On a whim, we decided that it would be nice to check out a little place in Hollister, CA that we drive by regularly on our way out of town, called Casa De Fruta. I am not really sure where this idea came from except that we were going to be be in the Morgan Hill area, not far from Hollister, and wanted to get some fresh fruit and find a place for Kolton to explore. Casa De Fruta is about 40 miles from us, but since we were already planning on being in the area, it was a fun detour.
The first orchards of Casa De Fruta were planted in 1908, and it has been growing and expanding ever since. They offer a huge variety of fruits and vegetables, wines, nuts, jams and sauces as well as a restaurant, a small train, a carousel and a fun play area for the kids.
Kolton enjoyed throwing rocks in the pond and watching the turtles and fish swim around. The carousel was so incredible! It is hand-painted and two stories tall. We did not ride it, but Kolton loved watching the ‘horsies’ ride past him.
The play structure, although dated, was very visually appealing for the venue. It was a pretty hot March day, so we couldn’t play there too long without any shade. Kolton enjoyed the slide though.
Since he is really into trains right now, this was one of our selling points. Any chance he has to watch one chug by him is a opportunity that can’t be missed. He mimics the noises and always waves to the passengers. He isn’t really interested in riding on one yet, just enjoys watching.
After playing for quite awhile, we found a nice shady spot and ordered sandwiches from the deli. They were so delicious! We relaxed for a bit and took in the beautiful scenery. Kolton ate some juicy, fresh strawberries, and we even saw a peacock walk right next to our table.
After we ate, and Curtis enjoyed the wine, we walked throug the gift shop and then the fruit stand. The gift shop was packed with all kinds of candies and treats! Luckily, Kolton is not much of a sweet eater, or we would have been in trouble. He was perfectly happy looking at the pretty colors and eating his strawberries.
The fruit stand was really incredible also. Everything was displayed so perfectly. I really enjoyed photographing the fruits and vegetables, about as much as Kolton enjoyed the samples.
In the end, although we probably won’t go out of our way to make the 40 mile drive, the next time we are passing through, we will look forward to stopping at Casa De Fruta for it’s fruit, wine and beautiful views!
-Danielle
xoxo
