48 Hours in..., Travel

Things to Do in Santa Cruz California

Back in 2003, I applied to work at an academic summer camp. I’m a math teacher after all. The application brochure came my way and one thing about the camp peeked my interest…

Hawaii.

There was a site location in Honolulu, Hawaii.

So I applied for that.

And I was hired!

But when my paper work arrived, no Hawaii. I was slated to work somewhere in California called Santa Cruz.

Figuring I must have put California as my second choice site location, I then needed to figure out where the heck Santa Cruz was! Little did I know I would be spending the best three summers of my life in this funny, California beach town.

Last August I finally returned to this town I loved. I could not wait to revisit, reminisce and bring my kids to Santa Cruz. And I am beyond excited to share all the great food, hotels and things to do in Santa Cruz with the Momma To Go readers!

24 Hours in… Santa Cruz, California

Stuff I Love, Travel

How I Scored {an almost} Free Uber Ride

Our family loves Uber. We take it around town, to the airport, or when mom & dad are going out and there will be too much wine involved. It’s an easy, affordable way to ditch the car and have a comfortable ride at your fingertips. Uber is also a great way to get around a new city! No need to worry about parking or traffic, and no need to navigate an unfamiliar, local, taxi system. The beauty of Uber is you know the price (or at least approximately) when you call the car, eliminating the age-old saga of taxi drivers ripping off tourists. Did you know you can save money on EVERY Uber ride, and maybe even score an {almost} free uber ride? Keep reading to find out how!

How to Earn an {almost} Free Uber Ride

Travel

3 Reasons to visit Melbourne with Kids

Last summer, our clan was so fortunate to take three weeks to head to Hawaii. My husband had a month-sabbatical and to be honest, Australia was the original destination for this adventure. Last summer, with a four and seven year old, who had never ventured further than the Caribbean, we knew it wasn’t our time to go down under.

Oh but a trip to Oz is always on my mind. And we will get there someday! I want to dip my feet in the Indian Ocean, experience the Outback and lay on the beaches of the Gold Coast. And no trip to Australia would be complete without venturing to the big cities! Since I still haven’t been, Claire (Australian native) is sharing with us her top 3 reasons to visit Melbourne with kids.

Photo credit: 3B’s via Visualhunt / CC BY

3 Reasons to Visit Melbourne With Kids

48 Hours in..., Travel

48 Hours in… San Francisco

San Francisco, California will always have a special place in my heart.

California played an important role in the early months of my relationship with hubby. Although he and I met in New York City, at the time, I had already committed to spending the upcoming six weeks teaching at an academic summer camp in Santa Cruz, California (about 70 miles south of San Francisco). Having just met, the time apart afforded us weeks to just talk on the phone and get to know each other. As the relationship was progressing, I rearranged my departure plans to stay in California a little longer and have a little San Francisco vacation with this new boyfriend who was flying out to visit me!

That year, I had a kick ass time in Santa Cruz, and would go on to return for two more summers. Since those three stints in SC, I have been back to the west coast a handful of times for weddings, and short vacations. All pre-kids. So I was so excited to be taking baby girl and little man to San Francisco, to kick off our much-deserved end of summer vacation.

Photo via VisualHunt.com

48 Hours In… San Francisco, California

Travel

6 Hacks for An Affordable Road Trip

I love me a good road trip. So far, our biggest ones as a family have been to North Carolina and the mid-coast of Maine. I think driving trips are fun and are often more affordable than flying. Today Jonathan, who blogs at Saker Racing, shares us his best hacks for an affordable road trip!

Photo credit: Edna Winti via Visual Hunt / CC BY

6 Travel Hacks for an Affordable Road Trip

Holidays, Stuff I Love, Travel

The Best Places to Travel this Autumn & Other Fun Fall Posts

Fall is such a fun season! Especially when the weather has been so warm here in the Northeast! The kids are finally back to school and its not so terribly hot! Where I live here on Long Island, fall is such a great time for outdoor activities without the oppressive heat.

I also think fall is a great time for travel (in fact, in the travel industry it’s called the shoulder season – that transitional time between summer travel and winter getaways). In my experience you can get some great deals on trips, and everyone knows this is one of the best times to visit theme parks.

I actually do enjoy this time of year, up until January when well, winter. But I do love the fall holidays – Halloween and Thanksgiving, and the coziness of fall food – think squash, apples, and of course pumpkin everything!

So today I am rounding up my best of fall – from my favorite activities, products, travel and links to some great fall posts that will hopefully inspire your best fall season!

Fall Travel Ideas & DIY Round Up

Travel

Great Wolf Lodge Southern California

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list”

Quote by Susan Sontag, but it pretty much sums up my life! And since I have not been everywhere… yet, I am so excited to have Nancy, from Miles for Family sharing her review of Great Wolf Lodge Southern California with the Momma To Go readers!

Photo credit: knitsteel via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SA

Great Wolf Lodge Southern California

Travel

Ninjago Days at Legoland Discovery Center Westchester

Momma To Go readers know we love our Lego experiences. So far we have visited Legoland Florida. the Legoland Florida Water park and At the beginning of this summer, we spent a day at the Legoland Discovery Center in Westchester.

On both of our Legoland visits we were able to visit new Ninjago exhibits. In Florida, the Ninjago ride has JUST opened, and it proved to be one of our favorites! At LDC, the giant play area has recently been revamped into a Ninja theme! Modeled after the Temple of Airjitzu, the attraction’s new LEGO® Ninjago City Adventure play structure puts guests’ physical skills to the test with more than 20 interactive features including a vortex spinning barrel, a spiral slide of lights, lightning buzzer bars, crisscross maze, vertical rope climb and more, as they fight to save Ninjago City.

Today we were super excited to return to the Legoland Discovery Center for their LEGO Ninjago Days!

photo credit: LDC Westchester

Momma To Go would like to thank the Legoland Discovery Center for hosting us. As always, all opinions are my own.

NINJAGO DAYS AT LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER WESTCHESTER

Travel

Family Packing in the Transitional Seasons

Packing is definitely one of my least favorite parts of traveling. And these transitional (or shoulder) seasons are especially tricky! Weather might fluctuate throughout a trip, or even throughout the same day. As always its best to plan ahead, make lists, and be prepared. Today Claire Hastings, shares her best tips for Family Packing in the Transitional Season.

Transitional Season Family Packing Essentials

Photo by STIL on Unsplash

Travel

Apple Picking at Lewin Farms

Wow! What I have learned this past two weeks from being sick, and spending a lot of time scrolling through social media feeds, is there is no season more polarizing than fall.

I’m sure you have seen all the memes, the anticipation of the #PSL (personally, I am not a fan) and friends rushing off to Trader Joe’s for all things pumpkin!

Then there are folks like me, who love the heat. And summer. Days spent at the beach and pool. For me fall, is trying to hang on to an extension of my favorite season. Hoping for that warm weather to continue way into October. In fact, #SeptemberIsStillSummer is one of my favorite hashtags!

But one “fall” activity that I do dig is apple picking! It’s one of my favorite yearly traditions. And I say, “fall” in quotes because honestly if you wait too late into September, all the apples will be gone!

Since moving to Long Island, our favorite place to pick is Lewin Farms. And since I have also seen so many “What are the best places to pick apples on Long Island” posts, I figured I’d answer that question and help many families start some new traditions of their own!

24 Hours in… Santa Cruz, California

How to Earn an {almost} Free Uber Ride

3 Reasons to Visit Melbourne With Kids

48 Hours In… San Francisco, California

6 Travel Hacks for an Affordable Road Trip

Fall Travel Ideas & DIY Round Up

Great Wolf Lodge Southern California

NINJAGO DAYS AT LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER WESTCHESTER

Transitional Season Family Packing Essentials

APPLE PICKING AT LEWIN FARMS