Caltrans To Close I-15 Lanes Thursday Evening
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Caltrans To Close I-15 Lanes Thursday Evening
KGTV San Diego The closure will take place from 11:30 pm to 4:30 am, and officials said the closure is due to continuing construction on the bridge as part of the I-15 … |
California Repair Work On I-15 Expected To Cause Major Delays
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Repair Work On I-15 Expected To Cause Major Delays
KGTV San Diego Crews are in the area to work on part of the bridge false work under construction that was struck Tuesday by a truck carrying an oversized load. … |
Construction Will Close I-10/15 Interchange in California
ONTARIO - The southbound 15 Freeway connectors from the 10 Freeway will be closed for 55 hours this weekend as part of the I-15 OntFix project.
California I-5 Project Begins Friday
Work is slated to begin Friday on a $1.6 million project to realign a curve on southbound Interstate 5 at the Turntable Bay overcrossing north of Redding, it was announced today.Southbound I-5 will be reduced to one lane through the construction zone and the speed limit will be lowered to 55 mph for approximately two months, a spokesman with the California Department of Transportation said …
Construction Closings Resume on California I-15 This Weekend
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Construction closings resume on Interstate-15 this weekend
Press-Enterprise (blog) By PE News on March 9, 2010 3:00 PM The recent rains delayed weekend work on Interstate 15 through Ontario, but Caltrans officials said Tuesday the … |
Best Cheap and Fun Things to Do With Kids at Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, California
Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco, Ca
My husband and I just got back from a San Francisco getaway, and I can’t wait to go back with the entire family. As we enjoyed all the fun and inexpensive attractions that Fisherman’s Wharf had to offer, we keep finding ourselves saying “The kids would love this!”. There is so much to do and see in this area of San Francisco, you may not have to go anywhere else! Still, when you are ready to move on, the cable cars are nearby so you can hop on and explore the rest of this great City. Here are some of the best inexpensive attractions and restaurants on Fisherman’s Wharf :
Musee Mechanique, Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco
Best Place to Spend Your Spare Change:
Be sure to have your kids save some nickels dimes and quarters for their Fisherman’s Wharf adventure. The Musee Mechanique is a privately held collection of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines. Lucky for us, the owner Edward Galland Zelinsky chooses to share these machines with the general public. Kids can play with machines that their great grandparents may have enjoyed as children. These range from the famous San Francisco Icon the animated clown Laughing Sal to vintage Atari arcade machines. Having spent several years in riding the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk I found the working roller coaster made out of toothpicks to be particularly fascinating.
Toothpick Roller Coaster, Musee Mechanique San Francisco
Best Place to Sit Down and Enjoy Some San Francisco Sourdough
Boudin's Bakery, Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco
We were lucky enough to have a Boudin’s gift certificate, so we decided to enjoy the classic clam chowder in a sourdough bowl at Boudin’s out on the patio. Heat lamps and a fire place kept things toasty. Fellow diners were eating a wide variety of sandwiches, soups, and breads. Bistro Boudin is a great place to take kids.
Best Cheap Souvenir
Penny Machines, Musee Mechanique
When I go back with the kids I plan to purchase a penny book for our family and have the kids collect pressed penny souvenirs. The Musee Mechanique had a wide assortment of San Francisco attractions and historical events represented. I loved how these pennies preserve the memory of the kids visit, and in the case of coins like the Rosy the Riveter souvenir, give me a chance to teach my kids a little bit about US History.
US Pampanito, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
The USS Pampanito is a real World War II submarine docked at Fisherman’s Wharf. Admission is a little steep, $10 for adults, but you can purchase a family admission for $20. That would bring the price of our visit down to $4 a person for our family of five. The $2.00 audio tour is definitely worth the rental. It explains every facet of these extremely complex vessel and contains historical accounts from the real submariners who served on the Pampinito as well as a fascinating account of a submarine rescue.
You enter and exit the submarine by very steep stairs, and the audio tour is pretty long and complex so I think this attraction would be best for school age children. We didn’t have a chance to visit the nearby Jeremiah O’Brian but that larger ship might make a better visit for younger children.
Marine Historic Park San Francisco
Best Free or Cheap Way to Learn a lot about San Francisco History
I was absolutely blown away by the quality of the San Francisco Maritime Historical Park! This is truly the best attraction bargain in San Francisco. Admission to the historic boats is very inexpensive and good for seven days. Children visit free. The park offers an amazing number of tours and activities throughout the day as well as free cell phone tours that give a rich background to the boats you are visiting. Click here for more information.
I look forward to sharing more details of my Fisherman’s Wharf adventures in a future post. If you are heading to San Francisco, Fisherman’s Wharf is a great place for your kids to have fun and learn about the history of the City of San Francisco as well as our nation.
*All photos taken by Bridget Smith from Family Adventure Guidebooks
California I-5 To Close Overnight In Castaic For Construction
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I-5 To Close Overnight In Castaic For Construction
KHTS Radio Starting at midnight tonight, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works will kick off a new construction project at the I-5/Hasley Canyon Road … |
Redwood National Park, California
Redwoods and ferns in Redwood National Park, California
Redwood National Park, along the northern coast of California, is often grouped together with the state parks in the area and referred to collectively as Redwood National and State Parks. Many of the resources highlighted on the National Park Services site include reference to nearby state parks, including Jededish Smith Redwoods State Park and Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. One of the few national parks that allows biking on back road logging trails, Redwood National Park offers many options for all types of visitors.
Famous for: Tall redwood trees, the world’s tallest trees.
Admission: Redwood National Park is free to visit!
Visitors will enjoy: Set out on one of the many hikes through the Tall Trees Grove. Enderts Beach off the Coastal Trail, takes visitors down to the tidepools and include interpretive signs to help identify plants and trees.
Easy site seeing: During the summer, visit one of the 5 visitor stations in the park and enjoy a ranger-led program or evening campfire. Or, take one of the paved or unpaved scenic drives through the park.
Best campground in the park: Both developed and backcountry campgrounds are available within the park. Gold Bluffs Beach Campground is the most interesting option, offering easy access to the beach, as well as hiking and biking trails nearby. Reservations are not accepted for this campground, it is first-come, first-served.
Best months to visit for weather: The coastal areas of Northern California experiences thick fog much of the year. With these wet conditions, be sure to wear layers and bring a rain jacket. Summer is an ideal time to visit, when temperatures warm up.
Best months to visit to avoid crowds: Late fall or early spring are the best times to avoid crowds in Redwood National Park.
Nearest major cities: Crescent City is the nearest city with an airport, near the border with Oregon.
Visit the National Park Services website for more information about Redwood National Park.
Related posts:
Motel Trees near Trees of Mystery in Northern California
New RV Park in Eureka, California
Photo courtesy of National Park Service photo gallery.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
A Joshua Tree at sunrise in Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park, lies between the Mojave and Colorado Deserts in southeast California. In the spring, beautiful wildflowers are everywhere in this dramatic park, and throughout the rest of the year, desert views, hiking trails and historic ranch houses provide visitors a peek into the history of the area. Many folks day-trip from nearby Los Angeles to hike and rock climb in Joshua Tree.
Famous for: The Joshua Trees, which are not actually trees, but giant Yucca plants, grow as high as 40 feet. They thrive in high desert terrain, at elevations above 3000 feet. A funny looking (or ugly, depending on your view!) tree, the plant starts with a single stalk, then branches out when the tree flowers in the spring. The trees are a valuable part of the ecosystem in Joshua Tree National Park, providing shelter and food to many of the desert animals.
Admission: Vehicle permit is $15 for 7 days. An individual entry permit is $5 for 7 days.
Families with young kids will like: When visiting National Parks, we always stop by the ranger station and pick up the Junior Ranger guidebooks. They help lead us through the park in a very child-friendly way, and by completing a number of activities as we explore the park. In Joshua Tree, the Junior Rangers are asked to identify plant species, draw pictures of the desert terrain, and pick up trash!
Families with teenagers will like: Rock climbing is very popular at Joshua Tree National Park. Take your own equipment, or hook up with one of the many climbing outfits in the area.
Easy site seeing: Join up with the Keys Ranch Guided Walking Tour, and hear about the history of the park as you visit this National Historic Register Site.
Best campground in the park: In addition to backcountry camping, the park also offers 9 campsites, including two where advanced reservations are possible. No matter where you camp, enjoy the wide-open celestial views in the evening and count stars to your hearts content.
Best months to visit for weather: Because Joshua Tree National Park is in the high desert, the weather is actually mild most of the year. In the winter, the temperatures can drop quite a bit, but the summers rarely get too hot, unlike nearby Death Valley. The best time to visit (IMHO) is the spring to view the wildflowers and witness the influx of transient and summer nesting birds.
Best months to visit to avoid crowds: September to February
Nearest major cities: Twentynine Palms and Joshua Tree are nearby towns, and serve as the main entrances into the park. Palm Springs is a major city to the west, about one hour from Twentynine Palms. And Joshua Tree is about 3 hours from Los Angeles.
Visit the National Park Services site for more information about Joshua Tree National Park.
Related posts:
Wildflower Wanderings: Joshua Tree National Park
Eco Friendly Ace Hotel in Palm Springs
The Living Desert: Palm Desert, California
Photo courtesy of Jarek Tuszynski / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 & GDFL
Big Changes Coming to California I-10 Corridor with Interchange Projects
RANCHO MIRAGE - Stimulus funds pave way for projects along I-10 corridor in Coachella Valley.