Ah, yes. The Katy Perry song I love to hate has been playing long and loud in my house this past week. Why, you ask?
Well, because my girls and I are heading down to California ourselves (only four more sleeps)!
It all started as a dream around this time last year. With my marriage disintegrating, my oldest daughter’s anxiety at a peak and my own health in decline, I held on to one tiny ray of hope: one day, when all this is over, I’ll take the girls to Disneyland.
And now, a full year later, I’m doing just that.
It’s not going to be one of those YouTube moments where I wake the kids at 4:30 a.m. to surprise them with bags packed and Mickey Mouse hats for them to wear on the plane. No, I’m not that good of a secret-keeper, and besides…my kids have been pestering me to go so badly that I would never have managed to fake them out anyway.
No, my daughters are in on this plan. Yeah, like, one thousand percent in! We’re all very excited, but that anticipation is tempered with the knowledge that this will be our first big trip as a threesome. For me, it’ll be my first time travelling internationally with my children as a single mom. It’s going to be fun, and wonderful, and thrilling, yes. But it’s going to be different, too. And over the next two weeks, I’m planning to document this big milestone in our lives right here on my blog. Join me for the ups and downs of planning, packing, departure and all our wonderful adventures while we’re in California. To top it all off, my oldest daughter (aged eleven going on eighteen) will be keeping a journal and I’ll be posting her thoughts along with mine for that ‘tween perspective.
But here’s the best part: we’re not just going to Disneyland. We’re going to hit the high spots that California has to offer, all in eight short days. Thanks to support from Omni Hotels, who are sponsoring our California adventure, we’ll also be taking in San Francisco where we’ll check out the famous sights based out of the comfort of the Omni Kids Suite furnished by Pottery Barn. Next, we’ll drive back down the coast to Los Angeles, where we’ll check out some amazing Hollywood attractions courtesy of the Hollywood CityPASS (stay tuned to my blog this week for details on an amazing giveaway from CityPASS)! Then it’s on to San Diego, where we’ll stay in the Omni San Diego Hotel and head out to tour the world-famous San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Then it’s back to LA for a weekend of visiting with family in Pasadena, and then we head back home to Calgary. Whew…I’m tired already!
But despite the somewhat challenging logistics of trying to fit so much excitement into such a short period of time, I know we’re going to have a wonderful holiday. Come what may, the weather will be warm(er), there’ll be no school bells ringing, and I’ll be with my girls, cruising the freeway in a cool convertible.
What’s that? A convertible?
Oh yes I did! Cashed in all my air miles to rent not just a car, but the ultimate California road trip vehicle.
See ya, suckas!
Hi – My wife got us tickets as a birthday present on April 17. Can you post some information (or reply back) about when the taping was over? (My company might want me to fly out that night on a business trip.) Thanks for the write-up – now we’re even more excited to go!
Thanks everyone! And thanks for the great suggestions on what to do! I don’t know how we’re ever going to pack it all in — we’ll only be in Disneyland for a day and a half — but we’ll sure give it our best shot! I may need a week off work just to recover from this vacation, LOL!
Can’t wait to hear the details as thy unfold! Especially fom ou daughters’ perspective. LOVE your ride, girl.
I’m so excited for you guys!
Must sees in San Fran…of course Fisherman’s Wharf (your girls might like Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum), take a trolley ride, check out China Town and drive down Lombard Street, the most winding street in the world.
Between San Fran and LA on the coast lies Hearst Castle. Not sure if you’ll have the time because you’d need several hours to even tour a small portion of the tour as the main house is 60,000 sq ft.
For Disney, do a full day at Disneyland, then start your 2nd day at California Adventure and then return to Disneyland later to hit up your favourites again.
Disneyland…I love it. Eat at El Rancho Zocalo, have a Dole whip float for me at the Tiki Tiki Room and a Mint Julep at a little cafe in New Orleans Square. Of course it’s not just about the food! There’s a ‘photo parlour’ kind of place on main street where a talented woman will cut by freehand your child’s silhouette out of black paper. An excellent and inexpensive souvenir. Ask the photogs at the top of mainstreet and down by the Walt Disney statue to do some ‘magical’ pictures, and when you pick up your photo CD tinkerbell will have appeared in your girls’ hands. Get mouse ear hats a the Mad Hatter shop and they will embroider your name on the back for free. Travel light…fanny packs are not fashionable but very handy in the park. If your kids want autographs from characters, get a small autograph book and pen. (bring a pen, the ones in the park are around $7!) See the light show and don’t miss the fireworks…they are magical.
Drive from Anaheim to Newport Beach on the coast and then south on the PCH to San Diego. You’ll get a nice view of the ocean that way.
When I think of more I’ll let you know!
dude! So awesome!!! You deserve this – have a blast!
furnished by potter barn? there is such a thing? that is sooooo cool!!!!! i will gladly eat your dust…you deserve all of this great stuff 🙂
Wonderful! After such a whirlwind year you need a fun trip!
We’ve done Cali pre kids and with kids a few times. We have good friends near San Diego so it is easy to make an excuse to head down there. Love it and want to live there…. San Fran–eat lots of Ghiradelli chocolate at their shop, stroll but pack a sweater as the wind is chilly there even in August. Driving south from there… Monterey, Mendocino….sigh… so pretty.. Aquarium at Monterey is outstanding. So worth a visit. Further south, Carmel, San Louis Obispo (SLO town) … all so nice..
BE CAREFUL if you are driving that coast highway. The twists and turns make for a pretty but dangerous road with too many road side memorials dotting your path. Ask the girls to look out for sea lions hanging out on the shore. Santa Barbara just north of LA is amazing, get away from the coast and go up the mountains a bit and you get mountain views looking east, ocean views looking west. Stunning. (Oprah, Cher, and other famous types all have homes up in those mountains of Santa Barbara for a reason…) Disneyland… nice and “small” compared to Disneyworld so we liked it a lot especially when the kids were younger. San Diego… Balboa Park for strolls and architecture and all pedestrian only zone, San Diego Zoo..very interesting and good for walking. It is very lush and tropical feels like you are walking in a jungle with all the amazing plants etc. If the girls like LEGO, then make a stop at Legoland. It is very very cool and one of the only places I nearly lost my kids a few times because I couldn’t stop staring at the amazing Lego creations.
Enjoy. Enjoy. When do we leave???
Oh Kath, you and your girls will have so much fun…and you do all deserve that fun. Have an amazing time living the dream, and make sure you take a gazillion photos!
Have the BEST TIME, lady!! You deserve it… 🙂
WOW! Can’t wait to read about your trip and the “fun” leading up to it. I too want to take my Missy, but once she’s older & can really enjoy it!