European Adventure #1 - London, England with kids

What do you get when you mix two kids, three weeks, two European countries, four trains, seven cities, and too many gelato ice creams to count? You get an incredible family vacation to London and Italy. This summer we ventured to Europe with the kids and had a great time. We spent one week in London and two weeks in Italy. Here are the highlights of the trip. I’ve broken it up into London and another blog will be devoted to Italy.

London Highlights

Day 1 – We arrived at 11:30 a.m. and didn’t have any specific plans for the day because we wanted to give ourselves time to recover and adjust to the time change. We took carry on luggage (one bag and one light backpack each) so we got through border control and customs quickly. Then we stopped to get a week pass for the London Underground (subway) and tickets for the Heathrow Express into town. (The Heathrow Express was a little pricey- about $75 total to save about 20 minutes in travel time). In hindsight, we probably would have spent $16 total for the regular subway. Kids 10 and under ride free on the subway.

We arrived in one piece to our hotel our eyes red from being tired but wide with excitement. I carefully pre-planned and wrote put all of our directions and tube stops needed for each hotel on a list, so we would know how to get where we were going. We still got lost as the directions weren’t entirely clear and wondered around for about 20 minutes until we finally found our hotel, The London House Hotel. After checking in, we took a walk around the Bayswater neighborhood. It was a bustling area with a small mall and lots of shops and restaurants. When I was growing up, my mom brought my sister and I to live in London for three months and the hotel was in the same neighborhood where we lived, so I felt right at home. At the end of the street was Kensington Gardens Park and the Princess Diana Memorial Park, a lovely park with a huge pirate ships, see-saw, swings, and meandering paths and wooden play structures.

We were all tired and ready for bed around 6:00 and wanted to keep the kids up, but stopped fighting it. Luckily, the slept until 7:00 the next morning.

Day 2 – London Tower, River Boat ride, Parliament and Big Ben


This is a great place for the whole family. The Tower of London has played a prominent role in England's history. It was used as a place of refuge for unpopular monarchs and at times a centre of government. The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, menagerie, the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels.

Free tours are offered every ½ hour with a Beefeater (guard) with personality plus. They are funny and give facts about the cruel and unusual history of the tower. After the tour you are free to roam the various towers such as the Bloody and White Towers and view various torture devices and suits of armor. The Crown Jewels are housed here as well and are a must see. To see the whole thing took up a good four hours.

Afterwards, we walked down to the river and hopped on one of the river boat taxis and took it to the Parliament and Big Ben. We just viewed these from the outside.

Day 3 - Buckingham Palace - Changing of the Guard and British Museum

Buckingham Palace - Guard Change is every day at 11:30. Get there early (by 11:00) and for a better stand on the Victoria Memorial (in front of the palace) on the raised gardens. For a more interesting view of the change and what we did is we watched the detachment of the old guard and followed them to the new guard. This begins at 11:10 at St James Palace at Marlborough Road towards Buck Palace. It is best to stand on The MALL at the end of
Marlborough road by St James Park (there are free toilets just inside the gate.). As the band and guard March past, march down with them as far as Victoria Memorial and then cut through St James Park. Look out for other guides in the know, eg, Big Bus Co, follow them. Once on other side of Park. On bird Cage walk, you will see the Wellington Barracks. In front of the building will be the New Guard ready to leave. Turn right out of park and find a position on Spur Road, At Approx 11.25, the new guard with band leave
the barracks and Head To Buck Palace. After that, you can find a place with the masses to watch through the gate the rest of the guard change or try to find a spot towards the Victoria Memorial. At approx 12.05 the Old Guard with band leave Buckingham palace to the Wellington Barracks and the detachment of New Guard leave for St James Palace So, essentially, the reverse of what happened at 11.10 happens. If it is raining at about 10.50am, then guard change may be cancelled (although no announcement is made) you will only know if you are standing around at 11.20 and nothing has happened.

British Museum – This is probably my favorite museum in the world. It has the Rosetta Stone, tons of Egyptian statues, artifacts (mummies and cat mummies too) and the Elgin Marbles (Greek statues from the Parthenon). Museums in London are free, so even if you just go in for a peek, you won’t be disappointed. We found a great Italian restaurant right down the street called Bush and Fields at 49 Museum Street.


Day 4 – London Eye, Westminster Abbey and Stonehenge


The London Eye is a giant 443 ft tall Ferris Wheel situated on the banks of the Thames River in Central London. This was one of the kids favorite activities. You ride in pods with a seat in the middle. I’d heard it gets crowded, so we purchased our tickets on-line and avoided a long ticket line and got right on. We had an early reservation (10:00), so there were only two other people in our compartment which made the viewing great. We were able to see the city below us and got great views of Big Ben, the Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. We saw afterwards, that you could purchase books with maps of what you were seeing from above that we wished we’d had while on the eye.

Westminster Abbey – a short walk from the Eye we went on a quick tour of Westminster Abbey before meeting our tour to Stonehenge. The kids didn’t get much out of it, but it’s a must see while in London. The best part for them was seeing the coronation chair where the kings and queens are crowned.

Stonehenge – Stonehenge is located an hour and a half outside of London, so I booked a half-day tour to see it through Evans and Evans Tour company. The bus took us out to the site and we had an hour and a half to roam the site with audio tours. My husband and I were awed at the magnificent rock structures built so long ago and perfectly aligned with the sun’s solstices. The kids however, didn’t quite get the marvels of ancient engineering and when I asked twelve-year-old Jake what he thought he said, “It’s just a bunch of rocks.” (I just know someday he’ll appreciate all this!).

Day 5 – British War Museum, Double decker Bus ride, Trafalgar Square, and Van Gogh’s Sunflowers

We left this day open and decided to go the British War Museum because my son loves everything war. There, the kids got to go in a pretend submarine, peer at guided missiles of all shapes and sized, and walk on real tanks. My husband and I took turns taking quick visits into the Holocaust section (not recommended for children under 14).

No trip to London is complete without a ride in a double-decker bus (or a London taxi which we did the day before), so we found a bus line going in our direction and hopped on for a ride to Trafalgar Square. The Square was alive with people, fountains, and four very large lion statues. The National Gallery is located on the stairs so we took a peek inside admist protests of “I’m tired!” and went straight to the Van Gogh section for a view at his famous Sunflowers painting. I could have stared at it all day, but was pulled away. We made a quick stop downstairs where a bank of computers let you look up the paintings the gallery housed and information on them.

Quick tips on London:

London is a great starter country to visit with children. It’s easy and they speak our language! My kids loved it there. For planning purposes, I found it helpful to plan only two things to do a day as the kids get tired easily and you don't want to overdo it.

Use public transportation. The underground is extremely easy and safe. The double decker buses are easy too. You can buy an oyster card that will save you money on the tube and buses for the week or for a few days. Kids ten and under are free.

Hotel: The London House in Bayswater, London.
http://www.londonhousehotels.com/
I choose hotels that are in good locations (close to public transportation and restaurants), clean, and affordable. Most hotels in Europe are for two people, so for a family of four you have to book “Quad” rooms. They charge for each extra bed whether for a kid or an adult so it can get expensive. We stayed at the London House. It’s no frills, but was clean and in a GREAT Location. I highly recommend it. It was about $180 a night for the four of us. Breakfast was extra and we did not get it because it was cheaper to just get something light in the neighborhood. There is a mini- mall about 5 minutes walking about with a Spencer’s Market where we picked up muffins and juice inexpensively. You need to book this hotel early as it does fill up. We had the Lower Family Room and it was great.

Food: There were tons of small places and pubs to eat near our hotel. I’d hear food was really expensive, but as long as you don’t eat in a real touristy place, it was fine. Sodas are expensive, so once we figured out we were spending $4-$5 per drink, we started drinking water. We also picked up snacks and breakfast nearby. Our room had a refrigerator which was helpful and we would even pick up pasta salads and French bread at the local grocery stores for lunch ( a great cost saver). The Prince Edward Pub a few blocks from the hotel at 43 Princes Square was good.

Rick Steve’s Guidebooks are really helpful and I swear by them.

Packing – bring carry on luggage and a light backpack for each person. Pack light. You don’t need much and can wash small amounts of clothes along the way. See Rick Steve’s packing guide. http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlist.htm 

Carry money and passports in a money belt.

Central Coast Adventure # 6 - Shell Beach Bluff Trail Hike to the Sea Cave

He Nani e, He Nani no (Beautiful, Beautiful Indeed) is the inscription on the lone bench at the top of the bluff of this trail. Beautiful, sweeping sea vistas, the smell of salt water, and the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers await you on this great family hike. The fun starts at the Shell Beach Bluff Trail (see directions to trail head below). A paved walking path meanders along the bluffs with open views of the ocean. Watch carefully, as dolphins can be frequently sighted frolicking in the ocean below. The trail is easy and with little ones in tow will take about 15-20 minutes one way. Strollers are okay if you are just doing the first leg of the hike (packs or kids who can walk themselves are needed to go to the sea cave).

For more excitement continue the trail onto the dirt path over to Pirates Cove and the Sea Cave. There is a large warning sign to beware of the eroding cliff, but the trail is perfectly safe as long as you stay on it. The trail gets a little steep for a few minutes, but it's worth the hike as you're rewarded shortly by a nice bench to stop for a rest. Take in the breathtaking vista with views to the south of Guadalupe dunes and north to Avila Bay. Continue on the trail over to the dirt parking lot to Pirates Cove Beach. Look for the trail head down to the beach and follow it. You will come to a sign that says Beach/Cave. Go right to the sea cave. Follow it for about 5 minutes and you'll come to the wide opening to the sea cave. Enter the cave and have a look at the beautiful seascape. Keep younger children close to you as the edge of the cave is also the edge of the bluff. Rest for a few minutes then continue back the way you came. For added fun, you can take a detour down to the beach. The trail to the beach is steep with stairs and is eroded at the end. There is a rope to hold onto to get down. If you're steady on your feet then you can do it with little ones, but it's probably better for kids 5 and up. I was able to negotiate it with a small dog in tow. The beach is a nude beach, so if it's a little early to give your kids an education in anatomy, stay at the end toward the trail which I've found to be a "safe zone." The beach is one of my favorites and is a pretty cove. We saw sea lions on a rock and a lot of seabirds.

When finished, head back the way you came, through the parking lot and over to the Shell Beach Bluff Trail. Take in the salt air, the beautiful vistas, and a great day spent outdoors.

Information:
Directions: Heading North on Hwy 101 exit at Avila Beach Drive (not San Luis Bay Drive) Don't go right or left on Avila Beach Drive. Go across! This turns into Shell Beach Drive. Turn right at the first street, El Portal Drive. Drive to the end and take a right on Indio Drive. At the gated Bluffs Drive park on street (there is limited parking if you go down the hill to the left). Walk down the hill to the left and you will see the trail head. From the South, exit at Avila Beach Drive, go under Freeway and make your first left onto Shell Beach Drive. Follow directions above.
Length of hike: about 30-40 minutes round trip for the first leg. If you go over to the Sea Cave about 1 hr and 10 minutes (recommended for kids 4 and up or for kids in a pack).

Central Coast Adventure #5 Carizzo Plains National Monument

Ages: all but ages 5 and up will have a greater appreciation for the area. Travel from San Luis Obispo: 1 1/2 hours.
A word of warning on the website says not to rely on directions from computer map programs or GPS (they will lead you astray). See directions below from the website or check the website for directions from other areas.
Tips: bring lunch, snacks, and water. There are no facilities on the way or at the plain. Gas up before you go. I didn't see any gas stations on the way.
The Goodwin Education Center (Visitor Center) is open from December to May, Thursday - Sunday, 9-4.
Painted rock trail closed March - July except with docent led tour on Saturdays (book ahead)
Website: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bakersfield/Programs/carrizo.html

It was a beautiful spring day in early April and the end of the kids two week spring break. We decided to take a day trip adventure to the Carizzo Plains. I'd heard of the beauty and natural life on the plains for years and there'd been a lot of talk about the area in the news recently since it's a proposed site for two solar energy projects.

We invited another family to join us and loaded everyone in the minivan (3 adults, 2 boys ages 7 and 11 and two girls ages 10) and headed out at 9:00 a.m. We drove to Santa Margarita and then to highway 58 a two-lane road that meanders through oak-tree dotted rolling hills. We had plenty of color with the wild flowers blooming in vivid yellows, oranges, and purples along the way and a herd of wayward sheep blocking the road was cheap entertainment for the kids.

An hour and a half later, we turned off on Soda Lake Road and were welcomed with a view of Soda Lake glistening in the distance. A Carizzo Plains Monument sign confirmed we were in the right place. It was a short ride to our first stop the Soda Lake Overlook. Bathrooms at the overlook were a welcome sight as well as a display with a map of the area and information on the flowers and wildlife we were likely to encounter.

A short walk up a hill and we had a great view of the lake. Another short climb to the top gave us an even greater view of the entire plain. Spring flowers in bloom carpeted the area in shades of yellow, blues, and purples.

Across the street was the Soda Lake Trailhead, but first we took a quick drive up to the Visitor's Center. There we got an overview of the area. We learned about the flowers, wildlife, the San Andreas fault that traverses the plain and Native Americans who lived there, and Painted Rock, a horseshoe shaped monolith rock formation that rises about 55 feet above the plain near the Caliente Mountain Range. Still considered sacred by the native peoples, the rock is considered one of the most important rock painting (pictograph) sites in the United States. The trail to Painted Rock is closed from March until July (open during this time only on Saturdays with a guided tour that must be booked well in advance).

From there we drove back to the Soda Lake Trailhead and took the .9 mile walk with a .5 mile boardwalk made out of recycled plastic milk jugs. The kids ran down to the lake and walked on the crunchy, white, salt-coated shore while the parents took pictures of the Tremblor Mountain range reflecting in the water. The ranger at the station told us the lake was only about 8 inches deep all the way across and that it drys out most of the year. As I stood there looking at the quiet plain bordered by two mountain ranges, I felt I was in an area by-passed by time and a sense of life in a long-gone era where there was nothing but wilderness.

After a walk along the boardwalk and a stop for lunch at the trailhead, we drove over to the Wallace Creek Trail, home of the San Andreas Fault line. The ranger at the Visitor Center told us to avoid the shortcut on the map to the trail head as it's deeply rutted and suitable for 4 wheel drives. He gave us directions to the 7 mile road and the drive only took about 10 minutes.

The Wallace Creek interactive trail had information on the fault. We were all surprised to learn that that we are moving one inch a year toward San Francisco. Where we were currently standing, it said, in 10 million years we'd have a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We walked up a short hill to the creek and a view of the famous offset creek bed, a clear visual of how the creek bed was offset about 40 yards during earthquakes. The kids went into the creek bed and I explained they were currently standing on the Pacific Plate. I had them run across the fault to the other side of the creek onto the North American Plate. They giggled at their "plate hopping."

We climbed the trail a little further to the top and had an even better view of the creek. We continued on the trail a little further, but the kids were getting tired. It wasn't until we got back down and checked a sign again that we noticed there were numbered posts above showing the different movements of the fault, something to look forward to next time.

We drove out and looking at the map noticed we were very close to Highway 58, so instead of backtracking, we picked up Highway 58 and headed home.

Directions from the Central Coast: Take US Highway 101 to Santa Margarita (which is located half-way between Atascadero and San Luis Obispo). From Santa Margarita take State Highway 58 east about 40 miles turn right (south) on Soda Lake Road toward California Valley and the Carrizo Plain National Monument. In 7.6 miles you will arrive at the boundary of the Carrizo Plain National Monument. As you travel south on Soda Lake Road be sure to pull off at overlook hill and the Soda Lake boardwalk. Seven miles from the boundary, a dirt road heads west (right) 1/2 mile to the Goodwin Education Center.

Central Coast Adventure # 4 - Terrace Hill Hike, San Luis Obispo

Ages: All
Fun Factor: easy hike; fun for the kids
Cost: FREE
Location: Terrace Hill Open Space. On Bishop Street just past intersection of Augusta Street (Bishop Street is off of Johnson Ave. near French Hospital). Park on Augusta Street and take a short walk up Bishop's Street to trail head.

This is a great hike for families. It's easy, quick, and has a great view of San Luis's most beautiful peaks - San Luis and Bishop Peak Mountains.

From the trail head,head up the wide trail to the top (about 5 minutes). At the top you will be greeted with a flat open space and great views of the city. There is a trail that makes a circle around the top. There are a few benches for resting or to sit and look at the city below.

Tips: There are a few rock outcrops that are fun for the kids to play on.
The peaks make a great backdrop for family portraits.
This hike isn't really jogger stroller friendly because the gate at the bottom is really skinny and hard to get through (might be able to lift a closed stroller over the fence), but you don't really need a stroller because even a two-year old can climb this one. You can get through with a child in a pack on your back if you get sideways just the right way.

Central Coast Adventure # 3 Where the Wild Things Are: Wild Things Exotic Animal Sanctuary - Salinas, CA

Do your kids like wild things? Would they enjoy seeing real live "movie star" animals? If so, then come hob nob with the baboon used as the model for Rafiki in Lion King. See the most photographed Tiger ever and watch elephants and zebras roam on an African Savannah (well, a movie set Savannah that is). Wild Things in Salinas, CA is a unique experience for you and your family. Tours are given daily at 1:00 (last one hour and reservations are not required, just show up. 3:00 tour also available in June, July, & August). $10 Adults, $8 children. There's also a bed and breakfast on the site where you can stay in a safari-like cabin with a view of elephants and zebras.

Wild Things is dedicated to providing professionally & humanely trained wild/exotic & domestic birds and animals for film, television, live productions, education and much much more. Wild Things takes great pride in offering sanctuary to many animals that can no longer participate in entertainment or would otherwise not have a home or family.

I took my kids ages 11 and 9 and they loved it. An animal trainer gives a tour that last about an hour. You will learn about the different movies the animals were in and how they train them, i.e., How do they train bears to look like they're attacking someone? Answer: Teach them to dance then instruct them to dance. Add some ferocious sounds and you have what looks like a bear attacking.

For a unique lodging experience, check out their B&B. Listen to the lions and tigers roaring only yards from your canvas walled hotel suite. Wake to a continental breakfast delivered to your tent (often by our animal friends). Prices start at $225 a night.

Salinas is about 30 minutes from Monterey, CA. This is a great companion trip to a weekend in Monterey and a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.


For more info: http://wildthingsinc.com/html/_welcome_to_our_jungle_.html

Central Coast Adventure # 2 Amtrak Train from SLO to Paso Robles

Age Range: 3 and up
Fun Factor: Very
Price: about $20 for train tickets. More money needed if you have dinner after.

This is an annual trip we started with friends when my son was 3 (my daughter was 1 and started going when she was 3). He loved trains and the hour train ride was perfect. The train goes over the grade and through a tunnel. The train leaves the San Luis Obispo Train Station every day at 3:15. We usually buy our tickets beforehand (one year we didn't and they were sold out). If you have AAA and buy a week in advance you can usually get a good discount. The tickets are pretty cheap. I think about $20 for three tickets.

We've always sent the dads with the kids on the train and the moms are the pick-up crew. The moms usually stop for a quick cup of coffee on the way or a Target stop (in the earlier years when we never had any time for a Target run). Then we drive to the Paso Train Station to pick up the crew. After that, we usually go and have dinner at a family friendly restaurant like Senor Sanchez in Paso Robles. The kids look forward to the trip every year.

Tip: The tickets usually have assigned seats, but the kids prefer the upper viewing lounge with the big windows (seating is first come, first serve).

Central Coast Adventure #1 Bittercreek Western Railroad - Nipomo, CA

Age range: 3 years and up.
Fun Factor: Very
Price: Free

This is a must do for families with kids on the Central Coast. The Bitter Creek Western Railroad (BCWRR) is a privately owned 7.5-inch gauge railroad operated for the benefit of children of all ages who enjoy playing trains. It is only open to the public once a month. Public ride dates are listed on their website (see below). The railroad is on the Nipomo Mesa (map link is on the website). It's about a 20 minute ride and is usually open from 10-4. Rides are free, but donations are accepted.

http://www.bittercreekwesternrr.org/rides.html