Knott’s Interactive Western Adventure, Ghost Town Alive!

By: socalwithkids • This site contains affiliate links.

Ghost Town Alive Returns To Knott’s!

We were invited to attend Knott’s Berry Farm’s Summer Media Day, which focused on their experience, Ghost Town Alive! We’re excited to share details about this interactive Western adventure with you.

Real Time Interactive Experience

Ghost Town Alive is an interactive experience in the Ghost Town area of Knott’s. The Ghost Town area is known as Calico. This space is filled with Knott’s Berry Farm’s townsfolk dressed in period attire. The townsfolk interact with guests by sending them on little adventures within the town.

You might be sent on a mission to deliver a package to the Calico Post Office, sent by the banker to pay a debt for a townsperson, or vote for a new town Mayor.

Each of the townsfolk stay in character throughout the experience. They might tell you about things happening in town, or have you deliver a note to another townsperson while they take care of their business.

The town Sheriff may invite you in to play a game of cards, or tell you about the latest news. He might even allow you to take a picture in the jail cell, if you ask kindly.

The teacher can be found in the red schoolhouse, close to the end of town. She’s more than happy to give you a short lesson.

A prospector, cowboys, bandits, judges, and more stroll through town. You never know what situation you might stumble upon.

Grab a stick horse next to the Pony Express Outpost. Riding one makes the missions even more fun. Be sure to return it when you’re done, so others have the chance to use one too.

Visit Real Horses Inside Livery Stable

Be sure to stop by Livery Stable. Here you can visit with the horses and mule, and see different tack hanging on the walls.

Check Out A Can-Can Show at Calico Saloon

Can-Can shows take place in the Calico Saloon throughout the day. Check the entertainment guide for specific times to catch one.

Take Lots of Pictures

Ghost Town is a great place to take pictures. There are so many neat things to take shots of while you’re there. Whether you have a little train lover, cowboy, or Sheriff, you’re sure to get some cute pics.

Roam Through Historic Buildings

The buildings in Ghost Town are historic. Be sure to take time to take to look at them, and get a true feel of the Wild West.

Stop By the General Store

The General Store is a great place to visit to see what an old-time store looked like back in the day. Here you can buy candy, plush animals, Ghost Town Alive merchandise, and so much more.

Ride A Genuine Steam Train

The steam train travels around the park, and is a great way to sit and relax. Hold onto your wallets; it’s known to have train robberies throughout the day!

Dance At A Hoedown

A daily hoedown takes place in Calico Park at 5:30pm. Listen to the band, dance, and enjoy the festivities!

See A Spectacular Live Show

Stay into the evening and enjoy the Circus of Wonders show. It takes place just outside Ghost Town, not far from the Calico Mine Train.

Ghost Town Alive Happens All Summer Long

Ghost Town Alive is happening all summer, through September 4th, 2017. You can see more details about the event HERE.

Many thanks to Knott’s for including us in their media day, and for hosting us for the day. We plan to make a trip back with the family in August. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

CARS 3 Movie Offers Surprising Twists and Turns

By: socalwithkids • This site contains affiliate links.

CARS 3 Movie Offers Surprising Twists and Turns

We attended a press screening of the new Disney • PIXAR movie “CARS 3” prior to being released to the public. The Road to the Races CARS 3 event had just made a pit stop in San Diego before we screened the film, so we were especially excited to see it.

Image courtesy of Disney.

CARS 3 Movie Characters ~ www.socalwithkids.com

Image courtesy of Disney.

The movie has many of the lovable characters we’re familiar with from CARS. You can expect to see Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally, Luigi, and more. You’ll also see some of the film set in Radiator Springs. This is especially fun for those familiar with CARS Land at Disney California Adventure Park.

Image courtesy of Disney.

It also introduces some new characters, including Cruz Ramirez and Jackson Storm. Cruz is the yellow car. Storm is the black car with blue details.

Image courtesy of Disney.

Going into the screening, we knew little about the plot. We held off on reading the production notes, as we wanted as much as possible to be a surprise.

Image courtesy of Disney.

The film has some surprising twists and turns! We don’t want to divulge everything, but we’ll tell you that watching it brought both cheers and tears. It did not disappoint!

FREE Disney CARS 3 Printable Activities

Disney has shared some fun printable activities with us, to pass along to you. These activities could be fun to use at a birthday party, sleepover, etc… They require a PDF reader to download. Click HERE if you need one. You can access the printables from the links below:

• Piston Cup Race Maze
• Spot the Difference
• Memory Race
• Race to the Finish Board Game
• Make Your Own Race Course

There are also some awesome educational materials for grades 3-6, which you can download at this link. These could be great activities to do with the kids while they’re on break.

Image courtesy of Disney.

CARS 3 runs for approximately 1 hour and 49 minutes, and is a G rated family movie. It opens in theaters on June 16th, 2017. We plan to take our family to see it on a hot summer day. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

P.S. You might also enjoy our other CARS 3 post, about the Road to the Races event.

Family Friendly Dining at Station Tavern in South Park

By: socalwithkids • This site contains affiliate links.

Family Friendly Dining at Station Tavern in South Park

Station Tavern, located in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego, offers family-friendly dining. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating in a relaxed atmosphere.

The outdoor area of the restaurant offers a good amount of shade, in a backyard style setting. They have some small picnic tables as well as large communal-style picnic tables.

They have some small picnic tables as well as large communal-style picnic tables. The large tables would be great for a large group meeting up at the restaurant.

Station Tavern also has a gated play area for kids. Here you’ll find some chalkboards, and a small wooden trolley car. It’s super cute!

The trolley car was put there for some significance. The restaurant was built on the location a previous trolley station from the early 1900’s. Check their website or ask an employee for more details.

All of the food that we’ve tried at Station Tavern has been delicious! The Breakfast Sandwich, pictured above, has eggs, avocado, bacon, and more. The grilled cheese sandwich is made with cheddar cheese, and they’re great at customizing your order, such as asking for a “naked dog”. The fries are some of the best we’ve had. Be sure to ask for their special dressing on the side. Also, their prices are quite reasonable, and they have daily specials.

The outdoors area has a sink, and water you can pour yourself. These come in super handy when you want to clean little hands, and pour a quick glass of water.

Street parking is available on the surrounding streets. South Park is super close to Balboa Park, and downtown San Diego. You could easily incorporate a meal at Station Tavern with a day out with the kids.

Check HERE for Station Tavern’s hours of operation, menu, and more. We’ll be back for another Breakfast Sandwich and French Fries soon. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

Knott’s Soak City Renovations

By: socalwithkids • This site contains affiliate links.

Knott’s Soak City Renovations

We were recently invited to attend Knott’s Soak City Waterpark’s media day. It coincided with opening day for the 2017 season. The water park recently made some great renovations.

Knott’s Soak City Renovations

Knott’s Soak City renovations include a two acre expansion. Within the expansion are two new attractions, The Wedge, and Shore Break.

The Wedge – Family Slide

The Wedge is a new family raft ride. It accommodates up to 6 riders, and allows kids as small as 40″ to ride with a supervising companion. Children 48″ and over can ride The Wedge without a supervising companion. The rafts on this ride are brought to the top of the slide via a conveyer, making it much easier than guests carrying them!

Shore Break Towers

Shore Break Towers is another new water slide attraction. Here you’ll find a 60 foot tower with a total of 6 slides. The minimum height requirement to ride any of the slides on Shore Break Towers is 48″.

The other two slides on Shore Break Towers feature dueling tubes. Guests can ride single-rider tubes, or double-up with a buddy on a two-rider tube. Either way, it’s a fast, fun slide!

Four of the slides on Shore Break Towers have Aqua-Launch chambers. Once a guest enters the chamber, the floor drops out beneath their feet, sending them on a thrilling ride!

Longboard’s Grill Restaurant

Longboard’s Grill, one of the water park’s restaurants, has been completely renovated. It’s now twice as large, with a redesigned layout. They’ve also expanded their menu to include breaded chicken tenders, wraps, as well as fish and chips.

20 Additional Cabanas

Soak City renovations also include the addition of 20 more cabanas! The new cabanas are located near the entrances to The Wedge and Shorebreak Towers. Also, each of the cabanas in the water park have new seating, tables, and lounge chairs!

Additional Seating and Shade

Brand new additional seating is available in front of the new cabanas. Additional seating and shade is also available behind Longboard’s Grill. Longboard’s Grill also has lots of nice, brand new seating and shade structures in front of the restaurant.

Landscaping Upgrades

Landscaping upgrades can be seen throughout the water park. Lot of new trees, flowers, bushes and shrubs have been planted for the 2017 season.

Fountain with the Surfer Statue

Just after you enter, you’ll see the new addition of a fountain with the surfer statue. This is a beautiful renovation! If you’re familiar with the water park, you may remember the surfer previously surrounded by flowers in a huge planter. We LOVE this renovation!

New Entrance From Parking Lot

There’s a brand new entrance path to the water park from the parking lot. The path is closer to the water park than the old entry. There’s also a beautiful new sign, just above the path’s entry.

Heightened Security at the Entrance

Security has be heightened at the entrance. You’ll now go through a metal detector to enter the water park.

Free Wifi, Fresh Paint, and Other Improvements

Both Knott’s Soak City Waterpark, and Knott’s Berry Farm are now offering free wifi for guests! Other improvements include a fresh paint on the attractions, and wooden structure replacement, such as on the bridge toward the Beach House.

Click HERE for more information about Knott’s Soak City Waterpark, including operating days and times, pricing, and more. We’re planning another visit later this summer. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

P.S. You’ll also likely enjoy our other post with lots of tips for visiting Knott’s Soak City, as well as the video below of the water park.

(Many thanks to Knott’s for inviting us to experience the renovations first-hand, and hosting us for the day!)

LEGOLAND California Presents LEGO Batman Movie Days

By: socalwithkids • This site contains affiliate links.

LEGOLAND California Presents LEGO Batman Movie Days

LEGO Batman Movie Days 2/18-2/19 & 2/25-2/26

LEGO Batman Movie Days are coming to LEGOLAND California February 18th-19th, and 25th-26th, 2017! All of the activities associated with LEGO Batman Movie Days are included with park admission. Regularly scheduled park activities are also included with entry.

Photo Opps, Activities, Meet & Greets, and More!

LEGO Batman Movie Days include lots of fun activities, including costumed character Meet and Greets. Like building with LEGO? Build a LEGO Batman-inspired LEGO, or help with a mystery mosaic LEGO build. Enjoy scavenger hunts? Participate in one inside Miniland USA. Like gaming? Play LEGO Batman video games in the WB Family GameSpace.

Photographer On Site or Snap Your Own

LEGO Batman costumed character Meet and Greets are scheduled for 10am, 10:45am, 11:30am, 12:15pm, 1pm, 1:45pm, 2:30pm, 3:15pm, 4pm, and 4:45pm. There’s a neat backdrop of Gotham City, and a photographer on-site. Different photo packages are available for purchase, or you can snap some shots of your own.

Huge Selection of LEGO Batman Movie Merchandise

Tons of LEGO Batman Movie themed merchandise, including LEGO Batman sets, clocks, pajamas, costumes, and more are available in the park. We saw the largest selection available at The Big Shop, located at The Entry. Insider Tip: If you find something you want to purchase, but don’t want to carry it around, you can buy it, and have it held for later pickup. Ask an employee for details.

Activities Included with Park Entry

LEGOLAND sells daily tickets, and yearly passes. If you’re planning on visiting multiple Southern California attractions, you might want to consider purchasing a San Diego Attraction Package, from our affiliate. Save up to 40% off gate prices for San Diego attractions.

Daily Character Meet & Greets In February & March

Can’t make it to LEGOLAND on the scheduled weekend dates? Additional Meet and Greets happen 10am, 11am, 12:15pm, 1:45pm, 3pm, and 4pm weekdays in February and March. Check out LEGOLAND California’s official website for more event info. We plan to visit the park again during LEGO Batman Movie Days with our passes. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

San Diego International Airport Offers Youth Airfield Tour

By: socalwithkids • This site contains affiliate links.

San Diego Airport Youth Airfield Tour!

The San Diego International Airport offers a FREE two hour Youth Airfield Tour for kids in grades 2-8! This field trip tops out a maximum of 22 persons per tour. It’s open to school groups, scouts, etc…

The Youth Airfield Tour Meets At The SD Airport Authority Administrative Building

The tour begins at the San Diego Airport Authority’s Administrative Building. This building is located at what used to be the original Commuter Terminal. Parking for the tour is available here as well. A designated Airport Authority Guide will meet you out front. The guide will hand out official pre-printed name tags that are required for the tour.

Depending Upon Availability, the Tour May Include A Demonstration From the Harbor Police K-9 Unit

Depending upon availability, the Youth Airfield Tour may include a demonstration by the K-9 bomb-sniffing dogs of the San Diego Harbor Police. This portion of the tour gives great information about airport security, dog training/handling, and the many duties of a Harbor Police officer.

An Air Conditioned VIP Bus Shuttles You Around the Airfield

Each of the persons on the tour board an air conditioned “VIP” bus for the airfield tour. The bus goes through security checks to make sure the guide has authorization to enter the runway.

Your Guide Informs You of Interesting Details About the Airport

Once on the airfield, planes arrive and depart at a close distance. The guide describes different jobs that people have at the airport. The guide also points out interesting details about planes, the fueling area, etc… He/she will also inform your group of the least tern, a type of small, endangered bird that can be found living on and around the airfield, as well as other areas of San Diego.

You May Be Able To Tour the Airport Fire Station As Well

The tour continues to the airport fire station. Depending upon availability, your group may be able to get out and tour the station. You may be able to tour of both the inside and outside of the station. A firefighter will likely tell your group about the responsibilities of an airport firefighter, and give you the opportunity to go inside one of the engines.

Kids Receive A Very Gracious Gift At the End of the Tour

After arriving back at the Administration Building the kids are surprised with a backpack filled with neat, fun, and educational goodies from the airport. This is an awesome addition to a wonderful field trip, and VERY nice gift from the airport.

You Must Sign Up In Advance and Pass Security Clearance Prior To the Tour

If you have the interest in taking the Youth Airfield Tour, you’ll need to sign up in advance, and there will likely be a long wait for an available date. Each person must pass a security check prior to attending, and no one other than those signed up in advance may be present at the tour.

Here’s a link to the Youth Airfield Tour section of the San Diego Airport’s website, where you can read further details about the tour, request more info, and visit assorted links that include games and activities, curriculum, and more.

No upcoming dates available for the Youth Airfield Tour? You might also want to inquire about the other airport tour(s) available by clicking here. (Please Note: We have not taken any tours other than the Youth Airfield Tour, and don’t know if the other tour(s) available include the same amenities as the one we took.)

The Youth Airfield Tour is a great way for kids to learn about many of the different operations at an airport. It was definitely an experience that we each enjoyed, and will always remember. It made for a very fun and interesting field trip. Perhaps we’ll see you there!