Labor Day Activities Around Los Angeles
According to AAA, 2.5 million Angelenos are expected to get away from it all on Labor Day weekend. That means there’s a 2.5 million-person hole left behind for visitors to fill! So if you’re in LA for Labor Day and looking for something special to do, here’s a short list.
Carnival, celebrities, chili. Tickets are $10 (cheaper for kids) and the chili vendors sell their wares, although they do give out 2 oz. samples for judging. This event has grown from a small community gathering into a major undertaking, mostly by word of mouth, like the best ones do.
Long Beach Jazz Festival’s KJazz Blues Bash
A scaled down event that will take the place of the traditional weekend-long festival. (It’s the economy.) However, the organizers have planned what looks to be a lovely family-friendly celebration of music and food on the Cal State Long Beach Campus. A free street festival beginning at noon welcomes you to bring blankets, low beach chairs, and even shade umbrellas for the perimeter. You can also bring food and beverages, but there will be plenty for sale on site. The evening ends with a performance by Keb Mo, for which ticketed seats cost $55. Parking is $10.
For the little ones: it’s Farmer Day at Kidspace in Pasadena. If you don’t have the energy (or the patience, or a big enough diaper bag) to make it to one of the bigger events, why not venture out for a special day of animal petting for your preschooler? The kids will get up close and personal with farm animals, and they’ll help bring in crops. City folk are sure to love it.
What’s more American than a pie-eating contest? Nothing! Right! Also, it’s free! The second annual KCRW Good Food Pie contest takes place on Sunday, September 5 from 4 to 6 pm on the grounds of the Taste of Beverly Hills event (tickets vary in price but are mostly $$$).
LA’s 229th birthday is celebrated by residents in a nine-mile walk from the original mission to Olvera Street downtown.
Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival
The 2nd Annual Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival is a celebration of art, music and food, with a schedule of performances, events, and activities for all ages. It’s free. Leimert Park Village is a thriving African American community right in downtown Los Angeles.
[photo by Mike Munchel via sxc.hu]
Reptilemania at the San Diego Zoo
Why did it have to be snakes?
A few weeks ago, there came a day that a mother fears – the day when her five-year-old son declares that he wants a snake for his birthday. Especially if on that same day his father declares that yes, this is a possibility.
Oh, really.
So far, the five-year-old is just “totally into” snakes and lizards. At a friend’s birthday party recently, there was a Lizard Lady, who brought several cages of reptiles and showed them to the children, telling the crowd a little bit about each animal. There were lizards, turtles, small snakes, and a 75-pound Burmese Python. AT A CHILD’S BIRTHDAY PARTY. The Lizard Lady had the gall to invite parents to wrap the 75-pound snake around our shoulders for a photo opportunity.
I wouldn’t have considered the notion. But when I saw the look of rapture on my son’s face when she said that, I naturally stepped forward and volunteered to be the first. What else is a mom to do?
Our next reptilian adventure will take place in a far safer environment, which will not include any bodily contact between the snakes and myself. San Diego Zoo’s Reptilemania happens September 16 – 19 starting at 9:00 AM, and offers visitors up close and personal visits with the reptiles and the reptile keepers. They’ll present information about the various species that the Zoo has in residence, even show off tortoises that are estimated to be over 100 years old. Admission is included in the cost of a zoo ticket ($37 for adults, $27 for children).
Lucky for you, that same weekend is also White Elephant sale weekend at the Zoo gift shop. Discounted prices on lots of merch, so the exit doesn’t have to be as painful.
Anyway, Reptilemania should hold the kid’s snake fix for a while. Except that he’s since changed his mind and now he says he wants a tarantula for his birthday. Yes, that’s what I said. A tarantula.
There. Is. No. Way.
[photo from SanDiegoZoo.org]
Northern California’s Stinson Beach
- Surf’s Up
One of the great things about living in California is our proximity to both the mountains and the beaches. In fact, just last month I mentioned our plans to hit a local beach to a friend of mine, which prompted him to relate to me his family’s plans to head up to Lake Tahoe that same weekend for some spring skiing. Only in California, baby.
Anyway, the girl had wanted to do a beach trip with her friends for quite some time, so on the recent Spring Break holiday we loaded up five girls and made the short jaunt to Stinson Beach.
Located on Highway 1 just north of San Francisco, (and at the end of a long and winding road down the hillside) Stinson Beach offers ocean lovers a quick, convenient get-away. It also offers plenty of sandy beach for walking, playing, and sun-bathing. If you’re brave enough to brave the cold waters, then there’s plenty of water to brave; an ocean’s worth in fact. On this particular day I was feeling somewhat cowardly – what with it only being about 70 degrees. Certainly warm enough to enjoy the sand and sun, but a wee bit too cold to do so wet, in my opinion. The kids, however, had no qualms at all about pitching themselves headlong into the surf.
Stinson’s public beach offers bathrooms, showers and good-sized changing areas. We brought a cooler with our own drinks, sandwiches, etc., however if you prefer you can make a stop at the Stinson Beach Market, literally an eight minute walk from the public beach.
If you’re looking to spend more than just the day, Stinson offers several motels for your lodging pleasure. You’ve got The Sandpiper , The Stinson Beach Motel, your Ocean Court Motel, and the Redwood Haus B&B. Of course if you’d rather, you can just hop back on the highway for the relatively quick trip back to San Francisco, where there are oodles of great hotels to fit your every need.
The afternoon flew by, and we adults found ourselves making the difficult decision to leave by 4-ish in hopes of avoiding some of the commute traffic (not everyone gets spring break vacation, right?). The kids were all for hanging around for a few more hours. And as the long days of summer approach, that is definitely a viable option.
Next time you’re looking for a quick and easy beach trip, grab your boogie boards and head for Stinson.
Keeping Watch
Catching Waves
Queens of the Sand Dunes
(All photos by Lisa Romano)
San Diego Zoo’s Polar Bear Plunge Teaches Visitors About Global Warming
Polar Bear Enjoying Her Kelp, San Diego Zoo
Every time I visit the San Diego Zoo, I am amazed at how the Zoo expertly shares their message of conservation with their visitors in an engaging way. My visit to the preview of the new Polar Bear Plunge exhibit did not disappoint. The San Diego Zoo has revamped this already popular exhibit to give visitors plenty of hands on opportunities to learn about polar bears and global warming.
Here are some interesting additions to the new exhibit:
Giant Story Books
Polar Bear Orphan Story San Diego Zoo
Families can read giant story books about polar bears together. The stories featured include the true story of two orphaned polar bear clubs and their journey to the San Diego Zoo as well as the profile of a real life Arctic researcher.
Explore an Arctic Helicopter
Kids Can Pretend to Fly a Real Arctic Helicopter, Polar Bear Plunge, San Diego Zoo
How many times do kids have a chance to climb into a real research helicopter? This was a highlight for most of the kids at the Polar Bear Plunge Preview.
Raid the Refrigerator
Polar Bear Snack
Everyone will love checking out this model of the average polar bear meal. The refrigerator next door includes the average size meal for human kids, teens, and adults. Big difference!
Global Warming Hits Home
Polar Ice Cap, 1989
Polar Ice Cap, 2007
The Zoo’s models of the polar ice cap give visitors a dramatic understanding of the effects of global warming. Docents are available at the exhibit to educate visitors about they can make simple lifestyle changes to reduce the impact of global warming.
Want to learn more about another great San Diego Zoo exhibit? Uptake Blogger Tamara Rice has the scoop on the San Diego Zoo Panda Bear Exhibit.
*All Photos by Bridget Smith of Family Adventure Guidebooks
Photography Tips For Your Road Trip
My husband waits patiently for me to take a picture, on the side of the road near Jackson, Wyoming.
A road trip is my ideal vacation (a fact many of you readers are probably amply aware of by now – there’s some link love at the end of this entry that demonstrates this obsession of mine). Even if my husband and I are flying somewhere, I still manage to work some sort of a driving trip into our final destination. I appreciate the ability to actually travel the miles. and see the environment. You can discover so much more about the country you live in or are visiting, and the world you live in, when you’re driving it and not flying over it.
A road trip provides excellent opportunities for photography. I am constantly pestering my husband (who is the one who usually drives) to pull of to the side of the road so I can take a picture of something. Like the photo above, which was me taking a picture of him, while he was waiting patiently in the truck after I finished taking photos of the surrounding area.
This photo of the Grand Tetons was taken from the road, during a brief slow-down in traffic.
Out-the-window road trip shots can be tricky because you’re moving and thereby creating a difficult environment from which to get a clear photograph. One tip is to roll down the window so you remove the risk of glare. Have the driver slow down as much as is possible under the circumstances, and use a very fast lens and/or shutter speed. Keep the camera’s strap around your neck if you have to lean out, and don’t point the lens directly into the wind so that you don’t get dust (and bug guts!) on it. Make sure your lens is affixed with a UV filter and hood, to protect it.
We rented a Harley for one day of our Wyoming road trip – I highly recommend it!
Make sure you choose a safe spot when pulling off to the side of the road to get a shot. Make sure to avoid any blind corners or hidden turn-offs. Get well off the road to put some distance between you and the passing traffic. Always pay attention to your surroundings. Ideally, use lookout points or rest areas, or other sites purposefully built to provide the opportunity to pull off the road.
Downtown Chicago, passenger seat perspective.
Keep your gear handy, not packed in the trunk or out of reach in the back seat. Things come up on you, and pass you by, at great speed when travelling by car. Use a telephoto lens to pull in subjects that the road doesn’t take you directly toward. Make sure the windows are up and the air vents are pointed away from you whenever you change lenses, to minimize the amount of dust that gets into the inner workings of your camera.
Examples of my road trip obsession:
How I planned our EPIC summer road trip (part 1)
How I planned our EPIC summer road trip (part 2)
How I planned our EPIC summer road trip (part 3)
How I planned our EPIC summer road trip (part 4)
What I Learned While Planning Our Road Trip
Scenes from Grand Teton National Park
Epic Summer Road Trip – A Summary
Eight Road Trip Pet Peeves
Arizona – A Motorcyclist’s Dream in Winter
Photo Credits (all): Tiffany Joyce.
San Onofre State Beach – A Southern California Gem
San Onofre State Beach is located between two beautiful cites, San Clemente and Oceanside, in Southern California. San Onofre beach is a great place to catch some waves or just watch the sunset. The surfing at San Onofre is world renowned, but the swimming is quite excellent as well.
Famous for: San Onofre used to be known for their Trail 6 nudist beach, but alas nudity is no longer allowed.
Admission: The Park doesn’t have a day use fee, but it is a little far removed from town so you need to use the parking lot which charges $15.00 per car.
Families with young kids will like: The 3.5 miles of sandy beach offers kids a ton of sand-castle building land as well as sand crabs to dig up. The sand also offers countless hours of imaginary play.
Families with teenagers will like: The swimming, surfing and body surfing available are limitless and good for tiring out the kids for a good nights sleep. Shhh, don’t tell them that though.
Other travelers will like: What isn’t there to like about the beach. There is sun, sand, surf and lots and lots of people watching.
Best campground in the park: There are 3 campgrounds at San Onofre State Beach; one on the Bluffs, $35, one in San Mateo that has drive in, $35, and hook-up,$60, capabilities. There is also a group campsite at the San Onofre, $225.
Best months to visit for weather: The weather in the San Diego area is almost always good, but I prefer to visit in the late spring, summer and fall. The winter weather is just a little too cloudy for me.
More info can be found at The San Onofre website.
Photo Courtesy of Surfer Mag
Road Trip Tips – Keeping Your Kids Entertained On A Long Car Ride
How I pack for a 24 hour road trip with kids.
A friend of mine from Wisconsin recently spent a week in Orlando, Florida on a family vacation. She and her husband drove to Orlando with two young children – from Wisconsin.
While 24 hours in a minivan with kids might not sound like your idea of a relaxing vacation, more and more families are opting to drive instead of fly in order to save a little money, especially as airlines continue finding new ways to charge travelers for flying. Whether you’re packing up for a trip across the country, or heading to grandma’s seven hours away for a holiday weekend, check out these simple tips for keeping kids entertained on a long car ride.
5 Ways To Entertain Kids On A Long Car Ride
1. Pack surprises for your kids.
I have to admit, I actually got this idea from a commenter on a previous post about road trip planning tips. The idea is to pack away a few goodies to be given out just when boredom and restlessness levels threaten to become dangerous. What kind of surprises should you pack? Beth (the original genius), says:
“I usually pack enough surprises for the kids to equal each hour we will be in the car – most are small (a bag of their favorite chips, a small toy) but sometimes a big surprise like a new game for their nintendo ds, a new cd, or a new book can deter the crabbies and buy an extra hour or two of happiness in the car.”
Genius!
2. Bring coloring books, crayons, paper and pens (or pencils).
I love the idea of my children classic literature in the backseat while my husband and I discuss current events in the front. Unfortunately, my children seemed to have inherited my penchant for motion sickness brought on by reading in the car. Drawing and coloring is the next best thing! We bring a giant resealable plastic bag to hold all of the crayons. We also bring paper, pens and pencils for drawing – which is more likely to entertain my older child than coloring.
3. Stock up on travel games – the not free kind.
Perhaps your children are, like mine, far too gadgetly gifted for their own good and everyone in the family has their own hand-held gaming device. I doubt I have to remind you to pack those. But on the off chance those get boring, or your family has yet to succumb to the idea that four year olds should own video games, consider picking up the travel version of your favorite non-video games. You can find games like Travel Yahtzee online or at your local Big Box Store.
(If, however, your kids are ridiculously blessed in the gadget department, you may want to check out some of the iPhone apps for kids. Yes, they exist.)
4. Play travel games – the free kind.
Of course, people were able to amuse themselves long before Milton Bradley came along. There are at least 8 travel games you can play in the car with your kids with no money or pre-planning needed. One of my favorite thing about these types of games is that it encourages talking between the front and back seats – but in a good way.
5. Set snack and meal times.
If you have kids, you probably pack food and drinks in the car for a long car ride. If you’re my mother-in-law, you pack food and drinks in your purse for a trip to the next room. JUST IN CASE! If you’re going to be in the car with kids for hours, try resisting the urge to open the first bag of chips when you pull out of your driveway and graze until you reach your destination – or until the food runs out, whichever comes first. (And we all know which one comes first. Always.) Instead, set snack and meal times that your kids can look forward to. The anticipation probably won’t keep them occupied, but stopping what they’re doing to partake in something resembling an actual meal will burn up some miles (and minutes).
Photo by Britt Reints. In my defense, that particular packing job was done last minute.
Doheny State Beach, California
Doheny State Beach
What would you do with a day at the beach? Doheny State Beach in Orange County, California, offers opportunities to swim, surf, and try your hand at surf fishing. If you prefer to stay overnight, camping is available, with some sites only steps from the beach.
Famous for: It is California’s oldest state beach.
Admission: $15/vehicle for day use.
Families with young kids will like: Junior Ranger programs are offered weekly in the summer months.
Families with teenagers will like: Surfing or sunbathing on the beach.
Other travelers will like: Exploring the varied ecosystems of the park or observing the birds, whales, monarch butterflies, stingrays, or dolphins that can often be seen at the beach.
Camping in the park: There are 122 campsites in the park, 33 of which are located on the beachfront.
Best months to visit for weather: Summers are mild; winters are generally slightly cooler and have more fog.
Nearest major cities: The beach is located between Los Angeles and San Diego, California.
More info: Doheny State Beach website.
Related posts: Family Friendly Hotels in California; Beach Camping at Kirby Cove, Marin Headlands, California.
Photo courtesy of: fontplaydotcom on flickr.
Post written by: Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children.
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, California
Sutter's Mill
I’m sure you remember from history class the story of gold being discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California, and the 1848 Gold Rush that followed. Did you know that you can visit a reconstruction of Sutter’s Mill today and pan for your own gold at that same site? It’s all a part of Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, California.
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
Famous for: It’s the spot where John W. Marshall found gold while building the now-famous Sutter’s Mill. Today, the park features of a replica of the sawmill and over 20 historic buildings.
Admission: Vehicle fee of $8; museum/site fee of $6 per adult.
Travelers will like: Visiting the Gold Discovery Museum and panning for their own gold; walking the tree-lined streets of Coloma.
Best months to visit to avoid visitors: Winter, with the exception of the Gold Discovery celebration on January 24.
Nearest major cities: Sacramento, California, is about 50 miles to the west.
More info: The Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park website.
Related posts: Legoland California; Kenwood Resort and Spa, California.
Photo courtesy of: Trailmix.net on flickr.
Post written by: Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California
Big Basin Redwoods State Park camp site
Camping in Big Basin Redwoods State Park is one of our favorite summer activities. Just an hour away from the Bay Area, Big Basin is truly a camping gem, with tall redwoods rising into the sky, providing shelter and a unique California camping experience.
Famous for: Big Basin Redwoods State Park is California’s oldest State Park.
Admission: $10/vehicle for day use, camping extra
Families with young kids will like: With lots of fallen trees in the campgrounds, my kids always enjoy exploring around our tent site. They like to climb the fallen trees and make up nature games. For more ambitious kids, you might like to hike up to Sempervirens Falls, an easy hike up from the campgrounds. And my kids have really enjoyed the Saturday night campfires at the Ranger Station.
Families with teenagers will like: If your teenagers are active hikers, consider hiking the Skyline to the Sea Trail to Waddell Beach, which offers outstanding ocean views. Occasionally, these more strenuous hikes are lead by a park ranger, check with the ranger’s station for more details.
Easy site seeing: Leave your car at the park headquarters, and after checking out the Nature Museum, walk the Redwood Loop Trail, an easy, accessible path through some of the oldest trees in the park, including Mother of the Forest, Father of the Forest and the Chimney Tree.
Best campground in the park: After camping at Big Basin on and off the last 10 years, we have decided that our favorite campgrounds are Sempervirens and Blooms Creek. Note: campsites are first come, first served, and on the summer weekends, reservations are required and folks are at the Ranger Station right at opening time to secure their favorite spot.
Best non-camping option: Check out nearby Costanoa for a camping experience unlike no other. Cabins, restaurants and electricity make this a special camping experience!
Best months to visit for weather: June through September are the best months to visit for consistent weather, but summer can also have cool mornings, with fog coming off the ocean.
Best months to visit to avoid crowds: Late summer/early fall, after school is back in session. October is a great time to visit, with mild daytime weather and cooler evenings, perfect for snuggling in your sleeping bag.
Nearest major cities: Santa Cruz is the nearest major city, and depending on the route you take, you may pass through Boulder Creek and Scotts Valley, two towns in the Santa Cruz mountains where you can stock up on camping provisions.
More information about Big Basin Redwoods State Park can be found on their website.
Related posts:
Real Girls Don’t Camp, we visit Costanoa
Exploring Big Basin State Park
Photo courtesy of Gudrun Enger,Kitchen Gadget Girl.