monroe” and “Elvis”, I glanced towards my feet, finding myself standing on someone’s name.
I had discovered the Sidewalk of the Stars with its hundreds of stars lining the sidewalks on both sides of the boulevard. We quickly began snapping pictures of our favorite actors and singers. Finishing our little self-guided tour of the sidewalk, we hopped on a tour bus which took us to the most popular landmarks in the Los Angeles area. The Beverly Hill’s sign, several famous buildings and statues, Paramount Pictures, and a distant view of the hillside Hollywood sign were included in the informative and incredibly interesting tour.
Our next step involved visiting the Guinness and Celebrity Wax museums both of which provided amazement and lots of laughs. Concluding our day with shopping and eating, we were very fortunate to see an actual celebrity in person- Christina Aguilera. Christina was filming part of a video on the side of Hollywood Boulevard, and my family and I were given the chance to hear her sing and take several pictures from the balcony.
On the plane ride back to our home in Alabama, my family and I were disappointed to leave such a remarkable city. However, we were able to bring back pictures, souvenirs, and most importantly, memories of our once in a lifetime family trip.
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Are you ready for a Road Trip? Explore these eleven incredible cross-country road trip routes across the U.S.!
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I love spending time in London. I think if you want to spend time out of the city, Brighton is also a great place to visit, especially as it’s close by. There are a number of family-friendly hotels, too, like The Brighton Hotel:
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It’s a steam excursion train, shorter ride, probably many kids on board. This would be better suited to younger children. Much better choice for the under-12 set.
Ralph
Originally created as a recreation area for employees of the Hershey Chocolate factory, today Hershey Park boasts plenty of chocolate paraphernalia, as well as roller coasters and a water park. Tickets include admission to the nearby ZOOAMERICA. Originally owned by the Knott’s jam producers, Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park is one of the older parks in the US, Knott’s Berry Farm is a classic for those looking for thrill rides, water rides and family fun.
Hi Ralph, thank you for your reply. I haven’t booked it yet as I had similar reservations that since it’s an 8-hr journey, it will not be wise to take the kids at this age but would love to take them on a shorter train tour, I’m currently looking at the Jacobite express (here in the UK).
Hello Zeb,
For children under 10, It would simply be too long a day in too confined a space for them, might get a little boring for them after the first 20 minutes; it’s an eight-hour journey.
If they are active, there isn’t a lot of room to run around on the train, which is smaller than the ones we are used to here in the U.S.
If you have already booked a space, and will have toddlers or young children, suggest you bring lots of things to keep the little ones entertained.
Ralph
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Have been to Switzerland but missed the Glacier Express, I’ve heard it really one of the best train journeys in the World with amazing mountain/alps view. Is it good to travel with kids 7 and 4 years old) too, since it’s 8 hours long?
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Gladiator School – My new favorite thing to do in Rome. We did this on our last trip to Rome and both kids and adults absolutely loved it. Instructors are great. Highly recommended. Book far in advance. (Pictured above.) Walking Tour: Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill – Excellent guided tour of Ancient Rome. Skip the line to enter all three sites. Very kid-friendly.
Deer Valley caters to families with kid-friendly skiing, child care programs and a limited child-to-instructor ratio. Because Deer Valley sells a limited number of daily lift tickets, tiny tots and pint-sized groms have plenty of room to work on their pizza wedge and French fries. Other amenities include a Children s Center, Adventure Camp and furry mascots on the Adventure Trails. I grew up skiing here and learned to love the mountains and snow at this resort. The amenities are top notch and the food is amazing. As a young kid, when the skiing got tough, I would always head inside and get delicious food and hot cocoa. See more Deer Valley reviews here .
Fall is very busy in the mountainous regions with the influx of leaf peepers from the New England area, around the United States and the world. In these extremely popular areas, you ll want to make lodging reservations at least several weeks ahead, especially on weekends. Columbus Day weekend (Oct 7-9, 2017) is another time in which advanced booking is advised throughout the region.
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Traveling to other cities with your kiddos? Don’t miss Curbed’s maps of the best family activities
Good to know : West Valley is open daily from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Apples are $0.85 a pound. Follow their Facebook page for updates on U-pick apples. And be sure to bring containers for their popular juice pressed right on site!
Minneapolis, Minnesota is a great pick for outdoor-loving families thanks to kid-friendly (and free) favorites like the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, home to more than 40 outdoor works of art
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The K Bar S Lodge, built in 2006, is located a short distance from Mount Rushmore. It is quietly secluded on 31 forested acres and away from busy streets. Battle Creek winds its way throughout the property and the large meadow in front of the Lodge is often a playground for deer and turkeys. As a single traveler it was so fun to be with this group. It s much nicer to be with others when you share a great experience or see something wonderful. And, it s safer than traveling alone. I m hooked on Road Scholar.
Rockefeller State Park offers seasonal activities including hiking, running, bird-watching, fishing ( New York state fishing license required), picnicking, horseback-riding, carriage-driving, photography, painting, and geocaching (park permit required). Sleepy Hollow and neighboring Tarrytown have a deep immigrant history resulting in a rich mix of cuisines: Italian, Greek, Mexican, Indian, French, Portuguese, Irish, Japanese, Dominican, Chinese, Ecuadorian, Thai, Moroccan, and Chilean. Foodies should not miss the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow farmers market at Patriots Park where you ll find fresh Hudson Valley produce, meat, bread, and wine.
Speaking of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, don t miss out on seeing the Rockettes show-stopping leg kick precision chorus during the holidays at Radio City Music Hall.
Jimmy Buffet s restaurant is a short walk from the Comfort Suites Paradise Island Hotel and Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. What could be better than eating a literal Cheeseburger in Paradise? Pairing it with a yummy margarita, of course.
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Make sure you check out the new sustainable Christmas Market in Berlin!! Its located by Hacksnshiremarkt!
What s more exhilarating than seeing the city from 108 floors above the world-famous Las Vegas Strip? Jumping off it. Strap in and face your fear as you jump off the side of SkyPod at The STRAT.
Have you ever dreamed of creating your own ice sculpture? The Quebec Winter Carnival has just what you’re looking for! Bring your group to our Ice Sculpture Workshops under the guidance of a team led by none other than Marc Lepire, chief sculptor of Bonhomme’s Ice Palace! During this one-hour event, you will learn the workflow of master sculptors and enjoy the unique experience of carving your own solid ice block with your group of 2 to 4 people. Free all-you-can-drink hot chocolate will keep you warm throughout the frosty fun.
When you’re travelling with your kids, indoor-fun options are a must no matter what the season. Montreal saves the day with all kinds of activities, from adventurous physical feats to skill-testing games and educational entertainment.
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We have traveled through several airports in Germany but never Munich. We will keep Munich on our list for the next trip through Europe since it sounds like the best place to have a stop over with kids. Thanks for the review and the information for kids to do in Munich Airport.
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