For the last 15 years, I’ve been lucky enough to call the San Francisco Bay Area home. San Francisco is a destination that travelers from all over the world yearn to visit, and all of it is in my backyard. But don’t be too jealous! As great as the city is, I also know firsthand …
The city of San Francisco, California is one of the most transit-friendly in the United States, if you know how to use the variety of transportation options available to navigate the famous hills. I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 15 years, so it’s fair to say I’ve taken pretty much every option, from cable …
San Francisco is certainly a destination worthy of a week or more. As a local in the Bay Area, I always recommend that visitors come and stay awhile, taking a few day trips around Northern California on a longer vacation. But sometimes you just don’t have the time. Luckily, there is so much than can …
Whether you are a local or a tourist, the city of San Francisco has dozens of family-friendly activities and events to keep you busy. But sometimes it’s great to get out of the city and explore more of the greater Bay Area and Northern California. If you have young kids like I do, day trips …
A little over an hour away from San Francisco and about 20 miles south of San Jose is the town of Gilroy, California. It is probably best known for its agriculture – in particular, its garlic. Gilroy plays host to an annual summer garlic festival that draws serious crowds. But Gilroy has another attraction that is …
Like most families, mine loves to visit theme parks in our travels. When we can’t travel far from home, we try to make time for day trips and staycations to some of our local theme parks in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California. I recently realized that we had one major hole in …
Thanks to the Oakland A’s for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. Spring is finally here and that means it’s time for America’s favorite past-time – baseball! My family’s love of our hometown team, the Oakland Athletics – more affectionately known as the A’s – runs pretty deep. My husband grew up in …
One of the biggest challenges of traveling with kids is navigating through large airports. Each airport is laid out differently, has different amenities, and presents different challenges when it comes to traveling with kids. Wouldn’t it be great to know what to expect at different airports all over the country before you travel with your …
Special holiday events have become increasingly popular at amusement parks across the country. My home theme park in Northern California – California’s Great America in Santa Clara – has joined the ranks of celebrating the winter season with a special event of its own. The park’s holiday celebration, WinterFest at Great America, is only in …
Editor’s Note (September 2022): The Great Pumpkin Fest at California’s Great America has now been retired. But good news – it has been replaced by an even bigger and better family-friendly Halloween event in 2022. See my guide to the brand new Tricks and Treats Halloween event at California’s Great America for all the details …