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Kids Ride Free On Amtrak w/ Paid Adult!

April 26, 2011 By

Do you have kids that love trains? If so, now might be a great time to take them on their 1st train ride! Amtrak is celebrating 40 years by having a promotion for kids to ride free with a paid adult when you book now through May 6, 2011. Travel will need to take place between May 1 – June 9, 2011.

This could be a great thing to do for National Train Day! We just took the train from San Diego to San Juan Capistrano, and LOVED it! Check the Amtrak website for full details. Perhaps we’ll see you on the train!

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Happy Earth Day!

April 22, 2011 By

Happy Earth Day! If you have the time today, get out there and do something fun outdoors. Take the kids for a little walk or hike, play in the sand or dirt, look at all the beautiful Spring flowers blooming, or dip your feet in the ocean. Whatever you, have a great one!

P.S. If you’d like to share, we’d love to know how YOU show love to our Mother Earth.

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The Flower Fields ~ More Than Just A Sea of Ranunculus!

April 20, 2011 By

pollennoseWe recently took our yearly trip to The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. While there, it occurred to me that not everyone may be familiar with all there is to do and see other than viewing a sea of (beautiful) ranunculus. If you haven’t been before, read on, and I’ll inform you of the fun you have in store for your visit.

The Flower Fields are a place of beauty, magic, and splendor. It’s a fun place for people of all ages. There’s a lot to do, including a tractor ride with an audio history about the location, fun playground, sweet pea maze, rose garden, gem mining, an “artists” garden with a pond and birds, and so much more. If you visit on a weekend you might hear a band play, or attend on the day of a special event.

If you’re a child, they’ll give you a Flower Fields Passport upon entry. Look for the numbered posts, and stamp your passport with the corresponding number. Once you have all your stamps, you can take it to the sluice mining area for $1.00 off gem mining.

The Flower Fields do allow strollers, and you might want to bring one if you have a little tot. Be sure to bring sunscreen, hats, and wear comfortable walking shoes. You can bring food and beverages, and they have tables with benches for eating. You can buy lemonade there, and I believe they sell other food on certain days.

Designate a good 3 or more hours for your visit. Most activities within The Flower Fields are included in the price of admission, but the mining and tractor are a bit extra. Buy your tractor tickets prior to entering the gates. You can pay your mining fee at the mining station (you may need to pay with cash). Parking is free, and you can either buy your admission tickets online, or at the ticket booth.

Click HERE for a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Entry coupon, which is good through April 30, 2011. In case the pictures below are not enough, you can click HERE for the write up we posted in March, 2011. Click HERE for the official website of The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

P.S. The Flower Fields have extended their 2011 season through May 15th.


Filed Under: Deals, SD Gardens, Fields, Farms, & Nature, SD Outdoorsy, The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Golf Fest ~ Free for kids 10 & younger!

April 7, 2011 By

Golf Fest is happening in San Diego, at Riverwalk Golf Club, on Friday, April 8, & Saturday, April 9, 2011. This is event is free for kids age 10 and under, and just $10 per person over the age of 10. Free golf lessons will be offered for all ages & skill levels both days, as well as lots of perks for attendees. Click HERE for more info about the event. Perhaps we’ll see you there!



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KidsWalk at ArtWalk San Diego

April 6, 2011 By

ArtWalk has been one of my favorite Springtime events since it first started, many years ago. I’ve tried to attend every year, and have always enjoyed walking the streets of Little Italy, looking at assorted art from various artists. Once we had kids, I began taking them to ArtWalk as well.

A few years ago I discovered they had an area called KidsWalk, which is solely devoted to kids activities. KidsWalk is set up at Amici Park on Date Street, next to Walker Elementary. The area is set up with lots of tents from various affiliations, such as museums, art organizations, and local businesses.

Most tents have free art related activities for the kids. ArtReach, a local nonprofit associated with ArtWalk, has one such area. If you stop by KidsWalk at the right time, you might see the Sophia Isadora Academy of Circus Arts performing, which is something our kids always find amazing to watch. One of our favorite KidsWalk activities is to join in with a group of others playing instruments with RhythmWorx.

This year, the Chula Vista Nature Center will also be joining in the fun with live owls, sea stars, and crabs, plus a craft to take home. The Birch Aquarium will have a craft made of recycled materials. Mission Federal Credit Union, ArtWalk’s title sponsor, will also be at KidsWalk, with miniature piggy banks for the kids to paint.

I’ve found that if you have kids, and head straight to KidsWalk, walking around the remainder of ArtWalk is much more enjoyable. KidsWalk allows them to use some of their energy, and gives them the opportunity to use their own creative outlet. I suggest setting aside an hour to and hour and a half to spend at KidsWalk.

ArtWalk San Diego, including KidsWalk, is from 11am-6pm, April 30th & May 1st, 2011. There’s lots to see and do, and the festival is free! Click HERE to go to their website. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

Filed Under: Events, SD Artsy Events, SD Events, SD Festivals Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum

April 2, 2011 By

San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum is a neat, hands-on children’s museum located in the complex for the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, next to Grape Day Park. The museum was established ten years ago, and recently changed their name from Escondido Children’s Museum, to San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum. I think the name change is great, as they’re a museum that serves not only Escondido, but the region of San Diego County, and beyond.

We love that they have a variety of exhibits, and that they have both indoor and outdoor areas. Inside the museum you’ll find a neat tree house to climb, a dress up area with stage, wooden planks for stacking and building, a puppet theatre for imaginative play, musical instruments, a baby section for crawlers to enjoy, and much more. Outside they have painting, a unique water exhibit which combines water and LEGOs, bubbles, a sand box, an old style schoolhouse with more dress up, a neat little garden area with pretend farmers market, and variety of other things to explore. They recently brought in a new exhibit called Imagination Playground, which is made of foam blocks, and super neat for building different structures.

The museum is both fun and educational for the little ones, and has an emphasis on World Cultures. Set aside a few hours of time for exploring. If you want to bring lunch or snacks, you can eat them at the tables they have set up in their outdoor area. Click the link below to view their website. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

Website: San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum


Get a FREE full-color guidebook with the purchase of a Go City Card or Explorer Pass


Filed Under: Escondido Children's Museum, San Diego Children's Discovery Museum Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Bubbles ~ Such Sweet Innocent Fun

April 1, 2011 By

It was a very hot Spring day today. Hot like the hot in the middle of Summer. The kids asked if we could break out their new bubble wands. I thought it was a perfect idea. We had so much fun! I can only wish that such sweet, innocent fun could always bring such joy to my children. I treasure moments like these.

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