Who doesn’t like the beauty of Fall? And here in San Francisco Bay Area we can have the benefits of Fall colors minus all the rains that accompany the season in other parts of the country. California does not necessarily have the same famous Fall foliage displays as New England, for instance. But you can definitely find fall colors in Bay Area if you know what and where to look. It is like a scavenger hunt of sorts – the harder the search, the sweeter the prize First of all, before you embark on your fall foliage walk or drive you need to know WHAT you are looking for. The trees that produce t ..read more

California is a place brimming with sunshine, surf, and, of course, an abundance of thrilling, world-class theme parks, from the magical world of Harry Potter to the colorful realms of Disneyland. This is where dreams come to life for many travelers. And, let’s be honest, who doesn’t fancy a bit of magic? So buckle up, folks. We’re about to embark on a whimsical journey through the enchanting universe of California’s best theme parks. The Whimsical World of Disneyland California Theme Parks First, no guide to theme parks in California would be complete without a nod to the Happiest Place on Ea ..read more

If you have been following my blog for a while you have probably figured out that I put a huge focus on making travel affordable to ALL families. This new article, “Free Things to Do in Bay Area”, is just the latest in the series of my blog posts about travel on a shoestring budget. Definitely check out Adventures Under $10 section on my blog on more super affordable and often FREE attractions and destinations. But let us come back to free things to do in Bay Area – there are actually a ton of free attractions in San Francisco Bay Area that are fun, education and overall great for the entire f ..read more

Family wellness vacations, family retreat vacations (including family spiritual retreats and family mindfulness retreats) and family health and wellness travel are becoming more and more popular these days. We are all living in a stressful world and so we are looking for solutions to combat the stresses of life and feel better. Travel in essence is a stressful endeavor in itself: you stress about planning, packing, things that can potentially go wrong, late flights, lost luggage, global pandemics and a million other big and small things. The dilemma is: how to incorporate wellness elements int ..read more

Who doesn’t like a good old train ride?! For me personally, extra bonuses go to Christmas train rides in California. There is just no winter holidays for me without a jolly ride on a beautifully decorated train to meet Santa, drinking hot cocoa and listening to holiday tunes. There are lots of Christmas activities in San Francisco but I enjoy a Christmas train rides more than anything else because it is always a fun family adventure plus you are always guaranteed coverage from inclement weather, which is not uncommon in Northern California in December. Tickets for many Christmas events in Bay ..read more

Marin Headlands is an awesome hiking destination for families just across the bridge from San Francisco. Marin Headlands is part of Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and it covers the hilly area facing San Francisco from the North and bordering the Bay and the Pacific Ocean. There are dozens of miles of trails in this area but what are the kid friendly hikes in Marin Headlands specifically? In this article I am going to tell you about 3 of my most favorite hikes that are easy in terms of endurance required but spectacular in terms of scenic views. Kid Friendly Hikes Marin Headlands: # 1 R ..read more

Winchester Mystery House tours are a popular attraction among people who love paranormal activity, history, legends, well, all in all a bit of MYSTERY. Even Josh Gates of Discovery Channel’s “Expedition Unknown” visited the mansion and made a program about it. So if you travel to Bay Area, a visit to Winchester Mystery House is a great day trip from San Francisco. A little history, a little mystery Winchester Mystery House is a 135 year old mansion located in San Jose, California that was built by Sarah Winchester, the wife of the late firearms magnate, William Winchester, the inventor of the ..read more

Are you ready to sail into summer? This year we have decided to put together some cool Family Summer Bucket List ideas and I am thrilled to share them with you! After the disastrous summer of 2020 we now know that nothing in this world is guaranteed. Playgrounds can be closed, playdates with friends – not possible, and travel can be allowed in a 7 miles radius only… But we sure all hope that Summer 2021 will be better. And the truth is: it can be as good as we make it ourselves! Last year when it was clear that summer was going to suck for everybody I used all my insider knowledge of local att ..read more

Bird watching in Bay Area is an exciting, educational and COVID-19 safe activity. We are a bit spoiled here in San Francisco Bay Area in terms of bird watching because there are so many species of birds that call this area home and lots of spots where to see them in big quantities. Below is the list of our most favorite places for bird watching in Bay Area. #1 Bird Watching in Bay Area – Pescadero Marsh Nature Reserve Pescadero Marsh is located along HW 1 a little South of Half Moon Bay and it famous for water fowl and beautiful Great Egrets. There are two waterways running through the marsh ..read more