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A Girl’s Day in San Francisco Itinerary
This past weekend 3 of my besties from college took flights across the country so we could all spend time together. The girls staggered in between Thursday and Friday and we ended up with 1.5 days altogether. Saturday was our only full-day so when spent it being tourists in San Francisco. Considering how many things there are to do in San Francisco, I was quite happy with the ground we were able to cover in just a single day. Here’s how we did it.
One Day Girl’s Trip to San Francisco
We arrived Friday night and stayed at The Scarlet Huntington in Nob Hill. This set us up for an early start in a central location.
Saturday we got up early and started walking to breakfast around 7:30. Our plan was to arrive at Brenda’s French Soul Food just before it opened, but I got us lost and we didn’t arrive until 8:25. People were already waiting outside the restaurant, but there were only 3 groups ahead of us and the wait was only about 30 minutes.
Brenda’s turned out to be a great place for a girl’s weekend brunch! We shared the beignets sampler and each got an entree as well. It ended up being too much food and we probably could have split 2 entrees between the four of us, but everything was delicious. Even though there was a crowd waiting, we got to take our time and indulge in conversation over breakfast.
Eating at a trendy restaurant is a great way to feel cool in San Francisco. Showing up early is also a great way to reduce time spent in line. After breakfast, we grabbed an Uber to Fisherman’s Wharf. Pro Tip: Get your driver to take you on Leavenworth Street and sneak a peek at the windy section of Lombard street.
The Wharf was very touristy but not too crowded. We had great views of Alcatraz (or Azkaban as my friend kept saying) and saw the sea lions at Pier 39.
We also shopped at some souvenir shops, explored the mirror maze, bought some wooden puzzles, and stopped to play at Musée Mécanique.
Overall, we spent about 1.5 hours at the Wharf. Plan for a little more or less depending on how much time you like to spend in souvenir shops. If commercial tourism isn’t your scene, just stop by for a quick look at the sea lions.
These guys make Pier 39 a “must visit” while in San Francisco. The seal lions are here year round making a ton of noise and smelling bad. To get back to the hotel we rode the Powell-Mason cable car line. The San Francisco cable cars are iconic and should definitely be incorporated into any trip. Combining the cable car with an Uber is a great way to handle a “there and back” destination.
Do your research before you hop on a cable car! The rides are $7 for adults and you’ll be expected to pay in cash on board. We stopped at the hotel quickly to drop off shopping bags, and then hit the streets of Chinatown. By this point it was 2:30 and we all wanted lunch but didn’t need much to tide us over until dinner. We grabbed some dumplings at Delicious DimSum, grabbed another Uber, and had a picnic in Union Square.
From Union Square, we walked back to the hotel through Chinatown and passed through the Dragon’s Gate.
By this point, everyone needed a rest (those San Francisco hills are no joke!) so we headed back to the hotel for an hour to read, sleep, or shower.
We left the hotel at 5:30 for dinner and took the “scenic route.” Punching multiple destinations into Google Maps turned out to be a great way to drive by the Painted Ladies, the “Full House” house, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Golden Gate Bridge. You can follow our route here, just remember to update the starting and ending destination to match your plans!
The Painted Ladies are a must-see for any girl’s trip to San Francisco For dinner, we ate at Le Garage in Sausalito. We all enjoyed the food, the service was great, and we had a wonderful view of the marina. After dinner, the city was turning to twilight and we got to take in those views as we came back over the bridge.
We thought we’d take in some more views with cocktails at Top of the Mark in the Intercontinental, but we decided not to wait in line or pay the cover charge. Next time I might try to get reservations for dinner or stay in the hotel to avoid the cover. ($15/person starting at 9 pm. There was a live band.)
Instead, we ordered dessert that we ate in bed and fell asleep early! It was a full day and 75% of us were on East Coast time. Overall, we had a great time together and were able to cover a lot of ground without pushing too much.
San Francisco Girl’s Trip: Tips and Tricks
If you’re planning your own girl’s getaway to San Francisco, here are some planning tips that will help:
- Remember that Mark Twain said, “The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco.” Dress accordingly and bring lots of layers. We were able to shed our jackets in the afternoon, but we wanted them back by evening.
- Prepare for hills! Make sure everyone has comfortable walking shoes and don’t be afraid to hop in an Uber! No matter how good of shape you’re in, you’ll be feeling those hills!
- Avoid driving if possible. We drove some and were able to turn it into a fun sightseeing route, but we didn’t ever hunt for parking in the city. Parking is scarce and even if you find a spot, it might be on a steep hill that’s hard to get in and out of. It’s tough on the budget, but valet parking at your hotel is awesome. It saves so much time so you can really just focus on girl’s weekend.
- Bring cash. Like most big cities, many businesses will be cash only. You’ll definitely need cash to ride the cable cars at least.
- Make a plan but leave some flex room. I mapped out the schedule for the whole day but left 4 hours of downtime in the afternoon. Having this time meant we were never rushed and never had to abandon any plans that we’d made. I made firm breakfast plans (which we were late for) and dinner reservations, but I planned on allowing lunch to float.
This trip happened to coincide with our 10-year friendiversary! We all met as freshman the first few weeks of school. I’m so lucky to still have such wonderful friends! -
My Search for the Perfect Travel Dress
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We just got back from our first ever trip on a “budget airline”! We took Norwegian Airlines to London (loved it– full review coming soon) and that meant we needed to work around their strict baggage policies. Since we bought the cheapest tickets ($450 USD non-stop from Oakland to London) that meant we could each bring a small carry-on up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21.5 x 15.5 x 9 in) and weighing less than 10 kg (22 lbs).
To help us pack light I decided to pack only a single outfit for myself. My travel uniform, if you will. In order for this to work I needed/wanted:
- Quick drying (To allow me to wash it in the sink at night and be ready to go in the morning.)
- Comfortable
- Neutral (Ideally black, I didn’t want it to stand out that I was wearing the same thing in a week’s worth of pictures!)
- Flattering
- Layerable (Something I can wear while visiting London in October but also Stockholm in January)
- Won’t wrinkle
Visually, I decided the best bet would be a black dress with black tights. I started with the dress and began searching for “hiking dresses”. Since they are designed for weeks or months on the trail, they tended to be exactly what I was looking for from a functional standpoint.
After wearing this dress the entire time I was in London, I am totally sold on this strategy! It saved space in my bag and also cut down on any decisions that I needed to make on our trip! The dress I ended up with (The North Face Getaway Dress) is casual but looks nice enough for anything I’d look to do while traveling with the kids.
Travel Dress Contenders
Brand
Dress Name
Fabric
Comes in black?
Pockets?
Advertises quick drying?
Advertises sun protection?
Cost
Columbia
92% Polyester, 8% Elastane Jersey
Yes
No
No
50
$50.00
The North Face
158 g/m² 86% polyester, 9% cotton, 5% spandex
Dark Gray
Yes
No
No
$50.00
The North Face
131 g/m² 74% nylon, 20% polyester, 6% elastane
Yes
Yes
Yes “FlashDry”
No
$75.00
Athleta
Recycled Polyester/Spandex
Yes
Yes
Yes “Quick-Drying”
50+
$79.00
Athleta
Polyester/Spandex
Yes
Yes
Yes “Quick-Drying”
50+
$79.00
Athleta
Polyester/Spandex
Yes
Yes
Yes “Quick-Drying”
50+
$79.00
The North Face
88% polyester, 12% elastane.
Yes
Yes
Yes “FlashDry”
No
$65.00
Toad & Co
84% nylon/16% spandex
No
Yes
Yes “Quick-Drying”
50+
$79.00
Columbia Sportswear Women’s Freezer III Dress
Simple and classic. I was deterred by the Columbia logo on the back of the dress. The placement of the logo seems to brand it a workout dress and I would want to be able to dress it up for nicer occasions.
The North Face Women’s Short-Sleeve EZ Tee Dress
Style-wise this was my favorite of the dresses I looked at but they were out of my size.
The North Face Women’s Aphrodite 2.0 Dress
The Amazon link below is to the original Aphrodite dress. Aphrodite 2.0 can be found on the North Face Website.
Athleta Packout Dress
I was leaning heavily towards one of the Athleta dresses, but each dress was on sale with only limited size options. The “Packout Dress” wasn’t a top contender because of the halter style top which would clash with my bra preferences.
Athleta Take a Hike Dress
My favorite of the Athleta dresses, the style of “Take a Hike” is very similar to North Face’s “Aphrodite”.
Athleta Pack Everywhere Dress 2
I would have bought this dress for the incredible sales price if it weren’t for the halter top. After my search for the perfect travel dress, I will be searching for the perfect travel bra, and I will bet it won’t be compatible with halter tops.
The North Face Getaway Dress
Ultimately, this was the dress I purchased and you can see pictures of me in it further down in this post. I went with this because it was simple, flattering, and advertised super fast drying.
Toad & Co Sunkissed Swing Dress
This would have been a contender if it came in black. The colorful options available are pretty cute and I like the high neck style for a travel dress.
If you’re interested in one of these dresses but can’t find the color or size you want, make sure to check the brand’s website as well as Amazon. I’ve also seen some pretty drastic prices changes between the two. Shop smart ?
My search resulted in me buying the North Face Getaway Dress. I tested it out the very first weekend with an impromptu trip to Malibu. After the trip, I washed it in the sink and hung it out to dry. It wasn’t quite dry in the morning, mostly due to inadequate wringing.
How the Getaway Dress performed in Malibu
The first test for the dress: exploring the woods with the kids and their friends. 
Posing for a (slightly blurry) family photo. You know it’s a good dress when it looks good holding a baby! 
We were taking a break after 5 hours in the car. We did a total of 12 hours in the car this weekend but the dress never wrinkled at all! 
The travel dress took a lot of sunscreen this day, but I washed it by hand and was still able to get it completely clean. 
Day 2 wearing my new travel dress. It still looked great, but by the time we left the beach it was covered in sunscreen and sweat. How the Northface Getaway Dress performed in London
I washed it every night we were in London either in the shower with shampoo or in the sink with actual detergent. Each night I wrung it the best I could and then rolled it up in a towel to get as much excess moisture out as possible. The first morning I got up super early (jet lag) and it was still a tiny bit damp but it dried on me quick enough. The other nights where it actually got to hang up for 8 hours it was totally good to go in the morning.
I like that the North Face Getaway dress is long enough that I can get down on the ground (or swing in this instance!) and play with the kids while remaining modest. 
I need to start shopping for a quick drying sweater, this one was a nightmare to dry! 
Here’s my whole family together in London on the last day we were visiting. At that point, I’d washed the dress by hand 3 times. amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”;
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Things to do in Palo Alto with Kids
Last week I kicked off a new series of spotlights on kid friendly activities in various towns in Silicon Valley. 15 Kid Friendly Things to Do with Kids in Menlo Park was first and now I am focusing on Palo Alto right next door!
If you do a quick Google search for “Palo Alto with kids” you’ll find several lists, but a lot of them were making general recommendations about the entire area! Everything on this list has a mailing address in either Palo Alto or Stanford so you don’t have to worry about a long car ride.
Things on this list were also chosen because they don’t require any commitments. If you’re looking for a semester long class or a summer camp the options are endless! This is a list of things you can do if you live here or if you’re just visiting for a day or a week.
Explore Palo Alto with Kids
#1 Hike to the Stanford Dish
The whole family can enjoy this beautiful walk through the research grounds at Stanford University. At the top of the hill, you’ll find the huge satellite dish that gives the park its name. Stanford Dish is a great walk where you’re likely to see prairie dogs, cows, hawks, and fantastic views of Palo Alto.
#2 Stanford Cactus Garden
Formally known as the Arizona Cactus Garden, this small garden can be a little tough to find, but park at the Stanford Shopping Center and use Google Maps and you shouldn’t have a problem. The kids will love checking out all the different cacti and skipping down the path.
The Arizona Cactus Garden is part of Stanford University. #3 Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
This amazing little Zoo and Museum has free admission ($5 suggested donation) and is a great place for little tots to run around! It features smaller animals like raccoons, ducks, and bobcats and also has an indoor hands-on learning area.
#4 Palo Alto Library Storytime
Palo Alto boasts several wonderful libraries including the ever popular Children’s Library. The best part about showing up at the Children’s Library for story time is that you can head over to the Junior Museum and Zoo afterward! Rinconada Park is also right next door.
#5 Pearson-Arastradero Preserve
The Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is a bit of a windy drive from the center of Palo Alto, but you can get there quickly and it still has a Palo Alto address so it is being included! It’s a great place to enjoy nature, hike, and spot the occasional horse on the trail.
We took a short 1-mile hike to get to this little pond at Pearson-Arastradero park. #6 Explore the Baylands Nature Preserve
Explore the trails or explore the marsh via kayak. The kids will love being close to nature at the Baylands Nature Preserve.
#7 IKEA
IKEA has Smaland available to potty trained kids of a certain height (37-54″) for up to an hour at a time. If your kids are too big or small, they’ll still enjoy walking around IKEA, playing on the furniture, and getting lunch at the cafeteria. Pro Tip: If it’s the weekend, forget about it. Plus, kids eat free on Tuesdays!
#8 Explore Gamble Gardens
Gamble Gardens has free admission year round and offers special events throughout the year. If you’re looking for more than a beautiful garden to explore, the historic house is also open Monday through Friday.
#9 Playgrounds
There are tons of wonderful playgrounds in Palo Alto and I won’t even try to list the best ones because they are all fantastic! Take a look at the map and you’ll be able to find one nearby no matter where you are.
Magical Bridge does get a special mention because it is so unique. It is designed to be inclusive regardless of ability, disability, age, or size. It does a great job, but because it’s so popular it can get really crowded.
One of the playgrounds at Mitchell Park has these amazing tunnels through the sand box. The kids can pop up like prairie dogs! #10 Splash Pad
You may already find yourself at Mitchell Park for the library or the playground and the Splash Pad is just a bonus! I’m never prepared for splashing so you can expect my kids to be in their underwear!
#11 Cool down at the pool
Rinconada Pool has a lap and wading pool and is open to the public. Special rates for residents, but everyone is welcome.
#12 Explore the Sculpture Garden at the Cantor Arts Center
While you’re there, check out some of the family friendly events at the Cantor Arts Center. They have story time and drop-in art studio time.
#13 Ice Skate outdoors at Winter Lodge
Outdoor ice skating during all non-summer months sounds too good to be true! We haven’t been yet, but Winter Lodge has some fantastic reviews and we’ll definitely be checking it out when it opens in late September.
#14 Visit the donkeys at Bol Park
You can play in a converted donkey pasture and every Sunday donkeys Perry and Niner will come out to visit.
#15 Spend an educational morning at the Museum of American Heritage
This museum is a tribute to the inventions and technology created and used from 1750-1950. In addition to the exhibits on display, there is also a Victory Garden typical of those grown during the World Wars. Events for children are held periodically and admission is free but with a suggested donation of $5/person.
#16 Palo Alto Children’s Theatre
The Children’s Theatre is a great way to introduce your children to the world of theatre! They have several shows throughout the year and also a series of “Playhouse Productions” for the youngest (2-6) to appreciate.
#17 American Girl Store
If you have a doll loving girl, this could be a really fun outing! They even have a salon where the doll can get a fancy hair style or pierced ears. Unfortunately, they closed the Bistro, so afternoon tea with the dolls is no longer an option.
#18 Classes at Wund3rkids
The Wund3rkids playroom itself is a bit of the pricey side for me, but their classes are wonderful and fairly priced. We have fallen in love with Silvia from “Spanish for Tots” and we love that we can drop in whenever our schedule allows. No membership or commitment required to attend classes.
Exploring in “Spanish for Tots” #19 Drop-in play at Parent’s Place
Every week they have 2 drop-in session for kids from birth – 5 years. They also have subscription based classes and regular parenting workshops.
#20 Work out while they play at the Equinox kid’s club
Like most gyms, this is membership based, but if you’re just visiting they do offer a membership that includes access to all Equinox franchises. Check it out if there’s one in your home town!
#21 Break a sweat while they play at the Children’s Cove at OFJCC
Childcare is available up to 2 hours at a time. Members get priority but if there is space available anyone can drop off their kid for $12/hour. They also host a “parent’s night out” twice a month!
#22 Visit the Palo Alto YMCA
Membership based, but you can get a 3-day trial pass. If you’ll be in town longer and belong to the Y back home, ask them about reciprocity or discounted rates for short-term memberships. They have drop-in story times, art times, yoga, and Zumba. Plus, once a month they host a “parent’s night out”.
#23 Palo Alto Community Events
You’ll definitely want to keep your eyes open for community events during your time in Palo Alto. Expect to see something for everyone is you check back often.
The Stanford Pow Wow is held annually and free to the public. Is there anything else that’s great in Palo Alto with kids? We’re still exploring!
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What to Do in Menlo Park with Kids
When we were in the process of moving to California we did tons of searches for kid friendly activities and outings in the area. Menlo Park was where we were most interested based on proximity to Chris’s work, but my Google searches were not telling me much about the area at all!
I am kicking off a series to correct this! I’m starting with Menlo Park but will also be covering Redwood City, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and more!
I don’t imagine many (or any) people are planning their dream vacation to Menlo Park, but I do know that plenty of folks are ending up here for business trips or looking for a place to live. Hopefully, this will help with that! Menlo Park is a fantastic place to live if you have young children. Where we live we can walk to parks, playgrounds, grocery stores, restaurants, and schools. The playgrounds are always full of children and you’ll pass families everywhere you go.
Oh, and of course there are hundreds of things to do that are just a short drive from Menlo Park, but this is only things you can do without leaving town!
What to Do With Kids in Menlo Park, California
#1 Visit the local playground
One area where California really shines is quantity and quality of playgrounds. You find them everywhere here! Menlo Park has some amazing ones and we make use of them daily! Here are our favorites:
- Burgess Park
- Flood Park
- Nealon Park
- Marketplace Park
- Hamilton Park
- Jack W. Lyle Park
#2 Visit the Allied Arts Guild
The Allied Arts Guild is a great place to walk around with the kids and explore the gardens. Various artists have storefronts here and you can even have lunch by the fountain.
#3 Attend Storytime at the Library
Be aware that some of the Menlo Park storytimes require registration in advance. You can expect all of them to be high quality, entertaining, and educational.
#4 Browse the Menlo Park Farmer’s Market
Every Sunday year-round from 9-1 the whole family can browse fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat downtown at the Local Harvest Farmer’s Market.
#5 Explore Bedwell Bayfront Park
Go for a walk, have a picnic, and enjoy the views of the San Francisco Bay. Bedwell Bayfront Park is a great place to experience nature right in the middle of Silicon Valley.
Don’t expect it to be this green unless you go in the winter! The rest of the year it is typical of Golden California! #6 Take a Swim at Burgess
My kids take lessons year round, but you can also stop by for family swim time during the summer. They have a lap pool, free swim area, baby pool, and a grassy spot in the shade for enjoying a picnic.
Froggles are THE best goggles for little swimmers! They are the only ones I’ve found that don’t pull hair. #7 Visit the ducks at Burgess
You can’t feed them, but your kids will still love watching the little ducks waddle around! Especially in the spring when they are followed by a whole line of ducklings.
#8 Walk around the Lake at Sharon Park
Let the kids run and explore the walking path or throw rocks into the lake. They will love to see the fountain and play on the playground here.
#9 Attend a Menlo Park Event
In the summer they have a Summer Concert Series and a Summer Movie Series. For holidays they will host special events as well as annual events like Summerfest or the Menlo Park Downtown Block Party.
This was the first concert of the Summer this year. #10 Facebook Public Events
Generally, the Facebook sweet shop and restaurants are only open to guests of Facebook employees, but several times a year Facebook Festivals hosts an event for the general public. This summer this includes 5 great events from May to October.
#11 Annual Carnival at the Nativity School
If you’re in the area around June, check out the annual Carnival at the Nativity School. They have been hosting it since 1980. They have a Ferris wheel, rides, games, and plenty of food trucks. Admission is free.
#12 Paint a Pot at Color Me Mine
You can stop at Color Me Mine to pick a ceramic piece to paint. Once it’s painted they will fire it and you can pick it up in a week to use or display. They also host Kid’s Night Outs and birthday parties.
#13 Page to Play at Cheeky Monkey
Besides just browsing or shopping at this fun toy store, you can also attend a weekly story time. Cheeky Monkey hosts this story plus play time on Tuesday throughout the year.
#14 Grab a Treat at the Yogurt Stop
In addition to delicious frozen treats, the Yogurt Stop has a little play area with books and blocks. Keep the kids occupied while I get on the free wi-fi? Yes, please!
#15 Find JoJo at Trader Joe’s
As far as grocery stores go, Trader Joe’s is my favorite. It might not be where I stack up on meat or household products, but it’s where I go the most often. They have a stuffed monkey (complete with Trader Joe’s uniform) that they hide throughout the store. If the kids find him they can return to the sample corner and ask for a lollipop or a small orange. Sometimes they even get both!
Enjoy your time in Menlo Park! #16 Play at Zoe’s Cafe
This cafe is small but if you walk all the way through to the back patio, you’ll find a little play house and some toys to keep the kids occupied while you sip your coffee!
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Family Road Trip with a Toddler and Preschooler
I’m sharing this story to serve as an inspiration to all the families out there whose babies or toddlers hate being in the car but who one day hope to see the world via an epic family road trip! (Or they just want to be able to visit Grandma.)
Hello, my name is Jessica. 2 years ago I was commuting 50 miles to work with my children. The opportunity to bring the kids (and my nanny) to work was a huge benefit of the job, but the commute was horrible for my daughter. She had been fine as a baby, but somewhere around 18 months something changed and she became a holy terror in the car. It. was. bad. Family road trips were straight up out of the question during this time.
The obvious solution was to leave her home and have our nanny watch her at the house. But I hated the idea of being so far away during the day. Plus, my son was still nursing and having him at work meant I didn’t have to pump.
That left us to choose between moving or quitting my job. We moved.
We sold our house and moved to the middle of nowhere to reduce her car time. That should tell you how bad it was!
Fast forward to this weekend. The opportunity arose to clear our schedule and make a quick trip down to Malibu to meet Chris’s cousin. It was 6 hours one-way and we didn’t have any vacation days to play with. So the option on the table was: 12 hours of driving (not including stops) over the course of 36 hours (with the option to get a hotel Sunday night and finish up before work Monday if necessary).
Two years ago this trip would have sounded like child abuse. Now? It was really really fun!
We listened to audio books, sang sing-a-longs, read books, Facetimed with family, and stopped at fun places!
So here is my advice for those parents who are worried that they’ll have to walk everywhere for the next 18 years:
This too shall pass. Keep trying. Shorten up your time in the car any way you can, but keep trying.
And here is my advice for all parents everywhere who are planning a road trip with their little munchkins!
#1 Make your stops count
Forget about the 5-minute stretch break at 7-11 and set your GPS for the park right off the highway. We have found that stopping for 30 minutes someplace where the kids can really stretch their legs is a huge sanity saver. They get their energy out on the playground and then settle in for another long stretch of road.
My favorite road trip stop in California is Spyglass Park in Pismo Beach. There are clean bathrooms, a playground, and a stunning view of the beach and town. It also has the advantage of being either the first or last beach town along 101.
[Pro-tip: Open Street Map allows you to search for playgrounds.]
#2 Eat in the car
Let me preface this by saying that you need to be safe. Don’t give the kids choking hazards and keep them within reach of the adult in the passenger seat.
After that warning, kids think eating in the car is fun! It also keeps them occupied and passes the time. We either pack our food or go through a drive-thru.
Avoid sugar (and definitely avoid caffeine) for the kids since you want to keep them calm. Bring plenty of water (even though it will mean more bathroom stops) as it will keep the kids occupied and hydrated.
#3 Bring the travel potty
Seriously, this is a game changer. Kids don’t give a lot of notice and sometimes public bathrooms are disgusting. We keep this in our trunk and have taken many pit stops on the side of the road. You can buy the disposable liners or you can use gallon zip lock bags. For #1 you can just let it fall onto the grass.
What my daughter sees out her window! #4 Make a road trip sing-a-long play list
Hearing my daughter sing “Waltzing Matilda” was a definite trip highlight and dancing in the car is one of the only ways to expel energy while staying in a car seat! I was not digging Chris’s “Family Road Trip” Pandora station though, so I’ll be working on that before our next road trip.
#5 Bring a basket of small toys
Keep them within reach of the adult in the passenger seat and release them strategically! Happy meal toys are really the best for this.
I wouldn’t have chosen this toy because it makes noise, but K brought it along himself. Artistic sepia tone courtesy of HJ! #6 Bring coloring supplies
Just expect your children to be tattooed by the time you reach your destination!
#7 Facetime with family
Or Skype or Facebook Messenger chat or whatever! This is a great time to catch up with family. My mother-in-law read books to the kids and they each got to take turns holding the phone and being read to. This allowed the grown ups to chat and not worry about entertaining them.
#8 Let them take pictures
HJ had a ball taking pictures out the window on the ride. We passed a whole herd of elk and it was so cute to see her clambering to get the phone up to take the picture in time. All photos in this post were taken by HJ. They actually turned out perfect for this post!
On a road trip, this is what we look like to my daughter! My son is still rear facing, but he’ll get this view soon enough! #9 When all else fails, let them watch TV
In the whole 12 hours of driving, they each only got 25 minutes of screen time (not including picture taking and Facetime) but that little bit of screen time saved us from a potential melt down. Time your screen time strategically so that it ends when you reach a stop or destination and you don’t have to take it from them mid-ride.
#10 Drive during nap or bedtime
As much as possible, let those kids sleep in the car. Sleeping in the car is basically time traveling and it is the most powerful tool in your arsenal! We try to avoid road trips in the morning when the kids have the most energy. Early afternoon and late evening are the sweet spots!
Is it weird that I love these pictures my daughter took? There are hundreds. If you’re currently in a rough stage when it comes to car time, have hope! Those times will one day be a distant memory and you’ll be able to have your own wonderful family road trips!
Just writing this makes me want to plan another one!
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Zuma Beach (Malibu, CA)
On Thursday we received a call from Chris’s cousin saying that he was in California and would love to get together! We hadn’t seen him in forever and just happened to have a fairly open weekend (rare for us) so we threw together a super last minute road trip and headed down to Malibu! I chose Zuma Beach as the meeting place because it was close to LA (where they were staying) but allowed us to avoid LA traffic and ride the PCH on our way home.
The night before we grabbed a hotel in Valencia (because it was cheapest) which meant that we were approaching Malibu through the mountains. It was an incredibly beautiful drive and I highly recommend taking this route (Kanan Road) for the views!
You’ll want to stop at any scenic overlooks you find on Kanan Road! Gorgeous! We arrived first at Zuma Beach and got to pick the spot to set up camp. The parking lot itself was 1.6 miles long and there was plenty of parking and beach space all the way down. Bathrooms and food stands were spaced along the beach, but we ended up choosing to be next to the Malibu Makos Surf tents. The kids love to watch the surfers and we were interested in grabbing some lessons for Chris and his cousin.
We paid the $15 parking fee and ended up with a great spot only steps from our tent. Chris’s cousin parked along the highway for free. Either way, there was plenty of parking to be had. CaliforniaBeaches.com says Zuma Beach has enough parking spots for the Super Bowl!
The kids didn’t waste any time heading to make sand castles! The one issue I had with this area, is there were not very many options for lunch! The snack shacks on the beach were cash-only but provided ATMs inside. I was willing to pay the $3.50 ATM fee, but the ATM turned out not to work anyway. If you want to get lunch on the beach, bring cash!
After the snack shack failed me, I took the kids in the stroller over to Kristy’s Village Cafe. The food was good and the service was exceptional for a take-out order, but it cost a lot more than I usually spend on lunch. Next time I’ll just pop into Vintage Grocers next door and pick up food from the deli.
The boys were already in their surfing lessons by the time we returned with the food, so HJ and I had our picnic while K snoozed in the stroller. I had planned on asking HJ to nap after lunch, but she was so happy in the sand I just let her be.
Chris is the surfer in this photo! This was his first time surfing and he was able to get up a bunch of times! He is annoyingly good at almost everything. Before you get to Zuma Beach, you should know there are signs up everywhere (at least in front of the stretch of beach where we were) saying this water is for surfing ONLY. No wading, no swimming, no body boards. It sounds overly cautious, but strong rip tides can develop here. The kids did a little ankle wading but mostly stayed on the beach building sand castles. There were tons of nice rocks to decorate with!
Building a sand castle together! The boys had a great time during their surf lesson. Malibu Makos charged $200 for an hour lesson for the 3 of them, but it lasted closer to 2 hours! They were all able to get up and catch at least one wave and they were all famished when they got out of the water. We’d definitely recommend them and they made reservations and payment really easy.
Surf lessons are a great activity to do with visitors! So very “California”! Overall we had a really great experience on a beautiful beach! The ample parking is a huge plus and next time we may bring a larger cooler and just leave it in the car. It was that easy to go back and forth.
This also became the most Southernly California beach we’ve visited as a family! That won’t last long though, you know we like to go exploring!
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Japanese Tea Garden (San Francisco)
I finally made it to the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco! Thursday is all about routine for us. We play for a couple hours, attend Chinese story time, play on the library playground, eat lunch, take a nap, and go to art class. This week I just wasn’t feeling it. Around 10 am the plan started changing and at noon we were parking outside Golden Gate Park.
We parked at the Music Concourse Parking Garage which was easy and convenient. It was supposed to be $5/hour during the week, but I lost my parking pass and had to pay the $29 daily maximum. Ouch.
I had been wanting to visit the Japanese Tea Garden and I wasn’t the only one! Mid-day on a Thursday the place was packed. Near the entrance or the temples, it was downright claustrophobic! When we explored the back corner of the 5-acre garden, we found a little more peace.
Admission for non-residents is $9/adults and children under 5 are free. Admission wasn’t bad, but we also dropped a small fortune eating at the tea house. That’s what I get for abandoning plans and needing to eat on the go. Fortunately, I had brought snacks so we didn’t order a full meal.
The entire day was worthwhile when we turned a corner and first saw one of the temples. HJ spread her arms wide and said, “WOW!”
“Wow” is right. I love all the layers in the landscaping. 
There was no defined order in which to take the paths, so we just wound through them in the order that most appealed to us. 
HJ was obsessed with this bridge. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take them both over it. I’m going to need to go back with another adult for that. 
In the back corner of the garden, we found the most privacy. The kids got to slow down and spend more time inspecting the garden and hopping from stone to stone. I still had to crop someone out of this photo though! 
The entrance to the garden from behind. 
This boy could watch the koi all day. 
He wasn’t in a hurry and he sure was happy! I wasn’t overly pleased with my pictures from this outing. My photography class has given me the dangerous habit or messing with my settings. These pictures weren’t as sharp as I would have liked, and I couldn’t tell that on my camera screen. Oh well. I guess I just have to go back!
In the meantime, I might just order some nice tea!
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of my links, I will earn a small commission.
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Tips to Reduce Stress while Traveling with Kids
How to reduce stress while traveling with kids? This month a great group of travel bloggers are all tackling this same question! After the tips, you’ll find links to their posts at the bottom. Check them out and choose the tips that work for you and your family!
I regularly get told that I’m brave for traveling with my children. What exactly is it that everyone is so afraid of? Tantrums, meltdowns, sickness, injury, missing flights, inconveniencing others, etc.? OK, I guess there’s plenty to stress about, but why bother? Sometimes you just have to take the leap: do everything you can to minimize the stress points in advance and then go for it! Come what may!
Personally, I believe stress while traveling is 25% about preparation and 75% about expectations and mindset. If you are naturally easy going you’re going to have less difficulty rolling with the punches, but even the easiest going chap in the world will have a hard time after a red-eye. So for those moments, preparation is key.
Travel Stress Reduction Tip #1: Have a plan
There are different philosophies on whether it’s better to travel with a plan or make decisions on the fly based on what feels right each day. I fall into the camp that believes you should always have a plan that includes some wiggle room in case you stumble upon something amazing or just don’t feel well one day.
Even if you like to figure it out as you go, here are the things you must have planned:
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Flights to your destination as well as any passport or visa requirements.
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Arrangements for your pets, garden, car, house, etc. while you’re away.
- Whatever you’re prone to worry about, get a plan in place that lets you forget it!
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A plan for how you’re going to get local currency upon arrival.
- Either bring some with you or know where you can grab some first thing. Few things are as stressful as being hit by outrageous ATM fees before you even leave the airport.
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Your first night’s accommodations.
- Personally, I book all my accommodations in advance, but if you like to live on the edge, at least pre-book night 1. You’ll be tired after your flight and it would be a really stressful time to find out that Elvis is in town and everything is booked.
Travel Stress Reduction Tip #2: Pack Intelligently
Too much stuff to carry easily equals stress, not enough stuff to get by equals stress. Packing the perfectly balanced suitcase means never having to think about it once you’re on the go. Here are my dos and don’ts of packing intelligently.
- Do pack changes of clothes for the kids and keep them with you in your carrying bag. You never know when someone is going to get motion sickness on the plane or in the taxi.
- Do pack snacks. Hangry children = stressed parents.
- Do bring a familiar blankie or stuffed animal for bedtime. Just make sure familiar item is accounted for any time you are moving on.
- Do bring comfortable walking shoes for the whole family. Blisters make me cranky, blisters make everyone cranky.
- Do dress appropriately for the weather. Being too hot or too cold leads to whining and whining leads to stress.
- Do go hands-free whenever possible. For me, this means a backpack or a messenger bag. This way my hands are always free to grab the child who’s running towards the road or about to jump into the lake.
- Do bring a baby/toddler carrier. Especially if the kids are jet lagged or are walking more than usual. Nothing is more stressful to me than trying to balance both kids on my hips, while carrying a bag, and my son is trying to fall asleep. Ugh. Never leave home without a carrier is my motto.
- Do not bring a ton of toys. These are too much to carry and they’re bound to get lost or broken at the wrong moment. Instead seek out rocks, sticks, subway maps, etc. to entertain the kids throughout the day.
- Do not bring a change of clothes for each activity. Get comfortable with a little bit of traveler grunge! Ideally, choose clothes that can pull double duty or be washed easily in a sink.
Travel Stress Reduction Tip #3: Embrace Down Time!
It’s easy to want to do all the things while traveling, but sometimes you just need to slow down. For my family, this means being intentional about seeking out playgrounds, swimming pools, or fountains where the kids can play and the adults can breathe. Seeking out air conditioning in hot locations can also be a huge help! (Shopping mall, movie theater, ice skating rink, etc.)
When we went to Bangkok last year, a nice pool was on our must-have list. For our upcoming trip to London, we chose our hotel location based on proximity to great playgrounds. A couple years ago in Hawaii, we propped our feet up and watched 2 hours of TV every afternoon while HJ napped!
Do what feels right and gives your family time to rest. Don’t stress too much about the things you are missing during these times because it’s better to be present and appreciative but miss some things, then stressed and distracted but make it to everything.
More Travel Stress Reduction Tips
Check out what these other family travel bloggers have to say!
- Travel with Jess
- Lot’s of Planet have a North
- Going Where the Wind Blows
- Adventures in Family Travel
- Meldrums on the Move
- Border Free Adventures
- The Traveling Page Family
- World Schooler Exchange
If you’re interested in more posts I’ve written on preparing your family for travel, check out:
- My Favorite Travel Tool for Flying with Children: TSA PreCheck
- How to Prepare your Kids for a Red-Eye Flight
- Flying Tips: Baby and Toddler
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Redwood City “Magic Lantern 3D Light Show”
If you live in or near Redwood City, my photography class introduced me to this must-see light show in Redwood City! Every Tuesday (schedule is posted through November) they project an amazing 3D light show onto the San Mateo County History Museum.
The free show takes about 20 minutes and features a robot presenting the history of Redwood City. Music plays throughout and it covers 150 years of local history. The projections are elaborate and Bart Kresa clearly worked very hard on it! If you’re in the area, check it out!
Tribute to the days when Redwood City was just a grove of Redwoods. 
Back when Redwood City was in the Old West and everyone would head to the Saloon after a day of gold panning. 
The Hippy Movement was huge around here! 
Tribute to Silicon Valley and the future of Redwood City. 
Even when the light show ends, the building is still beautifully lit. -
Preparing the Kids for Hawaii
My daughter is at a very exciting age. She is learning quickly, remembering details, and drawing her own conclusions about the world around her. As we approach her 4th birthday and our family trip to Hawaii, I find myself thinking that this could be a trip she really learns from and enjoys. How can I help create the fascinating experience that I want her to have? Prepare her for the trip in advance!
The following are things I’m trying to get the kids excited about Hawaii and to deepen their appreciation during our trip!
Look at pictures from previous trips
Because we have family in Hawaii this is an especially good lead up to the trip. Last time we went HJ was 8 months old so we have tons of pictures. “Look! Here you are with your Auntie Isabelle,” “Look! Here you are with a sea turtle,” “Look! Here you are with a waterfall,” etc.
Since we’ll visit many of the same places this time, I’m hoping the kids will recognize them from the pictures.
Read about Hawaii
These are great because they are equally enjoyable for my 2-year-old and my 3-year-old.
Picture Books
Baby Honu’s Incredible Adventure
Coloring Books
These will be great for the plane ride over!
The Story of Hawaii Coloring Book
My Hawaii Coloring and Activity Book
The How ‘Bout Hawaii Coloring Book!
Read Aloud Chapter Books
I’ve only read one full-length chapter book to HJ so far, but she did great and I need to make this part of our daily routine. I’m going to start with the first book in this series and then skip right to the Hawaii one.
High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House)
Listen to Hawaiian Music
This can also be a great way to get the adults fired up for vacation! Both of these are free to stream if you have Amazon Prime.
Authentic Hawaiian Luau Party Music
Hawaiian Music Ukelele and Steel Guitar
Learn about Hawaii from Movies or TV
These would also be great for the plane ride over!
If your kids love this one, you could grab a Stitch doll and have the kids take pictures with it on your trip. This could help get the kids excited for taking pictures and make a great souvenir of their trip.
This one is not set in Hawaii, but Hawaii shares a lot of history with the Polynesian Islands the movie was based on. The demigod Maui is featured in the movie and is based on a legendary character in Hawaiian (and other Polynesian) mythology. He was said to have given the secret of fire to the Hawaiians.
Anything else we can be doing to get a 2 and 3-year-old excited for a trip to Hawaii? If you’re headed there soon, check out my tips on visiting Hawaii with a baby.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links I will earn a small commission.
Magnets From Everywhere
Dreaming, planning, inspiring family travel. Starting here, starting now.
Magnets From Everywhere 