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Malibu Beach California
In California

Getting a Glimpse of Malibu

What do you think of when you think of Malibu? Hollywood stars? Expensive homes? Barbie? (Yes, I’m a child of the 80s.) I think of all of these things, so when we had a chance to make a quick stop to Malibu Beach, we took it. Malibu: The Plan or More Accurately, the Non-Plan When we planned our first trip to California in 2019, we knew we wanted to include some beach time. Kristin and I had never even been near the Pacific Ocean, so squeezing in a beach visit or two was definitely a goal. There are a lot of choices, of course, but in the end, we chose Malibu and Santa Monica Pier.  One reason we chose Santa Monica is that it’s the end of Route 66, and we live blocks away from the historic highway in Joplin, Missouri. If you want to check out more about our…

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Oogie Boogie Bash
In California

Oogie Boogie Bash and Disneyland at Halloween

Disney Dreamin’: The Background We’d never been to a Disney park in any other season but summer.  June and July, to be exact. When you’re a teacher with a school-aged kid, it’s difficult to get away during the school year. This past summer, we planned a trip that included Yellowstone and Seattle, and, originally, the plan was to fly from Kansas City to Denver and rent a car. When reports of rental car shortages emerged, we canceled the flight and drove the entire trip from Missouri. In the end, we were glad it worked out that way; we ended up adding an extra week to the trip. But, we had a flight to reschedule or we’d lose the funds. What to do? Plan a long weekend to Disney? Yes, please! In the end, we chose Disneyland over Walt Disney World. Since we’d only have a couple of park days, a…

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Disneyland's Storyteller's Cafe
In Disneyland Dining

Brunch at Disneyland’s Storytellers Cafe

If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, be sure to put Storytellers Cafe on your to-do list! Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Buffet was a wonderful memory for us. One of my favorite things to do on a Disney trip is to try fun restaurants and meet our favorite characters. Luckily, Disney allows you to combine both of these into one experience. Character dining is something we always make time for on our trips. When I saw the adorable outfits the characters wore at Storytellers Cafe, I knew we had to give it a try! Visiting the Grand Californian Hotel Storytellers Cafe is located in the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. What’s cool about this hotel, besides the architecture and theming, is that it has a private entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. You can walk out of the resort and into Grizzly Peak, the park of the…

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Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant
In California

Make Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant Part of Your Knott’s Berry Farm Visit

If you’re heading out to Knott’s Berry Farm and you like fried chicken, you really should plan on eating at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant while you’re there. During our first visit to Knott’s Berry Farm last year, we had a yummy lunch at the restaurant. When I read that you can try numerous boysenberry menu items, I knew we had to give it a shot. The boysenberry is central to the history of the park, and I’d never tasted one, so the idea was too tempting to resist. Apparently, the boysenberry is a cross between a red raspberry, a blackberry, and a loganberry. It’s also a great way to break up the day and relax in the middle of park touring. You really can’t miss it; we walked right on by as we headed to the front gate from the parking lot. Yes, it’s outside the park, but if…

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Grauman's Chinese Theatre TLC
In California

Hooray for Hollywood! Our Morning on the Walk of Fame

When some people travel, they search for things “off the beaten path” while avoiding tourist traps. Those people aren’t us. Sure, we like to experience places “as the locals do,” and we love finding those little known gems. But we also love those places that “everyone should see once” in their lives. The more cliche the better. And why not? We like to experience a little bit of everything. The Hollywood Walk of Fame area may not be for everyone, and I don’t know if I’d ever go back, but when we planned our Los Angeles trip, I knew I wanted to see it. Even if it’s only one time. I wanted to be able to say that I’d been there. With a preface like this, you may believe that the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a horrible experience. It wasn’t. Was it amazing? Again, no. Am I glad we…

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Me's Drive-In on the Sunset Strip
In Los Angeles

Mel’s Drive-In and the Sunset Strip

Mel’s Drive-In wasn’t exactly on our radar, but when we saw it on the iconic Sunset Strip, we decided it was our kind of place. We’d spent the morning checking out Hollywood, and now we were ready to explore other areas nearby that we’d seen on TV and at the movies. So while we were in the vicinity, we needed to find some great food so we could refuel for the rest of the day’s adventures. And that’s exactly what we did. Mel’s Drive-In If you’re looking for nostalgia, this place has plenty! It’s like taking a step back in time. We were seated at a booth, and we loved taking in all the details, including watching the cooks behind the counter. After we placed our drink orders, it was time to find some tunes on the tableside jukebox. We went with music from the Grease soundtrack. It wasn’t long…

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Hollywood Sign
In Los Angeles

Viewing the Hollywood Sign From Griffith Observatory

You simply can’t go to Hollywood without seeing the sign up on the hill.  On our arrival day, we couldn’t contain our excitement as we drove our rental car towards our home for the next two nights–Magic Castle Hotel. Just ahead of us, we could see the Hollywood sign for the first time. We certainly looked like the ultimate tourists as we tried to capture our first picture. Oh well. We were tourists! The next morning, we checked out the sites in West Hollywood. After lunch, we knew we wanted to try to get a better view of the Hollywood sign. Our time was limited; we were heading to San Diego the next morning. Sure, we could’ve hiked up to the sign, and I’ve heard that’s a pretty cool experience. But since our schedule was tight, and our nine-year-old was with us, it made sense to check out Griffith Observatory.…

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Magic Castle Hotel
In Los Angeles

Magic Castle Hotel: Stay Steps Away From Hollywood

When planning our first trip to Los Angeles, one of the most daunting aspects was trying to find hotels in Hollywood that met our needs. So many places were out of our price range, yet we wanted to be close to Hollywood attractions since we’d never been to LA.  We also wanted a family-friendly hotel where we felt safe, and we needed a place to park our rental car.  When I discovered the Magic Castle Hotel, I knew I’d found the place for us! About the Magic Castle Hotel The Magic Castle Hotel is a small, adorable hotel that, at one time, was an apartment complex.  Many rooms face the courtyard with the pool and poolside tables.  The location is great if you’re looking to see the Hollywood stuff; the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theater are just a couple of blocks away.  Since they used to be…

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