Playtime need not be limited to the playground. The day we took a leisurely family stroll on the San Clemente Pier was a perfect reminder. Location: Head towards San Clemente and exit I-5 at Avenida Palizada. Turn south onto El Camino Real (the main street that parallels the freeway). Turn right … Continue Reading
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Beach Trips: What To Bring To The Beach and How One Parent Can Carry It All
Beach trips can be a snap if you have a system and know what to bring whether it's for day at the beach or part of a full-on beach vacation. A … Continue reading
OC Summer Camps with Outdoor Themes
2019 OC summer camps providers in Orange County offer a number of outdoor camp themes for families looking to enroll their kids in options … Continue reading
Play Trips and Park Tips
Concourse Park in Portola Hills
Concourse Park is in the Portola Hills neighborhood of Lake Forest. I never knew how to get to those “houses on the hill” on the way up El Toro Road near Santiago Canyon and O’Neill Regional Park. You notice the homes up to the left and I always think about what a great view they […]
Box Canyon Park in Yorba Linda: Accessible Playground for All Pirates and Knights
Box Canyon Park in Yorba Linda was destroyed in the fires of 2008. It wowed me from the first time I drove by to check out the construction. They definitely went above and beyond with the new play structures and surrounding area. I could see the ship’s mast in the distance, and the flags on […]
Family Guide to Crystal Cove Historic District via Los Trancos
This is a family guide to the Crystal Cove Historic District via Los Trancos – the closest large parking lot to this location. The Crystal Cove Historic District & Cottages at Newport Coast are what most people associate with this state park. It’s popular for its cottages which are available for rental through ReserveCalifornia.com, the Beachcomber […]
Los Olivos Community Park near Irvine Spectrum
Los Olivos Community Park near Irvine Spectrum opened in March 2019. It’s near the site of the old Irvine Meadows Amphitheater off of Irvine Center Drive. This land was once home to Wild Rivers, Camp James, a Christmas tree lot and a huge parking lot to support those big entertainment venues. Now it’s a massive […]
Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea: The $5 Park with $10 Worth of Fun
Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea is ridiculously fun. FOUR playgrounds lie in sprinting distance of one another – with views of a small lake. Bring a picnic and plan to stay all day for nature hikes and wildlife viewing. Kudos to Orange County for bringing the best in playgrounds to its kids. Directions to […]
How to Be a Hummingbird Parent
Exploring how to be a “Hummingbird Parent” is the next step after learning the story and loose definition of Hummingbird Parenting. Hummingbird parenting isn’t anything new, it’s just the name I gave to my personal parenting strategy when I got fed-up with the helicopter parenting bashing from the media or experts, many of whom weren’t […]
Bauer Park in Huntington Beach: Almost-Gated and Beach-Close Playground
Bauer Park in Huntington Beach came to my attention by way of readers Tania and Robyn who commented on a Facebook post where I asked about “spiderweb parks.” Bauer Park definitely has a spiderweb and it’s one of the nicer parks in Huntington Beach – almost reminiscent of Peter Green Park. It’s surrounded by gated […]
7+ Kid-Friendly Farm and Garden Outings
Are you looking for kid-friendly farm and garden outings around Southern California? I remember being allowed to wander through botanic gardens on my own. I guess my mom was probably watching, but my eyes were facing forward and I was an explorer in a new world! What was around the next bend? What exotic plants […]