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California

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Taylor Family on Smugglers Run in Galaxys Edge Star Wars Land Disneyland 2020 3
Posted inCalifornia Disney Travel Disneyland

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – Best Things to Do and Nostalgia to Watch For

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is an incredible experience with so many things to do and see. Both Disney World and Disneyland have this awesome Star Wars land. This guide to Galaxy's Edge is ideal for having a great visit to galactic village of Batuu.
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel: Review and Tips for the Best Stay
Posted inCalifornia Disney Travel Disneyland

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel: Review and Tips for the Best Stay

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel is the closest option to Disneyland and California Adventure. This review has all the details of staying at the Grand Californian, amenities and tips for planning the best Disneyland trip.
Best California Missions: Easy, Beautiful Cali Road Trip Stops
Posted inCalifornia Central Coast

Best California Missions: Easy, Beautiful Cali Road Trip Stops

These California Missions make for great road trip stops as you drive from San Diego to San Francisco. Enjoy beautiful chapels and learn about California history with these missions along El Camino Real.
Taylor Family and Fall colors on Bear Creek Flathead National Forest Montana 1
Posted inCalifornia Colorado Montana

Best Fall Colors in National Parks: 10 Beautiful Autumn Trips to Love

National Parks are a great place to enjoy fall colors. From the mountains of Glacier National Park to the hills of the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Parkway, these are the best National Parks to find autumn leaves and fall fun.
Pinnacles National Park: Everything You Need to Know for an Awesome Visit
Posted inCalifornia Central Coast National Parks

Pinnacles National Park: Everything You Need to Know for an Awesome Visit

Hiking in Pinnacles National Park in California is a beautiful and fascinating experience with caves, desert and canyons. A great addition to road trips or a weekend day trip from San Francisco, see how to plan a visit to Pinnacles.
Oceanside Harbor Paddling Oceanside California 2020 1
Posted inCalifornia Paddling: Kayaking, SUP, Canoe & Rafting Travel SoCal

Oceanside SUP & Kayaking: Great Paddling On the Beautiful California Coast

Kayaking in Oceanside, California is a great addition to a coast road trip. See where to kayak, where to rent SUPs and what wildlife to watch for out on the water in Oceanside.
Crater Lake National Park FitTwoTravel 4
Posted inCalifornia National Parks NorCal

Road trip through West Coast National Parks: exploring the mountains

Perfect West Coast National Parks road trip plan, from Joshua Tree to Olympic National Park. Stops in the Sierras, Central Oregon, and the best of Washington State's mountains.
Vineyard rows at Presqu'ile Winery Santa Maria Valley California 2
Posted inCalifornia Central Coast Podcasts

Santa Maria Valley Wine Country: How To Enjoy Best Of LA’s Wine Region

The Santa Maria Valley wine country is one of our favorite wine regions. During the COVID pandemic, LA's wine country is still open with precautions and new wine experiences. See hot to visit SMV wine country RIGHT NOW!
Digging into Disneyland and chatting about each lang and its attractions and shows. Our best tips for making the most of your time in the Happiest Place on Earth. Starting in the new Star Wars land, Galaxy's Edge, we review the two main attractions and then work our way through the rest of Disneyland. We've been many times and following our most recent trip, we have done EVERY ride and attraction with the kids and have tips for having the most fun, including what you should actually wait in line for.
Posted inCalifornia Disney Travel Disneyland

Disneyland’s Best Attractions and Valuable Tips For What to Do

Disneyland. We've been so many times through the years. I used to work at Disneyland and have friends that still do. It's one of the most special places we go…
Disney's California Adventure is one of our favorite theme parks. Often we're asked if it's worth adding to a Disneyland trip. YES! This is our guide to the most fun and what's actually worth waiting for. From Pixar Pier to taking kids on Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout we talk about the attractions and experiences that are worth waiting in long lines for. Also, what shows and experiences are not to miss. Tips for having the best visit to Disney's California Adventure any time of year.
Posted inCalifornia Disney Travel Disneyland

Disney’s California Adventure Awesome, Easy Insider Tips

In this podcast episode Disney's California Adventure is our hot topic. Truth be told, we tend to spend more time in DCA than in Disneyland. Maybe it's the smaller crowds;…
Rob Taylor hiking in Grant Grove header
Posted inCalifornia National Parks NorCal

Kings Canyon National Park in Any Season

Kings Canyon National Park is beautiful and full of epic trees and view. Visiting Kings Canyon in any season is fun and interesting, but beware of snowy days. Tips and tricks for hiking at Kings Canyon and where to stay (National Park lodge!).
Chris and Rob Taylor at Entrance Sign to Joshua Tree National Park California 2
Posted inCalifornia National Parks SoCal

Unexpected Joshua Tree: Super Bloom Hiking At An Unusual National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is so unique, and hiking during the super bloom is one of the best things to do near Palm Springs. Guide to trails and the best time to visit Joshua Tree NP.
Taylor family at Golden Gate Bridge from Baker Beach GGNRA San Francisco 16
Posted inCalifornia National Parks NorCal

Best SF Bay Area National Parks For A Special Visit

The San Francisco Bay Area National Parks sites include breathtaking nature, historic homes, famous WWII sites and more. Perfect for learning about the USA or just enjoying the Bay Area. Explore beaches, the Redwoods and more.
Ferris Wheel at Pacific Park Santa Monica Pier 2
Posted inCalifornia SoCal Southwestern US

Best of Santa Monica: Awesome Fun On the Pier And Great Hotels

The Santa Monica Pier is one of the most iconic sights on the West Coast, and though loaded with tourists, is the perfect plan for an afternoon in the Los Angeles area. From the beach to the Ferris wheel nothing could be more Southern California.
Yosemite National Park in California is a great destination for experiencing the nature of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Perfect for family travel, from camping to lodges, hiking to guided tours. 2traveldads.com
Posted inCalifornia National Parks NorCal

Yosemite National Park family travel guide

Yosemite National Park is one of the most visited or dreamed about destinations in the United States.  Can you blame everyone for wanting to explore the valleys and peaks that…
Vineyard rows at Presqu'ile Winery Santa Maria Valley California 2
Posted inCalifornia Central Coast

Wine Country Social Distancing in Santa Barbara County: the Santa Maria Valley is perfect!

Over the years we've had many visits to the Santa Maria Valley. It's our favorite off-beat destination on the California Coast. While the world, or at least the USA, is…
Disneyland and California Adventure are full of shows and entertainment year round. These are the best shows in the parks that you CAN'T MISS! #Disney #Disneyland #California
Posted inCalifornia Disney Travel Disneyland

Best Shows in Disneyland and California Adventure (plus parades and experiences)

Nobody wants to waste their time when they're in Disneyland. Between rides and entertainment, there’s always something to entertain and something to wait for. This is our guide to the…
Taylor Family at UPick Blueberries Santa Maria California 1
Posted inCalifornia Central Coast Southwestern US

California Agritourism in the Santa Maria Valley: a new way to explore

We’ve loved visiting the Santa Maria Valley of California for years, ever since our first visit in 2017. We wanted to take a different approach to visiting on our most…
Where to eat in Buena Park: delicious and fun family dining options in BP
Posted inCalifornia SoCal Southwestern US

Where to eat in Buena Park: delicious and fun family dining options in BP

Knott's Berry Farm may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Buena Park, but this vibrant city has so much more to offer, especially on the culinary front! Here's your guide to exploring Buena Park's diverse and family-friendly restaurant scene, packed with unique experiences and guaranteed good eats.
Taylor Family at art deco building downtown Guadalupe Santa Maria Valley California 4b
Posted inCalifornia Central Coast

The most Instagram-able town in California: Guadalupe CA

The most Instagramable town in California is Guadalupe, CA, on the Central Coast. With colorful art deco buildings, street art and unique nature, it's an Instagram dream.
8 awesome (and surprising) experiences in Palm Springs
Posted inCalifornia SoCal Southwestern US

8 awesome (and surprising) experiences in Palm Springs

What does it take to have a perfect Palm Springs weekend getaway? A few things: great hotel, fun and relaxing plan, somebody wonderful to escape with (even if it’s just yourself). We had all three of these things and enjoyed a much-needed dads three day weekend away to Palm Springs.
Taylor family with colorful murals the Source OC Buena Park California 4
Posted inCalifornia SoCal Southwestern US

Best things to do in Buena Park: awesome family fun in the OC

If I say “Orange County” you most likely think of the beaches or Disneyland, and that makes sense, but did you know there in another really fun destination in Orange…
Entrance to Pixar Pier Disneys California Adventure 3
Posted inCalifornia Disney Travel Disneyland

Disneyland without Kids: what to do and how to do it

Let’s just start by making it clear: it’s perfectly fine to do Disneyland without kids. Whether you want to visit and leave the kids at home or maybe you don’t…
Summertime in SoCal is one of the most fun family vacations you can do on the West Coast. From Disneyland to the beaches of San Diego there are endless chances for family fun. 2traveldads.com
Posted inCalifornia Disney Travel Disneyland

Summertime in SoCal travel journal: Disney’s Pixar Pier Premiere and exploring San Diego

We're back in Southern California, aka SoCal! What are we doing here? Great question! We've got lots of fun plans in store, from having some fun in Disneyland with the…
Painted cow public art at Historical Museum San Luis Obispo 1
Posted inCalifornia Central Coast Southwestern US

San Luis Obispo, California: SLO CAL at its best

There are so many great towns on California’s Central Coast. We moved on from the Santa Maria Valley to the San Luis Obispo area (SLO) before hitting up Cambria and…
The Santa Maria Valley on California's Central Coast is a surprising destination, perfect for families looking for nature, farm life, wine tasting and California cuisine. Wine country meets the ocean. 2traveldads.com
Posted inCalifornia Central Coast Southwestern US

Santa Maria Valley: a new California getaway

You know that we try to do slightly unconventional trips with the kids.  Nothing crazy, but typically hitting more natural and historical sites over big ticket destinations. We just did…
Horse drawn trolley on Mainstreet USA Disneyland 2
Posted inCalifornia Disney Travel Disneyland

Disneyland Dads: Unlock the Magic in the Happiest Place on Earth

Disneyland with kids is amazing. It might sound silly but when we first found out that we were going to be dads one of the very first thoughts that went…
West Coast weekends are the best for exploring and relaxing. From beers in the Columbia Gorge to small towns just beyond the city, we've got lots of ways to relax and recharge being an Ultimate Seekender. 2traveldads.com
Posted inCalifornia Oregon Pacific Northwest

West Coast Weekend trips: exploring new cities one weekend at a time

It’s no secret that we love the weekends.  I mean, who doesn’t? With or without the kids we try to break away to a new city or visit one of…
Greenwich Stairs on Telegraph HIll San Francisco 1
Posted inCalifornia NorCal Southwestern US

San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill: Greenwich & Filbert Steps Parrots

Every city has its defining characteristics that make it unusual and attractive.  Seattle has the ferry system and Pike Place Market, Los Angeles has the film industry and beaches, San…
Whether for an afternoon or a whole vacation there are lots of free things to do in Los Angeles that are fun, unique and perfectly LA. 2traveldads.com
Posted inCalifornia SoCal Southwestern US

Free things to do in Los Angeles to make an awesome trip

If you've ever gone traveling with us then you know we like to have fun, we like to go to bed early, and we love when we find awesome free…

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