Good news: you can finally get your aquarium fix because SEA LIFE at LEGOLAND San Diego has reopened! The resort announced that the aquarium is open starting today, Sept. 4.
Both new and existing passholders and ticket holders must make a reservation before entering the aquarium by visiting legoland.com. All guests will be expected to observe safety practices that include wearing a mask and social distancing.
New SEA LIFE Aquarium tickets can be purchased online for $9.99 each and come with a timed entry so no reservation required. For now, these tickets are not able to be purchased at the gate.
In addition to the aquarium, the LEGOLAND Hotel, The Big Shop, and Miniland U.S.A. are open. The resort is expected to announce reopening dates for LEGOLAND and the water park soon.
We know you are searching for all the things you can do outside with the kids these days. We get it. Good news: the local botanical gardens are open for visitors so you can swing by and smell the roses. From native California landscapes to trees from around the world, there’s loads to explore at our local botanical gardens. Get out and explore!
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Saxon Holt
This 55-acre garden is an urban oasis in the middle of Golden Gate Park. With over 8,500 different kinds of plants from around the world, it's a feast for the senses all throughout the year. Families can still enjoy the Bean Sprout Family Days that is currently being offered on weekdays with pre-registration required. Each pre-registered family will receive an activity bucket containing clean tools, activity suggestions and craft materials. No matter when you visit, be sure to stop by the Children's Garden to hunt for bugs!
San Francisco Botanical Garden Golden Gate Park San Francisco, CA
Admission: $9-12/adults, $7/youth 12-17, $3/kids 5-11, $20/family (two adults and all children in the same family). Free for kids 4 and under, SF residents and Garden members Free days: daily from 7:30-9 a.m., second Tuesday of the month, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Year's Day Hours: 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. (spring/summer) Online: sfbg.org
COVID-19 Update: Pre-purchase of tickets is recommended.
Hakone Gardens - Saratoga
Michael Story
The hills of Saratoga are home to this 18-acre Japanese estate, garden and retreat center. Listen to the waterfalls and surround yourself in the zen of the bamboo garden when you enjoy the tranquility just outside of the hustle and bustle of Sillicon Valley. Hakone hosts a number of seasonal festivals including the annual Matsuri festival in May, where you can enjoy Asian cultural entertainment and Japanese foods. Docent tours and tea demonstrations are available to reserve in advance.
Hakone Gardens 21000 Big Basin Way Saratoga, CA
Hours: weekdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., weekends 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (March to October) and weekdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and weekends 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (November-February) Admission: $10/adults, $8/kids 5-17, kids under 5 are free Online: hakone.com
COVID-19 Updates: Face coverings are required for visitors age 7 and up.
The 34-acre UC Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse landscapes in the world, with over 10,000 types of plants including many rare and endangered species. The Garden includes a major collection of California native plants as well as plants from around the world. In the summer, kids ages 5-10 come for Green Stuff, a hands-on science camp where they learn about habitats, animals and how to be good environmental stewards. The Garden offers monthly family programs led by education staff in a range of topics from carnivorous plants to cooking (this program is currently on hold).
UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley 200 Centennial Dr. Berkeley, CA
Hours: modified hours 12-5 p.m. Admission: $15/adults, $7/kids 7-17, kids 6 and under are free Online: botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu
COVID-19 Update: The Garden is open by reservation only. Make your reservation before you head over.
Filoli Gardens - Woodside
Jim Allen
Visit this historic house and garden in the hills of Woodside and take in the panoramic views, lush vegetation and critters that make their homes there. Explore on your own or take a guided tour. Kids will especially enjoy walking the 1-mile Estate Trail to the Sally MacBride Nature Cente (currently closed). There you can explore the collection of artifacts and wildlife of the natural preserve and maybe even spot a California quail on your walk over. The trailhead is located at the Daffodil Field, on the north side of the garden.
Filoli Garden 86 Canada Road Woodside, CA
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays until 8 p.m. (summer only) Admission: $25/adults, $15/kids 5-17, kids under 5 are free Online: filoli.org
COVID-19 Updates: Pre-purchase of tickets is required. Tickets are not available at the door.
Tilden Park is a favorite for local families because of the Little Farm and merry-go-round, and a trip there should always include a stop at the Botanic Garden. Not only is it totally free, but they offer free guided tours on non-rainy Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year. The garden’s primary role is to create beautiful landscapes displaying California’s diverse plant life, from the High Sierras to the southern deserts. Flowers bloom every month of the year, reaching a spectacular peak in spring through midsummer.
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive Berkeley, CA
Do you want the luxury of a private pool without installing one in your backyard? Swimply, the only online pool sharing marketplace, offers families a chance to get out of the house and into the water. This app allows people to rent swimming pools by the hour and owners can choose to include other amenities like the use of a grill or fire pit
The Swimply website and app, available on iOS and Android devices, provided non-contact entry to private pools. Use Swimply for entertainment, exercise or even a spot for swim lessons.
Non-pool owners can read about available pools, see reviews, and book directly through Swimply.com and on the app. Owners are able to list their pool onto the website and include customized information on availability, rules and prices with a guarantee of an effortless transaction within 24 hours of the reservation.
Each pool is inspected for safety prior to listings and owners can utilize in-app purchases like pool cleanings and maintenance before and after usage. For assistance with booking and listing, the Swimply support team ensures that the entire process of listing, reserving, and payment is as smooth as possible for all involved.
Pools are available for booking in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. The average pool costs $45 per hour and is based on pool area size, amenities, timing and demand.
Pools can be booked and listed on www.swimply.com or on IOS and Android app.
Never leave your child unattended around water. Check out these water safety tips.
Earlier this week, Walt Disney World resumed dining and experience booking, and now the theme park has announced that ticket sales and Disney hotel bookings are available starting today, Jul. 9! Prior to today, only guests with tickets purchased prior to the parks shutting down were able to make a reservation.
Both tickets and Disney Resort hotel bookings will be released at different times throughout the day. To help manage the potential high volume of guests, Disney will use virtual waiting rooms throughout the purchasing and booking process.
photo: Courtesy of Disney Parks
As the parks continue to limit capacity, some tickets, add ons and hotels may still be unavailable. Once you’ve purchased your tickets, you will be required to make a reservation using the new reservation system to enter the parks.
Park visitors can check the park reservation availability calendar before purchasing, then head to DisneyWorld.com/DisneyParkPass to make your park reservations.
Many people are looking to get out of town to visit loved ones or simply they just want to escape for a few days. Amtrak customers can travel in the comfort of a private room at a discounted price this summer. Now, when one person purchases a Roomette, one companion can join them for free.
Roomette accommodations are offered on many routes across the country. Located in the sleeping car, a Roomette is the perfect option for customers seeking privacy and space on a short trip and added comfort and amenities when traveling overnight. All customers in private rooms receive complimentary lounge access at major stations, priority boarding and complimentary meals onboard.
Roomette accommodations are available across the national network on the following trains: California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, Cardinal, City of New Orleans, Coast Starlight, Crescent, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Silver Service, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle.
Available on Amtrak.com or by using the Amtrak app, customers can book between Jul. 7-17, 2020 for travel from Jul. 13, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2020.
To receive this discount, use the Fare Finder from this page or enter code V306 when booking a trip on the Amtrak app. The offer is subject to availability and not available on the Auto Train. An advanced reservation of at least three days is required. Other restrictions may apply.
In an effort to simplify and safeguard the travel experience, several cleaning, contract-free and convenience measures have been implemented to every part of the customer journey. Learn more about all measures at Amtrak.com/coronavirus.
The National Park Service is working to make all parks safe for visitors and has made adjustments for guests visiting Yosemite this summer. In lieu of camping cancellations, visitors will now need to reserve park tickets to enter.
Each day 1,700 day-use park passes will be made available via online reservation for entry Jun. 11 through Oct. 31. Reservations will be required, with only one needed per vehicle and all occupants for $33 per car.
Reservations go on sale at 7 a.m. PST daily 48 hours in advance and on July 1st, August 1st, and September 1st for one month in advance. So, tickets for entry Aug. 1-31 will be available starting Jul. 1.
In order to gain access, all visitors must arrive on the day reserved between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. Day use access will be good for seven consecutive days after, including the day of arrival.
Annual or lifetime pass holders can use their passes as the entrance fee, plus a non-refundable $2 reservation fee. Eligible passes include Yosemite National Park Annual Pass, Interagency Annual Pass, Interagency Senior Pass, Interagency Access Pass, Interagency Volunteer Pass, Interagency Military Pass, Interagency 4th Grade Pass, Golden Age, Golden Access.
If you have an overnight reservation in the park, no day use reservation is needed. However, all visitors will need to show their permit reservation conformation at the entrance station.
Walt Disney World is gearing up to reopen starting Jul. 11 with the Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom followed by Jul.15 when EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopen. In order to limit attendance to align with social distancing requirements, the theme park is introducing the new Disney Park Pass system. During this time, all guests with a ticket or Annual Pass will be required to make a reservation in advance for each park entry, using this new online tool on DisneyWorld.com.
Guests need a My Disney Experience account, as this is where your Walt Disney World Resort plans are stored and managed. You’ll also need a valid theme park ticket or Annual Pass that’s linked to your My Disney Experience account. If you have a Disney Resort hotel reservation, you will have to link it to your My Disney Experience account beforehand.
Once you’ve logged into your My Disney Experience account and linked your ticket, you’ll have access to a calendar of available reservation dates for each theme park. If you have a multi-day ticket, you will be required to make a park reservation for each date of your visit. Families and friends can link their tickets together and look to arrange theme park entries at the same time.
Please note, park reservations are limited in number and subject to availability. Availability can change until the reservation is finalized. At this time, guests will be able to select one park per day; visiting more than one park per day will be temporarily unavailable upon the reopening of the theme parks due to attendance limitations. Guests with existing tickets that include the Park Hopper Option or Park Hopper Plus Option have options available to them for ticket modifications and cancellations, and can visit DisneyWorld.com/Updates for more information. We hope to bring back the ability to visit more than one park per day soon and will continue to offer these add-ons for 2021 ticket purchases.
Beginning this week, Disney will reach out to existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders with more information on when they will be able to check availability to make their park reservations. The Disney Park Pass system will be opened to these guests in phases, beginning with those with future Disney Resort and other select hotel stays. Later this summer, the theme park will resume sales of 2020 tickets and Disney Resort hotel arrivals, based on availability of park reservations, while continuing to provide guests with existing tickets and Annual Passholders the opportunity to make park reservations for 2020 dates.
By Jun. 28, all guests will be able to purchase new Disney Resort hotel packages and theme park tickets and make their park reservations for arrivals starting in 2021 as our phased reopening continues. Guests will be able to view park reservation availability on DisneyWorld.com prior to purchasing their tickets.
Disney is also exploring options for guests to use their mobile tech to experience the magic – particularly now as the use of phones and apps continues to evolve. In 2021, they plan to unveil an innovative new offering as part of the My Disney Experience app that will bring features of a MagicBand to your smart devices, building on the app’s existing digital key feature. With this new offering on the horizon, they will be retiring their complimentary MagicBand distribution to Disney Resort hotel guests for new reservations with arrivals beginning Jan. 1, 2021. Disney Resort hotel guests will continue to have the option to purchase new MagicBands at a discount, and they’ll be introducing even more colors and designs featuring favorite Disney characters in the future. Guests who prefer not to purchase a discounted MagicBand will be able to use the My Disney Experience app or a Key to the World card during their visit.
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products made a huge announcement on Wed., Jun. 10: they have released proposed plans for a phased reopening of the Disneyland Resort! In accordance with state and local government approval, the California resort will begin a phased reopening Jul. 9.
The Downtown Disney District and theme parks will be the first to open, followed by hotels. Guests can start visiting, shopping and dining Downtown Disney beginning Jul. 9, gain access to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Jul. 17 and stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel starting Jul. 23.
photo: Courtesy of Disney
The theme parks will operate at reduced capacity to promote physical distancing and comply with regulations. Like Walt Disney World, both California parks will use a new theme park reservation system that requires all guests (including Annual Passholders) to have a reservation before entering the parks. Due to the capacity limitations, Disney has put a pause on all new ticket sales, Annual Passport sales and renewals temporarily.
Within the park, any experience that draws large crowds, such as parade and fireworks will be temporarily on hold. Character meet and greets will also return at a later time, but park guests will be able to spot them walking around the parks!
Disney has also made changes to ensure the utmost health practices throughout the resort. A Guest Experience Team will be stationed throughout the parks and Downtown Disney District to help guests with any and all questions. As the situation continues to evolve, Disney will release more info on parks and changes, which can be found at Disney Parks Blog and Disneyland.com.
When the phased reopening of Walt Disney World starts on Jul. 11, the parks will look a lot different than a few months ago. In an effort to keep park guests safe, follow health and safety guidelines and restart the magic, Disney has made some big changes to ticket sales, hotel reservations, dining and fast passes––and we’ve got all the details. Keep scrolling so you’re in-the-know before heading to Florida.
New Ticket Sales and Hotel Reservations
Walt Disney World/Matt Stroshane
Disney parks have halted all new ticket sales for now. If you've already purchased a ticket or are an Annual Passholder, you will be able to make a reservation before Disney releases new tickets. This will be done through the new theme park reservation system on DisneyWorld.com.
In addition, all Disney Resort hotel reservations have also been temporarily paused. Disney is currently in the process of contacting theme park and hotel guests to discuss options, which can include refunds.
Both park and hotels will be limited in attendance.
Dining and Experiences
Disney Parks
Due to the parks limiting capacity, all existing dining reservations, Disney dining plans and bookings for other experiences have been canceled. As the phased reopening approaches, the parks will reopen both the dining and experiences with smaller numbers, and will shift to a 60-day booking window (down from the former 180-day window).
To further reinforce physical distancing, most restaurants and behind the scenes tours will be largely reduced in capacity.
FastPass+ and Extra Magic Hours
Laura Green
Due to the necessity of physical distancing, all extra queue spacing will be utilized, and the FastPass+ service will be suspended. Guests with existing selections will have their FastPass+ canceled. Additionally, Disney is stopping all Extra Magic Hours for now.
With a little more than one month until the phased reopening begins, there is plenty of time for changes to the parks current updates. Stay tuned, and don’t lose the magic!
Orlando resorts and theme parks are preparing to reopen in the coming months. The Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force met this week to hear the plans put forth by Walt Disney World and SeaWorld. Universal Orlando has already been approved to reopen for the public on June 5.
Walt Disney World has announced a phased reopening plan for its parks. The Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Park are targeting Jul. 11 as an opening date. EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are targeting Jul. 15. SeaWorld also presented an opening plan at the meeting on Wednesday. The theme park proposed June 11 as the public reopening date.
There will be limits on attendance and controlled guest density that aligns with guidance on physical distancing. Due to this, experiences that draw large groups such as parades and fireworks will return at a later date. In addition, “high-touch” experiences such as makeover opportunities, playgrounds and character meet and greets will remain temporarily unavailable, but characters will still be in our parks to entertain and delight our guests.
The parks will manage park capacity through a new theme park reservation system that will require all guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. At this time they will be pausing new ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations, with the exception of Disney Vacation Club members. Existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders will be able to make reservation requests in phases before new tickets are sold.
Additionally, Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World will reopen to members and guests and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will begin to reopen on Jun. 22. Disney Vacation Club resorts in Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, will also open to members and guests starting on Jun.15. Plans to support required physical distancing as well as enhanced cleaning measures, along with a number of other safety and cleanliness protocols, will be implemented as part of this planned phased reopening.
The World of Disney retail shop at Disney Springs has officially reopened. In the coming weeks, Disney stores will begin a phased reopening of operations globally.
All guests 3 years of age and older will be required to wear appropriate face coverings in theme parks and common areas of resort hotels. All guests will also undergo temperature screenings prior to entering a theme park; cast members will also have temperature checks. Cashless transactions are recommended, and cleaning and disinfection procedures will be increased in high-traffic areas.
SeaWorld also presented an opening plan to The Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. The theme park proposed Jun. 11 as the public reopening date. Face masks, staggered seating, social distancing in lines are all part of the proposed plan. At rides, there will be hand sanitizer both as guests board and deboard.
At the SeaWorld’s water parks, Discovery Cove and Aquatica, there will be increased sanitation at high-touch surfaces like rafts. Lounge chairs will be spaced out.
