Knott’s Berry Farm Summer

One of our all-time favorite family amusement parks, Knott’s Berry Farm, has a lot more fun to offer this summer. The Knott’s Boardwalk now features three new rides that are guaranteed to please just about everyone in the family: the Coast Rider roller coaster, the Surfside Gliders aircraft ride, and the Pacific Scrambler spinning attraction.

Our new favorite is the Coast Rider, a ride that gives guests the sense of riding along the California coast, with a 52-foot ascent and 1,339 feet of track filled with hairpin twists and turns. Scary? Maybe a little, but our six-year-old demanded to ride it again and again.

Also new this summer is a multi-million dollar refurbishment of one of the Timber Mountain Log Ride, one of the country’s oldest and most popular log rides. The Timber Mountain Log Ride, first opened in 1969, is still one of the most elaborate in the country. The ride takes guests through an 85-foot-high by 330-foot-long mountain range themed to a nineteenth-century lumber camp. Housed in an eight-story building, it includes 24,000 gallons of water that circulates free floating logs past a variety of mechanical figures and  animals… all culminating in a wet and wild forty-two-foot free fall. It continues to be the most popular attraction in the park, carrying over 2.7 million guests every year.

Of course that’s just the start of it… The Knott’s Berry Farm property includes the Knott’s Berry Farm 160-acre theme park with dozens of rides, shows and attractions; the 321-room Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel; the Knott’s Marketplace shopping and dining area; and the 13-acre Knott’s Soak City Water Park. In other words, you can have just about all of your summer amusement park, dining, and soaking fun all in one place.

Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park CA 90620. (714) 220-5200. View the summer hours here.

Blogger disclosure: We were invited to attend a special morning at the park; however, we did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are our own.

Terranea Getaway

View from a room at Terranea

Stressed out? Looking for a departure from the ordinary? We’ve got a destination that’s just around the corner but is guaranteed to take you away: Terranea Resort, where you can wrap yourself up in all of the ocean’s natural glory without even leaving the South Bay.

View of Terranea from the rocky beach below

After a recent overnight at Terranea, we were positively hooked. This 102-acre luxury eco resort is bounded by the ocean on three sides, so you can barely even turn your head without seeing spectacular ocean views every way you look. The resort offers 582 guestrooms and suites, including bungalows, casitas and villas; as well as restaurants; a full-service spa and fitness center; an award-winning golf course; three swimming pools; kids’ club; a full range of outdoor recreational activities; and event spaces.

Proposal at the beach at Terranea

We started our evening with dinner at mar’sel, and were delighted to find that there was literally nothing between our table and sweeping ocean views. When we told our server that we felt like we wanted the night to last forever, she told us to take our time; the table was ours for as long as we wanted it. We enjoyed a wildly delicious meal, highlighted by the most tender Wagyu beef we’ve ever tried, and homemade English muffins that magically appeared at our table each time a new batch came out of the oven.

For adventurers, there are miles of oceanfront trails at Terranea ranging from easy to moderate. Don’t miss the trail down to the rocky beach, where there are kayaks lined up waiting for your next adventure. If you have sturdy shoes, climb the extra 50 yards or so to peek in to the ocean cave, where fossils and sea creatures are right at your feet. While we were at the rocky beach, we were lucky to see the remains of what must have been a beautiful seaside proposal at the beach.

If you have kids, you won’t want to miss the main pool area, with its kid splash zone and water slide. Sure, adults get their own pool, but it’s hard to stay away from that slippery zig-zag slide. When you’re all done, you can warm up in the hot tub, or cool down at the spa. If our kids had their way, we’d still be there now. We’re planning our next trip already.

Terranea: 100 Terranea Way, Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA 90275. Information: 310-265-2800. Reservations: 866-802-8000.

Blogger disclosure: We paid for the trip on our own and decided to write about it; we did not receive any compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are our own.

Get Schooled in Scaring at Monsters University

In our house the kids couldn’t wait for school to be over, but they were more than happy to head off to “scaring school” at Monsters University. In Disney/Pixar’s fun new prequel to Monsters Inc., we follow Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman) back to their early days as brand new students of scaring at Monsters University.

While Mike Wazowski is earnest and studious, Sulley thinks he can coast by on his natural scariness and his strong family name. But when both characters nearly lose their chance at being part of the prestigious Scaring Program, they have to band up with a team of unlikely misfits at the Oozma Kappa to prove their ability to hang tough and be successful in the scaring world.

Lots of fun campus jokes are scattered throughout the movie, making it a fun experience for both kids and parents. It’s a cute, light-hearted, not-too-scary movie that’ll please just about everyone. (Our 9-year-old kid declared it even better than Monsters Inc.!)

Need more temptation? Check out the preview here:

 

Monsters University hits the theaters on June 21 – so just as school gets out, you’ll be ready to start hitting the (scaring) books.

Blogger disclosure: Disney/Pixar treated me and a family member to a screening of the movie; I did note receive compensation for this post.

Two Milk Minimum

When’s the last time you heard your kids laughing really, really hard? Like, hard enough so that they fall on the floor with tears rolling down their faces…in a good way? If you’re longing to hear that sound, your best bet is to head over to Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, which has a special family-friendly comedy show on Saturdays called Two Milk Minimum.

The 90-minute show, starting at 4:30 pm, features a changing lineup of comedians, magicians, jugglers, and musicians. With the hilarious Michael Rayner serving as emcee, there is never a dull moment (Would you believe he can spin a cheeseburger on an umbrella?). At a recent show, the featured performer was magician Joseph Tran, who had the kids rolling in the aisles and then speechless in amazement with his balloon animal and ring tricks.

Michael Rayner balances a wheelbarrow on his chin…You had to see it to believe it!

The club itself is a small, intimate setting, with a front row of cushion-y chairs that are right at the foot of the stage. Kids are encouraged to come as close as they’d like, and they are frequently invited on stage to participate in tricks. Hungry? There’s a $5 kids’ menu with everything a kid could want, from burgers and fries to pizza.

With admission at $10 per head (kids under 2 are free), it’s about the same you’d pay for an afternoon at the movies but the experience is unique and intimate and will leave your kids with a real appreciation for live performance. Want to have a birthday party there? Just bring the cake to serve afterwards; there is no “cake corkage” fee.

Flappers Comedy Club is located in Burbank at 102 East Magnolia. Phone: 818-845-9721. View the full events calendar here.

Blogger disclosure: Flappers offered free admission for bloggers in our group. Many thanks to Adrienne of Adrienne’s House for coordinating the event!

Knott’s Berry Farm Food

Have you been to Knott’s Berry Farm lately? Sure, you may go for the rides and expect to eat some fried chicken, but you’d be surprised at the food variety that awaits you. There’s a new menu featuring meatball sandwiches, ribs, bruschetta, black bean burgers, Hawaiian ahi poke on wonton crisps… In fact, we dare you to leave hungry!

To read more about all of the new food options at Knott’s, (and to learn a little Knott’s history) please check out our story on Jolly Tomato. (And yes, that’s a piece of boysenberry pie in the photo, and no matter what you enjoy for dinner, there’s always room for some of that pie.)

Inside Baseball: Dodger Stadium

Baseball, hot dogs, and…red oak salad? It’s true, there is a lot to eat at Dodger Stadium and it’s more than just your standard fare.

We had the chance to tour the stadium on Saturday night with a group of food bloggers and we were amazed at the amount of offerings for vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free eaters, and even the most discerning foodies. To get the whole scoop on food at Dodger Stadium, read our story over at Jolly Tomato.

Warm-Weather Penguins

Photo via Aquarium of the Pacific

When you think about penguins, you probably picture a scene filled with ice and snow. At least that’s what we did before we visited the Aquarium of the Pacific’s new Magellanic penguin exhibit. It turns out that most penguins (10 out of 17 species) live in temperate areas and never even see frigid weather. That explains why these friendly Magellanic penguins, who frolic in a special habitat at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, are completely in their element.

Magellanic penguins (named after the explorer Ferdinand Magellan) live in coastal climates in South America, particularly Chile and Argentina. They’re petite little creatures - they grow to about two-and-a-half feet tall and weigh about 15 pounds when grown. But they vocalize to communicate, and each has a voice that is as distinctive as a human fingerprint. During our most recent visit, we got to know some of the friendlier penguins in the exhibit – specifically Kate, Avery, and Floyd (each penguin has a clearly labeled name tag), who were happy to slide up against the glass to greet us.

If you visit the aquarium’s new June Keyes Penguin Habitat, you can get to know more than a dozen penguins by name. Stop by and wave to them in front of the glass, or duck into the crawl-in space to watch them swim over and say hello. Miss them once you’re gone? You can watch them through a live cam above the water or under the water; or you can follow Avery the penguin on Twitter (no joke!).

Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA (562) 590-3100. Open 9 AM to 6 PM daily. General admission, $14,95 (kids) to $24.95 (adults); annual memberships with free admission begin at $45 for students, $55 for individuals.

Little India

Craving some curry? Longing for lassi? Or hankering for henna? You can see all that and more in our new neighborhood guide to Artesia’s Little India, as seen today on CBS Los Angeles. Pictured here: A rainbow of tapestries on display at Cottage Art home decor shop in Little India.

Aquarium at Night

A nighttime crowd gathers at the shark lagoon

You may have admired the beautiful sea creatures at Aquarium of the Pacific during the day time, but have you experienced the aquarium at night? The aquarium has a whole different look and feel – and when you’re seeing the fish at night, you start to feel like you’re a little closer to being right there in the ocean with them.

Moon jellies, under the moon

Happily, the aquarium has plenty of opportunities for you to check out the fish after normal hours. The “Late Nights” series offers discounted admission from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm approximately twice per week through April (and then weekly on Sunday nights beginning in June). The entire aquarium is open except for the lorikeet forest on those nights. Adults can get in for $14.95 and children for $13.95. You can view the whole late night schedule here.

A giant stingray in the shark lagoon, under the stars

On Shark Lagoon nights (Friday nights), the shark lagoon (only) is open for free from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Standing face-to-face with the sharks while you’re both in the dark is both thrilling and fascinating – or possibly creepy, depending on how you feel about sharks swimming right toward you in the dark. You can view the Shark Lagoon night schedule here.

The aquarium also offers plenty of special events with late-night festivities. Last week we had a chance to visit Noche de Estrellas, a party featuring Latin music and food. Upcoming nighttime events include Aquatic Academy courses and documentary screenings. For a full list of events and festivals – both day and night – visit the Aquarium’s events page.

Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA. (562) 590-3100. Parking is $8.

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Wheeeee! That’s a sound you might get used to hearing at Sky Zone, the new indoor trampoline park in Torrance/Gardena. With wall-to-wall trampolines, it’s a bouncing good time for kids and grownups alike.

When you walk in to the cavernous building, there are plenty of play areas to choose from. You’ve got the main trampoline area, a basketball court, two dodgeball courts, and a massive foam-cube pit.

Each area is well-staffed with employees who make sure that everyone keeps a safe distance from each other. So for example, if you’re jumping on the main trampoline or playing dodgeball, you stay on your own square. And if you’re vaulting into the foam-cube pit, you wait in line behind a series of launching points. It’s all clean and well-run — and you can feel confident that even your littlest kids will be safe.

We enjoyed free play during open jump time, but Sky Zone is also going to offer Sky-Robics classes, dodgeball tournaments, and a SkyCamp. Plus you can have a birthday party at Sky Zone, with party packages starting at $18/person.

Ready to jump? Open play costs $10 for 30 minutes and $14 for an hour. Reservations are recommended; you can reserve your spot ahead of time at
http://torrance.skyzonepsorts.com
. Hint: Fill out the waiver online before you arrive, so that when you arrive you’re ready to jump into action.

Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park, 1625 West 190th St., Gardena (Off the 405 at Western Ave.) 310-323-4500.

Blogger disclosure: My family was treated to a morning at Sky Zone; I did not receive compensation for this post.