College tours with your teen don’t have to be a trudge from one campus to another in a mad rush to find the right school. On a recent weekend getaway to Los Angeles, my teen daughter and I decided to…
My teen will be headed out to college soon so we need to tour some perspective colleges. She loves the sun of the Southern California, especially around Los Angeles. With the weather and the beaches, SoCal is a hit with…
Southern California offers more to discover than Hollywood or Santa Monica. With charming communities up and down the coast, pack up the kids and explore Long Beach for the day. About 25 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles, it offers…
Tell the kids you’re stargazing for your next family getaway, then hand them sunglasses and a bathing suit. Los Angeles offers families epic beaches, a unique cultural experience along with top museums wrapped in a SoCal vibe that tweens and…
Carving my way through a treed glade as the diamond-dusted mountains sparkle soothes my soul. For my kids, catching a bit of air in the terrain park makes them forget about homework. My husband just wants to be away from…
As a road tripping maniac that’s driven three kids across North America, I hate my car at times. I love to use different forms of transportation. So when the opportunity came up to take the train from Southern California to…
Why would you visit Alcatraz with kids? Well, Alcatraz topped the San Francisco to-do list for my kids, 9, 13 and 14. ALL DAY they asked, when are we going to Alcatraz. Seriously. And it was their favorite national park…
2020 Note: The Palm Springs Aerial Tram is closed until further notice. Think Palm Springs is a desert without trees or wintertime snow? Think again, especially after climbing aboard the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway for a breathtaking ride in the…
When Old Hollywood needed an escape from the demands of making movies, they hopped in their convertibles drove out to a luxurious desert getaway, four hours from Los Angeles. The glamourous still lounge by the legendary pool, hiding under large…
Nestled in a glade of evergreens, Granlibakken Tahoe offers families a winter escape along the western shores of Lake Tahoe, minutes away from Tahoe City. A family favorite for years, I appreciate that my kids can sled and ski to…
Sunny San Diego offers families a year-round destination packed with oodles of activities that can keep the kids entertained for a week, like the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Legoland and even the Cabrillo National Monument. For families looking to enjoy…
Looking for a Wow moment for your next trip to San Diego with the kids? I enjoyed the afternoon at the Hotel del Coronado, the legendary historic hotel on Coronado Island, without spending the night. A full-on family vacation at…