TRAVEL

*** Update *** September 28th, Castello di Amorosa sustained significant fire damage to the Farmhouse building, a separate 15,000 square foot building across the crush pad about 50 yards from the castle itself. The Farmhouse was completely destroyed. The beautiful castle itself and underground cellars which comprise approximately another 121,000 sq. ft. were not harmed by the fire. Please visit their website for up to date information.

We visited Napa Valley (with kids!) during “Pandemic August” and had such a wonderful time. We spent the day at Castello Di Amorosa. This is a family-friendly vineyard with a true medieval-style castle. We booked a tour and wine-tasting (grape juice tasting for the kids). There were cool towers, chambers, a chapel, moat, farm and a drawbridge. Such a picturesque place to see.

Visiting Yosemite was an unforgettable experience for my family and I. It is so amazingly beautiful, it is my absolute favorite national park so far. We visited the park during “Pandemic August”, so we definitely needed a day pass reservation to even get into the park. It was super-difficult trying to get this day pass reservation as they are only allowing a small percentage of people obtain this pass. I was constantly checking the reservation system and lucked out.

Getting the day pass reservation was one thing. Where to stay was another challenge. We could not secure a camping site due to the limitations placed for this as well. So, we ended up staying at Yosemite Southgate Hotel & Suites in Oakhurst, California. https://www.yosemitesouthgate.com/ This was about 25 minutes away from the entrance to Yosemite National Park. But, it was in a very nice location as it was close to many restaurants and shops within walking distance.

The town of Solvang is such a cute, fun, little Danish town 2 hours North of Los Angeles in Santa Barbara County. My family had a great time strolling this relaxing and peaceful town. We indulged in authentic Danish pastries, admired the European architecture, and browsed the charming boutiques and shops. Our kids had a great time spotting all the stork bird statues and windmills. Danish tradition holds that the presence of a stork on a rooftop wards off lightning and brings good luck.

The best way to see multiple countries is to go on a cruise! We did the Carnival Western Caribbean Cruise (before the Pandemic) and had one day to explore. We chose to visit the Ocean World Adventure Park in Puerta Plata . This place was like their version of SeaWorld. This place has this awesome aquarium that you can snorkel in and swim in their man-made beach. There was a rainforest tour with exotic birds and iguanas. Dolphin and shark encounters are also available. We loved that there was a buffet lunch offered at this themepark as well. Our kids especially loved the interactive Sea lion and dolphin shows.

RAMONA, CALIFORNIA

Travelling is my passion.  While this pandemic limits me from travelling outside the country, I started exploring nearby towns in California.  Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona, California https://cameldairy.com/ is such a fun place to visit!  I booked a private family tour which included an animal farm tour with sheep, exotic birds, turkeys, chickens, camel rides and camel feeding. 

I was a little hesitant to try these items but I was extremely pleased! The chocolate tasted great with no bitter aftertaste whatsoever. My daughter has eczema and we finally found a lotion that her skin likes. Camel milk is high in vitamin C, elastin, and lanolin. These help soften skin and promote a natural anti-inflammatory effect on irritated skin. Luckily, these can be purchased online as well.