"A perfect family trip isn’t completed at a flashy landmark, but at a simple table where you laugh and share a meal together."
The California Tourism Board and the California Milk Advisory Board held a joint event April 30 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul to promote California as a family destination.
Using the catchphrase “the ultimate playground,” the organizers highlighted travel built around everyday moments and food experiences for both children and adults.
◆ California as “the ultimate playground,” with food at the center
In welcoming remarks, Kim Eun-mi, head of the tourism board’s Korea office, said what lingers after a trip is not only famous attractions but small moments such as “a dinner table where the family laughed together” or “new foods discovered while walking in an unfamiliar place.”
She said California’s beaches, major cities, cultural diversity and food scene help those moments accumulate naturally, adding that children broaden their horizons while parents get a break from routine in what she called “the ultimate playground.”
Jeong Sin-hyeong, vice president of the California Milk Advisory Board, said California’s dairy industry accounts for about 20% of total U.S. milk production and produces high-quality cheese from milk of “happy cows” raised in mild weather with less stress.
◆ Chef Sam Kim’s “soul food”: beef tacos with California cheese
Chef Sam Kim drew attention with a cooking demonstration, making beef tacos with Monterey Jack and Colby Jack cheeses and presenting them as an easy dish for families to share.
He said tacos were his go-to “soul food” when he worked as a chef in the United States, often buying them from a truck after midnight. He added that he made the tacos for his son before school that morning and “he loved it.”
Kim also cited a history of American cheese spreading with the establishment of Spanish monasteries in the 1700s, and said Colby Jack is well-suited for cooking because it is not too salty and has good melt and stretch.
◆ Practical tips for value-focused family travel
The tourism board also shared travel tips aimed at families looking to balance cost and satisfaction.
It encouraged travelers to make use of free attractions across California, citing Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory and The Broad, and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and sea lion viewing, all of which can be enjoyed without admission fees.
For theme parks, a major budget item, it advised choosing timing and booking methods carefully. Universal Studios and Disneyland use dynamic pricing, and visiting in the off-season — January to March and September to November before Thanksgiving — can cut ticket prices by as much as $70 even within the same month. Booking online in advance can save an additional $20 to $40 per person, and hotel-and-ticket packages can reduce costs while simplifying travel logistics.
It highlighted Pasadena and Greater Palm Springs as notable family destinations. Pasadena, about 14.5 kilometers from downtown Los Angeles, offers education and cultural infrastructure including the Rose Bowl and the California Institute of Technology. Greater Palm Springs, made up of nine resort cities, draws 14.4 million visitors annually and features attractions such as the world’s largest rotating cable car, the Aerial Tramway, and the Living Desert zoo and gardens.
◆ 2026 events and new infrastructure
California is also preparing for major events and new development in 2026.
Los Angeles and San Francisco are set to host a total of 14 matches as key cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup held across North America. The state also plans events along its roughly 507-kilometer stretch of Route 66, including Santa Monica, as the iconic highway marks its 100th anniversary.
Highway 1, previously restricted in parts for geological reasons, has fully reopened, and additional entertainment and lodging projects are planned.
In Palm Springs, the DSRT Surf resort — a 6,700-pyeong facility offering artificial waves — is scheduled to open this summer. Disney’s Storyliving project, Cotino, a 1,900-home residential and resort development, will be unveiled in phases. The tourism board also cited a new attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood, the opening of Legoland’s Galaxy Coaster, and dozens of new hotel projects nearing completion.
The tourism board and the dairy group said they plan to use the event to further promote California travel to Korea’s family market, emphasizing a mix of attractions and food experiences.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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