Adventures in San Diego

We just got back from a really fun vacation in San Diego. This was Lainey's first time to fly. She was 10 months (turned 11 on the trip), and Cambry was also 10 months when she first flew to Asheville. It is such a great age to travel. Both girls were so good throughout the vacation. Although when traveling with kids everything seems to take so much longer. We were joking that there are just 10 easy steps to get there - 1) spend 14 hours packing, 2) drive to parking place, 3) uninstall car seats, 4) get on parking shuttle to airport, 5) navigate a double stroller with 2 kids and 2 car seats and 2 suitcases and other items through airport, 6) keep kids occupied on plane, 7) navigate through next airport, 8) take shuttle to rental car, 9) re-install car seats, 10) drive to hotel, WHEW! The only way to eliminate some of those steps is to have your own plane. We plan to do that next time.

The first day we walked around La Jolla and enjoyed the view of the pretty beaches. We saw the seals laying on the beach and stopped and had a little gelato.

The next day we rented hiking backpack carriers and hiked around Torrey Pines Reserve. It was very scenic and nice weather. Cambry wanted to play hide and seek the whole time so one of us would run up ahead and hide behind some trees. It never got old. Lainey was as happy as can be the whole time. At the end of the hike Cambry fell asleep on Greg's back. They woke up at 5am (hello time change!) so you can't blame her.

We came back to the hotel to let Lainey nap and then that afternoon walked around Balboa Park. It is a nice place to walk around with pretty gardens and museums, a carousel and train ride for the kids and other fun sites.

The next day we hit up Disneyland! It was a little less than an hour and a half away from San Diego. It was so much fun. Cambry had a blast and I'm sure as she gets older this would be something she would enjoy more and more. We rode lots of rides, went through Minnie's and Mickey's houses and met them, saw parts of the parade, and did a ton of walking. Everything is so elaborate and detailed and the whole area is immaculate.

The next day we went to the zoo. Cambry enjoyed it, but not as much as Disney. Actually she asked if we could go back to the hotel and play hide and seek. We were all - but look at the cool animals! She was not that interested. Lainey was getting a bit of an attitude about being in the stroller so much. She wanted to be held or put the in the Bjorn so we did that most of the time and she was one happy girl.

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That evening we got cleaned up and went to eat Mexican food in Old Town. It was a cute little area with lots of shops and dining. 

On our last day before we headed out to the airport we walked around Seaside village and then drove over the bridge to Coronado island. There was a really nice park there that we stopped at for a while. 

The weather was great the whole time, and everything was so beautiful. All the trees and the landscaping and the ocean and cliffs and HILLS. It is so different driving around with hills. We enjoyed our vacation so much. I would definitiely recommend San Diego as a family friendly vacation spot. Now I'm ready to start planning the next one!