Oaks Amusement Park

Within the first month of living in Portland, Dan and I discovered Oaks Amusement Park. Opening in 1905, Oaks Park is one of the oldest, continuously operating amusement parks in the United States. Due to chilly Portland winters, Oaks Park operates seasonally, our first visit was during their final weekend in the fall.

We went back many times the following summer, including bringing my step-kids during their holiday visit with us. At the time, Zoe had just turned ten and Felix was a few months shy of turning eight. Oaks Park was perfect for them, offering both rides for younger guests and thrills that they were growing into.

This review is a mix of several trips from the fall of 2016 to the summer of 2017.

Parking and entry to Oaks Park is free. On that first visit, Dan and I just walked around, ate giant ice cream cones, and enjoyed the park. We didn’t go on any rides, but scoped it out for future visits, knowing that we would want to bring the kids.

When we brought the kids, we purchased unlimited ride bracelets for them. This was an amazing deal. For about twenty dollars, they could ride all day and it included one skate session at the indoor roller rink, plus skate rentals. Oaks Park has since changed their deal slightly and have excluded some of the bigger rides from the twenty dollar deal, however, the same deal we got, is available for an additional five dollars. Compared to a regular carnival, this is still an excellent value.

I grew up skating at Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale, California. This is the same rink that my parents enjoyed in the 50’s. The rink at Oaks Park had the same vintage flair.

I really wanted to skate, but I was experiencing sciatica and could barely walk, so I had to sit on the sidelines, watching the kids. Zoe was a very good skater, confidently gliding around the rink, showing off tricks like skating backwards. Felix was a beginner, but within a few hours, he was able to let go of the wall and skate around the rink. Roller skating is one of those rare activities, where you can see people of all ages having fun together, including many seniors citizens showing the kids how it is done.

On our visits, the kids would skate for at least two hours, which would really tire them out. This was great, because they had so much energy at that age. It also gave them a break from the dizzying rides and the summer heat.

They definitely loved the rides the most. Oaks Park has a good selection of rides and as a theme park geek, I loved how they had placards explain the history of classic rides, like the Tilt O’Whirl. Here is selection of pictures from Oak Park.

After much consideration and a big dose of bravery, Zoe and Felix went on the “upside down” roller coaster. This wasn’t their first loop, as we got them on Rock-n-Roller Coaster during our WDW the previous summer. To be fair, they didn’t realized that Rock-N-Roller Coaster had loops, until they were on the ride. This one they could see and it created nervous anticipation. They saved it for the last ride, on our final trip to Oaks Park.

But their favorite ride, that they rode on repeat, was a sliding saucer called Disk-O. They must have ridden it a million times and never stopped loving it. Here is Dan riding with Zoe, but after this, Felix tried it and realized that it was the best ride in the park.

Oaks Park has been a staple for generations of Portland families. Even though we only lived in the area for a year, it was easily one of our favorite places in Portland. Through the dreary fall/winter/spring, locals kept promising that summer would be spectacular and they were right. Summer is magical in Oregon and Oaks Park is the perfect place to bring the family for outdoor fun.

Summer 2018: Bay Area Road Trip

In June 2018, we embarked on a whirlwind road trip from Big Bear Lake to Napa Valley, so that Dan could attend a work event tied to NASCAR at the Sonoma Speedway.

I was mildly envious that Dan was going to have a VIP NASCAR experience, but I ended up having a grand adventure of my own. More on that in a minute…

We woke up early on a Friday morning and hit the road in our brand-new Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary Edition Camero. I’m happy to report that we made it to the Bay Area in record time and did not incur any speeding tickets in the process. A road trip miracle!

We drove without stopping until we hit Merced, California, where we stopped for a bathroom break at the “Welcome Center.” There are always signs for “Welcome Centers” throughout the state, but this was the first time that I had stopped at one. It is an information area with brochures for local attraction, which also serves as a bus station. The building was very empty, but most important, the bathrooms were immaculate!

Our first night, we stayed at an Embassy Suites in Sacramento. Dan has diamond status through Hilton, so we are fairly loyal to the brand. I like the Embassy Suites hotels, because the rooms are so spacious. Technically, we don’t need the space of a suite, but having a separate living room is nice. The breakfasts tend to be a notch-above other Hilton brands.

This particular stay provided amusement via a teenage beauty pageant that was being held in the atrium. We didn’t see the pageant, but we did see the contestants prepping. The table next to us at breakfast had a young teen girl sitting very rigid ( miss perfect posture), trying to hold a conversation with three elderly women, one of whom was clearly her grandmother. I couldn’t help but think that this young girl probably had a million other ways that she’d rather be spending her Saturday morning. As we were checking out, we spotted the reigning pageant winner wearing her tiara and sash while filming a YouTube video in front of the hotel’s Starbucks. It was all low-rent glamour and awkward.

Our destination was Napa Valley, although a very famous part of California, an area that I had not previously visited. We had no time for wine tasting or touring.It was a beautiful area, however, we did not stay long. We checked-in to our hotel to discover that the air-conditioning was broken. We enjoyed the pool, while engineering looked into it, but they could not fix the problem and the hotel was sold out. It was simply too hot in the room to stay, so we left.

Since Napa was jammed for NASCAR, the closest hotel that we could find was an Embassy Suites in Walnut Creek. It was under construction and some of the amenities were closed, but it was quite a nice hotel.

It was surreal being in Walnut Creek. I attended Mills College in Oakland in the late 90’s, but I spent a lot of time in the Walnut Creek/Antioch area visiting my then- boyfriend and his family. I had not been back to the Bay Area since 1997, yet many things were very familiar.

Staying in Walnut Creek was a hassle for Dan, who had to drive back to Napa for NASCAR, but it was actually great for me, as the hotel was located across the street from a BART train station. I had never taken the BART before, but I wasn’t about to miss the opportunity to visit San Francisco. Taking the BART was extremely easy and inexpensive.

Luck was on my side, as I called my high school friend, Bekah, to see if she could meet up and not only was she free, but she had an extra ticket to the afternoon Giants game at AT&T Park. Bekah lives a fair distance from San Francisco, so it really was kismet.

As soon as I got on the train, I realized that something special was going on. The train was packed with people heading to the Pride Parade in San Francisco. Pride Parades happen all over the world, but certainly San Francisco has one of the most famous events. As soon as I stepped off the BART, I was in the middle of the festivities. I even caught the float from my former employer: NBC-Universal.

I stepped out of the sweltering heat to grab an iced-latte at Starbucks. Starbucks also got in on supporting the love.

The Pride Parade was a cool thing to experience, lots of positive vibes. The only negative is it made it very difficult to find Bekah. It was so crowded that it was hard to connect. We finally made it and we walked down to AT&T Park for the afternoon game. We were handed pride flags as we walked down the street!

Bekah and her kids love baseball and attend Giants games whenever possible. I have a complicated relationship with baseball. When I was in kindergarten, I was picked to be an Honorary Dodger Bat Girl for “Glendale Night” at Dodger Stadium. I was given a uniform and I got to go on the field, pose with the players. I threw a ball around with Rick Monday and Steve Garvey.

I hated it.

I was very shy and nervous. It was not a good experience and then somehow, in third grade, I had to do it again. I begged my mom, but she forced me to do it. The crazy thing, is my mom was in the hospital for gallbladder surgery and didn’t even go to the game. I acknowledge that it was a special experience, but even in retrospect, I wish that they had picked a kid who wanted it. I didn’t even like baseball. I still don’t like baseball. The last Dodger game I attended, I brought a book to read. I go for the Dodger dogs!

Going to AT&T Park was 100% about catching up with a close friend and getting to know her lovely children. I had a blast! The best part was getting champagne in the beer garden. I have no idea who the Giants played against or who won the game, but the catching-up was priceless.

After the game, I caught the train back to Walnut Creek. Being in San Francisco made me realize how much I miss San Francisco. I’m not sure that I’d want to live in the Bay Area again, but I certainly would love to do a longer trip.

The next morning, Dan had a quick meeting in Silicon Valley, while I browsed at Ikea and then we began the long drive home.

Summer 2018: Las Vegas with Kids- Red Rocks Canyon, Cancun Resort, and Yummy Food

Our 2018 “staycation” continued with a three-night trip to Las Vegas. We have been to Vegas so many times, that it almost seems like a second home. Although Vegas is certainly an adult holiday destination, it can also be a great place for a family vacation. We’ve taken my step-kids many times and they love it. On this trip, my step-daughter had just turned eleven and my step-son was nearly nine.

Of course, a Las Vegas trip with kids does not mean casinos, booze, and clubs ( honestly, clubs haven’t been part of my Vegas vacations since my 20’s), however, it doesmeans plenty of pool time, attractions, and creative food.

We’ve stayed at nearly every hotel on the strip and although we would have loved to stay at the Waldorf Astoria, a kid-centric trip gave us a different kind of focus. We picked a “new-to-us” hotel, The Cancun Resort.

The Cancun Resort is actually a Diamond Timeshare property. We are not timeshare owners and we are not interested in getting free nights for attending a presentation. This said, we have discovered that staying at timeshare properties and just paying for them like a normal hotel room, is a great option. They are usually a good value and the rooms are often apartment style, with a kitchen and laundry. Having these features isn’t as important when we are traveling as a couple, but they make a huge difference when we are on vacation with the kids. The kitchen is especially important, as we save money and have an easy way to cook kid-friendly food.

Now, there is a little juggling when it comes to the timeshare hard-sell. They will try to get you to attend a presentation and they will throw perks at you, such as show tickets or free nights at their other hotels. If you’re interested, go for it. However, if you’re not, you just need to be very clear and firm. They may call your room and present you with the offer multiple times- be firm, they will eventually go away. We didn’t experience too much of a hard-sell at The Cancun Resort, but it does happen at timeshare properties.

Although this was my first time staying at The Cancun Resort, I had visited the property in 2004. My godparent’s stayed here during my first wedding and actually threw a family brunch in their suite. During my first visit, I was very impressed with the pool complex, which is what made me consider it for this vacation.

Pool time was our primary objective.

As with many Vegas hotels, The Cancun Resort has a beautiful lobby and friendly staff, who even allowed us to check-in early.

We stayed in a one bedroom, two full-bath suite with a kitchen and balcony. The kids slept on the pull-out couch in the living room. This situation fit our needs perfectly, providing plenty of space for us to spread out.

And our balcony with a lovely parking lot view. A pool view would have been visually nicer, but admittedly the parking lot was mostly quiet. I always use the hotel balconies for a quiet place to read.

The room was a little shabby and in need of a remodel, but it met our basic needs and was not so terrible, that we wouldn’t return.

Besides…

The pool was fabulous. It had multiple slides and was enormous, plenty of space for everyone, even on a busy summer day. We never had trouble finding lounge chairs- which is a big deal. On a previous trip, we stayed at the MGM Grand and the pool scene was a nightmare; completely over-crowded with no spare lounge chairs to be found. The pool complex at The Cancun Resort has a nice layout and is spacious.

The kids loved the pool, but the resort also caters to adults with delicious tropical cocktails served in hollowed out pineapples and an adult-only area with hammocks!!!

Unlike the bigger hotels that have difficult parking situations, it was easy to grab our car from the lot and head out to explore Vegas. We took the kids to Red Rock Canyon, where we had a geology lesson and saw native tortoises.

We hit the strip for a visit to The World of Coke, Hershey store, and people watching.

Next to swimming, eating is always a top Vegas activity. On this trip, we went to Egg Works, which has become my favorite breakfast spot. The Greek scramble (half-size is enough, trust me) is a must and make sure to try their homemade banana nut muffins. The even made Mickey Mouse-esque pancakes for the kids!

At Creamberry, we joined a long queue to experience their instagram famous “Ice Cream Burrito.”

Check out their brag-board..

This monster of a dessert included multiple scoops of ice cream and toppings (of your choice) wrapped -up like a burrito in cotton candy.

It was a little sickly, but definitely worth the experience. One burrito was plenty to share among the four of us.

Creamberry is also known for other tempting treats; such as shaping ice cream into roses and fun cookie creations.

We loved Creamberry so much, that we returned the next day. The kids got normal scoops of ice cream and the adults had Italian affogatos: espresso poured over ice cream and topped with whipped cream. I discovered affogatos a few years ago and they might be my favorite coffee treat. I’m thinking a splash of Bailey’s might up the affogato experience. Thoughts?

The other somewhat strange thing that we discovered on this vacation, is how much the kids love to look at model homes. At the time, we were considering buying property in Vegas and looking at different communities was really fun. I think we were all dreaming of having a private pool. The kids actually requested to go look at model homes, rather than having pool time at the hotel. My mind was blown. In the end, we moved to Colorado, but it was a lot of fun looking at the options in Vegas. Lake Las Vegas in particular, is a beautiful community.