Construction Closings Resume on California I-15 This Weekend
|
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
|
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.
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Bumpass Hell thermal area, Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park, located in northern California, at the base of the Cascade Mountain Range, is not very well known, and thus, not very crowded. This area of California is full of lakes of all sizes, and most vacations include time spent on the water, fishing, swimming or picnicking. Throughout the park, visitors can experience much of the continued volcanic activity through thermal areas and evidence of the last eruption. Winter snowfall still dictates entrance into the park, and it is wise to check the National Park Services website for road updates.
Famous for: Lassen Peak, which last erupted in 1915. Still active today, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) constantly monitor seismic activity and measure volcanic gas emissions.
Admission: Vehicle admission fee is $10 for 7 days. Individual fees are $5 for 7 days.
Families with young kids will like: Our family enjoyed the self-guided 1 mile walk around the Lily Pond Nature Trail near Manzanita Lake. We bought one of the leaflets at the trail head to learn more about the flora and fauna of the area.
Families with teenagers will like: Floating on Juniper Lake in an inflatable tube. So much blue water will relax everyone before your return to civilization.
Easy site seeing: Drive the 30-mile State 89 roadway and view many of the more interesting features of the park, including the shoulder of the volcano. Stop in at Bumpass Hell and explore the largest of the Lassen Volcanic National Park thermal areas.
Best hotel in the park: Bridge House Bed & Breakfast in Redding, California.
Best campground in the park: Eight campgrounds in the park, including 4 with reservation-only sites, are available from early-June through mid-September (weather permitting). Juniper Creek is one of the better sites, since it is less crowded, although entrance into the site is via an 8 mile rough-road. For something a little different, consider the Drakesbad Guest Ranch, in the middle of Lassen Volcanic National Park. This rustic lodge (read: no electricity in the bedrooms) offers guests horseback riding, hiking, swimming and fishing within the park. Evenings are set aside for campfires, games and books.
Best months to visit for weather: June – September
Best months to visit to avoid crowds: First two weeks of June, or late September, depending on the weather.
Nearest major cities: Redding, California, is the nearest major city, about 50 miles away. The nearest airports are Sacramento, California (165 miles), and Reno, Nevada (180 miles)
More information about the Lassen Volcanic National Park can be found on the National Park Services website.
Related posts:
Premiere RV Resorts in Redding, California
Photo courtesy of Junmon603 on Flickr.
Death Valley National Park, California
Wildflowers in bloom in Jubilee Pass, Death Valley National Park
In the spring, with all the wildflowers in bloom, the name bestowed upon Death Valley National Park in California seems inaccurate. New life is everywhere! Death Valley, east of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, is a winter destination, when the temperatures are moderate. Spring is the most ideal time to visit the park, to view the gorgeous wildflowers of the desert. No matter when you go, Death Valley is sure to delight with over 1000 species of plants and trees, 14 miles of dunes, 200 square miles of salt flats, and 11,000 feet mountains.
Famous for: Being the hottest and driest place in North America. Oh, and Scotty’s Castle, a desert mansion built in the 1920’s by Walter Scott and Alfred Johnson, at a cost of $2 million! Definitely worth a tour, to view the working museum the house has become.
Admission: Vehicle entrance fee is $20 for 7 days. Individual entrance fee is $10 for 7 days.
Families with young kids will like: Take a moonlight ranger tour of the desert, and view all sorts of critters who sleep during the hot, hot, day.
Families with teenagers will like: Exploring Rhyolite, a ghost town, and check out the Rhyolite Bottle House, built from 51,000 beer bottles.
Easy site seeing: Join a ranger-led walk or talk for the best overview of Death Valley National Park. Great programs are available throughout the week, including Desert Photography, History of Japanese-American Internees in Death Valley and Archeology of the Park. Tours and talks meet at the Furnace Creek and Scotty’s Castle Visitor’s Centers.
Best hotel in the park: Furnace Creek Inn gets the top rating from TripAdvisor, and features a swimming pool, tennis courts, and stables. The Inn is open mid-October through mid-May.
Best campground in the park: Most of the good camping is available in the valley floor, including Texas Spring and Furnace. Furnace is open year-round, but can be quite hot in the summer. The best sites are in the Wildrose campground, at 3,500 feet on the west side of the Panamint Mountain range. Backcountry camping is permitted; check the NPS site for details on planning your trip.
Best months to visit for weather: November through April. Springtime is the best to see the desert wildflowers.
Best months to visit to avoid crowds: In the hot summer, the crowds fall away, but it is also more difficult to travel during the day, with average temperatures exceeding 100F.
Nearest major cities: Death Valley Junction and Furnace Creek are both mid-sized towns, the latter with a small airport. Las Vegas, Nevada, is about a 3-hour drive.
Visit the National Park Services site for more information about Death Valley National Park.
Related posts:
Death Valley’s Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch
Camping at Calico Ghost Town in the Mojave Desert
Photo courtesy of National Park Services and Alan Van Valkenburg
Groundbreaking of New I-10 Gene Autry Interchange Project Set for Feb. 26
City of Palm Springs to Celebrate Feb. 26 Gene Autry Interchange Groundbreaking
Despite Delays, Work Continues On California I-15 Project
A project to expand Interstate 15 that has been going on since 2003 continues to make progress despite some delays.