THE SUN IS OUT, THE FLOWERS ARE IN BLOOM, AND SUMMER IS APPROACHING. It’s time to start planning your family vacation! Some families have a vacation tradition, so they already know what they will do. Maybe it’s a week at a beach house, a Disney World trip, or a cruise. But some may be looking for something different or less expensive. Maybe a unique experience. For those looking for something new in California, read on.
UNIQUE SMALL-TOWN FUN
Are you an outdoorsy family looking for an adventure off the beaten path? Look no further than Skypark at Santa’s Village. Some background: When I was a kid (longer ago than I want to admit), there was a tiny theme park called Santa’s Village. It had Christmas-themed carnival rides, popcorn, cotton candy, and Santa—all year long. While that cool place shut down a few decades back, it has been given new life by some fun-loving outdoor folks. It’s now a park that offers mountain biking trails for all levels, rock climbing walls for all skills and sizes, axe throwing, lessons for all of these activities, zip lines, archery, train rides, fishing, walking trails, and numerous fun activities for young kids. There are too many fun things to list, including a beautiful campground with stunning views of the valley below. There are themed activities all year, such as breakfast with the Easter Bunny, tea with Mrs. Claus, St. Patrick’s Day parties, and—in the winter—outdoor ice skating. The park is in the San Bernardino mountains in Sky Forest, California. If you don’t want to camp, there are hotels in nearby Lake Arrowhead and an abundance of homes for rent.
HISTORY IN SAN PEDRO/LONG BEACH
Are you looking for something more educational and exciting? Many people—even those from Southern California—have never heard of the Korean Bell of Friendship. The bell is in San Pedro, just west of Long Beach. It is located in an area called Angels Gate Park, in a field overlooking the ocean. The structure itself is beautiful, and the view is amazing. The bell structure is enormous—over 12 feet tall—and the bell rings only five times a year: New Year’s Eve, Korean American Day (January 13), Independence Day (July 4), Korean Liberation Day (August 15), and every September in celebration of Constitution Week.
Also of interest is the location: same hill as the now-defunct Fort MacArthur. In the same area as the bell, you can see the gigantic tracks from the gun turrets that used to reside there during World War I.
If you are in the area for more than one day, spend some time at the San Pedro fish market and swing by the nearby USS Iowa to look into the history of a World War II battleship (https://pacificbattleship.com/). A short skip over the Port of Long Beach from the USS Iowa is the Queen Mary, the Cunard Line ship that was the standard of class and luxury on the sea from 1936 to 1967.
These are just two ideas for unique family trips guaranteed to create warm memories for your family. While these are based in Southern California, a little time with Google will help you find unique activities all throughout the state. You can start with our list of quirky festivals on pages 18-19. You won’t be sorry you skipped the amusement park or beach vacation this year!
TRICIA VLASAK is a mother and grandparent who writes the monthly “Grandma Says” column as well as travel features. She works in law enforcement when she isn’t writing, hiking with her dogs, or going on Jeep adventures.