The Rise of the Golden State Is Told in the Storied Streets of San Francisco San Francisco is our editor’s choice for best road-trip getaway for a number of reasons. It’s world-class in its museums, monuments, architecture, dining, its parks and its setting. Parents looking for an enrichment vacation to share with their fifth-grader, or […]
Postcards from Cambria
Memories mix with new discoveries when the writer visits his old stomping ground on the Central Coast. I’ve been a little reluctant to recommend my old stomping grounds to a larger audience as a place to visit, but then Smithsonian magazine just named Cambria one of the “Top 15 Small Towns to Visit.” So, the […]
Cabo Primo
At the tip of Baja, going chic to chic for a week, and learning the wahoo Watusi “You see, Sweetheart, you can always tell where the fish are by looking at the birds. You find fish where they are diving into the water. Ricardo is probably taking us where those birds are over there.” The […]
Top Teacher & Employee Awards 2022 —Judges and Nomination Criteria
Meet the judges for the Top Teacher & Employee Awards of 2022… From Parenting OC Top Teachers Criteria 2022 Do you have a teacher at your school who does more than educate students? Who gets students excited about learning, teaches life lessons, is valued by parents, peers, administration and students, and whose classes consistently rank […]
Trips with Kids —A Castle in Carlsbad
Beyond LEGOLAND and sandy beaches, a great resort is transformed into something extraordinary. Ranging from laid-back to luxurious, Carlsbad has many looks: venture beyond Legoland and you’ll find some of SoCal’s most beautiful beaches, three waterfowl-packed lagoons to explore, dozens of easy-walking trails, 50 acres of color in the Flower Field, golf courses where the […]
The Family That Rides Together…
Quality time at One of California’s Top Dude Ranches, Alisal Guest Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley As the world opens up and normalcy creeps back one cautious step at a time, the annual summer getaway takes on a special significance this year. It must be good, a vacation so memorable that it will restore your […]
Gifts for Dad
West Coast Style IPA Beer Brewing Kit Dads with a taste for beer will be delighted by this kit that can turn any kitchen into a craft brewery ready to serve only the best IPA. This homemade beer contains 100 percent malt extract, specialty grains, high-quality yeast and aromatic Summit and Cascade hops sourced from […]
Romantic Getaway Destination La Jolla
A weekend of culture, kisses and kayaks proves it: couples that paddle together stay together. By Randall Tierney It’s late October, the week of our wedding anniversary, and my wife, Ronda, and I are on the beach in La Jolla listening to our guide’s instructions on how to “put in,” kayakspeak for the launch, jumping […]
Scottsdale’s Desert Gem and Santa Cruz’s Dream Inn
Each of these two family getaways is a six-hour drive from OC—one-tank road trips—but the similarities end there. Off-season (summer) lodging at the Four Seasons in the Sonoran desert of Scottsdale allows for world-class luxury at a reduced rate. A stay at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz offers the classic and casual Cali beach […]
The Ranch at Laguna Beach
A uniquely serene setting and a world-class 9-hole course make this staycation a gem. Whether you’re ready to hit the open road with the family this summer and explore life outside of OC, or you want to chill closer to home and enjoy a bit of what this local paradise has to offer, we will […]