would have to say, one of the most unique and fun experiences you could have at Knott’s Berry Farm is getting your picture taken at the old time Pitchur Gallery in Knott’s Ghost Town. My husband and boys just recently visited to Pitchur Gallery and had the one of the best times we’ve had at the park. Not only do you get to take home a cool souvenir photo when you get your photo taken at the Pitchur Gallery, but you also get the experience of trying on old fashioned clothing and pretending you are back in time – in the old wild west. It was a great experience for all.

When you arrive at the Knott’s Pitchur Gallery, a Knott’s team member will take you to the Pitchur Gallery dressing room where you will get to choose a costume for your photo. There is old west proper attire, military attire and old west cowboy attire.

Getting Dressed up in Old-fashioned Clothing

There are so many choices of old fashioned wild west costumes in the Pitcher Gallery dressing room. There’s something for everyone – as there are clothes made to fit most everyone, no matter your size. There are costumes for adults, children and even babies. Most of the clothing can be worn over your existing clothing, and there are dressing rooms provided for you if you need them.

There are also lots of accessories to liven up your costumes. From vintage belts, to hats, to feather boas, parasols to guns. You can pick out whatever items you think will make your photo just right. Fun fact, it doesn’t matter if your outfit matches! Since the photos are printed in black and white or sepia toned, all the colors disappear. So all you have to worry about, is if you like the style and look of your attire.

Taking Old Fashioned Photos at the Knott’s

Now the fun begins. The Knott’s photographers will show you to the photo studio where you can choose from five different scenes – a stable area, a saloon area, an old fashioned parlor area, a staircase or a wild west outdoor scene complete with a bucking horse.

Once you pick your scene, the crew will pose you and your party for the perfect old fashioned wild west photo. It’s a lot of fun….you kind of feel like a movie star.

During your photo session, the photographer will take a couple different photos including ones where no one smiles, and some where everyone smiles. You can choose to move into a couple different poses as well.

The photographers are great with setting up the scene just right and getting everyone’s attention, even the kids. They make it a fun experience for everyone.

I wasn’t sure about taking a saloon photo, but it ended up being a lot of fun. I think this is probably the most popular scene in the Pitcher Gallery.

When you are finished getting your photos taken, you can then change out of your costume and head over to the front desk area to pick out your favorite photos. There is no need to wait weeks to get your photos. They will be printed right there on the spot after you choose what you want. There are a variety of size and color options and you can also purchase a digital copy.

You can choose to purchase vintage style frames in unique styles to display your photos in if you would like. Maybe you want your photo as a wanted poster! That is also available as an option.

The Final Results

Let me share some of the finished photos our family got. Normally you would just take one scene unless you want to purchase multiple packages, but I wanted to be able to show the different options that are available.

Remember the saloon scene….I really like how it turned out. I chose this picture to be printed in black and white. This one was the most fun to take because you can add more personality into it.

My son really wanted to take a picture riding the famous Knott’s horse. I really like how it turned out, especially when printed in sepia tone.

Besides the sepia toned and black and white photos, you can also choose from a tinted photo that has just a hint of color. My husband and I thought it would be fun to take a proper old time photo together. I probably should have chosen the one of us not smiling, but I liked this one of us smiling. So I guess it’s not a hundred percent proper!

The boys took this fun robber photo of them stealing money in the barn area. It was hard to choose, because they took a lot of funny photos. I just have to laugh.

My favorite photo of the bunch was this family photo in sepia tone. I think it looks like it really was taken back in time, and most likely…it’s going to be our Christmas card! Yep…this is the perfect time to get those holiday card photos taken.

The Pitcher Gallery experience at Knott’s is one-of-a-kind and actually quite affordable. Each package includes one costume change, one scene and a photo, and is priced according to how many people you have. Additional photos can be purchased as well. You can have as few as one person up to large parties of people. So getting your picture taken at the Pitchur Gallery could be a fun souvenir to remember a visit with family and friends. And even if you don’t want to get your picture taken, I highly recommend to head over to Ghost Town and peek inside. It is pretty fun to watch everyone dressed up in costume. My family and I had the best time getting taking our Old Fashioned Photos at the Knott’s, and plan to continue visiting every year to document how we’ve changed each year when we visit Knott’s.

Bubblefest at Discovery Cube OC is back for the 2019 season! It’s the perfect spring break activity to entertain the kiddies. It’s and additional cost to the admission price, or to your annual passes…but it is worth it.

Going to Bubblefest has been a spring break tradition of ours for many many years. it’s fun for the entire family – even the adults! The Mega Bubblefest Laser Show with the famous Deni Yang and his sister Melody is the premiere part of Bubblefest, so make sure that you don’t miss it when you come to Bubblefest.

Located in the front of Discovery Cube, the is an area to make ginormous bubbles. There are bubble wand and bubble solution to help you create the biggest bubbles around!

The Bubblefest Laser Show takes place on the second level of Discovery Cube in the theater. There is stadium seating, and a large area near the stage for kids to sit and enjoy the show up close. Luckily, all the seat are great, so you can enjoy the show wherever you sit.

Highlights from the Bubblefest Show at Discovery Cube

These are some of my favorite moments from the show! Since Dani is mobile now, I had to focus on making sure she didn’t run up on stage this year, so I wasn’t able to take as many photos as i usually do.

The Mega Bubble Laser Show was AMAZING!!!

After the Mega Bubblefest Laser show, we spent a good hour exploring the rest of the Bubblefest exhibit before we headed up to the Mega Bubblefest Laser Show. There is bubble art, a bubble experiment lab, bubble tables, bubble inflatables, bubble experiments, an area for toddlers, and lot more bubble stations to make your own bubbles.

Hands On Activities for Kids at Bubblefest

One of my kids most favorite activity was the Bubble Rollers! You get inside inflated plastic bubbles and roll over the water in a shallow pool. the line get long, so i would suggest getting there early and doing these first thing. it was hilarious watching the kids try to stand up in the balls. The lines get very long for this, so try to get there when it opens and go straight to the bubble rollers. Or have one adult wait in line while the kids explore the Bubblefest area.

There is an inflatable obstacle course that is great for older kids.

Dani LOVED bubble art!

The is a bubble lab with a bubble scientist.

And there is even a Toddler Bubble Zone for younger kids!

So. Much. Fun. Bubblefest 2019 didn’t disappoint and the kids had a blast. I am very glad that we were able to start our spring break off with this amazing exhibit at Discovery Cube OC.  Bubblefest ROCKS!!!!

{Disclosure: we were invited guests of Discovery Cube. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own}

One of the biggest hits in musical theatrical history, CATS has come to Orange County for ONE WEEK ONLY!!!!  Starting April 9, 2019 through the 14, 2019, you can head over to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and see this beloved show. Can you believe the original Broadway production opened in 1982 at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre?!!!  It ran for an impressive 7,485 performances and 18 years. But even though it had a super long run, I have yet to see this musical. I have been wanting to see it since I was in grade school when I learned to play “Memory” on the piano. So you know that I am definitely going to the Segerstrom to see it.

If you didn’t know already, our family loves cats! We only have two – Phineas and Ferb, but if I let the boys have their way, we would have a dozen.

It’s fun sharing cat memes and buying cat trinkets for the boys since they love them so much, that is what I was so excited to find out that we would finally get to see the musical CATS. I have been wanting to share this experience with them for years and we are finally going!

Since we are so excited that CATS has finally come to the OC that we have found 5 ways to celebrate.

#1 See CATS the musical at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts

You won’t want to miss CATS the musical. Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the record-breaking musical spectacular has captivated audiences in more than 30 countries in 15 languages, and is soon to be on tour across North America!

This tour of CATS features new sound design, direction and choreography for a new generation. It’s only in Orange County for ONE WEEK, so don’t procrastinate.

Tickets start at $29 and are available for purchase at SCFTA.org, by calling (714) 556-2787 and at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. The 2:00 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 13, 2019 will include audio description, open captioning and sign-language interpretation. Experience CATS for the first time as it begins a new life, or let it thrill you all over again!

#2 Head over to your local Animal Shelter

There are a few animal shelters here in Orange County that allow you to help with the cats. You can volunteer at the Irvine Animal Care Shelter, Laguna Beach Animal Shelter, and the OC Animal Shelter. Also, check in with Petco. They allow volunteers to play with the cats and clean out their cages daily.

You can also volunteer to foster cats in your home if you don’t want to take on the commitment to keep them forever. Also, you can donate food and pet supplies to the shelter to help with their care.

#3 Sign up for a subscription to the Cat Lady Box

The CatLadyBox unlike any other subscription box out there. Each month, you’ll receive a meowvelous selection of high-quality cat-themed items only available through the Cat Lady Box. From super-soft shirts and beautiful jewelry to inspired home decor and quirky cat toys, it delivers the ultimate ways show off your cat lady pride!

Each month has a new theme — like Pampurr Yourself, Another Day in Purradise, or Meowloween! — and the things in each box are inspired by that theme. Choose the basic CatLadyBox (just for cat ladies!) or the Crazy CatLadyBox (things for both you and your cats!). Decide whether you want the 1, 3, or 6-month plan, the more you order, the cheaper per box!  They ship all the boxes once a month!

#4 Have Lunch or Coffee with some Cats

Did you know there is a Kitty Cafe and Lounge right here in Orange County? Catmosphere is located in Laguna Beach. It is a cafe and lounge where the kitties roam free to mingle with the guests! All the cats in the cafe are shelter cats are up for adoption. You can play with them while you get a cup of coffee or a bite to eat.

The environment of Catmosphere transitions the homeless cats and kittens to a safe environment before they enter their forever human homes. All of the felines at Catmosphere are certified healthy and arrive with big personalities! 100% of the proceeds from adoptions go directly to the care, treatment, and welfare of our cats and kittens. Catmosphere Laguna has been called “a destination and an experience.”

#5 Go to the OC Pet Expo

In just a few weeks, the OC Pet Expo will be coming to the OC Fair & Event Center. It all happens April 26-28, 2019 and is fun for the whole family. So once you get you CATS the musical fix, you can then head over to the OC Pet Expo and enjoy hundreds of cats, along with hundreds of other animals.

The Pet Expo has been hosting the pet community for over 30 years. This long running show gathers pet enthusiasts for three days of family fun—all honoring the health and well-being of our furry, four-legged, finned and feathered friends. Attendees are treated to exciting competitions, demonstrations and stage shows; breed clubs looking to educate the public on their dogs, informational Q&A sessions with animal experts, veterinarians, breeders, trainers and hobbyists; adoptable animals looking for forever families; and a comprehensive showcase of pet products and services.

I hope that you are inspired to get your whiskers on and go see CATS the musical. It’s a great show to bring the family too and the perfect opportunity to introduce your children to the theater. I feel it is very important for everyone to be exposed to the arts, and am very happy for show like CATS to inspire us all with their music and creativity.