What summer is complete without a trip to the California State Fair?

After what has felt like possibly two decades, we finally revisited Cal Expo to experience the jewel of the Golden State.

I’m not sure what possessed me to book our trip on a hot day, but going mid-week and mid-day was definitely a good choice to stay away from the crowds. The fair was mostly filled with parents and their kids — with all of us probably using a Groupon discount.

A little loop around the rides (not to ride them), and then straight to the Dippin’ Dots stand.

After grabbing a snack, one of the highlights of my visit to the California State Fair was the exhibits sharing artwork from local school children and artists, in addition to the small animals exhibit. Boy oh boy, are rabbits way cuter than I thought they were!?

And let’s not forget the fantastic Disney princess horse show! Complete with a tiny Pocahontas, running barefoot through horse poop.

Although our trip to the fair was only three hours in total — we had roughly three major food stops. Our second stop consisted of chile stuffed sausages and turkey legs. Topped off with freshly squeezed lemonade.

To cap the visit, a trip on the monorail made the day complete. They say California hired developers from Disneyland to make Cal Expo the “Disney” of Northern California. Did they make the mark? You be the judge.