Summer Staycation at Gaylord Rockies

Summer break has come to an end for us here in Colorado, but before we got back into the swing of the new school year we took one last vacation. Well, a staycation to be precise!

You may remember that we took a Staycation at the Gaylord Rockies resort in Aurora last Winter. You can see it here. It was such a great little getaway that we decided to do it again, this time visiting in Summer and making full use of the amazing outdoor pool facilities. 

Gaylord Rockies is the perfect location for a Colorado staycation, or getaway if you're not local. It's located close to Denver International Airport making it a great place to spend the night before a flight, or a first destination after flying in to Denver. The resort is huge and has something on offer for everyone. The rooms are lovely, there is a wealth of cuisine on offer in the onsite restaurants (and room service), there are fun family friendly activities for the kids, there's a spa and fitness center for those wanting a little self care, the landscaping is stunning, and last but not least, there are indoor and outdoor pool areas. You know those were the biggest hit with my kids, right?

Kid Friendly Fun in the Bay Area

Here in the Bay Area we are so lucky to live in an area with so many fantastic places for families to visit. Some are obvious and super touristy, while others are a little off the beaten track. If you're looking for a fun outing for a weekend, ideas for visitors or just a staycation over the holidays there's a ton of fun to be had right here in our own backyard. Need a little inspiration? Here are some of our favorite Bay Area places to visit. Want more details? Just click on the name of each place and you'll be taken to a post with lots of photos and information from one of our visits.

A Berkeley Staycation

With ten and a half weeks of Summer vacation to fill each year I'm always on the lookout for ideas to keep the kids occupied. With San Francisco so close (I can literally see the city out my lounge room windows) we tend to find ourselves crossing the Bay on a regular basis to explore the city.

The kids and I absolutely love San Francisco and enjoy spending time there but sometimes it's nice to stay a little closer to home. This got me thinking about all of the fun things that we can do right here in Berkeley. Our little city is full to the brim with a wide variety of fun activities and adventures for the kids.

So instead of hopping on BART and heading across (or rather, under) the bay to San Francisco, let's spend a little time here exploring our own backyard with a Berkeley staycation.

To make it feel more like a vacation, I've come up with a five day itinerary for the kids and I. Each day is filled with fun activities in one particular area of Berkeley. As we don't have a car I've tried to keep the activities relatively close to each other. Most things are within fairly easy walking distance (or bus distance) of Downtown Berkeley.

Day 1: Gourmet Ghetto, Live Oak Park & Indian Rock Park

Yes, you read that correctly. Berkeley has a neighborhood called the Gourmet Ghetto! I've always found this name a little odd, but as you can probably guess it's a neighborhood filled with fine cuisine. One of California's most famous restaurants, Alice Water's Chez Panisse, is located here along with many other well known establishments including Cheeseboard and the first ever Peet's Coffee. Chez Panisse may be a little out of our family's dining league but Cheeseboard fits us perfectly. In fact, because it's right around the corner from Ava's school we go there almost every day!

Start the day with a late breakfast or brunch at one of the Gourmet Ghetto's many cafes. We quite like Saul's Delicatessen. Then head to Cheeseboard to stock up on sourdough goodies for lunch. Our favourites are bialys, asiago schticks, zampanos and brioches. And don't forget the cheese!