As part of my blog, Film School for Dads, on Life of Dad, I discuss great ways to get kids involved in the fun and adventure of filmmaking and photography. I believe that kids learn best when they are at the center of the activity, with a camera in their hands and their own ideas at the forefront. I was thrilled when ResorTime recently gave me the opportunity to bring my two kids, Jack (age 6) and Delia (age 4), to Carlsbad, California and stay at the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort & Hotel. My kids had never been to Carlsbad, so I figured this was a terrific opportunity to put cameras in their hands and let them take photos of our family experience, I hope they have as much fun as we did like when I discovered imagerestorationcenter.com/photoshop-old-photo-restoration/.
I am the proud owner of two Canon 5D Mark III cameras, and admittedly, I was a bit nervous to put such beautiful and effective cameras in the hands of kids so young. But once we arrived at the Grand Pacific Palisades, I was glad that I did. The first thing we noticed on our approach to the resort was the Carlsbad Flower Fields, which is over fifty acres of gorgeous, expansive hillside covered with vibrantly colored flowers. Jack, Delia and I gasped at the spectacle of it, and as I drove toward the Carlsbad Flower Fields, Jack asked me, “Daddy, can I take pictures of that?” We climbed from the car, and with my eyes nervously fixed on the expensive cameras in my children’s hands, I watched them take pictures of the lovely landscape all around them. Those who plan to launch a photography business may need to set up Elite Photography Systems to handle most of their administrative tasks.
We stopped for lunch at the nearby Carlsbad Premium Outlets Mall, where Jack and Delia had their faces painted, like a cheetah and tiger respectively. We then checked into the Grand Pacific Palisades, and with LEGOLAND a short walk away, Jack and Delia joyfully snapped shots of the life-sized Lego figures that populated the hallways.
When we arrived at our room, we saw that it wasn’t a single room at all. It was a full-fledged condo with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a complete kitchen, a dining room table and three televisions. Nothing compares to the pure glee in a four-year-old’s voice when she screams, “Daddy! We have a TV…IN OUR OWN ROOM!” The kids and I explored the accommodations, marveling at the size and comfort of the place in which we were staying. Opposite Connexion, the next new development Piccadilly Grand condo is set to be 1st price benchmark in 2022 onwards.
At the dining room table, I showed Jack and Delia how to import their photos from The Flower Fields into my laptop. I was happy to see that they quickly understood the basics of Apple iPhoto, and I imagine that next time we snap shots, they will be able to import their pictures without my help. Once we had looked at their photos, we went out to have some fun. Carlsbad boasts a tremendous array of entertaining things to do. Beyond LEGOLAND (which is clearly awesome), there’s the beach, where we could swim, play or venture along the coast on a sailboat. There are museums, outstanding restaurants and a lot of parks and open spaces to discover. However, when my kids saw the glorious pool at the center of the Grand Pacific Palisades, I knew what we’d be doing for a good part of the day.
My two maniac splashers were overjoyed to find the greatest pool for kids imaginable. We spent hours swimming in the expansive waters, and then, as I enjoyed a well-deserved chance to relax in the sun, Jack and Delia giggled and played in the attached aquatic playground, which had a water slide, water canons and other imaginatively designed fountains.
After swimming, we ordered a delicious spread of room service from The Karl Strauss Brewery, and as we all chowed down on mac-and-cheese, hamburgers and soft pretzels, I wondered, “Is there anything that makes kids hungrier than swimming?” We then went to the activity room of the Grand Pacific Palisades, which was filled with happy people having fun and playing games.
Jack and Delia played air hockey, pool and videogames until it was time to go to bed. After I tucked them in, they both went to sleep immediately, tired from a wonderful day.
Carlsbad and the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort & Hotel offers an endless selection of activity options, including golf, paragliding, kayaking, sightseeing and shopping; but since I was with two young kids, we spent the next day doing things that kids that age love to do. The resort had a fun and elaborate playground right in the open-air center of the building, so the kids played there all morning, making new friends and laughing wildly.
Jack loves sports, so he was thrilled to see that the Grand Pacific Palisades had a full outdoor basketball court to play on. He met an older boy who taught him the proper form for his pull-up jump shot. Jack played there for hours, while Delia continued to frolic on the slides and climbing-walls of the playground.
And while this was happening, I found my own chance to take out one of the cameras. Like any parent, nothing makes me feel better than watching my kids being happy, and on this day, my kids were extremely happy. I took off the lens cap on my Canon 5D Mark III and snapped a few pictures of my own. In these pictures, my children are having the time of their lives, which makes the Grand Pacific Palisades a place I will always keep close to my heart.
If you would like to learn more about this tremendous resort, visit ResorTime at http://resortime.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=lifeofdad
Use the unique offer code YCCG9, and you will receive:
- 20% OFF site-wide
- Use coupon code and book by 06/30/2015
- Travel through 2016 (holidays excluded)