| Holidays are Here: Family Getaways in Yosemite, Monterey, Mendocino, Sunnyvale, plus, great products and books to ponder
 We are so excited for the holidays because the region and the country seems to be pulling out all the stops when it comes to events. See our listing of holiday teas in San Francisco, and the calendar of events, and Cyber deals. I would say that you could take the clan out to an activity almost every night of the month in December if you were so inclined!
If you are looking to travel, this season is a great time to take advantage of your holiday time off. We recently went to Yosemite, and had a wonderful stay in Curry Village at one of the heated tent cabins. Now I am sold on the benefits of tent cabin lodging. You are camping, but you don't have to schlep your tent to set it up!
Read our review, and if you have a response to it, email me at editors@bayareafamilytravel.com!
 Crisp air and a drop in temperature signals winter will soon be upon us. And what better place too than to run from a cold draft than to the pleasant climate of Monterey? We review the updated Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort and Spa, an ideal place for families to frolic, especially during the holidays.
Meanwhile, take advantage of the Fort Bragg Railbike excursion in northern California. If you have never been with the family to Mendocino County, so many treats are in store for you. Check out our review of the railbikes, and book yours today!
If you happen to be heading northward, a visit to Ukiah wil surprise you. It is slowly coming around as a tourist destination with a revamped downtown beautification project underway, and a true draw are the hot springs found at the Vichy Springs Resort and Inn. I recently visited the hot springs there with my daughter, and you can see the waterfall on this photo at the resort, and you can read our review here.
On another day, visit the new Junior Museum and Zoo in Palo Alto which has just opened to the public after eight years of planning. Read more about it here. Stay the weekend in Palo Alto and explore all of our eight places we recommend to stay and play.
This season take the clan to the renovated Carmel Mission Inn where you can splash around in their newly remodelled pool and enjoy the hot tub too. We traveled to see the remodeled resort, and we give it a BIG YES for it's family-friendly vibe. See the article and more photos on this link.
And we haven't forgotten you moms and dads. Certainly you deserve a weekend away. We recommend contacting your favorite babysitter, grandparent, or friend who owes you a favor, and getting away for a couple of nights to recharge and reconnect as a couple. Locally, the new Tetra Hotel offers an inexpensive getaway for less than $200 on weekends in Sunnyvale. We go into great detail here.
Been a while since you travelled to Mendocino? Up north are fantastic independent inns. We review the Glendeven Inn and Lodge with lots of animals. The Inn at Newport Ranch which features more than 2,000 acres and commanding views of the Pacific. Read our summary here, and don't delay your booking. Places these days fill up fast.
Travel is usually inclusive of food, and we bring you snacks and gourmet gifts in our NEW PRODUCTS column.We review the YETI backpack cooler, a Montery guidebook to the "weird, wonderful, and obscure," a cookbook titled Tuscan Women Cook, and more. See what you can buy this season for memorable gifts.
 On a totally different tangent, I want to share with you what it is like to go to Yosemite when you are in a wheelchair. While playing pickleball, I got hurt and went into surgery to repair my Achilles tendon. But I was undaunted and still went to Yosemite. See our story here.
But remember: stay safe, stay healthy, and be good to others.
Happy Holidays!
Kathy Chin Leong
Executive Editor
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