I was provided with accommodations in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.
Do you ever feel like you need to get away from the “hustle and bustle” of your hectic everyday life? I’ll admit I often feel that way. So, when I received the invitation for our family to visit Hofsas House Hotel in Carmel, California, I was ecstatic!
“Carmel-by-the-Sea, this charming, seaside town’s full name, is located on the Monterey Peninsula in Northern California. The drive from Los Angeles is about 6 hours, so we had the opportunity to take in some beautiful scenery on our drive up north. Just thinking back on our stay there makes me miss it and I truly long to go back there sometime in the near future. I absolutely fell i love with Hofsas House Hotel. 
Hofsas House is the cutest place to stay! It’s painted pink, which is my absolute favorite color, and the Bavarian-inspired theme and decor of this family-run boutique inn were what reeled me in immediately. I also loved all of the beautiful landscaping around the premises, especially the flowers. 
Guests can book a stay in any of the 38 spacious, one-of-a-kind rooms at Hofsas House. Guest rooms include amenities such as fireplaces, private balconies, wet bars, kitchens, and patios and free WiFi. The shower/tubs have been upgraded nicely and you’re going to love the complimentary toiletries like shampoo,, body wash, makeup remover wipes and body lotion.
I think one of my favorite things are the pink Dutch doors in every room. They allow the ocean air into your room and make for a great photo opportunity. Don’t you agree? 
(Please note: room amenities vary per location on the property) Hofsas House also offers large suites, which are perfect for newlyweds or larger families. The hotel also features a swimming pool and dry saunas. 
If you’re a dog owner, or even a dog lover, you’ll be so excited to know Hofsas House is DOG FRIENDLY! Oh my goodness! Although we currently don’t have a dog, it’s great to know that when we do, we’ll be welcome to bring ours with us to stay. Also, if you aren’t a “dog person” please know that only certain rooms are reserved for guests bringing their pets, so there are plenty of rooms which haven’t had canines stay in them. 
This year, Hofsas House is celebrating seven decades of European hospitality. Guests will admire all of the personal touches around the property, including the beautiful welcome mural, on the wall in the driveway. This mural was painted by artist Maxine Albro, when she was commissioned to paint it back in the 1960’s by Hofsas House founder, Donna Hofsas,
There are several other personal touches to discover around the property too. Another artist and photographer by the name of Fred, created the mosaic coats of arms which can be seen on the front of the hotel. Their Latin words translate into English as “Leisure with dignity”, These words described our stay there perfectly.
Our Accommodations
The room we stayed was a Deluxe Suite. This spacious 2-room, 2-bathroom (bathtub/shower with vanity area) suite included a king bed in one room and a sitting area furnished with either two day beds in the other room, as well as a wood-burning fireplace.
The wet bar area features a microwave, mini fridge, coffee maker and sink. The private balcony overlooks the Carmel pines, and has a private outdoor barbeque. *For a nominal fee, you can add another rollaway bed to make way for another person. 
Part of the Hofsas House hospitality is their daily continental breakfast, which is complimentary. Guests can stop by the office each morning and pick up French Roast coffee, tea, juice, fruit and fresh pastries, delivered from a local bakery. 
You have the option of sitting in the hotel’s lobby to enjoy your breakfast or taking it back to your room. (Trays, mugs, and baskets are provided for carrying out.) With such a beautiful ocean view from our balcony, we opted to enjoy ours out there. It was a wonderful way to start our day together.
Let’s Talk a Little Bit About the Town of Carmel
Since we’d never visited Carmel before, I didn’t know where anything was. Luckily Hofsas House is located within walking distance to anything you could possibly want to do in Carmel. It’s just a short walk to shops and restaurants and shops and art galleries. 
It’s also not very far from the beach, which is a must-visit on your trip. I loved being able to park our car there and not have to even think about driving anywhere until we checked out. Carmel is the kind of town where your kid will be so happy, she’ll skip down the sidewalk! 
Hofsas House is just minutes away from Monterey, Pebble Beach, Big Sur and Pacific Grove. I did enjoy parking our car and just walking everywhere for 2 days, It’s also convenient to be that close to other points of interest and be able to reach them with just a short drive.
Sitting on our balcony at dusk enjoying some wine and cheese, taking in the beautiful ocean view and cotton candy sunset was amazing and just what I needed! 
In addition to a variety of guest rooms to book at Hofsas House Hotel, they also offer special add-on packages to enhance your stay. To learn more about this charming property, please visit their website here. 
A very special thank you to Hofsas House for their hospitality. It was such a treat to stay there and we hope to be back soon.
Join Jimboy’s Tacos in Giving Back
Jimboy’s Tacos first opened nearly 65 years ago as a simple food trailer on the shores of Lake Tahoe, CA. With sights set on serving the best tasting taco on the planet, founder Jim “Jimboy” Knudson created the Original Ground Beef Taco, which has not changed since it was first served in 1954, and remains the most popular item on their menu. This iconic taco is made fresh with seasoned ground beef, freshly shredded cheese, and lettuce encased in a crispy, stone-ground corn shell dusted with parmesan cheese. Yep, you read that correctly! PARMESAN CHEESE! Mmm, it’s sooo yummy!
Another must-try item on Jimboy’s menu is the Taquito Burrito, a signature grilled burrito stuffed with three taquitos. The Taquito Burrito mash-up has led to the creation of a revolutionary “Craft Your Own Mash-Up” section of the Jimboy’s menu. 
Other menu items include loaded burritos, fresh salads, shareable bites like queso and chips, and several breakfast items.I LOVED the Tahoe Nachos, which are pictured above. They are definitely enough to share! Oh, and they also have desserts including churros and Choco-Tacos!
Jimboy’s Tacos Brea is located at
In celebration of the newest Jimboy’s Tacos location, I’m also hosting a giveaway for one(1) of my readers to win a $50 Jimboy’s Tacos gift card! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone! Thanks again for reading!
Since October is right around the corner, families looking for something fun to do to celebrate Halloween should check out Adventure City’s BOO-TASTIC Halloween Party! This year, Adventure City will be hosting 2 kid-friendly parties on Friday nights in October, the 19th and the 26th, which will be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. 
In addition to Adventure City’s 11 thrilling rides, guests at the party will be able to:
Tickets for Adventure City’s BOO-TASTIC Halloween Party are just $24.95 per person and are only going to be sold up until a limited quantity to help keep ride wait times at a minimum. You can purchase your tickets 
I’m also hosting a giveaway for one (1) of my readers to win a family 4-pack of tickets to their choice of party, either Friday, October 19 or Friday, October 26. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone! Who else is excited for Halloween?
Beginning August 6th, and available for a limited time while supplies last, the Yogurtland summer flavor lineup will include Dairy Free Coconut Cream Pie, Nectarine Peach Orange Tart and Strawberry Rose frozen yogurt.
Along with three new flavors, Yogurtland will introduce two new toppings for a limited time. Bringing a different variety of flavors to the topping bar, the scrumptious Cotton Candy Fizzies will have fans enjoying traditional cotton candy flavors with a twist. Additionally, Yogurtland’s craveable Sour Rainbows will bring a spark of color to each cup and a blend of sweet and sour flavors.
Panini Kabob Grill offers a fresh, healthy and high quality Mediterranean menu. By the way, their fresh hummus platter is amazing! Not only do they serve lunch and dinner but also breakfast! That’s my favorite meal of the day! You can basically “brunch” there 7 days a week!
Their breakfast/brunch menu features such items as:
Panini Kabob Grill only uses farm-raised organic eggs, hormone and antibiotic-free proteins. They don’t use anything processed or containing MSG and make all items from scratch. 
Enjoy Panini Kabob Grill’s “Mimosa Brunch Special”, any day of the week, for just $2.95 each. Guests can also enjoy a selection of sparkling wine, wine and beer with any meal.Espresso Bar selections feature LaVazza, 100% Arabica Responsibly Grown Coffee, which is Italy’s favorite coffee. Guests have the option of ordering their (hot or cold) espresso or coffee drinks with soy or almond milk at no additional charge.
Family Platters can also be ordered for sharing, and a Kids Menu is available to children 12 and under.
For the duration of the Grand Opening Weekend, guests at the new La Habra location can take advantage of several specials, including:
I had no problem ordering a French Toast combo with a chocolate shake! By the way, if you haven’t tried their shakes, they are super creamy and made with real ice cream!
I’m also a fan of their gigantic onion rings, dipped in ranch dressing, that came with my daughter’s BLT! That crispy bacon was delish!
Obviously, we came for some pizza, but Mountain Mike’s offers more than just that on their menu. You’ll find some great appetizers and starters, sandwiches, a bountiful salad bar, and even fresh baked dessert! Mountain Mike’s also serves soft drinks, beer and wine to compliment your meal.
Let’s talk about Mountain Mike’s pizza first. Guests always have the option of creating their own pizza, choosing sauce, cheese and fresh toppings. There’s also a complete selection of specialty pizzas including The McKinley, Mt. Veggiemore, The Everest and many more incredible choices. *Gluten free crust is also available in the 10″ pizza only.
At Mountain Mike’s you can choose from these pizza 4 sizes:
Here are the appetizer and sandwich choices featured on their menu:
On our visit, we were lucky to try Mountain Mike’s freshly baked dessert. This giant cookie was baked to order and came directly to our table, fresh out of the oven! It was definitely a hit with us! 
I loved learning about the community involvement that Mountain Mike’s strive to do. They are passionate about being active in the community and proudly provide support to organizations and groups that better neighborhoods through education, sports, the arts, charitable acts and spiritual leadership. For more information about fundraising in collaboration with Mountain Mike’s Pizza, please go 
Mountain Mike’s Pizza has locations in California, Nevada, Oregon and Utah. To find the location nearest you, please go 
Guests can choose from the Burger Menu and receive fries and a slice of pie with their order! The Burger & Pie combo menu consists of the Cabo San Lucas Burger, the Breakfast Burger, South of the Border Burger and more! Check out the delicious options:
