Vacation With Effy

Carmel Mission photo converted to a watercolor.

My time available for blogging has dwindled to a minimum. I no longer have access to a computer during the day and with my girls just starting school, our evenings are quite busy too. Last week, we traveled to our favorite place, the Monterey peninsula. We stayed at a hotel right on the beach and it was cold and windy. I totally loved it. Where we live, summers in August can be stifling, so a brief respite from the valley oven is greatly welcomed, even if it means wearing jackets and coats.

The first day we headed for Gilroy Gardens . Now this place is a bit “young” for Effy, but she really had a fun time anyway. She got her face painted and she smiled as we rode nearly all the rides. I just love how there’s rarely a line for anything at this place. It’s like having your own private amusement park. I even got to ride on one attraction that was too “big” for my little ones because Effy agreed to go with me. The banana boat was a blast! We rode the roller coaster two times without even having to get out of our seat. The father and son sitting behind us were eagerly enjoying their fifth go of it.

After that, we headed for Monterey and spent time on the beaches, at the Carmel Mission, in Dennis the Menace Park , and at the Monterey Aquarium. I have been going to the aquarium since it opened (back when I lived in the area) and it just seems to get better every time. There really are a lot of things for the little kids to do, even toddlers. It’s usually too crowded for my taste, but if you come with patience, there is plenty to see and do.

We spent the last day on the beach in Pacific Grove , playing in the rocks and tide pools, searching for hermit crabs. The girls collected dozens, played with them and then released them back into the ocean before we went home. It was a great four days and now I think they are ready to go back to school.

Gate at Carmel Mission

Bell at the Mission