Parents' Trip to America - Attractions and Activities
This content was automatically generated by gpt-4o-mini (No human review). The original post is in Chinese.
My parents and younger brother came to the United States before Christmas in 2023 and stayed until the end of January 2024, spending a total of 36 days in the country. Therefore, during the past Christmas and New Year holidays, as well as most of January, we were accompanying family. During this month-long period, we took a road trip to several national parks (Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon) and visited various attractions in Southern California, mainly in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles. Arranging for my parents to travel to the U.S. was not easy, as there were many things to consider, including visas, flights, accommodations, and activities. This blog will mainly discuss the time spent with my parents; I will share other details later when I have time.
It is important to mention my family situation. Unlike most of my classmates whose parents come to the U.S., I have a 6-year-old brother, who was born after the policy allowing two children. Therefore, we not only had to consider my parents but also the preferences of a 6-year-old.
Road Trip
For this road trip, there were five of us (me, my husband, my parents, and my brother), and we drove our own car from home (Irvine) for a total of 5 days and 4 nights. We visited:
- Joshua Tree National Park (1 day)
- Joshua Tree NP was included because it was on the way, but my brother really enjoyed it because he could climb on the rocks and go quite high. We visited Hidden Valley, Skull Rock, and Cholla Cactus Garden.
- Grand Canyon National Park (1.5 days)
- We allocated a day and a half for the Grand Canyon since it is the most famous attraction. However, surprisingly, both the adults and the child did not enjoy it much. Although the scenery was indeed spectacular, they seemed to lose interest after just 1-2 hours. It was quite cold during those two days, and the wind was a bit strong, so we only walked around a few viewpoints on the South Rim and did not hike any trails.
- Horseshoe Bend (0.5 days)
- By the time we arrived at Horseshoe Bend, it was already past 3 PM, and the lighting was not great. Additionally, the water level seemed lower than before, so overall, it was not as beautiful as our previous visit.
- Bryce Canyon National Park (1 day)
- In the end, both the adults and the child agreed that Bryce was the most fun because the snowy scenery and the hoodoo formations were beautiful, and we could have snowball fights. We hiked a 5-kilometer route: Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail, which was relatively easy and suitable for the elderly and children. There were some snowy and icy spots along the way, but we brought microspikes in advance, so we didn’t slip.
Originally, we planned for the road trip to last 7-8 days, considering additional attractions like Zion National Park, Antelope Canyon, Las Vegas (and Hoover Dam), and even Death Valley. However, my parents and brother simply could not keep up and were unable to walk much. Moreover, my dad was not satisfied with the food on the road (he thought it was not as good as home-cooked meals). After just a few days in the U.S., my dad was craving cigarettes and alcohol, and he was quite irritable due to withdrawal symptoms, constantly complaining about wanting to go home (he started smoking and drinking again on the third day of the trip). My brother initially did not want to walk at all and showed no interest in the scenery, constantly asking my dad to carry him, which was quite a challenge (we had to use both rewards and punishments) to finally get him to walk on his own. So in the end, we spent 4 days traveling and drove back home on the fifth day.
Irvine (Surrounding Orange County)
Attractions we visited around Irvine
William R Mason Regional Park for walking and playing
- Highly recommend this park because it is very close to UCI, just a 15-minute walk. If driving, the parking fee is $3. The scenery is beautiful, with a large green lawn and a lake in the middle, home to many water birds, ducks, Canadian geese, turtles, etc. There are also several slides, swings, picnic tables, and other facilities. Kids love it, and adults can enjoy walking, chatting, and taking photos. Our family has been there twice, staying for 1-2 hours each time.
Corona Del Mar State Beach for walking
- You can navigate to Inspiration Point, where parking on the street is free. First, enjoy the view at Inspiration Point, then walk down to Corona Del Mar State Beach. It’s just an ordinary beach where you can walk along the Jetty; nothing particularly special.
Crystal Cove State Park for walking and watching the sunset
- Parking fee is $15. We went to the beach to walk and watch the sunset, arriving about an hour before sunset, taking photos while the kids played in the sand. The sunset that day was particularly beautiful, and we ended up taking many great photos.
Newport Beach and Balboa Island
- We visited a few days before Christmas, first walking at Newport Beach to see the sunset, then taking the Balboa Island Ferry to Balboa Island to see the Christmas light display, where many houses were beautifully decorated. It was a great way to feel the holiday atmosphere and also perfect for taking photos.
- Newport Beach is also beautiful during the day. We navigated to Balboa Pier Parking Lot, which has slides for kids to play on, restrooms, and you can walk out to the Pier or stroll along the Newport Balboa Bike Trail.
- We specifically went one evening to Newport Beach to see bioluminescence around 9 PM. You can see some, though it’s not very bright, but for first-timers, it’s still a magical experience worth seeing.
Great Park
- Great Park is a great place for family leisure and play, with free parking and impressive slides and other facilities for kids. The kids love it. There’s also a carousel for $3 a ride and a free hot air balloon ride. However, we’ve tried to go on the hot air balloon several times, but it was closed due to weather conditions, so it’s important to call ahead to confirm. Even without the hot air balloon, it’s still a good place to spend time.
Turtle Rock and French Hill Loop for hiking
- Took the family for a hike near home, coaxing them to walk 6 kilometers ( turtle rock and french hill loop ). We only did it once and never went to other trails since they didn’t enjoy it much.
Little Corona Del Mar Beach Tide Pools
- I’ve always wanted to take them to the Tide Pools, so I paid special attention to the Tidechart and chose a day to go around 4 PM during a -1.6ft low tide at Little Corona Del Mar Beach. Parking was free, and there were quite a few people. We saw many creatures (2 large octopuses, sea hares, starfish, etc.). Both adults and kids enjoyed it.
Newport Bay kayaking
- I finally managed to persuade my parents and brother to go kayaking. We rented two tandem sit-on-top kayaks and paddled around Balboa Island for a 6 km loop, which took about 2 hours and cost nearly $100. Renting kayaks from Southwind Kayak Center is quite expensive. They didn’t enjoy it much because their clothes inevitably got wet, and I personally found the scenery a bit monotonous, just various yachts and mansions.
Newport Landing Whale Watching Tour
- This whale watching tour was particularly cheap; we bought tickets for $15 per person, and you can even find tickets for $10 each by searching for Newport Landing Whale Watching Tour $15 or similar. The day we went was calm and sunny, and we saw many dolphins, though no whales, but we didn’t get seasick. It felt worth the price, and the scenery was nice.
Dana Point Deep Sea Fishing Trip
- This is the activity I regret signing up for the most, but my dad loves fishing, and it was his top wish to do in the U.S., so I booked this tour. The tour itself wasn’t expensive, half price on Tuesdays at $30 per person, but the fishing license costs $20 per person for the day, and renting fishing rods and equipment costs another $20 each, totaling $150.
- Unfortunately, the sea was rough that day. I started feeling seasick an hour after boarding and spent the next four and a half hours throwing up, crouching in a corner of the boat or sitting on the deck with my head buried in my knees, enduring it without fishing. I didn’t eat anything in the five and a half hours. My dad felt a bit seasick too but still fished, catching 3-4 fish, but they were too small and had to be released. In the end, we didn’t bring home a single fish. I really regret it; spending money to suffer was quite fitting.
South Lake and North Lake
- My parents’ Airbnb is very close to South Lake, just a 15-minute walk, so they occasionally walk over to explore. South Lake and North Lake are right next to each other, with nice scenery suitable for walking.
San Diego
I have been to San Diego twice, each time going in the morning and returning in the evening to save on accommodation costs. The first visit was just to the San Diego Zoo, while the remaining attractions were all visited on the second trip in one day.
First Visit: San Diego Zoo
- We spent a whole day here, about 5 hours or so. The kids really enjoyed it, and the adults didn’t find it boring either. You must ride the Skyfari and Bus Tour. To save money, I bought a $159 San Diego Zoo annual pass, which included one free ticket and two half-price coupons, making it a better deal overall.
Second Visit:
9:30 - 10am: Unconditional Surrender (The Kiss statue)
10am - 12pm: USS Midway Museum
- I specifically took them to see the USS Midway Museum. The tickets were bought on Taobao, which was very affordable, and it opens at 10 am. If you have the patience, you could spend 3-4 hours or even longer in this museum. However, my parents and younger brother don’t understand English and lacked the patience to explore, so they only stayed for 2 hours before leaving.
12:30pm - 2pm: Picnic in the Tidelands Park on Coronado Island
- We went to this park for a picnic mainly to meet up with my kayaking friends from San Diego and have a meal together. They were eager to meet my family from China. This park is quite nice, with great views (you can see the skyscrapers of downtown San Diego and the Coronado Bridge), plus it has free parking, picnic tables and chairs, restrooms, and facilities for kids to play. The drive over the Coronado Bridge also offers nice scenery.
2:30 - 3:30 pm: UC San Diego Campus
- Since I graduated from UCSD, my parents were naturally interested in walking around the campus. I took them to several iconic spots, including Stone Bear, House on the Roof, and Geisel Library. Personally, I think the area around the library has the best scenery, making it a great spot for photos.
4 - 5:30pm: La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores
- Check out seals and sea lions in the Cove
- Sea Cave
- Hike the Coastal Trail
- Sunset at La Jolla Shores
- I personally find La Jolla Cove to be more interesting, with seals and sea lions, sea caves, and a Coastal Trail, although parking can be a bit challenging. La Jolla Shores is certainly a great place for a walk to watch the sunset, and I think it’s the most beautiful beach in San Diego. Parking is free at both locations.
- Check out seals and sea lions in the Cove
Los Angeles
Excluding trips to Los Angeles airport, we took our parents and younger brother to Los Angeles twice, each time going and returning on the same day.
- First Visit: California Science Center
- Highly recommended, admission is free, parking is $15, and kids absolutely love it. There’s a huge aquarium tank, a space shuttle, and many other interesting things. Personally, this was my third visit, and it’s suitable for a full day, around 4-5 hours.
- Second Visit: Getty and Getty Villa
- Both places have free admission, and parking is $20. If you visit both on the same day, you only need to pay for parking once, just remember to ask for the parking validation slip at the Getty front desk (this way you won’t have to pay for parking again). Although these two museums might be too profound for the family, and clearly they wouldn’t have the patience to appreciate it, a quick glance around isn’t out of the question. After all, it rained all weekend, and the Getty offers a view of Los Angeles, with several gardens that have great scenery. The Getty Villa has beautiful gardens as well, and even if you don’t understand the art exhibits, you can still enjoy the architecture and gardens.
- The Getty has Chinese audio guides available for download on a mobile app to use with Bluetooth headphones. We only showed our family the exhibits that had Chinese explanations. Unexpectedly, there was a craft activity in the entrance hall of the Getty that the kids particularly enjoyed; we waited in line for 15 minutes and spent 45 minutes making a window decoration similar to a stained glass window. The Getty Villa also has a Family Room where kids can play.
To Be Continued
What to play at home when not going out? Time is limited, so let’s talk about it in the next blog!
