North America

My daughter lives to roller skate, so we’re staying in Venice for two nights. Our apartment is one block from the beach, boardwalk, Muscle Beach, and skate park. So much fun!

Today started really well – the sun was shining and the dunes at Pismo Beach were amazing – unfortunately it ended at the Emergency Room! I had a slight accident and fell off the ATV on my head. I couldn’t remember where I was (I thought maybe Florida due to the sand and ocean?) and … Continue reading »

We’re making our way south from the Russian River Valley to Los Angeles. Our first stop was the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. Sara Winchester, the widow of the Winchester gun heir, lost her mother, father-in-law, and husband within a few months and inherited a huge fortune. She did not have any children and … Continue reading »

When I start to plan family trips, we have a family meeting to decide what we want to see. I learned the value of family meetings when we traveled to Europe. I thought my family would definitely want to see the Louvre, Mona Lisa, and Notre Dame in Paris, but all they really cared about … Continue reading »

Alamo Square and the famous Painted Ladies rowhouses were beautiful in today’s sunshine. Haight-Ashbury’s hippie vibe is still alive and thriving.

We visited the Golden Gate Bridge this morning. Traffic was heavy and noisy and the weather was cool and windy, so I decided to only walk about halfway across. The highlight of our day was an evening tour of Alcatraz! I knew these tours filled fast, so I booked it in March. The ferry ride … Continue reading »

We’re starting our 16 day family vacation in San Francisco. I haven’t been to California since I was a girl, so it’s fun to see things through my kids’ eyes. We are staying at Club Donatello in downtown San Francisco only one block from Union Square. Based on the sightseeing I’ve planned, this should be … Continue reading »