New at Disneyland this Summer

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Disneyland has alerted us to new park features opening this summer. Here’s a round-up: At California Adventure Cars Land and Buena Vista Street Based on Emeryville’s own beloved Pixar characters — Cars Land recreated the town of Radiator Springs along Route 66 — the recently expanded Disney California Adventure Park just added four new attractions: [...]

Reader tip: Family surfing in Half Moon Bay

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I can remember taking surf camp lessons in Sayulita when I was a single, child-free chica. This program sounds like so much fun, albeit completely impractical for my summer camp needs: Sea, Surf & Fun 5 day surf camps are designed for kids ages 6-19 years old. Each day, expert instructors teach a surf lesson [...]

Hyperlocal sites for parents across the country

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Since launching this site, I have had the great pleasure of becoming connected to other hyperlocal bloggers who have started similar sites in their own cities. From Atlanta to Grand Rapids, MI to Westchester County, NY, my peers have put together online resources to serve their communities, and perhaps, with summer travel on the horizon, [...]

Kid-friendly West Coast cruises

ocean photo by Vinoth Chandar

This guest post was submitted by Erica from Cruise Web; she is the Social Media Coordinator and did a heap of research at my request. I asked her to share with us a few cruises that sail from the West Coast and other considerations for cruises as a family vacation. Child-friendly cruising is becoming more [...]

Leland Snow Play: Tubing fun for all ages – including adults

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Leland Snow Play is a snow park for tubing in Strawberry, CA, in the Sonora Pass region. If you’re not familiar, that’s about 175 miles, mostly East, from the Berkeley area. Rental houses are abundant in Twain Harte, a mountain town about 25 minutes from the snow park, and early planners may have luck securing [...]

Tahoe Donner with kids

Tahoe Donner for kids

If you’re staying in and around Truckee with kids, Tahoe Donner is an affordable resort that’s great for beginners. I hadn’t been on a snowboard or skis in 12 years when my family went a few weeks ago, and, consequently, my children had never even been to a ski resort when we arrived. What we [...]

Bay Area road trip idea for winter break: Monterey

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The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of California’s best indoor tourist attractions, a perfect mission for the long days of December school closure. It’s a two-hour drive from Berkeley. One option is a day trip. Head out of the {510} at 8 am, meet some South Bay friends you are always meaning to visit for [...]

Kid-friendly Sonoma and Napa

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I was standing in line at Sonoma’s Train Town when another mom started chatting me up. (She was observing a certain quirk of my 5-year old who frequently makes us get off a carnival-style ride just seconds before it starts.) I asked her if she was a local, and indeed she was. By the time [...]

{510} Family Faves: Po Bronson

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Po Bronson lives in San Francisco, with his wife and two children. We asked him to share his favorite Bay Area places to go with the kids.

5 Bay Area roadtrips with for baby-owners

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Sometimes babies on airplanes are not much fun. Therefore, I present five Bay Area getaways we have written about in the past, in which you can just throw the baby and gear into your family car. (Once you have reservations of course. We can’t be too spontaneous!). Berkeley Family Camp near Yosemite in Groveland. Nature [...]

A big smile from Berkeley Family Camp

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… Just got back from Tuolomne. I have so much to share next week, once I collect my thoughts and unpack my dusty car!

Things to know about a trip to Disney’s California Adventure CARS LAND

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I was invited on a tour of the new Cars Land installment at Disney’s California Adventure park in Anaheim, and I was appropriately floored. The invited part of the above disclosure statement means that a) my children were not with me and b) I did not have to wait in line for the rides, so [...]

Road Trip: A Week in Southern Oregon with Kids

Crater Lake with kids

After browsing Amy Whitley’s impressive web site Pit Stops for Kids, I invited her to contribute a vacation recommendation for Bay Area families. I’m pleased to publish her guest post here. Looking for an easy getaway this summer? Southern Oregon provides Bay Area families with lots to do in a beautiful, natural setting…and guess what? [...]

What makes a vacation a vacation?

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One of the greatest shocks of new parenthood is the lack of vacation days. Do you agree? As much as I have enjoyed weekends spent with my family and other families in rental houses in Tahoe, Santa Cruz, and other drive-able destinations, I also crave a hotel stay to relieve me of some of my [...]

Hiking in the East Bay with kids

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I have a shelf full of travel books that I’m reluctant to toss because they remind me of my past life. However, I know that next time I visit Brussels, Costa Rica, or the beaches of North Carolina, I’ll probably rely on a digital tool to provide me with restaurant recommendations and up-to-date hours and [...]

Tahoe: Northstar Ski School for Kids

Pro-tip: If you’re considering ski school for two kids, check the various resorts for their age groupings. Siblings may be together in some locations, but apart at others.

Daytrip to Pacifica

Pacifica is a short daytrip from the East Bay and was recently rated one of the most beautiful cities in America.