Flamingos Out for A Stroll, Seaworld, San Diego

 Last Month, my son’s preschool class enjoyed a field trip to Sea World San Diego.  This is an annual event for all six preschool classes so I have been lucky enough to take my kids for the past three years.  I thought I had seen everything at Sea World until a flock of flamingos paraded by soon after our arrival.  School groups are allowed in early, so I’m not sure if this is something that the average tourist would be able to experience, but it was surreal fun for our group to make way for our flamingo friends.  I captured this picture of my son’s very first preschool teacher enjoying this spectacle.   I’m sure Jared will treasure it  in the future.

 A few days later, Ken and I took the kids to the San Diego Zoo and captured another happy flamingo moment.

Off to the Zoo on Sunday.  Hopefully I’ll have some great pictures to share next week!

Happy Trails,

Bridget

P.S. Family Adventure Guidebooks participates in Delicious Baby’s  Photo Friday Blog Roundup.  Love this post about her visit to Turkey!

Boats Sail by Porto Vista Hotel, San Diego

Living up in Carlsbad, a tony suburb in Northern San Diego county, sometimes it’s easy to forget that I’m minutes away from a metropolitan city.  Last night I ventured down town to Little Italy for a Mom’s Night Out event at the elegant Porto Vista Hotel.  We met at the Porto Vista’s rooftop bar which offers  a stunning view of the San Diego Harbor and downtown.

San Diego Cityscape from Porto Vista Rooftop Bar

This hotel has a very distinctive vibe of retro urban chic.  Step into the lobby and you are greeted by a bright yellow vintage vespa.  Everything is sleek and post modern.  I stopped by The Glass Door Restaurant, which offers city views through wall length windows or share an intimate cocktail with  your  love out on the balcony.

Fun quirks of this sophisticated hotel are the fact that you can bring your dog to the Friday HappyHour or attend a free yoga class.  Although it’s not the first place you would think of when planning your family vacation, it’s proximity to the airport and down town as well as shuttles to many nearby attractions make it a destination to consider.

As twilight fell over the city and I headed home, I took a moment to reflect on my downtown San Diego adventure.  I plan to return with my children this summer.  It’s time that they get a taste of  life in the big city and see the world outside their sheltered corner of San Diego.  I’m looking forward to exploring the restaurants of Little Italy, and maybe going in search of the best gelato San Diego has to offer.

I enjoyed networking with other bloggers including  ,Meladramatic Mommy, Mommy of Many, Ali Starkey, Natalie at thebobbypin.com.   I had a chance to reconnect with my friend San Diego Momma.  I always turn to her blog when I need to laugh…and think, or maybe think…and laugh.  I also had a chance to talk with Charity Lacey, a San Diego Marketing expert with a new business venture  You + Me Marketing designed to connect bloggers and brands.

Family Adventure Guidebooks participates in Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday Blog Roundup.  Other places you could find me this week are Mother of All Trips Mondays are for Dreaming,  The Carnival of Cities currently visiting Travel Savvy Mom, and Trekaroos Spotlight Thursday .    My post about the new Polar Bear Plunge exhibit at the San Diego Zoo is now live at Uptake. Phew!  I’ve been busy this week.

Off for a well deserved rest .  Have a great weekend!

Happy Trails,

Bridget

Until now Quail Botanical Gardens has been one of the best kept secrets of San Diego.  Located in picturesque Encinitas, this is a gorgeous botanical garden.  It includes two children’s gardens and plenty of other beautiful gardens to explore.  On our last visit, we had to park in overflow parking and discovered a breathtaking Monet lilypond complete with resident frogs.  I will post more about my Quail Garden adventures at a later date, but I wanted to share this moment that my ten year old Justin captured, by sneaking a shot from the bushes at the edge of the pond.  It was the highlight of our August visit.

Quail Gardens has changed its name to San Diego Botanic Garden, hopefully it’s new name will attract more visitors and donors to this San Diego treasure.  You can learn more about the garden here.

Happy Trails,

Bridget

P.S.  Family Adventure Guidbooks participates in Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday.  Read more travel adventures here.

Recently, my friend and I took the Coaster Train from Carlsbad to Old Town San Diego.  Between us we had five kids ranging in age from 13 months to 10 years old.  If you have taken that length of train ride you know, that the ride down is easy.  Everyone is filled with anticipation about the adventure ahead.  The ride home is another story however, everyone is tired and grouchy.  My solution to this thorny problem is Cousin’s Candy Shop in Old Town San Diego.  Take the kids to this marvelous store full of sweet delights, let them pick out one item, give them an opportunity to savor it on the train ride home.
My ten year old made an impressive photo essay out of his candy store visit.  Enjoy!

Happy Trails!

Bridget

P.S.  Family Adventure Guidebooks is happy to participate in Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday Blog Roundup.  For some delicious travel photos click here.

P.P.S. For information on San Diego Old Town Ghost Tours and other fun Halloween activities in San Diego check out my post on Uptake.com

Family Adventure Guidebooks

 

As always, I am grateful to Delicous Baby for her Photo Friday Blog Roundup.  Stop by and see what my fellow travelers have been up to.

Happy Trails,

Bridget

Growing up in Marin County, one of my favorite family adventures was a Sonoma picnic.  We would north, and stop by the Vella Cheese factory to purchase some of their famous Dry Monterey Jack.  (This is not the Cheese Factory on the Sonoma Plaza.  My family always considered that one more of a tourist trap.)

My parents and I would head for the beautiful green park in the center of town, and enjoy our cheese with salami, sour dough, and apple cider.  Then, tummy full I would make friends at the playground or visit the rose garden.  The rose garden has a lovely assortment of colorful roses and a sun dial in the center that has fascinated generations of young visitors.

This summer I had a chance to recreate this childhood memory when we met my Auntie Carol in the same Sonoma park.  We arrived late in the day and didn’t have a chance to stop by the cheese factory, but my friend Joellen kindly found a gourmet deli that served delicious sandwiches.  The kids put on an elaborate performance on the outdoor stage, and had fun at the play ground.  They met a friendly laborador and worked hard to help him take a drink from the water fountain.

Our visit to this magical place brought back many joyful memories, and also gave me a chance to make some new ones.I enjoyed watching Justin, my ten year old transform himself into a goofy monster using the leaves he fund around the park.  It was a treat for Auntie Carol to see Justin for the first time in nine years and to meet the “new” additions to our family who are now ages four and five!

Family Adventure Guidebooks participates in Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday Blog Roundup.

Happy Trails,

Bridget

Every year Cub Scout Camp is held at the Antique Steam Engine Museum in Vista, California. As you will see, it’s not exactly a museum, more like a collection of old steam engines, farm equipment, model trains, etc.  Visiting always reminds me of  long quiet summer days visiting my uncle in Minnesota.  Old farm tractors and combines were scattered at the edge of the fields throughout his farm.  I loved to find a good book, and sit for a while just enjoying the peace and quiet.  Unfortunately at the Antique Steam Engine Museum you are not allowed to sit on the machines, but city kids won’t know what they’re missing.

Other features of this unique museum:

• One of those fun metal merry go rounds that we enjoyed at the park when we were kids.  Jared spun on this for hours.

Old Fashioned Merry Go Round, Vista, Ca

• A short track  miniature railroad and an excellent model railroad museum

• A one room school house.
• A blacksmith shop.

Call to find out about special events.  Not every part of the museum is open every day.

Family Adventure Guidebooks participates in Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday Blog Roundup.  Check out some more great travel posts here.

Happy Trails,

Bridget

Dinner at the Blue Crab, Victoria BC

As I mentioned in a previous post, membership has its privileges.  Ken taught several classes at the Coast Hotel in Santa Cruz (now the Dream Inn) and accumulated guest reward points.  We never had enough for an overnight stay,but he did earn enough to pay for most of a luscious dinner at the Blue Crab Restaurant in Victoria British Columbia.  This romantic restaurant overlooks the bay and has amazing sea food.

Crab Dinner at the Blue Crab

Our meal included steak and crab as well as assorted clams and mussels.  The service was excellent.  As you can see we savored every bite of this outstanding meal.

Blue Crab Aftermath, Victoria, BC

 We finished just as the sun was setting and caught a water taxi back to the Empress Hotel.  It was a romantic ending to our culinary adventure.

Waiting for the Water Taxi, Victoria Harbor

PS Family Adventure Guidebooks participates in Delicious Baby’s Photo Fridays.  Check out her amusing post about her Seattle “Heatcation” here.  Way to be creative, Debbie .

Lego MGM Grand, Miniland Las Vegas

Just got back from a trip from Vegas.  Since it was 112 degrees during most of our visit, I didn’t have a chance to snap many shots of the famous Strip.  Luckily Legoland has me covered.   Here is the Lego version of our Las Vegas adventures:

Lego Excalibur, Miniland Las Vegas

Lego New York New York, Miniland Las Vegas

Lego Treasure Island, Miniland Las Vegas

 We tried to see the Treasure Island sirens show when we were in Vegas.  The crowds were so huge we could only catch a glimpse.  Probably a good thing since this show is decidedly PG-18.  Those sirens wear some skimpy lingerie!  I think we will be sticking to viewing the Legoland version in the future.

I have a blog post about family friendly Las Vegas pools on Uptake this week.  Check it out.

Family Adventure Guidebooks participates in Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday.

Happy Trails,

Bridget

It was Day 8 of our Santa Cruz adventure.  Due to circumstances mostly beyond my control I needed a place to eat dinner at 6:45 pm.  The kids were cranky and exhausted.  My husband was out eating with friends.  I was desperately seeking a place that was so entertaining that the little ones would behave themselves well enough that we wouldn’t be kicked out!

I found my oasis in the town of Capitola, California.   I headed to the Train Place Deli hoping that the mesmorizing sight of model trains would calm my rowdy crew.  Well, as you can see from the pictures below, the kids were still pretty rowdy, but the gracious service and fascinating trains did put everyone in a better mood.

Tired, but Happy at the Train Place Deli

The hardworking owners of the Train Place Deli welcomed us fifteen minutes before closing, patiently took my children’s order,  (A five year old can be pretty undecided at 7pm), and even treated us to some extra cookies.  My Italian Special was delicious and included: a huge salami sandwich, pasta salad, and a drink.  Each kids meal came with a big cookie which made everyone happy.

All Aboard at the Train Place Deli

Thomas Steams Along at the Train Place Deli

 If you are looking for more train adventures, this week we also took the beach train at Roaring Camp in Felton, Ca and visited Sonoma’s Traintown a very affordable train adventure.

Family Adventure Guidebooks participates in the Photo Friday Blog Roundup.  Check out more fun travel photos here.

Happy Trails,

Bridget