California: Orange County Great Park on a Monday afternoon

Just off Interstate 5 in Irvine, there is a beautiful, vast metropolitan park called Orange County Great Park. If you have been there before for an event, we think it is time you rediscovered this peaceful gem in the hustle and bustle of the OC.
Preferably when there’s not a thing on the park’s calendar.

We visited on Monday afternoon, and it would have been the ideal location to shoot a zombie apocalypse movie. Where IS everyone? Oh right, sitting in traffic.

The vast parking lots were completely empty, and acres of gorgeous park land was going completely unutilized. We even hit the park’s website to make sure it wasn’t closed. When an Irvine Police officer drove by, we wondered for a moment if we would be in trouble! But sure enough, the park is open from 10 a.m. to dusk on Mondays. (Check the site here for complete hours.)

Orange County Great Park is home to a list of fun events for the whole family, including free concerts in the park, a solar decathlon, farmer’s markets, and much more. Programming and events are great, but it’s the in-between time – the time when this is just a beautiful metropolitan park – that is where the action’s really at.

If you haven’t visited the Great Park during those in-between times, you’re missing out on a beautiful oasis in the city of Irvine. It has been called one of the great metropolitan parks in the country, and we see such potential to live up to that. Built by focus group and working hard at creating identity in this community, the idea for Orange County Great Park was born after Marine Corps Air Station El Toro closed in 1999. This is one of the things we loved most about this beautiful park – it is being reused and recycled! How cool is that?

This park is a beautiful space for reflection, and it is so much more. A trip to the park is one of the most budget-friendly, healthy activities you can do with your family. So…unplug the kids, get them in the car, and drive on over to the Orange County Great Park. Here are the directions.

Not sure what to do when you get there? Maybe one of these ideas will strike a chord.

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Chasing Lions – Following Our Passions

Our three-year-old has recently become absolutely obsessed (as only a three-year-old can) with the movie Lion King, and as a result, with lions.

“Mom, did you know lions can jump really high?”

“Dad, do you know what lions eat?”

And so on, and so on. You get the idea.

There is nothing better than the joy we see on her face when she sees something she loves. So we take her to see the lions. There are more around than I ever realized! There are real lions, statute lions, and stuffed lions. There are lions on TV, lions in movies, and lions guarding city buildings.

The web is full of lions, too. We enjoy curling up with the tablet and watching baby lions play on the Savannah, and learning more fun facts about lions, too. There are Lion King coloring pages here, which can be printed out for hours of entertainment.

When you are on a mission to find something, it is everywhere! It’s a bit like the old “slug bug” game when we are out – everyone is on the look for lions.

What does your child love, that you could “chase”?

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California: Getting around the San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is big. I mean, really big.

Check out this map to see just how big.

But have no fear! There are lots of transportation options available through the 99 acre park. The zoo is shaped like a bowl, which means there are many hills to climb. Take advantage of the guided tour to see more of the park at once, and the express bus and skyfari to take some of the load off.

Guided Bus Tour

The guided tour buses are double-decker, open-air buses that allow you to see 70 percent of the zoo. It takes about 35 minutes, and while it isn’t a great way to see most of the animals, and it is a good way to get acquainted with your surroundings and decide which places to visit and in what order. Included in the fare is unlimited use of the express bus throughout your visit. Once you know where you want to go, use the express buses to get yourself a little closer!

Our daughter loved riding the bus just for the experience of riding the bus – seeing the sights was a completely added bonus for her.

The fare is included in a one-day admission ticket, and is $8.50 for adult pass holders and $5 for pass holders 3-11.

Kangaroo Express Bus

Unlimited use of the express bus is included in your guided tour ticket. The buses travel continuously through the park – just find one of the green signs and one will pick you up (they run about 15 minutes apart). There are five stops available – a simple way to slice up the zoo into more manageable pieces.

Skyfari Aerial Tram

Included with your membership and most other pass types, this is a great way to get from one end of the park to the other. We used it to start from the far end and work our way back toward the gate. Really, we could do this on half a dozen visits, taking a different route back each time, very happily.

TIP: Double strollers are not allowed on the skyfari tram, but single strollers are!

Other Transportation

If you need a motorized cart, wheelchair, or stroller, visit Guest Services just inside the entrance to the zoo. There are multiple options available. There is also a shuttle available for guests with mobility issues – be sure to ask at the desk for details.

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California: Baby Beach in Dana Point

We had seen it several times as we visited the harbor for various events – Baby Beach. It is a beautiful spot at Dana Point Harbor with calm water for little ones to play in. Sometimes the waves of the ocean beaches is just too much for our three-year-old, so this harbor beach is just the trick.

Since it is such a great place for kids, you’ll find that most of the crowd is families, which is nice. The little ones are sure to find other children their age, and they won’t be bothering any serious beach-goers with their play.

Even cooler, you can see the “pirate ship” from the beach! The Ocean Institute is nearby, and makes a great outing if you need a place to move out of the sun or wind for a while. You will also find a lifeguard during the summer months.
Parking is free, and fairly plentiful. Check out this parking map to get the lay of the land.

Note, though, that calm waters come with a price. Because the ocean waves are not washing the muck away, this is one of the most polluted beaches in the area. Be sure to check warnings and do your homework before trekking out. (Six of the seven beaches at neighboring Doheny State Park are also repeat offenders when it comes to contamination. You can read more about that here.) You can also check out report cards here.

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California: Busking on Hollywood Boulevard

One of Bria’s favorite things is buskers. It doesn’t matter if they are singing, dancing, or pretty much anything else, she is enamored. In this video, she is cutting a rug with a group of young men dancing on the sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard.

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California: Disney Soda Fountain in Hollywood

When “I’m hungry” took over while we were cruising around Hollywood, we popped into Disney’s Soda Fountain and Studio in the El Capitan Theater for a treat. And wow, what a treat it was! This old-fashioned ice cream parlor experience is open daily on Hollywood Boulevard, and features lots of yummy goodies for every member of the family.

In addition to the soda fountain and the theater, there is a Disney store inside, where you can check out all of your favorite Disney icons. Prices were reasonable ($7.95 for a BLT with chips, $8.95 for the banana split you see in this photo), and I love any place I can score a Vanilla Coke!

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Utah: Hiking with Daddy in Zion National Park

The above is a short video of Bria hiking with Daddy in Zion National Park. Hiking doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking – when you are accompanied by preschoolers, you can just park at the trail head, grab a bottle of water, and head a few hundred yards down the trail to explore your surroundings!

On this particular hike, they found all kinds of neat things. With the bingo game from the Junior Ranger booklet in hand (she called it her “map”) they set off to explore. Along the way they found animal tracks, animal scat (two kinds), a beetle, and an animal hole. That’s a lot of discovering in just a very short distance!

There was a beautiful river, and the two of them climbed on some big rocks and watched the river become a water fall.

A hike can be a fantastic way to explore your surroundings. Where have you hiked lately?

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California: 16 Things To Do at Orange County Great Park

There is always something to do at Orange County Great Park, even when a big event isn’t happening. Need some ideas? (Many of these will work at any other park as well – get creative! Have some fun!)

1. Hide and seek or tag – this may come as a shock, but you don’t actually need THINGS to have fun. Think back to your childhood, really stretch, and come up with your favorite games on the playground. Now teach your kids. And play with them, don’t sit on the sidelines and watch.
2. Cartwheels – while you’re at it, do some cartwheels. They’re good for the soul. (And Hoag is just down the road if you happen to get carried away.)
3. Photography– whether you are wanting to update that family photo, take senior portraits, or just add snapshots to your Facebook page, the Great Park makes a fantastic backdrop. Well-manicured spaces, beautiful trees and careful architecture all come together to make this a photographer’s dream.
   
4. Picnic – pack up some snacks or make a stop at Subway on the way. There is something really special about meals eaten in the outdoors, they just seem to be the stuff of memories. There are plenty of tables available, complete with chairs and umbrellas, or pack a blanket and lay out in the grass.
5. Birthday Party – the amenities at the park are available on a first-come, first served basis, and small gatherings are welcome. Better yet, they are free! (Contact the park if you want to have a larger gathering, or plan to have a tent larger than 10×10, inflatable bounce houses, or barbecue grills.)
6. Kick a ball around – with world-class soccer fields and lots of just plain grass to play on, the kids will have a great time kicking a ball around. Rows of palm trees make great obstacles, too!
7. Play on the playground – Orange County Great Park has a wonderful little kid friendly playground, with educational opportunities sprinkled throughout. Check out the footprints to learn about different animals, climb in and on the caves, and much more.
8. Run with the dog – take your four-legged buddy out for a run. If you forgot your poo clean-up bags, you’ll find dispensers (and hand sanitizer) throughout the park
9. Toss a Frisbee – you always have one in the back of your car for times like this, anyway, right?
10. Learn about nature – there are lots of trees to identify, plants to check out, and more.
11. Treasure hunt – dash out a list on the back of a grocery receipt and set out on an adventure.
12. Fly a kite – wide open spaces to unfurl your wings are becoming fewer and far between. You’ll find plenty of grassy fields in the Great Park to dust off those kite flying skills in.
13. Yoga – bring your mat, and trek off to a quiet corner of the park to commune with nature. Fresh air is so going to feel so much better than the air in that stuffy gym, anyway.
14. Relay race – remember egg and spoon races when you were a kid? How about hula-hoop endurance competitions and sack races? For more ideas, check Mamas Like Me’sfun list of 20 ideas for relay races with the kids.
15. Journaling – if you seek a beautiful, quiet space to reflect with some fresh air and sunshine, you are in luck. 
    
16. Let them lead – open the car door, let the children out, and see where they go. There are always new trails to blaze, and we don’t get the opportunity to do that nearly enough. This is the perfect place for unorganized discovery and play.

The list of things to do at the park is as endless as your imagination. Have ideas that aren’t on the list? We’d love for you to share them below!

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Can you vacation with kids?

This Huffington Post writer says when you have little ones in tow, it’s a “trip,” not a “vacation.”

With Little Kids You Take Trips Not Vacations

“A vacation is for sipping drinks at 10 a.m. and taking those obnoxious pictures of the lower half of your legs while looking out onto palm trees. A vacation is for getting massages and eating nachos and overusing phrases like “beer-thirty.” A vacation is for pools and sun and servants, lots and lots of servants. Trips are just like that, except for everything.”

What do you think? Can you vacation with kids? Is it about surviving, not enjoying? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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