Popsicle Blog

10/20/18

Family Fun at Knott’s Spooky Farm

Knott’s Spooky Farm has always been a favorite of our family. Not to be confused with Scary Farm, Spooky Farm isn’t scary at al, and is geared towards kids ages 4-12. Dressing up in costumes, going trick-or-treating, and enjoying the Farm all decorated for Halloween is so much fun. It’s always #1 on our family’s Fall bucket list…because of course, we LOVE Knott’s, and two…the whole family can enjoy it. If you have never been to Knott’s Spooky Farm, this year is the time to go. It’s happening now at Knott’s Berry Farm on weekends during the month of October and on Halloween. It’s even better than last year, with even more to do. Best of all, its included in the cost of admission.

Insider Tips for Knott’s Spooky Farm

Let me share all the fun you can enjoy at Spooky Farm, along with some insider tips to make the day more fun. First of all, I recommend going on Sunday if you want it to be a little less crowded. It most likely will be a bit crowded during Spooky Farm, but if you aren’t planning on doing a full day of rides, the Spooky Farm activities aren’t busy at all.

Make sure to pick up a map on your way into the park, so you know what happening at Spooky Farm, and where are the Halloween Stations are. There are trick-or-treat stations, fun shows, Halloween activities and more marked on the map.

This year, the kids wanted to dress up in a PEANUTS gang theme for Spooky Farm. And just so you know, anyone can dress up at Knott’s. Their costumes were pretty easy to make…except for Woodstock, which I made from a sewing pattern many years ago. But if you really wanted to dress up like Woodstock, you could get a yellow shirt and a yellow hat online, and glue some yellow feathers to them. a pair of black legging and shoes, and you will be all set to go as Woodstock.

For Charlie Brown, we purchased a Charlie Brown shirt at the Knott’s souvenir shop, and paired with shorts, socks and shoes. For Linus, I got a simple red t-shirt and drew lines across it with a black felt tip marker. Then we paired it with Linus’s signature blanket and black shorts.

For Snoopy, I glued a large black spot to the back of a white t-shirt, then colored in the color with a red felt tip marker. for the tail, I cut two tail shaped pieces of white felt, and sewed them together on two sides. Then I stuffed them with stuffing and had sewed to the shirt. A pair of baseball pants finished off the outfit. The large head was actually made for us when I had the Woodstock costume made, but we found it to be too much hassle at the park, so we purchased Snoop ears at the Knott’s Souvenir shop. They are so cute and can be worn all year round.

Now that I’ve shown you our costumes, it’s time to go Trick-Or-Treating. During Spooky Farm kids can go trick or treating through the streets of Knott’s. This is the first year that Dani is able to walk and trick-or-treat on her own, so it was fun for the whole family to help her through the park.

The Ghost Town monsters pass out the candy to the kids all day long. And don’t worry about bringing your own trick-or-treat bucket because Knott’s will give the kids treat bags when they enter the park. The less stuff you have to bring the better.

If you put in the work to wear a costume, then you must enter The Peanuts Costume Contest. This fun costume contest is held at the Camp Snoopy Theatre. And for an insider tip, the more creative you are with your costume, the better chance you will have to win. And let me tell you, the host of the costume contest is pretty funny. He tells great jokes to entertain the parents!

Snoopy, Lucy and Charlie Brown all pick their favorite costumes, so you have three chances to win. Everyone who wants to enter, lines up and gets their chance on stage. Don’t be late to the contest or you’ll miss your chance to enter.

Here is my gang up on the stage dressed up as the Peanuts Gang. Although we didn’t win, it was so much fun.

Did you know that you can visit Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang dress up for Halloween? There is a meet and greet area located by Snoopy’s Red Baron airplanes. The best time to go is right after one of the Camp Snoopy Shows. After the shows, they usually escort some of the characters out. So jump in line and be the first to get your photo taken.

If you want some hands on fun, make a visit the Creepy Critters of Calico. Inside the Livery Stable in Ghost Town the are a bunch creepy little critters such as bugs, spiders, beetles and turtles. Make sure to say hi to the skeleton horse as you walk in.

You can even touch a giant boa constrictor. No thank you!

Have you ever seen a lizard with a hat?

There is even a rat town where you even pet and play with them.

You know me and fun treats. I am always on the hunt to find the most Instagramable treats in Orange County. Knott’s Berry Farm has plenty of Spooky Treats for Halloween. You will get the best selection at one of the Knott’s Bakeries that are located just outside the park, and inside the park next to Ghost Rider. There will be cookies, cupcakes, donuts, candy and more.

Our favorite are the Halloween donuts. You can even purchase them on your way into the park at the Knott’s Bakery Express located near the security lines.

Year round, Knott’s offers Snoopy Cookies, but during Halloween, you can get Snoopy Vampire Cookies. Oh so cute.

If you had over to Ghost Town, you can find special Halloween Churros at the Churro Factory, or get a Halloween treat at the Calico Candy Store.

I mentioned before, you don’t have to do rides to enjoy Spooky Farm. There are plenty of non-ride activities. In Calico Square, you can visit the Great Pumpkin Patch, and enjoy some down time coloring Halloween Snoopy pages. There is pumpkin decorating and cookie decorating as well!

Finally, make sure to check out some of the Halloween Entertainment at Knott’s Spooky Farm. There are family friendly shows happening all around the park. There is Spooky Story Time and the Calliope Cancert at the Bird Cage Theater.

The “Monsters Are Coming” Stage Show at happening Camp Snoopy Theatre, and the astonishing Magician at the Calico Saloon! These shows are great for all ages, and give you the perfect chance to rest your legs after trick-or-treating through the streets of Knott’s.

You also want to stop and get measured for you coffin! Well, not really, but its fun nonetheless.

As you can see, you can make an entire day enjoying the seasonal offerings of Knott’s Spooky Farm. It’s just one of the Seasons of Fun the Knott’s has during the year. You can enjoy them all by purchasing a Knott’s Season Pass…such a great deal if you want to check out Knott’s for Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

Posted by Jill | 10/20/18
Filed Under: Knott's

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10/20/18

Easy Vegan Fall Wild Rice and Vegetable Soup Recipe

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

It’s finally Fall…which is both crazy (where did the summer go) and exciting! The weather is starting to cool down here in Orange County….well kind of. and even though it barely feels like Fall, I’m ready to start enjoying soup for dinner every night.

There’s a reason Fall is the favorite season of many – the slightly brisk air, pumpkin patches and of course, that autumn glow everywhere you look. Fall is when things start to slooooow down from the crazy summer and we finally get to enjoy all the fruits and veggies of the summer harvest. I know a lot of us have summer gardens. so how about a Fall soup recipe to use those veggies in. Our family just loves soup – and it’s easy to make too. here, I am sharing one of my new favorite soup recipes for Vegan Fall Wild Rice and Vegetable Soup.

Many of you may already know that I am vegetarian. and when I can, I like to eat vegan. This recipe is creamy, savory and full of hearty vegetables and wild rice. it’s dairy-free and uses Silk Unsweetened Almondmilk. whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or just looking to get more plants into your diet, Silk is a great dairy-free, plant-based option AND when you buy it at Target, you’ll get savings to fit your lifestyle. Silk and So Delicious Dairy Free products are available at Target. and if you download and use the Target app, you can get 10-15% off on them between 10/14 – 11/11 – this includes Silk Half Gallons & Silk & So Delicious Dairy Free plant-based yogurts.

You don’t have to ask me twice to go to Target…it’s my FAVORITE store. Everything you need for this recipe is available at Target. plus, with the savings you get with the Target app, you can head over to the seasonal section and pick out some cute Fall decorations.

Now that we have gathered all our ingredients at Target, let me share with you this plant-based soup recipe.

How to Make Vegan Fall Wild Rice and Vegetable Soup

This soup is full of family-friendly vegetables and has a great Fall flavor. Earthy and savory. What’s great about this soup, and most other soups, is that you can prepare and make it ahead of time to have an easy family dinner on those busy nights. It’s also pretty easy to make many of your soup recipes dairy-free. just substitute the milk for Silk for So Delicious Dairy Free products.

The most time consuming part of this recipe is the chopping. Once you get everything chopped, the rest is easy. first step, in a large pot on the stovetop, sauté onions, celery and mushrooms with oil until onions are translucent using medium heat.

Add carrots, potatoes, vegetable broth, salt, chicken seasoning and garlic. If you are using uncooked wild rice, add that too. but i choose to use the precooked wild rice found at Target because wild rice is hard to find. don’t use brown or white rice. stir everything together and bring to a boil. once boiling, turn down heat to low and simmer.

Once the carrots and potatoes are tender add the cooked wild rice. Then it’s time to make the roux. tmelt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Let the mixture cook for two minutes. whisk in the almondmilk, a little bit at a time, until you have a smooth, thickened sauce. Remember, you can use cashewmilk or coconutmilk instead.

The final step is to mix the roux with the soup in the large pot. stir until combined and soup starts to thicken. remove from heat. enjoy! I love this soup so much…one because i love veggies, and too, because it’s so flavorful and creamy. If you like mushrooms, that’s a plus too…although they aren’t overwhelming in flavor.

Vegan Fall Wild Rice and Vegetable Soup Recipe

For the Soup:
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
5 stalks celery, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
5-6 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium potatoes or 8-9 baby dutch potatoes
3 tsp minced garlic cloves 4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chicken seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups water
2 cups of precooked wild rice (found at Target) or 1 cup of uncooked

For the roux:
6 tablespoons vegan butter (regular butter can be used)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups Silk unsweetened almondmilk (So Delicious Dairy Free Cashewmilk or CoconutMilk can be used too)

Directions: In a large pot on the stovetop, sauté onions, celery and mushrooms with oil until onions are translucent using medium heat. Add carrots, potatoes, vegetable broth, salt, chicken seasoning, garlic, thyme and water. If you are using uncooked wild rice, add that too. stir together and bring to a boil.

Turn down heat to low and simmer. Once the carrots and potatoes are tender add the cooked wild rice.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Let the mixture cook for two minutes. Whisk in the almond milk, a little bit at a time, until you have a smooth, thickened sauce. Mix the roux with the soup in the large pot. Stir until combined and soup starts to thicken. Remove from heat. Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

10/16/18

Tips for Protecting Your Family From Fires

Thank you First Alert for sponsoring this post. October is Fire Prevention Month – practice safety in numbers to ensure your family’s super prepared too!

October is Fire Safety Month. as residents of Southern California, we are no strangers to fire danger. we experience wild fires on a yearly basis. it is important to be prepared not only for the wild fires we have here, but also in case there’s a fire in our home. so i have partnered with First Alert to bring you this post.

one year ago this month, i found myself driving as fast as i could towards my children’s school. as i drove, i could see the hill behind their school burn with sky high flames. at that time, i wasn’t sure of their safety. when fires hit our area, it’s often hard to tell how close the flames really are. on this day, the flames were so close that the school was under evacuation. i was unable to get to my kids school. luckily my friend was able to grab my kids and get them to a safe place where we could be reunited.

this is our local school during the 2017 Canyon fire.

this is a scene that us SoCal residents know so well. and this wasn’t the first time we were evacuated. we’ve been evacuated three times. in 2008, we almost lost our house. and i am pretty sure that there will be times in the future that we’ll be evacuated again. it’s just how it is living in our area. so far, we’ve always been evacuated during the daytime, but if a fire happens to start during the night, it could be an even scarier thing. all three times the fires threatened our home, we had no warnings from fire officials to get out. the fires came to fast for them to get us out, and we had to leave on our own. if fire started at night, the only way we would know, would be our fire alarms.

October is Fire Prevention Month

what is Fire Prevention Month? Fire Prevention Month raises awareness about fire home safety to help make sure that we know how to keep our homes and family prepared in the case of a fire emergency. there’s safety in numbers, and when it comes to fire protection, numbers can make all the difference. in honor of Fire Prevention Month this October, First Alert and Super Prepared Family are encouraging everyone to practice “safety in numbers” to ensure we are “super prepared” when it comes to whole home safety.

it’s very important that the entire family be involved in home and fire safety so they know what to do in the event of an emergency. even little kids can get in on the action!

there are two things we should be aware of – fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be installed on every level, including the basement and inside and outside every sleep area. did you know that 3 out of 5 fire deaths occurred in homes without smoke alarms. and carbon monoxide is the #1 cause of accidental deaths in America. CO is invisible tasteless and odorless that can be produced from any fuel burring device. CO alarms detect this poisonous gas and provide early warning. it’s sad to think that some of these deaths could be prevented with the proper alarms.

it’s important to practice an escape route with your family. show each member ways they can escape from a fire, including different exits from your home. make sure that everyone knows how to get out of the home and where to meet.

Alarms don’t last forever, remember to replace every 5 to 10 years (depending on the model). we decided to eliminate the need to replace batteries, and upgraded to First Alert’s 10-year sealed battery alarms. these First Alert Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are battery free, and last up to 10 years. they have a chip in them that lets you know when they need to be replaced. and just to be sure that are up to date on making sure our smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are replaced in proper time, we have put stickers on them so we know when we purchased them.

we own an RV, and it is also very important that we also have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors inside of it.

Important Fire Statistics

please don’t become one of the statistics.by prepping you home with smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, you will be notified with an early warning in the event of a fire. fires spread quickly, and there is not a lot of time to escape so every second counts. and you cannot see, hear or smell CO.

did you know…

• Over 100 million homes in the US are not protected with smoke alarms? fire department responds to fire every 24 seconds.

• 3 of every 5 home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with 0 working smoke alarms.

• 40% of homes do not have a single CO alarm

• Carbon Monoxide poisoning is the #1 cause of accidental deaths in the US. Every year there are 80,000 CO incidents.

these facts and statistics show the importance having the proper protection in your home. Fire Prevention Month is a great time to make safety a whole family affair. check out this fun little video about fire safety, and go check your fire detectors. we don’t want our family to become one of the statistics.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Posted by Jill | 10/16/18
Filed Under: Tips
Tagged With: Fire Safety
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10/4/18

Family Dinner Fun at Mainplace Mall

if you have kids, then you probably have experienced the struggle that comes with taking them to a restaurant. i had finally gotten to the point in life with my boys, that going to restaurants with them was fun again. but now that Dani has come along, things are back to crazy! taking a two year old to restaurants isn’t fun at all. so we decided to try a family dinner night at Mainplace Mall since we heard it had been renovated to be more family friendly.

if you haven’t been to Mainplace Mall in a while, then you will be surprised when you go. they have done some great things in the mall, all towards making your family, food and shopping experience better.

there are a bunch of great family restaurants, and outside, Mainplace has created lounge areas with lawn games, plants, lights and music, to make waiting for your table enjoyable. and although there wasn’t a wait for dining at all, the kids had so much fun playing and running around. no fighting, great weather, nice music and a fun atmosphere started our dinner experience right.

on this evening we decided to try out Applebee’s, because we’ve never been to an Applebee’s before. it is a very family-friendly restaurant, with great kids meal options, a relaxed atmosphere, video/game pads for the kids to play and more.

having a family with kids ranging in age from teen to baby, it’s not always easy to find a restaurant to please everyone in the family. but we were able to find food that all the kids enjoyed, and including the parents. some of the things i liked about Applebee’s were the meal deals. they have a bunch of different deals where you could get an appetizer, side and entree for around $12-16, they also had couple deals where you could get two meals and an appetizer for around $20. the kids meals all come with drinks, and there was a little bit of everything on the menu.

after dinner, we headed into the mall to check out some of the improvements. a lot of changes have been made, and stores are being added. just think, the more people who come, the more stores will come, and the better Mainplace Mall will be. i totally see the potential. i was happy to see a lot of my favorite children’s clothing stores.

i was please to find two large family lounges with bathrooms, nursing rooms, changing tables, microwaves, televisions, game boards and couches. if your a parent, then you know how helpful this can be.

finally, we headed down to the first floor of Mainplace to check out the kids place area…

and we also rode the train!

i enjoyed my time Mainplace so much, that i brought back Dani the next week for some mommy and me time. the mall isn’t crowded and there are lots of things to enjoy, there are brand new art murals, and a big food court that have a dining area for families…including kid sized tables. and did you know that there is a movie theater in Mainplace?

yes, Mainplace Mall has changed for the better, and we can’t wait to see what else is instore for this mall. don’t be afraid to check it out, and be sure to go online to find out when they are having special events. there are many fun family friendly events that are being offered free to the public. way to go Mainplace!

Posted by Jill | 10/4/18
Filed Under: Orange County
Tagged With: OC Dining, OC Mall, OC Restaurant, The OC

9/29/18

Apple Picking in Oak Glen

Fall in Orange County means apple picking time. heading into apple country is one of the rare times us Orange County folks can get a slight glimpse on one of the four seasons. for our family, we have always gone apple picking in Oak Glen…and now we take our kids. it holds a lot of memories for me when i was a child, and i hope it will for my children as well.

(get ready for a super long post. i get asked so many questions about apple picking in Southern California that i wanted to include everything i know about Oak Glen.)

Oak Glen is a five mile loop of apple orchards and family owned restaurants and shops, nestled one-mile above the city of Yucaipa in Southern California. it hosts scenery like that of New England. it’s just over an hour drive from Orange County without traffic. the mile-high climate of Oak Glen provides a beautiful change of season, unsurpassed in Southern California – where its usually 10-15 degrees cooler than it is in the valleys. although Oak Glen is open all year round, the main Apple Harvest takes place Labor Day Weekend through Thanksgiving Weekend. the sooner in the season you go the better!

Oak Glen Apple Orchards

there are some main apple orchards that are family friendly and offer fun fall activities in Oak Glen. you can check out all the information for all of the apple orchards and businesses in Oak Glen here. people tend to find their favorites and go to the same ones year after year. there are unique things about all of them, but lots of similarities. i have found prices for apples, ciders and food are comparable at all of them. you can get apples, cider, baked goods, and food at all of them.

here is a list of some of the main apple orchards:

Snowline Orchard has a variety of fun & exciting activities, including raspberry picking, wine tasting and more. there’s a beautiful picnic area with historical buildings, the oldest Italian chestnut tree and mini apple cider donuts which a must when you visit Oak Glen. they don’t offer apple picking, but you can get plenty of fresh apples and cider. they also have a really neat farm store with artisan balsamics and oils, local honey, unique gifts, and farm made wine and hard cider.

Riley’s Los Rios Rancho is a favorite of our family’s. it offers cider pressing, live music, a country kitchen with fresh bbq and picnic foods including corn, cider floats and apple pie. in the market store you can taste apple cider, hard cider and apples. there are also beautiful nature trails, a petting zoo and miniature farm, wagon rides, tractor rides, and horse back rides. on the North Side of the farm (closest to Wilshire’s peak) you’ll find…a corn maze, u-pick fruits, popcorn and vintage soda cart and tractor drawn hayrides.

Riley’s Apple Farm offers heirloom apple picking, blackberry picking, corn picking, pumpkin picking, cider pressing, and kids activities on the weekends. activities include archery, tomahawk and knife throwing. on weekends during apple season, Sharon’s Country Store has barbecued chicken apple sausage, hot dogssub sandwiches, cider floats, fresh raspberry shakes, ice cream, and high-top apple pie. Also sub sandwiches, cider floats, fresh raspberry shakes, ice cream, and lots more! and don’t forget to get a fresh hoecake (a tasty, historical treat – a cornmeal pancake with a topping) cooked fresh over the fire on the lawn!

Stone Soup Farm & Heritage Orchard offers heirloom apple picking, cider pressing, gemstone panning and kids activities at their kid’s craft station on the weekends. activities may include rag dolls, candle dipping, and birdhouse decorating. the have a snack bar, farm stand and marketplace.

Rileys Colonial Farm is a living history farm and offers history education and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. you will find people dressed up in period clothing and sharing historical demonstrations. you can pick-your-own fruit including apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, Ollalieberries, pumpkins and a small crop of peaches. make sure to check their website for availability. visit the dinner theatre, and enjoy a historically-themed overnight stay.

Law’s Cider Mill & Ranch is a smaller stand that offers fresh cider, apple butter & preserves, Oak Glen grown apples, ornamental corn, squash & gourds. they have a historical coffee shop that serves breakfast and lunch daily. there you will find a year-round Christmas room, gift shop and collectables.

Moms Country Orchard offers pesticide-free apples and other produce in the area. they also offer a great selection of jams, jellies, honey, preserves, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Moms will ship items to you or for you, just go online!

Apple Picking in Oak Glen

there is something exciting about walking into and apple orchard and picking your own apple of the tree. for some reason, kids enjoy food that they harvest themselves better than if you give it to them. there are a few orchards left in Oak Glen that offer U-pick apples. the different orchards offer different varieties of apples, so if you are wanting a certain kind of apple, check out their websites first to see what they have available. the orchards in Oak Glen that offer apple picking are – Riley’s Apple Farm, Riley’s Los Rios Rancho, Rileys Colonial Farm and Stone Soup Farm & Heritage Orchard.

when you get to the orchards, you check into the farm stand and get a bag for your apples. the apples are sold by the pound, so you need to purchase what you pick. prices vary according to market price. we ended up paying between $3.00 – $3.50 per pound. most orchards will have a guide run you through the process of how to pick apples without damaging the trees, and then let you into designated areasvto pick the apples.

Apple Cider Donuts at Snow-line Orchard

if you like hot, fresh apple cider donuts, you need to make a stop at Snow-line Orchard. you get 12 mini donuts per pack and they are so yummy! even if you go to the other orchards to pick apples and such, stop at Snow-line to get the donuts. they run just under $5 for 12 mini donuts.

Press Your Own Apple Cider

one of our favorite activities to do when we go apple picking is pressing our own apple cider. although it costs slightly more than the pre-made gallons of apple cider, the experience is really fun for the kids.

first, they get to fill up a 5 gallon bucket with apples and then wash them. once they are clean, the apples get fed into the apple cider press. once they are all crushed, it’s time to press the cider. the crank gets tightened and rotated until all the juice is pressed out of the apple chunks. then the juice is strained and poured into a gallon jug…READY TO DRINK! an boy is it good. the apple cider will last up to two weeks…but if your family is anything like mine, it will be gone much faster than that.

here are some pictures of our family pressing apple cider in Oak Glen.

U-Pick Berries in Oak Glen

if you want to pick berries, peaches, corn, or flowers in Oak Glen, i highly suggest going earlier in the season. in fact, the berry picking begins closer to July. check the websites of the different orchards to see what is still available and how the harvest is looking. Riley’s Apple Farm, Riley’s Los Rios Rancho and Rileys Colonial Farm’s offer berry picking.

this year we decided to pick raspberries and had a fun time. though, we were surprised at how much work it was to fill a little basket. it made us appreciate being able to have them already picked for us. it definitely was a great experience for the whole family and the berries were really yummy.

Food and Activities in Oak Glen

you go to Oak Glen for the apple food and apple picking, but there are also lots of fall activities happening from Labor Day through Thanksgiving. if you go to each of the websites listed above, you can decide which activities you would like to do, and find out which orchards offer them. also be sure to check out the special events happening on the different weekends.

hayrides, horseback riding, corn mazes, sunflower fields, kids crafts and more are offered at different orchards throughout Oak Glen.

and don’t forget about the food!

most of the orchards have farm stands and stores that have tons of baked goods and apple goodies, some have their big bbq’s going with tri-tip and pulled pork cooking. you can also taste jams and jellies and buy different varieties of apples.

Oak Tree Village

Oak Tree Village is a little village at the top of the Oak Glen loop that has shops, museums, restaurants, a petting zoo, carnival booths, and more.

we continue to make a stop here year after year because of the memories i have of going when i was a child. however, i feel the need to say that it is very over-priced nowadays. i don’t recommend buying your food here, as the prices are much better at the individual orchards. it’s fun to walk through, but we usually skip the attractions. i remember when the petting zoo was a $1.00, now it costs $6 per person. however…it is a fun little zoo. and i have to admit, the animal museum is pretty cheesy…but go if you like taxidermy. we passed.

i do recommend getting a pie or a bakery item at the village. they have some yummy mile-high pies and apple turnovers. i have found that the pies at all the orchards run around $16.00, so it almost doesn’t matter where to buy them. but i like the pies here the best. the candy store is also fun to check out. so many apple choices.

finally, if you are wondering about the cost involved with visiting Oak Glen, i am here to tell you that almost everything costs money. the activities, apple picking, and of course the food. if you are wanting to visit on a budget, i highly suggest bringing a picnic and just buying a few apple goodies to enjoy. bring plenty of water, as it tends to get hot. you can visit all the orchards for free and enjoy the beautiful scenery, you can also taste test apples and apple cider for no charge.

my must-dos for Oak Glen are: Pick a bag of apples, press a gallon of apple cider, get a bag of apple cider donuts, take a nature hike at Riley’s Los Rios Rancho and buy an apple pie. if i get to do that each year at Oak Glen i am happy. all else is just icing on the cake….and apple cake that is!

hopefully with these tips, you can enjoy your own stay at Oak Glen. what i love most about Oak Glen is that you will find so many different activities and varieties of food in the one 5-mile stretch that there is bound to be something that you enjoy. its family fun for the entire family with lots of memories to be had!