Family Trip Plans

May 9th: MOVING DATE - LAX

Stay: We'll stay overnight at Hyatt Regency LAX: See Map

• Get rest well. We need to depart at 5-6am in the next morning
• Hyatt also offers shuttle service from/to LAX (and other places) too
• Lunch/Dinner: Trimana, Atrium Food Hall, The Original Rinaldi's Deli and Cafe Locations

Activity: Change sim-cards. Optional: Explore any places near (could leverage on Hyatt's shuttle service). Recommended spot (but a little far): Manhattan Beach

May 10th: MOVING DATE - ESTES PARK

Path: LAX → DEN → Estes Park

• LAX → DEN flight status: WN3760 Itenary Lookup Link
• LAX flight is 8.30am. Should be at the airport at 6am (Get breakfast before flight)
• DEN expected arrival is 12pm. We will rent a car at the airport (check-in at 12.45pm) and drive to Estes Park (could grab lunch at Pearl Street, Boulder) Map
• Recommended Lunch: Avanti Food and Beverage Boulder Map

Estes Park: Visitor Center → Airbnb

• Before unloading at Airbnb (check-in after 4pm), we will go to Visitor Center first to validate some basic information for our trip (closes at 5pm. Ask for hidden pikas/ranger programs/wildlife sightings. Timed-entry pass, rent snow shoes & traction devices (microspikes), get map, All Trails (Pro account) app and Cotrex app, trail conditions, basic first-aid kit from Estes Park Mountain Shop)
• Visitor Center Address: 500 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517
• Airbnb Address: 321 Far View Dr, Estes Park, CO 80517

Details: Estes Park, Colorado, is the base town for Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). Colorado is also known as a mountain state in the US. We will explore the mountain scenes here!

Small Exploration & Dinner: 👻Stanley Hotel (The Post Mountain House Estes Park, Saturdays close at 9pm)

Estes Park Gas station (I just list one here, remember to fill gas before entering RMNP): 860 Moraine Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517

May 11th (Sunday): Five Lake Loop + Downtown Exploring

Activity: Five Lakes Loop

• Summary: Depart at 6.45am, arrive before 7.30am to avoid full parking. Require timed entry reservation (Bear Lake Corridor permit)
• Address: Bear Lake Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
• Details: Trail for scenic view. The whole loop is about 10.5 km (shortest loop also need 8km), and high elevation will double your exhaustion. We will NOT do that. We will do the first three lakes, and walk back. About 5 km walk (2.5km + 2.5km). Expect to take 2.5 hours
• Note: Traction device. Not stroller-friendly. Only has public restroom at the starting spot (parking lot). Bring some snacks + enough water (sunscreen, hats, etc.)
• Others: If have any questions, we should go to Bear Lake Ranger Station (open at 8am)

Alternatives: If the trail somehow doesn't work, we'll go Sprague Lake, Lily Lake, Alluvial Fan, Deer Mountain, Bierstadt Lake, Loch & Mills Lake Junction, Wild Basin to Ouzel Falls trails instead

Rest: Drive back to get lunch. Rest in the afternoon. If have time before lunch, we can go Moraine Park Discovery Center and Beaver Meadows Visitor Center

Downtown Exploring: Optional. In the evening, walk around downtown/Riverwalk park/Lake Estes. Could explore art galleries too

May 12th: TBA

Summary: We have several options for May 12th & 13th (TBA). Pick whichever fit our situations

• Option 1: ATV/Slingshots (Backbone Adventures). This might be adrenaline to our parents and kid.
• Option 2: Drive to different parts of RMNP. Could be Sprague Lake, Moraine Park (and Discovery Center), Lily Lake, Endovalley Road, Deer Mountain Trail, Fern Lake Trail, Stanley Park, Trail Ridge Road (Grand Lake Entrance to the Colorado River Trailhead, Beaver Meadows or Fall River Entrances to Many Parks Curve). This is more relaxed.
• Option 3: Ride-A-Kart, Cascade Creek, Fun City, Meadow Mini Golf

Option 4: YMCA of the Rockies

• Summary: Would be the best to arrive early at 7am. We have horse riding in the late afternoon
• Breakfast: Aspen Dining Room (7am-9am, inside YMCA Rockies)
• Address: 2515 Tunnel Rd, Estes Park, CO 80511
• Details: Mini-golf, browse shops

Option 5: Horse Riding

• Details: Adults' ride is 2 hour. We will let the kid to do 30 minutes riding first. Details TBA.
• Dinner: Trailhead Restaurant (Just at the Stable, after horse riding)
• Others: Fall River Visitor Center

Option Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/RMNP/comments/1kboi4c/firsttime_visitors_to_rmnpneed_advice_and_tips/

Others: We will miss Estes Park Meseum. It closes from Sunday to Tuesday

May 13th: TBA

May 14th (Wednesday): MOVING DATE - LINCOLN

Path: Estes Park → DEN → LNK

Summary: Flight from DEN to LNK is 5.30pm. Expected LNK arrival is 8pm. Driving back to Denver, we should depart in the early morning. Return the car. Aim to arrive the airport at 2.30pm.

Estes Park

• Checkout Airbnb
• Back to Denver (airport): Map

Denver

• Details: Depends on our time, we will probably take breakfast on the way, and lunch at Denver. Plan to return the rental car once reaching
• Activity (Highly likely no time to do, but just listing here): Explore Downtown Denver (Southeast of Union Station). Possible interesting spots - museums. Recommend Museum of Nature and Science
• Arrive DEN airport by 2.30pm

Lincoln

• Hotel Address: 600 Q St, Lincoln, NE 68508
• Transportations: We will not rent a cat at Lincoln. Just Uber/Lyft. I will prepare toddler car seat. Need discussion

May 15th (Thursday): University Tour

Summary: This whole day will be sticking around the university (experience my daily life!) I plan to meet with my professor at 11am

Small Morning trail (Optional): Trago Park (near university), just a small park I used to jog in the mornings

Breakfast: 8.30am, Cather (University Dining Center) Map

Early afternoon: After breakfast, we will tour around the university + meeting with my professor

Lunch: Honest's Abe

Late afternoon: Rest. Then, we will have downtown tour

Dinner: The Ovens. Supper: Ivanna cone

May 16th: Graduation Ceremony!

Breakfast: 8.30am, Somewhere in downtown or Good Evans

Commencement Time and venue: 3pm, Pinnacle Bank Arena. Entering at 1.30pm. Expected to last 2 hours.

Lunch/Dinner: Chipotle, Bdubs, Blaze Pizza, Canes, somewhere near downtown (TBA, depends on the commencement's schedule)

May 17th (Saturday): MOVING DATE

Path: LNK → (1 stop at DEN) → LAX

Summary: Flight is 1.55pm. Expected to arrive LAX at 7.30pm. Then, we will rent a car and drive to Airbnb to rest

Lincoln

• Still have time until 11.30am. A lot of small activities option. Mahoney State Park & Pioneers Park. Sunken Gardens
• Breakfast options: Crescent Moon Coffee, The Chocolate Season, The Mills
• Lunch options: Asian Taste Thai, Blessing Thai, Vung Tau, Bdubs, Canes

LAX

• Dinner probably will be settled either on plane or airport
• Go to Airbnb to rest: 4716 W 29th St, Los Angeles, CA 90016 Map

May 18th (Sunday): California Science Center, Angel Flight Railway, Travel Town, Griffith Observatory

Path: Airbnb → CA Science Center → Angle Flight Railway → Travel Town → Griffith Observatory

Details: Based on the locations we want to go, I reorder them for a smoother trip

LA Trip Day 1

• Depart from Airbnb. First stop is California Science Center
• Locations will be around our Airbnb in Beverly Hills (check-out Tuesday morning) Map

May 19th: The Getty Center, The Getty Villa, The Grove

Path: The Getty Center → The Getty Villa → The Grove

Details: Map

May 20th: MOVING DATE - Battleship USS Lowa Museum. Stay at Disneyland Hotel!

Address: Disneyland East Esplanade, Anaheim, CA 92802

Map: Interactive Map

Location: The Anaheim Hotel

Address: 1700 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802

May 21st (Wednesday): Disneyland!

Things to know:

• It has two theme parks: Disneyland Park (larger) and Disney California Adventure (DCA). We'll only go Disneyland Park
• We will be staying overnight at one of its hotel - Pixar Place Hotel, west of DCA (or the anaheim hotel, east of dca). Hotel check-in time is 3pm and check-out time is 11am. We can store our luggage at the Bell Desk
• To enter the theme park, guests (age 3 or older, <3yo is free) need both valid admission and a theme park reservation for the same day and same park they want to visit
• Disneyland Park operates from 8am-11pm
• For kid:
  • Baby Care Centers: First Aid Center (a sidewalk from the middle of main street)
  • Kid-friendly: It's a Small World, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Peter Pan’s Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Magic Happens Parade
  • Stroller policy: must be no larger than 79 cm wide and 132 cm long, or rent one inside for $18/day
  • Maybe: put an id tag on kid, bring blankets/jackets/umbrella, portable charger, snacks
• If we wanna shopping, we can go Downtown Disney District

First thing to do: Use Disney App to reserve restaurant, or maybe 1-2 weeks ahead if possible?

Tickets: tickets.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner: Red Rose Tavern, Plaza Inn, Blue Bayou

May 22nd: MOVING DATE - Home

Location: Take private/chauffeur transportation to LAX. Private transport service I plan to reserve

Details: TBA