It is a well-documented fact (especially for anyone willing to listen to my words for long enough) that I love California. I love L.A. LOVE. IT. I love San Diego. I love the climate. I love the laid-back atmosphere, and though most outsiders consider L.A. and it's closest surroundings crawling with people who care only about themselves, it is only in L.A. that I have encountered some of the nicest, most courteous people.
As is typically the case, I started thinking about where our travels would carry us after session sometime around the end of January --> beginning of February. My husband - often referred to in this blog as the most patient man in America - hates session for several reasons, one of them being that it typically turns out to be a very expensive time of year for our family. I learn to become so unhappy and so miserable in my job during the Legislative Session that I spend any free time I have looking online for travel ideas and then finding ways to implement them as affordable (or not) as possible.
Our children LOVE animals. They are the next Jack Hanna(s). They are filled with animal facts that no typical 5 or 8 year old retains. (Side note - just this morning they were telling Christopher some interesting information about the American badger that neither of us knew before. Where do they get it?!?) And so my mind started working - when you're young and you love animals, which zoo would you die to go see some animals? There's only one answer -
San Diego.
I didn't make it to the San Diego Zoo until I was much older - in college, I believe. And if you've never been I can't recommend it enough. It's amazing. The environment is just outstanding and the knowledge available to be gained is great. And, I soon figured out that the San Diego Zoo has also purchased the Wild Animal Safari Park outside San Diego.
So my task was to find a way for a family of four to get to San Diego on the cheap; and to put together a trip with a total and present it to the Miller CFO (my hubs) for consideration. And immediately I was hit with the reality that the likelihood of the Millers making it to San Diego anytime soon was slim. The cost to fly out there as a family was exorbitant. Who can afford that?!?
No one. That's who. And that's why Southwest is the best airline ever! As soon as I started looking into other options for our get-away, I received a "ding!" in my inbox - airfares were hitting a sale on the Southwest Web site! WHAT THE!?!? What were the chances? Not only was San Diego on the list of cheaper airfares, but it was WAY cheap! And now I had to go to my hubs with this idea ... and trying to convince the man who doesn't particularly like to fly that flying for 5 hours across the country with a 5 year old and an 8 year old was a good idea was a harder task than convincing him that the money would be worth it.
In the end, it was a fantastic trip.
The zoo lived up to all expectations.
The Wild Animal Safari Park exceeded all expectations, and when in Southern California, you have to go to Disneyland, right? I mean, when else will you get the chance to fly across the country as a family with children young enough to appreciate the happiest place on earth? I'll tell you when - NEVER!!
So after 3 days in San Diego (I'd move there tomorrow if I could) and a quick stopover in La Jolla, we were headed to Anaheim. Davis may have been a little young for Disney World when we went 2 years ago - but he was the perfect age now.
Man, that was fun. F.U.N.
As is typically the case, I started thinking about where our travels would carry us after session sometime around the end of January --> beginning of February. My husband - often referred to in this blog as the most patient man in America - hates session for several reasons, one of them being that it typically turns out to be a very expensive time of year for our family. I learn to become so unhappy and so miserable in my job during the Legislative Session that I spend any free time I have looking online for travel ideas and then finding ways to implement them as affordable (or not) as possible.
Our children LOVE animals. They are the next Jack Hanna(s). They are filled with animal facts that no typical 5 or 8 year old retains. (Side note - just this morning they were telling Christopher some interesting information about the American badger that neither of us knew before. Where do they get it?!?) And so my mind started working - when you're young and you love animals, which zoo would you die to go see some animals? There's only one answer -
San Diego.
I didn't make it to the San Diego Zoo until I was much older - in college, I believe. And if you've never been I can't recommend it enough. It's amazing. The environment is just outstanding and the knowledge available to be gained is great. And, I soon figured out that the San Diego Zoo has also purchased the Wild Animal Safari Park outside San Diego.
So my task was to find a way for a family of four to get to San Diego on the cheap; and to put together a trip with a total and present it to the Miller CFO (my hubs) for consideration. And immediately I was hit with the reality that the likelihood of the Millers making it to San Diego anytime soon was slim. The cost to fly out there as a family was exorbitant. Who can afford that?!?
No one. That's who. And that's why Southwest is the best airline ever! As soon as I started looking into other options for our get-away, I received a "ding!" in my inbox - airfares were hitting a sale on the Southwest Web site! WHAT THE!?!? What were the chances? Not only was San Diego on the list of cheaper airfares, but it was WAY cheap! And now I had to go to my hubs with this idea ... and trying to convince the man who doesn't particularly like to fly that flying for 5 hours across the country with a 5 year old and an 8 year old was a good idea was a harder task than convincing him that the money would be worth it.
The zoo lived up to all expectations.
The Wild Animal Safari Park exceeded all expectations, and when in Southern California, you have to go to Disneyland, right? I mean, when else will you get the chance to fly across the country as a family with children young enough to appreciate the happiest place on earth? I'll tell you when - NEVER!!
So after 3 days in San Diego (I'd move there tomorrow if I could) and a quick stopover in La Jolla, we were headed to Anaheim. Davis may have been a little young for Disney World when we went 2 years ago - but he was the perfect age now.
Man, that was fun. F.U.N.
