Our family loves to go on new adventures and experience all there is to do here in Southern California. We recently took a drive down south for the day to visit SeaWorld San Diego. It’s just about an hour drive from Orange County, where we reside.
I love the fact that you have so many options of things to do at SeaWorld. Not only do they offer a large selection of educational exhibits and shows in the park but there are also a bunch of thrilling attractions to check out. (Manta, the attraction, is a must!)
On our visit, which included tweens, we found that there’s something for everyone in your family to enjoy in the park and on this visit, we were invited to an extra special experience. 
“Dine With Orcas®” is a special ticketed event is an hour long experience where guests get to enjoy a delicious chef-crafted meal, on a private poolside patio, next to Orca whales. It’s an immersive and memorable family dining experience that allows you to discover what makes killer whales so unique from a presentation given by SeaWorld’s behaviorists.
The meal is set up buffet-style, with gourmet offerings for both adults and children. I was elated to have so many wonderful food choices. The culinary team at SeaWorld goes above and beyond with the food. The menu can change seasonally and we got to try the Fall/Winter menu which includes:
- Oven Roasted Turkey – Gravy, Cornbread Stuffing, Cranberry Aioli
- Grown Up Mac and Cheese Bar – With Bacon, Chives & Parmesan Cheese
- Pork Spare Ribs with a Chipotle BBQ Sauce
- Sustainable Salmon made with Lemon Dill Butter Sauce & Tomatoes
- Chicken Tikka with Curry Sauce
- Creamy Polenta with Roasted Corn and Feta
- Oven Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Local Fall & Winter Vegetables
- Charcuterie Display – Salami, Local and Imported Cheeses, Cornichons, Grain Mustard, Breads
- Crisp Romaine Caesar – Croutons, Traditional Dressing & Aged Parmesan
- Greek Kale Salad – Romaine, Kalamata Olives, Pickled Red Onion, Pepperoncini, Tomato, Feta, tossed in a Red Wine Oregano Vinaigrette
- Asparagus with a Pomegranate Orange Vinaigrette
The Kids Menu offerings include:
- Chicken Nuggets with organic ketchup
- Sweet Peas & Carrots
- Cavatappi Pasta
- Meatball Marinara
There was also a Dessert Bar that featured:
- An Ultimate Homemade Cheesecake Display
- Fresh Local Fruit
- Flourless Chocolate Bouchons
- Chocolate Covered Shamu Shortbreads
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Flan
- Chocolate Pudding
- Mini Donut Holes
Dine With Orcas® dining experience features menu items that are sustainable, organic and locally sourced. From fresh California salad greens to locally-grown vegetables, in-season produce is selected straight from regional farmers to ensure that guests are getting the freshest produce available.
There is something fascinating about getting to sit up-close to the Orcas and having the opportunity to learn more about them. What beautiful animals! Our family enjoyed this experience immensely and I’d say it’s a definite “must-do” to add to your day at SeaWorld San Diego.
Dine With Orcas is open 7 days a week. and advance reservations are highly recommended, because some seatings tend to sell out quickly. However, if space is available, “day of” reservations can be made at the ticket booths or Guest Services just inside the park.Book now; this is an exclusive, up close, experience you won’t want to miss!
Here are a couple of “Know Before You Go” tips for you:
- I suggest recommend arriving 15-30 minutes prior to your time to get in line. This may you have the best chance of getting a table closest to the window.
- You can get $5 off the price of an adult ticket for “Dine With Orcas” when you purchase yours online here before your visit.
- The price of your meal includes non-alcoholic drink options. However, beer and wine are available for purchase as well.
- Gratuity is not included in the price of your meal so remember to bring cash tip your server. (Ours worked so hard)
Have you visited SeaWorld San Diego before? If so, share your favorite memory with me in the comments!
For more information about the Dine With Orcas Dining Experience or to plan your own visit to the park, please visit https://seaworld.com/san-diego/.
Connect with SeaWorld San Diego on Facebook and Instagram.
I found a ton of cute, non-sweet treats like tiny notebooks, mini heart erasers, fun pencils, and a bunch of different Valentine’s stickers. (everyone loves stickers!) I love to give my students 
To make the Valentine’s pencils extra fun, I designed a set of purple, hot pink, and red printable “Happy Valentine’s Day” flags to add to them. I printed them on white cardstock so they were sturdy. (You can download these for free at the bottom of this post.)
Fold them flag strips and apply pressure to the crease. Next, trim each one to a flag shape. Use a glue stick to fasten each one securely around the top of each pencil. To print out the FREE printable “Happy Valentine’s Day” flags, go 
I made a non-candy “treat” bag for each of my students that included a Smile Face Valentine pencil with a flag on it, a couple of Mini Valentine Spiral Notebooks, a handful of Mini Smile Face Erasers, a couple sheets of Mini Heart Big Roll Stickers, and a Tic-Tac-Toe Valentine Sticker Card for each student. I stuck everything into a clear cellophane bag. and tied with some ribbon. I can’t wait to pass them out on Valentine’s Day! Do you send anything special for Valentine’s Day for your child’s classmates?
Last week, our Disney-lovin’ family got to take one last ride on California Screamin’. It was the first upside-down attraction my daughter ever rode and although we’ll miss it, we’re super excited to see the transformation of the Paradise Pier area into Pixar Pier. 
The all-new Pixar Pier looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun as it takes on a brand new look and brings more favorite Pixar characters and stories come to life, from The Incredibles, to Inside Out to even more Toy Story. 
Back to talking about how excited our family is for 2018 at Disneyland Resort. There are some great new experiences that are up and coming at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park. Here are 5 things that’ll help you “Get More Happy” in 2018 at Disneyland Resort:
“Get More Adventure’ with Star Wars Experiences at Disneyland
The Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival offers unique food and beverage
‘Get More Magic’ at the First-Ever Pixar Fest Celebration
Southern California Resident Ticket Offer
Southern California residents may purchase tickets at 
For restrictions, visit 
In addition to this great offer for tickets, the three hotels of the Disneyland Resort are offering special rates on standard and premium rooms for a limited time.(see below for more information about this.) 
Special hotel offers are available for guests who want to turn their visit into a getaway and stay in the middle of the magic at any of the three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort are available during the first few months of the year. Guests may save on standard and premium rooms for select nights from January 7 through April 12, 2018, if booked by March 17, 2018.** This is an ideal time to stay at the newly renovated 
As a cheer mom, there are way too many things to worry about on the morning of a cheer competition including: getting your cheerleader up early, having their (fake) hair and makeup done just right, getting the uniform and cheer shoes on, and getting to the actual competition on time.
The last thing you really want to do is drive a far distance and have the stress of traffic to make you late. Let’s face it, there’s always traffic in Southern California. It was beyond convenient to be able to just walk across the street to get to the cheer competition!
Our hotel guestroom was spacious with 2 beds and plenty of space to relax and stretch out. It was also perfect for a bunch of cheerleaders to all congregate in during the morning time, to get ready together. (Because that’s what cheerleaders do!)
Rooms at Holiday Inn Ontario Airport also include:
In addition to being located near the Ontario Convention Center, the Holiday Inn Ontario Airport is close to several other Inland Empire attractions and points of interest including Auto Club Speedway of California, Raging Waters Water Park, Ontario Mills Outlet Mall, Citizen Business Bank Arena, Victoria Gardens Shopping Center, Pomona Fairplex, San Manuel Amphitheater, Quakes Stadium, Mount Baldy and San Antonio Winery.
Did you know that Holiday Inn is an IHG Green Engage Hotel? When you stay at an IHG Green Engage Hotel you are participating in an advanced, world-wide sustainability effort. I can appreciate that they understand the importance of having an active role in protecting our environment. 
Whether you’re traveling to Ontario for a cheer competition, a business trip, or just for pleasure, I’d definitely recommend staying at Holiday Inn Ontario Airport. To find a Holiday Inn for your next stay, visit their site
Kids can join their favorite NINJAGO heroes at a very special dojo training session exclusively at the family theme park! Guests can become part of the 4D action as Master Wu prepares the ninjas to take on the teachings of the mysterious ‘Scroll of the 4th Dimension’ but disastrous consequences strike and Kai, Nya, Lloyd, Zane and Cole find themselves in a whole heap of trouble for not only them, but the whole universe!
In celebration of the all new 4D animated adventure, the weekend continues with LEGO® NINJAGO® Days Jan. 13 & 14.at LEGOLAND® California Resort. Guests are invited to join in the LEGO NINJAGO fun at the park and meet some of their favorite LEGO NINJAGO Movie characters including Lloyd, Sensei Wu, Kai, Jay and Nya.
Find your inner peace with other fun activities, in the park, throughout the day including:
All activities are included with the price of admission into LEGOLAND California Resort. For more information, visit 
Children can now meet, Luciana, a creative, confident 11-year-old girl and aspiring astronaut who dreams of being the first person to go to Mars. She has the skills and smarts to achieve her goals, she also learns that being a good leader and team player right here on Earth is the best first step.
Luciana’s world comes to life via a beautiful 18-inch Luciana™ doll, featuring warm brown eyes, medium skin, and dark brown hair with a distinctive purple streak to show off her creative side. 
Other STEM-inspired outfits, accessories, and products that reflect her Space Camp® experience include Luciana’s Flight Suit and Space Suit, her Maker Station, and a Mars Habitat loaded with science and research essentials for hours of pretend play. 
For the first time, kids can further engage in Luciana’s world by 
Luciana’s story is chronicled in a chapter book series written by Erin Teagan and published by Scholastic. The first two books, available now, introduce readers to Luciana, a young girl of Chilean descent with a serious science streak, who loves the idea of exploring new territories in space. After winning a scholarship to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, Luciana is thrilled to launch her dream of landing on Mars. But as she ascends from Space Camp kid to youth astronaut trainee, she faces many challenges that test her competitive spirit and self-confidence, and she must find the courage to embrace the unknown with bravery, curiosity, and wonder.
To help ensure the accuracy of Luciana’s story and product line, American Girl worked with the following four-member Advisory Board who were integral to Luciana’s development: Dr. Ellen Stofan, former NASA Chief Scientist; Dr. Deborah Barnhart, CEO and Executive Director of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center; Dr. Megan McArthur Behnken, NASA Astronaut; and Maureen O’Brien, Manager of Strategic Alliances at NASA. In addition, a team of American Girl editors and product designers visited Space Camp and NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to gain insight into a day in the life of a Space Camp trainee—from putting on space suits and learning about the “right” way to eat in space to conducting a mission in micro-gravity. American Girl’s partnership with NASA was developed through the Space Act Agreement to inform and inspire the wider public (and especially young girls) about the excitement of space and STEM careers.
Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and the comical duo of Donald and Goofy as 25 of your favorite characters surprise and captivate at every turn of the knob! 
See the Fairy Godmother transform Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown in a split and gets her ready to meet up with Prince Charming at the Royal Ball! 
Check out the Toy Story gang as they defy the dimensions of Andy’s toy box, with the help of the green army men! Watch the spectacular stage debut of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider as they rise into the sky amidst the floating lanterns. There’ll also be special appearances by Snow White, Tinker Bell and Aladdin’s Genie, 
Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic will be at the Long Beach Terrace Theatre on Thursday, January 18 at 6:30 p.m. and Friday, January 19 at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Long Beach Terrace Theatre is located at 300 E. Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802. Tickets for these shows start at just $20 and are available for purchase online at 
Tavern+Bowl – Both Family and Adult Bowling packages will be offered at Tavern + Bowl on Sunday, December 31. The Family Bowling Package is $99 per lane, with up to six people on one lane. Reservations are available from 1 to 3:30pm, 4 to 6:30pm, and 7 to 9:30pm. The Family Package includes bowling, shoe rentals, and buffet-style food service with three flatbread pizzas, boneless wings and Caesar salad, along with unlimited soft drinks, and one glass of Champagne or sparkling cider per person.
Both Bowling packages must be booked and paid for in advance with Tavern+Bowl’s events department. Please call 949.438.2320 for reservations.
La Vida Cantina – Celebrate New Year’s Eve with family and friends at La Vida Cantina’s festive brunch on Sunday, December 31. Guests can enjoy La Vida’s brunch menu with bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys from 10am to 2pm. La Vida will reopen at 5pm for a New Year’s Eve Party, which will include live music, a DJ, dancers, Happy Hour pricing including $2 street tacos, $3 Coronas and domestic draft beer, and $5 margaritas.
Time Nightclub – Festivities at Time Nightclub will begin at 9pm on New Year’s Eve with DJ Morten performing. For tickets, please click 
On New Year’s Day, Time Nightclub will also have a Daybreak Party from 6am until 12 noon, with more entertainment by DJs Danger House, Trevor Shawn, Rozco, Snowball and others. For tickets to the New Year’s Daybreak Party, click
Saddle Ranch Chop House – A Prix Fixe menu will be available at Saddle Ranch Chop House beginning at 7:30pm, and VIP Bottle Service table reservations will be available at 10pm. Packages, which include dinner, live entertainment, a magnum of Champagne, party favors and a Champagne toast at midnight, begin at $396 for four people. To purchase tickets, click 
The Triangle is conveniently located at the end of the 55 Freeway, where Newport Blvd., Harbor Blvd. and 19th Street intersect, in Costa Mesa. The center offers seven levels of free parking, as well as a Valet on the first level near Tavern + Bowl. 
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