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Athens photo dump + photo tips (SAVE + SHARE this Athens photo dump + photo tips (SAVE + SHARE this post)! Also get you a tripod, mine is also a selfie stick which I love. It’s literally the single item I use to take our videos and photos 90% of the time. You can set your phone on a timer for photos or use a Bluetooth clicker, I’ll link it in my bio! 

Always shoot with your back camera and with the sun facing you! I personally use Lightroom to edit all of our photos and for videos I edit in splice, VN or capcut.

Last but not least shout out to @vavaasatisfaction for this hair, my girl did that and I’ll def be running this style back!
Things to Do and Where to Eat with 48 Hours in Hou Things to Do and Where to Eat with 48 Hours in Houston with kids #AD @traveltex (SAVE + SHARE this post):

1. Visit the Cockrell Butterfly Garden

2. Explore the Houston Space Center

3. Walk along the paths at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center

4. Check out all the rooms at Color Factory

5. Eat at @Gatlin’s BBQ (Black-owned) and be sure to arrive early as they close at 6pm

6. Try the Brisket at @TruthBBQ

7. Eat ribs at @thepitroom

Have you been to Houston? What other recommendations do you have? 

#GetYourOwnTripToTexas #NationalBBQMonth
Hello Houston! It’s #NationalBBQMonth so what be Hello Houston! It’s #NationalBBQMonth so what better place to experience it than here. #AD @TravelTex 

We’re excited to eat our hearts through the city! If you live in or have been to Houston, what are your recommendations for BBQ places we have to eat at while here? 

SAVE + SHARE this post for your own foodie trip to Houston #GetYourOwnTripToTexas
24 Hours in Athens (SAVE + SHARE this post): We l 24 Hours in Athens (SAVE + SHARE this post):

We landed at 10:30am the day before boarding our cruise and hit the ground running. The best way to get over jet lag is to get on the current time zone immediately so that meant no time for sleep as we needed to stay up. 

🇬🇷 2:00pm Traditional Greek food tour with @foodaroundathens 

🇬🇷 6:00pm: Walk around the neighborhood of Anafiotika 

🇬🇷 7:00pm: Went to the top of the hill near the Acropolis for sunset

🇬🇷 8:30am: Self-guided Acropolis visit

🇬🇷 10:00am: All about Athen e-bike tour with @athensbybiketours

🇬🇷 1:00pm: Lunch at @hoocut for one of the best gyros we’ve had

🇬🇷 2:30pm: Head to the cruise port!

Yes we’re crazy but also we got right on the time zone and were good to go the rest of the trip plus we made the most of our time in Athens!

Do you hit the ground running if you land in a new time zone during the day to beat jet lag or do you sleep and take time adjusting? We love the app Timeshifter to help with jet lag management!
Athens - Boarding Virgin Voyages - Santorini - Rho Athens - Boarding Virgin Voyages - Santorini - Rhodes - Bodrum - Mykonos

What an amazing sailing it was! 10/10 recommend!

Let me know any questions you have and tag who you want to go on this cruise with!
Couples Posing Ideas (SAVE + SHARE this post): So Couples Posing Ideas (SAVE + SHARE this post): So we absolutely suck at posing but here are some amazing poses @geraldhazizi helped us with during our short photoshoot with him in Santorini. I will be using these as references moving forward lol, I love how they turned out. 

We used my phone and tripod most of the trip to capture images or asked fellow cruisers but I’d say this professional shoot in Santorini was worth it. Our session started at 10am so not super early at all, Gerald knew all the best spots and how to avoid the crowds!

Which pose is your favorite?
Tips for sailing on @VirginVoyages Resilient Lady Tips for sailing on @VirginVoyages Resilient Lady (SAVE + SHARE this post):

1. Download the app, it is essential to make your bookings, see what’s going on during your sail, etc.

2. There are 6 speciality restaurants on board for dinner (these are all included in your voyage at no extra cost 🙌🏾). Reservations open 45 days before sailing & are available from 6pm-10pm. If you can’t get a reservation for the day/time you want, don’t worry there are walk-in spots available and we did this many days when we decided to eat at more than one restaurant a night.

3. Be sure to check out the ship activities prior to sailing to pack appropriately for themed nights. Every sailing has a Scarlet Night where you wear red but our sailing also had a pajama party and 80s party and people really dress up!

4. Virgin Voyages doesn’t offer drink packages but they do offer a Bar Tab. You can purchase $300 in advance and get a $50 bonus and this credit can be used for anyone else in your cabin or even friends/family in another cabin so every person doesn’t need one and you don’t have to use it all on yourself. The drinks are very reasonably priced so just be careful getting too much in advance as you can’t use the credit on anything else on board. Beer is as low as $5, a glass of wine $7 and mixed drinks $9 plus tip is included! Soda and non-pressed juices, tea and regular coffee is free on the ship so you won’t have to spend anything on that!

5. Spa services book quickly and can’t be made until you get on board so head straight to the spa to book any appointments you want and note there is a 24 hour cancellation window so if plans change be sure to cancel in advance or you’ll be charged for the full service.

6. Reservations for a time slot for embarkation are required so check in as soon as possible to snag an early time and enjoy the ship longer!

Listen, a time was had on this cruise! Swipe for a cabin tour, food from some of the restaurants on board, and live music. I have more tips coming in a part 2 so let me know if there is anything specific you want me to cover on my next post! Tap the link in my bio for $200 onboard credit if you book a sailing on any Virgin Voyage!

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California Road Trip with Kids: A Family Learning Adventure

December 12, 2019      California, Destinations, North America

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

Looking to go on a California road trip with kids? We’ve done two this year alone, our first a Southern California road trip done via an RV visiting Huntington Beach, Oceanside, and Anza Borrego park. Now we’ve completed a Northern California road trip, specifically the Family Learning Adventure from Visit California’s 50 Amazing Road Trips. This road trip was completed on Veteran’s Day weekend as my eldest daughter who is in Elementary School had a day off giving us a three-day weekend. Utilizing holiday’s is one way to travel frequently with full-time jobs and school. 

This post is sponsored by Visit California but as always, all opinions are mine and true. This article also contains affiliate links where I may earn a small commission on sales at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your help in keeping this site running!

California Road Trip with Kids: Our Family Learning Adventure Itinerary

We started our road trip by flying into San Jose and leaving from San Francisco but you can do the trip in reverse taking into account best flight times and costs. You can also fly round-trip into either airport instead of flying into one and departing from another as the airport are only an hour from each other. However, with our short weekend we decided it was best to maximize our time in our destinations versus driving to a farther airport. Traveling with kids means additional costs so we use these sites to find the best flight deals leaving more funds for the fun stuff.

Once we landed at San Jose International Airport we picked up our rental car and then made our way to Hotel Valencia where we’d be staying for the night. The hotel is on Santana Row, a lively area filled with shops and restaurants. This made it very convenient to find dinner after landing late at night. Check out more reviews of Hotel Valencia here and book here for the best rates.

California Road Trip with Kids: Day One of Our Family Learning Adventure 

The Tech Interactive Museum

After having breakfast at the complimentary buffet at Hotel Valencia it was time to kick off the fun. We started the first day of our California road trip with kids at the Tech Interactive Museum. This museum is heaven for anyone interested in or who wants to be introduced to STEM education. My daughters were able to learn how to build their own robot, created to pick up trash from the ocean floor. They are true beach bums so it was amazing seeing them being educated on something so important.

 

Other highlights of the museum was the earthquake simulator and space exhibit. My daughters are still talking about how much fun they had at this museum, it was definitely the highlight of the trip for them and literal tears were shed when I said it was time to go! The museum is open from 10AM-5PM and tickets range from $20-$25 for general admission. It’s important to note that the museum is closed annually for maintenance, this year that was September 3-13th so be sure to check on this prior to solidifying your dates.

Lunch at Olla Cocina

Five minutes drive from the Tech Interactive is Olla Cocina, where we had lunch. The food was excellent and the portions were plentiful! Just a heads up your children can 100% percentage share a kids meal. The kids burrito was about the size of two Chipotle burritos put together and the quesadilla had 4-5 huge pieces. My salmon was cooked to perfection and seasoned so well, we had a great meal here.

The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose

After stuffing our faces we headed to the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. It’s a must on any Northern California road trip with kids. The museum is two floors of non-stop fun. My girls enjoyed learning about other cultures in the international food market, becoming an artist in the art studio and dressing up as firefighters and driving the fire truck the museum has. The museum is open anywhere from 10AM-5PM depending on the day of the week but closed every Monday. Adults and kids are $15 with infants under one being free.

california road trip with kids two girls dressed up as firefighters standing on the side of a fire truck at children's discovery museum of San Jose

After spending a few hours at the museum it was time to leave San Jose and drive to Monterey. Lucky for me the girls had a busy day so I didn’t have to worry much about entertaining them on the drive as they napped the entire way. When we arrived we headed to Fisherman’s Wharf where we had dinner. The wharf is lined with restaurants, chocolate shops, and whale watching tours!

 

California Road Trip with Kids: Day Two of Our Family Learning Adventure 

We kicked off our morning in Monterey by cheering on the runners of the Monterey Half Marathon. We didn’t know anyone racing but it was so much fun watching them accomplish such an amazing feat. I highly recommend always checking out the local events going on in the cities you’re visiting. When we were in Oceanside we found out there was a surf competition during our time visiting, something we never get to see at home.

A Visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

After watching people as young as 8 and as old as 80 complete a 13.1 mile run we headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It is by far the best aquarium I’ve ever been too and it was just as magical this visit as it was on my first. We immediately went to the Splash Zone on the second floor. You cannot skip this area when visiting the aquarium with kids. As soon as they walk into the Coral Reef Kingdom section they will be greeted by a tank filled with “Dory’s and Nemo’s. The excitement on my daughters faces and in their voice is a moment I’ll never forget.

The best part of this area are all of the interactive sections for kids. There are multiple touch tanks where they can feel the animals, play games, see penguins get fed and even a playground. They did not want to leave here at all, I had to drag them out so we could check out the jellyfish. The aquarium is open everyday except Christmas with adult admission costing $49.95, children 3-17 $29.95, and kids under three free. Most days the aquarium is open 10AM-5PM but on random weekends they open 9:30AM-6PM so check here before you go.

Even on a road trip with kids parents have to have some fun too. Watching the jellyfish has always been my favorite part of aquariums. I find staring at them so calming and peaceful. The variety of jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium is so large. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

 

Lunch at the Fish Hopper

After taking in all the beautiful underwater creatures we walked down Cannery Row to have lunch. We attempted to eat Bubba Gump Shrimp but the wait was an hour and just not doable with two toddlers. If you want to eat here I suggest making a reservation in advance if they take them. We ended up at the Fish Hopper and were happy with the gorgeous water view and great seafood.

Enjoying the Beach on Cannery Row

Before getting on the road to San Francisco, a two and a half to three hour drive the best thing to do on your California road trip with kids is to tire them out! So I did just that by letting them run around and play in the sand. 

Dinner at Dumpling Time

When we arrived in San Francisco, it was time for dinner. Dumpling Time is where we were dining and while it opens at 5PM on Sunday there was already a line forming by 4:45. After we ate I knew exactly why, the food here is phenomenal. My favorite dish was the seafood gyoza.

Hotel Zephyr: Our San Francisco Hotel

After dinner we checked into our hotel Hotel Zephyr. It’s a super chic hotel 5 minutes walking distance from Pier 39. The rooms are modern and the lobby has so much to offer. There is a huge game room with a pool table, ping pong table, board games, and TVs. To top that off there is an amazing outdoor space with three fire pits, a life size connect four game and the cutest airstream coffee shop. Check out more reviews of Hotel Zephyr here and book here for the best rates.

California Road Trip with Kids: Day Three of Our Family Learning Adventure 

Bay Cruise

It was our last day in California and we kicked off the day taking a Bay Cruise on the Red and White Fleet. The cruise leaves from Pier 43 ½ and lasts one hour. You’ll first cruise to the Golden Gate Bridge where you can admire it from up close and below. Then you’ll sail past Alcatraz all while getting the opportunity to see wildlife in the sea. Adults are $34pp, kids are $25 and kids under 5 are free.

california road trip with kids mother and daughter on a boat under the golden gate bridge

Enjoying Pier 39

After a wonderful cruise we headed to Pier 39. The Pier is filled with shops, restaurants, an aquarium, carousel and even a free magic show! The girls favorite part was watching the sea lions from there pier. There have to be at least 100 of them sunbathing and they love listening to the noises they make and singing back at them in return.

Lunch at Pier Market

If you get hungry while at Pier 30 like we did and want a nice sit-down lunch I recommend dining at the Pier Market. The kids menu has healthy options like salmon as well as kids favorites like chicken nuggets. 

California Academy of Sciences

After lunch we left Pier 39 to drive to the California Academy of Sciences. It has a rainforest, planetarium, aquarium and more. Our favorite was definitely the rainforest. You walk into a secure area which is about 4-5 stories high. You walk up a ramp and as you do you see animals at each level. There are butterflies flying around, yellow frogs, snakes, crickets, and various birds. It’s climate controlled and humid just like the rainforest so keep your jackets off while in here. These tickets give you access to the California Academy of Sciences.

Unfortunately we missed the last planetarium show as we ended up staying in the rainforest for quite a while. We did get to roam through the aquarium though as well as walk through the open exhibit. The California Academy of Sciences is open Monday – Saturday: 9:30 am – 5 pm and Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm. They have variable pricing, meaning depending on the day/time of year admission rates vary so it’s best to check here directly to see the pice for the dates you plan to visit.

If the kids need a break after exploring there is a huge playground if you make a right coming out of the parking garage, about 3 minutes drive down.

Sunset at Baker Beach

If you want a nice place to watch the sunset Baker Beach is it. With amazing views of the ocean, the mountains of Sausalito, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Bring a blanket and some snacks and relax as the sun goes down!

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Taking Family Vacation Photos

Unfortunately our California road trip with kids was coming to an end. We were catching a red-eye back to Miami so we did still have some time before we had to be at the airport. There are a few museums open late which was great for our late departure. Between Madam Tussauds and the Museum of 3D Illusions we chose the latter. The museum is open from 10am-10pm and costs $25 for adults, $12 for kids 6-12 and kids 5 and under are free. Look how cool the painting are, it looks like my daughter is actually sitting on the seat on a train but it’s a painting on the wall.

After the museum we headed to the airport to return our car rental and check in. We had the most amazing California road trip with kids exploring the Family Learning Adventure in the Bay Area. Since we only had a 3 day weekend for our trip we did the shortened version. However, if you have more time you can complete the entire 6 day itinerary, check it out here. If you’re interested in other California destinations check out my baecation itinerary from my Santa Barbara trip and my ski trip in Lake Tahoe.  Did you find this article helpful? Please share it!

The Traveling Child is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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Hi! We’re The Hambricks

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

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