Last month we ventured to Los Angeles for our first long distance vacation with Lennon. We were excited for some sun and relaxation and even more excited that my mom and sister were joining us (ahem babysitters ahem). Perry and I have been to Los Angeles on multiple occasions (3 times for me and 4 for Perry) as has my sister, Melina so the great thing about this is there wasn't much planning involved and we didn't feel like we needed to run around to see every attraction that LA has to offer. My mom and dad visited in the 1980s for their honeymoon so it had been a long time for her but she was not fussed about what we did and was just happy to not be sat at a desk. Being a place we had already visited and having the extra hands made LA a great first choice for our first family trip. Here's how it went down!

After surviving Lennon's first plane ride (or more so our first plane ride with a baby in tow), we took a courtesy shuttle to Payless Car Rental to rent a car. Having read the reviews, we were anticipating a long line and a long line is what we arrived to. We couldn't complain though with the ridiculously cheap rate of . We waited about 45 minutes to see an agent that then directed us to a location in the parking lot to pick out a car of our choice. There were no cars left in the category we selected so we got to pick one from the next level (which worked out in our favor as we had a LOT of baggage). Despite having 1.5 stars out of a possible 5, the staff does really try their best and the rates are unbeatable! (An aside: what is even more unbeatable? It cost us only $27.50 to fill up at the end of the trip....5 days of driving all over LA! I couldn't believe it)!

The one stressful thing there was about planning this trip was the accommodations. We were trying to keep spending to a minimum but the exchange rate was not improving. When Perry and I visited in 2013, we stayed in the Hollywood Downtowner Inn, a budget hotel/motel that was in a very convenient location and had everything we needed at a price that didn't break the bank (and included breakfast on top of that). We booked a room at the same hotel for a nominal price of $475 US and since there would be 4 of us, that worked out to a price that fit the budget. We contemplated booking two rooms but with the exchange rate being the way it was, we thought we would just keep the one room, especially since we weren't planning on spending much time in our room. My one concern was how Lennon's bedtime would work out, especially since there wasn't another room to put him in. We looked at booking a room at Embassy Suites which we have stayed at plenty of times before and would have worked well as the rooms offer a living room and bedroom and would allow us to put him to sleep in the bedroom while we unwinded in the living room. The rates were much more though and we figured we could spend that money elsewhere (and seeing as we have a 5 week trip to Europe booked for the upcoming month, it made sense to us to not prioritize staying in a pricier hotel). We called the Hollywood Downtowner Inn to see if they had a family suite and they mentioned they had something in the works but would not be ready for our arrival. I called a few days before as well to see if the suite was ready but the representative I spoke with was a bit vague. We brought along the playpen and thought we could set it up in the kitchenette and move it to the room when we would go to bed or just bring him into bed with us when we went to bed. We had no idea how it would work and just thought we would play it by ear. It had been a long day and we were exhausted so we were really looking forward to getting some rest. 

We finally arrived to the hotel at about 9:30pm - way past Lennon's 7 o'clock bedtime - and the lady at front desk had the best news for us after such a long day of travel: we had been upgraded to a suite! I was so happy, I could have kissed her! They had a suite after all but it is not bookable online as sometimes they rent it out long term. The suite had two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a bathroom. It was basic but just what we needed as we could put Lennon to sleep in our room and unwind in the room my mom and sister were sharing. We were very excited about this and it just made our day. We slept VERY well and when we awoke the next morning: time to explore LA!

Our first full day included a stop to the airport to pick up my sister (she took a different flight due to work obligations). Since the airport was close to the coast, we headed to Venice Beach for a stroll and some people watching. I don't find Venice Beach to be anything that spectacular but it seems like a must do when in LA. I would have loved to rent a bike and go for a bike ride but we weren't in a situation to do that yet. We watched some street performers, enjoyed the blue skies and palm trees and browsed the plethora of tourist shops.

Next up was the "nearby" (as far as LA is concerned) Santa Monica. We always enjoy our visits to Santa Monica. We had intentions of walking the pier but we spent a lot of time eating a late lunch by which point our parking was about to expire so all our time was spent on the Third Street Promenade with the intention of returning to Santa Monica later in the week for that mandatory walk on the pier. We made a quick stop to Diddy Riese for some delectable cookies and ice cream sandwiches on the way home and then we called it a night. Diddy Riese is definitely worth the visit, even if its not anywhere nearby!

The next day was spent at Universal Studios, but that deserves its own blog post (coming soon).

Our third full day was spent at The Farmers Market and The Grove shopping centre followed by a drive around Beverley Hills to gawk at the beautiful homes.

Day 4 - our last full day in LA - was spent touring cemeteries where some notable Hollywood stars are laid to rest. The cemeteries were beautiful and a real contrast from the hustle and bustle of LA. We first stopped at Hollywood Forever cemetery as it was very close to our hotel. The information center in the cemetery sells maps showing who is buried where. There are a LOT of Hollywood greats buried here, many from before our time but there were some very recent burial such as Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, Mickey Rooney and even a tribute to Toto, the dog from the "Wizard of  Oz".

We then headed to Forest Lawn Memorial Park which is massive in comparison to Hollywood Forever. There is no map indicating who is buried where but we followed a very detailed "tour" from Seeing Stars to see some resting places. The one that we were most interested in seeing was Michael Jackson's but he is buried in a highly secured area in a part of a the Great Mausoleum that is not open to the public. So we had to settle for being in the same building as him. The cemeteries, as morbid as some may think them to be, were actually a nice change from the go go go of LA and they really were beautiful!

Following the two cemeteries, we headed back to Santa Monica for a feast at the Cheesecake Factory, a walk on the pier, and a return to Cheesecake Factory to get some cheesecake to go. Yes, out of all the places we could have dined at in LA, we chose the Cheesecake Factory. We are big fans and we don't have CF in Canada so for us it was a must! Lennon also needed his first Cheesecake Factory experience! We think he enjoyed it, don't you?

Santa Monica pier is somewhere we have been every time we have traveled to  LA.  Every trip has included the same photo ops: the Bubba Gump/Forrest Gump bench, the Route 66 sign, the pier, the welcome sign, the ferris wheel, amongst others. I recommend it for some good 'ol Americana fun, people watching, a scenic stroll and a nice sunset!

Our last official day, we had a flight back home at 8pm so this allowed for one last stop (it would have allowed for many more if we didn't have a baby as everything takes soooo much longer but no complaints)! We headed to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We have been to the Walk of Fame every previous trip as well and weren't that interested in returning this time but there was one star we had to visit, and we did so on our way to the airport for a little photo shoot (of which the photos have not been edited or cropped).

We just couldn't resist! We also got some family photos in while we were at it:

It seems to be that Ringo is Lennon's fave!

And that was our last stop before heading to the airport to fly back home! It was a fun 5ish days. It took forever to get going in the mornings (very rarely did we leave the hotel before 11am) but once we got going, we had a lot of fun exploring LA. Huge thanks to Yiayia and Auntie Melina for all their help! It really made things so much easier.

If I could give any tips for a first trip with baby, it would be to go somewhere you have been before, are familiar with, or somewhere that doesn't involve a lot of planning or running around to see lots of attractions and to go somewhere where there may be relatives (or invite along a family member or friend)...the extra hands, if you can get them, make a huge difference, especially if you plan on doing lots of excursions and running around. Of course, this is just from my own experience, but if you get overwhelmed with too much family or extra hands, there are trips that are easier than others (I imagine an all inclusive resort would be amazing as a first trip!)

Now to see how we get on in Europe! Check back soon for our day at Universal Studios and to see how we get on in Europe!

The hubby and I definitely have a travel bug and have traveled extensively. I am always browsing the internet to look for deals to wherever and prior to having a baby, I would often book trips spontaneously, sometimes without even getting Perry's approval ("oh hi hunny, how was your day? Guess what? I booked us a trip to Miami to see Paul McCartney"). I have not been so inclined to be spontaneous like this with a baby but, earlier this year, when I received an email notifying me of a $65 return flight (all in) to Los Angeles from Vancouver, I could not pass this up! We want our offspring to be worldly and well traveled and this would be a good start! We also have a long journey to Europe booked for the end of this month and I thought this would make great practice! The $65 deal was actually a mistake fare that was luckily honored by the airline (Delta partnered withWestJet), even though  I am pretty sure they do not make money on this as the base fare was $0 and the taxes and airport fees were $65. Thanks Delta and WestJet! We got my mom and sister on board (literally and figuratively) and then all we had to do was wait for April, pack and hop on a plane! Oh, if only it was so simple with a baby! 

I sought the advice from various moms that had flown with a baby and also browsed various mommy groups on social media for tips on how to have a successful flight and I felt pretty prepared and relaxed about the idea. I had read and reviewed the airline's policies and guidelines on traveling with an infant and I had made a "to-do" and "to-pack" list months before and added to it as I remembered things I would need. I had set aside Lennon's clothes suitable for the warm California weather months in advance and did the same with Perry's and I's closer to our departure date. The packing was a lot easier than expected. If anything, the thing I was most worried about was the plane ride and making sure I had everything necessary for every possible situation. It helped to remind myself that Lennon can easily be calmed by nursing him but I still packed a whole lot of extras, just in case: extra clothes in case of a poop explosion, a couple of blankets in case he was cold, rattles, books and other toys, Baby Banz noise cancellation headphones, the Ergobaby carrier, soothers and so on. The days of carrying on a book, an iPod and some snacks were seemingly over! 

Everything was packed the night before our flight except for the toiletries we needed to use in the morning. Just before Lennon's bedtime, we were changing the sheet on his crib while he played on our bed (about two feet from the crib) with some toys...I think you can see where this is going...He did a double roll and unfortunately rolled off the bed. This was his first big "bonk" and we of course felt terrible and like the worst parents in the world. A little nursing went a long way and he was calmed down in no time. We weren't too concerned as he had calmed down and didn't have any serious symptoms but I felt nervous about flying and to a different country, just in case there was anything serious that we didn't notice. So the next morning, our doctor had an available appointment and we luckily had time to visit as our flight wasn't until 4pm. Prior to the doctor's appointment, we decided to head to the laundromat to wash the cloth diapers so that they wouldn't sit in the diaper pail for another 5 days. We then saw the doctor, who wasn't concerned at all and confirmed that Lennon was fine (and reassured us that we weren't terrible parents). My sister was on an outbound flight the next day but we had to go pick my mom up in Richmond (about 20 minutes away). We made a stop to Whole Foods to pick up some non-toxic baby sunscreen and to London Drugs to pick up a lens cap for my camera (seriously, Canon needs to start having strings attached to their lens caps), and THEN once we picked my mom up, we stopped to exchange some money in order to avoid the terrible rates and fees that are usually associated with currency exchanges at airports. We had done well up til this point but on the short drive to the airport, Lennon started to get fussy and things started to get a bit hectic!

We were hoping to have three hours at the airport but only had about 2.5. Perry dropped us off along the curb of US departures with all our baggage...and boy did we have a lot of baggage! He then went to park the car and met us at the check in counter. We had a LOT of stuff: car seat, stroller, breast pump, diaper bag, play pen (for Lennon to sleep in as our hotel didn't have a crib), a carry on backpack for Perry, 2 suitcases to check in...all for a 5 night journey! We were going to leave the car seat in Vancouver and rent one from the car rental company in LA as we were aware that with WestJet, we could check in two baby items at no cost and we already had a stroller and playpen. After enquiring with the extremely helpful Greg at the Westjet self check in kiosks , he assured us that there wouldn't be a charge as we were bringing the stroller to the gate with us and therefore it is considered a "gate check", which I guess is different than checking it in at check-in! We were then helped by Gavin who weighed our suitcases and checked to make sure we had the right amount of baggage but then he brought to our attention that  Perry, being a British citizen, requires an electronic visa waiver for the states but his had expired and he needed to apply for a new one! This added about 15 minutes to our check in process but it had to be done. Finally, the check in was complete and we were very pleased with our first experience with WestJet! Now we had to pass through security and board the plane, right? I wish! ​​

He eventually had a nap in the carrier and the rest of the time was spent having cuddles with yiayia (who was a huge help) and playing peekaboo with other passengers. ​

Check back soon to read about our trip to LA! Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for updates!

Perry and I are avid travelers. Prior to having a baby, every opportunity we got, we would be packing the car and getting out of the city. Whenever we had at least two days off in a row together, rather than staying at home, the first thing we would consider is where to escape to and book a last minute getaway. Seattle, Whistler, Portland, the Okanagan, Oregon Coast, Vancouver Island....living on the West Coast provides plenty of opportunities for beautiful road trips and fun getaways and we were taking full advantage of this. Then came Lennon...and along with Lennon comes a year of mat leave. This has allowed for plenty of time together but instead of using this opportunity to escape from the city each time Perry has 2+ days off in a row, we have felt overwhelmed by the daunting task of loading a car full of oversized and necessary baby gear and nervous about disrupting baby's precious sleep schedule. We have just felt that it would be much easier to stay put. But having a serious case of the travel bug, we have serious itchy feet. It is also one of our priorities to travel as a family and raise our kids to be open minded and worldly so we need to get comfortable with the idea of traveling with a baby. We have a nearly 5 week trip planned to Europe for next summer but we feel like we need practice to get us ready for this and an opportunity came just this week. It was Perry's birthday and he had 3 days off in a row so we figured we should celebrate by going away on our first family trip. When we were trying to decide where to go, Harrison Hot Springs became an obvious choice and we couldn't have been happier with choosing this destination as our first getaway with Lennon. Here are the main reasons why we were so happy with our decision and why we highly recommend Harrison Hot Springs as an ideal getaway for those with little ones:

It is relatively a short distance away from Metro Vancouver
This is a bonus on so many levels. From Metro Vancouver, Harrison Hot Springs should take no longer than 2 hours to drive to. Depending on traffic and the route you take, you could get there in an hour and a half from downtown Vancouver, less from places like Surrey and Maple Ridge. This means that you can take your time loading the car in the morning and getting ready to go and perhaps even enjoy a nice cuppa! You don't need to rush as hotel check ins are usually not until 3 or 4 anyways and even if you want to stop for lunch along the way, or head to Harrison earlier than check in to explore, you still don't need to leave at the crack of dawn. Another bonus to Harrison being a short distance from home is that you may not need to make any stops along the way. If baby has a routinely long nap in the morning, you can strap them in the car seat and allow them to nap in the car on the way there which means you don't need to stop for a feed or diaper change. Even if they don't nap, if you feed and change right before getting in the car, you may be able to do the journey without stopping! Like I said, the short distance is a bonus on many levels! However, if you do want to stop and check out what the Fraser Valley has to offer along the way, I highly recommend checking out Circle Farm Tours for suggestions of places to visit, eat, shop and so on.

The trip doesn't "break the bank"
Every time that we have overnighted in Harrison, it has been during a weekend and a last minute decision and the Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa, which most visitors lodge at, has always been fully booked. This time, we were going on a Monday during low season and, luckily, there were rooms available, and for a great price. Bonus! If you go during the week, the rates are usually cheaper AND you are more likely to have an early check in. We have a BCAA membership which provides a 10% discount on just the room rate (not package deals) so we ended up getting the room for just over $100 - now that is value for money. There are lots of different types of rooms to suit different needs and different budgets. We just went with the basic double room in the Main Hotel as we were there primarily for the use of the hot springs. Yes it was a bit dated and the room was a bit small and it didn't have a view or air conditioning but it worked for us and it was still clean and cozy and included entry to the pools and free wifi among other things. It's not like we need AC in December anyways. It was only $20 more to have a family suite. While we contemplated opting for this room to allow Lennon to sleep in one room while we Netflix and Chilled (the married couple version) in the other, we thought we should practice Netflix and Chilling (remember - the married couple version) while Lennon sleeps in the same room because family suites may not always be an option where we travel to in the future. But it is great to know that they have well priced family suites in case you want to bring along a grandma and/or grandpa (ahemBABYSITTERahem) or have a separate room for your kids to sleep in.

They do have newer, more modern rooms which are larger, with views, air conditioning, balconies and even those are well priced compared to other resort hotels. The hotel allows you to use the pools prior to check in (from 1pm) and after checkout (until 1pm) which adds to the value for money. The hotel parking is $6 if you self park or $12 for valet parking which, again, is well priced for a resort hotel. If you want to park for free, there are spots along Esplanade Avenue which is really just steps away from the hotel.

Another money saving bonus is that the gas is cheaper in that part of BC than it is in Vancouver. There are also a variety of other budget friendly accommodations in Harrison that range from around $40 and up but having the access to the hot spring pools and the spa ambience that the resort provides really does make it a relaxing trip and worth the extra money spent which brings me to my next point...

It really is relaxing!
Our son LOVES being in the water. We love taking him swimming and seeing how he reacts when in the water but taking him swimming is also a big production and exhausting. Swimming takes a lot of energy out of Lennon so we only go in the water for maximum 15 minutes and we spend much more time in the change room than we do in the water. We not only need to get him dried up and ready afterwards but Perry and I need to take turns in the shower while the other cares for Lennon and then get ourselves ready and doing so in a cold change room with a lack of space or a soaking wet bench to put our dry clothes and everything we brought along with us on sometimes takes the fun out of it and makes it discouraging to keep going. The great thing about the resort is the ease it provides when taking a baby or young child swimming. You can bring a stroller down to the pool so when you get out, you can bundle babe up and put him/her in the stroller and take them up to the warm room to get them dried up and dressed (and the parents aren't freezing their butts off in the meantime). The toiletries are already in the shower, you don't have to place your stuff on a soaking wet bench, there is plenty of space to move around and get ready in. It is just a whole lot easier returning to your room to get ready rather than going to the community center and having to get yourself and a baby ready in a change room. It makes the experience more relaxing and enjoyable. Its also relaxing cause, you're in a resort - and there are bath robes waiting for you in your room upon check in! The spa ambience of the resort adds to the relaxation. While we were walking around the lobby, which has a large fireplace surrounded by big comfy couches where guests were lounging, reading and relaxing, I heard one man say that he felt like he was on a cruise. To top it off, you're at a hotel with hot pools. It's almost like going in a hot tub except you can take your baby in with you! Bonus! And for me personally, there is something relaxing about being in an outdoor hot springs pool when it is cold and raining out and surrounded by nature.

Another reason that visiting Harrison Hot Springs is relaxing is because it is such a small and quiet town that you don't have to worry about going out and sightseeing. You can spend a majority of the day relaxing in the hotel without feeling like you have missed out on the sights or attractions. The village has basically two small roads with restaurants and shops and in the slow season, not all of them are open. You only really need to leave the hotel to go for a walk along the lake or to eat at a restaurant other than the ones at the resort. You don't need much time to do that so you can relax in the hotel without feeling like you are missing out on anything as the hotel also has everything you need. You can check out the lake and other nearby places on your way in and/or out of the village if you so wish.

The hotel is also really welcoming of families. Not only do they provide family rooms and have cribs for guest use, but the resort has an adult pool and a family pool. You can relax knowing that you won't have adults frowning upon your kids for being kids in the pool. If someone doesn't want to be around kids, they will use the adult pool. The family pool was actually much quieter and less busy than the adult pool when we were there anyways.

I also need to mention that we received great service from all the staff we interacted with during our visit.  Some notable moments of the great service: The lady that checked us in comped our parking fee for Perry's birthday, the bellhop was extremely helpful in carrying our luggage to our room and explaining the best ways to get to the pool with the stroller,  Perry had a box of chocolates waiting for him in the room, and, when we spilled some red wine on the bed, housekeeping was up immediately to change the sheets without a fuss. There was also one kind lady that offered to take some photos for us three all together (it is not easy to take a selfie with a DSLR). The great service really added to the experience.

Another way you can make this relaxing is to take the scenic route along Lougheed Highway which turns into Highway 7 and avoid Highway 1. It may add about 20 minutes to the journey but it is worth it as it is much more interesting and scenic than HIghway 1 with lots of opportunities to stop for lunch (Mission Springs Brewing Company is a great one). 

Harrison Village does hold a special place in my husband's and I's hearts. The last time we visited Harrison prior to this recent trip was in February. I was 11 weeks pregnant and just that week I had gone to visit the doctor for a check up. She was unable to hear the baby's heartbeat so she scheduled an ultrasound to make sure everything was okay. The two days that we had to wait for the ultrasound really were two of the hardest days we have ever experienced. It was a really emotional time thinking that we may have lost our baby and I felt that we had to book a night out of the city no matter if it was good news or bad just to escape everything. The ultrasound was scheduled for Saturday morning and much to our surprise, the news ended up being the best we could have hoped for and the technician told us that the reason the doctor couldn't hear the heartbeat is because the baby was moving around like nobody's business and also that 11 weeks is still early to pick up a heartbeat using the doppler. To say that we were overjoyed is an understatement. We were definitely ecstatic and following the scan, we went to Harrison for the night. This place is associated with positive memories in our hearts and we even contemplated naming our son Harrison for this reason (and also because of George Harrison...clearly we love the Beatles).

Personal emotions aside, we could not have had a smoother first trip with sweet little Lennon and I feel confident when recommending Harrison Hot Springs as a first getaway for new families - or for anyone really! We are already planning our return! Check out the gallery below for a glimpse of our first getaway post partum (click on the images for captions).

What other places would you reccomend traveling to with a baby?