Fieldtrip 101: Discovery Science Center

We're attempting to finish our Summer up with a bang and fitting in as much fun as we can! There are so many museums, theme parks, etc that I've been wanting to take Landon to, and this was on the list!

What a great place to take the kids! While it's geared towards kids who are 5+, it's still great to let the younger ones explore and get some hands on fun with science.

The facility is 2 levels with multiple exhibits. It looked smaller than I thought it would be, but it was packed with over 4 hours of fun. LC's favorite exhibit was the Dino Quest. You receive a "magic wand" and a mission to find items in their Dino Exhibit. When you find one of the items on your list, you scan it with your wand. At the end of your journey, you return the wand and receive a special Dino token as a reward. He also really enjoyed the NASA Rocket Lab where he could launch rockets high into the air.

They have restrooms located throughout the museum and a few hand sanitizer stations, too. Although, I recommend bringing your own. 

For lunchtime, they have a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut on site that isn't marked up to ridiculous prices! Just plan your dining time out or have someone grab a table for you because seating is limited and fills up very quickly during lunch hour.

Discovery Science Center
2500 North Main Street, Santa Ana

Admission: $15.95 (15+), $12.95 (3-14)
Parking: $4.00 Cash Only
Hours: 10am-5pm
Good for Ages: 3+
Notes: Bring Hand Sanitizer, Cash Only for Parking

Fieldtrip 101: San Diego Zoo Safari Park

For those that are wondering, yes it is the same place as the "Wild Animal Park", just under a new name. And it's still owned by the San Diego Zoo, but is not the same location as the San Diego Zoo. They're about 30 minutes apart.

LC and I had the chance to visit with family this summer. This is a great place for the family to visit and see the traditional animals that everyone loves about the zoo, plus a place to see animals interact together on the African Plains. Your ticket includes a safari tram ride that you must take. You get to circle the African Plains with an up close look at some of the animals.

Our favorite exhibit is the Lion Camp where the lions often lay right up against the glass. I'm also fond of the Gorilla Forest- especially since there is a baby gorilla who provides plenty of entertainment and laughs.

The have a petting zoo, playground and even a water play area for the kids to enjoy. If you're the more adventurous type, they have a variety of tours and activities available for purchase including a zipline over animal exhibits and a caravan safari where you are able to hand feed some of their animals.

If you go, be prepared for LOTS of walking. The exhibits are spaced out to allow the animals room to roam, so you'll get plenty of exercise during your visit.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd, Escondido

Admission: $42 (12+), $32 (3-11)

Parking: $10

Hours: 9a-5p Open later during summer and holiday breaks

Notes: Bring water and snacks. Get there early- Animals are more active during the cooler hours. During the month of October, they usually promote "Kids Free" month. Take advantage of that!



Fieldtrip 101: Riley's Farm

Strawberries are probably the most loved fruit in our household, so it's no surprise that we love picking our own from a local farm.

Riley's Farm is about 15 minutes from Yucaipa/Beaumont and nestled in the small town of Oak Glen. Famous for it's U-Pick apples in the fall, there are plenty of activities to enjoy year round! From Revolutionary War reenactments to themed dinner events, and there's plenty of u-pick opportunities, as well- Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Pears, Apples and even Zinnias!

We spent the morning there picking fresh strawberries. I recommend calling ahead to check their crop availability, as it was a little sparse when we showed up. We still were able to grab a couple pints full of delicious red berries.

After your day of harvesting, you can browse through their general store or enjoy a slice of fresh baked apple pie from their bakery! (Crumb Crust is our fave!)

Riley's Farm

12261 Oak Glen Rd, Oak Glen 92399

Parking: FREE

Cost: Varies per activity. Strawberries were 1/2 pint $3.00; 1 pint $5.00

Good for ages: 3 and up

Hours: Mon-Sat 10a-4p; Closed Sundays

Notes: Everything is outdoors. Please arrive early and bring sunscreen and water. Wear close toe shoes- remember this is a working farm. The ground may be uneven in places. They accept cash and credit cards for payment. Cell phone service is sparse. 

Fieldtrip 101: Temecula Berry Co.

I've been to a few U-Pick farms and Temecula Berry Co. is by far one of my favorites! We live an hour away and make the drive every year. The farm is beautiful and the staff is amazing! They truly go the extra mile to make your experience a good one!

When you arrive, they will give you directions and tips for getting the best berries. If you are a returning customer, you can just grab a bucket and start picking!

In addition to the berry picking, there is a hen house for the kids to look in on their resident chickens(they feature chicken shows every afternoon at 3pm and farm fresh eggs Mon. & Thur. at 4pm). There are hay bales and a tractor for the kids to climb on, too.

If you're looking for something more than fresh blueberries, they sell Raw Honey that is simply amazing! I'm not even a fan of honey and I bought some! Monday mornings (around 9:30am) they have fresh blueberry bread from Great Harvest Bread Company.

They have great family events every week. Tuesdays at 9:00 and 10:30am, they have "Nana's Story Time". And every Friday night they show a family friendly movie on a huge screen at 8:00pm. What a perfect way to spend a summer evening! This is definitely a must visit place with the family! Stay tuned to see what we make with our berries!

Temecula Berry Co.
39700 Cantrell Rd., Temecula, CA
www.temeculaberryco.com

Hours: 8am-6pm 7 days a week (open later on Fridays for movies)
Price: $5 per pint
Good For Ages: ALL
Notes: Visit earlier in the day or late afternoon on hot days. They have canopies and hay bales throughout the farm for you to rest, but the blueberries are out in the sun. Don't forget the sunscreen. They do sell assorted drinks, but it doesn't hurt to bring your own.

Fieldtrip 101: Los Angeles Zoo

When you think California and Zoo, San Diego instantly comes to mind. But, if you're looking to "Go Wild"  and don't want to drive that far or pay that much, then be sure to check out the Los Angeles Zoo.

Nestled in middle of Griffith Park, the Los Angeles Zoo holds an afternoon of fun for the whole family.  They have all of the major animals that kids love to see (Lions, Tigers, Zebras, Elephants, Giraffes, etc.) and some of the more unusual creatures as well. Be sure to check out their new LAIR exhibit- dedicated solely to reptiles. (My son loves the floor to ceiling snake cages and watching the zookeepers feed the crocodiles out front.)   They have a petting zoo where kids can groom some of their resident sheep and goats, a fun prarie dog exhibit with tunnels below them that allow you pop up into domes in the middle of their habitat and a great children's playground.

Enjoy lunch while looking out over the giraffe exhibit or pack your own picnic- there's plenty of space for picnics near the Neil Paipano Play Area.

My family and I have annual passes (a great deal with exclusive member events!) and it typically takes us 3-4 hours to do the whole zoo. It tends to get more crowded in the afternoon, so we usually go in the morning when it opens. For those who don't want to be on their feet all day and want to see the best of the zoo, there is a Shuttle ride for a small additional fee.



Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA

Admission: Adults $16; Seniors (62+) $13; Child (2-12) $11; Under 2 FREE
Parking: FREE
Hours: Mon- Sun 10am-5pm (closed Dec 25th)
Notes: Please note that the zoo starts putting animals away for the night at 4pm. Ticket sales will cease one hour prior to closing.

Fieldtrip 101: Amy's Farm

If you're looking to give your kids a taste of farm life, then Amy's Farm is the place to go! Located on the border of Ontario and Chino, Amy's Farm offers tours for all ages. If you have a group of 10 or more, you can schedule a tour of your own. If it's just you and your kiddos, send them an email and ask if they have tours that you can add on to. (This is what LC and I did).

Each tour is a little different based on what they have going on at the farm, but here is a little bit of what we did. It starts off with a tour of the garden area. The farmer shows different types of food they're growing and kids get to smell different herbs that are growing in the garden. We got to meet and learn about one of their resident cows on the farm. Later in the tour, kids were able to pet her nose and get up close to say hello. We then moved on to the petting zoo where we got to meet some of their brand new baby sheep. The kids were then allowed to grab a handful of veggies (taken from their garden of course) and feed geese, a pig, a turkey or chickens. We moved on to meet some cuddly bunnies, brush a mini horse and my favorite- milk a cow!

Amy's Farm also offers fresh produce for sale and self-guided tours on Saturdays.

Amy's Farm

7698 Eucalyptus Ave, Ontario

Admission: $7 per person

Parking: FREE

Hours: By reservation only. Check out their website for more information

Good For Ages: 3-12

Notes: Bring water. Bring Sunscreen. Tour is on dirt, but can accomodate larger strollers (not umbrella strollers). It gets hot out in the sun- the earlier the tour, the better!



Fieldtrip 101: Ocean Institute

A couple of weeks ago I posted about Baby Beach in Dana Point and mentioned the Ocean Institute. Well, this weekend we made a visit to the beach with some friends, and since it was on a weekend, we decided to also visit the Ocean Institute.

I use to come here often as a child- way before the remodel when it was just a one room facility. This is probably the place that sparked my love of ocean animals for many years to follow.

It's small, but there are great learning opportunities around every corner. It hosts a variety of sea creature viewing tanks with everything from Jellyfish, to giant Lobsters and even an Octopus. The kid's favorite exhibit was the touch tank where they were able to feel Starfish and Sea Cucumbers.

We happened to get there in time for a tour of one of the tallships. If you have a pirate enthusiast in your family, this is a must see! I'd recommend it for older children. Our 5 year olds weren't into all of the mechanics and history of the ship, but they did enjoy turning the steering wheel and ringing the bell.

The Ocean Institute also hosts educational programs and camps throughout the year for all ages. Check out their website for more information.

Left: Touch tank with starfish and sea cucumbers    
Right: "Steering" The Pilgrim

Checking out Orca and Bottlenose Dolphin skulls

Ocean Institute
24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point

Admission: Adults $6.50, Ages 3-12 $4.50, Under 3 FREE
Parking: FREE
Hours: Saturday and Sunday 10am-3pm
Good for Ages: 3-13
Notes: Closed to the public Mon-Fri. Don't forget to pack water safe shoes to visit the tide pools. Please be aware that this is a protected site and is illegal to remove any animals, shells, rocks, etc.

Fieldtrip 101: Kidspace Children's Museum

This is my first post on a series of places to take the kids in or around Southern California.

Today LC and I visited Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena. It's approximately a 75 minute drive from home base.

I'm not gonna lie- when I got there, I was slightly disappointed in the size of it. The website makes it seem a lot larger, but don't let the actual size fool you. They pack a lot of fun into a small space. 

LC had fun digging dino fossils, climbing up raindrop towers, observing bugs and playing in their water features. Be prepared to get involved with your kids here and explain to them the wonders of a bee colony, a vortex and the scents of different plants in a garden (like Peppermint).

A bonus feature is the park that surrounds the museum. It has plenty of space for a nice picnic lunch and a wonderful playground to tire their little butts out!

Kidspace Children's Museum
480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena

Parking: FREE
Admission: Adults and Children over 1- $10
Hours: Tue-Fri 9:30am-5:00pm; Sat & Sun 10:00am to 5:00pm (open on Mondays during Summer months)
Good for Ages: 2-8
Notes: Pack water shoes and a change of clothes if you plan on playing in the water features. There is a Cafe on-site, but it has an excellent park for picnics