Hiking Pinnacles National Park in California – 2TravelDads

Hiking Pinnacles National Park - 2TravelDads

Most of the Parks we go to are fairly well-known. I mean, there are only 63 of them, so most are familiar to the masses, but Pinnacles is fairly new so isn’t wildly popular yet. We love to return to Glacier and Olympic and such because we’re so familiar and there is so much to do and see. Hiking Pinnacles National Park exceeded our expectations, so we’re sharing everything you need to know to plan a visit and see what we mean!

If you haven’t heard of Pinnacles, it’s because it’s one of the newest additions to the National Parks. Formerly a National Monument and jointly managed by the NPS and Forest Service, the area was converted to a Park in 2013 giving it more, different funding and programs, and also bringing it to the forefront of many hikers’ and travelers’ minds. Huzzah for the upgrade!

Hiking Pinnacles National Park – Where Is It?

Pinnacles is located between San Francisco and Los Angeles off Highway 101. It’s not exactly sitting on the side of the road so you do need to actually plan for some time in the Park and make sure that you have ample supplies for your jaunt (see below). You can easily add it to a California Coast road trip or make it the start or end of a Central Coast road trip.

Located in the mountains between Soledad and San Benito, California, it borders farm country and the high desert. While it may look out of the way on a map, it’s is only about 1.5 hours from San Jose, or 2 hours from San Francisco.

Read the Full Story at 2TravelDads

Gay Disneyland for LGBTQ+ Families – 2TravelDads

Gay Disneyland for LGBTQ+ Families - 2TravelDads

Disneyland. We’ve been so many times through the years. I used to work at the park and have friends that still do. It’s one of the most special places we go back to.

In this podcast episode we go land by land through gay Disneyland discussing our favorite attractions, details of the park, and what we feel are the ride most worth waiting for. We hope you enjoy our discussion, and be sure to come back for our episode all about Disney’s California Adventure!

Gay Disneyland: Everything Worth Waiting For (And More)

In this episode we go attraction by attraction picking and choosing our favorites. We know that some Disneyland attractions are worth waiting 45 minutes or an hour, but not all… even if the wait time shows a long line. Between the best rides and shows to mix up the magic, this podcast episode should give you a good idea of planning and what to use your valuable time on when you visit the Happiest Place on Earth!

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Greater L.A. Area Gay Travel Resources

Visiting Kings Canyon In Any Season – 2TravelDads

Visiting Kings Canyon In Any Season - 2TravelDads
You know when you’re excited for sweeping views, spring flowers, newborn baby animals and getting your first tan of the year? That’s where we were at prior to driving into Kings Canyon National Park. As we drove up into the hills from Fresno, California on our Mountain National Parks road trip we felt the temperature drop, but it was still sunny. We watched the darkest gray front move over the mountain tops…

And then we got into Kings Canyon National Park and it was freezing. As we wound up the mountain on our way to Sequoia National Park we went through fog, hail, rain and dead still air. It was eerie.

We expected this to all be cleared up by the time we returned to Kings Canyon National Park but it wasn’t, hence our plans were a bit foiled. We still had fun though! We’ve got some great tips for what’s fun, fascinating and different than what we encountered in Sequoia National Park. So, here’s what you can bet on for a great experience when visiting Kings Canyon National Park in any season.

Visiting Kings Canyon National Park Visitors Center

We got our National Parks Passport stamps here in Grant Village and had the best talk with the Park Ranger about all of the things we could do… if we stuck around for a few days and allowed the 80 degree weather to roll back in. Since that wasn’t going to happen, we explored more of the exhibits. The Grant Grove Visitors Center had some of the best wildlife informational displays we’ve seen in any National Park, including really beautiful bronze casts of some of the creatures you’ll see in the park.

Full Story at sTravelDads

Visiting Disney’s California Adventure for Gay Families – 2TravelDads

Disney’s California Adventure for Gay Families - 2TravelDads

In this podcast episode, Disney’s California Adventure for gay families is our hot topic. Truth be told, we tend to spend more time in DCA than in Disneyland. Maybe it’s the smaller crowds; maybe we like the big attractions more… maybe it’s the food… Either way, this is our complete run-down of all the rides in this fiun theme park and what YOU just can’t miss!

Tips for Disney’s California Adventure for Gay Families

Everyone asks us if California Adventure (DCA) is worth adding to their Disneyland trip. The answer is YES! OMG, yes! Over the years it’s actually become our favorite theme park, and not just favorite of the Disney Parks. To follow along or just get familiar with DCA, download the park map first.

These are our top tips for beating the lines, what’s really worth waiting for, and even some insider info about what’s coming to this amusement park (hint: it’s MARVELous).

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Greater L.A. Gay Travel Resources

Cabrillo National Monument – 2 Travel Dads

Cabrillo National Monument - 2 Travel Dads

San Diego, California is such a popular west coast destination. We all love to head to SoCal for the nearly guaranteed sunshine and beaches where you can actually swim. And the coastal vibe is so different, with bare feet everywhere and flowers blooming on the bluffs year round. Cabrillo National Monument is a great place to experience that great SoCal feeling.

Cabrillo National Monument is part of the National Parks system (#FindYourPark) and it’s perfectly located for an awesome afternoon during a San Diego visit. Planning a day out at Cabrillo includes everything from lighthouses to tide pools, picnics to National Park Passport stamps. Yep, our family has favorite activities and Southern California is the perfect spot to do all of them!

Finding the Cabrillo National Monument

A lot of people visiting San Diego are going to be playing tourist in the Gaslamp District or being fancy and lounging on Coronado Island, but there’s so much more to San Diego. The beach neighborhoods are awesome! Starting at the north is La Jolla (it’s own city) with its cove full of seals, then working the way down is Hermosa and the bluffs, and then it’s the beaches!

Full Story at 2Travel Dads

San Diego Gay Travel Resources

Triangle Inn Palm Springs – Gay Owned Resort in Palm Springs, California

Triangle Inn - Palm Springs Gay Owned Resort in Palm Springs, California

TRIANGLE INN PALM SPRINGS – MAKE FRIENDS. MAYBE MORE

Ready for some fun in the sun?

Discover the Triangle Inn Palm Springs – the award-winning clothing optional resort for men in sunny Palm Springs, California.

You’ll love our space!

“We have created a serene, secluded environment designed especially for the enjoyment of our guests,” says Michael C. Green, one of the owners of the Inn, “from our sun-drenched tropical gardens to our sparkling pool and relaxing spa. It’s all within our unique walled compound, where fun is a way of life, whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, or a fun and frisky weekend.” Michael and his husband, Stephen, live on property in the signature Triangle House, and are always around to mix and mingle with the guests. “We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Green continues. “Living onsite is part of what makes a stay at the Inn special. We feel like we’re having friends over for a backyard party. It’s really a magical atmosphere.”

See the Triangle Inn Palm Springs Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Pal, Springs Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

The Santa Monica Pier on a Perfect Afternoon – 2TravelDads

The Santa Monica Pier on a Perfect Afternoon - 2TravelDads

Can you think of anything that is more Southern California than visiting the Santa Monica Pier? I don’t think we could name a single thing. Well, maybe a day in San Diego on the Beach surfing… But no, the Pier. Even though a day at the Santa Monica Pier seems like the most touristy and convoluted Los Angeles travel plan you can ever think of it’s actually well worth your time and a visit to LA isn’t complete without some beach time.

Yes, there are so many wonderful free things to do in the Los Angeles area and if you’re going to venture to the beach for the purpose of swimming and pretending to be from SoCal you might pick a different beach, like Manhattan Beach, but the Santa Monica Pier end beach are an ideal, easy to access destination and are just downright iconic.

Finding the Santa Monica Pier

When you ponder life in the West and the history of North America there are few things that pop out: the California Gold Rush, old west towns and cowboys, and then Route 66 and all of the struggles and stories in vintage history that are a part of it. The Santa Monica Pier is the very end of Route 66 (check out the Planet D for their Route 66 trip). As you walk out onto the pier you see the sign that calls it out.

The Santa Monica Pier is also directly next to the Pacific Coast Highway, also known as the PCH. The Pacific Coast Highway is a fantastic California road trip route.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Greater L.A. Gay Travel Resources

Triangle Inn Palm Springs – Palm Springs Gay Owned Resort

Triangle Inn Palm Springs

Ready for some fun in the sun?

Discover the Triangle Inn Palm Springs – the award-winning clothing optional resort for men in sunny Palm Springs, California.

You’ll love our space!

Read more

Eating Out Buena Park – 2TravelDads

Eating Out Buena Park - 2TravelDads

Buena Park is known for being the home of Knott’s Berry Farm, but it’s so much more than that! It’s actually full of restaurants and culture that make visiting and hanging around BP really fun for the whole family. If you want some guaranteed good food experiences, here’s your guide to where to eat in Buena Park. We’re all about being family friendly and unique, so that’s what we’ve included here.

True, we like to use Buena Park as a home base for exploring more of the OC, but if you want to stick close to your hotel and the attractions on your itinerary, might as well enjoy some great Buena Park dining too. We were surprised by some of the establishments we visited, and we know you will be too!

THE SOURCE OC: GO-TO SPOT FOR FUN AND FOOD

Who knew that we’d find a new favorite hangout in Buena Park? A little back story: we used to live an work in Buena Park long before the kids were born, so it’s always been a bit of a second home for us. The Source OC is a new and awesome spot that I wish was around when we lived there. It’s full of restaurants, sure, but it also has some really fun murals and shops. If you need something K-Pop they’ve got you covered. If you are too hot and need to escape with kids for an hour or two, there’s an amazing indoor play space: Play Pie.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Greater Los Angeles Gay Travel Resources

R&R Oasis – Gay Owned Vacation Rental in Palm Springs

R&R Oasis - Gay Owned Vacation Rental in Palm Springs

R&R Oasis – Beautifully decorated, 3 bedroom, 3 full bathrooms – is the perfect Palm Springs Retreat…Very comfortable home, where we aim for it to be your Home Away From Home.

The lush tropical pool and yard area, looks more like you are in Hawaii than in the desert. City ID # is 4242 TOT permit # is 7318.

This home is ideally located for convenience just off Hwy. 111 Easy access to 10 fwy. 3 minutes to downtown Palm Springs & 3 min. to Aerial Tramway.

2100 sq feet inside and lots more room with the outdoor living spaces. You will enter through locked gates to the beautifully landscaped yard, and then another locked gate at the front door, before arriving through the front entry with fish pond. Blackout drapes in all bedrooms & 4 charging stations. Lots of attention to details in this home.

See the R&R Oasis Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

AREA Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals