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Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Family Fun for Your Denver Weekend
Sometimes a long weekend suffices for a quick escape, especially given limited PTO, school days and generally busy modern lifestyles that make weeklong vacations hard to squeeze in. If you're looking for a weekend away with the family, this perfect long weekend itinerary in Denver will inspire your family fun. Portions of this trip were hosted. Let us inspire your travels! Sign up for our newsletter now. Why Here: Casa Bonita, a Denver mainstay since the 1970s, featured kitschy decor, cliff divers and somewhat terrible Mexican food. South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker purchased the restaurant and now offer the same nostalgia with a safer, cleaner, tastier venue. What Not to Miss: Although hidden activities abound, the cliff divers really steal the limelight with dive intervals every 20 minutes. So rest easy, eat your burrito, interact with the restaurant characters and catch a show when you can. Where to Eat: Obviously, you've come for some food but the specialty drinks stand out: indulge in at least one! Money Matters: Our group of four (two adults, two kids) spent right around $200 on lunch. We each had a specialty drink and an entree. The sopapillas come free with every reservation! While somewhat expensive for mediocre Mexican food, you pay for dinner and a show when it all shakes out. The arcade and some activities incur a small upcharge. SheBuysTravel Tip: Make reservations 2-4 months in advance – you can only dine here if you have a reservation. Why Here: The Downtown Aquarium, one of several nationwide managed by Landry's (of Rainforest Cafe, Bubba Gump Shrimp, and several Walt Disney Resort restaurants fame), drew us in with the dive/snorkel program. We likely would skip this stop without the extra in-water program. What Not to Miss: You can actually book snorkeling and scuba diving adventures (which we did) through a local dive shop, A-1 Scuba. In water guides make interacting with cow nose stingrays, guitar fish, jacks and more super chill and fun. All gear is provided and showers are on-site. Where to Eat: Aquarium Restaurant, with a fantastic ambiance and resembling a themed Applebee's in quality, quantity and taste. The drinks really stood out – I recommend the Shark Bite. Quite a juxtaposition: separately, all the ingredients presented nothing special, but the whole experience made for quite a good time. Money Matters: Two snorkelers and two scuba divers cost $700. The price included our aquarium visit and a souvenir t-shirt. The behind-the-scenes scuba and snorkel experience really elevated our aquarium visit. Without this elevated experience, the restaurant might have just been a mediocre, crowded itinerary stop. At the on-site restaurant, drinks, meals, and dessert for four totaled around $250. SheBuysTravel Tip: The in-water programs book fast. Make a reservation a few weeks in advance, at least. You have to do so separately from the aquarium, through the scuba shop. Anyone not in the water will need to purchase admission to the aquarium. The restaurant didn't prove terribly hard to secure reservations, but to do so helps plan for a successful day! Why Here: Meow Wolf boasts several locations throughout the USA, including this one, part art exhibit, part amusement venue. It ranks among those life experiences demanding firsthand experience. Featuring four levels, Convergence Station transports you through areas recalling a frozen glittery land, bright pizzascapes reminiscent of 1990s-era Nickelodeon illustrations, spots feeling intergalactic, and even a laundromat. Sounds accompany the visual experience. Our ten-year-old loved the experience most of all. What not to Miss: Pinpointing what we missed is difficult. During your briefing, you hear that 'no correct way exists to explore' and that 'if you feel lost, you're doing it right.' I would say, you do need to interact by opening doors, pushing buttons, and really immersing yourself in the fun. Where to eat: While a lounge and cafe exist, we opted to eat before visiting Meow Wolf, so we cannot comment much on the food situation. However, after exploring the mind-blowing exhibits and walking through the lounge on our way out, I actually mistook a display of half-eaten food and drink on an abandoned table for art! Money Matters: Reserve an entry time online. For the four of us, ticket prices would have totaled around $200 for an afternoon of adventures in art. Parking costs $10 with plenty of space in a surface lot. SheBuysTravel Tip: Wear comfortable shoes – you'll "feel" the concrete floors as you walk and try to find all the exhibits' nooks and crannies. Why here: Fun for a special dinner or date night, sharing tapas with a small group works perfectly at Linger. This popular restaurant, occupying an old mortuary building, has no kids menu, but the kids enjoyed some "eating adventures" while trying menu items including wagyu sliders and bison kebabs. We ordered several plates and shared them around the table. What not to Miss: The bao bun trio remains my favorite go-to menu item at this spot. A good action plan involves everyone ordering something different and then just sharing bites. The mimosas also delight for a Sunday brunch. You really can't find bad food. Where to eat: You're here to savor Denver's flavors. Maybe let them linger a while… Our server mentioned that the restaurant occupies the part of the building where the hearses parked – which makes sense considering the large garage door-style windows on one wall. Whether seated upstairs or downstairs, no bad spot exists. Money Matters: This dining experience won't break the bank with on-average $20 entrees. Special menus appear at times, and expensive options, like any menu, run $40-$50. Our party of four ate dinner for about $100. SheBuysTravel Tip: You MUST make a reservation if you don't want to stand in the street waiting for an hour. A crowd-pleasing small-batch ice cream joint operates on the street level next door to Linger for a little dessert, if you have any room at all! Why here: The VīB in Denver's artsy River North (RiNo) district offered a super convenient basecamp for our long weekend. Centrally located, about 20 minutes from all the adventures we had planned, and with easy access to the Colorado Rockies games. What Not to Miss: Special events like Trivia and Bingo occur on the rooftop patio (or inside when chilly) – check for information on these free and well-attended events. The energy suits any crowd with a vibe all its own. Where to eat: The food on-site worked perfectly for starting our day and provided a fun spot to chill in the evenings. The hotel features a breakfast and coffee shop for mornings and McDevitt Taco Supply, a cool rooftop patio bar/restaurant. Money Matters: A night here costs around $150-265 depending on season and day of the week. The taco restaurant proves affordable, and you will save in the end by its central location for rideshare costs or even driving and time. SheBuysTravel Tip: Streetside parking exists FREE and limited. About eight coveted parking spots are available; otherwise, easy ramp parking exists. Coors Field: Home of the Colorado Rockies. Catch a tour or see a game during baseball season. I recommend the lobster roll – a bold choice in a landlocked American ballpark, but you won't regret it!Denver Zoo: Lots of exhibits, many newly renovated, and for grown-ups – stands selling cold beers in eco-friendly Big Blue Bear: Near Denver's Convention Center in the heart of downtown. Great photo op but with tricky parking. We made a quick run to the giant azure oso, snapped our selfies, and ran back to the car. You may not want to take my advice on repeating this operation!One Mile High step: At 5,280 feet above sea level, the step on the Denver Courthouse. Great photo op also in downtown. While we were there, one of the biggest protests in Colorado history was taking place, so we didn't go for the picture. Rocky Mountain National Park: 90-minute drive northwest of Denver. Make sure to check the weather, so you're able to get as far up into the mountainous landscape as you can. In 2025, prepare for the usual locations to be unstaffed or have some services Tacos and elote near the airport on Tower Road. I can confirm the delicious nature makes this a perfect stop before flying out. Fun Day Trips From Denver for Epic Colorado AdventuresFun Things to Do in Downtown Denver with KidsFree Things to Do in Denver in WinterIconic Colorado Road Trips for Families The post Family Fun for Your Denver Weekend appeared first on She Buys Travel. Copyright © 2025 SheBuysTravel · All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Miami Herald
How to Spend 2 Days in Temecula: Wineries, Hiking and Dancing!
Planning family trips with adult children can be tricky, between juggling schedules and finding a destination that appeals to everyone. But there's a silver lining: you can enjoy more grown-up experiences, like wineries and casinos. I've found the best approach is to: Choose a place with a variety of activitiesBe flexible-sometimes you're all together, sometimes not Temecula Valley, about an hour from San Diego, was the perfect fit for a 48-hour getaway. With its rolling vineyards, charming Old Town and laid-back vibe, it offered something for everyone in our family, from wine tastings to exploring and relaxing. If you're asking yourself, "Where the heck is Temecula?" you're not alone. I was considering Las Vegas, Palm Springs, San Diego and Orange County as destinations for our family vacation, but SheBuysTravel founder Kim Orlando suggested Temecula. She explored it along with other Southern California mini-vacation destinations and had a great time. Temecula is located about an hour's drive from either of the airports in Orange County and it's just 60 miles north of San Diego and 90 miles south of Los Angeles in a region called the Inland Empire. Think of the Empire as a bridge between SoCal's beaches and the desert. The rolling hills of Temecula will definitely put you in a Mediterranean frame of mind. Many times during our trip, I forgot that I was just a little over an hour from San Diego. The primary draw to Temecula for visitors is the area's wineries. The Temecula Wine Growers Association represents more than 30 Temecula wineries with nearly 2,500 cultivated acres. That's a lot of grapes. California is the leading wine-producing state in the United States. It makes nearly 90 percent of all American wine, according to the Wine Institute. So it should come as a surprise that choosing a Temecula winery to visit is a challenge. I got a little overwhelmed, driving along the Rancho California Road, the primary artery in Temecula. So many wines. So little time. Check the winery websites to find a match for you and your group. If you want live music, Lorimar Vineyards and Winery is known for its tasting room concerts. Maybe you'd like to learn more about wine and food pairing? The Restaurant at Leoness Cellars is well known for its cuisine. Want to make the most out of your tasting experience? The Palumbo Family Vineyards & Winery offers a mini-tour and tasting combo. Additional Temecula Winery suggestions: You can visit the oldest operating one in the area, the Callaway Vineyard & Winery. Like many of the wineries, Callaway has a wine club. It's a great way to bring the taste of Temecula wines home with you'd like to try something new, the BOTTAIA winery offers a 21+ restricted experience. Instead of the Mediterranean look popular at other Temecula wineries and resorts, BOTTAIA features a modern farmhouse design. Besides the wine, the draw here is a pool club set in the popular wineries in Temecula are Falkner Winery, Miramonte Winery, the Carter Estate Winery and South Coast Winery. If you're going to hit more than one of the Temecula wineries, and you don't have a designated driver, I definitely suggest using one of the area's wine country tour companies. Not only will you have a designated driver, but you'll have an expert's advice on where to sample the best zinfandel, syrah or cabernet sauvignon. We chose the Ponte Vineyard Inn as our family vacation headquarters. I'd originally tried to book the South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, but it was sold out during the busy Christmas season. The Ponte Winery proved to be an ideal setting for us. Constructed in traditional California mission-style, the Inn features a central lobby/restaurant building with two wings of rooms. Think of it as a "U" that flanks a stunning courtyard overlooking the vineyards. Our time in Temecula was brief, but we managed to pack in a ton of fun. Based on our adventure, I'd suggest the following 2-day itinerary if you plan a weekend getaway from the San Diego area to Temecula. Friday Check into your Temecula hotel, do the dirty deed of unpacking and start your unwinding. If you're staying at a winery property, enjoy a glass of the house wine while you handle these logistics. Ponte Winery gave us glasses of Moscato. Sparkling wine makes even the dullest of chores seem like a party! Friday Evening One of the elements of traveling with adult children is that you don't necessarily arrive all together. Staying close to the hotel on Day 1 means that everyone can be welcomed as they roll in — even your son, who somehow misinterpreted his flight itinerary and arrived at 10 p.m. instead of 10 a.m.! Explore the property. Quiz the front desk about things to do. And, when the tummy rumbles start, move the family herd to the hotel restaurant. It's easier than trying to convince everyone to get back into cars, I've found. We chose The Cellar, Ponte's lounge-style eatery. It was humming with large, boisterous groups, so we fit right in. After dinner, take a bottle of wine outside and enjoy some laughs and talk about your plans for the weekend. California nights are always a bit chilly; dress warmly or snuggle up to a fire pit if there's one outside. Saturday If ballooning is on your list of bucket list experiences, make arrangements in advance with one of the companies offering hot air balloon rides over the Temecula vineyards and head up, up and away! Saturday Brunch If your group is splitting up for activities, make time to have brunch together first. One of the things I always ask the front desk in a new place is, "Where do we go for a local, hearty breakfast?" In Temecula, try Mo's Egg House. Don't go when you're ravenous because you'll have to wait for a table on weekends. It's worth it. Our waitress, Laurie, must have been a standup comedian in another life. She served up jokes along with bottomless cups of coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice and bountiful platters of Benedicts (the hollandaise was perfect!), omelettes and more. Oh. And the biscuits. Order a side of biscuits and country gravy and pass it around the table. Then burp. You'll feel better. Trust me. Saturday During the Day After loading up on the fats and carbs, it's time to get moving. We splintered at this point. Here are two options for Saturday morning in Temecula. Golfers can check out The Legends Golf Club, one of Temecula's many courses. Each hole is dedicated to one of the sport's all-stars, including Nicklaus, Palmer and Snead. My son found the course to be challenging but not frustrating. Getting outside and enjoying the beautiful California weather is a must-do, so some of us opted to hoof it. There are two large recreation areas, excellent for hiking in and near Temecula: Lake Skinner offers waterfront trails; it's a popular fishing spot, known for trout, catfish and largemouth bass. The Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve has 9,000 acres to explore with a variety of trails. We hiked the Granite Loop trail, which featured large stone formations. I'd love to go back and head to the opposite side of the reserve. There are two adobes that date back to the mid-1800s and are the oldest standing buildings in Riverside County. Saturday Afternoon Time for a winery tour. By choosing Ponte Winery as our base of operations near Temecula wine country, we could walk to 3 different Temecula wineries: Ponte, Wiens Family Cellars and South Coast, a destination resort and spa. This eliminated one of the problems with winery visits – choosing who gets stuck as the designated driver. Of course you can always hire a driver. I find it's the best way to explore wine regions like New York's Finger Lakes or Stellenbosch in South Africa. Several companies in the area arrange winery tours in Temecula via limo, antique cars and horse-drawn trolleys! Even if you don't drink, go! The Temecula wineries are beautiful to photograph so it really is one of the best things to do in southern California. We enjoyed the walk and drink approach, but we thought we'd be able to get a light lunch. There was a limited number of packaged cheese and meat combos and crackers available at South Coast. If we were to do this again, we'd pack a picnic to snack on while wine tasting. Our favorite? I'm not embarrassed to admit that the group unanimously enjoyed an inexpensive South Coast varietal blend called Big Red Sunshine! Saturday Night After post-wine naps, the group again decided to divide and conquer. Here are two suggestions for food and fun during the evening in Temecula. If you enjoy gambling, check out the Pechanga Resort and Casino. We commandeered a blackjack table for our family. Unlike other casinos we've visited, the dealers and pit bosses were friendly and seemed genuinely interested in seeing us walk out of the place as winners. They cheered on our good luck streaks and consoled us during downturns. We made such a ruckus, a crowd gathered around our $5-a-hand table as if we were high rollers betting the house limit! We chose to stay at Pechanga for dinner. The food court was a drab, crowded affair so we headed to Kelsey's, one of the resort restaurants. It was formerly a sports bar so it had massive television screens. We didn't expect the food to be anything but passable, but we were pleasantly surprised. The menu features traditional pub offerings, complemented by BBQ options. I highly recommend the smokehouse nachos – which featured roasted corn, black beans, cheese and smoked tri-tip steak. After checking out of your hotel, head to Old Town Temecula. Restored to resemble its 1800s self, Old Town has a variety of shops and restaurants and you can stroll along sections of wooden sidewalks that resemble mini boardwalks. Grab brunch at the PUBlic House before heading out of town, especially if the weather's nice and you can sit on the backyard shaded terrace. The restaurant does things, food-wise, with jalapenos that will make your eyes water – in a good way. The family headed out from Temecula, north to Pasadena for a few more days before leaving for our assorted homes. We took with us a few bottles of Ponte Vineyard Moscato and made sure we practiced the El Paso Cha Cha every time we heard a country tune. Read More: 14 Fun Things to Do in Temecula With (and Without) KidsEpic Mother-Daughter Trips to Bond with Your Best GirlHidden Gems in Southern California – A Local's GuideSplash into Fun! Top San Diego Beaches for Sandcastles, Sunsets and SurfingWhen You Want a Hotel Room for $100 a Night, Where Can You Stay Worry-Free? At a Signature Inn. The post How to Spend 2 Days in Temecula: Wineries, Hiking and Dancing! appeared first on She Buys Travel. Copyright © 2025 SheBuysTravel · All Rights Reserved
