California: Dolphins at San Clemente North Beach

Dolphin sighting!

How exciting is it to be hanging out on the beach and spot dolphins playing in the surf?

It took a bit to get her to see them (maybe we had some binoculars to our beach bag in the future), but once she did, she was delighted to spend time watching them frolic and play from North Beach.

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California: San Clemente Concerts on the Beach

We hit the beach tonight for the last of the 2013 Concerts on the Beach in San Clemente. It was a great time, with reggae music by World Anthem, and a yummy dinner for just $8 from The Fisherman's Restaurant. The band was really fun - Bria loved dancing in the sand! What a beautiful way to enjoy a sunset in our new hometown.

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California: Packing for a trip to Sea World with small children

Knowing what to bring on an outing is never an easy feat! Here are some packing tips for Sea World with littles:

• Plenty of spare clothes - there are opportunities to get wet and messy everywhere you turn, and that's half the fun!
• Towel - in case of an animal splash or if your children want to check out the splash pads in Sesame Street Bay of Play.
• Stroller - or rent one near the gate. Prices are reasonable and several options are available for singles and doubles.
• Sun screen/hat
• Sweatshirt/jacket
• Water bottle - you can't bring food into the park, but water bottles are allowed. And you're going to need it!
• Quarters - everyone is going to want to feed the flamingos

Don't worry if you forgot to pack something, shops are located through out the park and have a great selection at decent prices.

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California: Sea World San Diego All Day Dining Deal

Sea World San Diego offers a plan called the "All-Day Dining Deal." Basically it works like it sounds - you pay one price, receive a wrist band, and can eat in the park all day. We were headed to Sea World this weekend, and I am a researcher (in case you hadn't caught on to that yet), so I did some poking around first. Was the all-day dining deal worth it?

I read a few message boards with mixed reviews, and a blog post from a mama who felt the lines kept their family from taking advantage of the pass. A friend suggested there would be a lot of junk food involved, which made sense - it is a theme park, after all. But really, there was very little information readily available about how the deal would go. 

(As it turns out, much of the information I read ahead of time was incorrect - but these discrepancies could come from the fact that there is more than one Sea World location. Please note that we visited the San Diego location.)

We decided to try it out, and were VERY pleased we did.

Here's our experience...

Passes start at $32.99 for adults and $16.99 for kids 3-9. There appears to be a few dollars variation based on the particular day you go. We went on a Sunday in high season, and the online price was $35.99 per adult.

We purchased a one-year membership, which gave us 10% off the price, so our total for two adults came to $64.04. (More on that membership and why we chose it here.)

TIP: Children under 3 are free at Sea World, and they encourage sharing with little ones. Our preschooler, B, was a big reason we chose to try this plan out, as she prefers to eat at LEAST every two hours.

The pass is good for four restaurants in the park:

Shipwreck Reef Cafe (ribs, sandwiches, burgers, seafood, salads, kids meals)
Mama Stella's Pizza Kitchen (pizza, pasta, kids meals)
Seaport Market (hand crafted burgers, salads, breakfast bagels, kids meals)
Calypso Bay Smokehouse (smoked chicken, ribs, brisket, kids meals)

A glance at the map told us they were well spread throughout the park.

The deal is a wristband which allows its bearer one entree, one side or dessert, and one non-alcoholic beverage each time through the line. Simple enough.

We started our day mid-morning with the kiddie rides in Sesame Street Bay of Play, so Mama Stella's was nearby when little B decided she needed to munch.

The line was short, and we were pleasantly surprised by the choices. Brightly colored foods lined the cafeteria-style counters. Side options included large, fresh salads, cups of strawberries and sliced watermelon. The entree plates were large and included options such as manicotti, eggplant parmesan, pizza, and pasta with sauce. There were plenty of healthy choices available, and our selections were plenty of food for the three of us.

The average adult meal was somewhere between $13 and $18. Some quick math told us that if we were eating more than twice in the park, the deal was worth our money. Add in snacks, and we were coming out on top financially.

We ate well, and headed on through the park. It was great to know that we didn't have to worry about making the little one sit because this was her chance to eat - we knew we could just take her to get another snack when she needed it.

For our next meal we tried out the Shipwreck Reef Cafe - mostly because the smell of barbecue as we walked by was too much to resist! Again we found a variety of healthful sides and salads. We got a teriyaki chicken plate and a delicious salad with fruits and cheeses on it, and everyone ate together. The plates are plenty large to enjoy family-style.

And don't worry, not ALL of the food is healthy. We had a lovely slab of decadent carrot cake and B got her nosh on with a chocolate-covered Shamu cookie that made her very happy.

We enjoyed the versatility of being able to stop in and get a drink, or a drink and some fruit, anytime we chose. While we were concerned lines would be cumbersome, we found them easy to navigate and only skipped a stop once because they were a little long.

At the end of our day we enjoyed delicious fresh burgers with lots of choices at the Seaport Market and went back through to grab a couple of bottles of water for the trek home. Overall, we were pleased with our purchase and would make the choice again.

To sum it up, we highly recommend considering this plan if...

...you are going for more than five hours (give or take - we arrived at 10:30 am and left at about 5)
...you are going early in the day (things get busier as the day wears on, so you may find yourself less inclined to stand in line)
...you (or smaller members of your party) eat relatively often.
...you enjoy not having to worry about prices and who is spending what while enjoying family time.
...you want to save money but don't want to trek back to your car every time the kids are hungry

San Diego Vacations

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California: Sunday at Sea World

It's Sea World day, and Bria couldn't be more excited!!! (OK, OK, I think Mom and Dad are pretty excited, too.)

She earned the trip with her star chart, and has spent the entire week telling us about the things she'll be showing us. After her July 28 trip she is an expert, you know.

The park was open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today (check out their website ahead of time for hours), so we decided we would aim for arriving about an hour after opening to beat some of the early rush. It worked like a charm, because we parked super close, stood in line for only a few minutes at the gate, then found no line at all at the customer service counter inside the park when we went to pick up our wristbands for the all-day dining deal. (Find out more about that choice and our review here.)

TIP: Purchase your tickets online ahead of time to save on standing in line!

There is a LOT to see, and we have the luxury of living close now, so we were careful not to stress and try to fit everything in. With that in mind, we decided to save the amazing Sea World shows for another day.

TIP: If you plan to go more than once or twice this year, we highly recommend getting the annual pass for one person in your family. Parking is included with the pass, and at $15 a pop, it becomes quickly worth the little extra. We also took advantage of the monthly payment plan, so it was nice to spread the cost out a little bit. In addition, there are other discounts which are great incentives.

We got things started in one of our favorite areas of the park - Sesame Street Bay of Play. Bria loves the big, bright characters, and all of the rides in this area are perfect for her age group. She wanted to bring Daddy on all of them! (Lots of rides are available for the bigger lot, too, not to worry.)

There is lots to do in this area for small children, including equipment to play on, climbing activities, rides, food, photos with Sesame Street characters, and lots more. It's a lot to take in!

TIP: Be sure to bring along a change of clothes and a towel in case kiddos want to enjoy the splash pad! It is especially wonderful for toddlers and offers multiple options for interactive play.

It just wouldn't be Sea World without the amazing water life, so our next stop was the otters and the dolphins. The bat rays are super fun to touch and feed, too! (While Bria and Dad went to the touch the rays, Mom checked out the Manta roller coaster. Woo-hoo!)

Bria's favorite part - everyone's favorite part - was a visit to the orcas. She could spend hours sitting next to their pool, just watching Shamu swim. The orcas are a memory both Mom and Dad have from their childhood, and we love sharing this experience with a new generation. We read that the first Shamu was born at Sea World in 1985, and 20 killer whales have been born there since. Wow! That's a lot of whales!

The Bayside Sky Ride was a great way to wind down for a bit and enjoy some quiet time as a family. This ride goes out over the bay and back, offering opportunities to check out the area from a great vantage point.

The best part of our visit was just sitting back and watching as Bria engaged with creature after creature, offering her observations everywhere we went. Aquarium fish, turtles, sharks, penguins - it was all equally fascinating and gave her an opportunity to learn and interact.

We ended our day with a visit to Wild Arctic, enjoying the non-motion version of the helicopter ride and then checking out the belugas and the polar bears. We appreciated the educational aspects of this exhibit, with buttons to push and informational signs spread throughout.

Our day was filled with so many great highlights, it's hard to pick just a few. We can't wait to get back and play at Sea World again.

San Diego Vacations

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California: Hollywood Boulevard

It was Ella's last days in California, and she was wanting to see Hollywood, so we made a little jaunt over to Hollywood Boulevard to check everything out. Filthy and crowded, sure. But filled with fun things to see? Totally.

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California: Dana Point Farmers Market

Admittedly, we have lived in North Dakota for a long, long time, and this may not be as exciting to other coasters, but we had an amazing visit to the Dana Point Farmers Market today. This is a great place for kids, because you can set them out to choose something to purchase, and you know it will be healthy and local.

We found everything from eggs, chicken, and fish to fruits and vegetables to delicious homemade tamales and hummus. We also picked up bread and some honey sticks, which my daughter thinks are the best treat ever. The atmosphere is wonderful, with a very family-friendly feel. This will definitely be a regular visit!

The market is held each Saturday at La Plaza and Pacific Coast Highway from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring cash, most of the vendors are not credit card friendly.

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California: Dana Point Harbor

We made a brief stop at Dana Point Harbor today to check out The Spirit of Dana Point is a 108-foot replica of a privateer from the 1770s, like those used during the American Revolution. This ship (which Bria calls the pirate ship) has 5,000 feet of sail! The girls had a great time checking it out.

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California: Inn at Playa Del Rey

The Inn at Playa Del Rey has 21 rooms, making it large for a bed and breakfast, but small for a hotel - and it embraces that space gracefully. The word that kept running through my head during our three night stay was RESPITE. It really was a great little getaway.

This pretty little inn was named to the Conde Nast Gold List in 2009, and you can see why - it truly is special. From the moment you put you step into the building (after being buzzed in by the front desk), you are pampered by a staff that takes care to go the extra mile.

Crisp white linens greet you in beautiful clean rooms - the moment I saw the bed I just wanted to dive in and stay there for the duration of the visit. They can bring my food there, right? Maybe turn me occasionally?

Of course, then I would have missed wine and cheese in the afternoon, walks along the beach, and the delicious breakfast. Breakfast was hot and tasty each morning, featuring delightful menus varying each day. The view from the breakfast room was lovely. It takes something special to be 10 minutes from LAX and still relaxing and secluded. Thanks to the Ballona Wetlands on two sides of the Inn, this little spot does just that.

A short walk down the street is a beautiful sandy beach, with lots of space to spread out and enjoy the sand and surf.

(Tip: They call themselves family-friendly, but I would definitely not feel comfortable there with children who were anything but perfectly behaved. We brought our three-year-old, and on several occasions, I felt a bit like the other guests were being protected from us...not a very relaxing feeling!)

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California: Inspiration at Ojai

This week I found inspiration and beauty at a retreat at The Ojai Foundation in Ojai, California.

According to the Ojai Foundation website, the 40-acre educational sanctuary in Ojai has been inspiring, transforming, and nurturing all who visit for 30 years. "The Land" serves as a living experiment for sustainable practices and an incubator for personal and collective information.

The Land has hosted elders and teachers from indigenous cultures, wisdom traditions, and new sciences, gathering students to soak up knowledge. And we were so honored to have it host us.

Staying on the Land was a deeply spiritual experience for me, and I drew much from communing with this place that holds such deep history. We stayed in yurts, ate beautiful vegetarian meals in the community kitchen, and relished the sisterhood.

Days began with a mediation at 7:30 am, which seemed not only fitting, but perfect. Gathering together with others staying on the Land and beginning our days with this time of mindfulness left me feeling so strengthened, and so immensely blessed.

My time at Ojai Foundation was one of renewal and such deep relaxation, I missed my flight home, because I was so wound up in enjoying the last impeccably quiet morning that I didn't leave for reality nearly early enough! (No worries, I was able to catch one two hours later, and the experience only cost me an extra $50.)

We couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous place to spend our days, learning in circle together. The Council House is a majestic meeting space.

With this sort of view to wake up to, it was impossible to be stressed.
The facility has two kivas, one covered and one open air. They were both gorgeous places to gather around a fire and share. There is just something so special about a fire, and the way it draws people together, makes them feel connected and deepens relationships. It was so reminiscent of camp as a kid!

The family atmosphere was unmistakable and ever-present. Children were a part of so much of the ceremony and celebration of our time in Ojai.

The week was full of many first for me (and a lot of us), one of which was a ceremonial sweat in the domed sweat lodge on the property. I'm not sure words can even touch on what the experience was like, aside from purifying and deeply spiritual. I would definitely take the opportunity to be part of the ritual again. Of all the activities of the six days we spent at Ojai, I would say this one was the most bonding.

If ever you have the opportunity to spend time at the Ojai Foundation, I would highly recommend it. Here is a lovely You Tube video I found, with a tour of the facilities.

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California Highlights

Our California coastal drive was beautiful and long! As the day wore on we needed to stop for food, so we pulled into the little town of Pacifica. We settled on what looked like a mom and pop cafe, and it turned out to be quite a surprise! The menu was Malaysian and Thai and super yummy.

Everyone really enjoyed the meal and we left full, full, full. We had curry and pad thai and short ribs and more, with sticky rice and fun, interesting drinks. It was a lovely treat for our afternoon, and a great break from the monotony of the car ride.

A bit down the road sunset was approaching, so we decided to find a nice spot on the beach to watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. 

We stopped at Moss Landing and climbed over a little hill to a beautiful expanse of sand and the rolling waves of the ocean. 

It was windy, but lovely. We watched the sun go down, took some pretty photos, and then packed it in to move along to San Simeon.

The drive to San Simeon was pretty wild, and probably could have better timed! Just as it got to be pitch black we came upon a sign that announced 63 miles of "hills and curves" to round out the evening.

Finally, with everyone asleep, we arrived in San Simeon, where we had super spacious "family room" with a king size bed and a pair of queen beds in it...and crashed for the night, exhausted from a long day.

The next morning we had fast food for breakfast, then lunch was at a little burger shack in Carpentaria called "The Spot." We spent some time enjoying the beach, then set out on the day's drive, which included beautiful coastal towns and California beaches. We saw the pier from The Lost Boys and miles and miles of Malibu homes literally on the beach - with stilts holding them above the sand.

Our day ended with dinner with Justin's godfather and heading to the airport for the big event!

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