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- Legoland California in Carlsbad celebrates the season every Saturday in October from 5 to 9 PM at their annual Brick-or-Treat Party. Children will find costume contests, “Howler of the Hour” scream-offs, and dance fests geared just for them. There’s also trick-or-treating along the Brick-or-Treat Trail, where kids can score candy and Lego bricks
- On October 30 and 31, the San Diego Maritime Museum at the San Diego downtown waterfront offers spooky lantern-led tours aboard the beautiful, historic sailing ship the Star of India, during which costumed docents tell (not too scary) ghost stories. Check out the museum’s carnival on Halloween day (11 AM-4 PM), featuring costume contests for parents and kids.
- Disneyland is always looking for an excuse to party, and Halloween is no exception. Through November 1, famous villains from Disney films spookify the park, special seasonal decorations adorn attractions, Jack Skellington (from “The Nightmare before Christmas”) hosts an electrifying fireworks display, and Main Street storefronts display hundreds of specially carved pumpkins.
- On October 24 and 25, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach hosts Scarium of the Aquarium, a fun and educational Halloween celebration that includes a coloring competition, crafts, and magic shows. Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress up!
- From October 23 to 25, check out Boo at the Zoo at the Santa Barbara Zoo, where children 12 years and younger can trick-or-treat, explore mazes, join in a costume parade, and listen to tales by Mother Goose herself.
- Through October 31, Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch in West Hollywood hosts a family-friendly, old-fashioned harvest festival where children can pick out their own pumpkins, wind their way through a straw maze, and burn off some candy-fueled energy on the mighty “Jumpin’ Pumpkin.”
Staycation isn’t Synonymous with Stay Inside
September 23rd, 2010The turbulent economy has many families taking a long hard look at future vacations. To take them or not, is often the question they face. But even if the decision is made to enjoy a staycation over a vacation, a staycation should in no way signify staying indoors. Especially when there is an abundance of places to explore and myriad new things to discover just outside our front steps.
Such is the philosophy of one pioneering outdoor parent-child nature program, Tiny Treks. Founded by Pam Worth long before the No Child Left Inside Act made it trendy, Tiny Treks was hitting the trails with families, encouraging a love of the outdoors in youngsters. The preschool program has been unplugging this generation of children and connecting them with nature for 13 years.
Creek journey. Photo courtesy: Tiny Treks
Instead of watching videos or playing Plants vs. Zombies on iPads, kids can watch migratory birds, play in meadows, splash in creeks or fly kites. Throw in arts, crafts and songs, and families now have souvenirs from their staycations as well. So when you plan your next staycation, keep in mind there may be discoveries waiting for you right in your backyard. Now, log off your computer and go outside!
Find a Tiny Treks near you, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
Guest post by Sue Fliess.
Find other family friendly things to do in San Francisco, Chicago or Seattle on TravelMuse.com.
Leaf Peeping Along the Blue Ridge Parkway by Debbie K. Harding
October 28th, 2009Fall comes to the Mid-Atlantic and southeast a littler later than the New England states, so there’s still time to check out autumn color in these warmer regions. One of the best places for leaf peeping is along the incredibly scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, the 470-mile roadway that connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. The Blue Ridge Parkway snakes through mountaintop wilderness that displays more than 100 species of trees, making this expanse of asphalt one of the loveliest in the country when the leaves begin to fall.
Photo: Courtesy Asheville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
The Parkway gets an estimated 1.5 million visitors during the month of October, which typically marks the peak of the color-changing season. If you visit during the last two weeks of October and the first week of November (especially on weekends), expect serious roadway congestion. But don’t let that dissuade you. With scenery this lovely, there’s no reason to rush: Follow the guiding principle of the park: “drive awhile and stop awhile.” There are numerous roadside pullouts that offer gorgeous vantage points, and many link to trails and picnic grounds. And if you’re willing to leave your auto behind and hike a quarter of a mile or so, it is easy enough to find solitude, even on the busiest Sunday afternoon.
My family and I like to arrive early (early!) in the morning, generally before sunrise, and hit the Parkway before the worst of the traffic. In years past we’ve driven for as long as two hours after daylight before we saw another car. In addition to helping us beat the crowds, we’ve found that morning light makes for stunning photographs; this is also the best time of the day to see wildlife, including white-tail deer and black bears.
Photo: Courtesy Asheville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
If the traffic along the Parkway slows down too much for you, consider an aerial tour. Asheville Hot Air Balloons out of Asheville, North Carolina, offers exhilarating trips year-round. Routes vary depending on air currents, but expect to see spectacular views above the mountains of the nearby Pisgah National Forest.
New Waldorf Astoria Opens in Orlando by Ed Schmidt Jr.
October 19th, 2009When I first entered the lobby of the new Waldorf Astoria Orlando earlier this month, I immediately noticed the replica of the famous 14-foot clock that sits in the lobby of its New York counterpart and other similar amenities like the Peacock Alley restaurant and bar, Bull & Bear Steakhouse and Sir Harry’s Lounge.
Photo: Ed Schmidt
What sets the Orlando Waldorf Astoria apart, however, is the property’s decided Florida resort personality. Large open windows in the common areas allow for natural lighting and panoramas of an expansive pool area and lush golf course. The paneled walls and floor in soft creams and the crystal sconces in the lobby add to a fresh, Florida resort feel. The 497 guest rooms and suites are brimming with tropical colors like yellow, tangerine and teal blue accented by Art Deco pieces and rich, dark woods accented by satin nickel.
“To maintain its traditional sense of grandeur and ornament while still filling the space with a fresh, inviting appeal, we incorporated bright colors and rich patterns that give the resort a more vibrant Florida ambiance and a youthful energy,” says Rosie Feinberg, senior designer at Santa Barbara, California-based sfa design.
Photo: Ed Schmidt
Feinberg says the goal was to infuse the Jazz Age elegance of New York’s Art Deco Waldorf Astoria with the vibrant ambiance of Florida. I think Feinberg’s team achieved their goal. The interior design is fresh and creative and is the antithesis of the thematic resort destination so prevalent in the area.
Surrounded on three sides by Walt Disney World Resort, the Waldorf Astoria Orlando is convenient to everything Disney. The property is part of a 482-acre development that includes the adjacent 1,000-room Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek.
Photo: Ed Schmidt
Enhancing the property’s spacious ambiance is a 7,113-yard Rees Jones-designed championship golf course just a few step from the front door and a 125-acre state protected preserve of waterways and wetlands that are home to turkeys, foxes and migratory birds. Other amenities include a formal swimming pool with private cabanas, a 24,000 square-foot Waldorf Astoria spa by Guerlain and 28,000 square feet of meeting space.
To read a review of the new Waldorf Astoria Golf Club course, check out www.thegolftravelguru.blogspot.com
Spooktacular Family-Friendly Halloween Celebrations in Southern California by Debbie K. Hardin
October 16th, 2009What’s not to like about Halloween? We get to play dress-up and we get free candy. But sometimes the holiday is just a little too scary for children. Luckily, there are plenty of family-friendly alternatives in Southern California:
Photo: Legoland’s Brick-or-Treat celebration. Photo by Sandy Huffaker.
Photo: Scarium of the Aquarium. Courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.
Favorite San Diego Surf Camp by Nancy Solomon of Ciao Bambino
October 9th, 2009Twice a year we head to San Diego to get a snippet of California life. I grew up in Del Mar, a laid-back beach town where surfing is part of daily life. I was excited to teach my kids to ride the waves. We love going to Menehune Surf Camp.
Photo: Nancy Solomon
Each year these surf lessons are the highlight of our trip. The instructors are always encouraging and fun, and my East Coast boys always crack up about the ultra-low-riding swimsuits. Menehune runs camps and private lessons on multiple beaches throughout San Diego. We love the one at Powerhouse Park—the beach is beautiful, plus it has food and one of the area’s best playgrounds. While my three older kids surf, I’m able to go for a long walk with my 2-year-old. She plays in the sand, and I get the downtime I need.
I love the resilience and perseverance that the surf camp teaches kids. Think fall and get up, fall and get up … times 100!
I have to admit, however, the few years of surf camp can be disconcerting. Two fears crept into my head: sharks and drowning. Despite the fact that we’re literally more likely to die by a falling coconut than a shark attack, we’re a generation with Jaws images and music imprinted in our minds.
I comfort myself knowing that the kids at Menehune stay in very shallow water. Also, they’re not in areas with many seals, a favorite shark snack. Of course, there are sharks off the Pacific coast, but in my 35 years of going to San Diego beaches, I’ve never seen one.
My kids first started surf camp when they were 5 and 6 and very strong swimmers. Between the lifeguards on the beach and the instructors, I felt like they are very well monitored. That said, probably half the moms with kids under 7 stay and watch the class from the beach. This year was the first time—my kids are now 6, 9 and 10—that I left them alone for a portion of the class.
You can choose to do the morning program that runs from 9 to 12, the afternoon program from 12 to 3 or an all-day session. These camps are run in the summer and on school holidays, but you can get private lessons all yearlong.
Photo: Nancy Solomon
Where to Stay
We also just added two new hotels in the Del Mar area to the Ciao Bambino San Diego portfolio—both provide great beach access. The newly remodeled L’Auberge Del Mar is in the heart of town of Del Mar. The hotel has a fun social vibe, gorgeous views of the ocean and one of San Diego’s best restaurants at Kitchen 1540. Del Mar has cute coffee shops, casual restaurants and easy beach access in a quintessential Southern California setting.
Newly remodeled L’Auberge Del Mar. Photo: Ciao Bambino
Two miles up the road, nestled above the breathtaking Torrey Pines State Reserve is The Lodge at Torrey Pines. This hotel feels like a woodsy, grand lodge. Home to the renown Torrey Pines Golf Course, this is a golfer’s paradise. The beauty of this location is that adults can play too—send the kids to surf camp and head to Golf School (Golf School is also offered for kids). The hotel also has daily, guided hikes through the preserve. The Lodge features an award-winning restaurant, A.R. Valentien.
Nancy Solomon is an avid traveler and writer for Ciao Bambino. She lives outside Boston and has four children 10,8,6 and 2, with whom she enjoys sharing the world.