Irvine Park Railroad Easter Eggstravaganza 2020 + {GIVEAWAY}

The weather might not be able to makeup it's mind here in Orange County, but the first day of spring is just around the corner and that means that it is time for the Easter Bunny to hop back to the Irvine Park Railroad for the annual Easter Eggstravaganza! All the festivities begin Saturday, March 21st and run through Saturday, April 11th. Grace knows that when the IPRR Easter Eggstravaganza is here, it means it's also time for her birthday! So it is always one of our most favorite times of the year at the Irvine Park Railroad because the weather is gorgeous and the fun activities are plentiful! 

Disclaimer: My family was invited to a media event. All opinions are my own.

There are daily egg hunts for children starting at 10:00am on weekdays and 9:00am on weekends. You buy tickets and exchange them for a wristband for a specific egg hunt time. Make sure you check the schedule before you go, because the egg hunts are for certain age groups at different times. It is also best to get your wristbands early because egg hunt times can fill up.

I love how organized the egg hunts are and the egg hunt referees give all the kids the rules before the hunt begins. The egg hunt referees are also pretty funny, so be sure to listen for a joke here and there.

There is a big sign that tells which wristband is hunting during that time period. I always worry at events where a lot of kids (and over excited parents!) are involved that there will be chaos. But the Irvine Park Railroad staff has it down! They have rules, they teach everyone the rules, and they enforce the rules. I appreciate that because then all the kids are safe.

Don't forget to bring your Easter baskets to the egg hunt, but if you do,  the Irvine Park Railroad will have baskets you can purchase.

All the eggs contain either a candy or a prize, so everyone is a winner! There are also sometimes fun prizes - like bunny ears - hidden among the grass too. You can even win tickets for free activities inside some of the eggs! And there is a lot of candy besides the eggs and you can pick up as much candy as you'd like.

The kids can also meet the Easter Bunny for $12 and receive a complimentary photo taken by the Irvine Park Railroad staff. Each additional print is $6.00 and all photos are printed in a few short minutes at the Easter Bunny booth while you wait.

While you're there, don't forget to catch a ride on the train, take a hay ride, bounce in the moon bounce, decorate an Easter cookie, get your face painted, or play the carnival games - where everyone wins!!!

{{{GIVEAWAY}}}

I'm so excited that the Irvine Park Railroad folks are letting me give away a
great prize package:

8 Tickets  
(which can be used to ride the train OR participate in activities)

1 Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park Double Surrey Bike Rental

1 Paddle Boat Rental

Prize value is $108.00
Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2019 Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch + #GIVEAWAY

Disclosure: My family was invited to a media day to explore the Pumpkin Patch.

It might be HOT in Orange County right now, but that isn't stopping Irvine Park Railroad from transforming into its annual Pumpkin Patch - featuring thousands of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes! The 14th Annual Pumpkin Patch is open daily through October 31st. Irvine Park Railroad is tucked back into the foothills of Orange, California and is a beautiful (and fun!) place to spend an afternoon with the family.

This year's activities include:

train rides 

hay rides 

panning for gold 

child friendly haunted house 

hay maze 

moon bounce 

carnival games 

cookie decorating 

John Deere tractor races 

face painting 

picture stands 

yummy food!

Admission to the Pumpkin Patch is FREE and prices for the other activities vary. You can find out more about pricing by visiting the Irvine Park Railroad website. The parking fee for Irvine Regional Park is $3.00 per vehicle on weekdays and $5.00 per vehicle on weekends. As it gets closer to Halloween, the Railroad gets busier! So make plans to arrive early to avoid crowds - especially on the weekends.

We always have a great time at the Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch. The kids start asking in August when it will be time to get their faces painted and pick out the perfect pumpkin from the plethora of pumpkins! JT loves the "haunted house" and Isabella loves playing all the carnival games, and Grace is crazy for the cookie decorating and face painting! I love all the giant pumpkins and the hay ride - such a great Fall activity!

{DATES AND HOURS}

The Pumpkin Patch is open daily September 14th through October 31st.

Weekdays 10am-5pm

Weekends 10am-6pm

Starting October 1st, the Pumpkin Patch will open at 8:00am on weekends!

{Irvine Park Railroad's "Great Pumpkin Weigh Off!"}

This activity will take place on Saturday, September 21st starting at 10:00 am. Come see if local pumpkin growers have what it takes to grow the biggest pumpkin in Orange County. Cash prizes will be awarded and KTLA Channel 5 weatherman Henry DiCarlo will host the event.

{GIVEAWAY}

Our amazing friends at Irvine Park Railroad are offering my readers

the chance to win:

8 tickets 
(can be used for the train or Pumpkin Patch activities)
1 Wheel Fun Rentals paddle boat rental
1 Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park 
4 tickets to the OC Zoo
(an $106 value)

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Irvine Park Railroad Easter Eggstravaganza 2019 {GIVEAWAY}

Spring has sprung here in Orange County and that means that it is time for the Easter Bunny to hop back to the Irvine Park Railroad for the annual Easter Eggstravaganza Saturday, March 30th through Saturday, April 20th. It's one of our most favorite times of the year at the Irvine Park Railroad because the weather is gorgeous and the fun activities are plentiful! 

Disclaimer: My family was invited to a media event. All opinions are my own.

There are daily egg hunts for children starting at 10:00am on weekdays and 9:00am on weekends. You buy tickets and exchange them for a wristband for a specific egg hunt time. Make sure you check the schedule before you go, because the egg hunts are for certain age groups at different times. It is also best to get your wristbands early because egg hunt times can fill up.

I love how organized the egg hunts are and the egg hunt referees give all the kids the rules before the hunt begins. The egg hunt referees are also pretty funny, so be sure to listen for a joke here and there.

There is a big sign that tells which wristband is hunting during that time period. I always worry at events where a lot of kids (and over excited parents!) are involved that there will be chaos. But the Irvine Park Railroad staff has it down! They have strict rules, they teach everyone the rules, and they enforce the rules. I appreciate that because then all the kids are safe.

Don't forget to bring your Easter baskets to the egg hunt, but if you do,  the Irvine Park Railroad will have baskets you can purchase.

All the eggs contain either a candy or a prize, so everyone is a winner! There are also sometimes fun prizes - like bunny ears - hidden among the grass too. You can even win tickets for free activities inside some of the eggs! And there is a lot of candy besides the eggs and you can pick up as much candy as you'd like.

The kids can also meet the Easter Bunny for $12 and receive a complimentary photo taken by the Irvine Park Railroad staff. Each additional print is $6.00 and all photos are printed in a few short minutes at the Easter Bunny booth while you wait.

While you're there, don't forget to catch a ride on the train, take a hay ride, bounce in the moon bounce, decorate an Easter cookie, get your face painted, or play the carnival games - where everyone wins!!!

{{{GIVEAWAY}}}

I'm so excited that the Irvine Park Railroad folks are letting me give away a
great prize package:

8 Tickets  
(which can be used to ride the train OR participate in activities)

1 Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park Double Surrey Bike Rental

Prize value is $88.00
Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Big Air Trampoline Park Hosts a Real Fortnite Night! #Fortnite

Knocked.

Mats.

Minis.

Newb.

Orange Justice.

If you know any of the above terminology, chances are you have someone at your house that plays Fortnite. It's a HUGE deal around our house, so when we found out that Big Air Trampoline Park in Laguna Hills is hosting the chance to play Fortnite in real life, my Fortnite loving kid was ecstatic!

This Friday, August 31st from 8pm-11pm Big Air OC will be transformed into the map and you'll have the chance to jump, climb, grab weapons, build structures, and escape the looming storm. And while you're waiting for your battle to begin, you can slurp some juice, play in the game truck, and enjoy music and a Floss-off dance contest!

{THE DETAILS}

What? 

Big Air’s Fortnite will be a Fortnite-themed event leveraging the entire park and laser-tag technology. 20 kids at a time will enter the map for a six-minute session — finding weapons, building structures and escaping the storm. Outside while participants are waiting, Fortnite-themed concessions will be sold — including Slurp Juice — and a Fornite game truck will be included. Top players’ gameplay will be displayed on a massive, 20-foot projection screen. Plus, special lighting, music, and a Floss-off dance contest (with prizes)!.

Who? 

All ages!

Where? 

Big Air Trampoline Park in Laguna Hills

When? 

Friday, August 31st from 8-11pm

How much?

$15 | One game + unlimited game truck + dance party

$25 | Unlimited games + unlimited game truck + dance party

Don't "Take the L" and make sure you get your tickets to this fun event at Big Air Trampoline Park before they sell out! We can't wait to get our battle royale on and enjoy a little slurp juice!!

Panini Kabob Grill at the Kaleidoscope Mission Viejo + #GIVEAWAY

Panini Kabob Grill is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo, and you're going to want to visit soon and try them all! Panini Kabob Grill serves up a fresh, healthy, and high quality Mediterranean menu and we loved everything that we tried on our recent visit for lunch. I love when we find a family friendly restaurant where everyone can find something they like and no one complains! It's every mom's dream!!

We started with the Hummus Trio and just like the menu says - it's a must! I figured that I would have this delicious looking plate all to myself, but the kids went crazy for the warm whole wheat pita bread and the delicious hummus. It comes with a combination of garbanzo, black bean, and edamame hummus and they were all amazing! Our waiter was so kind and brought extra pita bread when the kids finished the bread before all of our hummus was gone.

The restaurant serves a variety of salads, panini sandwiches, and wraps. JT decided to have the Turkey Club and he loved it! He opted for the Caesar salad as his side and loved both the sandwich and the salad. All the sandwiches are served on Tuscan style country bread, except for the Tuna Melt which is served on whole grain bread. All the chicken and turkey they serve at the restaurant are all natural raised without antibiotics and are vegetarian grain fed.

Panini Kabob Grill also has a great Kids Menu and both of my girls ordered the 7" cheese pizza. The menu is for 12 and under and there are breakfast and lunch/dinner options.



I couldn't go to Panini Kabob Grill and not get a kabob! I had the Jumbo Shrimp Kabob and it was amazing! The shrimp were HUGE! I chose the basmati rice and the Mediterranean Greek salad and I thought both choices were perfect with the shrimp kabob. Again, the chicken, beef, and lamb are 100% vegetarian fed and antibiotic and hormone free.

The kabob platters can also be ordered as family combos so that you can share the deliciousness! There are also several vegetarian options and all platters can be split for an additional charge.

Breakfast is served Wednesdays until 11:00am and on weekends until 3:00pm. So it's the perfect weekend brunch spot!

It's located on the side of Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo and it has it's own small parking lot with about eight spaces in front of the restaurant. For your convenience you can park in that lot or Plaza Level of the parking garage - near Burke Williams Spa - and walk around to the restaurant. It also has great patio seating and excellent service!

Panini Kabob Grill

27741 Crown Valley Parkway, Suite 212

Mission Viejo

HOURS

Daily 8:00am to 9:30pm

http://paninikabobgrill.com/our-locations/mission-viejo/

{GIVEAWAY}

Enter to win a $50 gift card to Panini Kabob Grill in Mission Viejo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top 10 Tips for Enjoying a Day at Knott's Soak City Water Park

One of my favorite thing about summer time in Orange County is all the great options for water play with the family. One of our favorite places to cool off and splash around is Knott's Soak City! If you've never been, you'll definitely want to add it to your summer bucket list. And if you have, then you're going to want to make sure you make a return visit this summer and enjoy all that Knott's Soak City has to offer.

I love Knott's Soak City because it is easy to navigate and get around and there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy! So join me as I give you my TOP 10 TIPS for enjoying Knott's Soak City to the fullest!

{1} GRAB A MAP - MAKE A PLAN
If your family is anything like mine, then they all want to do something different when you arrive somewhere and everyone wants to take off in a different direction. If you check out a Knott's Soak City map before you get to the water park, you can make a plan for where you'll try to sit, where you'll meet if you get separated and maybe make a rough schedule for what you want to do during your visit.

{2} GET THERE EARLY

To make sure that you get seats in the shade and can get on some of the more popular water slides before the lines get long, you'll want to arrive early. This means that if the park opens at 10:00am, I like to be parked and in line by 9:30 so that we can get through security and find our seats in the shade for the day.
The grass areas are also up for grabs, so a lot of people bring their own chairs and umbrellas and set up in the grass for the day. If you do bring an umbrella, it has to be less than 8' in diameter.

{3} BRING WATER

You'll want to stay hydrated and bottled water and sports drinks are one of the things you can bring into Soak City. You can bring small hand-held coolers that don't exceed 12"x18" and contain only water and sports drinks. 

{4} WEAR FLIP FLOPS

The ground can get really hot - especially on the bridges! So wear a cheap pair of flip flops wherever you go in the park. You won't be able to wear them on most of the slides, so make sure it's a pair you're okay leaving them at the ride entrance while you ride.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Willey

{5} RENT A LOCKER (OR A CABANA)

You can rent a small locker for $15 and it's the best choice to make at the water park. It's a great place to store your keys and other important personal items (WALLET!) so that you can feel free to play and not worry about leaving it unattended while you float the lazy river a half dozen times.

If you're up for fancier accommodations, consider renting a cabana for you and seven of your closest friends. You'll get a patio table with umbrella and four chairs, four lounge chairs, 4 inner tube rentals, and waiter service. 

{6} BRING A WATERPROOF PHONE CASE
I like to keep my phone with me while I'm the water park to take pictures and to be reachable in case of emergency. So, I always bring my waterproof phone case to keep my phone safe and dry. My favorite is the Extra Large Waterproof Floating Case by CaliCase because it floats and it's HOT PINK! If you forget to bring one, there is a gift shop inside Soak City that has cases for sale.

{7} GO ON THE POPULAR SLIDES FIRST
Lines on the big slides can get backed up, so you'll definitely want to ride slides like The Wedge, Shore Break, and Banzai Fall first thing. As soon as we get settled in our spot for the day, I tell the kids to pick the slide they want to go on most and go there first!

{8} GET THE ONION RINGS (AND THE SOUVENIR BOTTLE!)
Seriously. They are delicious! You'll thank me! The kids were crazy for the chicken tenders and we split all the food between the four of us and everyone was fueled and ready for more fun!

You'll also want to grab a refillable souvenir bottle for drinks! It's only $11.99 online and you get FREE REFILLS the entire first day of purchase. Then refills are only $1.00 on any future visit and can be used at both Soak City and Knott's Berry Farm. Boysenberry Punch, y'all!



{9} BRING FRIENDS
Soak City is WAY more fun when you have friends to enjoy it with! The kids can buddy up and go on all their favorite slides together - it's awesome! You can also get Knott's Berry Farm Gold Season Pass so that you can enjoy Soak City all summer!

{10} DON'T FORGET THE ESSENTIALS

If you're going to be at Soak City all day, you're going to want to make sure that you have everything you'll need to make sure the day is enjoyable for everyone.

So, don't forget:

*sunscreen

*towels (there is no towel rental)

*sunglasses

*hat
*cover-up

*US Coast Guard approved puddle jumper

*swim diapers

Additionally, leave the following items at home, because they won't let you bring them in:

*glass containers of any kind

*large coolers

*pool floats (sorry, no giant unicorn floaties!)

*snorkels and/or fins

There you have my TOP 10 TIPS for a successful day at Knott's Soak City. You can check out our FIVE FAVORITE THINGS about Knott's Soak City too for even more great info about this awesome water park.

WHAT'S YOUR BEST TIP FOR ENJOYING A DAY AT THE WATER PARK?