family

Hersheypark for the holidays

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged central pa / family / hershey / holidays 2024 / outfits by

wearing: earrings / pink scarf / down coat (old, similar here) / long sleeve tee / wide leg jeans / comfy sneakers /

I have always wanted to go to Hersheypark. This past Thanksgiving week I finally got my chance! The park is decorated for the holidays, so we went in the evening in order to enjoy the lights and holiday theme. This turned out to be a good idea since the park isn’t very crowded during the week at 5pm. Although I purchased a fast pass for my family, it turned out that the pass wasn’t really needed. The lines were short, and it was easy to walk around. I imagine on a warm summer day the place is packed solid!

Hersheypark is located in Hershey PA, and it is home to the delicious chocolate we all grew up with. One of the first things we noticed upon entering the park is the sweet smell of chocolate. It was amazing. The chocolate theme is fun and definitely makes you crave chocolate! haha

We went on several rides including the Ferris wheel, Reese’s Cupfusion, the merry-go-round, swings, classic cars, a train ride, and more! The park includes rides for all ages and tastes. There are several roller coasters and thrilling rides. For food, we enjoyed a hot dog before indulging in chocolate.

Since it was cold outside, we opted for hot cocoa in order to get our chocolate fix. It was really yummy! After all, we are in the town where chocolate is made!

Hershey PA gets quite chilly in the late fall, early winter months. So, I opted to wear my heavy down coat and bundle up with my pink scarf. I should have brought gloves, but I accidently left them in my suitcase. Rookie mistake. Bring gloves if you visit at night! If your coat does not have a hood, wear a snow hat or beanie too.

Since I knew there would be plenty of walking, I wore my Hoka’s and they were perfect. My feet were happy! Love that!

After we enjoyed the park, we visited the gift shop-of course! They have tons of chocolate flavors and offerings not found in other locations. It was a chocolate dream! So, if you visit Hersheypark, remember to hit up the chocolate shop on your way out and get ready to indulge. Leave room in your suitcase for chocolate, that’s all I have to say. You might go a little crazy in the shop.

You can learn more about Hersheypark, and buy tickets, at Hersheypark.com.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Muir Woods family hike

 in Fitness  tagged family / hiking / lifestyle / outdoor fitness / outfits / staycation by

wearing: blue tee / backpack (old, also love this one) / black belt / jeans / nail polish / statement earrings / hiking boots (old, also love this pair) /

If you are local to the San Francisco Bay Area, there is a good chance you have visited Muir Woods at some point in your life. If not, what are you waiting for? People from around the world make it a point to visit Muir Woods when they travel to San Francisco, so definitely make sure it gets on your to do list!

Muir Woods is filled with old growth redwood trees, many of which have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. There have also been historical events which occurred at Muir Woods such as when the UN met in San Francisco to get organized, they visited Muir Woods and even took a picture!

Since Muir Woods is such a popular destination, a reservation system has been put in place for visitors. I have to admit, I love the reservation system. I remember when you just showed up on a whim. The parking lot would be gridlock and there would be way too many people on the trails. With the reservation system, traffic is controlled, and the trails are not crowded. It really is better for the environment as well as the overall experience. Love it!

Speaking of the trails, there is a trail for every hiking level at Muir Woods. You can walk along the flat trail and learn about the history of the park, or you can wander onto one of the many trails which take your through the park. We found a trail which was moderately challenging and took two hours to complete.

You can learn more about Muir Woods and make reservations at GoMuirWoods.com. Be sure to print your tickets at home, there isn’t any cell service at Muir Woods.

I recommend getting an early morning reservation to beat the summer heat. This will clear up your afternoon so you can explore Marin County, or head back into the city to play tourist.

Enjoy your visit and also bring a water bottle, wear hiking boots, and watch for ticks.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Places to eat in Chinatown

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged family / outfits / restaurants / san francisco / staycation by

wearing: statement earrings / sweater (sold out, similar here) / black handbag / bracelets (local designer) / summer nail polish / black belt / jeans (sold out, also love these) / sneakers /

It is always a fun day in Chinatown with our family. We tend to gravitate towards the same restaurants when we visit, but this time we decided to try a new place, and we are so glad we did!

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company

We started our day by visiting the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company. While an obvious tourist destination, us locals love going there too! They have really yummy chocolate dipped fortune cookies. If you visit the city, be sure to pop in and pick up some cookies!

Far East Cafe

On KTVU Amber Lee filmed a segment where she highlighted her favorite places to go in Chinatown. She mentioned Far East Cafe and how it has been in the city for over one hundred years. How did I not know about this restaurant? So, of course, we had to try it!

Far East Cafe has a large menu and we ordered just enough for the five us to enjoy for lunch. The decor inside the restaurant is traditional and the overall vibe is old school San Francisco. Love that! We will definitely go back in the future!

Another recommendation by Amber Lee was to try the mango cake and mango desserts at AA Bakery. Unfortunately, I forgot to snap pictures, but take my word, it is delicious! We tried mango pudding as well as other breads and pastries which we took home. We will be back there too! The food is delicious and next time we want to pick up a full mango cake. Yum!

Hi Sweetie Tea and Treats

What day is complete without boba? We found the cutest boba place with squishies for sale, and games you can play while enjoying your afternoon boba. Hi Sweetie Tea and Treats was a fun place to pop into for tea and few games. The Creme Brulee boba is my favorite. yum!

Our family also loves the moon cakes at Eastern Bakery. So, we picked up a box to bring home, as well as an order of their sesame balls. Seriously, they have the best sesame balls; and they are huge! I highly recommend enjoying one while they are warm. So yummy!

Locations:

Far East Cafe is located at 631 Grant Ave., San Francisco.

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory is located at 56 Ross Alley in San Francisco.

AA Bakery is located at 1068 Stockton Street in San Francisco.

Hi Sweetie Tea and Treats is located at 775 Jackson Street in San Francisco.

Eastern Bakery is located at 720 Grant Ave., in San Francisco.

I hope you have a chance to try at least one of these yummy locations!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy