Jennifer Fontaine

SoCal Campgrounds with Extra Entertainment for Kids —What's Open in 2021

Submitted by Jennifer Fontaine on Fri, 04/16/2021 - 8:13am

Camping with kids is a smorgasbord of sights and sounds, loaded with opportunities to explore the great outdoors. Hiking and biking, telling stories fireside, and unplugging from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives is good for the soul; but let’s face it, even with the whole of Mother Nature at their fingertips, kids sometimes get bored.

It’s time to up the ante on family camping. Southern California is home to several awesome family campgrounds that offer kids exciting alternative activities and entertainment when they tire of forest tag. Zip lining, anyone? Fishing? Rock climbing? Water parks? Movies? Even ghost tours? All these and more are offered at the Southland campgrounds below. Get ready for the best of both worlds, cause we dare your kids to get bored at one of these campgrounds.

11 Waterfall Hikes Every LA Family Should Know

Submitted by Jennifer Fontaine on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 9:21am

So far this winter has been light on rain, but there has been just enough to keep LA's waterfalls flowing. Some of these beautiful gems hide their light under a dry bushel in drought, but every one of the waterfalls below is worth a visit; with runoff from the mountains, the creek beds boast the burbling sounds of water and the trees are starting to bud and bloom. And if we get a rainy weekend, even better: head straight out on one of these hikes the next day! Southland waterfalls are the stuff that family memories (and Facebook posts) are made of.

Most of these hikes are easy to moderate, but if you need a beginner hike for toddlers, or one where strollers won't get stuck, we've got the perfect outings for your littlest weekend warrior, too.

Anza-Borrego Desert: Discovering California's Largest State Park

Submitted by Jennifer Fontaine on Mon, 04/10/2017 - 12:13pm

Nestled in the southeast corner of the state, California’s largest state park, the Anza-Borrego Desert, is just a three hour drive from Los Angeles, and in spring it shimmers with vibrant hues of green, purple, red, blue, and yellow. From slot canyons to scenic streams and rocky hills, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s 600,000 acres have burst forth from the drought with a dramatic, weekend-getaway-worthy superbloom that everyone is talking about.

Carlsbad: 25 Things To Do with Kids (other than Legoland)

Submitted by Jennifer Fontaine on Sat, 01/07/2017 - 4:09am

Legoland? Who said anything about Legoland? Carlsbad may appear at first glance to be a one-trick town, but there are at least 25 reasons for this Southern California excursion, without ever using the word LEGO. The beach community's mild year-round temps, pristine beaches, and slow, laid-back approach to living offer families much more than just a famous amusement park.

Jennifer Fontaine

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