Vacations Blog

Back in February at the LA Times Travel Expo, I met representatives from a tour company called Intrepid Travel.  In an instant, they filled my head with visions of zip-lining through the jungle, rafting over whitewater rapids, trekking through the Himalayas, and all sorts of international adventures, all with my kids.  Intrepid Travel takes you off the beaten path in small groups on journeys tailored to the people in the group.  They have a family style trip that includes children 6 and older, with a group maximum of 14 people in which any adult traveling MUST have a child with him.  Emphasis on family travel and togetherness:  “This is NOT a babysitting service!”  For one flat fee per person, Intrepid takes care of all the details, a service that a busy parent might find very valuable.

Awkward family photo

Intrepid is running a contest – ending May 31 – that asks the question “How intrepid is your family?”  Take the quiz and enter to win $6,000 toward your family trip of choice, plus a 25% discount off the children’s booking cost.

Back in the BK (before kids) days, my husband and I roadtripped to Baja California every winter.  That was also back in the days before rampant rumors of activity by dangerous drug cartels at the Mexican-American border, but mostly it’s the kids that keep us from continuing the tradition.  One of our favorite things to do was scout for gray whales.  Every winter these beautiful animals migrate along the Pacific Coast en route to the salty lagoons of Baja California where they give birth to their calves.  If you ever have the occasion to visit Guerrero Negro in Mexico, it is the number one thing you must do before you leave – hop on a panga, or small boat, and go out into the waters where some days the waters are so thick with whales that you can actually touch them.

Gray whale in Mexico, courtesy of Wikimedia.

For the toddler-laden landlubber, however, there are other opportunities to view the gray whales on their past Southern California.  The most popular way to do it is to take a whale watching cruise and there are several companies that operate out of the various SoCal harbors.  Don’t be fooled by our lovely sunny weather:  out on the water it can get chilly and wet so bring the proper gear.  And if you’ve never been out on a boat, remember your sea legs.  If you or your children feel seasick, there is no shame in it.  You are out there to have a good time.  If watercraft are not for you, there are places to see the whales from shore, like at Point Dume beach in Malibu.  You have to scan the horizon and look for the telltale signs: spouting water or glistening black skin.  If you see those things you have most likely happened upon a pod.  They will probably be swimming south.

If you are okay with being out on the water, here are some places to go:

Newport Beach Harbor:  Newport Landing Sportfishing runs excursions Monday through Friday and they also have trips to Catalina.

Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach:  a 2.5 hour cruise on a double decker boat, hosted by Cruise Long Beach Harbor.  Tickets are $25 for adults, $18 for children under 12, and free for children under 2.

Marina del Rey Sportfishing runs a grittier tour on a smaller boat, that much better to get closer to the whales without being obnoxious?

Whale Watching in Los Angeles is a great site that aggregates and reviews many of the whale watching tours available in the area.  Now is a great time to look into this kind of activity if you are visiting the area with your family.  A whale sighting feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience if you are lucky enough to spot one up close.

Whether you see a whale or several or none, you can also see other ocean life, like the dolphins and sea lions below who joined us on a sailing trip from Marina del Rey to Redondo Beach one day.  (Photos by Tim Clark.)

Dolphins say hello!

What are you looking at?

I sent my field team to SeaWorld San Diego to check the park out from the perspective of a family who could actually enjoy an entire day there.  (With my own two boys under 4, everything we do is limited by naptime).  My intrepid team consisted of M – the narrator, the-9-year-old – her sister, and her father.  These are their stories.

Shamu strikes a pose

We started out at Shamu’s show. All in all, it was incredible. The 9-year-old said that it was by far the best part of the day. The orcas are gorgeous and always look bigger up close than you expect them to. We sat in the last row of the “soak zone,” so we didn’t get splashed nearly as much as some. Some people got absolutely drenched. The trainers were very talented as well. The 9-year-old told me that she wants me to become a trainer so she can get first dibs on meeting the animals up close. I told her she should become a trainer instead. She said, “Yeah, that’s a better idea.”

Of course, there was a young female volunteer who got up and got to touch Shamu. The 9-year-old was jealous.

Hey, jealousy

Sea dogs

Then we went to the “Pets Rule” show, where they have trained dogs, cats, and pigs. This was also very impressive. The 9-year-old giggled throughout the whole show. I think her favorite part was when a dog stood up on its hind legs and rotated a wheel on a “Hot Dog Cart,” which proceeded to produce four dachshund puppies. Very, very cute. Certainly not something you’d expect to see at SeaWorld, but there were plenty of chances to get sprayed by the hydrant or the “TNT” explosion.

After this, we got a chocolate brownie funnel cake. Always good from a nine year old’s perspective: “This could be the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

Next we went to the dolphin show. Very impressive. The dolphins jumped amazing heights. Again, we sat at the way back of the splash zone. The people sitting front and center looked like they had jumped into the pool with the dolphins after the show, but we stayed nice and dry. The 9-year-old’s favorite animal is the dolphin, so she was disappointed when the show didn’t last hours and hours. I thought each show was perfect at 20-30 minutes long, as did my father.

Not cool.

We did a bit of walking around. We didn’t go into the Sesame Street playground, but all three of us (me, my sister and my father) were all in agreement that it looked like a blast. [Although this attraction is aimed at younger children] I can certainly say, as an adult, I really wanted to just let loose in that place. So many things to climb… it looked like a blast! The 9-year-old was afraid of looking uncool, so we didn’t venture in.

Shark Encounter

We also did the “Shark Encounter” where you go through an underwater acrylic tube to see the sharks all around you. Unfortunately the floor of the tube was a moving platform, like the one in airports, so you didn’t get to look at the sharks as long as you wanted to. But there was a separate flat-panel of acrylic past the tube that was nice to look at.

We also went into one of the aquariums- the “Sea Life” one or something like that, where there were just several types of fish. Some of the fish were bigger than the 9-year-old, so she was very impressed.

Equal opportunity screaming

To end our trip, we went on the Atlantis roller coaster. I’d say it’s not for the faint-at-heart. There are two plummeting 50+ foot drops. The 9-year-old had a good time, but she didn’t admit it until we were on the car ride home. She was scared out of her mind during the ride, and I have to say that I, personally, had no idea I could scream like that. It’s been nearly two hours and my throat is still sore.

L.A. local note:  if you go with older kids who can suck it up for the car ride, this can actually count as a super long day trip.  If not, and who can blame you, here are some links to San Diego hotels reviewed by Uptake bloggers .

[field work and photos by Martha King-Devine]

Snow for Sleeping Beauty

When most people think of Disneyland Resort (that being the area containing the original Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the three Disney hotels) they tend to think of a summer destination for their family vacation.  Here’s something to consider, Disney for the holidays.

The entire area is transformed.

The hotels (Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier and Grand Californian) each have their own Christmas trees and holiday decorations, respectively, as well as daily winter-based activities for guests of all ages, including crafts, tours and workshops.

Downtown Disney takes on the festive feel of the season, complete with themed displays and a constant soundtrack of holiday tunes provided by live musicians, wandering carolers or piped through the speakers.

Disney’s California Adventure (DCA) sticks with its California motif and embraces Santa in a more relaxed mindset.  Here you will find sand instead of snow and the reindeer games consist of beach activities- even Santa opts for bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian print shirt rather than his traditional garb.

Winter in the 100 Acre Woods

Disneyland goes a more traditional route with its decorating.  The entire park is a holiday, evoking the likes of Norman Rockwell, Bing Crosby and Burl Ives.  There are special shows, parades, treats and merchandise (including a fantastic and large assortment of holiday decor and clothing).

The Disney characters are often dressed accordingly, especially Goofy that spends his days in Toon Town dressed as Santa and posing for pictures.

Mickey for the Holidays

Each night snow falls throughout Disneyland, from Main Street, U.S.A. to New Orleans Square.

The Small World and Haunted Mansion attractions have special holiday themes which are so well done that many, including my family, prefer the seasonal overlay to the original.

The winter weather in Anaheim is typically sunny with daytime temperatures in the 60s and 70s.  The nights cool down quite a bit and you should pack accordingly- especially since it can become chilly and wet without much warning.

If at all possible, try to arrange your vacation during the week to offset the crowds, but keep in mind that the closer you get to the holidays the more likely that local schools will be on break.

The Holiday festivities run from November 21, 2008 through January 4, 2009.

Photos by Whit Honea