This was our second trip to Japan, we have completely fallen in love with the country and look forward to going back a third time (hopefully in the fall sometime).  There are so many great places to explore and eat.  The Japanese people are so kind and courteous.  The city is clean and orderly. I love the fact that we were in a different country but felt totally safe.  It’s such an amazing destination, I highly recommend visiting Japan!

Day 1

Land at Narita airport

Took Limousine bus to ANA Intercontinental Tokyo in Akasaka.  You can take a train to the city, but if you have large luggage this is a great way to travel especially if your hotel is one of the stops along the way.  You don’t need to book in advance, just buy tickets at the counter as you exit the terminal.

Day 2

We started the day early at Ueno Park to check out the Cherry Blossoms and the crowds were light early in the morning.  The key to lighter crowds really is to wake up early.

Next we headed to Asakusa for lunch to check out the following:

• Sensō-ji temple
• Nakamise-dori Street (we ate Melonpan and Taiyaki)
• Kappabashi Kitchen Street – street that sells lots of kitchenware (bring cash)
• Lunch at Sushiro (conveyer belt sushi that also had things like chicken, fries and ramen for the non-sushi eating people in our family)

In the evening we went to Akihabara for our youngest, he wanted to check out the manga, anime, and electronics stores.

Day 3

We started the day at TeamLab Borderless which is a digital art museum.  I highly recommend!  It was a trip highlight for all for of us. You can purchase tickets one month in advance. I recommend trying for the earliest time slot so the museum isn’t as crowded, it definitely gets fuller as the day goes on. TeamLab Borderless is fun for kids too, there is an area where you color a sea creature, they scan it and it ends up on the wall.  It’s so fun!

They also have another one which is called TeamLab Planets, and it’s a little more interactive, you take off your shoe and walk through water. We did not book this one, but after visiting TeamLab Borderless, we really wish we did.

Next up, we headed to Ginza to check out Age.3 and their viral fried sandwiches, we waited in line for about 30 minutes. They were good, but I’m not sure I would wait much longer then 30 minutes for them.

We also had some shopping planned at the following stores:

• Itoya – largest stationery store founded in 1904 with 12 levels of paper goods, pens, crafts and more.  Absolute heaven!
• Uniqlo Flagship Store – There are 12 floors at this store and you can even customize some items (tip: this store gets crazy busy and crowded so there are several other Uniqlo stores around Tokyo worth visiting if your aren’t up for braving the crowds)
• Loft – great place for useful souvenirs, stationery and more.  Just a fun store to check out!

We headed to Shinjuku in the evening to eat at a Yakiniku restaurant, which is a a Japanese-style barbecue restaurant where we grilled bite-sized pieces of meat, seafood, and vegetables at our table.

Day 4

We took a day trip to Kamakura to see the Great Buddha statue at the Kotoku-in Temple.  We also strolled the streets to check out the shops and get something to yummy to eat.  

We also had a stop at Enoshima planned to check out the Enoshima Shrine and Samuel Cocking Garden.  This was a nice stop along the coast that got us out of the hustle and bustle of the city.  I highly recommend!

Day 5

We planned this as a little more relaxing and chill day so we didn’t burn ourselves out, walking in Tokyo is no joke…so much walking and so many stairs!  We still got to see some great things!  We visited Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardens where the Cherry Blossoms were in full bloom.  I recommend visiting this park even if it isn’t cherry blossom season, it’s so pretty!

We also explored Meiji Jingu, which is a temple in the middle of a dense forest right in the middle of the city.  If you don’t want huge crowds, I recommend visiting early in the morning at both of these locations.  Early evening is a great option too!

We had dinner at an Indian Restaurant we found on our last trip to Japan that we enjoyed very much. It’s called KHANA Indian restaurant, the portions are good, the food is great and the price is small.  Food is Tokyo is so good and often very cheap!

Day 6

We got lucky and scored tickets to the Ghibli Museum!  My son is a fan and this was one of the things he really wanted to do. Getting tickets for the Ghibli Museum were harder to secure than Taylor Swift Eras Tour tickets.  LOL!  Tickets become available on the 10th day of the month (10 am JST) before you want to attend, you will need to be online about 10 minutes or so before they are released and use multiple devices. We had 6 devices running, most said were were between 25,000-30,000 in line.  I’ve heard if you get a number 8000 or less there is a decent chance you will get tickets.  Fortunately, my son was number 3800 in line on his phone and we were able to secure the tickets. 

It’s a rather small museum, but if you are big Ghibli fan, you will go nuts.  There is some memorabilia, a short film to watch and a gift shop.

We visited Shibuya Crossing, it’s neat to cross the crazy intersection, but my son said he was underwhelmed, so it may or may not be a worth a visit to you.

We stopped at the Disney flagship store in Shinjuku because we are huge Disney fans.  There is a really cute store in Shibuya too, but it is smaller and has too many shoppers in a small space for my liking!

In the evening we headed toward the Tokyo Disney resort and checked into our room at the Tokyo Disneyland hotel.  We chose to visit by private shuttle because we all had large suitcases.  You can use a luggage forwarding service and take public transportation as an option too.

Day 7

We started our day at Tokyo Disneyland. Since we were staying at the Tokyo Disneyland hotel the night before we gained early entry to the park.  They call it Happy Entry and you only get in 15 minutes early, but it really does make a difference.  You can ensure you get in line for a popular ride before everyone else lines up, or you can take photos in front of the castle with an empty park.

Do not miss the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast attraction, it’s amazing.  We also really enjoyed the Micky’s Magical Music World show.  Food spots we enjoyed:

• Rackety’s Raccoon Saloon – Critter Sundae 
• Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall

Day 8

We spent the next two days at Tokyo Disney Sea, which is my opinion is the best theme park I have ever visited!  It’s visually stunning!  We transferred hotels and checked into the MiraCosta, you can see a peek at our patio above.  

We were fortunate to ride pretty much all the rides we wanted because we booked and unlimited vacation package, which gave us access to ride tons of the popular rides as much as we wanted.  We were also able to book priority passes for three of the popular rides in the new Fantasy Springs section.

Day 9

Disney Sea is such a large and amazing park we knew we wanted a second day there.  Since we accomplished most of the rides we wanted yesterday we took this day to really explore the park and ride the few rides that we missed yesterday.  We were able to score seating for the musical show Big Band Beat, which we enjoyed.

Probably the highlight of the day was dining at Magellan’s, it’s a fine dining restaurant within Disney Sea, the food is amazing and the atmosphere in the restaurant is stunning.  The cool part is we got seated in the “secret room”, you push a button on a book case and a door opens up to the hidden room.  It was so cool!

Day 10

We took the Shinkansen to Kyoto.  Booking tickets ahead of time is not necessary, but because we were traveling with our luggage we wanted to ensure we had luggage storage seats, so we booked ahead.  We all grabbed a Bento Box at the train station before boarding the train.  We chose to travel from Shinagawa Station since it’s a little less overwhelming then Tokyo station.

We checked into the DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station, which was a very short walking distance from the station.  We dropped off our bags and headed to visit the Fushimi Inari gates in the early evening. You can hike all the way to the top and be rewarded with a great view of Kyoto.

Day 11

First thing in the morning we took the Hozugawa River Boat Ride at 9 am towards Arashiyama.  The ride was very scenic and our guides were so much fun! It took us longer than usual because the river was really low (almost 2 hours travel time), but the river was lined with Cherry Blossoms and we even got to see some wildlife.

Once we got to Arashiyama we checked out the following:

• Bamboo Forest
• Okochi Sanso Garden
• Kimono Forest

Day 12

This was probably one of my favorite days! We went to Goin in the am to avoid crowds and then we visited the Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion).  The grounds were gorgeous and peaceful. Next we walked the streets to head to the Path of the Philosopher and stopped at a stand that had strawberries covered in a hardened sugar (Tanghulu). They were so good!  The strawberries in Japan and so sweet and fresh!

The Path of the Philosopher was a stone path through the northern part of Kyoto’s Higashiyama district. The path follows a canal which was lined by hundreds of blooming cherry trees. The walk was absolutely wonderful, the views were gorgeous and it was very peaceful.

Day 13

We only had a half day in Kyoto before we had to head back to Tokyo due to the fact we were flying out the next day. We spent our morning at the Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple). Once again the ground were stunning and the golden temple was so pretty, surrounded by water and Japanese trees. We got some ice cream afterwards complete with golden flakes!

We rode the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Shinagawa station and then took the Narita Express to the airport.  We caught a shuttle bus to our last hotel stay before we headed home.

Day 14

Our flight wasn’t until the late afternoon, so we took the free hotel shuttle to the Narita Mall, which was actually kind of nice.  We flew home in the afternoon.  The entire trip was amazing!  I love visiting new places, but this was our second trip to Japan and I can’t wait to go back again. I’d love to visit in the fall, since our last 2 trips have been in the spring. I would personally avoid the summer months, the heat in Japan is scorching in the summer and I am a wimp when it comes to heat.

Flights – We flew Premium Economy with Japan Airlines, we booked our flights with Alaska Airlines miles so we only had to pay the fees.

Hotels: (I would recommend them all)

• ANA InterContinental Tokyo 
• Tokyo Disneyland Hotel
• Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta
• DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Station
• Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport

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Odds are, if you’ve found yourself in this corner of the internet, you’re deep in the trenches of planning a trip and have already been bombarded with nearly a hundred different ideas. I’ve always found it easier to work with short lists and straightforward answers. So if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by it all, take a deep breath. I’ve made it simple. One thing to eat, one thing to see, and one thing to do. When we went to Puerto Rico, we were there for only a few days, so we didn’t accomplish much else besides these few things and yet, we always look back on it as such a rich and enjoyable trip. I guess what I’m trying to say is if all you end up doing are these three things, you’re still going to walk away very satisfied. 

The #1 Thing to Eat: Pirilo Pizza Rustica

This restaurant is tucked into a charming corner of Old San Juan. The interior is cozy, but the energy. If you’re looking for mouth-watering pizza and pasta, this is the spot. My husband and I are still talking about our meal months later. Now if you’re reading this thinking “you went to Puerto Rico and the best meal you had was Italian food?! I hear you. For some delicious Caribbean-fusion dining, you should check out Zaco’s Tacos on Culebra. The space has such a fun vibe and the food was amazing. (A tad on the expensive side in my opinion, but I still walked away feeling satisfied.)

The #1 Things to See: Bioluminescent Bay

Puerto Rico is one of the top destinations for viewing bioluminescence! We took a tour with Yokahu Kayak Trips, which is located on the main island. However, our tour guide informed us that the very best spot is actually located on the island of Vieques in Puerto Mosquito. If you’re unfamiliar with bioluminescence, essentially, in certain regions of the world, there’s a type of aquatic algae that emits light due to a chemical reaction in the water. It is a spectacular phenomenon to witness! During the tour, you’ll kayak through mangroces until reaching an open bay. You’ll do all of this at night far from any light pollution. Here, you’ll get to witness those magical glowing waters you’ve seen from the photos. During our tour, the guide covered the entire group in a tarp so that there was no light pollution whatsoever. This allowed us to see those glowing water in their brightest form. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience in my opinion. While there are places around the world that they can be viewed, you’ll rarely be somewhere where they are as prevelant as they are in Puerto Rico so I highly recommend taking advantage!

The #1 to Do: Rent a Golf Cart & Visit Flamingo Beach 

The day we spent on Culebra can be summed up in a just a few words: Pure. Caribbean. Magic. To reach the island, you’ll take a ferry from Ceiba. While tickets aren’t very expensive, you’ll pay in the form of motion sicknesses. If you’re particularly prone to nausea, I would ensure to bring along some dramamine. I can assure you that your day on the island is well worth any physical maladies you may suffer in journeying there. The island is relatively small, so most tourists rent a golf cart to get around during the day. While there are certain roads you’re not allowed to take them on, you can easily access some of the best destinations with it. Carting around in the sunshine, hopping from beaches to restaurants to bars was just insanely fun. A 15-minute golf cart drive will take you to Flamingo Beach. This is without a doubt, one of the most stunning beaches I have ever visited. Picturesque white sand, turquoise water, and a palm-tree lines shoreline are what you greet you ehre. They also have a little village of small businesses selling refreshing treats and beach gear to rent. We spend a few bucks on beach chairs, plopped them under a palm tree and spent hours reading int he sun and swimming in the clear, warm waters. The sunburns we received from this day were well worth the experience. (That being said, do not be like me and REAPPLY EVERY 2 HOURS. The sun is on another level out here.) 

HAPPY TRAVELS!

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This past Summer, I took my very first solo trip to The Big Easy! New Orleans is a spot I’ve wanted to visit for years! I was intrigued by the mix of Southern charm, Creole-style architecture, and unique VooDoo culture. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I frequently reflect on my time here and consider it to be one the most enjoyable trips I’ve ever taken. 

Where To Eat

A quick Google search will you present you with popular place like Commanders Palace, GW Fins, La Petite Grocery, and more well-deserved recommendations! My trip was a rather quick one, so I didn’t get the opportunity to explore the cuisine as much as I would have liked. That being said, the food it still the thing that stuck out to me the most! There wasn’t a single meal I ate that I wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to order again. Here’s the highlights: 

Court of Two Sisters: This place is a little pricier, but if it’s in your budget, I highly recommend. First off, the ambiance is like something out of a movie. Dining in outdoor courtyard beneath a canopy of lights and a large bubbling water fountain in the center was just magical. The service was phenomenal and the food? Creole classics that are as good as they look. I ordered the Chef’s Menu and was holding in audible moans after every bite. It was just that good, but one can only imagine how it looks for someone sitting alone to be making all those noises. 

Dian Xin: I actually went here twice because I didn’t get to try everything I wanted to the first time. This place serves cozy Chinese staples like dumplings, noodles, and other delicious meat dishes. Every single item I ordered was full of tender meat and flavorful fillings. This place has some of the best Xiao Long Baos (soup dumplings) I’ve ever had. If you’re a fan of Chinese dim sum, you have to check this place out!

Cafe Beignet: While the existence of this spot is no insider secret (it’s one of the most well-known food spots in New Orleans), what I can tell you though, is which location to go to. (And settle the score and tell you that Cafe Beignet is far superior to Cafe du Monde.) There are four different Cafe Beignet locations and I went to all, but one. The Royal Street Cafe Beignet is the place to go! It’s a little more tucked away and therefore, subject to far less lines. Depending on the day, you might be waiting anywhere from 15-45 minutes for your beignets at some of the other locations. I walked straight up to the counter both times I went to the Royal Street Cafe Beignet. I did go pretty early in the morning, but I still think it’s a far less popular location. There’s a cozy courtyard attached to the building, where you can enjoy your fresh, fried goods surrounded by thick palm trees and gentle jazz coming in through the speakers. If you get here early enough, it’ll be pretty empty and it’s the perfect opportunity to just sit and soak it all in. 

Note: The reason I like Cafe Beignet over Cafe du Monde is because they’re simply just fresher. To accommodate for the high demand, Cafe du Monde has bags prepped and ready to go, so while you may be served faster, there’s a chance your beignets have been steaming up that bag for 10-15 minutes already. 

Domenica’s: Pasta lovers, this is for you! Domenica’s is a gorgeous Italian restaurant serving some seriously delicious dishes. Hand-selected meats and cheeses, salads, pizzas, and pasta are what you’ll find here. They’ve got an amazing, diverse menu and I can guarantee you will not be disappointed by anything you try. Dishes here range from $14-25, aside from their $80 charcuterie board that I was drooling over as I watched it get delivered to other tables around me. (This girl is not yet in the $80 cheese tax bracket…) 

What to Do

Bayou Kayak Tour: I am a huge fan of kayaking! I try and book a tour like this whenever I’m traveling somewhere near any sort of body of water, but this was unlike anything I’ve done before. I booked my tour through Wild Louisiana Tours and it was such a cool experience! Free transportation from the French Quarter was included and our tour guide was awesome. We saw multiple alligators and a massive eagles nest on our trip. The swamp was beautiful and once you get out far enough, so serene. A wonderful way to take in the gorgeous environment of Louisiana. 

ResortPass: This is only necessary if you’re staying somewhere without a pool. To save some money, I booked a cheaper accommodation without any amenities, but I still wanted to spend at least one lazy morning lounging by the pool. ResortPass lets you purchase day passes to upscale hotels, giving you full access to their pools. You can come and go throughout the entire day and enjoy everything they offer to regular guests. I purchased a pass to the W New Orleans and had the entire pool to myself all morning. I ate beignets by the pool read my book in peace, and swam under the hot sun. It was glorious. The pass is typically around $50 per person, so depending on the size of your group, this may not necessarily be the cheaper option, but for me, it definitely was. Plus, I think it’s fun that you get to browse all of the hotels in the area and visit your top pick. This is available in cities all around the world, so something to keep in mind wherever you go!

Preservation Hall: It’s not a trip to New Orleans without experiencing their vibrant culture surrounding jazz music. Preservation Hall provides intimate jazz concerts in a building rich with history. The building is kept in conditions similar to when it was built, so it feels like stepping into a time capsule. Everyone sits on wooden benches while the band banters back and forth between lively songs. The experience itself is pretty cheap, but it’s also pretty short. The concert is no more than 40 minutes start to finish, but still a worthy stop if you want to be transported for a night!

Stroll + Shop French Quarter: And of course, nothing beats aimlessly wandering the streets of the French Quarter. The colorful architecture and the humid air makes you feel like you’re taking a stroll down a real Caribbean street. Tip: Walking through the French Quarter at night is kind of like one big frat party. I never felt unsafe about it, but if you prefer quiet evenings and a more reserved crowd, I would definitely schedule your visits to the French Quarter before dinnertime. Just walking around, popping in and out of art shops, and snapping photos of all the gorgeous facades is such a simple activity, but one of the things I remember best. It started raining on my last day as I was walking around, but it was warm and only drizzling. A trumpet player could be heard from a few streets away and it was like a snapshot of New Orleans that I wish I could just bottle up forever.

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Paris is a city that feels so expansive, it’s often overwhelming. But usually in one of those “I want to soak it all in and not miss a single thing” kind of ways! There are so many delicious, beautiful, exciting, romantic, and unique things to experience in this city, and I will be the first to say that Paris lives up to the hype! We have visited the City of Lights on a few different occasions and have compiled some of our favorite things to do to help ease the “where do I start” panic that sets in after you book the flight. Here are 20 essential things to do in Paris:

1. Visit a Museum

• Musee d’Orsay
• Louvre
• Petit Palais
• Picasso Museum
• Musee Rodin
• Musee Jaqemarte-Andre
• Musee des Arts et Metiers

2. Photo-worthy Streets:

• Rue Cremieux: Looking for a pop of color amidst the neutral palette of central Paris? Take a trip to the 11th Arrondissement and stroll down Rue Cremieux, a charming street lined with brightly-painted houses in a range of pastel hues. 
• Rue de l’Abreuvoir: Located in the 18th Arrondissement, this is where you can find the charming Maison Rose, the picturesque pink restaurant that you’ve probably spotted on your Instagram feed once or twice. Aside from that, you’ll find tree-lined cobblestone streets and a peak at the stunning Sacre Couer, Paris’ famous church on a hill. 
• Rue de l’Université: Boasting an impressively intimate view of the Eiffel Tower, this is one of Paris’ most famous streets.

3. L’atelier Lumieres: L’atelier Lumieres means ‘Studio of Lights’ and is a revolving door of unique, immersive art experiences. This is where Paris’ Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience was hosted and they hold many other similar experiences!

4. Notre Dame: A visit to Notre Dame now takes on even more meaning when you think about the immense community response to the fire back in 2019. To see how beautifully it stands, even after the destruction is truly something. This is also a place where you might find a good amount of street performers that are so entertaining to watch!

5. Walk/Bike the City: Paris is a gorgeous place to slow down and take in the views. Sometimes when we visit “bucket list destinations” like Paris, we try and go, go, go, but some of my best memories were made in the slow moments where I simply just take it in. I love just walking the streets and admiring the gorgeous buildings or the view of the Seine.  I recommend grabbing a croissant or baguette and go for a walk or rent a bike from a nearby business. You can learn more about where and how to rent bikes in Paris here.

6. Picnic at Place de Vosges: Despite the never-ending fine cuisine available in Paris, I still believe one of the best culinary experiences you can have will be with food from the grocery store. Stumbling into a Monoprix and loading up on French staples like bread, cheese, and berries, and toting them to a grassy square is quintessential Parisian culture! If you’re looking for a great place to picnic, check out the Place de Vosges, one of Paris’ oldest public squares.

7. Trocadero (Eiffel Tower): If you’re wanting to “visit the Eiffel Tower”, I would personally recommend going to the Trocadero. It’s a square elevated on a hill near the tower. You get an unobstructed view and get to avoid craning your neck to take it all in.

8. Opera Garnier: Walking into the Opera House, it feels like you’re being transported to a different time! I can picture women in their hooped dresses ascending the stairs towards their seats. The cool things is that you can actually still attend operas here, but the more affordable option is of course to simple pay for a self-guided tour. For €14, you can walk around and admire the ornate ceilings and grand halls at your own pace.

9. Carette Cafe or Cafe de Flore: In the city of cafes, the Carette Cafe and Cafe de Flore have made quite the name for themselves. With stunning outdoor patio spaces and a pastry selection to write home about, these cafes are the epitome of the Parisian experience.

10. Arc de Triomphe: This is perhaps one of the more “cliche” stops in Paris, but the Arc de Triomphe is stunning in person and in a great location! Located on the Rue de Champs-Elysees, it’s within walking distance to a row of high-end shops. Now, whether BVLGARI is in your price range or not doesn’t really matter. It’s a gorgeous street to walk down and window shop from. (Or drop $8,000 on a new watch souvenir if that really is your thing.)

11. River Cruise: Is there anything more magical than drifting along the Seine. You can choose a cruise specifically for seeing sights or one that serves food or a romantic feel to it.

12. BnF Richelieu (National Library): If you’re a true bookworm, you know that finding the right place to read is almost as important as finding the right book to read. This BnF Richelieu is one of the most stunning public libraries you will ever set foot in! With expansive floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and vaulted dome ceilings, this place is the perfect cozy stop for an afternoon read. 

13. Visit a Palace or Chateau

• Fontainebleau
• Chantilly
• Vaux-le-Vicomte
• Palace of Versailles

14. Pantheon: The Latin Quarter’s more famous monument, the Pantheon is a nearly 250-year-old church that is absolutely worthy of a visit! With stunning exterior columns and ornate interiors, this place is the epitome of European architecture.

15. Sacre Couer: If you love visiting unique church buildings, you have to make a stop at the Sacre Couer! While the journey is certainly not an easy one (hello, never-ending steps!), the views are well worth it! A Byzantine-style building that overlooks all of Paris!

16. Shakespeare & Co Bookstore: As an avid reader, the Shakespeare & Co bookstore was heaven! You can tell that a lot of thought was put into this space. It’s so much larger on the inside and there are multiple rooms, full of primarily English-language books. There’s a cozy room upstairs where guests can stay awhile to read. (Depending on what time you visit, you will most likely have to wait in line to enter, but I personally found that the line goes faster than you might think and it’s worth it to avoid an over-crowded bookstore.)

17. Jardin Luxembourg: There are countless gardens spread throughout the city, and this is one of the most famous, and for good reason! Stroll through the spiraling natural design of this space. I highly recommend grabbing a baguette, some fruit and cheese and having a picnic in the beautiful Jardin Luxembourg.

18. Galeries Lafayette: The rooftop of the Galeries Lafayette department store has one of the best views of Paris. Panoramic views of the Eiffel Tower, the Opera House, and rows of charming Parisian architecture. It’s free to visit the rooftop, but you will probably have to wait in a line, it should go pretty quick though.

19. Bake with a Pasty Chef: While it’s one thing to pop into a boulangerie and order a croissant right off the menu, it’s something entirely different to learn to make them yourself! Airbnb hosts tons of immersive experiences that are led by locals themselves. Starting at $70 per person, you can enjoy a hands-on croissant baking class with Parisian chef, Matthieu!

20. Disneyland Paris: This list would truly be incomplete without mentioning Disneyland Paris. There’s nothing like taking a stroll down main street, croissant in hand, as you soak in a bit of that European Disney magic! You can check out our post with some highlights, tips and tricks of visiting Disneyland Paris.

What are some of your favorite things to do in Paris?  There really is so much to do and we’re always open to new ideas!

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The Big Apple, The Concrete Jungle, City of Dreams, City So Nice They Named it Twice. New York City is known by many names and has a reputation for its unique energy, historic charm, and killer bagels. This past Fall, I had the opportunity to visit for my very first time, and planning this trip was overwhelming to say the least! And that is coming from the most Type-A travel lover out there! I feel like in every friend group, everyone has their role to fulfill. Mine? Booking the hotel, making the reservations, obsessively researching those hidden gems. And this is a role that I take on willingly. I love the excitement that comes from the planning stages! Which is why, despite all my experience, it’s really saying something to admit that organizing this trip felt like a lot. 

The following itinerary is pretty close to what ours actually looked like, but after having actually taken the trip, I moved a few things around to reflect what I wish we would have done each day. Each of the five days are separated by location so you can minimize travel time and really get to know each of the neighborhoods!

Day 1: Midtown Manhattan

Museum of Modern Art: This museum has multiple floors filled with tons of different styles. However, if you know you are the type of person to look at a piece of art and go: “I could do that.”, this is not the place for you. And that’s ok. It’s important to know your tastes. If that’s the case, I would recommend a different museum in the area. On the other hand, if you are more of an art aficionado and love learning the messaging behind different works, there are lots of cool pieces here!  

Top of the Rock / Rockefeller Center: This is the place to go for some incredible views of the city! There are a few benches on the upper levels, so I would even recommend packing in some snacks or a book and just soaking in the views for a little while. (Additionally, a great place to people watch. Although, that is true of almost everywhere in New York.)

Times Square: There is so much to take in here! It’s crowded, loud, and chaotic, so if anyone in your group struggles with sensory overload, I would suggest making this part of your trip more of a drive by. That being said, there are always tons of street performers who are actually pretty entertaining! (So long as you accept the fact that they are absolutely trying to hustle you and enjoy the experience for what it is.)

See a Broadway Show: I grew up doing theatre, so there may be a bit of bias here, but I think that catching a Broadway show is a must-do for everyone! Even if musicals aren’t really your thing, there are lots of shows that appeal to a wide audience and the performances are just so spectacular and immersive. We saw Hamilton and it was phenomenal! If you are new to theatre and not sure what to see, I would also recommend shows like The Lion King, Aladdin, Newsies, Les Mis, Legally Blonde, Dear Evan Hansen, Hairspray, Frozen, Mean Girls, and Into the Woods.

Day 2: Central Park / Upper East Side

The Met: Without a doubt, one of my favorite experiences in NYC! This place is massive and full of so much incredible history. It’s pretty easy to get what I like to call “museum fatigue”, so we actually split up our visit through the day. We spent a few hours there in the morning, and another few hours there at night. (And can I just say? There is a uniquely magical feeling that accompanies walking around a museum at night! It’s much less crowded and just feels so much more special for reasons I seriously cannot explain.) If you do go The Met at night, be sure to pop up to their rooftop garden to check out some gorgeous skyline views!

Bike or Boat Central Park: Perhaps one of the most iconic locations in New York, Central Park lives up to the hype. It’s the kind of place you could wander for hours and still not see everything. At over 800 acres, this park is truly the heart of Manhattan. We rented bikes and did a couple laps around the park. There are wide, well-marked paths so even if you’re not a super confident biker, you don’t have to worry about weaving through the various types of traffic. We rented through Unlimited Biking, but this is a popular activity, so there are tons of companies nearby that rent out bikes! If biking isn’t really your thing, you can also rent rowboats and gondolas and take them out on the Central Park Lake. We didn’t have time to do this personally, but we rode past the water, and it looked magical! Willow trees line the bank and create the perfect ambiance for a boat day. Their rowboats hold 4 people and go for about $20/hour. You can learn more about this experience here. 

 Day 3: Brooklyn, Dumbo

Dumbo Street Markets: Dumbo is one of my favorite neighborhoods that we visited! It sits right at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge and is home to a wide range of unique street markets. Outside of the Winter season, Dumbo hosts the Brooklyn Flea, one of the largest flea markets in New York City. Tons of vendors line the streets every Saturday and Sunday, and it’s the perfect place to find some truly unique treasures to remember your trip by. 

Empire Fulton Ferry Park: This park boasts some pretty spectacular views of the city and is also situated just under the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s a perfect place to picnic, watch the sunset, ride the carousel, and in the Summer, enjoy community activities. They frequently host outdoor movie nights or small music festivals, so be sure to check their event calendar for the dates that you’ll be visiting!

Walk or Bike Brooklyn Bridge: Of course, a day in Brooklyn isn’t complete without a trek across the Brooklyn Bridge. You can rent bikes here as well to ride across, or take it at a more leisurely pace and walk across. This is my personal preference as you can easily stop to take as many pictures as you want and take it in at a more casual pace. You’ll want to consider which direction to start at. If you come from Brooklyn, you’ll have views of Manhattan in the direction that you’re walking, and vice versa. However, if you plan to walk halfway and then back, it doesn’t really matter. The bridge is just over a mile long, for reference. 

Day 4: Manhattan, Chelsea

Chelsea Market: The Chelsea Market sits inside a massive concourse, that is home to tons of unique food, shopping, and events. Be sure to check their schedule as well, as they sometimes host live music and fun classes here as well!

The Highline: This surprised me as another highlight! At about a mile and a half, this feels like one of the most unique walks in the city. An old rail line converted into a pedestrian walkway, you’re a few floors up, among some really unique architecture and tons of gorgeous landscaping. 

St. Patrick’s Cathedral (Catacombs by Candlelight): We booked this tour somewhat on a whim, and while the Catacombs themselves aren’t anything to write home about, it was so cool to hear about the history from someone who knows so much. Our guide knew which famous person lived on which streets, and had countless stories about the history and culture surrounding the Cathedral and New York City in general. 

Flatiron Building: I would say this stop is mostly for the pics, unless you plan on booking a tour. They have guided tours that walk you through the famous food, architecture, and history surrounding the building and it’s neighborhood. If you’re unfamiliar, the Flatiron Building it’s an inordinately thin, triangular building in the gorgeous Union Square neighborhood. 

Day 5: Lower Manhattan

9/11 Museum: The most powerful museum experience I have ever had. Harrowing and humbling, but oh so worth it. You learn so much about the sacrifices of “ordinary” humans and it’s such a crucial moment in American history, but New York City in particular, and you get such a sense of the resilience of the people who have lived here forever. I cannot recommend this enough. 

Battery Park: Battery Park is super close to where you’ll board the boat for Liberty and Ellis island. It’s right on the water and home to a stunning SeaGlass Carousel and other kid-friendly playscapes.

Little Italy: I would recommend Little Italy under one condition: you attend The Feast of San Gennaro! This is an annual festival hosted in the Little Italy neighborhood. We stumbled upon this while we were here and I can confidently say we ate one of our best meals here. There are tons of delicious street food options, fun parades, and a famous cannoli eating contest to behold during this time! It’s typically hosted in September, which is such a magical time to visit, as you get the warm Summer weather without the insane Summer crowds. 

Statue of Liberty: I have never been someone who enjoys doing things simply because “If you go to New York, you just have to…”, but I will say that the Statue of Liberty is one slightly cliche activity that I think is worth it! Because the statue sits on an island, you get a quick boat ride included in the price of your ticket. This grants you unmatched views of the city! Liberty Island itself is beautiful. This is another place that is great to slow down at. You can sit somewhere with a great view (after scoring an ice cream cone, of course!) and just people watch. There’s so much more history surrounding the Statue of Liberty than I ever knew, and I enjoyed learning about it. 

Our Favorite Bites

Anita Gelato (Manhattan, Upper East Side)

Gelateria Gentile (Manhattan / Brooklyn, multiple locations)

Veniero’s (Manhattan, East Village)

Citizens of Chelsea (Manhattan, Chelsea)

Bo’s Bagels (Manhattan, Harlem)

Los Tacos No. 1 (Manhattan, multiple locations)

Chela (Brooklyn, Park Slope)

Pietro Nolita (Manhattan, Nolita)

Fan Favorites

Kat’z Deli (Manhattan, Lower East Side)

Rubirosa (Manhattan, Nolita)

Junior’s (Manhattan / Brooklyn, multiple locations)

Sara Beth’s (Manhattan, multiple locations)

Carmine’s (Manhattan, multiple locations)

Trattoria Dell’arte (Manhattan, Midtown)

Prince St. Pizza (Manhattan, Nolita)

5 Napkin Burger (Manhattan, multiple locations)

Halal Guys (Manhattan / Brooklyn / The Bronx, multiple locations)

The post 5-Day New York City Itinerary for First Timers appeared first on Gather Lemons.

I thought about starting this out by mentioning that the very best part about travel is the opportunity to try new food and explore unique restaurants, but the truth is that it’s one of my favorite parts about life. I have lived in Seattle for a couple years now and still find so much joy in discovering new hype-worthy food spots. After a million saved Instagram posts and countless weekends trying new spots, I have created my personal master list of food recs. For months now, it’s sat in my notes app, just a copy-paste away for friends and family looking for the best bites in Seattle. I figured it was about time to gift the general public the fruits of my efforts. Whether you’re planning a trip this year, recently moved to the city, or have lived here for years and are in search of a great new spot, you’ve come to the right place. These are my 10 favorite food spots in Seattle right now:

 
1. Taste of India: Located in the University District, this remains my favorite Indian restaurant of all time. It’s the place I compare everything else to. Tucked on the edge of a residential neighborhood, this cozy spot offers mouth-watering eats and bottomless chai. I’ve tried a few different things on the menu and everything is always a hit, although my most frequent order is probably the Egg Curry. There’s a small lot for parking across the street, but if it’s full, you should have no problem finding free street parking in the adjacent neighborhood. 

2. Wilmott’s Ghost: This is the place I always bring my friends to when they visit. In my opinion, it’s the restaurant with the most wow-factor. Located inside the Amazon Spheres, this restaurant is situated in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood. Let’s start with the interior: Bold lighting fixtures and turquoise leather booths set the scene for a modern and colorful dining experience and the globe-like glass dome gives you a front-row seat to the bustling city outside. They serve primarily pizza here, and their Margherita pizza is life-changing. (perhaps the best sauce recipe I’ve ever tried!) Not to mention, it’s just plain fun to cut up your pizza with their provided pair of pizza-cutting scissors! Free parking is available inside Amazon’s Apollo building after 4:00pm on weeknights and all day on weekends. 

3. The George: This is another restaurant that sticks out in large part because of the interior. The George is located inside the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Downtown and the decadent decor that the hotel is famous for continues into the restaurant. I’ve only ever visited here for brunch, but never been disappointed and heard only amazing things about their afternoon and evening offerings. This place is perfect if you’re looking for an aesthetic experience on a girl’s trip or a high-end date night. Their menu consists primarily of upscale American breakfast foods as well as soups, salads, sandwiches, and seafood. 

4. Reckless Noodles: I truly don’t know a better way to describe this place other than with the words “good vibes.” Located in the Central District, Reckless Noodles houses a warm, soulful, and vibrant atmosphere that always has me coming back for more. Their menu offers delicious Vietnamese dishes ranging from Wok Noodles and Lobster Fried Rice to their popular Curry Vermicelli Bowls. They’re open daily from 4pm-12pm.

5. Moriyama Sushi: I’ve tried a handful of sushi spots in Seattle and this one is my personal favorite! Moriyama is new to the Seattle area, having just opened earlier this year. Everything I’ve tried has tasted so fresh! Not to mention, the service is always spectacular and the people are so kind. Tucked away in the Eastlake neighborhood, they have a small, yet newly renovated dining room where you can enjoy their stunning rolls and more authentic Japanese cuisine!

6. Biang Biang: I’ve only visited here once, but have been dying to go back! Biang Biang specializes in hand-pulled Chinese noodles that are seriously amazing. You can order them either “dry” or in a delicious broth. They also have popular side dishes like fresh rolls and Bao buns and a great drink menu. They’re located on Pike St in Capitol Hill and are well worth the hassle of parking in that area! If you’re visiting Seattle and driving to the restaurant, I would recommend coming in the middle of the weekday as Capitol Hill is famous for their nightmarish parking and you’ll be more likely to find something close by at this time. However, if you don’t mind a short walk, I’ve almost always found an open spot at Cal Anderson park. 

7. Off the Rez: What started out as a traveling food truck is now a popular (and permanent) stop on the University of Washington campus. Located inside the Burke Museum, Off the Rez is owned by couple Mark McConnell and Cecilia Rikard and serves up traditional Indian tacos made with Navajo fry bread. Mark’s mother grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation and imparted to Mark a love for Native cuisine, which is what led to the creation of this casual, must-try restaurant. 

8. Petit Pierre: This is the recommendation I worked the hardest for. When I first moved to Seattle, in an attempt to get more familiar with the city, I tried a new bakery (and specifically a new croissant) each weekend and spent the following afternoon exploring the neighborhood it was located in. I tested over 30 different bakeries, searching for the best one and Petit Pierre is in my opinion, a landslide winner! They’re located in both Magnolia and Greenwood and home to the best pastries in Seattle. Order the Strawberries and Cream Cruffin if you want to experience pure bliss!

9. Kin Len: It only took us just two days to come back to this place after our first visit! We loved everything that we tried here and the ambiance is so fun! Do yourself the biggest favor in the world and order the Khao Soi! It’s located in Fremont and the best Thai I’ve had here in Seattle!

10. Tacos Chukis: There are a few different locations throughout Seattle, so you’re never too far from some delicious tacos! You literally can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but their steak tacos are my personal favorite! This is a popular local spot so expect to wait 15-30 minutes for your order, depending on the day and time you arrive. I promise it will be worth it though!

The post 10 Must-Try Seattle Food Spots (According to a Local) appeared first on Gather Lemons.

As I get older, my desire to get out and explore more of the world increases!  I was thrilled when my husband had a business trip to Amsterdam and I got to tag along.  We had a couple of days to get out and explore the city so I am sharing some of the fun things we did.

Before I get on to all the fun stuff, first I need to address transportation. When visiting a new city (especially International cities) it’s a must to figure out ahead of time how you plan to get around.  Amsterdam has a great transportation system with metros, buses, trams, ferries and trains. I recommend purchasing a pass for the GVB public transportation system for however many days you will need.  Also, getting to Amsterdam was a breeze with the NS train from the airport.  Of course you can also get around the city like the locals do, via a bike.  Check out some of the fun things you can do when visiting Amsterdam.

Rent a bike – How the people of Amsterdam get around is truly fascinating!  The primary method of transportation is via bike and pretty much everyone uses that mode of transportation.  There are very few cars.  There are actually more bikes than people in Amsterdam, some people will have more than one bike because they have a different one for getting to work than they would have just for getting around town.  It doesn’t matter if you are old, young, in a business suit or a dress, they bike everywhere and I think it’s awesome!  I recommend renting a bike for a day or two so you can really tour the city and get around like the locals do.

Take a canal cruise – If the weather is cooperative, I highly recommend taking a cruise in an open boat so you don’t have to look through windows.  You will see lots of amazing sights and it’s much easier to take photos in a boat without windows.  We used Friendship Amsterdam and I highly recommend them. I’ve also heard great things about Those Dam Boat Guys.  

The canal cruise was one of the highlights of the trip for me.  I love water and I love looking at the architecture and old buildings.  I could have stayed out there for hours.  We learned some fun facts about Amsterdam too.  If you go to Amsterdam, put a canal cruise at the top of your list.

Visit the Rijksmuseum – The Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum dedicated to the arts and history in Amsterdam. The Night Watch by Rembrandt is probably the most famous and popular piece in the museum. You can purchase tickets online and use an e-ticket to enter the museum.  It’s not necessary to buy tickets ahead of time, but buying online will save you time waiting in line to purchase tickets.  I recommend visiting in the morning because it’s less crowded.  Another popular museum worth visiting is the Van Gogh Museum.

Enjoy nature in Vondelpark – Vondelpark is Amsterdam’s most popular park.  It also has some great restaurants and cafes in the area, so you can grab yourself some lunch to eat and enjoy it in the park.  

Explore the NEMO Science Museum – This is a great option of you are traveling with kids, they will love the fun and educational exhibits at the NEMO Science Museum.  This museum is just a short walk from Centraal Station.  I really love how easy it is to get around to some of the most popular sites in Amsterdam

See the Anne Frank House – When I asked for suggestions of what to do in Amsterdam, pretty much everyone said to visit the Anne Frank House!   You MUST buy tickets in advance for this museum because they will sell out, it is best to purchase your tickets a month in advance.  Tickets are only available online.  Unfortunately, because of transportation issues I missed my reservation time so I didn’t get to check it out personally. I was kind of bummed!  So many people say this is a must see, so I would add it to your list for sure.  And don’t miss your reservation time!

Stroll the 9 Streets –  The 9 streets consists of 9 picturesque alleyways along the canal belt.  There is a mix of vintage boutiques, designer shops and lots and lots of great places to eat.  We enjoyed our stroll through the area, and found there were really a ton of great places to eat.

Just a few of the great food options in the 9 Streets area are Pluk, Van Wonderen Stroopwafels, Chocolate Pompadour and Pancakes Amsterdam.  

Take a trip to Haarlam – Haarlam is such a cute place without the hustle and bustle of the streets of Amsterdam.   We loved strolling the streets, checking out the shops, eating, and enjoying the scenery.  The trip to Haarlam is a quick ride via train from the Centraal station.  I highly recommend it!

Eat great food – Food is always a highlight of any vacation we take, not just because it’s fun to try new things, but because I don’t have to cook!  I usually always do research regarding the best places to eat before I reach my vacation destination.  Here are some of the places we ate while in Amsterdam.

Pancakes Amsterdam – The dutch pancakes were fabulous, my husband bought a savory one, I bought a sweet one and we shared.  I’d highly recommend Pancakes Amsterdam not only for the food, but the service was amazing, everyone that worked their was super friendly.  They have several locations, so there is a good chance you can find one near wherever you are staying.

Jetties Organic Food & Ice Cream – We found this cute place while we were visiting Harlaam.  We loved it.  We both had hamburgers which were different than any other hamburger we’ve had before.  The menu was all in dutch so were weren’t 100% sure what would come on our burgers.  Turns out there was some unexpected veggies like cucumbers and a chunky like salsa, but it was one of the best burgers I have ever had.  It was a burger, but it was also so fresh.  So good!  We of course had some ice cream too and it was amazing (and so cheap).

Eat Fries with Mayonnaise – I know it sounds gross, warm fries with mayonnaise?  No thanks, right?  I was wrong…fries with mayonnaise is absolutely delicious!  I especially liked my fries with the garlic mayo.  So good!  We ate our fair share of fries on this trip.  Here are just a few recommendations of places where you can get some great fries. Vleminckx de Sausmeester has 25 different types of sauces, so if mayo isn’t your thing you should find something that is.  Manneken Pis always had a long line, so I’m fairly certain they sell amazing fries.

Eat Ice Cream – The ice cream in Amsterdam is so cheap!  You can get one scoop of really good ice cream for around 130 euros.  Since it’s so cheap I had to of course go for two scoops.  I love me some chocolate and raspberry ice cream together.  Yum!

Overall, we really enjoyed our trip to Amsterdam.  Unfortunately, the area where our hotel was located smelled a lot like pot.  The hotel itself didn’t smell like weed, just the streets around the hotel.   If we had more time I would have enjoyed getting out to see more cities outside Amsterdam.  I absolutely love the architecture of European cities, I love just walking up and down the streets and just taking it all in.  Have you been to Amsterdam before?  What were your favorite places to visit?  You can also check out 30 of the best things to do in Amsterdam via Your RV Lifestyle

Love to travel?  Us too!  Check out our posts of fun places we’ve traveled.

• I’m sharing some of the best places to eat in Maui
• See our review of Disney’s Aulani resort in Oahu.
• Check out some family friendly things to do in San Francisco
• Learn about the Walt Disney Family Museum
• I’ve got some suggestions for fun things to do in London.
• Find out more about the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London
• If you prefer a road trip, we have five things that we always bring on our road trips
• We visited Disneyland Paris and I’ve got lots of great tips.
• If you have a Disney trip in the works we have a bunch of Disney themed posts to help you make the most of your vacation (It’s one of our favorite vacation destinations).

The post Fun Places to Visit in Amsterdam appeared first on Gather Lemons.

We love to travel and have found that one of the most expensive parts of traveling internationally is the cost of the flights. Fortunately, I stumbled upon a site that helps me find the best deals on flights, it’s called Dollar Flight Club.  Last year we were able to fly our family to London for $372 round trip per person!

Dollar Flight Club has a free subscription service that will get you 1/4 of the deals they find, however, I totally recommend paying for the premium service.  The regular yearly rate for the Dollar Flight Club Premium service is $40, but right now you can use the code discount40 to save 40% off the regular rate. That means you will be paying only $24 for this service that can possibly save you hundreds on travel.  The premium service gives you more flight deals than the free service and also includes extras like choosing your home airport, text alerts and more.

Last year we planned on taking a family vacation and we told my daughter that since she was graduating she could pick the destination (within reason).  She really wanted to go to Paris, unfortunately we weren’t finding any flight deals and it was too expensive to fly 6 people at $900 per person.  We had finally decided we would head to Canada, but thanks to Dollar Flight Club I saw an amazing deal on a flight to London, the tickets were only $372 round trip.  I knew that London was a quick train ride away from Paris, so we decided to fly to London and split our vacation between London and Paris.  I’m so glad we did!  London was an amazing place and we can’t wait to go back.

Here are a few tips we use when it comes to getting deals on international flights:

Be flexible with your dates – Many people plan the dates of their vacation and then try to find deals to fit into those dates.  You will find the best deals if you look for cheap flights first and then fit your vacation into those dates.  I know this doesn’t always work, but it has worked for us on several occasions and it has saved us a ton a money.  We do the same with our flights to Disneyland, we book when the deals are good and not on set dates we had planned in advance.

Check for deals at neighboring airports – You may find a cheaper deal in an airport that is in a neighboring state or even a neighboring country.   We have flown out of Portland, OR to go to Hawaii because they had a better deal than our airport here in Seattle.  Like I mentioned above we also flew into London as a way to get to Paris.

Use Dollar Flight Club – Dollar Flight Club will send you emails on flight deals as they come available.  They include all the links in the email so you can check flight prices for different days using Google Flights (I love Google Flights). I highly recommend signing up for the Premium service of Dollar Flight Club and using the code discount40 to save 40% and pay only $24 for the year.   I love the fact that you can go to their site and see all the current deals at one quick glance too.  Here is a peek at some of the current and past deals. You will only have access to all the deals if you are a premium member.

Here is how to get signed up!  Head over to Dollar Flight Club and enter your email address, and then your closest departure airport. You then can choose to “Try Premium for free” (you will get a 14-day free trial) or “Continue with Basic”.  If you choose the free trial of premium you will need to enter your CC number on the next screen. Before you hit submit, make sure you click the “promo code” link just under where you enter your credit card.  A promo code box will pop up and enter the code discount40 to get the service for only $24 a year.  If you don’t want to be charged, you can still try the service for free for 14 days, just make sure you cancel before the 14 days are up.  

Where would you love to travel?  We’re watching for deals to Italy and Toyko.  We are hoping to visit Disneyland Tokyo and Disney Sea next year.  We’ll have to wait and see what deals pop up, maybe the deals from Dollar Flight Club will take us somewhere else exciting next year.

The post My Tips for Finding Cheap International Flights appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Our family was looking to take a vacation to Paris, but we weren’t finding any great deal on airline tickets.  We did however find a screaming deal on tickets to London, so we booked those tickets and figured we’d just take a train over to Paris.   This gave us the opportunity to visit London for three days before we headed over to Paris and I am so glad we did!  London was a delightful place to visit and I am so glad we visited.

I would highly recommend a trip to London, we were able to find airfare cheaper than it would have cost us to fly to Florida.  If you keep you an eye out, you can probably find a deal too.  I recommend checking out Google Flights or signing up for a service like Dollar Flight Club.  Many of the activities we experienced in London were free.  It’s a foreign country, but they speak English!  Plus, Gelato!!  Have I convinced you yet?

I’m sharing some highlights from our trip to London and some tips we learned along the way.   I’ve also included some great restaurants if you plan to visit London too.  We traveled in August and we had a mix of sunny weather and rainy days.  I planned ahead and brought some umbrellas so we were well prepared for the expected rain.

The evening of our arrival we took a stroll down the streets of London on our way to check out the Tower bridge.  I just loved seeing the old style buildings, especially the ones with tons of colorful flowers covering them.

Kicking off out trip with a view of the Tower Bridge was the perfect start to our vacation.  The view did not disappoint.

 The sun was setting on our walk back to our Airbnb and it was so pretty.  I’m a huge fan of cobblestone streets, I just love them.

On our second day, we visited the Natural History Museum, it is an amazing museum and it is absolutely FREE!  The building itself is a just like a museum, it was stunning.

The museum was huge, there was so much to see and do.  You could easily spend the better part of a day enjoying the museum.

The exhibits were awesome, but I think I may have spent most of my time admiring the actual building.   I’d highly recommend visiting this museum.

We only spent about 2 hours at the museum because we had limited time and we wanted to fit in some of the classic London tourist spots.  It didn’t disappoint.  Also, you can’t beat FREE!  There are actually three museums in this area, you can also check out the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum, both museums are also free.  

Next up, we took a walking tour of London, hitting up many of the tourist type spots.   Again, my favorite thing to do was admire the scenery and the amazing buildings.   Here are the places we visited during the day.  We were able to walk to all of these places on foot.

• Buckingham Palace
• St James Park
• Trafalgar Square
• Big Ben
• Westminster Abbey

We really lucked out, as soon as we got to the gates of Buckingham Palace they were changing the guards.  It was neat to see, but I don’t think I would plan my day around the event.  Next up, we took a stroll through St James Park on our way to Trafalgar Square.

We ended our walking tour with Big Ben and the Westminster Abbey.  We did not do a tour of the inside, we just enjoyed the beauty from the outside.  London is a beautiful city that has a mixture of old world charm and some modern new buildings.  It really is a fun city to explore.

We opted for the classic London tourist photo. Can you really say you’ve been to London if you didn’t take a cheesy photo in a phone booth?  For dinner, we ate at Nando’s, they serve delicious chicken and fries with yummy dipping sauces.  I highly recommend eating lunch or dinner at Nando’s.  

On day three we started the day with a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe theater.  You can make a reservation online, but it’s not a necessity. 

We have a large family and we can’t always make sure that everyone will be happy with everything we do.  To make sure that everyone gets to do at least one thing they on their list, I have everyone write down the top 3 things they want to do on our vacation. Then, when I plan, I make sure that everyone gets to do at least one of the items on their list.  This tour was on my daughter’s bucket list.  When I said not every activity makes everyone happy, we all were pretty sure this was only going to make Allie happy.

It turns out this tour was one of the highlights of the vacation for pretty much all of us.  Our tour guide was amazing and he made Shakespeare fun for those of us that aren’t really Shakespeare fans.  I would highly recommend the tour (unless you have small children, it would probably be boring for them).  If you want to see an actual play at this theater you will need to book your tickets well in advance.  We didn’t get the chance to see a play, but we’d love to come back and see one someday.  It really is an amazing piece of history.  We learned so many amazing facts.  One of the facts is that this wasn’t the first Globe Theater, the original one burned down when a cannon was shot during a performance of Henry VIII.  The cannon ignited the thatched roof and it went up in flames.

While walking through London we found the place the original Globe Theater.   If we didn’t participate in the tour we probably would have just walked right by this piece of history.

After our tour we stopped at the Borrough Market for lunch. This was a great place to go for lunch, everyone was able to choose something they wanted thanks to all the different food vendors. Make sure you check the hours of the market because the hours differ from day to day.  I highly recommend 3BIS for yummy gelato.  I had my fair share of gelato on this trip.   Here are some restaurants we recommend you check out in and around the Borrough Market:

• Padella Pasta
• Gourmet Goat
• El Pastor
• Bread Ahead Bakery
• Gelataria 3 Bis

After lunch we headed outside of London to visit to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. This is must see tour if you have a Harry Potter fan in your family. I have several tips and thoughts on the tour in this blog post. You must book your tickets in advance for this tour, you cannot purchase tickets the same day.  

It really was neat to see the scenes from the books and the movies come to life.  Everyone in our family enjoyed this tour (even our daughter who is more of a Shakespeare fan than a Harry Potter fan).  We finished off the day with some Butterbeer and a train ride back to our Airbnb.  

When it comes to getting around London they have a terrific public transportation system.  We purchased an Oyster card for each member of our family and topped it off with more money when necessary.   It was a very convenient way to use the tube, trains and busses.   If you are looking for more information on getting around London, I recommend this post over at Finding the Universe.

Our last day in London was spent checking out the colorful street of Notting Hill and the Portobello Road Market.  We visited on a Saturday, so we had the full market to enjoy.   There were tons of booths selling wares and a bunch of food vendors too.

I highly recommend checking out Airbnb when it comes to traveling.  I love having access to a kitchen and a much larger place than a hotel would provide, especially with our large family.

We rented an Airbnb in South Kensington, the location was perfect!

We were walking distance to the museums and just a few minutes walk from the Kensington and Gloucester stations. 

Cute spiral staircase.  I love that so many Airbnb’s have their own classic charm.  

Here is a peek at the room at the top of the staircase.  There were two other rooms in our place, so there was plenty of room for all six of us.

We were only in London for a short time, but I total fell in love with the city and I hope we can visit again soon. I’d love to rent a car and travel to other cities in England too.  Have you been to London?  I’d love to hear about your favorite destinations in the city.

Love to travel?  Check out our other travel posts:

• I’m sharing some of the best places to eat in Maui
• See our review of Disney’s Aulani resort in Oahu.
• Check out some family friendly things to do in San Francisco
• Learn about the Walt Disney Family Museum
• Find out more about the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London
• If you prefer a road trip, we have five things that we always bring on our road trips
• If you have a Disney trip in the works we have a bunch of Disney themed posts to help you make the most of your vacation (It’s one of our favorite vacation destinations).

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As soon as we heard about the Disney Aulani resort back in 2011, we knew it was something we wanted to add to our travel bucket list. I’m happy to say we finally made the trip a reality. We did have to wait until most of the kids were off to college before it became a reality though, it’s not a cheap vacation destination. I’m sharing all the wonderful (and less wonderful) things we found about staying at the Aulani resort in Ko Olina on the island of Oahu.  Like most of our vacation destinations we saved money where we could before we left so we didn’t have to worry about scrimping while we were there.  

Disney knows how to do grand entrances and the entrance at Aulani was beautiful.  We were greeted with Kukui nut necklaces for the guys and a Hawaiian Lei for myself.  

The grounds at Aulani are gorgeous.  Sometimes the resort hotels in Hawaii are so massive it’s impossible to remember your way around the resort.  I love the fact that Aulani was big, yet because of the way the hotel is situated it didn’t feel overwhelmingly large.

There are plenty of pools at the Aulani resort.  You will find something for every age level.  I should mention that all of the pools at the resort are fairly shallow, so if you are looking for a deep pool, you aren’t going to find one here.

Look how gorgeous this Ka Maka Grotto pool is with the infinity edge. I woke up before the pools opened to snap some of these photos, so if you are wondering where all the people are, they are still in bed.  It was very peaceful!

Here is a peek at the same pool during the middle of the day. We visited Aulani during spring break and the hotel was at capacity but I never felt like the pools were too crowded.  

There are a couple of hot tubs on property too.   The hot tubs fill up fairly quickly and usually with lots of kids.

Probably the coolest feature was the lazy river called the Waikolohe Stream.  This stream was a maybe a little too lazy, the water was VERY slow moving.

There was never a shortage of inner tubes, we were always able to fine one, even if we went down to the pool in the middle of the day.  They have single and double inner tubes so you can float with a friend or child if you want.

My youngest pretty much spent the majority of his pool time in the lazy river.  It was his favorite thing about the resort.

The lazy river isn’t all lazy though, there are a few areas that will wake you up!  You go through a cave area with some waterfalls and there is another area with squirting water.  It’s all fun though!  You can manage to get through these areas without getting wet if you want, but what’s the fun in that?

The water slide was another favorite activity of my son.  Aulani has two waterslides, one requires an inner tube and one does not.   Almost everyone that came out of the waterslide exclaimed “that was so much fun”.  Kids and adults will love it!   You can use the double inner tube in the waterslide, if you have a little one, they can ride with you.   The line for the waterslides did get long at times, it’s best to hit the waterslide right when they open.

There are several great play areas for the toddlers and younger kids.  In addition to the Menehune Bridge play area there is also a small splash pad for really little ones.

There are a couple of 18+ pools at Aulani, but they weren’t really used much while I was there.  I assume most people come with their kids.  This photo was taken in the middle of the day, there were a couple of people lounging near the pool but nobody was swimming.

The biggest downfall of the pool area is that it closes at 8 pm.  We have visited a couple of other resorts in Hawaii and their pools closed at 11 pm or they were even open 24 hours.  The fact that the pools closed so early were a major bummer for our family.   The lazy river closed even earlier.

Keep in mind that the lounge chairs near the pool fill up fast!  You aren’t allowed to save your lounge chairs before the pool opens.  Most people lay their towels on the chairs and go enjoy the pools.  We didn’t have any problems finding lounge chairs for all four of us, but it took some hunting.

Aulani has a great lagoon area where you can swim or soak up the sun.  Here is a peek at the view from my lounge chair near the pool area.  Not a bad view, right?

The beach area is great for little ones because it’s in a lagoon that doesn’t have massive waves coming in.  The lagoon was not a big selling point for my teens or husband who like to snorkel in the ocean. 

If you have trouble finding a lounge chair near the pool, come down to the beach because there are plenty of open lounge chairs.

Here is the cool part, Aulani guests can check out beach chairs, umbrellas, Boogie boards, sand toys and life jackets all for FREE!  There are other items that require a fee like snorkel sets and stand-up paddle boards but it’s possible to head to Aulani and not have to spend any extra money (well, you have to eat, but you get my point).

Another fun feature at the Aulani resort is the Rainbow Reef where you can snorkel without worrying about waves.  This activity is not included with your stay it is an extra cost.  When we visited it was $25 per person for one day or $45 for your entire stay.

There is a spa on site called Lanawai and I have heard amazing things about the spa, however I could not get past the fact that the spa treatments came with some very hefty price tags. Well, that and the fact that I am not really a spa kind of person.  I don’t get mani/pedi’s and I can’t stand to have a massage (I tense up and it makes it more stressful than relaxing).  If a day at the spa is your kind of thing, I think you will love a trip to Aulani’s spa, just make sure you save your pennies before your visit.

No Disney vacation is complete without Mickey shaped treats!  There is a stand that serves shave ice and for an extra $1 your can have your shave ice Mickey shaped.   My son and I shared this one.  While the treat is fun, if I was only going to have one shave ice on this trip I’d make sure I went to a place that specialized in shave ice like Matsumoto Shave Ice on the North Shore.

Another fun feature of the resort are these refillable mugs.  You pay $19.95 for the mug and you can refill it as often as you want during your entire stay.  Refills include non-alcoholic beverages, available at the following refillable mug stations:

• Ulu Cafe (fountain beverages, coffee, tea and cocoa from 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM)
• Lava Shack (fountain beverages from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
• One Paddle Two Paddle (fountain beverages from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM)

We preferred to use the Ulu Cafe because it was close to the pool and it had the best hours.  They also happen to sell Dole Whip at the Ulu Cafe, so that’s another bonus!

We didn’t have kids young enough, but one of the neat benefits of staying at Aulani is Aunty’s Beach House where there are supervised activities for guests ages 3 to 12.  This is a complimentary service, which is huge perk!  There are select experiences that are available at a fee.  You can pre-register your children to save some time.   If you want to spend a couple hours at the pool with your spouse you can drop your kids off for some fun activities, and did I mention it’s free?  I can’t get over that it’s free, Disney is known for charging for everything.  I really love the fact that you can visit Aulani and not pay extra for any activities if you choose.

There are some character meet and greets.  We saw Stitch, Moana, Mickey and Donald.  They do offer the PhotoPass service at the resort, but they are more than happy to take pictures with your own camera too.

Aulani does a great job of hosting fun family activities throughout the day (some are free, some require a fee).  I recommend swinging by the front desk every morning to pick up The Daily ‘IWA which explains all the activities and has a schedule on the backside.  You find fitness classes, storytelling, crafts and more.  You can also find the daily activities online too.

We ended up staying in a one-bedroom villa, which is not what we originally booked but I am so glad we upgraded.  I booked a room through Priceline for 3 adults and 1 child and I got a pretty great rate.  For some reason when I book through Priceline it seems that when they send the information over to Disney they state that we only have 2 adults in the room (even though my confirmation email said 3).  This happened with a Disney World vacation too.  So, Aulani had us in a room with a King size bed and a pull out sofa, which only slept 3.  We had 4 people so we had to upgrade to a room with 2 queen beds or a villa.   We sprang for the villa because they offered us a fair rate for the upgrade.

Our final rate for the villa was lower than their published rate, so I was happy with that, but at little bummed that we had to pay an extra fee that we hadn’t planned on.   Unless I only have 2 people in my party I think I may stop using Priceline, since this isn’t the first time it has happened to me.

I loved the fact that the villa came with a complete kitchen so we could save a little by eating in our room instead of having to go to a restaurant for every meal.  It also had a washer and dryer, which made it nice to do a couple loads of laundry so I didn’t have to to it all when we got home.

Here is the entertainment center in the living area.

The entertainment center doubles as a place for a child to sleep with a twin size bed.   My son thought it was pretty cool.

There was a king size bed in the bedroom.  The decor and theming of the room was perfect.  I loved it!

Desk, dresser and TV in the bedroom.

Here is a view of the bath and the bedroom.   There was a separate tub and shower.

The shower was large and very nice, it’s way nicer than the shower I have at home.  

There are subtle Disney touches throughout the room that I just loved.

The decor was very tastefully done.  Do you see the hidden Mickey’s?

When the lamp was on, it revealed a surfing Mickey.  So cute!

Here is a peek at our patio.  We did spring for a villa, however we did not pay more for a view of the ocean.  If you have a stay planned at Aulani and you can afford the villa, I say go for it, you won’t be disappointed.  There are some ways you can rent a villa for less, using DVC Rentals from David is one of the ways to save.   They occasionally offer a discount on a stay if you agree to listen to a presentation on the Disney Vacation Club.  

There are plenty of restaurants on property, including two table service restaurants.  There are even some character meals.  You will need to make advance reservations for these two restaurants.  

Even better there is a shopping area right across the street from Aulani resort (easy walking distance) that has a small grocery store, some shops and several great restaurants.   Here are the restaurants we ate at during our stay at Disney’s Aulani.  We loved them all and I highly recommend any of these!

Eggs & Things – Great for breakfast!  Their pancakes were amazing and even better when they were topped with fresh fruit.  We ate here twice. (The photo above is from our breakfast at Eggs & Things.  Seriously…so good)

Monkeypod Kitchen The food here was delicious, the atmosphere was cool, and our server was friendly. Overall a really great dining experience.  

Pizza Corner – The food was great and the service was probably some of the best we have ever experienced. The owner came by our table and chatted with us for awhile, he was generous and kind. They also offer free delivery.

Lastly, what is a Disney trip without a little souvenir shopping.  There are two shops at the resort and they stay open way later than the pools.   Here is a peek at some of the Disney Aulani themed merchandise we spotted.

The final verdict about our stay at Aulani is that we enjoyed our stay, but we don’t have plans to visit again in the future and here are the main reasons why:

• The beach area was nice, but we prefer to be directly on the ocean where we can go snorkeling or boogie boarding.  This beach was a little too calm for the ages of our children (and my husband).
• The pool hours are lame.  We love to swim in the pool or sit in the hot tub at the end of the day and the early closure of 8 pm was a major downer.
• Oahu is our least favorite island.  We much prefer visiting Maui or Kauai.  If Aulani was on a different island and the pool hours were better we’d probably consider another visit.  
• The price is expensive.  While most resorts in Hawaii aren’t cheap, there are others we prefer that are less expensive than Aulani.

So, while we don’t plan on visiting again I think it’s still a good choice for a vacation destination, especially if you have younger kids.  If you happen to be on Oahu for a week, I would split up the visit with a stay at Aulani and another destination like the North Shore (it’s gorgeous over there) or maybe Waikiki where everything is a convenient walking distance.  I am glad we were able to check the Aulani resort off our bucket list and now we look forward to checking another Disney adventure off our list (Hello Disneyland Tokyo)!

If you have plans for a different type of Disney vacation, we’ve got you covered, I have posts on Disneyland, Disney World and even Disneyland Paris.

• We’ve got a guide for visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Check out our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Snacks
• Food recommendations and guide for the Get Your Ears on Celebration
• Your complete guide to Pixar Pier
• I share honest reviews of all the hotels we’ve used near Disneyland
• 10 of the BEST places to eat breakfast at Disneyland
• 10 of the BEST places to each lunch at Disneyland
• Great tips that will help you to do Disneyland (and California Adventure) in a day.
• Another great way to save on Disneyland package deals is through Costco Travel
• See our review of the Caribbean Beach Resort at Disney World
• Find out how you can save big of official Disney Parks souvenirs
• Check out the highlights from our trip to Disneyland Paris

The post Vacation Guide for Disney’s Aulani Resort appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Southwest is finally booking flights to Hawaii and they are offering some dirt cheap prices to fill the planes for the next few months!  All of these flights will leave from airports in California, but if you live in a West Coast city it might be cheap enough for you to fly to one of these airports from your home city.  As of right now, they are booking flights from Oakland to Honolulu.  Here is the schedule for future flights out of California (via The Points Guy).

• Oakland (OAK) to Maui (OGG): Launches April 7
• San Jose (SJC) to Honolulu (HNL): Launches May 5
• San Jose (SJC) to Maui (OGG): Launches May 26
• Inter-island Honolulu (HNL) to Maui (OGG): Launches April 28
• Honolulu (HNL) to Kona (KOA): Launches May 12

Check out the dirt cheap round-trip price I found from Oakland to Honolulu, It’s only $97.20 and you get 2 free checked bags!!  That is crazy!  Hopefully, you can find some time to spend in Hawaii. The cheapest flights leave and return on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Weekend trips will be more but they are still pretty great. Head over to Southwest to check out the deals.

Here are the prices I found for a trip from Oakland (OAK) to Honolulu (HNL) flying out April 16th and returning April 23rd. I’m sure these flights will get snatched up quick.  

You know what is on the island of Oahu?  Disney’s Aulani resort!   

The post Crazy Cheap Airline Tickets to Hawaii from California appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Da Kitchen  (dinner) –  Don’t let the outside of this restaurant fool you, it’s a good one!  It’s located in a strip mall with a less than exciting storefront.  If I hadn’t done my research ahead of time I wouldn’t have given this place a second look.  The food here was so good, all 7 of our family members loved their meal.

But wait…it get’s even better because look what they have for dessert.  Dole Whip!

Coconut’s Fish Cafe (lunch) – This was another amazing restaurant that got a ton of great reviews.   It was totally worth a stop (in fact, we even thought about coming back again a different day).   They specialize in fish taco’s but if you aren’t a fan of fish they also have some chicken and steak dishes too.

In addition to the excellent food the service here was amazing.  The employees were friendly and helpful.  Everything about our lunch here was perfect.

Aloha Mixed Plate (dinner) – This restaurant is outdoors and it is right on the edge of the water.  The views are wonderful, the food was wonderful, the service we received wasn’t nearly as wonderful, but it was still a great place to eat.   We had dinner here, but I have heard great things about the breakfast too.    You may want to make reservations, it is pretty popular place.

Pi Artisan Pizzeria (dinner) – This was the one place I didn’t plan in advance, we just stopped in and had dinner.  We had been eating a lot of fish and chicken and we just wanted something different and pizza fit the bill.  The service we received here was amazing.  I recommend either the BBQ Pi or the Chicken Ranch pizzas.    The location is wonderful too.  It’s located in Lahaina, right across the beach.  We had a nice view of the sun setting over the water.

Kihei Cafe  (breakfast) – They have very large breakfast portions here and the food was great.   Two of my boys ordered the Banana Macadamia Nut French Toast and thought it was some of the best french toast they have had.  This place was busy and there was not nearly enough seating, especially for our large family of seven.  This restaurant only accepts cash, they do have an ATM on site. 

Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade –  They serve hand crafted lemonade with fresh fruit. It’s yummy!  Interestingly, they have a Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade located here in Kirkland, Washington, so if you are local and you want to feel like you are in Hawaii, stop by and pick up a lemonade.

Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice What is a trip to Hawaii without a stop (or two or three) for some shave ice.  You can choose to have it topped with sweetened condensed cream, or have your shave ice served on top of vanilla ice cream.  We loved Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice.  They have so many different flavor combinations.

Here are more great dining options that made my list, but there was no way we could try them all.  I’ve also added a few recommendations from others too:

808 Grindz Cafe (breakfast)

Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop (breakfast)

Brekkie Bowls (breakfast)

Gazebo (breakfast) – Get there early, a line usually forms before they open.

Star Noodles – So many people have raved about this, I am adding it to my list for next time I visit Maui.

The Mill House

Tin Roof (lunch)

Flatbread Company  (lunch) 

Mama’s Fish House (dinner) – This places is expensive, it would be a great place to go for a date night if you are celebrating something like an anniversary.

Lahaina Grill (dinner) – Another expensive date night option.

Duke’s Beach House

Visiting a different island?  Check out my review of the Aulani Resort and my friend Sia’s review of the Marriot in Ko’Olina that she chose instead of Aulani.

The post Great Places to Eat in Maui appeared first on Gather Lemons.

This was especially exciting for my youngest who is a huge Harry Potter fan. He has actually read the entire Harry Potter series four times.

The Warner Bros. Studios Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is outside of London in Leavesden (southeastern England).  If you are traveling via public transportation you can get there via the Watford Junction station.  You will need to catch a shuttle bus from the Watford Junction station. The shuttle accepts cash only and costs is £2.50.

If you want to visit The Warner Bros. Studios Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter you MUST make advance reservations. The tour is so popular you won’t be able to walk up to the window the same day to purchase tickets.  You will schedule a specific start time for your tour, but the tour is self-guided so you can take as much time exploring as you would like.  You will have to leave at closing time though, you can’t actually spend the night at Hogwarts (how cool would that be?)

We walked into the Great Hall at the start of the tour.  Waiting for the doors to open was a little like waiting for Christmas morning.

When we walked inside we got to see the dining hall all set up for a meal.  Just think, Harry, Ron, Hermione…they all ate supper here!

The decor was amazing, everything was so detailed.

We got a peek at a few different sets, one of our favorites was Dumbledore’s office.  Again, all the details were amazing.

We got to check out the potions classroom too.

Here is the real door from the Chamber of Secrets.

We had the opportunity to stroll through the Forbidden Forest.  We got to see cool creatures like Buckbeak and the creepy looking Aragog.  If you think this area will scare you smaller children, you can easily skip it.  They have warning signs so you don’t stumble upon a huge, scary spider.

We strolled down Diagon Alley and checked out all the storefronts.

A peek into the Weasley’s Wizard Weezes joke shop.

Most of the tour is inside, but there was a portion that was outdoors and this is where we got to see the Knight’s Bus.  They even let you climb on the back to snap a photo.

The tour has so many great photo ops!  It’s a dream for any Harry Potter fan.

it was really cool being able to go inside the house at 4 Privet Drive.

Does this look familiar?  I thought this was one of the coolest things.  It was such an amazing set up how all the letters were strung in the room.  I can’t imagine how long it must have taken to put this room together.

They also had the Potter’s house at Godric’s Hollow.

Of course we also got to see the Hogwart’s Express where you can actually climb on board. They had another great photo op with Platform 9 and 3/4.

The tour ends with a huge model of Hogwarts.   The photo does not do it justice, it was breathtaking.

If you travel to London and you are a Harry Potter fan, I highly recommend checking out the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.  You won’t be disappointed.

Things to remember if you visit:

• It’s not actually located in London, it will take some extra travel time to get there.
• You must make reservations in advance (I recommend at least a month in advance)
• There are not a lot of dining options available on the tour (you can bring your own lunch and use their picnic area)
• The tour will probably take you about 3 hours (more if you are a die hard fan, I can’t really image it taking much less)
• There are souvenir shops during the tour with lots of cool merchandise.

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Our family took a trip to San Francisco in September.   My kids couldn’t believe that we were going to California, but not stopping at Disneyland.   I had to break out a map to show them how far away San Francisco was from Disneyland.   We had a ton of fun exploring the city, we’re sharing some of the fun things you an do in and around San Francisco.

Fisherman’s Wharf – The Historic Fisherman’s Wharf is home to PIER 39, Ghirardelli Square, Anchorage Square, the National Maritime Museum, and Historic Hyde Street Pier.  You’ll find souvenir shops and stalls selling seafood and produce.  You can take in the postcard views of the bay, Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz.

Boudin Bakery – There is a Boudin Bakery located at the Wharf, it’s a great place for lunch, but it’s also a great place to visit.  You can watch their bakers busy at work crafting batches of bread by hand through their 30-foot observation window.   Some of the loaves they make are amazing!

Ghirardelli Square – If you are a chocolate lover you can’t visit San Francisco without a stop at Ghirardelli Square to get one of their yummy ice cream treats.   The location is great with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.

Ride a Trolley Car – My husband and I have been to San Francisco a couple times and we had fond memories of jumping on the Trolley Cars and exploring the city.  The ride on the trolley car had always been one of the highlights of our trips, we were excited to experience it with our children.  Our previous trips had taken place during the week.  Our family trip had us in downtown San Francisco on a sunny Saturday.  A sunny Saturday is not the best time to try and fit 6 people on a trolley car.  So, if you are in town during a weekday and or have a small family a ride on a trolley car is a must.  If it’s a super busy day, skip it, it’s not worth the cost.

Here’s a tip for you:   Instead of catching the trolley at either end where there is usually a long line, catch the car at a stop or two up from one of the starting points.  In most cases you can easily hop on (unless of course it’s a sunny weekend and you have a large family).

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory (China Town) You can see fortune cookies being made by hand right before your eyes. They are located at 56 Ross Alley, San Francisco and are open every day from 9:00 am – 6:00. The offer samples!  The samples are flat, fortune-less and delicious.  While visiting you are allowed to take all the pictures you want. In exchange for taking photos the company asks that if you leave $.50 in the tip jar, or buy some fortune cookies.  We went with buying fortune cookies!

California Academy of Sciences – The California Academy of Sciences is such a cool natural history museum!  We got to visit the aquarium, a rainforest, experience an earthquake, see a show in the planetarium, and so much more.   In addition to the cool exhibits we had lunch here and the food was really good.   I highly recommend a stop here for sure.

Walt Disney Family Museum – We are HUGE Disney fans, so it made sense for our family to stop by and tour The Walt Disney Family Museum.  We really enjoyed our visit here.  If you have really young kids they may get a little bored, but our Disney loving teenagers were happy.

Baker Beach – You can easily access Baker Beach, where you’ll be able to stick your toes in the sand and get a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge.   We loved that this beach wasn’t overly crowded.   FYI!  I just had a reader let me know some parts of Baker Beach are “clothing optional”.   I’m thinking that would not be very family friendly.   Clothing was worn by everyone on the section of beach we were at, but you may want to do some research before you head there.  (Thanks for the heads up Erin!)

Muir Woods – You will need to travel a little to get to Muir Woods, but it is totally worth it!  The walk through the woods is peaceful, stunning and something I highly recommend you do. Our stroll through this forest was one of the highlights of our trip.

Escape Game – An escape game isn’t something exclusive to San Francisco, in fact they are very popular now and you can probably find one in a major city near you.   We visited the Escape SF and had so much fun trying to escape the room.  We made it out with about 5 minutes to spare.   I loved how we had to work together and everybody helped in solving the puzzles to help us get out.  Children 8 and older can do the Antique Room with adult supervision.

See the “Full House” House – If you have a fan of Full House, you probably need to drive by this popular house to get a snapshot in front of it.   You can easily add this on to another excursion.   We drove past it after we visited the California Academy of Science.

Here are some other suggestions:

• Alcatraz Island
• Aquarium of the Bay
• Exploratorium
• San Francisco Zoo

Do you have a trip planned to Southern California?   We have tons of informative posts if you plan to visit Disneyland including ideas on how you can save money on Disneyland Park tickets.

The post Things to do in San Francisco appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Groupon currently has some great deals on stays at Great Wolf Lodge at locations across the United States. This deal gets even better because today only (12/5) you can save an extra 10% off by using the code EXPLORE at checkout.   The total maximum discount will be $50. Now would be a great time to book a getaway!

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