Family Outings

We loved going out together as a family.

By Dave

Jun 14, 2021

Because we lived in Southern California, there were lots of places available for us to visit as a family. Mom and Dad were very generous and took us out to lots of fun places. In the summers we’d take family vacations together – usually not too far, because we kids made driving difficult. Sometimes, usually around their wedding anniversary at the end of May, Mom and Dad went off together, just the two of them, and left us kids to stay with various friends and relatives.

Mom and Dad loved to go to Hawaii for their anniversary trips. Eventually they bought a timeshare there, but this picture (and the one at the top of the page) are from 1961 – their first trip to Hawaii, I think. 

They set a great example for me, going off every year for their anniversary. It’s one I’ve been pleased to follow throughout my marriage.

In 1960 Mom and Dad borrowed the travel trailer from Annie and Grandpa and took us kids up north to see the California redwoods. We stayed in a campground there called Big Basin. In this photo Mom is sitting at the picnic table with Peggy. I don’t remember much about the trip but we must have had a good time – Mom always said that we should go back.

Peggy and I share “driving” responsibilities on this car ride at Knott’s Berry Farm – another of our favorite family destinations. We knew that the car was on a track and that our steering had no influence – but it was great fun to pretend we were driving a car.

This photo of Peggy and me was taken at Marineland in 1960. Marineland was an oceanside amusement park with shows where you could see various trained animals like dolphins and seals perform, and visit other marine life in the aquarium. It was a really fun place to go, but I think it’s gone now, having lost the fight for customers to Sea World.

One of our regular outings was to the park. In warm weather, we’d usually go on Sundays after church. Grandma, Grandad and Aunt would come too, and there would be lots of good picnic food. We’d play family games, and we kids would play with our outside toys. It was lots of fun. 

In these two pictures from 1961 we three kids (John was not yet born) sit with Grandma on a park bench, and Mom & Dad sit together after Dad finishes playing catch with me.

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