Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

We try to make it a goal each year to get away for a few days with the family for a little vacation.  Since my girls are still young, I am a huge fan of the staycation.  Or, a destination that is a fairly easy drive from Orange County.

Two years ago we stayed at the Huntington Beach Hyatt and last year we went to Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Desert. Both were amazing family-friendly meccas!

This year we want to go someplace we haven’t been before and I have been doing some searching online looking for places to stay.

A lot of places look awesome online, but I love to get feedback from real families so I wanted to throw this question out to my readers!  Where do you think is the BEST place to stay and vacay in So Cal with kids?

My girls will be 5 and 2 this summer, so we are looking for a place that falls within the  following parameters (in order of importance!)

1. Ideally under 2-3 hour drive from Orange County
2. GREAT kid and family-friendly pool
3. Fun things to do for families nearby
4. Decent, comfortable rooms
5. Kid-friendly common areas and dining

Have you stayed at a resort in Southern California that your family LOVED? Please do tell!

I saw this deal come through yesterday for Bahia Resort Hotel in San Diego on Screamin Daily Deals.  Has anyone stayed there before?

Let me know the greatest spot you have found in Southern California for a getaway with little ones!

Thank you for your help!!

xoxo

Jen

{Disclosure: Tiny Oranges is a Screamin Daily Deal Affiliate}

If you live in Southern California, I know you have gotten a glimpse of the amazing snow capped mountains lately after our endless rain.  Isn’t it gorgeous?!  That means it’s time to take advantage and enjoy that snow with today’s Screamin Daily Deal which is for  $32 for a  full day lift ticket to Mt. Baldy Ski Resort (normally $64!)

If you haven’t signed up already with Screamin Daily Deals to get the daily deal emails (totally free), I am excited to share that as a Tiny Oranges reader, if you sign up between now and the end of March by CLICKING THROUGH HERE, $5.00 will be credited to your account! That makes this deal (or the next one you purchase) even sweeter!

And just so you know, 10% of the proceeds of each deal bought goes directly to local schools and charities. So, you get a great deal + local schools and charities get $$ = WIN WIN WIN!

So here’s a little about today’s deal…

Known as Southern California’s Best Kept Snow Secret, Mt. Baldy offers skiing and boarding for all levels with 26 runs spanning over 3 mountains.

The tickets are good any day for the 2010/2011 season but the promo value expires March 31, 2011. The coupon has no cash value and is not valid with any other offers.

Limit one purchase per member, but you may purchase multiple deals as gifts!

There are no Blackout Dates but reservations are required at www.mtbaldy.com and the voucher must be activated HERE.

For more information and to purchase this deal – click on over here and enjoy your day in the snow!

{Disclosure: Tiny Oranges is a Screamin Daily Deal affiliate}

Can’t think of a better way to come back from vacation than with two GREAT back-to-back giveaways!   Make sure to read below on how YOU can win a complete Turkey Dinner for up to 10 people just in time for Thanksgiving from Screamin Daily Deals!

But first, I want to tell you a little about an amazing, online local community for families just like you and me! SoCal Family Connection is a local community provided by the ultra-awesome Screamin Daily Deals and can be found HERE on The Blog Frog.

As an OC mom blogger, I love things that are locally-focused. And I know you will love this site.  It is easy to join and the super simple interface makes it so easy to connect quickly with other parents. Make sure to visit the community forum where you can post a question, respond to a post and connect with other parents in our neck of the woods.

I was recently chosen to be a community leader for this site – yay! – and I am so happy to be a part of it because I LOVE forums like this where I have the opportunity to meet others with similar interests.  You will see me over there in the Forum hopping around (no pun intended!) in and out of conversations and I would love you to join me!

I am in GREAT company with these fellow community leaders & ultra fabulous bloggers: Megan (follow her here), Sugar from Sugar in the Raw, Diane from Created by Diane, Kelly from Just Spotted, Aracely from Daytripping Mom and Amy from Funny Yellow Mom.

Now on to the great giveaway from Screamin Daily Deals! If you missed my previous posts on Screamin Daily Deals and have not yet signed up to get the daily emails, take 5 minutes today to do so.  Not even 5 minutes, it might only take 2.  Seriously, it is a GREAT company whose goal is to deliver to you FABULOUS daily deals and in the process a percentage of the deals purchased goes right back into our LOCAL schools.  Again, love the local love! Click HERE to sign up.

Hooray!  It’s a Tiny Giveaway!

Screamin Daily Deals was kind enough to purchase one of THESE awesome deals…a complete turkey dinner for up to 10 people from the Orange Tree Deli in Orange, CA  (a $150 value) for me to give away to one lucky reader!

{This deal is not currently available to purchase, but they purchased one on my behalf when this deal was running to give away to a reader.  This is the sort of deal that is offered daily on their awesome site so SIGN UP!}

Here is the fine print!

1. Expires on 12/25/10.
2. Order must be placed at least 48 hours in advance.
3. No cash value & cannot be combined with other offers.
4. Tax & gratuity not included.
5. If ordering for Thanksgiving day or Christmas day, order must be picked up the day prior.
6. Pick-up must be done by the winner at the restaurant location.

Entry options! Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

Mandatory entry:

1. Simply comment and tell me: What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving? – 1 ENTRY

Optional entries
(please leave a separate comment for each one!)

2. Click HERE and sign up for the Screamin Daily Deals emails. You won’t regret it! – 1 ENTRY
3. Click HERE to become a member and join the conversation over at the SoCal Family Connection on the Blog Frog – 1 ENTRY
4. {Like} Tiny Oranges on Facebook - 1 ENTRY
5. {Like} Screamin Daily Deals on Facebook – 1 ENTRY
5. Follow @TinyOrangesOC on Twitter – 1 ENTRY
6. Subscribe to Tiny Oranges daily email updates – 1 ENTRY

Contest runs through 5pm PST on Thursday, 11/18/10. I will pick the winner at random.  Please leave your email address in your comment (won’t be published) so I can contact you if you won!

AND!  Another chance to win…

CLICK HERE to go over to THIS DISCUSSION at the SoCal Family Connect and enter again in a separate giveaway going on right now in the Forum!

Good luck mamas!  Have a great Tuesday!

{Disclosure:  I am compensated for my time as a community leader at the SoCal Family Connect and am a part of the Screamin Daily Deals affiliate program.}

If you haven’t signed up yet to get the Screamin Daily Deals, trust me and take one minute today to do it, because there are so many great deals!!   PLUS, for each coupon purchased, not only do you save a lot of money, but a percentage goes back to the local school of your choice.   Such an awesome program.

CLICK HERE to sign up to get the emails.  It’s easy & free. After you sign up,  you will receive emails with SCREAMIN deals.  If a deal catches your eye, you have the day to purchase it, then you get the coupon and your school gets money.  Love love love!

Today’s deal is a fun one from Newport Fun Tours!

With today’s Screamin Daily Deal, you can cruise Newport Harbor in style with a  2-hour rental in a luxurious electric Lounge Chair for two {complete with built in cooler & MP3 player} for ONLY $20!

On your adventure, you can look forward to potential wildlife encounters including seals, dolphins, and various other sea creatures. Enjoy the gorgeous OC fall weather and the beautiful coastline of Newport Harbor from the comfort of your lounge.

I thought this would be a fun activity for the family or even to take your husband for a “date day” activity!

CLICK HERE for the details and to purchase this deal!

Happy Labor Day everyone!  We are surviving life with a hot pink cast…no beach or pool time for us this weekend! Will post next week on all the fun details. In the meantime, have a fabulous weekend!

xo Jen

{Disclosure: Tiny Oranges is a part of the Screamin Daily Deals affiliate program & this is a sponsored post. However,  my opinions are ALWAYS honest and I would be screamin’ about this program regardless of their affiliate incentive.}

Had to do a post on the Screamin Daily Deal for today…get $60 worth of food & drink for only $30 at The Bungalow in Corona del Mar! This is a SCREAMIN deal! Love, love, love this restaurant! Snatch it up today and tuck it away for a romantic date night or evening out with girlfriends.   Plus, when you sign up for Screamin Daily Deals (it’s free), with EVERY coupon purchase, money goes back to local schools.  Love this site! Local companies helping local schools! Win-win all around!

Click HERE to buy it!

{Disclosure: Tiny Oranges is a Screamin Daily Deals affiliate}