A question I am asked often is “Will your kids remember your vacation? What is the best age to take kids on a vacation?” And my answer is always ANY age, they are never too young for a family vacation. A family vacation isn’t about whether they remember the name of their favorite rollercoaster or the souvenir they bought, it’s about creating real moments of connection with our kids outside of the busy routine at home.
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When we were invited to stay at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Santa Cruz, I couldn’t wait to plan all our fun activities and create opportunities for real moments and connection. Some of the things my kids will remember most from the trip will be staying up WAY past their bedtime playing Marco-Polo in the heated, outdoor, color changing pool, or when we let them make their own pancakes at the breakfast buffet with Nutella as their choice of topping. Little moments of connection are what create lasting memories!
Santa Cruz is a great spot for a little family time, only a couple hours drive from the Central Valley, with much cooler weather… oh, and of course the beach!
I remember so many special moments as a kid in Santa Cruz with my family that I couldn’t wait to share with my boys:
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The feeling of excitement when you FINALLY hit the height requirement to ride the Giant Dipper;
the friendly competition that was created on the Carrousel trying to see who could get the ring tossed in the clowns mouth first;
and of course the salt water taffy! And not any salt water taffy, but the one sold by the vendor at the end of the Boardwalk right before you walk into the arcade. Because that was the taffy store my mom took me to every summer when I was a kid.
I loved telling the boys stories that had been passed down from my grandparents of the fun we enjoyed in this place.
With easy access to The Boardwalk, the Holiday Day Inn Express was the perfect choice for our family. They have standard rooms for a couples get-away or suites that offer plenty of space for a family of four. We could wind down for the day in the comfort of our room or relax outside enjoying the heated pool. We enjoyed all the amenities of the pool and the fitness center, and then capped off the night with a few card games in our room.
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Even after a day full of exhausting fun and blackout shades in the room, our boys were awake with the sun and ready to go! Thankfully, Holiday Inn Express has a FREE breakfast buffet so I can sip my coffee while they serve themselves from the hot breakfast items.
This weekend away was the perfect trip for our last long weekend of summer!
Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express have hotels almost anywhere you want to go, and they want to help you get away and connect with your family. They are currently offering a Holiday Inn Back to School sale where you can save at least 20% on the Best Flexible Rate, and with the Kids Stay & Eat Free program, you can take advantage of some great savings! The kids might not remember all the details of your next vacation, but you can be sure they’ll remember those special moments of connection! https://www.holidayinnexpress.com/hotels/us/en/reservation?cm_mmc=OFMAM-EX-AMER-EN-MHR-BacktoSchool-MacaroniKids-HIEXMB
Macaroni Kid Lodi was compensated for this review, but as always the opinions and experience are 100% my own.
