Family Weekend Getaway at The Garland
I just had a much needed weekend getaway at The Garland in North Hollywood, minutes from Universal Studios.
I’ve been wanting to stay at this hotel for a few years now, it always looked so gorgeous in the photos I’ve seen. It did not disappoint in person!
Nathan and I had never taken Harper or Grayson to Universal Studios before but they were super into it after watching some YouTube videos of the rides- not shocked. They couldn’t wait! So off we went to The Garland.
The Garland is super family friendly, and we stayed in a family suite that had an adorable separate nook with the kid’s bunk beds.
We arrived on Friday night and had dinner at Beverly Park, which is a beautiful outdoor garden that they fill with taco carts, grill stations, a salad bar, ice cream carts, and so much more.
They even had life-sized Connect Four and giant Jenga. The kids were in heaven!!
There were so many delicious food options which was perfect for me, (gluten free!) and the kids who can sometimes be picky eaters.
After dinner we had a poolside movie screening of Despicable Me, which is one of the Harper and Gray’s favorite movies.
The next morning we joined the breakfast buffet at The Front Yard to fuel ourselves before heading to Universal Studios!! Fresh fruit, cereal, toast, crispy bacon, eggs, juice, and coffee. Everything you could want really… we were stuffed.
We got on The Garland’s trolley to the theme park which runs continuously throughout the day, it’s a 5 minute ride and only 2 miles away!
There are so many amazing attractions such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Fast & Furious, King Kong, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem…
At noon we had a super yummy group lunch at Three Broomsticks, hosted by The Garland. If you’re not familiar with Harry Potter, Three Broomsticks is a laid back restaurant with a British pub feel. (In the movies, it’s an pub and inn!)
After a tiring day of fun, we headed back to the hotel for a tasty dinner at The Front Yard.
I didn’t really touch on The Front Yard before, but it’s nestled under towering sycamore trees and has the most beautiful atmosphere for enjoying a meal. It has a simple yet elevated menu that the entire family can enjoy. Executive chef Larry Greenwood does an impeccable job!
After dinner we enjoyed a private showing of the movie Sing at the onsite Beverly Garland theater, complete with Dolby surround sound, plush seats, drinks, candy, and popcorn. The kids loved it and thought it was so cool to be in an “empty” movie theater.
After getting a good night’s sleep in the comfiest beds ever, I went to yoga the next morning with Harper. We had some mommy & me fun while Nathan and Gray slept in.
Surprisingly, all ages and skill levels are welcome at Tai Chi Yoga in Beverly Park.
It focuses on gentle stretches, deep breathing, and fluid moments. It was a really great way to start our Sunday and begin unwinding from the busy weekend.
After that, we went on the Urban Walk which is a fun little stroll The Garland offers to explore the neighborhood and see the Brady Bunch house.
Finally, we had our farewell brunch at The Front Yard. We were sad to say goodbye, but the house-made Wildberry Pop Tarts and Nutella Stuffed French Toast made it a little sweeter.
Not to mention Huevos Rancheros and Hot Chicken Biscuits, brunch is not to be missed at The Front Yard!
We snuck in a few hours at the pool before it was time to check out. The kids had so much fun swimming and splashing around, and I got to relax with the hubs. The perfect ending to the perfect weekend.
We had the most amazing weekend getaway at The Garland and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The kids can’t wait to go back to Universal either.
Sometimes it’s fun to take a little trip in your own backyard. We live pretty close to The Garland but pretended we were on vacay!
