Maximizing rewards while traveling with kids
The little town of Paso Robles on the Central Coast is a well-kept Californian secret with its fabulous vineyards, outdoor installation with thousands of glowing spheres, fine dining, and so much more.
It is a perfect place for a short family weekend getaway and is only 2.5 hours from San Jose, CA, or 2 hours from Monterey, CA. Let’s take a look at some kid-friendly activities that the whole family would appreciate.
What comes to your mind when you think about visiting Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks? It should be mountains, canyons, waterfalls, and of course, a forest with magnificent ancient giants, the largest living things on Earth, sequoias.
Representing two of the nine National Parks in California, these parks spread across thousands of acres of land (including 808,000 acres of designated wilderness). Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks are very popular tourist destinations and are visited by people from all over the world.
Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is a unique, large and second deepest (1,645 ft / 500 m) freshwater lake in the U.S. With its blue crystal clear waters and famous beaches, surrounded by the National Forest, this area is home to summer water activities and winter sports.
There is no better way to explore Lake Tahoe than to stay on the lakeshore. Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino is located right on the lake, has a private beach, and offers so much more to have a great time on Lake Tahoe. There are plenty of things to do in the summertime at this resort!
This summer we visited Lassen Volcanic National Park, California. We had to postpone our visit several times due to unforeseen circumstances such as the closure for reconstruction of the most popular area and trail (Bumpass Hell), Covid restrictions, and of course, the Dixie Fire in the park in 2021.
Finally, the stars aligned, and we could explore this National Park with its ancient volcanos, fumaroles, meadows, and crystal clear lakes. Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the oldest National Parks in the U.S. and spreads through over 100,000 acres of land.
If you are looking for a family-oriented oceanfront resort in Southern California, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa is one of them. This Spanish-inspired hotel has a great location, just minutes away from the beach, with gorgeous Pacific Ocean views. Spanning across several acres, the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach has various dining options, pools, and a spa, and offers resort activities for kids and adults (including surfing lessons!).
We spent a weekend at the Waterfront Hotel in Oakland, CA a few weeks ago. The Waterfront Hotel is a boutique hotel located in the heart of the Jack London Square. A famous marina area on the Oakland Harbor and the Alameda Oakland Ferry Dock, the Jack London Square offers dining with water views, nestled with breweries and stores. It hosts special outdoor events and a Sunday morning Farmer’s Market.
Last Christmas break, we had planned a short getaway to the winter wonderland (as Sophia says). We had booked three nights at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa And Casino and were very excited about our trip.
The weather in the Sierras is very unpredictable in winter, it can be dry and sunny, or it can snow for days and wreak havoc on the traffic. December 2021 turned out to be the snowiest December on record for the Sierra Nevada, breaking all the previous records. Central Sierra Snow Lab recorded 214 inches (544 cm) of snow that month!
Recently we spent a weekend at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel And Spa On Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey. So far, this was our fourth stay at this property, and we always enjoy it.
The hotel is a 22-acre property with two large outdoor pools, hot tubs, dining, a little outdoor area where you can play ping pong or a giant jenga, a gazebo with a fire pit for roasting marshmallows, and obviously a golf course.
A couple of weeks ago, we spent a weekend at the luxurious ranch in the Carmel Valley, California — Carmel Valley Ranch.
We love Carmel-by-the-sea and usually go there to spend some time on the beach and walk around downtown, but we had never been to the Carmel Valley, which was only 20 minutes further inland.
We love road trips! You don’t have to stress out about plane tickets or packing too much, and you can stop whenever you feel like it.
However, having a new baby and the pandemic made things more difficult for traveling. When baby Zoe was seven months and Sophia was 6.5 years old, we decided to give it a try and planned our first little getaway. This was the first time we traveled as a family of four, and we agreed upon a little town on the Central Coast of California — San Luis Obispo. It was only a 2.5-hour drive from us and wasn’t that busy, given the time of the year (March) and all the restrictions.
