California Dreaming: a mother-son adventure of sun, sea and thrills

Is a California holiday the perfect mum-and-son trip? Lauren Murphy and her eldest put it to the test and found sun, sea and superior thrills all the way.

California bound and ready for action

My eldest son and I wanted a trip that could provide us with sun, sea, and lots of action, which is what led us to pick California. After some discussion, we agreed on visiting four different locations: Burbank, Anaheim, Newport Beach, and San Diego, where we could soak up the sun whilst staying active.

Once we arrived at LAX, it was just a short Uber to Hotel Amarano, Hollywood. Our suite was beautifully decorated and gave us plenty of space to relax and unwind before embarking upon the next day’s adventures.

Universal Studios and the Los Angeles Zoo

The first full day of our California holiday was spent at Universal Studios Hollywood, where we immersed ourselves in high-octane thrills and plenty of excitement, with Mario Land and Revenge of the Mummy being firm favourites for both of us. We stopped at Mel’s Diner and had delicious burgers for lunch, and couldn’t resist a giant Simpsons style donut from the Kwik-E-Mart as a perfect afternoon snack.

Day two began with fresh bagels and jam at the hotel’s FYC cafe to fuel our morning at the amazing LA Zoo. You could easily spend a day here with all the animals, and the entertaining and informative shows and talks. We loved the gibbon monkeys and how noisy and cheeky they were.

Onwards to Anaheim and Disneyland Resort on our California holiday

Our next destination was The Westin Anaheim Resort, a 40-minute Uber ride away. However, once we arrived we were greeted warmly and given a tour of the hotel before heading to our dinner reservations at Anaheim White House – one of Anaheim’s most famous restaurants and where we feasted on some of the most beautiful Italian food we’ve ever tasted.

The hotel was perfectly located within a 15-minute walk of the Disneyland Park, so before long we were off on a thrill-seeking adventure, starting with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We were able to squeeze in a few rides before lunch, including Space Mountain, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and Star Tours, where we found plenty of the thrills we were after.

California Adventure Park giving nostalgic Disney flair

After all that excitement we had to stop at Napolini for some delicious pizza before heading to Disneyland California Adventure Park. The park has a nostalgic Disney feel mixed with Californian flair. The iconic Mickey Mouse-themed Ferris wheel and Pixar Pal-A-Round set the tone for the vintage fun park. Ever the thrill seeker, Cole was desperate to get on the Incredicoaster which catapulted us through the fastest ride at the park, soaring to speeds of 55mph. Before heading back to our hotel, we had to sample some of the traditional Disney treats, like the colourful popcorn and Mickey Mouse ears ice creams.

The Westin Anaheim Resort offers an amazing recovery pack that includes a leg compression machine, which is perfect for easing exhausted legs, and we took full advantage of it on our return.

Poolside cabanas at Kimpton Alma, San Diego

Heading to Newport Beach for sea adventures on our California holiday

After a hectic Disney day, and hitting the midpoint of our trip, we planned a more relaxed day starting with breakfast that transported us across the world. Okayana Kobo bakery offers the finest sweet and savoury baked treats made with 100% Hokkaido flour, and truly brought a little bit of Japan to our Californian holiday.

The surrounding neighbourhood was beautiful and made for a pleasant stroll after our meal. Then, with check-out looming, we returned to The Westin to pack and enjoy some poolside drinks in one of their cabanas.

Our next stop was just 20 minutes away at the VEA Newport Beach hotel. Not content to have fun on land, our two days in Newport Beach were all about the sea: starting with a spectacular sunset cruise with Duffy Boats. The tour ended in the Marina Lido Village, where we walked around to shake off our sea legs before stopping at SKAL for a delicious pizza in a trendy location.

The bonding nature of food when travelling with teens

Food was a big focus of this trip, but as most parents of teens will know, every meal is the most important meal of the day with them, and finding food spots that appealed to both of us and offered something different was a huge bonding experience.

We had one of our most decadent breakfasts of crêpes and French toast at the Beachcomber Café in Crystal Cove. Also, the cove has a beautiful beach area dotted with quaint gift shops, and the café offers amazing views to go with the food.

Sea lions, Newport Coastal Adventure

Our plan for the day was a whale-watching tour with Newport Coastal Adventures. This was new to us, so we were both excited to see whales in their natural habitat.

The lovely crew managed our expectations, explaining that we might not see any whales, but luck was on our side and not long after setting sail, we saw the most mesmerising grey whale swimming along. It was a surreal experience and something I hope Cole holds dear to him forever, as I know I will.

As well as whales, we also saw dolphins swim, jump, and play. On the way back, we stopped near a family of sea lions, all piled up on a floating pontoon, each trying to squeeze in a bit more – such a sweet end to the fantastic tour.

Last stop San Diego for aviation and SeaWorld

The final destination on our California holiday was San Diego, an 80-minute Uber away. We arrived at the Kimpton Alma Hotel where we were staying in their ultra-luxurious Skyline Penthouse suite. After such a non-stop week this was the perfect treat to prepare us for returning to daily life.

We spent the morning soaking up American aviation history at the USS Midway aircraft carrier museum, seeing what life looked like for the crew on board. Cole convinced me to go on the flight simulator, Air Combat 360, which was like taking part in a real-life flying mission. Cole wasted no time before spinning me in somersaults which certainly woke me up for the rest of the day!

Balboa Park brings San Diego’s most exciting attractions

After some souvenir shopping and a quick lunch at Sally’s Fish House and Bar, we spent our afternoon at Balboa Park. The impressive 1200-acre park is home to San Diego’s most exciting museums and attractions. Cole chose the Comic-Con museum to visit first, which was filled with excellent interactive exhibits and hands-on learning through a wide range of activities.

Our final full day was going to be jam-packed, so we filled up on pancakes from The Café restaurant at the hotel before setting off to SeaWorld. We’re always happiest around animals or at a theme park, so SeaWorld is the best of both. We spent a few hours wandering all of the animal exhibits, and loved interacting with them at the Explorer’s Reef.

Although the rides were fast and exciting – just how we like them – the Emperor is not for the faint-hearted! Feeling famished, it was time for a pitstop at Cesarina to watch the experts whip up delicious dishes in the open-air pastificio – taking a doggy bag for the leftovers, as it was too good to leave.

Leaving is hard, but final day memories made our California holiday

Waking up on the final day of our California holiday was bittersweet. However, we planned to make the most of our time, so we chose to go to the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum, finishing our morning of culture with a gentle walk around the Japanese Friendship Garden. The garden was a tranquil haven with the beautiful blossom trees starting to bloom, and made for the perfect end to our trip.

As we bade a reluctant goodbye to California it was time to reflect on what we were taking home from this trip.

Primarily, it gave us the opportunity to switch off, disconnect from our devices, and connect with one another instead. Cole got to see me as more than just ‘Mum’, and I got a glimpse of the man he will become as he helped me with packing, logistics, navigation, and decision-making. We may go back to full family trips, but our mum-son California holiday was a huge success.

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