Travel

Located just a few hours north of San Diego near Ventura, Channel Islands National Park offers a wealth of stunning scenery, serene vistas, beaches, hiking, wildlife, history and rustic campgrounds.  

Visit for a day to hike and kayak, or bring camping equipment and stay for a few days to fully appreciate the serenity of these gorgeous islands.

Channel Islands National Park
www.nps.gov/chis/index.htm
Visitor Information: 805-658-5730
Camping reservations: 877-444-6777 www.recreation.gov

For our first trip to the islands, a full-day excursion gave us plenty of time to enjoy the boat ride over sparkling waters, a tour of historic Scorpion Ranch with its artifacts of farming and ranching life in the 1800s and 1900s, a hike up the Cavern Point Loop trail for breathtaking views of the ocean and island, and a detour through the campsite (including a pit stop and water refills). The cobblestone beach at Scorpion Anchorage was a restful delight after a long hike in the sun. We waded, snacked and the kids even caught a glimpse of a rare native inhabitant, the Island fox. This little taste was enough to whet our appetites for more—a return trip is definitely on the menu!

About the Islands
Five islands comprise the park—Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara—each with its own unique natural features. Home to 2,000 plant and animal species (145 are found nowhere else in the world), the park is open year-round. Two visitor’s centers in Ventura and Santa Barbara are open daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Be advised: There are no amenities on the islands except for restrooms and potable water at some campsites; cell phone service is very limited. Bring your own food, water (you can refill on the island), sunscreen, etc. and pack out everything you bring in.

Getting There
Take a plane from Camarillo  or public boat from the mainland.  Island Packers offers boat transportation departing from Ventura and Channel Islands (Oxnard) Harbors. Full and half-day trips  are available.
The boat ride gives you an up-close view of pods of Common Dolphins racing the boat and leaping through its wake. You’ll also see sea lions, sea birds and if you’re lucky, any of several species of whales, including gray, blue, humpback and orcas.

Channel Islands Aviation
305 Durley Ave., Camarillo
www.flycia.com; 805-987-1301

Island Packers
1691 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura
www.islandpackers.com
805-642-1393

What to Do
Picnicking, hiking, kayaking through the sea caves, diving, snorkeling in the kelp forests, fishing, whale watching excursions, surfing and tidepooling are choice activities. Park Rangers and docents lead guided tours and hikes; evening programs and educational excursions are available. Download hiking maps and Junior Ranger program guides from the park website. Find organized activity courses and events, or rent kayaks and equipment from these authorized vendors: www.nps.gov/chis/parkmgmt/visitor-services-list.htm.

Overnight Camping
This is a perfect excuse to unplug for a day (or two or three)! Backcountry camping is available on Santa Cruz Island; Santa Rosa offers seasonal beach camping. Many of the islands have primitive campsites with a range of natural highlights and features. There’s no transportation available on the islands, so be prepared to carry all your equipment to the campsite. Reservations are required: $15 per-night fee.

If you’d rather camp on the mainland, Lake Casitas Recreation Area, 16 miles north of Ventura Harbor, has 400 campsites, along with fishing and boating, biking, hiking, special events and a general store. During summer months, families can cool off at the onsite water park, complete with a lazy river, slides and sprayground. www.casitaswater.org. 

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Fact or Fiction?

Based on the true story of the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island, this classic young adult novel is often required reading for fourth and fifth graders. This intriguing story captures the solitary life of a young girl, who lived alone for 18 years after sea otter hunters decimated the native Nicoleño tribe in 1814. While Scott O’Dell’s novel paints a romanticized portrait of her life, she remains a fascinating, if tragic, historical figure. Recent archaeological explorations have revealed more than Nicoleño artifacts and, after removing one million pounds of sand, the cave where the Lone Woman is believed to have lived. Read about the excavation here: sbseasons.com/blog/the-lone-woman-of-san-nicolas-island.

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Kirsten Flournoy looks forward to her next magical trip to the Channel Islands. Photos by the author.

Family Travel to Florida:  Beyond the Beach and Mickey Mouse

When most people think of Florida, two things typically come to mind: the beach and Disney World. The beaches and mouse do bring millions of visitors to the state each year. However, they aren’t the only reason to visit Florida. I’m a Florida native and rarely hit the beach or theme parks. Here’s what I recommend visitors do instead.

Space Exploration: Kennedy Space Center is a must see for those fascinated with science and space. The facility has exhibits all ages will enjoy. Plan at least a full day to check everything out. A restaurant and snack concessions are available. They sometimes offer special events—we saw Bruce Willis in concert there, for example.

Nature: The ocean isn’t the only body of water in Florida. Fish, swim, canoe or tube in rivers, springs and lakes all over the state. Spend the day hiking in a national park or rent a cabin in the woods for a few days of camping. One of my favorite places to visit is De Leon Springs. The restaurant there features a griddle at each table to make your own pancakes!

Animals: Florida’s mild weather makes it a great location to see a wide variety of animals. Visit big cats, gators, dolphins, monkeys and parrots at hundreds of zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries. An ostrich pecked on our windshield at Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach.

History and Culture: Miami is brimming with Latin food, music and energy. Tarpon Springs has a rich Greek history. St. Augustine is the nation’s oldest city. We learn something new every time we visit.

Relax: Florida is a great place to escape brutal winters. Rent a house or apartment anywhere in the state for a low-key break. Tip: look for a rental with a heated pool and hot tub! We rented a vacation home in the Ocala area for a week. It was so relaxing to look at rolling hills and dozens of horses.

There’s plenty to do in Florida without stepping foot on the beach or hearing “It’s a Small World” even once. It’s a great vacation spot for anyone seeking warmth and sunshine.

Rachael Moshman is a mom, freelance writer and Florida native.  She loves theme parks, but hates roller coasters.

We all want fantastic tips for navigating the magical kingdom of Disneyland!  Ondine Brooks Kuraoka has a few suggestions that we just love!

We whistled while we worked, packing for our sons’ first trip to Disneyland as they watched us with amusement. The boys, 4 and 6, caught our excitement and were soon whirling like teacups; but of course, they had no idea what Disneyland was. We decided not to try to explain the magical quality of the kingdom that awaited them, better to let them enjoy the heady rush in their own way.

After you’ve allowed yourself to twirl with childlike joy at the prospect of your visit, put on your grown-up cloak of practicality and plan well. I spoke with several local parents and gathered the following parent-proven tips.

Tiny Step in Its a Small World- Ages 5 and under
If your kids are under 5, your day may be excruciatingly slow unless you decide to slow down yourself. The first time Alyssa Fernandez and her husband Rob visited Disneyland with their kids, then 2 and 4, they went on a total of two rides the entire day—It’s a Small World and Peter Pan. Between tiny stomachs and bladders, long lines and a young child’s fascination with beautiful details, that was enough Magic Kingdom to last until next time. Consider the following for an easier visit:

• Take an elf’s-eye view and just go with the flow. You want them to remember the place fondly, not as a blur.  Scout out bathroom locations in whatever “land” you’re in to spare yourself an emergency dash.
• Bring plenty of healthy, hearty snacks and drinks. Feed often to avoid energy crash tantrums. You’ll save a ton of money and avoid hungry frustration when waiting in snack lines.
• Use the early entry option at 7 a.m. (available with Park Hopper Bonus tickets). It’s possible to do most rides in Fantasyland in about an hour without the long lines.
• Decide where you want to eat lunch and dinner well ahead of time so you’re not looking while you’re hungry.  Rent a stroller. They’re rugged, maneuver well and have plenty of storage, doubling as a locker. Stroller parking is no problem. You can take the stroller between Disneyland and California Adventure. If staying in a hotel, the closer the better. You’ll have the option of leaving the park midday to rest and return in the evening. (Be prepared, the kids may decide the hotel pool is just as fun as Disneyland.)
• Tie your youngest child’s sleeping buddy to the stroller to avoid losing it and make settling in for stroller naps easier. Many restaurants offer carrot sticks and applesauce with kids’ meals as an alter native to fries.
• California Adventure’s Bugland is geared for ages 2 to 4.
• Bring a light blanket in addition to sunscreen for additional sun blockage in the stroller. Sunscreen won’t protect well enough for an entire day outside.
• Bring your own sweet treats. When your child is struck by candy envy, he can satisfy his sweet tooth and move on—and you won’t have to buy expensive treats.
• Character dining offers a way to meet favorite pals. “Breakfast with Minnie” and “Goofy’s Kitchen” are two options (search “character dining” on the Disneyland website).
• Use priority seating for popular restaurants and character dining.
• Get souvenirs early in the day (stow them in the stroller or a locker), rather than saving it for the last thing you do. “At the end of the day, Ruby [1 at the time] was screaming, Ava [4] was having a hard time deciding and all the families were doing the same thing,” Casey Mortier says. “The lines in the stores were crazy."

Ages 6 and over

• Map out a plan the day before you visit. Have kids prioritize their favorite rides. Expect the plan to change, but you’ll feel less stress if you’ve selected the must-sees. Parades and events schedules are available on the Disneyland website (click “get schedule”).
• Visit the Disneyland website calendar to check if any favorite rides are closed for refurbishment to avoid disappointment upon arrival.
• Arrive at opening and cross the park to Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean; both have notoriously long lines later in the day.
• "People typically go to the first thing they see,” Ed Keim says. “Usually there’s no wait for the rides at the other end of the park. We do that every time we go, and I don’t remember the last time we had to wait in a long line for those rides."

For All Ages of

Kids (including Adult Kids)

•   Use the Monorail to enter Disneyland from Downtown Disney and avoid the long lines at the entrance,” says Karin McCarty, a Disney travel agent who also offers many of the tips listed below.
• January, February and September are less crowded. If possible, avoid peak travel times—spring break, summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Christmas decorations are up for most of December.
• Sundays are better than Saturdays.
• If appropriate, get birthday buttons or first-time visitor buttons.
• Utilize the FASTPASS system to spend less time in lines. A limited number of Fastpasses are available at no charge for selected rides, permitting holders to be admitted closer to the front of the line during a specific time frame. You’ll find the dispensers near the ride; ask a park attendant to direct you. Get them early; distribution ends in the afternoon (search “FASTPASS” on the website).
• Bring a refillable water bottle. You’ll save money and drinking fountains are fairly easy to find.

For Large Groups

• Set an easy meeting place to reconvene or in case anyone gets lost.
• You might have more fun if you don’t do everything together. It’s easier to roam in small groups. Plan to meet for lunch or dinner. Younger families may need to do their own thing for dinner—kids might be too tired by then.
• If your vision of the perfect day allows flexibility for your child’s pace and temperament, you’ll all walk away at night’s end with stars in your eyes. Up and away you go, second star to the right and straight to the gates of the Magic Kingdom.

Family Dinning

• Eat lunch and dinner at non-standard times; you'll enjoy a break from the crowds.
• The Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland provides entertainment and is indoors, a haven from the sun or the breeze.
• Make reservations in the morning. A good option for large groups.
• Big Thunder Barbecue in Frontierland is quick, reasonably priced, has good shade and is next to a petting zoo.
• The Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country has a relaxing setting on the veranda above the Rivers of America.
• T he Village Haus in Fantasyland often has long lines.

Discounts
•    Automobile Club of Southern California (www.aaa-calif.com) discounts apply at some restaurants and character meals.
•    Find discounts through Costco, Vons and the Disneyland website, including the “Park Hopper” admission to both Disneyland and California Adventure.

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Ondine Brooks Kuraoka is a writer in San Carlos. She and her family look forward to their next trip to Disneyland.

Published: January 2009

Feeling a little blue? Has the holiday overload got you down? Why not pack up and head out of town for a restful winter getaway! Southern California proudly boasts more than a few rustic and scenic spots, perfect for escaping big city life, and they’re just a few hours away! Here are some great places to get started. Happy trails!

BIG BEAR LAKE

Crystal clear skies above and the blue lake below—you can almost smell the fresh air just thinking about Big Bear Lake. This site provides its visitors with available rentals, maps and all the best places to grab a bite to eat. But don’t get on the road until you’ve checked in with their online weather station that features current weather, forecasts and driving conditions.

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IDYLLWILD

Tucked away in the idyllic surroundings of the San Jacinto Mountains is a picturesque paradise. Whether it’s camping or hiking or just plain relaxation you’re looking for, Idyllwild has it all. This site gives information on weather, vacation rentals and lodgings, a community calendar, arts and entertainment and wedding events.

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JULIAN

You’ll find charming bed and breakfasts and cozy cabins nestled in our own quiet mountain town of Julian. Shop for country crafts along Main Street or settle in for a famous Julian apple pie—all amidst the comfort and romance of trees, sky and quaint historical buildings.

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LAKE ARROWHEAD

This site offers a web cam view of the surrounding beauty at Lake Arrowhead, but breathtaking sights are just the beginning. Visit and you’ll find all you need to know about lodging, restaurants and even relocation information. Don’t miss the Calendar of Events for a sneak peek at all the fun things to come!

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PALM SPRINGS

Not too far up the I-15 lies a sunny oasis of sparkling pools, beautifully manicured golf greens and luxury spa resorts. Local attractions include the Desert Museum, Moorten Botanical Gardens and the impressive Indian Canyons—each is a huge draw for travelers looking to get away from it all. Learn more about car rentals, events and festivities at this comprehensive site that includes an interactive guide to the best places to eat, stay and play.

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SANTA BARBARA

Like San Diego, Santa Barbara is a prize along the Pacific's glittering coastline. This site provides a lot of helpful tips and tools for planning your escape to this seaside gem, with a list of things to do, the best places to dine, shop and lodge and a link to some of the best travel deals available online.

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SOLVANG

Stroll this quaint, Danish-inspired town and its charming collection of shops, restaurants ad inns and you'll feel as though you have been transported to some long-ago era. This site will steer you towards the very best dining and lodging options, and provide you with a calendar of events and activities that will tell you all you need to know about shopping, entertainment and nearby wine country.

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Kerri S. Mabee is a freelance writer and Website reviewer.

Take the Train to the Grand Canyon

With the shriek of a steam whistle, the train starts its clickety-clack. Trackside, characters in old-time western costumes wave with a whoop and happy holler. (You may recognize the same hombres on the return trip, when they turn into outlaws and stage a train robbery.)

Your family is off to Grand Canyon National Park.

The Grand Canyon has been a family travel favorite since great-grandfather’s day, when most tourists arrived by train because the Wild West had so few highways. Today’s smart travelers still take the train, which goes straight to the South Rim while drive-in visitors are idling in hours-long lines at the park entrance, miles away. From where you de-train it’s a short walk to the rim and suddenly the canyon gapes before you. It’s beyond awesome.  

Millions of years old, the canyon is more exciting today than ever. The Grand Canyon Railway has added an eco-engine that runs on used cooking oil. New lodgings have been added and the historic El Tovar hotel has been elegantly upgraded. Hopi House, built in 1905 to house Hopi artisans, is a museum and gift shop selling tribal goods.

To get the most from the trip, start planning early. (Rooms at El Tovar and seats on the winter-only Polar Express are especially hard to get.) Before leaving home, rent the Judy Garland musical The Harvey Girls. Corny, clean and catchy, it’s based on the real story of Fred Harvey, the man behind the park’s hotels and restaurants. Over a century ago, he transformed western tourism by insisting on clean meals served by pretty girls in white aprons.

The train trip begins in Williams, Arizona, about 60 miles south of the Grand Canyon and 125 miles north of Phoenix. Part of the fun is staying in the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel at the rail depot in Williams before the trip and perhaps on the return too. After a big Depot breakfast, there’s a Wild West show in the amphitheater before you board the train.

Enjoy passing scenery and complimentary fruit, cheeses, crackers and beverages until the train arrives at the rim at 11:45. Within walking distance of the rails are scenic overlooks, dining at El Tovar or Bright Angel Lodge, and shopping at Hopi House. Don’t miss the third floor, where Hopi Indians lived in the early days.

The park’s shuttle buses make it easy to hop off and on, stopping here for a short hike, there for an ice cream cone, or at another drop-off to hike to the next pick-up spot. If you’re on a one-day round trip don’t over-extend yourself because the train leaves promptly at 3:45 to return to Williams. If you’re staying in the park there is enough to keep you busy for a lifetime. Hike trails of many lengths and difficulties. Attend educational programs given by park rangers, photograph the canyon in all its moods, take a mule ride along the rim or into the depths. Rent bicycles to explore the sprawling park and learn about geology, ancient Indian history and the park’s unique flora and fauna.

For years to come, memories of the canyon will return to enrich your children’s school lessons in many subjects at many age levels. Yet all that time, the kids thought they were just having fun.

If You Go
For more information: Go to www.thetrain.com or call 800-THE-TRAIN.
Many options are available: three classes of rail cars, hotel add-ons in both Williams and in Grand Canyon National Park for one or more days, an RV package and much more. During winter holidays The Polar Express, based on the timeless movie, rides these rails.
In addition to the movie The Harvey Girls, it’s recommended that parents and older teens read the delightful new book, Appetite for America (Bantam), the history of Fred Harvey and railroad hospitality.

Tipping
Have a few dollars ready for the “train robbers” on the way back. They are the same actors who perform the morning show and this is your way of tipping them. They’re cheerful hombres, willing to pose for your camera. Save the event as a surprise or, if you think it’s necessary, warn kids in advance that the train robbery is all in fun.

Safety Concerns
Many edges of the Grand Canyon have no or low rails. Keep toddlers on a harness and maintain strict control over active youngsters. In some areas, squirrels are very aggressive. Don’t feed or approach them. They bite! When hiking, be aware of your limits (which may be less than you think). Bring everything you need including plenty of water. You may not be able to use your cell phone in many parts of the park and, in any case, rescue may be slow or unavailable.

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Janet Groene is a professional travel writer. She develops healthful trail mix recipes seen at www.CreateAGorp.blogspot.com.

 
The digital age has created a revolution in photography with instant-gratification LCD screens on cameras. Even when those images don’t meet our ever-increasing standards, we now have tools like Adobe’s Photoshop to post process those images and bring them up to snuff. While there are a limitless number of digital enhancements you might consider, the following five will address your most common image problems.
 
Problem 1: Ho-Hum Composition
The well-known rule of thirds suggests visualizing your scene as divided into horizontal and vertical thirds and positioning the most interesting element (the subject) at an intersection of the imaginary lines that define those thirds. This creates dynamic tension in the scene and makes it more interesting. It’s harder to do than you might think, however, especially when you are snapping away.
Photoshop’s crop tool can come to the rescue. With it, you can create a frame that zooms in on your subject, eliminating uninteresting background, and better locates your subject per the rule of thirds. Consider zooming out a bit when you take your photos; this will give you more flexibility later when recomposing your image within Photoshop.
 
Problem 2: What’s That Doing In There?
Unwanted detail at the edge of an image, so-called edge intrusions, can capture a viewer’s attention away from your main subject and deflect their interest. These can be tree branches, people cut in half, anything that competes with your subject. The result is an image that can feel overly busy, maybe even confused. Your goal should be to keep the viewer’s eye in the interior of your image and on your primary subject (which you have placed per the rule of thirds).

These edge intrusions can actually be difficult to notice when composing pictures because your attention is focused on your subject. Photoshop’s clone tool, although designed to create copies (or clones) of objects, is a great tool for removing these intrusions. With it, you can copy adjacent scenery (grass, sky, etc.) over the intrusion and eliminate them altogether.
 
Problem 3: Everything Looks Washed Out
The human eye is very sensitive to contrast, the difference between the darkest dark and the lightest light. If the tonal range is black to white, the image has good contrast. All too often, however, the range is markedly less, with the darks (or shadows) not completely black and the lights (or highlights) not completely white. These images feel a little dull or washed out, as if they were taken on a hazy day.

While Photoshop has an Auto Contrast function that will make a big improvement, consider using a Levels adjustment to really optimize your image. Levels will allow you to darken your darks (referred to as shadows) and lighten your lights (referred to as highlights), while stretching all the tones in between. The result is a much more vibrant image, both in contrast as well as color.

Problem 4: Where’s the Color?
As taken, digital images often lack colors that really pop, even after fixing contrast. Boosting color with Photoshop’s Hue/Saturation adjustment will really make a difference. Increasing saturation makes every color more vivid and intense. The higher the saturation, the more vivid and intense the entire image becomes.

Color can get oversaturated, however, and often is by novice users. It’s so much fun to see the colors pop that it’s easy to make the image unrealistic and almost cartoon-like. New to Photoshop CS4 is a better alternative, the Vibrance adjustment. The beauty is that while the Saturation adjustment blindly increases the saturation of the color in every pixel, the Vibrance adjustment looks to see how saturated a color already is and modifies the adjustment accordingly. Pixels low in color saturation get a bigger boost than pixels high in saturation. No pixels ever get oversaturated. The end result is a far more realistic image, even when you dial in a big boost.
 
Problem 5: Your Subject Is Hiding
To really make your subject stand out and hold the viewer’s interest, give it, and only it, an extra color boost with Photoshop. Subtly done, everything will still look realistic. (A black and white image with a color subject, say a flower bloom, is an extreme example of this, but more of a special effect.)

Photoshop has several different ways to do this, but the easiest is with the Sponge tool. The Sponge tool “paints” on increased (or decreased) saturation. Using a soft edge and the “saturation” mode, brush over the key subject in your image and the heightened saturation will make it pop out. Just be careful not to overdo it. (Hopefully in future Photoshop releases, this tool will get a Vibrance mode. But it is not there yet.)

A second way you can direct the viewer to your subject, and to hopefully have their attention stay there, is to sharpen. The eye is naturally drawn to objects with contrast, color, and a sharp focus. The first two of these were addressed above. To address focus, you use the Sharpen tool.

The Sharpen tool doesn’t really improve focus; instead, it tricks the eye into thinking that the focus is sharper than it really is by increasing contrast at edges. It is also brush-like and you paint over your subject until it looks just a little more crisp. Using a soft edge will blend the effect with the neighboring background so that the enhancement isn’t obvious. As with the Sponge tool, be careful not to overdo it.

So that’s it, simple Photoshop methods to address five everyday digital photography problems. As you become more proficient with Photoshop, you’ll undoubtedly develop a host of other techniques for adding little extra touches to your photos. But the simple tips you’ve learned here will solve most of your digital image problems. And with the few minutes it takes to employ them, you’ll make your photos a cut above the rest.

Stephen Farnow spent 30 years in high-tech management at companies such as Texas Instruments and Intel. He is currently an independent management consultant and writes about graphic arts. He is author of “Photoshop: Just the Skinny.” For more information, please visit www.JustTheSkinny.com.

Are the kids restless? How about you? It might be time for a change in routine or scenery. Day trips are a wonderful and often inexpensive option to family vacations, and the possibilities are endless and abound everywhere, no matter where you live. I rely on day trips, especially during the summer, to break up the boredom that sets in rather quickly.

1. Plan On It
Make getting out of the house and away a priority. Part of making day trips happen is commitment. Set aside one day of the month that you can regularly stick to, like the last Saturday of every month. Don’t work? Consider a day during the week, when destinations might not be as busy. Discuss it with all family members and add it to the calendar.

2. Brainstorm Ideas
Explore the options. Be sure to consider and include your children’s preferences and interests. Consider indoor and outdoor options. My kids range in ages of 19 down to 10, two girls and two boys. Their interests are vast and ever changing as they age.

We’ve traveled a few hours to explore zoos and museums, fish or kayak, ski or sled, walk through an auto show, ride a train into a nearby city for the purpose of seeing a specific exhibition or enjoying a cultural festival, learn about thoroughbred horses, watch cows being milked and cheese being made, stroll along the sand on a sunny beach day, and much more.

3. Keep a Binder
You’ll likely find that you travel within a few hours radius, as we do. I keep a binder with section dividers so that I can include information about the areas we frequent, mindful of free admittance days and special events and festivals. I am on the mailing list for surrounding states’ event planners, which I keep with my binder.

4. Think Local
With gas prices continuing to rise, consider a day trip. Options increase during the summer months, when the majority of kids are out of school. We take advantage of what local communities offer by checking an events calendar (Make sure to check out San Diego Family's event calendar!). One constant in our family is apple picking in the fall. We’ve been going to the same orchard for close to two decades. We pick as much as we all can carry, arriving home to prepare most of the apples for applesauce and freeze the rest for delicious pies we’ll make later in the year.

5. Think Seasonal
What options do you have where you live? What can you do in the winter? My kids love to hike during the different seasons and picnic. One recurring excursion we take is to state parks, where the entrance fee is nominal. We pack food, snacks and drinks for the day, along with plenty of blankets to sit and nap on, as well as some cards, sketchpads and colored pencils. A favorite pastime is skipping rocks on a lake and one of my youngest is very good at it. She also brings her bird book along.

6. Remember Your “Diaper Bag Era”
Perhaps you still are using a diaper bag. My diaper bag was a great “training” ground for always being prepared. It was packed and in the car at all times. I know I relied on mine well past the time I needed it, adjusting it to more of a toddler bag, then a kids “go-to” bag. I still carry a bag in the car year-round. I also have a first-aid kit with bug repellant and sunscreen (make sure everything is replenished and updated), gallon-sized bags and wipes for mishaps, as well as old towels and a few umbrellas.

7. Make the Most of Your Time
We’re up and away first thing in the morning, often deciding on our destination as we pull out of the driveway. I check my tires, fluids and gas up the car the evening before. My kids keep packed backpacks in their closets. So, we move out as soon as they’ve dressed, brushed their teeth and grabbed their backpacks. Sometimes we just get breakfast on the way to our destination, as an extra treat.

We return home late—tired, dirty, content and reconnected through another family experience. I often look back, or into my rearview mirror, and I see sleepy heads resting on siblings’ shoulders. I know my kids will have another memory to share with each other. 

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Judy M. Miller based this article on her personal experience of parenting her rollicking brood of four kiddos, two of each gender.

Published: July 2012

FINDING TREASURE IN SAN DIEGO

Hidden and Lost Treasure Await
Thanks to the success of movies such as “National Treasure” and “Book of Secrets,” as well as the popularity of the Travel Channel’s series “Cash and Treasures,” people have become aware of the lost treasures hidden around us.

When I was a young girl growing up in San Diego, my father used to take me gold panning at the Yuba River, garnet hunting in Nevada, and regaled me with tales of The Lost Dutchman’s Mine in the Superstition Mountains, but I had no idea about the supposed riches located within San Diego County. From sunken Spanish galleons filled with Aztec gold to gold coins stolen from stagecoaches to vast amounts of pink tourmaline, San Diego apparently hosts a trove of hidden treasures that, with a little research and a lot of luck, are yours for the finding.

Gold in Them Thar Hills
In the winter of 1869-70 when former slave Fred Coleman discovered gold in a small creek just outside of Julian, it set off a frenzy that became San Diego’s Gold Rush. Within a few weeks, there were more than 800 prospectors combing the hills in search of gold with more than 40 claims registered. In just two months, what was originally called “Emily’s City” and consisted of tents, became the new town of Julian City. Wells Fargo set up a station to transport the gold to San Diego.

The mines would flourish over the next seven years, producing nearly 5 million dollars in gold (this is at the rate of 20 dollars per ounce at the turn of the century, not the 1000 dollars an ounce it is today). Just eight mines produced more than 90 percent of all the wealth in the northern Cuyamacas: the Owens, Helvetia, Golden Chariot, Ready Relief, Blue Hill, North Hubbard, Stonewall and Ranchita. The issue of who owned the land being mined became a heated issue for more than a year and was finally settled in favor of the miners.

The most successful was the Stonewall mine, located just before Lake Cuyamaca, off Hwy 79. It was mined off and on for many years, producing more than 2 million dollars in gold, and a small city even sprung up around it called Cuyamaca City. There were bunkhouses and a hotel, saloon and post office for its nearly 500 residents. Gold levels soon dropped off, and when it was sold to Ralph Dyar in 1923, he decided to raze the derelict buildings and remnants of the abandoned town in order to avoid property taxes. Very little of the historic mine remains to be seen today, but there is a small museum, some foundations and equipment.

In Julian, the Eagle mine overlooked the small town and is open for tours. It was worked in 1870 and sporadically from the 1880s until 1939, with the total value of the gold extracted between 25,000-50,000 dollars. It joined with the High Peak mine. Visitors can explore 1000 square feet of underground hard rock tunnel, view authentic tools and machinery, learn about the gold extraction process and even pan for gold. The mine is open for tours daily.
The discovery of gold was an exciting chapter in San Diego’s history, but the frenzied gold rush only lasted seven years. No one disputes that there is still a fabulous wealth of gold in the area—but the extraction has proven too costly and it remains locked in the rock vaults of the Cuyamacas.

Sunken Treasure
In January 1952, Oceanside ophthalmologist Joseph Markey made a speech before the San Diego Historical Society proclaiming to have solved an old mystery involving the Spanish galleon “Trinidad” that supposedly wrecked off the coast of Oceanside in 1540 with millions in Aztec gold. He discovered a cave near the outskirts of Camp Pendleton with the skeletal remains of 22 Europeans, along with weapons and gold coins.

Markey presented a detailed account of the last days of Francisco de Ulloa and his men with the support of archaeological evidence and Spanish documents. Markey described how Ulloa and his crewmen, ill with scurvy, had anchored the galleon in the mouth of the San Luis Rey River, and headed inland only to succumb to dysentery. The abandoned galleon sank somewhere near Oceanside.

Although the public and media greeted the story with great enthusiasm, challenges to Markey’s theories began to trickle in. Some doubted the validity of the documents presented by Markey, including a mysterious diary written by a “Trinidad”survivor, amid other historic evidence that Ulloa was alive and testifying in Spanish courts in 1542.

But suspicions of Markey’s theory have failed to discourage treasure seekers from locating the “Trinidad.” Expeditions to locate the wreck have been launched over the past years. Several cannons were found only a few hundred yards offshore in 1976, but bad weather and lack of funding seem to have curtailed search efforts. Dr. Markey, who promised a book documenting the famous Hernandez diary and maps, died in 1985. The book never appeared and the fate of “Trinidad”remains a mystery.

Vallecito Station
A haunted stage station is also at the center of several lost treasures. Vallecito, which means “little valley” with its natural spring and grasslands, was a welcome oasis to travelers after crossing the desert, which was referred to as “The Journey of Death.” The road through the valley was the only wagon road into Southern California and, in 1858, Vallecito became a stop on the famous Butterfield Overland Stage Route that traveled between Missouri and San Francisco.

Located near Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the station was witness to murder, robberies and other human miseries. Four men on horseback robbed a stage traveling to Vallecito Station of 65 thousand dollars just before Carrizo Wash. Two of the bandits were killed in the gunfight. The other robbers continued on to the station, stopping somewhere in between to bury their loot. But at the station, the two bandits began to argue. The bandit leader left the building and rode through the doorway mounted on his big white stallion to shoot the other bandit. The wounded man returned fire and the leader fell dead from his horse. Spooked, the white horse ran through the door and out into the nearby hills. The money was never found, and legend says that the ghost of the white horse roams the hills.

Another stage was traveling from El Paso, Texas to San Diego with a box of gold coins in the 1860s. When the stage reached Yuma, Arizona, the guard fell ill and the driver continued on alone. Somewhere in the area of Carrizo Wash, between the Fish and Coyote Mountains, the stage was robbed and the box of gold disappeared. The bandit was later killed in a hold-up and his widow spent years searching for the treasure to no avail.

There is a site known as Treasure Canyon, which is part of the larger Potrero Canyon, located just to the west of the Vallecito station and northeast of Descanso, where two kettles of gold coins were supposedly buried. Numerous lost gold mines have also been reported in the vicinity of the Vallecito Station, including the Lost Bell Mine, the Lost Bill Williams Mine, and the Lost Squaw Mine.

Rock Hounds
The largest natural pink tourmaline ever discovered is exhibited today at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., but few know that it came from the Stewart Mine in Pala, California, which is know for the finest pink tourmaline in the world.

Few precious and desirable things can ever exceed the pink tourmaline of Pala. Gem-quality natural pink tourmaline is five times more rare than diamonds and more than 10 times as valuable in its pure form. It’s harder than quartz, is highly reflective and comes in a variety of colors with pink, blue and green among the most prized and valuable.

During the 1860s, the first expeditions into Riverside and San Diego Counties to explore for gem and mineral resources were undertaken by miners who had left the gold rush farther north. Pala was practically uninhabited in the late 1800s, and though erosion had laid open large pockets of gem tourmaline, the first individuals who gathered the gems did so without knowing the conventions of laws or mine claims. It wasn’t until 1888 that the mine was officially claimed and named for one of the original partners. The Stewart Mine began to go into serious production, making news around the world by 1890.
Most of the pink tourmaline mined at the Stewart Mine went to the empress of the Ch’ing Dynasty Imperial Court in China. In 1903, when most farmers sold their land to the government and a reservation was established, the Stewart Mine remained private property. The mine is a labyrinth of several miles of underground tunnels. It has been worked for well over a century, but more than 80 percent of it has yet to be mined.

Federal regulations and insurance requirements prohibit public access to the mine. However, at Gems of Pala, visitors can purchase buckets of underground mine gravels from three different locations within the two and a half mile maze of tunnels. The locations determine the prices, ranging from 10 to 50 dollars. The mine provides screens, tables, and an instructional five-minute video to allow visitors to mine and discover their own gems and minerals from the buckets of fresh underground materials.

There is no “X” to mark the spot. If these treasures were easy to find, they would have already been found long ago. It takes patience, digging (both literally and figuratively through research) and lots of luck. So study newspaper clippings, mark out a map, grab a metal detector and happy hunting!

Gina Petrone lives in Julian, is the mother of two young boys and can’t wait until they’re older to take them to look for the Lost Dutchman’s Mine.

There’s no shortage of fun family activities this summer at campgrounds, RV parks and resorts across San Diego County.

Many San Diego campgrounds have private beaches in sheltered locations along Mission Bay that are ideal for young children, while others offer hayrides, bounce houses and arts and crafts activities. Some campgrounds also cater to teens and young adults with rock climbing walls and laser games while others offer outdoor dances and live entertainment.

If you’re not quite sure what to do, consider staying at San Diego RV Resort in El Cajon. The park has its own Trolley Stop and has developed a five-day itinerary designed to introduce locals and non-locals alike to San Diego’s top attractions, from Sea World and the San Diego Zoo to Balboa Park, Coronado Island, Old Town and the culinary delights of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.

“You don’t even have to have a tent or RV to be able to enjoy camping in San Diego County,” says Debbie Sipe, executive director of the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, which hosts the Camp-California.com travel planning website.

Indeed, depending on where you stay, you can rent everything from a safari tent to rustic cabins to luxurious park models with full size kitchens and bathrooms. Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve even has lakefront park model cabin rentals as well as three floating cabins.

Here’s a sampling of activities, entertainment and accommodations that are available at campgrounds across San Diego County:

Campland by the Bay in San Diego: This family friendly campground has a private beach on the shores of Mission Bay with special areas for swimming that are ideal for children. The park also has swimming pools and a Jacuzzi as well as a skate park, a fitness center and an onsite restaurant. Activities include scavenger hunts, beach volleyball, kick ball, capture the flag, soccer, horseshoes and adult darts. Special events include live entertainment and dances, including periodic “Glow in the Dark DJ Dances” as well as talent competitions involving Campland guests.  www.campland.com

Chula Vista RV Park & Resort in Chula Vista: This park’s amenities include a swimming pool and Jacuzzi as well as a fitness center. Activities include concerts, dances, parties and holiday events for adults and kids. www.chulavistarv.com

Sacred Rocks Reserve in Boulevard: This campground is located at the 3,500-foot level in the mountains about an hour’s drive east of San Diego. They do a lot of nature, artistic and meditation activities at this park, from stargazing activities to weekend workshops with water color painters, writers and poets. They also have a Native American drum circle and California’s largest labyrinth.

This park is also horse-friendly and accommodates people who travel with their horses. They also have park model cabin rentals and a bunkhouse that sleeps 10.  www.sacredrocksreserve.com

San Diego Metro KOA in Chula Vista: This campground features a variety of organized activities from tie-dye t-shirt making classes to ice cream socials, pony races, hayrides, flashlight lollipop hunts and outdoor movies. The campground also has an outdoor laser game facility called a Surf Shack Shootout. Rental accommodations range from an African safari style tent that’s furnished to rustic cabins to fully furnished park models, two more of which were expected to be available for rent this summer. 
www.SanDiegoKOA.com

San Diego RV Resort in La Mesa: In addition to having a heated pool and spa, state-of-the-art exercise facilities and a pet walking area, this park has its own trolley stop on San Diego’s Trolley Line. The park has also developed a five-day Trolley travel itinerary that includes visits to the San Diego Zoo, Seaworld, Balboa Park, Seaport Village, the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, Old Town San Diego and the beaches of Coronado Island.  www.sdrvresort.com

Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve in Santee: Operated by Padre Dam Municipal Water District, the Preserve has over 190 acres of stocked lakes and parkland as well as a 300-site campground with RV and tent sites as well as 10 fully furnished park model cabins with kitchens and bathroom facilities. Seven of the cabins are right on the water’s edge, while three of cabins are actually floating on the water. The cabins come equipped with air conditioning and heating as well as wireless Internet service and barbecues. Other campground amenities include swimming pools and a Jacuzzi, a water “sprayground” and regular playground facilities as well as a camp store that offers food and fishing tackle as well as canoe, rowboat and kayak rentals. Bicycle rentals are also available. Special events also take place at Santee Lakes from time to time, including a 5K fun run on Sept. 21, 2013.  www.santeelakes.com

For other ideas on other exciting camping opportunities in San Diego County, please visit  www.Camp-California.com and use the websites’ search function to identify additional campgrounds, RV parks and resorts in the areas of interest to you and your family.

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Written by: Jeff Crider

Updated: April 2014

A Weekend in Beautiful Bakersfield: “More to Explore”

Nestled in the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, Bakersfield offers its visitors historic buildings, quaint neighborhoods, authentic cuisine, culture, and family fun. Gold brought many settlers to Bakersfield in the 19th Century, but its oil and agricultural industries have sustained the local economy for more than 100 years. In fact, it is among the top agricultural producers in the nation, with more than 250 different crops, and it claims the carrot capital of the world. Bakersfield is one of the fastest-growing cities in California, and has seen its population more than triple in the last 30 years. With its rich resources, Bakersfield is worth a detour off Highway 99. You’ll be surprised because the city offers “more to explore” than you imagined.

Friday Night: Cowboy Boogie
Embroiled with unique country-music history, Bakersfield even has its own musical genre: the Bakersfield Sound made famous by singer-songwriter Buck Owens, who immortalized his hometown with his country hit, “Streets of Bakersfield.” He and country singer Merle Haggard even have their own streets in town named after them. No trip to Bakersfield would be complete without a trip to Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace (2800 Buck Owens Blvd.) The Crystal Palace features many famous headliners, but most Friday and Saturday nights you can also enjoy good old fashioned cooking, dancing, and singing with The World Famous Buckaroos from 7:30-9:00 p.m. Then, from 9:00-11:45 you can strap on your boots and boogie to Steve Davis and Stampede. While you’re dining and dancing, take a break and check out the Palace’s extensive country music memorabilia including guitars, suits, photographs, and many personal items from Buck’s own collection. As a popular night attraction, make sure to call for reservations at 661-328-7500. www.buckowens.com.

Saturday: Black Gold
Located on 16 acres, the Kern County Museum (3801 Chester Avenue; 661-852-5000) features 57 historic building and exhibits, many relocated structures, an award-winning, hands-on oil exhibition, and the Lori Brock Children’s Discovery Center for youth eight and under. Museum director, Jeff Nickell says the museum is “an opportunity to see something unlike anything on the West Coast.”
Black Gold: The Oil Experience is a permanent $4 million science, technology, and history interactive exhibition. Download a museum scavenger hunt at www.kcmuseum.org to play during your visit.

Saturday Lunch: MOO!
Moo Creamery (4885 Truxtun Ave., Suite B; 861-1130) provides Bakersfield with high-quality gourmet burgers, fresh homemade organic ice cream, hand-mixed drinks, and made-from-scratch pastries in a family-friendly atmosphere. The dream of Jessica Pounds and Richard Yoshimura, Moo Creamery, strives to keep the small town flavor that Bakersfield holds dear. Elvis fans can make the “king” himself proud, if they order Moo’s specialty Elvis Shake complete with vanilla bean ice cream, bananas, peanut butter, marshmallows, and candied bacon (yes, bacon). Your taste buds will never be the same! www.moocreamery.com 

Saturday Afternoon: Lights, Camera, Action!
Just a couple hours north of Hollywood, Bakersfield has been the ultimate filming destination for hundreds of blockbusters. It’s big business: Film and television production companies spend about $15 million a year while shooting at locations throughout Kern County. Some of the movies filmed in Kern County include Hitchcock’s thrillers “North by Northwest” and “Psycho,” Clint Eastwood’s “Any Which Way But Loose,” and “Thelma and Louise.” More recently, you can see Kern County in “Star Trek” and “Land of the Lost.” Take a few hours “Set Jetting” around Kern, and you’ll find all kinds of familiar places you’ve seen on the big screen. For a complete movie map of the area, visit www.setjettingkern.org

Saturday Night: Basque Eateries
Did you know? Bakersfield has one of the largest Basque communities outside of the Pyrenees Mountains and is home to the largest collection of Basque restaurants in the United States. Wool Growers Restaurant (620 E. 19th Street; 661-327-9584) have served up traditional Basque specialties for more than 50 years. Diners can expect a Basque meal to be served family style at long trestle tables, with hearty courses including ox tail stew, shish kabob on rice, tri-tip, filet mignon, shrimp, and breaded veal. Go hungry! www.woolgrowers.net

Sunday: Enjoy Nature
Take the morning to walk through the exhibits featured at The California Living Museum, CALM, (10500 Alfred Harrell Highway; 872-2256) California’s Premier Native Zoo and Garden.  Since opening its doors to the public in 1983, CALM displays and interprets native California animals, plants, fossils, and artifacts to teach a respect for all living things through education, recreation, conservation, and research. A member of the Zoological Association of America, CALM is home to all kinds of animals and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Check the site for more details www.calmzoo.org.

Sunday Treat: World Famous Confections!
You can’t leave Bakersfield without trying its world-famous sweet confections from Dewar’s Family Candy and Ice Cream Parlor (1120 Eye Street, 661-322-0933 or 9530 Hageman Rd. #K, 661-587-2056). Having recently celebrated their 100th birthday, Dewars features their family’s tried-and-true recipes from Grandpa Dewar including their delicious chews, chocolates, and ice cream. These delightful treats will be sure to bring a smile to your face! www.dewarscandy.com

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Vaun Thygerson, a writer for Kern County Family Magazine, has three small children—one daughter and two sons. When she’s not writing parenting articles, she’s teaching communication and writing courses at the college level. In 1998, with the birth of her first child, she started writing for parenting publications and has covered various topics relating to all aspects of motherhood. Prior to 1998, she spent eight years in the radio industry working for “American Radio,” a radio trade publication. Although she and her family have lived in the Central Valley, California, for more than 12 years, she has also lived in Idaho, Utah, Hawaii, Washington, D.C, Indianapolis, and Chicago. 

updated: June 20, 2012