Polar Express

Only during the Christmas season, the Grand Canyon Railway turns into the Polar Express and we decided this year we HAD to go.  Thus, it was time for another Grant Family road trip, only this time we traded Uncle Eric for Grandma Linda, good trade I think (just kidding, we love you Eric)!  Once again we loaded the Suburban, and headed for Williams, AZ.

When we arrived in Williams, we only stopped to get gas and then waved to our hotel as we drove on a hour longer to the Grand Canyon! It was cold and windy but beautiful and clear.  Shane has been to the Grand Canyon before but it had been a while.  My dad and Sydney had just been to the Grand Canyon over the summer on their way back from Moab (La-Di-Da). If you get a chance you'll have to ask them about their super-secret, locals-only,  40 miles off-road trip to a non-touristy area of the Canyon (no guard rails at all).  Sydney got to drive the dirt road the whole way, but I digress.
Anyway, my mom had been to the Grand Canyon before but the day she was there it was so foggy that she couldn't see ANYTHING!  So for my mom, Maverick, Summer, Aurora & I, it was our first time, and we were super excited (Shane was actually really excited too). 

At one of the natural wonders of the world!

Amazing!

We totally lucked out at the entrance gate, since my dad is a senior now, we got our whole car load into the park for $10, and he now has his membership card to get in ANY of the National Parks for free, for life, score! Thanks fro being SO old dad!  Look for him at a national park near you.

My mom & dad, I spy a Christmas Card in the making.



Sydney, Grandpa & Summer, looking for squirrels.



Maverick was a little more impressed than Summer.

Being at the Grand Canyon was really special and I could have wondered around there all day, but we had to get back to Williams, we had a train to catch!

So we checked in to our hotel, got dressed in our jammies, and boarded the Polar Express! 

   

Sorry it's a little blurry.

The "Hobo" from the movie.

It was freezing, but a very dry winter, so no snow yet.

Shortly after we boarded, our wonderful friends the Tellos arrived (not a coincidence, we planned our trip together but had not had a chance to meet up yet).  The girls were SO excited to see each other!

3 happy girls.

After we got settled in our seats and the antique train started chugging along, our "chefs" served us hot chocolate and cookies, while we listened to the story of The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.  After we passed through the magic tunnel, we arrived at The North Pole!  Santa then boarded the train and gave everyone a special Polar Express sleigh bell.



Listening intently to Santa





Summer showing off her bell!



The next morning we explored the railway after breakfast.

 Before we headed home we decided that we HAD to check out Bearizonia.  Bearizonia (I love saying the name) is located in Williams and is a drive-thru wildlife park (think Jurassic Park, but with no dinos...). Seriously though, they tell you "if a wolf or bear approaches your car, drive away"! 

Now here we could have used a senior discount but no such luck; so we paid our hundred bucks, got our little GPS speaker thing and started driving.

The first few animals were pretty mellow, Big Horn Sheep & Mountain Goats, stuff like that.  Then we got to the American Bison, they were huge and so cool to see up close.  One was bucking all around (I think it was a juvenile) and started charging toward our car!  We thought for sure he was going to ram into the side of the Suburban (there was quite a commotion in the car, we were all screaming and yelling, the Tellos were behind us in their car and said they were screaming too thinking we were going to get hit) but he ran right in front of our bumper.

This was a baby Bison sleeping. 
We didn't get any pictures of the one charging because we were too busy bracing for impact!

Next we were under strict instructions to roll up all of our windows because we were entering wolf and bear exhibits.  The wolves were first.  They are huge and very ominous, and happened to be gnawing on some slabs of meat when we drove though.  These wolves had really pretty coats and were all different colors, some almost all white and one almost all black.

Then came the bears and while still under strict instruction to keep the windows up, Shane and my dad were not having it.  They were rolling down the windows and yelling out their very unique bear calls, like "Doritos" and "here bear, bear, bear". 

My pictures do not do Bearizonia any justice; this place was really cool! We were too busy enjoying to get any good pics and it's hard to take pictures out of tinted car windows, since I'm a rule follower and kept mine up!

Monterey Bay, CA

My sister lives in Trinidad, way at the tipy-top of California, and we live down here at the bottom of Cali.  SO, to celebrate my nephew Kody's birthday we decided to literally, meet in the middle, and stay a couple nights in Monterey, CA. We loaded the Suburban, grabbed my dad, picked up my brother in LA on the way, and moseyed our way up the California coast. 
After we sort of "ascended" on the Marriott lobby (picture 4 adults & 4 children that have been traveling all day pouring out of one vehicle with all of our luggage, it was one part Beverly hillbillies and one part clown car) we promptly set off to have a Pizza Party for the birthday boy.

Check out ALL those bouncy balls!

The cousins were so excited to see each other and had a blast hanging out and using their tokens to get more and more (and more and more) bouncy balls. It's not a party until you've got $30 worth of bouncy balls!

The next morning we headed over to our premiere destination, the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

This was as close as it got to everyone looking AND smiling.

Summer "petting" the rays

The "big" girls

This was one of Maverick's favorite exhibits with sea turtles, sharks, sun fish and you guessed it, Mahi Mahi!



The kids got in a Giant Clam.



Eric joined them.



Cousins!



Daddy & Aurora as a Jelly

 After the aquarium, and linner (lunch/dinner), we burnt some calories at Dennis the Menace Park. We ran through mazes, over bridges, through tunnels, slid down slides, climbed rocks and had a blast.  This park is a must if you're in the area.



That's us on the bridge, it's hard to see.

The next morning we got ready and packed up but before we headed home we went for a walk on the pier. 

It was a beautiful clear day, but very chilly.

We had been talking all weekend about seeing otters.  OK well actually, some of us (not me certainly) had been talking all weekend about eating otter burgers, otter souffle, etc., you get the picture.  While this was a TOTAL joke we really did want to see some otters, and on the very last day, right before we left to go home, we saw two! They swam right under where we were standing.

Aren't they cute!

Disclaimer: No actual otters were consumed (or harmed in general) during this vacation!

I've heard about the Madonna Inn (mostly from my friend Jenni) and driven past it, but never actually stopped and gone in, and neither had anyone else in the car.  So when we passed it on the way up to Monterey, we made a plan to stop in San Luis Obispo on the way back and check it out. It was time to get our pink on.
 

Madonna is the owners last name, the Inn has been around since 1958, predating the fame of The Material Girl.

Welcome  (I'm so excited)!

The Madonna Inn is something that you just have to see in person. From the hand-carved wood, and gold European fixtures to the natural stone and stained glass, this place is like no other; and oh yes, there is this subtle hint of pink.  OK, it's not subtle at all, the inn is smothered in PINK: pink carpet, pink walls, pink upholstered booths and chairs, pink linens, not to be outdone by the GOLD molding and trims.



The pictures do not do it justice but in addition to all the pink & gold, it was also decorated for Christmas!

After we explored the gift shops (yes that's plural), dining room, wine cellar, bakery, cocktail lounge, banquet rooms and bathrooms (the bathrooms are VERY unique), we made our way to the coffee shop to have lunch.

The kids loved sipping out of the colorful glass goblets and tea cups.



Desserts (we ordered three) including the Pink Champagne Cake.



It was totally worth the stop but we were pooped and ready be on our way, so homeward bound it was.

Grandpa keeping it fresh.