Vacation Archives - Page 5 of 26

Visiting Universal Studios During Christmas, Part I

December 29, 2018 No Comments

We kicked off our Winter Break at Universal Studios. It also happened to be k’s 12th birthday, so we made it a mini staycation. A few months ago we bought the three day pass from Costco and went with my parents in October. It was nice not feeling like we had to see everything in one day.

Harry Potter World was all dressed up for Christmas. The Christmas scenes are some of my favorite in the movie, so it was nice to see it come to life.

All Aboard the Hogwarts Express!

Going down the massive escalators…

…and back up again. D and the kids each walked up one of the adjacent flights of stairs for fun. The only ride we went on in the Lower Lot was Transformers. The kids were not up to doing The Mummy ride again!

Minion tree!

We ate lunch at The Three Broomsticks. It was crowded, but the lines to order the food and seating system were quite efficient.

The namesake, “Three Broomsticks”.

D and I shared The Holiday Feast (turkey) and a chicken salad. I was impressed with the brussel sprouts and the overall freshness of the food.

The kids shared Fish & Chips and Mac & Cheese.

I thought it would be more crowded, but I think some kids were still in school and others were busy preparing for Christmas. The Christmas decorations really added to the magical feeling all around the park.

National Parks, Vacation

Lassen Volcanic National Park Part II

October 19, 2018 No Comments

The next morning we did an easy hike around Manzanita Lake.

One nice thing about visiting less-popular parks is that you have the views to yourself.

Next we did the Devastated Area Interpretive Trail. There were solar powered boxes at various stations that provided information about what we were looking at.

After our hike we drove to Summit Lake for lunch. (We had picked up sandwiches from the camper store at Manzanita Lake in the morning).

Taking a dip.

At this point, D had a big headache. As D likes to say, it was “no bueno”.

We set up camp at Summit Lake South and D took a short nap.

Then we drove to Cold Boiling Lake. I have to admit, I was bit disappointed when I saw the size of this “lake”.

I would say a more appropriate name would be Cold Boiling Big Puddle!

But, it was cool to see the gas bubbles, and the whole area was quite scenic.

I did not know there was geothermal activity like this in California! This sulphuric mudpot reminds me of Yellowstone.

We ended up buying a snack and dinner at the Kohm-Yah-Mah-Nee Visitor Center. The selection was quite limited, and again, I must say I am disappointed with Xanterra’s food service.

This was our pulled pork sandwich. There was actually a good amount of meat heaped onto the bun.

This was the “pizza”. A frozen DiGiorno single that you have to heat up yourself in the microwave. Really?? We really had no other dining options, so they have a monopoly.

We took a post-dinner hike near our campsite.

Although it might not be on the top of anyone’s National Park bucket list, we thought that Lassen Volcanic National Park is still worth a visit.

Camping, National Parks, Vacation

The Forgotten Park & Post: Lassen Volcanic National Park

October 18, 2018 No Comments

Poor Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is probably the least known National Park in California. It was also the last park that we needed to visit in order to check off all of the National Parks in California. It is also the vacation blog post I have taken the longest to write. (I partially blame that on my shifting work schedule, but things seem to be settling down now).

During the drive from Crater Lake to Lassen, we stopped in the town of Bieber for a pit stop and lunch.

This was the bathroom situation…Bwahahaha.

The food situation was actually not bad. This BLT salad had a lot of bacon. And a lot of cheese, as you can see.

We checked into our Manzanita Lake campsite and quickly set up camp.

Then we headed to Manzanita Lake and decided to rent a kayak. I am pretty sure the kayaks were meant to hold 2-3 people, but the person in charge let us all go in one together.

In retrospect, I am not sure this was the best idea as the kayak felt quite tippy with four. I was getting a core workout trying to keep us centered.

I did not want to bring my camera, so I used my iphone. But then I was nervous about dropping my iphone in the water, so I would not consider this a relaxing time. Thankfully, we did not capsize!

We ended up buying paninis from the camper store for dinner.

Post-dinner s’mores.

We were thankful that the air was not as smokey as in Oregon, but there was still a haze. To be continued…

National Parks, Vacation

A Morning In Crater Lake National Park

September 5, 2018 No Comments

Originally, I had planned to take a boat tour around Crater Lake. I had made reservations months in advance AND had pre-paid Xanterra, the park operator. Because of our last minute change in plans due to the smoke, we decided to cancel. The boat tour requires a steep hike down the caldera and back up, and I did not think that was a good idea given the poor air quality. Luckily, we were able to use the phone in the Camp Store and Xanterra graciously refunded our money even though they usually require more advance notice! Instead, we returned to Rim Village to see if we could have a less-smoky/hazy view of Crater Lake.

Unfortunately, it really was not any better than the day before.

We were able to do the short Lady of the Woods hike near the Steel Visitor Center.

Someone likes having his picture taken!

A k-sized tree.

We did not encounter any other hikers. It was so peaceful. But, D and I did receive some mosquito bites.

Next stop: Lassen Volcanic National Park.

National Parks, Vacation

Crater Lake Trolley

August 26, 2018 No Comments

We needed to leave Sacramento early in the morning because we had reservations for the Crater Lake Trolley tour at 3 p.m. Then, at one of our rest stops I realized that I had a message from the trolley company that asked if we could make the 2 p.m. tour instead because the smoke from the wildfires had been rolling in around 3 p.m. the past few days. As we drove through Northern California, the sky was an ominous gray from the other numerous wildfires. We kept our windows rolled up and made minimal stops. Thankfully, we were able to make the tour on time.

The tour is run in conjunction with the National Park Service. A knowledgeable ranger narrated the tour which made for an educational experience.

I was grateful that the tour company provided cushions for us to sit on since the wooden seats were pretty uncomfortable.

The trolley circled the entire lake in about two hours, with numerous stops. I find it amazing that this lake was created by a volcano that imploded on itself and filled with rain and melted snow.

If I had known that k was squinting like that in our only family picture, I would have asked the trolley drive to take another one! Oh well.

Although Crater Lake was pretty, I must admit that I was disappointed. I had seen so many jaw-dropping pictures beforehand, so my expectations were high. The haze from the smoke obscured the view and blocked the sun so the stunning blue color just was not there. I told D that we need to go there again to see its true beauty, but I doubt we would ever make the drive again. 🙁

We had reservations to camp for two nights at Mazama Campground near Crater Lake, but it did not seem like a good idea with the poor air quality. I was especially concerned for n, since he is small and has had asthma issues. I do not like having to do things on the fly, but I was able to cancel one night of our camping reservations, and nab a room in one of the cabins instead. I was not happy paying for $180 for one night in a very basic room, but it was worth it in order to decrease any health risks.

We decided to add another night of camping in Lassen National Park, our next stop. Since we no longer had access to a fire ring, we had to microwave our pre-bought hot dogs in the camp store microwave. What a sad dinner!

Vacation

Our First Airbnb Stay!

August 20, 2018 No Comments

For our last week of summer vacation, we took a road trip to visit Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. I took k and her friend to their middle school registration in the morning, and we hit the road right after. Our first stop was Sacramento. At first we had a reservation at a Marriott in downtown Sacramento with D’s points, but then I saw this Airbnb listing in my Facebook feed through our friend’s sister’s friend! We had never tried Airbnb, but thought it would be worth a try.

The duplex did not look like much from the outside, but you could tell that a lot of effort had been put into remodeling the interior. We were able to park right outside the front door, so that was nice. I downloaded the SmartLock app as instructed, and it was so cool. The lock looks like a regular lock, but when I opened the app on my phone, the door unlocked/locked like magic.

The owner definitely has an eye for style!

This was the bedroom D and I stayed in. The mattress was very comfortable!

This was the bedroom where the kids slept. It was nice to have separate rooms. D was able to wake up early to do his core exercises without disturbing the kids’ sleep.

Here’s the bathroom. For some reason I failed to take a picture of the kitchen! Overall, this was a positive Airbnb experience for us. I will definitely be keeping it in mind for future stays.

We went to a local grocery store and bought food for dinner, breakfast, and hot dogs for the next night’s camping dinner.

We left early the next morning since it was Oregon or bust!

Vacation

JEMS Mount Hermon Memories

July 12, 2018 No Comments

Last week our family went to JEMS Mount Hermon Family Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains. The last time I went was about thirty years ago, when I went as a kid with my parents. Returning with my kids was surreal. Certain things seemed familiar, but a lot has changed.

The theme was “He Restores My Soul”. Unplugging and listening to God’s Word being taught everyday was a soul-restoring experience. Many of the messages can be found here!

During our messages, small groups and seminars, the kids were well taken care of at Day Camp. The staff was made up a bunch of energetic young adults.

We stayed in a “economy” room, Fir Lodge 7.

The room was not fancy, but it served our needs.

There was a nice large window facing the forest.

About half of k’s basketball team was there! (Plus some new friends.)

k had fun participating in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament. They tied in the championship game, but lost in the shootout.

One of the activities that n enjoyed was Dodge ‘n Arrows. It is like dodge ball, but with arrows (soft tips, not sharp!)

Unfortunately, this activity was on the warmest day, so wearing the protective masks was somewhat stuffy.

It was nice that n had his own group to hang out with as well.

n also tried his hand at archery, but it was difficult since he had to use the adult bows.

n had an easier time with the rock wall.

He climbed that wall like Spider Man with no fear!

Discovery Grove was a mini-ropes course.

k was also old enough to also do the Sequoia Aerial Adventure ropes course with D.

D and I went for a boat ride. We tried to both paddle, but it was too difficult to coordinate so D took over.

There were air hockey, pool and ping pong tables in the Field House.

With all of those activities and staying up late, the kids slept well!

We pretty much ate breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining room.

The staff members were all so helpful and courteous and the food was really good!

There was a nice salad bar everyday for both lunch and dinner. There was a wide variety of entrees, with everything from Mexican to Chinese to pasta.

We also enjoyed full breakfasts everyday.

Next year, k will be off to Junior High Camp, so I am glad we were able to attend Family Camp all together this year!

Vacation

Spring Break: Las Vegas Wrap-Up

April 5, 2018 No Comments

Since D was attending his conference and evening work activities, he was concerned that we would be bored. As you can see from our previous posts, we kept ourselves busy. I really enjoyed my extended time with just the kids. It was also very nice to be on the north end of the Strip. There was a lot less craziness and it felt more family-friendly than some of our other visits.

The Canal Shoppes were confusing to navigate, but eventually learned our way around.

Living Statue

When I read that there was a Paris Baguette located in The Venetian, I put it on my places to check out. We have one by our house, but we do not go very often. However, this Creme Brulee Bombolone might have been my favorite food item that I ate during our vacation! It was filled with custard and the light torched sugar crust was perfection. We also returned bought some sandwiches that were pretty good as well.

I really liked the interior spaces of The Palazzo. Simple, but elegant.

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The key to taking this picture without anyone else around is to go at 6:30 a.m.! Staying at @palazzovegas is quite an upgrade from what we're used to. 😍 #earlyriser #hotelart

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Our first dinner was take-out pizza from Grimaldi’s, conveniently located in The Palazzo.

Love the thin crust!

I really liked the design of this Starbucks, located just outside of Sands Convention Center.

We did a little window shopping at Fashion Show Mall.

At the Disney store we discovered Ufufys. Have you heard of them? I guess they are from Japan, which may be why I was immediately drawn to them!

They are also scented, which I am not sure I would like for the long term, but it was fun in the store.

We watched the Mirage volcano erupt.

Until next time!

Family Field Trips, Sponsored, Vacation

Spring Break Las Vegas: Real Bodies at Bally’s

April 3, 2018 No Comments

We were provided with complimentary tickets from Real Bodies. All opinions are my own.

When I told our kids that we were going to Real Bodies at Bally’s they had mixed reactions. They seemed both interested and a little grossed out at the same time. I had seen advertisements for similar exhibits at other science museums, but had never been.

I am not sure what they were trying to accomplish by making this skeleton the first thing you see, but it definitely piqued our interest. Maybe it is a warning that if you cannot handle looking at this display, this museum is not for you!

The human body is so amazingly complex, yet most of the time we take it for granted. This exhibit explores the various systems of the body, including the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, digestive, nervous and respiratory systems.

I liked how there were random factoids posted throughout the museum. For instance, did you know that children grow faster in spring? There was another parent there that was teaching her child extra facts about everything they saw. Science was never my strong suit, so we just stuck to reading the informational cards.

There was also a section that was cordoned off that showed fetuses at various stages of fetal development. We chose to view it, and it was probably the most fascinating part of the exhibit for me. The kids could not believe that they were ever that tiny!

If you are looking for something interesting and educational to do while in Las Vegas, check out Real Bodies at Bally’s.

REAL BODIES at Bally’s uses real human specimens to explore the complex inner workings of the human form in a refreshing and thought-provoking style. System-by-system, the Exhibition provides an approachable and fascinating insight into what’s happening inside every one of us. Generous group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. Please contact us for more information regarding group pricing for self-guided tours and field trips.
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Family Field Trips, Sponsored, Vacation

Spring Break: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

April 2, 2018 No Comments

Disclosure: We received free tickets from Madame Tussauds in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

While D was busy at the Adobe Summit, the kids and I had a lot of free time. We decided to check out Madame Tussauds Wax Museum located in The Venetian Hotel. This was the first time we have ever visited a wax museum.

The idea of a wax museum has always sounded kind of creepy, but fascinating at the same time. k is supposed to do a wax museum project for school where she dresses up as a historical figure, so this was a good experience for her.

The likenesses of the celebrities definitely had me doing double-takes.

There are a ton of good photo opportunities! This museum is pretty hands-on; no velvet ropes that you need to stand behind.

Warning: a couple of the scenes were rated PG-13, i.e. not very “family-friendly”. This is Vegas, after all. I quickly scooted the kids to the next scene.

Since our kids are not very aware about celebrity culture, they did not recognize most of the figures. However, if you are into celebrities, this would be a fun place to visit. Where else can you have your picture taken with the likenesses of George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Shaquille O’Neal?

The kids’ favorite part of the museum was watching the 4D Marvel movie at the end. Although it was only about ten minutes long, I thought it was a nice addition that added value to the price of the museum ticket.

Get your selfie sticks ready! Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is the only place with no velvet ropes or barriers holding you back from getting photos with your favorite stars! Located on the Las Vegas Strip, under the Venetian Bell Tower, Madame Tussauds invites you to pose with countless figures of internationally renowned musicians, A-list celebrities, sports legends, world leaders, super heroes and more. With several newly renovated spaces, the world famous interactive wax attraction is bigger and better than ever!

Plus, don’t miss your chance to fight crime alongside Nick Fury and your favorite Marvel Superheros, before immersing yourself in the wild Marvel Super Heroes 4D Cinema Experience, featuring high-impact special effects!
Save $5 Off – Show and save! Get $5 off your admission to Madame Tussauds Las Vegas when you present the box office with this coupon. *Present this coupon at the box office and receive $5.00 off each admission. Coupon valid up to 10 people. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. No cash value. Not for resale. Management reserves all rights. The images show depict wax figures created and owned by Madame Tussauds. 2017 Madame Tussauds. TM & Warner Brothers Entertainment, Inc. Promotional Code: USFAMILY

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