Travel

We're down in our favorite home away from home, Pacific Grove. It's time for their annual Feast of Lanterns festival, which, if you're unfamiliar with it, is kind of like a combination of the 4th of July, Miss America, Halloween, and New Year's Eve all combined. Needless to say, it's a big deal, and all the hotels in the area are full. Things kicked off yesterday with the Pet Parade, which was a lot of fun in an organized chaos sort of way. At the end, everyone got popsicles and played at the park. More fun is in store today, as well as fireworks tonight.
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One of our favorite family outings is to the town of Sonoma. This small town is a fantastic wine country destination for either a day trip or a weekend “staycation” (which of course is all the rage in this era $4.50-a-gallon gas). Sonoma is about a half-hour’s drive from northern Marin, via Highways 37 and 121. Not as busy or as up-to-the-moment trendy as the Napa Valley, its Wine Country neighbor to the east, Sonoma manages to be both quaint and sophisticated, with a clear sense of tradition and history. Above all, it’s a great place for families, since the Wine Country isn’t necessarily all about wine.

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The last time we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (back in January—you can read about the trip here), we were a little disappointed to find that the Splash Zone, their interactive education and play area for kids, was closed for renovation. But it's back now at, and, at twice the size of the old Splash Zone, it's better than ever! We weren't able to make the media preview back in March, but we were back in Pacific Grove a couple weeks ago and had the opportunity to check it out.

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One of the benefits of living in Northern California is that you can go on a hike or other outdoor activity pretty much any time you want to, even in the dead of winter. In fact, winter is really one of the nicest times to be outdoors, with crisp, clean air, bright green grass, fewer crowds and tourists, and even the first of the wildflowers showing up. This is all provided it's not raining, of course. One of our favorite outdoors spots, and a great place to take a hike with the family, is Jack London State Historic Park, located in the small Sonoma Valley town of Glen Ellen, about a 45-minute drive north from Marin.

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One of our favorite relatively short road trips is to head down to the Monterey Peninsula. It's about a 2-1/2- to 3-hour drive from Marin, making it perfect for a day trip, overnight, or weekend. (What makes this easier for us is that we have good friends in Pacific Grove who are willing to put up with us every so often for a few days.) A favorite place to visit, especially with small children, is the Monterey Bay Aquarium

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For dads with a streak of daring we’ve found the perfect Father’s Day gift: a ride in a historic airplane over the Sonoma Wine Country! The Vintage Aircraft Company, located a short distance from Marin at Sonoma Valley Airport (also known as the Schellville Aerodrome), offers rides in restored World War II-era PT-17 Stearman biplanes and a World War II AT-6/SNJ Texan warbird.

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Last week I took my kids to Cornerstone Festival of Gardens in Sonoma and I was surprised how cool and unique this place really was.  I went when they first opened and they didn’t have all the gardens completed, but now it’s complete and the gardens are fun and amazing, and the kids really loved them. I was a little surprised that we were the only ones there to enjoy them, with the exception of one other family. Cornerstone Festival Gardens comprises 20 different gardens, each with a different theme, and each designed by a world-famous landscape architect.
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The whole family, or at least the ones that like tomatoes, will enjoy this special event at Cornerstone Festival of Gardens near Sonoma this weekend, April 14-15. Tomatomania will include a huge heirloom tomato seedling sale, with colorful varieties like Green Zebras, Cherokee Purples, Black Krims, and Dixie Golden Giants. Children can learn about all the varieties of tomatoes and how to maintain a wonderful vegetable garden. Some of the free activities for children will include crafts, making vegetable garden markers, and making a scarecrow for the organic vegetable garden.
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