A family ‘staycation’ in Odaiba

With our time in Japan quickly coming to an end, we decided to take one last opportunity to spend time in amazing Tokyo. We headed to Odaiba for a short family ‘staycation’ to take in the beautiful views of Tokyo Bay, and explore the area. The view from our hotel room did not disappoint!

Not only were we directly in front of the iconic Rainbow Bridge, but we also had a view of Lady Liberty herself! (Japan has three Statue of Liberty replicas, but this one is the most famous.)

So, we walked down for a closer look.

Now for a nice walk along the bay.

We really enjoyed the beautiful walking path.

The girls loved looking for crab among the rocks.

In the other direction, there was actually a sandy beach area. I had been to Odaiba a few times, but did not know this beach existed! The beachfront area was very lively on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. 

There was some sort of tournament happening, which was closer to ping pong, with paddles and ball but using a volleyball-style net instead of a table. Interesting.

Tokyo dogs must be amongst the most spoiled animals in the world. They always have cute haricuts,

VERY stylish clothes,

and are almost always seen riding in strollers. 

In fact, it is more common to see a dog riding in a stroller than walking!

I’ve seen so many clothed dogs, that it’s normal to me now.

And don’t forget the fancy dog deli’s where you can buy your precious doggy a gourmet meal or treat!

If you’re not a dog person, you could always consider a prairie dog on a leash, or FIVE! (Their owner was feeding each one water using a very small syringe. That’s love!)

Back to the room for a quick change and some pool time!

And an awesome view of the sunset.

The hotel hot tub was amazing! I absolutely loved sitting in this spot gazing at the Tokyo Bay. I tried to really etch this moment into my memory to retrieve at a later time and place. And, we had it all to ourselves!

Ella is my adventurous eater and always chooses traditional local cuisine from the breakfast buffet. The first, was soup with quail eggs and lotus flower, the second bowl was grilled mackerel on rice. As for me? I headed straight for the omelette station.

And such a lovely outdoor patio to enjoy a cup of coffee and the paper.

After breakfast, we wandered the area. Meet Gundam, a famous Tokyo landmark.

And the Venus Fort mall, had a classic car display.

Honestly, what can be more classic than the Delorean?

I had such deja vu in this mall. It looked exactly like the Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops in Las Vegas. I had to keep reminding myself where we were.

Maybe not the best design for an umbrella?

I was so happy to see that parents were also allowed in the baby room! Whew!

After the mall, we happened upon a huge Toyota showroom with a bunch of fun driving simulations.

Such a fun surprise, and free!

Odaiba is built on reclaimed land and has a very well planned layout. The pedestrian traffic is all on above street walkways, so you don’t really deal with vehicle traffic at all. It was nice.

More pool time in the afternoon, followed by another walk along the bay in the evening.

I really loved the pots of succulents around the hotel grounds. I don’t know how these desert plants survive the Japan rainy season, but they sure were beautiful and reminded me of home.

Lots more crab to hunt and critters to find.

It was such a perfect evening too, with just the right amount of ocean breeze.

This staycation had such a beach resort feel, even right in the heart of the city.

Sometimes I forget that we actually DO live on an island!

This could be the most picturesque wedding shoot ever. Lucky!

There’s nothing like being barefoot in the sand. The perfect way to end a very relaxing day.

We spent the last day of our short staycation at the DisneySea Resort, with a theme of different water front areas around the world.

 My sister lives near Venice, so, Pam, is this close?

We really love DisneySea and wanted to visit one last time before we move. Ariel’s castle is a favorite destination.

We stood in line for the “Journey to the Center of the Earth” ride, made it to the front of the line, and were actually seated in the ride, when they announced that there were technical difficulties, and the ride would be closing for maintenance. So, we got off of the ride and were asked to wait longer.

After about 10 more minutes, we were escorted out of the ride, via a private backroom, and given a one-time VIP pass to ride any other ride of our choice without waiting. That experience was definitely a first!

The Japanese are very good at waiting in lines and will start waiting before a show or parade for an hour or more!

A cool treat on a hot day!

I loved this shot for the Tower of Terror ride. Hearing the story in Japanese does not add the level of scary that the California Disneyland version does, but it is still a great ride.

The park was celebrating 15 years this year, so there were many elaborate decorations. Gotta love Disney!

And with that, our fabulous family staycation came to an end. 

Only one week until we leave Japan. I can hardly bear the thought!