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I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at th I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at this view from the top of the Kloof Corner hike! The biggest way we’re able to afford traveling so much is by letting the deals dictate where we go. Cape Town has been on our bucket list forever but with flights typically costing $1,200-$1,800 it hasn’t been a priority. But when Scott’s Cheap Flights (now called Going, I don’t like the new name but that’s besides the point) dropped this Cape Town deal for less than half of what it normally costs we jumped on it!

So often I hear “but there are no deals during school breaks”, YES THERE ARE! We went to Cape Town for Thanksgiving and the girls get the entire week off of school so they missed no days. Plus since there seasons are opposite it was late spring and the weather was amazing. Scott’s emails deals directly to your inbox for the airports you choose (we select our home airport and airports we can easily fly direct to and always have cheap flights because sometimes it’s worth flying to a city for a deal (known as a repositioning flight). They offer a free version but you don’t get all the deals so we have the Premium subscription which costs $49 for a year and you can tap the link in my bio and use code TRAVELINGCHILD20 for 20% off. They have an Elite membership level for business class seats. Because someone always asks, yes they give deals for nonstop flights but please remember you can’t fly everywhere nonstop. Beloved if you’re going to Thailand from the US you’re going to have a layover.

Anyway when in Cape Town you must hike, there are so many amazing ones! This Kloof’s Corner hike is perfect for sunset. It’s not stroller or wheelchair accessible as there are stairs but if Jordyn and Kennedy can hike it in 40mins (one way up) I promise you don’t have to be super fit!

P.S. when booking a flight from the US you have 24 hours to cancel & get a refund (on flights booked 7 days in advance). So many ppl told me they hesitated on this deal because they had to see if they could get off work/what dates worked for their travel partners. Always book first, think second & just cancel within 24hrs if you can’t make it work! What’s the best flight deal you’ve booked?
Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s every Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s everything you need to know about getting into South Africa (save + share this post):

1. Your passport must be valid for 30 days after your scheduled date of departure.

2. You must have 2 consecutive empty pages in your passport.

3. There is no visa required for US citizens for visits less than 90 days.

4. There are no shots required to travel to South Africa, unless you are traveling from or transiting through yellow-fever deemed countries, then a yellow fever shot is required. You can find a list of these countries online.

5. South Africa has opposite seasons than the US so our winter is their summer. December to February are peak travel due to the weather but if you visit in November like we did you’ll get good weather and avoid the massive crowds of peak season.

Have you visited South Africa? If so, which part? If not, is it on your list?
Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners? Are you the one in your group that plans the trip or do you just show up? If you’re the planner tag your friends 😅. If you just show up do you look at the itinerary or ask all the questions even though the info was given to you 👀?

Original reel idea credit goes to @kryssedeal, sis really nailed exactly how I feel!!
#sponsored Last year we were able to cross some am #sponsored Last year we were able to cross some amazing places off our bucket list. We want you to do the same so we’ve teamed up with @vrbo to give you the opportunity to win $3,500 and turn your bucket list trip into a book-it-list one! 

Just head over to the giveaway post on @vrbo, make sure you’re following them and tag 3 people you’d want to join you on your trip! 

So what is your book-it list vacation this year?

*T&Cs apply – link in bio

 #VrboTogether #BookItList
Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post):

1. Visit the various houses of worship like Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque. Suleymaniye Camii, Ortakoy Mosque, Chora Church and the Camlica Mosque

2. Tour palaces like Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace

3. Climb the Galata Tower for amazing views of Istanbul. You can even enjoy a meal here at the restaurant on the top floor.

4. Take a cruise of the Bosphorus to see both the European and Asia side of Istanbul.

5. Visit the cities Bazaars, the Grand Bazaar where you can shop your heart out and the Spice Bazaar where you can eat your heart out. Don’t leave without trying a Turkish delight!

6. If you want to go shopping Istiklal is the place to do so. They have a wide range of stores including international chains like Zara.

7. See a Dervish show at Hodjapasha.

8. Walk across the Galata Bridge to see fisherman at work and then walk under it to taste their fresh catches.

9. Take a day trip to the Princes’ Islands.

10. Experience a Turkish Hammam.

11. Explore the neighborhood of Balet, enjoying the colorful building and have some traditional Turkish tea or my favorite Apple Tea.

12. Turkey has some amazing food so go on a food tour or take a cooking class. If you don’t do either just make sure not to leave without having a traditional Turkish breakfast!

I recommend at least 5 days in Istanbul but you can easily spend a week or more exploring the city.

Have you been to Istanbul? If not is it on your list? For those that have been what was your favorite thing to do?

#istanbul #bucketlistadventures
Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post): 3 n Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post):

3 nights Siwa: Shali Fortress, 4x4 safari in the Great Sand Sea, sunset on Fatnas Island, emple of Amun and Temple of the Oracle, take a look or a dip into Cleopatra Spring, Mountain of the Dead, House of Siwa Museum, float in the salt lakes.

5 nights Cairo: Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx,  Egyptian Museum, Saqqara, Khal Al Khalil, Old and Coptic Cairo: Hanging Church, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Al Azhar Mosque and the Fortress of Babylon, see an Al Tannoura Egyptian Dance Heritage Show at Wekalet El Ghouri. For a break from the historical things with kids spend a day at Dreamland Park, Kidzania, or Ski Egypt. Stay at Marriott Mena House.

3 nights Luxor: Hot air balloon ride, Luxor Museum, Mummification museum, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Colossi Statue of Memnon and Hatshpsut

3 nights Aswan: High Dam, Temple of Philae, Nubian Villages, Sail on the Nile by Felucca, Nubian Museum, Abu Simbel

On the way to Aswan from Luxor you can also stop to see the Temple of Horus and Kim Ombo Temple. If you have extra time visit Alexandria, Bahariya Oasis, and White Desert National Park to see the White Desert.

Have you been to Egypt? Is it on your list? There is so much to see outside of Cairo! 

#bucketlisttravel #cairoegypt #luxoregypt #aswan
OUR MOROCCO ITINERARY (save + share this post):

🇲🇦2 nights Chefchaouen- painting class, hiking, enjoying the Blue City and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Fes- Royal palaces, Moroccan dance class, visit the tannery and more

🇲🇦6 nights Marrakech- Majorelle Gardens, explore the Medina, explore the various mosques, stay in a riad, take a Moroccan cooking class and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Sahara Desert- ATV tour, sand boarding, Bedouin experience and more.

For all the details of each trip tap the link in my bio for the itineraries of each city. Have you been to Morocco? Is it on your list?

P.S. the girls were 3 and 5 on this trip

#moroccotrip #thisisafrica #travellingwithkids

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Things to Do in Anza Borrego State Park

June 28, 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.

Anza Borrego State Park was the last stop on our Southern California road trip sponsored by Visit California and Go RVing. We drove the RV we rented on Outdoorsy from Los Angeles to Huntington Beach to Oceanside before ending in Anza Borrego State Park. Here’s our list of things to do in Anza Borrego State Park to make your trip the best possible. It was a big change from my winter trip to Lake Tahoe.

Anza Borrego RV Camping

If you’re RVing like we were the only place you should consider booking in Anza Borrego for RV camping is The Springs at Borrego RV Resort. The Springs at Borrego RV Resort is one of the best RV parks I have ever come across. The scenery in the RV park is just gorgeous in addition to its great amenities like the golf course and pool. Never RV’d before? Here are 6 tips for first time RVers along with an article to show you what vacationing in an RV looks like. Sign up for Outdoorsy here to save $50 on your first rental, we’ve rented through them three times and love it! They are the Airbnb of RV’s.

You May Be Interested in Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Planning a California Road Trip

 

Things to Do in Anza Borrego State Park

Day One: Galleta Meadows and Ram’s Hill Clubhouse

We arrived to Anza Borrego State Park late in the afternoon. Since we had an early dinner reservation we stayed near to our RV park and explored the Galleta Meadows. The Galleta Meadows are popular sculptures scattered around town of mainly animals, by artist Ricardo Breceda. They are quite a site to see in the middle of the desert.

After driving around to the different sculptures we had an amazing dinner at Ram’s Hill Clubhouse. Dinner ended at 8 p.m. the time of year we visited but their hours vary based on the season. Some days they close as early as 4 p.m. so check online before showing up. I ordered the seafood risotto which was topped with the most amazing blacked piece of fish I’ve ever tasted. They also have a kids menu and my daughter was ecstatic to find mac and cheese on it.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Travel Safety Tips You Don’t Want to Skip

The patio has the most gorgeous views of the mountains and sunset which we enjoyed after dinner. There is plenty of seating and a fire-pit you can enjoy into the night.

Things to Do in Anza Borrego State Park Day Two

We made breakfast in our RV before kicking off the day at the Anza Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center. You’ll need to pay to park in the lot here ($10) but RV parking is available. While the visitors center is quite small it has an informative museum and discovery center for kids.

The discovery center is filled with interactive activities to teach children facts about Anza Borrego State Park.  The exhibit had statues of the various animals found in the desert along with other species and plants. My daughter especially loved figuring out what type of animals all the fossils were from and digging for fossils. They do offer a Junior Ranger Program but the recommended age is 6+.

After exploring the Anza Borrego State Park Visitor’s Center we had lunch at Carlee’s, a local favorite. It’s an old school bar and restaurant that serves burgers and fries.

After our early lunch we went back to our RV park and beat the heat swimming in the pool. It was the perfect midday break for my 3-year-old. We splashed around for two hours, jumping in and out of the pool until it was time for our desert tour.

Since we were traveling in our rented RV and didn’t have a 4WD vehicle we booked a tour to explore Anza Borrego Desert State Park. While there is a road that goes through the desert we could have driven our RV we couldn’t get to the various look out points without hiking 4+ miles. If you also find yourself without a 4WD the only tour operator in the area that goes deep into the desert is California Overland.

They offer a variety of tours including private tours, desert camping and public desert tours. Based on the tours offered the while we were in Anza Borrego State Park we joined the 3pm two and a half hour Badlands Adventure Tour. The tour had four stops including a mud cave, Vista del Malpais and the infamous Font’s Point where we saw the badlands in all its glory.

After the tour it was time for dinner. We dined at Red Ocotillo which is a farm to table restaurant. At the entrance you can see their garden to the left where many of their ingredients are grown. The pesto chicken entree my dad ordered was exquiste. My daughter was so tired from our day she slept through dinner, it just means she had a great day!

One of the most popular things to do in Anza Borrego State Park is stargazing. It’s one of the only eight Dark Sky Communities. Unfortunately for us the two nights we were there it was a full-moon which meant there were no stargazing tours available. Still we saw way more stars than we do in busy, always lit Miami! If you visit when there is not a full moon here are some tips for stargazing in Anza Borrego State Park.

Other Things to Do in Anza Borrego State Park

Hike in Anza Borrego State Park! While we didn’t get to go on any proper hikes on this trip (we ran out of time), Anza Borrego State Park has some nice ones. The most popular hike and one we wanted to do is the Borrego Palm Canyon. It’s a 2.9-mile loop where you can see the California fan palms and where they naturally grow. To get here you have to drive four miles from Borrego Springs to the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground. Check out some other great hikes here.

Sadly our time in Anza Borrego State Park had come to an end. Even more sadly so had our Southern California RV road trip. We hope you found some great things to do in Anza Borrego State Park along with nearby cities Oceanside and Huntington Beach. Looking for other domestic trip ideas? Our other favorites include Fort Myers and Sanibel Island, our Southwest road trip, our Colorado ski trip, and New Orleans. If you found this blog post 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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