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A one-week winter California holiday itinerary | including videos!

LetsGoMum — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 12:44:19 +0000

Can’t visit California properly in just one week? You’d be amazed at what you can do – and that includes a visit to a ski resort, Disneyland and so much more!

This page contains affiliate links. If you book a stay or an attraction through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

One of the best things about California is just how much there is to do all in the one state. What you may not know, is that winter is a great time to visit!

One day you can be enjoying the rides at Disneyland in the warm sunshine of Anaheim, and the next you can be hitting the epic ski slopes of Mammoth Mountain! Add to that the advantage of less crowds, and you’ve got a fabulous holiday at a great price!

Here’s my 2020 day-by-day California family holiday diary of what we did, where we went & how to do it!

Our one week California family holiday diary

Looking for a one week California road trip instead? Watch our YouTube California Road Trip video playlist here.

Day 1 – January 29

Our Qantas flight arrived into LAX early in the morning, and we breezed through customs, easily locating our driver holding our name up at arrivals. We felt like movie stars! An easy 40 minute drive later we were checking into our Anaheim hotel.

The Anaheim Marriott Suites makes an excellent base for any Disneyland Resort holiday, as it is located close by. Our suite was large, with a separate bedroom allowing plenty of room to stretch out and be comfortable.

As we had already slept on the flight, we were ready for a relaxing day by the hotel pool and spa.

Watch our Anaheim Marriott Suites video

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

In the evening we visited Downtown Disney, the popular restaurant and shopping precinct located between Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park.

Downtown Disney is a great way to keep the Disney Magic flowing, with live music and lots of eatery options. There we enjoyed a delicious meal at Blacktap Anaheim followed by their famous shakes, decadently topped with lollipops, candy and cake.

Happy, full and tired we returned to the hotel to get a good night’s sleep, ready to hit Disney California Adventure Park the following morning.

Day 2 – January 30

After a delicious hot breakfast at the Anaheim Marriott Suites we headed off to Disneyland Resorts. It was our first time visiting, but with many new additions being added all the time there’s so much to keep returning families coming back too!

Today we would be exploring Disney California Adventure Park.

We headed in through the gates bursting with eagerness at the day ahead! We kicked off our Disney day with a very special Royal Welcome with Elsa from Frozen. It was a lovely opportunity to get some gorgeous family photos and autographs with Elsa, who was just as beautiful and gracious as you could hope she would be.

Next we took a fun class at the Animation Academy, where we learned how to draw Olaf from Frozen. By the end of the class we had some quite respectable looking artworks to take home as a truly unique souvenir.

Watch our Disney California Adventure Park video

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

Then it was time to hit the Disneyland rides – as expected, they were amazing! There’s a great mix of charming Disney classics and super-thrill rides at Disney California Adventure Park to keep everyone in the family happy! Our favourites were the rocket-fast Incredicoaster, the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris Wheel and Cars Land Radiator Springs Racers – the most expensive theme ride ever built!

Our recommendation is to be sure to buy a Max Pass to skip the queues so you can do as many rides as possible – whilst squeezing all those delicious Disney Parks snacks such as pretzels, churros and popcorn in between, of course!

Another don’t-miss attraction there is Frozen Live at the Hyperion – a wonderful one-hour theatrical show.

Our wonderful day at Disney California Adventure Park ended with the spectacular World Of Colour show, where fire, light and water jets combine together to weave a story-telling delight.

We headed back to the Anaheim Marriott Suites, ready to collapse into bed – what a fabulously fun Disney-day it had been!

Day 3 – January 31

Our second day in Anaheim has been another incredible day of fun!

Today we started off the day visiting downtown Anaheim where we visited the Farmers Markets, with a delicious lunch at Okayama Kobo Bakery.

After lunch it we headed off to visit The Happiest Place On Earth – Disneyland!

Disneyland is the original theme park created by Walt Disney, and it’s an absolute must-see in California. One memory I’ll never forget is witnessing my girls faces as we walked through the gates – they just couldn’t believe we were there! As a parent, it was a very special moment.

We spent our day riding all the famous classics. It’s impossible to go past thrill rides such as Space Mountain, The Matterhorn and Splash Mountain – but make sure you don’t miss that Disney magic too, and be sure to see The Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise and It’s A Small World, just to name a few. Because we had the Max Pass we could spend our time enjoying as many rides as possible.

At the end of the day we grooved to the beat of to Mickey’s Mix Magic – a colourful celebration of projections, music and fireworks- what a wonderful second day we had at Disney Parks!

Day 4 – February 1

We started our day in the most Disney-way you could imagine – the Minnie and Friends Character Breakfast at The Plaza Inn, Disneyland. This is a must-do for any Disney fan. Be sure to take your autograph book along for a unique souvenir from your Disneyland experience. Each Disney character has their own special autograph style! Combine this with a great Mickey-themed breakfast buffet and you have breakfast-perfection. My favourite was the Mickey waffles – yum!

After breakfast it was time to try out the new Disney Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge rides. If you’ve visited Disneyland in the past – well, it’s time to go again – even if just to experience this incredible new Star Wars world!

Watch our Disneyland video

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

First we got to experience the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run which was simply amazing- half the fun of this ride is the lead-up to it! Then it was time for the Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance ride.

You need to book a “Boarding Party” in advance for this incredible ride, but it’s well-worth it. These Star Wars rides take interaction and ride technology to a new level. Just – wow! Disneyland is constantly evolving and raising the bar on new attractions- it’s why millions from around the world keep coming back – and now I understand why!

Watch our Disney Star Wars rides video

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

We managed to squeeze in a few more rides before it was time to head off to the airport for a one-hour flight to our next California winter holiday destination- Mammoth Mountain!

In no time at we had landed at Mammoth Lakes Airport and were spirited off to The Village, a stunning resort with huge, luxurious apartments and its own little village – complete with bars, boutique shops and restaurants. Here we had a fantastic pizza dinner at Campo Mammoth, just steps away from our apartment.

Our appetites sated, we headed off to bed, brimming with excitement for the snow-fun to come the next morning at Mammoth!

Day 5 – February 2

We woke up to find ourselves surrounded by the spectacular snowy mountains of Mammoth. Were we really just at Disneyland yesterday?!

Mammoth Lakes is the bustling little town that services Mammoth Mountain, and it was here we had breakfast at Toomey’s, a great little sports-styled restaurant. Then it was time to head off for a day full of Mammoth fun!

For this trip we decided to just bring our ski clothes, goggles and gloves with us. This saved us having to carry our heavy skis and boots around California with us. Hiring our skis and boots at Main Lodge was convenient, and then we just headed outside and climbed aboard the gondola!

Watch our Skiing Mammoth Mountain video

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

We found that Mammoth Mountain offers some really great skiing for all levels. The snow cover was brilliant, and later we learned Mammoth enjoys extended ski seasons of good snow quality. There’s an excellent network of lifts to keep it all moving with minimal queues, too.

We skied all day, only stopping for a scrumptious lunch at The Yodler restaurant, located at the base of the ski resort.

Skiing isn’t all there is to do at Mammoth Mountain of course – there’s so much snow fun on offer! Snowmobiling, tubing and many more non-skiing options. If that isn’t enough activities for you, Mammoth Lakes even has its own bowling alley! We had some delicious finger food alley-side for dinner whilst (trying to) hit some pins!

Watch our Village Lodge at Mammoth Mountain video

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

After bowling we headed back to The Village for some Apres-ski fun. Whatever you do, don’t miss the outdoor fire pits, where we learned how to toast s’mores! You can buy a full s’more kit at The Village reception desk, so there’s really nothing to putting one together, and they are scrumptious! If s’mores aren’t your thing, you can always enjoy a drink from the bar whilst you warm your hands and have a cosy chat around the fire. What a fun way to end the day!

Day 6 – February 3

There’s nothing quite like starting your day with a swim in an outdoor heated pool and a soak in a hot tub – surrounded by snow!

Follow that with a super-cosy breakfast at The Warming Hut in Mammoth Lakes, and you have snowy-morning perfection!

With high winds forecast we opted to road-trip it back to our next amazing California destination, Santa Monica! Our day was spent kicking back in a black SUV complete with cinematic TV, watching movies and enjoying the scenery out of the windows – there are no boring road trips in California!

We travelled through the magical Mojave’ Desert landscape, and had a rest stop at Lone Pine, an iconic country town used as a backdrop for several movies.

Watch our Santa Monica Shore Hotel video

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

It was very exciting to see the colourful lights of the famous Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel come into view. We arrived to a welcoming glass of champagne at the gloriously decadent Santa Monica Shore Hotel, our accommodation in Santa Monica. This elegant hotel is located right at the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier – hotel locations just don’t get any better than that!

With the colourful lights beckoning us, we went for a beautiful stroll along the Pier before dinner and bed.

Day 7 – February 4

It’s amazing how fast we went from snow to beach holiday in California. It really is the best of both worlds!

There are so many things to do in Santa Monica, we were really spoilt for choice. I decided a bike ride would be a great way to take a look around Santa Monica. We went on a really fun tour of the city streets and elite residential areas with The Bike Center. This guided tour included a a stop-off at the scrumptious Sidecar Doughnuts coffee shop – yum!

For a tour of a different kind with no roads involved at all, we also hired bikes right off the Santa Monica Pier at Blazing Saddles Beach Rentals and Tours. We loved riding along the wide bike paths to Venice Beach to check out its eclectic shops, murals and skate park.

After we rode back we visited Heal The Bay, a wonderful little aquarium located beneath the Santa Monica Pier. There we spent a fun hour exploring and learning all about the diverse local marine life – and even fed baby sharks! Then we had a delicious lunch at Seaside On The Pier – the pasta is especially good!

Of course we couldn’t leave the Pier without spending some time at Pacific Park, the famous fun fair. We had so much fun riding the roller coaster, pirate ship, bumper cars and many more. For the best view in Santa Monica, you can’t go past the iconic big wheel at Pacific Park – which also happens to be the only solar powered Ferris Wheel in the world!

Watch our things to do in Santa Monica with kids video

Don’t miss another of our Australian family YouTube videos! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel here

Soon after we headed off for dinner at The Gallery Food Hall on Third Street Promenade, where there’s a huge range of yummy food bars and an epic sweet shop – complete with pink chandlers!

After dinner it was time for some more fun and we headed just a little further up Third Street to try out some virtual reality experiences at The Void. We donned the special back packs and head-gear, and stepped into the virtual worlds of both the Jumanji and Star Wars experiences. We were blown away with how real they seemed!

Finally we headed back to the Shore Hotel where we spent some time on our balcony, taking in the fabulous views over the colourful night lights of the Santa Monica Pier.

What a fantastic California winter holiday we had – we’ll be back!

Disclaimer: The Let’s Go Mum family were brought out to California and hosted by Visit California and their partners

Find out more about visiting California at the Visit California official website here

Watch our California road trip series of videos on YouTube here

This page contains affiliate links. If you book a stay or activity through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support! The Letsgomum Family partnered with Jetstar Australia for this trip to Singapore and LEGOLAND Malaysia.

The post A one-week winter California holiday itinerary | including videos! appeared first on Let's go Mum.

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort – Disneyland side trips

LetsGoMum — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 10:37:10 +0000

To add some variety to your California Disneyland winter holiday, all you need to do is – just add snow! Only an hour’s commuter flight away from LAX (or a half-day’s picturesque road trip) you’ll find California’s Mammoth Mountain ski resort.

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort, California

Beautiful Mammoth Lakes is a bustling little ski town with its own airport, and a whole mountain of family snow-fun!

Just an hour’s flight away from LAX, a trip to Mammoth is an easy Disneyland holiday add-on – or wonderful California winter holiday in its own right.

Mammoth is just a one hour flight from LAX

The surrounding scenery of Mammoth Mountain is breathtaking – huge, snowy mountains covered with majestic trees and unique wildlife. It’s not unusual to spot an American black bear wandering through the town of Mammoth Lakes!

The town of Mammoth Lakes, California

From beach holiday to snowy mountains just doesn’t get any easier or more convenient than this!

Beginner snowboarding and skiing lessons

Mammoth Mountain ski hire

If you’re a beginner skier, Mammoth Mountain is a great place to learn how to ski. It’s a very easy process to hire all of your ski gear at the Mammoth Main Lodge and organise ski lessons.

Watch our Mammoth Mountain YouTube

To see what skiing Mammoth Mountain is really like, watch our YouTube video.

There are excellent beginner runs on the lower slopes of Mammoth Mountain. Mammoth ski instructors will have you and/or your children off and skiing independently in just one day!

Family-friendly skiing

Family skiing and snowboarding fun at Mammoth

My family loved skiing Mammoth together – even late in the ski season, this ski resort offers beautiful snow conditions. With 25 lifts and 150 trails spread over 3,500 acres, you can explore to your heart’s content!

Mammoth Mountain ski lifts are fast and friendly

Mammoth Mountain lift queues are fast, lift attendants are friendly and helpful, and the skiing can be as easy or challenging as you choose.

I had a lot of fun skiing with my kids at Mammoth

I’m an intermediate skier, and my girls are now handling blue intermediate runs quite well. We started off on green beginner slopes to get our ski legs back after our break over the Australian Summer.

After a couple of easy ski runs, we were ready to head up Mammoth Mountain in the main gondola to see more of Mammoth Mountain!

Mammoth Mountain Gondola

The Mammoth Mountain Gondola is a beautiful ride. Whilst skiers use it to access the upper mountain areas, you can also go a scenic ride to enjoy the amazing views.

The Mammoth Mountain Gondola

We loved exploring the Mammoth Mountain upper trails, and followed trail after trail of gorgeous tree-lined runs with stunning mountain views. Mammoth is a truly spectacular Californian ski resort.

Snowboard half-pipe competitions

Back down the mountain, Mammoth also features a world-class snowboard half-pipe where freestyle skiers and snowboarders Grand Prix and World Cup competitions are held. We watched an event featuring USA Olympic champions – it was great entertainment to watch their amazing gravity-defying skills!

My girls loved playing in the ski park areas

For a bit of extra daring ski fun of your own, at the bottom of the mountain there’s a small jumps trail which is perfect for both ski and snowboarders. My girls loved trying the mini-jumps!

Disabled skiing

Mammoth Mountain also have disabled skiing programs and support. This ski resort prides themselves on being inclusive, and disabled skiing lessons are also available.

Family Snow Fun

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort

If you’re not a skier, or are looking for more variety in your snow holiday then never fear – there’s plenty more family fun on offer!

Snowmobiles are a great snow activity you can do together. With a parent driving, pop a child on the back and you’ve got a really fun way to explore and enjoy the stunning scenery together.

Tube rides, or “Tubing” is just that – climb aboard a big inflatable tube go for an exciting slide down a gentle slope. This activity will have you and the kids laughing with delight, and is suitable for both children and adults.

Dining options at Mammoth Lakes

The Yodler restaurant has great food & views

Skiing is a hungry business, and there are many and varied dining and eatery options at Mammoth. We sampled a range of delicious restaurants during our stay.
The Yodler is located near the Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge. Straight off the ski slopes, it’s the perfect place for an amazing Bavarian style lunch.

Campo pizza restaurant at The Village, Mammoth

At The Village in Mammoth Lakes you’ll find the cosy Campo Mammoth, specialising in delicious wood-fired Neopolitan Pizzas.

Also in the town is Toomeys in the Village, where you can enjoy a relaxed and hearty breakfast surrounded by sport-themed decor.

Toomeys is a fun sports-themed Mammoth restaurant

The Warming Hut is another Mammoth Lakes stand-out, with it’s unique log-cabin atmosphere.

The Warming Hut is cosy and charming

Its rustic charm is reflected in the food, which is warm, comforting – and features absolutely massive servings to keep you going all day!

The Warming Hut, Mammoth Lakes

If you still have energy to burn after a long day’s snow fun, be sure to spend an evening at the Mammoth Rock ‘n’ Bowl. Here you can knock down a few pins (or practically none if you’re a member of our family!) and enjoy some delicious grazing, bowling-alley-side! Be prepared for great finger food with lots of bowling-fail laughs thrown in!

The Mammoth Rock ‘n Bowl is a lot of fun!

Whilst it can be very hard to pull yourselves away from the culinary fare on offer in the restaurants of Mammoth, don’t miss the opportunity to experience one of the great fun American dessert traditions – gather around an outdoor fire pit to make and eat S’mores! Find out more about making S’mores at The Village Lodge here.

Where to stay at Mammoth Mountain

The Village Lodge hotel at Mammoth

Whilst at Mammoth Lakes, we stayed at The Village Lodge Mammoth – a luxurious hotel set in a beautiful village complex that boasts direct gondola access to the ski slopes – plus year-round entertainment and excellent shopping and dining options. There’s even an outdoor heated pool where you can swim and relax in hot tubs surrounded by snow!

Read all about our stay at The Village Lodge at Mammoth here.

Find out more about booking your Australian family holiday to Mammoth, California at Visit California

Read all about the three exciting California destinations we visited in 2020 here!

If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider giving us a Facebook “Like” or leaving a comment below!

This article is meant to inspired travel to California once it is safe to do to. The attractions and experiences featured in this article may be temporarily unavailable due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Please consult official travel resources and individual businesses to confirm future plans.

The Let’s Go Mum family partnered with Visit California and their supporting partners for this trip. As always, all opinions are our own.

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Where to stay at Mammoth Mountain – The Village Lodge Mammoth hotel

LetsGoMum — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 11:27:04 +0000

From the grand staircase to the snow-surrounded heated swimming pool & hot tubs outside, The Village Lodge at Mammoth is an excellent accommodation choice for your Mammoth Mountain ski resort holiday.

This page contains affiliate links. If you book a stay through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

Perfect for a USA family ski holiday, the Mammoth Mountain ski resort is located just one hour’s flight or a few hours drive from LAX, and offers excellent skiing plus a wide range of fun snow activities.

The accommodation choice for your ski trip is just as important as the destination, and recently we had the pleasure in staying at a luxurious ski lodge at Mammoth Lakes, California – The Village Lodge at Mammoth.

No time to read? Watch our walk-through video here…

The Village Lodge Mammoth is a stunning hotel set in its own village complex, offering year-round entertainment and superior shopping and dining.

The Village also has a direct-access gondola to the skiing trails of Mammoth Mountain.

All of these features make The Village Lodge the perfect base for your snow holiday at Mammoth

Apartment accommodation

This decadent ski lodge offers secure, superior condo and hotel style accommodation that will have you feeling right at home.

There’s plenty of space for families to spread out, with large apartments featuring cosy open-plan lounge and kitchen areas, and large, comfortable bedrooms.

A full kitchen means you can choose to self-cater, making your own breakfast and other meals in your own lodging.

Alternatively, you can choose to work your way through a wide selection of excellent restaurants – all located just steps away from your accommodation!

Guests at The Village Lodge also enjoy free parking and free wifi.

Gondola to Mammoth Mountain ski resort

The Village features its own direct-access gondola to the ski trails of Mammoth Mountain. That means you’re on the mountain faster, and there’s no need for driving, parking or a shuttle service to the ski fields.

In-room ski boots & ski hire

The ultimate in convenience, you can be fitted for your ski hire gear right in your Village apartment. Then when you’re ready to ski, your gear will be waiting for you on-snow outside the hotel lobby!

An outdoor heated swimming pool surrounded by snow!

Surrounded by snow, the heated pool and hot tubs adds a really fun dimension to your ski holiday!

Put on your bikini, wrap yourself up in your hotel robe and head out to the pool. There’s something wonderful about sitting in a toasty warm spa, surrounded by snow. (Plus it’s a great opportunity to take a fabulous Instagram shot!)

Restaurants & shopping

You’ll find the beautiful alpine-style The Village entertainment precinct just outside your door, and it’s here you’ll find some great shopping and eateries.

The main walkway is lined with enticing boutique stores, and a variety of high-quality restaurants and bars.

We enjoyed a great meal Campo Mammoth, well known for its relaxed apres-ski atmosphere and delectable pizzas! Also close by you’ll find several other Mammoth restaurant options.

Dotted around The Village are cosy fire pit areas which are perfect for an after-dinner drink or catch up with friends – and of course take part in that scrumptious American tradition – making s’mores!

How to make S’mores

If you don’t know how to make S’mores, or don’t have the ingredients, there’s no need to worry. Complete S’mores kits (and some good advice!) are available from The Village Lodge reception.

The kits contain everything you need for the perfect Smore. A long wooden stick, thick chocolate discs, large marshmallows and graham crackers (the Australian or UK equivalent is something like Digestive biscuits) are all included.

S’mores are as easy as toasting your marshmallow over the fire until it’s a bit gooey (the long sticks make it easy and safe for children to do) and then sandwiching the marshmallow and chocolate within two graham crackers. The result is a warm, chocolaty marshmallow treat with a combined taste that is out-of-this-world!

Staying at The Village is all about convenience and luxury – this beautiful hotel ticks all the family ski resort boxes.

Book your stay at The Village Lodge at Mammoth on Booking.com here

To stay or find out more, go to their official website here.

If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider giving us a Facebook “Like” or leaving a comment below!

Read all about the three exciting California destinations we visited in 2020 here!

This article is meant to inspire travel to California once it is safe to do to. The attractions and experiences featured in this article may be temporarily unavailable due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Please consult official travel resources and individual businesses to confirm future plans.

The Let’s Go Mum family partnered with Visit California and their supporting partners for this trip. As always, all opinions are our own.

Share one of our images to Pinterest…

This page contains affiliate links. If you book a stay through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

The post Where to stay at Mammoth Mountain – The Village Lodge Mammoth hotel appeared first on Let's go Mum.