Alternative Oakland: 5 Things to Do with Kids
Coffee was most definitely what I needed on this morning. The day didn't start out the best. I can't even really remember what it was about now. Probably not wanting to wear a coat, putting read more
How to Spend a Rainy Day in San Francisco
An “atmospheric river”. That’s what they called it. What the heck does that even mean?? I don't know, but everyone in San Francisco was sure freaking out about it! We'd already made read more
Back in the OC’s Best Beach Cities
5 years ago, we packed up our Newport Beach apartment and made the move to Oxnard, California. If you're familiar with the two cities, then you know this was quite a contrast. But with Matt read more
Where to Stay in San Francisco: Family Hotels + Neighborhood Guide
If you've ever been to San Francisco, then you know how different the city can be from one part of town to the next. From beatniks to techies, San Francisco is home to quite the eclectic read more
Fall Fun in Half Moon Bay, California
We are embracing fall, and another trip to California means its time for another weekend adventure. This time: Half Moon Bay! Half Moon Bay is a small town only 30 minutes from Palo read more
Charming Capitola: California’s Happiest Seaside Town
There are beach cities like Santa Cruz, bursting with excitement, energy, and lots to do. And then there are beach cities like Capitola. In a stark contrast to Santa Cruz's bustling beach read more
Scenes from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
We’ve become California weekend warriors. Whenever Evelyn and I make the trip out to Palo Alto, it’s a must that we make at least one Bay Area side trip. This time, it was Santa Cruz up read more
Tasting Napa Valley with Platypus Wine Tours
Our last day in Napa was the one we’d all been waiting for. Finally, an entire kid-free day all to ourselves, off gallivanting through wine country with Platypus Wine Tours! The day read more
Tips for Visiting Napa & Sonoma with Kids
When we told people we were taking 4 kids to wine country, we got laughed in the face. "Ha, good luck!" were the exact words, I believe. Challenge accepted. Let me tell you, I had my read more
15 Fun Wine Facts We Learned in Napa Valley
Ah, Napa. The name itself is synonymous with wine. We made the pilgrimage to Napa Valley wine country to celebrate my sister Jill's 30th birthday. And over our 3 days there, we hardly read more
The Best of San Francisco in 48 Hours
Let me start off by saying that I don't recommend only 48 hours to see all of San Francisco. The city is too great and there's just so much to explore! And while San Francisco may seem read more
How to Order Dim Sum in Chinatown San Francisco
Last weekend, Matt, Evelyn and I spent a whirlwind 48 hours in San Francisco. We put on quite a few miles on a quest to hit every famous spot in the city before the weekend was over. One of read more
A Family Weekend in Monterey & Carmel
When we were living in southern California, we missed plenty of family holidays. In fact, this was the driving reason behind why we made the move back to Omaha. There were two exceptions, read more
A Beach Day in Carmel-by-the-Sea
20 minutes south of Monterey lies the beautiful city of Carmel-by-the-Sea, of more often simply called, 'Carmel'. It's an enchanting little town filled with winding roads, picturesque fairy read more
Discovering the Sea at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Over the Easter weekend, we were lucky enough to spend the holiday with Matt’s parents in another beautiful locale: the Monterey Peninsula! The area is home to the towns of Monterey, read more
A Perfect Weekend in Sausalito
Ahhh, Sausalito. They call it California’s Amalfi Coast, and with one short trip it was easy to see its appeal to visitors from all over the world. The distinct laid-back vibe and gorgeous read more
Houseboat Living in Sausalito
I am an Airbnb convert. Last week we made our 6th booking for a cottage in Monterey, California, where we plan to spend Easter weekend with Matt's parents. Matt and I have stayed in many read more
Saturday in The Mission: A San Francisco Neighborhood Walking Tour
Matt and I have both been to San Francisco a few times before, so we've seen and done all the touristy things the city has to offer: Taking the boat out to Alcatraz, driving down Lombard read more
