Hiking: Franklin Canyon Park

On a beautiful and warm Saturday morning, we took a family trip to Franklin Canyon Park to go hiking. This park in tucked away in the Hollywood Hills and is a hidden jem! With about 13 miles of hiking trails, this place has it all! You can picnic, take an easy walk around Heavenly Pond, bird watch, sit and paint, take photographs, hike, or find a spot to sit and read a book.

If this place looks somewhat familiar… you may recognize it from the opening credits of The Andy Griffith Show. I grew up watching that show with my dad. Our favorite episode is Aunt Bea’s kerosene cucumbers!

While we hiked, I took tons of pictures! You wouldn’t guess that I was just a few minutes from bustling Beverly Hills! If you plan on visiting, take lots of water! Enjoy!!

Crater Curious

I still can’t believe that this past holiday weekend was the first time we went out to the Amboy Crater! The crater site is only a short drive and the sites are amazing!

Once we parked, we took the trail to the crater. The trail is about 3 miles, round trip, and I was amazed that the kids made it! It is also very important to wear good sneakers or hiking boots and you should bring lots of water!

While on the trail, we spotted some lizards and lots of lava rock! Some where even put into shapes for everyone to enjoy!

Our weekend adventure

Skull Rock

We took a day trip to Joshua Tree National Park this weekend. Purely by coincidence, the Los Angeles Times had this article in the Travel section and we looked for insight into our day trip.

A secret passage way

We stopped at the visitor center and picked up a map. We set out with a plan to walk a trial first, have lunch, then walk a second trail. The first walk we took was at Skull Rock, a 1.7 miles trail.

We climbed a few rocks and took in the view. The kids had a great time exploring.

We completed the first half of the trail and then the little one got tired and hungry. We cut the trail short and headed back to the car.

The next stop: Key View. This .25 mile trail has great panoramic views of the Coachella Valley. We had some lunch first, then walked the trail to see the sights.

We had a great time, despite the fact that it was extremely windy and a bit cold. We will be going back for sure… we have a pass now! Have you ever been? What are your favorite trails?

Day Tripper

Can you hear it?  Summer is coming to an end.  I was born and raised in Southern California so sunshine is in my blood…I dread the cooler weather.  Heck, I dread the air conditioner!  Before we head back to school and a routine, we’re trying to cram as much outdoor time in as we can.  Here in San Diego there is plenty to do outside, but this weekend we headed North-East for a day trip to scenic Idyllwild, CA.

Once you arrive, you want to head to the ranger station to pick up an adventure pass for $5.00. There are plenty of trails. We headed up Devil’s Slide. It sounds more dangerous than it really is. Although you should always be cautious, especially when you have little ones with you.

I not a regular hiker and neither is my not-quite-two year old, but we managed just fine and yes he hiked part of the trail himself. There were occasional streams of cold water, which the dogs loved! The kids spent most of the hike looking for the perfect stick.

We didn’t make it all the way to the top, but our only goal was a nature-filled afternoon of family fun.

It was pretty warm out there so after we made it back to the car we headed to a biker’s hang out for a bite to eat. Jo’Ann’s is located in the middle of all the little shops and her “mountain burger” is definitely worth a taste! We sat on the patio where we could enjoy a leisurely lunch with our K9 friends while also enjoying the live music from the beer garden.

My life’s motto is that a meal isn’t complete without dessert, and I found no exception following an afternoon hike. After our mountainous burgers we headed to the Candy Cupboard for some old-fashioned ice cream bars and shaved ice.

The Candy Cupboard was a perfectly sweet ending to a great day trip to Idyllwild. I would totally recommend spending the day in Idyllwild if you’re looking for family friendly fun that’s out-of-the-way without being too far away.