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Death Valley in July? (Spoiler : We made it out alive)

March 16, 2014 by Kirsten Leave a Comment

This was early in the day, the temperature rose to about 120 while we were there!

Death Valley in July

Death Valley National Park in July? Or…Are you insane? Yes and yes. When we were planning our National Parks Road Trip, adding Death Valley during the hottest time of year wasn’t in our original plan. But then it turned out that we were practically driving right by it, and how could we drive by a National Park and NOT visit (we couldn’t). So there we were. In Death Valley and it was about 120 degrees. I don’t even care if it was a “dry” heat. It was hot.

We read all of the warnings. Our tires might melt, so don’t stop moving. Bring plenty of water. Don’t take off your sandals and run through the sand dunes. Are you curious about this one? I was. Apparently some geniuses went to the sand dunes (amazing, by the way) early in the day before it was really hot and sunny. They took of their shoes and ran (creative license on this part, I’m not sure if they walked, ran, or cartwheeled) across the sand to the far side. Well, the sand heats up pretty quickly, and they were kind of trapped there with no shoes. They needed to cross the sand dunes (shoeless) to get back. Which caused 3rd degree burns on their feet, and they had to somehow be rescued. They lost their Mensa memberships. All this was told to scare us into keeping our shoes on while walking on the sand dunes. It worked. By the time we got to the dunes they were already about a million degrees. I think my flip flops melted. It was worth it.

In some strange way, Death Valley was my favorite. It was eerie and alien-ly beautiful. The colors. Oh, the colors. Green, black, pink, orange sand/rocks. I’m not a scientist so don’t hold me to the part about it being sand/rocks, but it was gorgeous. Probably minerals or something. We did the Junior Ranger program with the kids, and learned a lot, but I think my brain melted a little bit so all I remember is something about Borax.

We were able to get out of the car at the best scenic vantage points (like Dante’s View and Zabriskie Point) to take in the otherworldly views. Again, HOT, but so worth it. I feel like I also need to say that I like being hot way more than I like being cold. I’d rather be in Death Valley in July than go skiing at any point in time.

The advantages to going to Death Valley in July were:

No crowds
It was cheaper than a trip to Europe with the same demographic

We were among the only ~~crazy~~ people there, and of those of us who braved the heat, we were the only English speakers. It was very interesting to be in the USA and literally hear NO ONE speaking English (except for the Park Rangers, that is). It seemed like most people were speaking French. This was a bonus, as I miss Europe & it made me feel nostalgic. I appreciate that others appreciate our country. I (most likely, since I’m not 100% sure where most of these people were from ) appreciate their countries too, so its a win-win. And I’m pretty sure that they weren’t Americans for whom English is not a first language. I could always be wrong about that, but there was definitely a European vibe going on. This was true in every single National Park we visited on that trip, but Death Valley was the only one that was 100% in the non-English speaking category. Fascinating…

Some of the green sand/rocks in Death Valley National Park

So, would we visit Death Valley in July again? In a heartbeat. With lots of water, sturdy shoes and a French/English dictionary.

Alabama Hills : The Coolest Place You’ve Never Heard Of

March 9, 2014 by Kirsten 2 Comments

The Alabama Hills : The Coolest Place You’ve Never Heard Of *

Spoiler Alert – It is not in Alabama

When we were planning our Summer 2013 National Parks Road Trip, some adventurous cousins told us about a place we had never heard of: The Alabama Hills. You would be wrong to assume that this place is anywhere near Alabama. It is actually in California. I know that we are not the only ones who had never heard of this place, because everyone who has heard us talk about it has said “wow, I didn’t know you went to Alabama.” So you see my point. After seeing the cousins’ photos, we knew this was a place we needed to see for ourselves, and we are so glad that we did. Seriously one of the most breathtaking places on the planet.

Sierra Nevadas – On our way to Alabama Hills, CA

We were driving from Mammoth Lakes, CA to Death Valley National Park, and Alabama Hills was a perfect pit-stop along the way. It is in or near Lone Pine, CA. Apparently more than 400 movies have been filmed around here because it is just so visually amazing. Hard to imagine that we hadn’t heard of it, but I will also admit that I haven’t seen Gunga Din or How the West Was Won, which were among the 400 movies. I’m not sure if this warrants shame or not, like the way I also have not seen The Godfather (which was not one of the 400).

We drove around to some different sites, and got out to hike in a few places.

A lone cactus in The Alabama Hills

: This is one of the spots where some of the films were made

Mobius Arch – A Hike to My Favorite View

One of my favorite views in all of the world (that I have seen so far) is this one. And those who got one of our Christmas cards (you’re welcome) will recognize it & now be able to put it in context. The arch has a perfect view of Mt. Whitney right through it. Here are the official directions for how to get to the Mobius Arch Loop Trail:

Take Hwy 395 to Lone Pine.
Turn west (at the stop light) onto Whitney Portal Road, drive 2.5 miles to Movie Road, turn right.
After 1.5 miles you will come to a “Y” in the road.
Go right and pull into the dirt parking area immediately on your left.
You will see markers on both on the left and right sides of this parking area. You can begin your arch walk at either trail head.

The loop hike takes approximately 20 minutes roundtrip. There are some hills, but it is not too rough. Two little kids were able to do this.

Alabama Hills Mobius Arch with Mt. Whitney view

* if you’ve heard of Alabama Hills and you are from the East Coast, 10 points for you. If you are from California, you should go there right now.

Mono Lake to Mammoth Lakes, CA : What is that smell?

February 24, 2014 by Kirsten 1 Comment

Our Route from Yosemite to Mono Lake to Mammoth Lakes, CA

Mono Lake to Mammoth Lakes, CA

As part of our National Parks Road Trip that I keep mentioning, we drove from Yosemite National Park to Mammoth Lakes, CA, stopping along the way in Mono Lake. While I was researching this monster of a trip, I came across this information about the Mono Lake tufa towers, and I knew that we had to see this phenomena for ourselves. It was along our route, and I was able to convince the family that this would be worth the detour. As we left Yosemite via the Tioga Pass, we made our way to Mono Lake while seeing some amazing scenery along the way. We parked the car in the lot and paid a cash donation to support the restoration of this ecosystem (I think that’s what it said, but I can’t really remember).

Walking to see the Tufas – Mono Lake, CA

What are Tufas? What is Mono Lake, for that matter?

As we approached, we started to see the tufa towers sticking out of the lake (cue my excitement at seeing something new and different). Mono Lake is ultra salty and it’s one of the oldest lakes in North America. By some magic of science and calcium, the tufa towers form and make this a really special place (see here for a much more scientifically accurate explanation if you care). There are different places around the lake to view the tufas, and unfortunately I didn’t get photos of the really cool looking ones. Because we definitely did not choose the best viewing area available. As we walked we noticed that we were kind of getting stuck in the “mud”.

Mono Lake Tufas – the white things sticking out of the salt water

And then….what is that smell?

We tried to ignore it for a few minutes & act like the naturalists that we so clearly are not. Like, this is just nature kids, hold your noses and enjoy the looks of these cool limestone piles sticking out of the lake. God created this beautiful lake and these neat looking pillars for some reason, and I’m sure there is some amazing scientific fact behind the horrid stench that we are mouth-breathing right now. Luckily there was a naturalist onsite who was happy to answer the question we were dying to ask. What is that smell?

I think we caught Mono Lake on a bad day, because she told us that it isn’t usually as strong and awful as it was that day. The water levels were very low, and because of that what used to be covered with water was exposed. Therefore, the smell was basically rotting sea creature carcasses (or something like that). Oh, and the bird poop. Birds LOVE Mono Lake and the area where we decided to view it was their personal favorite toilet. And the billions of flies.

Stepping in bird poop at Mono Lake

Mammoth Lakes…a new kind of smell

So we hopped back in our (thankfully) rental car with our bird poop covered shoes and drove to Mammoth Lakes, where we were spending a night at the Westin Monache Resort (yes, it was free, in case you had any doubts) before heading on to Las Vegas. We knew that there were forest fires in the area, as we could see the smoke in some places. However, as we got closer to Mammoth Lakes it was very, very smoky. We were visiting as the Aspen Fire (a wildfire caused by a lightning strike) was happening, and the air was thick with smoke. The smell wasn’t unpleasant the way Mono Lake was, but it was definitely disturbingly smoky.

Eating ice cream in Mammoth Lakes, CA

Our short Mammoth Lakes visit

Since we were only stopping for one night along the way, we didn’t have a lot of time to spend in Mammoth Lakes. We walked a very short distance from our hotel to a pretty shopping and dining plaza nearby. There were tons of places to eat. There was also a festival with live music going on, and there were games for the kids to play. This was off-season for this ski resort town, but there were still lots of people out and about. I imagine it is a wonderful place to be in the wintertime if you like to ski (or drink hot chocolate while everyone else goes skiing).

Westin Monache Resort

Steps from Westin leading toward the shopping plaza

This is an SPG Category 5 hotel, which is normally 12,000 points per night. We were able to use an additional 1,500 points to guarantee an upgrade to a suite. We planned ahead and figured we would want the extra space after our 2 nights in the Yosemite Curry Village tents. The hotel did not disappoint. The room was very large and comfortable, with a separate King bedroom, a living room with pull-out sofa bed, and a kitchen. It had a large bathroom. It felt like heaven after 2 practically sleepless nights prior to this stay.

So, our tips for going to Mono Lake and Mammoth Lakes: Take this review with a grain of salt (get it?) and just do it. Be prepared for some interesting smells. And go to the less bird-poopy part of Mono Lake (hint: there’s a visitor center and a boardwalk to walk on…doh!).

Yosemite National Park with Kids

February 18, 2014 by Kirsten 2 Comments

Yosemite National Park – Mother Nature at her finest

Yosemite National Park with Kids: Trip Report

As part of our 3 week-long National Parks road trip in the Summer of 2013, we drove from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park, where we spent 2 nights in Curry Village in one of their tents. I don’t really have words to describe the beauty of Yosemite. These kinds of trips make me feel more connected to the world, at the same time feeling small and insignificant compared to the vastness of these spaces, and also important enough that I live in a time when places such as these are accessible to me. It’s often a spiritual experience for me, this feeling of being connected. Yosemite was one of a handful of places where I have felt this way.

I mean:

We spent 2 days in the park, doing a few beautiful hikes and exploring the gorgeousness. The Park Rangers were super helpful with suggesting hikes that would be family-friendly. My kids have a decent amount of stamina (not saying they don’t complain though), but it’s best to know their limits and plan accordingly. The also participated in the Junior Ranger program and earned their badges!

Mariposa Grove

We drove to Mariposa Grove to hike among the ginormous trees. Totally worth it, but heed this advice: if the sign says that the parking lot is full & you need to go to a lower lot to catch a shuttle, take that with a grain of salt. We took the shuttle (very crowded & had to wait a while), and when we got to Mariposa Grove, there were tons of empty parking spots…grrrr. Other than that, it was just amazing to see trees so tall and old.

Mariposa Grove, really, really big trees

Doing tree yoga?

Holy Roots!

Yosemite Valley

We explored the valley and did some great hiking. The view of El Capitan from the El Capitan meadow are breathtaking. There is endless space for the kids to run around and places for them to climb.

El Capitan from Yosemite Valley

Glacier Point

This is one of those not-to-be-missed viewpoints. From the National Park website “From the Glacier Point parking and tour unloading area, a short, paved, wheelchair-accessible trail takes you to an exhilarating (some might say unnerving) point 3,214 feet above Curry Village, on the floor of Yosemite Valley.”

Glacier Point View

After our second night spent at Curry Village, we drove through the other side of Yosemite via the Tioga Pass road, on our way to Mammoth Lakes, CA. Along the way we made lots of stops, including these:

Olmstead Point:

Olmstead Point – no photo could ever do it justice

Tenaya Lake:

Tenaya Lake – nice place for a picnic

We left the park via the Tioga Pass, which is the highest highway in California and the Eastern entrance to Yosemite. You have to check road conditions, as weather can close the road, even in the summertime.

Have you been to Yosemite? Did you love it as much as we did?

Hyatt Regency San Francisco Review (Hint: it was free!)

February 18, 2014 by Kirsten 1 Comment

Hyatt Regency San Francisco lobby – free babysitting???

Hyatt Regency San Francisco Review

We spent 3 nights at this San Francisco hotel as part of a larger trip. See here for information about what we did while we were in San Francisco .

We chose this hotel for a few reasons:

1. It was a Hyatt & that’s what we were looking for

2. We could use our Hyatt free night certificates

3. The Regency Club had good reviews

4. Location

Why were we looking for a Hyatt hotel?

First of all, Hyatt is probably our favorite hotel brand. We have had great experiences every time we have stayed in a Hyatt hotel, no matter which of the Hyatt Brands (Grand Hyatt, Hyatt House, Hyatt Regency, etc). At the time we were booking this hotel, we had Hyatt Diamond status as part of a trial that we did where we had to stay 12 nights in order to get Diamond status. The benefits of Hyatt Diamond status are many, but our favorites are upgrades (YMMV but we are 100% for getting good upgrades so far – it helps to have really cute kids), and the Regency Club (or free breakfast if they don’t have one).

Another reason was that we each have a Hyatt Credit Card, which gives us a “free” night each year in a Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel (after we pay the $75 annual fee – so not truly free, but you get the point). This hotel was a great value for these certificates, as it was prime season in a very popular city. I don’t remember how much the hotel was going for (this was way pre-blog so I was not making notes or taking great photos) but it was in the $300-$400 range. Maybe even more, as we were upgraded to a larger room, with a view, and we had access to the Regency Club. We used 2 free night certificates and 1 night we paid for using points (15,000 points).

What is the Regency Club?

Hyatt (and other hotels) have certain hotels, definitely not most, that have a “special” area that is for certain guests only. If you are a business traveler or a high roller, you probably don’t need this explanation. As a typical American family, this was new to us before we discovered this whole Miles & Points world. It is a level 2 skill, so if you aren’t there yet, don’t worry. At some point this will be really boring for you to read & you’ll be like “Duh! Pass me the Canvas Chardonnay and shut up!” According to Hyatt, ”Regency Club guests have private access to the Regency Club Lounge, where continental breakfast, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, snacks, beer and wine are served daily.” This is a fantastic benefit for a family, as you don’t have to pay for food and you don’t have to cook it either (score!).

In order to stay in a Regency Club room (where you are given the benefit of access & are sometimes on the same floor where you need a special key to make the elevator button light up & you will feel important), you have to be upgraded either by status or using an upgrade certificate or pleasing the upgrade gods, pay extra for the Regency Room, or use extra points (21,000 for this hotel vs. 15,000 for a regular room).

I will state that it is important that your children are well-behaved while you are in these club lounges (and everywhere else, but if you can pull that off please email me with some tips). There are business travelers here who want peace and quiet. Do not disturb them. They sometimes look like they might bite. Seriously though, I have read lots of complaints on various websites about kids running around in the club lounges. You can argue that they are not the private domain of any one guest who is enjoying the benefit. I agree, but I feel more comfortable keeping my kids quiet and as still as possible by bringing things for them to do like drawing, playing handheld games (with earphones), etc. That way we are all happy & everyone can eat their free food & drink their Canvas Chardonnay in peace. And no nasty looks from the businessmen.

View from the Club Lounge at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco

This particular Regency Club was fabulous. There was tons of seating, it was not crowded (when we were there), they had massage chairs, and the VIEW! I actually love the food in the Hyatt Regency Clubs I have been to. They usually have a decent light breakfast (perfect for us), good coffee, and I like the evening offerings because there are lots of vegetables. This saves us tons of money because we aren’t huge eaters, and the food generally serves as meals (at least for us adults). And I like the Canvas Chardonnay (I’m easy to please, wine-wise).

Hyatt Regency San Francisco Location:

They say that this hotel is in the Financial District. I guess that’s a good thing because we felt that the location was great. It was very close to the Ferry Building, and was easily walk-able to other areas. We do like to walk a lot, so it worked out well for us. It felt very safe, even at night (naive? maybe). There was a Big Bus Tour stop close by as well, so we could hop on there.

Would we stay here again?

Yes, in a heartbeat.

Hyatt Regency San Francisco lobby art

San Francisco with Kids : 15 Things to Do

February 17, 2014 by Kirsten 3 Comments

San Francisco with Kids

In Summer of 2013 we visited San Francisco as part of a larger National Parks road trip, which took us to 5 states. We arrived in San Francisco via the Amtrak California Zephyr Train from Denver. For more about that part of the trip, see here. We spent a total of 4 nights in San Francisco (3 on the front end before the rest of the road trip & 1 night before we flew home).

We did so many fun things while we were in San Francisco. It is a perfect city for a family trip, as there is lots to do for kids and families. We were able to walk, use Uber, the Big Bus tour, or the cable cars to get around, and it was very easy.

15 Things to Do in San Francisco with the Kids:

1. Big Bus Tour San Francisco

As I have said before, we really like to get an overall feel for a city by taking one of the ubiquitous city tours that can be found everywhere in the United States. In San Francisco, we decided to go with the Big Bus tour so that we could ride on the top (the kids loved this!). We rode it all over the city and got out at various stops to see what we wanted to see. The recorded info that you hear on the headphones was interesting, but the background music was so annoying. There were some great views from the upper level of the bus.

View of Golden Gate Bridge from Big Bus

We also took the night tour (which costs extra). According to their website “The tour makes its way across the grand Bay Bridge for picturesque views of the city skyline from Treasure Island, site of the 1939’s World Fair.”

View of Bay Bridge and San francisco from Treasure Island

View of Bay Bridge and City from Treasure Island

Our bus happened to break down while we were on Treasure Island, and they had to send another bus to get us. It was really, really cold on the top of that bus while we were waiting. That was somewhat unexpected for us, but at least we had purchased sweatshirts and worn the warmest clothing that we had packed (which wasn’t much, considering other places we were going included Death Valley and Las Vegas in the summer). Note to self (and anyone else who might need this tip): bring warmer clothes to San Francisco in the Summer, it will be colder than you think.

2. Fisherman’s Wharf

Yes, it is cheesy and touristy. It can also be very fun, in a cheesy & touristy kind of way. My kids love this kind of cheese. Cheap Made-in-China souvenir shops on every corner (handy for those sweatshirts you’ll need for the Big Bus tour), ice cream shops, restaurants, and lots of people knitting Angry Birds and Pokemon hats on the streets (what’s up with that?). And Pier 39, of course:

Pier 39 Sea Lions

3. Pier 39 Sea Lions

One of the biggest attractions of this area are the Sea Lions that hang out on the docks. There is plenty of room to stand or sit and watch their antics. We watched for quite a while as they playfully fought with each other, made lots of noise, rolled around, and also just laid there. There is something cool about watching bizarre looking animals doing things. And it entertained the kids for free.

The very windy Lombard Street

4. Lombard Street

Supposedly the crookedest street in the world, Lombard Street is a must-see attraction in San Francisco (IMHO). I remember going there as a kid with my family, and it was something that stuck in my mind forever. When I returned to San Francisco as an adult, it was no less impressive than my memories of it. We walked the STEEP road up to the top and walked down the curvy and beautiful road to the bottom. The flowers and architecture are just gorgeous. I can’t even imagine what you would have to do to afford one of those colorful houses!

Ghirardelli Square – the ice cream…yum

5. Ghirardelli Square ice cream

I admit it, we visited for the ice cream. We are an ice cream loving family & this did not disappoint. It wasn’t my favorite ice cream in San Francisco (see below), but it was really good. It’s also in an easy, walkable location while visiting the other sites nearby.

The Ferry Building, San Francisco

Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building

6. Ferry Building and Farmer’s Market

This beautiful marketplace was practically across from our hotel (Hyatt Regency San Francisco). We walked over and were able to take advantage of the farmer’s market that was set up outside – we tasted and bought some delicious plums and peaches. We also walked around inside and bought some food at different vendors. They have everything from artisan cheeses to breads and ice cream. This is a foodie paradise.

Dancing in the colored lights at the Exploratorium

7. The Exploratorium

The Exploratorium is a hands-on learning experience for kids, and we can’t get enough of these kinds of places. This was one of the better ones we have been to among the several we have visited across the country. It was both fun and educational (as I like to say, you know it’s good when the kids don’t even realize that they are learning). And you can get this photo op in case you need an idea for your next holiday card:

8. Union Street

We got out of the Big Bus and walked around on Union Street, which is a quaint Victorian style neighborhood with shops and restaurants. We ate at Roam Burger, which, in all of their organic and grass-fed goodness, was the perfect choice for us. When travelling with the kids, quick, casual, and delicious food is about as good as it gets. As much as San Francisco has some of the best nicer restaurants on the planet, we will be saving those for an adults-only trip.

9. Chinatown San Francisco

Probably our favorite Chinatown we have been to, San Francisco’s claims to be the largest outside of Asia. It really is huge, with lots of great places to explore. The shops are colorful, eccentric and cheap. There are Pokemon cards and collectibles, and little dolls with large heads that your daughter will beg you to buy. There are too many restaurants to choose from. We had dim sum (at Great Eastern Restaurant) for the first time, and it will not be the last.

We also visited the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, which is a tiny little place down an alley & looks nothing like what you might think of as a “factory” of modern times. They have been making the cookies there forever & they make them by hand. You can buy huge bags of them for cheap & they taste completely different (in a good way) when they are so fresh. And just to add more calories into the mix, the best ice cream was at the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. You only live once, so try the Black Sesame or Durian (Stinky Fruit) flavors.

Walking across the Golden Gate bridge

10. Golden Gate Bridge

This one is kind of a no brainer. We walked across & that helped to burn off all of the ice cream calories. I would definitely recommend walking the length of the bridge if you are able. You get a different perspective of the size and scale of the bridge, and seeing it up close is really breathtaking. It was foggy (of course), but we were still able to see some views of Alcatraz and the city.

walking across the very top of the golden gate bridge

Scariest job in the world?

11. Alcatraz Island

Please learn from our mistake and purchase your Alcatraz tickets ahead of time. We tried to get them about 1.5 months before our trip, and every single time was sold out for all of July and August. We later found out that these tickets book up very fast (and are also purchased by resellers), so if you are going at a popular time of year then buy in advance. We will do this next time.

San Francisco Cable Car

12. San Francisco Cable Car

This was another iconic San Francisco attraction that we did not want to miss. We boarded the cable car at Powell and Market streets, where there is a cable car turntable. We had to decide which line to take, but we really didn’t have much of a preference because our goal was to ride the Cable Car and get close to Fisherman’s Wharf. Both the Powell-Mason and the Powell-Hyde lines will get you over in that direction, but the routes are different, so make sure you check into the route maps if you have a preference.

A few things for next time:

13. Musee Mechanique

“one of the world’s largest (over 200) privately owned collection of coin-operated mechanical musical instruments and antique arcade machines in their original working condition. (You can play them!)”

14. California Academy of Sciences

Fun science learning. Right up our alley.

15. Golden Gate Park

The weather wasn’t cooperative enough for us to do this on this visit, although we did drive through on the Big Bus, and it looks like a great place to go when the weather is right.

Click here to read about how we stayed in San Francisco for free, and even got upgraded to a bigger room! Keep reading by subscribing to emails on the right hand column over there at the top.

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