Planning a family trip can be tricky these days. Like many people, we’ve had a few getaways derailed because of Covid. With our girls at different schools, they have different Spring Breaks. What’s more, my work as a realtor makes it difficult to be away during March and April when the real estate market tends to heat up. For these reasons, my husband and I recently decided to take advantage of time off over the holidays and take the family to California. We arrived the day after Christmas and enjoyed our time in the Golden State through New Years Day.
It was an interesting concept for me to plan a trip and make it part of the girls’ Christmas gift. Although it meant exchanging fewer gifts (less pressure on me), the girls who are 9 and 11 were enthusiastic about the idea of an after-Christmas vacation. They envisioned “Hollywood” and all things glamorous. My husband and I envisioned a week off of cooking and laundry! I’m only half joking, but I thought California would be a great change of scenery and offer plenty of activities to keep us all engaged.
We have fairly active vacations with our kids, and I spent a fair amount of time making sure the activities we chose would appeal to everyone and that the main attractions would be open after Christmas.
We started off in Los Angeles. The numerous beaches, Venice Beach boardwalk, bike riding, shopping, hiking, Santa Monica Pier and Disney Land were all a big draw. We stayed at the Fairmont Myanmar which was family friendly, had a great spa and heated pool and jacuzzi as well as delicious restaurants. It was walkable to the beach and made getting around Santa Monica a breeze.
A friend of mine who lives in L.A. recommended visiting the Getty Museum. What a spectacular experience! Not only is the museum itself top notch, it offers a children’s program and the property is one-of-a-kind. The Getty sprawls across a very substantial hilltop overlooking Los Angeles and the coastline. On a clear day you can see all the way to Catalina. You know it’s a great museum when your kids think it’s amazing! The outdoor gardens and the tram both appealed to the kids and are an added bonus. We played a game with them as we went through the galleries. We’d ask them questions like “Which painting is the happiest or the saddest?” or “In which painting do you see something peculiar?” They loved the challenge and it meant they actually took in the masterpieces by Van Gogh and Rembradt as well as finding the most interesting and colorful hand-painted books that were 500-1000 years old.
After 3 nights in Los Angeles, we headed to San Diego. I was excited to experience San Diego with my family because of the well-known San Diego Zoo and the Hotel Del Coronado.
The Coronado hotel was decorated like a fairytale wonderland for Christmas. The hotel was beautifully adorned with Christmas lights and an ice skating rink had been installed facing the beach. There were bikes available, a huge heated pool, activities galore and we even watched the movie BIG with Tom Hanks on an inflatable movie screen on the beach while eating popcorn! This hotel is a destination unto itself. I love everything about it.
During our stay, the highlights were visiting Balboa Park and spending the day at the #1 ranked San Diego zoo, eating hot fudge sundaes at Ghirardelli in the Gaslamp district and enjoying the beautiful beach in front of the hotel to walk and play with the girls.
I also appreciated the fact that the girls were old enough this year to not ask for lots of gifts and a vacation was an adventure they embraced whole-heartedly. I hope this is something they will continue to treasure in coming years. As a mom, I love to share new experiences with our children that will hopefully make lasting memories. Generally speaking though, it’s amazing to me how when you travel with someone, you really go all in. We let the devices and phones take a backseat and really enjoyed each other’s company in everything we did.
I know I’m not the only one who craves sunshine and milder weather during the Winter. The winter months can be long, cold and even lonely and a trip can be something to plan and look forward to as well as a welcomed retreat. After such a bustling and celebratory holiday season, I often have a hard time rebounding in January and February. Disrupting those trickier months with a trip or visiting a friend or family member is a healthy way to connect with people you’re close to and hopefully share a few laughs.
I think the most ideal thing about California for me is the fact it offers mountains to one side and the Pacific Ocean to the other. I love the panorama and watching the sunsets. I love watching the surfers catch a wave and walking out on the piers. Everyone seems to be out on the weekend cycling and walking and playing volleyball or pickle ball, and it’s extremely energizing. You feel like you’re really living life to its fullest. And to have those experiences with your whole family is truly something special.
