Palm Springs is the perfect long weekend getaway for the winter weary. Steeped in old Hollywood charm, (think Frank Sinatra), this desert oasis located 111 miles east of Los Angeles promises vistas of majestic mountains and miles of incredible bright blue sky year round. Palm Springs also offers families lots of hip house rentals and activities to get outdoors during the winter and soak up the sun.

I’m a beach person. Born and raised on an island, there is something about being close to the water that keeps me sane. It doesn’t even have to be warm. Walking on the beach, or even chasing two kids down the beach can pretty much guarantee a great day.

I guess that’s one of the reasons I enjoy Monterey so much. Miles and miles of beautiful beaches, a world famous aquarium, entertaining wildlife, and great food.

With temperate weather and year-round activities, Los Angeles is a perfect vacation destination. Families should know that the LA area is sprawling and the best way to approach sightseeing is to divide and conquer. Rent a car, figure out what you want to do, and plan accordingly. Do you want beach, museums, or nature?

The beauty of Los Angeles is that …

It’s like walking into a fantasy world. Ocean-filled tanks bigger than a house, filled with sea creatures all the colors of the rainbow. So close, you feel as though you could reach out and pet a seahorse or splash a fast moving sea otter. A visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium has all the makings of the perfect day. Until you realize, a lot of other people had the same idea.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has been educating and entertaining visitors for more than a quarter of a century. Every year 1.8 million visitors flood through its doors.

The animals at the zoo inhabit prime beachfront property on the site of the former Child Estate. In addition to the many engaging and interactive exhibits, the Santa Barbara Zoo has just completed full renovations and additions to its play areas. Check the event calendar to see if your trip coincides with one of the many educational events offered on the weekend.

After lunch or a picnic at the zoo, continue along the waterfront Cabrillo Boulevard …

Now that I have children, I’m becoming a bit of a Disney freak. Last year my family bought annual passes and visited Disneyland at least once every other month. We live in San Diego, about an hour and a half hour away, so it’s a pretty easy day trip for us. However, it’s more fun and relaxing to sleep in Anaheim so we can spend the whole day at the park.

I have stayed in all three Disneyland-owned hotels.

I was just reading about The Q Family Adventures Legoland experience and it reminded me of our trip to check out the best kid-friendly San Diego hotels last August. For us, the stand out feature at Legoland vs. other amusement parks is that there are so many age-appropriate activities for toddlers and young children.

Although I wasn’t wowed by many of the lego sculptures (I thought this would be the highlight), the lego cities were amazingly intricate replicas of my USA favorites—New York and San Francisco.

Last weekend we took a post-Halloween excursion to Mount Diablo State Park in San Francisco’s East Bay. At 3,864 feet (1,178 m), this mountain is one of the area’s main geographic landmarks and can be seen from around the bay.

If you are visiting the Bay Area during the fall or spring months, experiencing the views from the summit is a worthwhile activity. You can see for miles in every direction and get a unique panoramic view of this part of Northern California.

I grew up in Del Mar, a great beach town in the North County area of San Diego. What I find special about this area is that it has retained a laid-back beach feel despite the addition of outstanding accommodations, restaurants and shopping.

Twice a year we head west to get a snippet of California life. What could be a better way to connect with your inner Californian than riding the waves?

Here’s a confession that’s likely to earn me a few rude comments (if not outright death threats): I don’t like Yosemite. Or at least I didn’t, until very recently. Hot, crowded, and dusty, it always held all the charm of a refugee camp for me.

I could see that it was magnificent, I just couldn’t transcend the tour buses and carbon monoxide.

In fact only about 5% of Yosemite’s 3.2 million annual visitors ever leave the valley floor.