Ruben H. Fleet Science Center

What: Ruben H. Fleet Science Center

Where: Balboa Park (a.k.a Family Heaven) in sunny San Diego

Why: We finally convinced my son he didn’t need to go to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum for a third visit.

My Kid’s Picks: He forgot all about the Railroad Museum and got his science geek on. My son tend to gravitate towards anything that has gears, balls, and maze-like construction. Luckily, there was plenty of that to be found in the exhibits. He spent the most time in the main gallery, trying out all the hands-on mechanical experiments. The hit of the technology-based exhibits was the one where he got to pose in front of the psychedelic screen. He tried out some of the games in the Origins in Space exhibit, but I don’t think he understood much of the science behind it yet.

Mom’s Verdict: Worth the price of admission, even more so, if you have a Balboa Park Passport. We went soon after it opened on a Sunday, and found the place blissfully uncrowded. That’s a nice change of pace from most kids’ museums. We only spent about an hour at the museum, but that’s mostly because I was rushing things along before lunch.

Useful Tidbits: There is a (thankfully) small gift shop, an Imax theatre, and a cafe. The museum is right across from the San Diego Natural History Museum, so it’s easy to combine both museums in one morning’s visit.

Meet Hasani

I have this thing for gorillas. Maybe it’s my inner Dian Fossey itching to get out, but I could spend hours watching the gorillas at the zoo. So you can imagine my excitement, when I first saw Hasani, the baby gorilla at the San Francisco Zoo. He was born last December and has been at the zoo’s gorilla exhibit since July.

He is your typical youngster: always moving, playing, and putting on a show. Don’t miss Hasani if you’re in San Francisco anytime soon. I’m sure he’d love a visit.

Hasani and I are linking up to Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday. Go there for more travel photos from all over the world.

Today’s Tip: California Academy of Sciences

Once upon a December, I tried to go to the California Academy of Sciences the week after Christmas. That story didn’t have a a fairytale ending: we didn’t get in, the scene outside the Academy was wicked, so we headed to some quieter places in Golden Gate Park. But I was determined to take my son for a visit, so we made a second attempt this last summer. This time, we came prepared with my plan of attack, and we had a great time. With only one trip under my sleeve, I am not an expert, but I did gain a few insights that I can pass on to you.

1. Buy your tickets online. On very crowded days, the Academy will stop selling tickets soon after it opens. Pre-purchase tickets to save yourself from the disappointment of being turned away or the possibility of standing in another line to purchase them there.

2. Queue up early. I don’t need to tell you that the early bird gets the worm. There will be a line at the entrance before the museum opens. You need to be in that line, so that you can be one of the first groups to get inside and enjoy some of the exhibits before it gets unbearably crowded.

3. Get your tickets for the shows as soon as you walk in. From the entrance, go left to the planetarium and snatch your tickets. You can choose which show time you prefer, so you don’t necessarily have to go to the first show. You will want to see the aquarium or the rainforest exhibit early, so opt for a later showtime. We were not able to see the 3-D Bug Show, but they do sell out of those tickets early as well.

4. The fishes don’t mind the crowds, but you might. After you get your tickets, head directly to the Steinhart aquarium. It is dark in that section and the design makes the crowds seem even more unbearable. This is the section where you want to especially hold on to your toddlers so that they don’t get lost. I know you want to enjoy some quality time with the jellyfish and not the museum security, so go to the aquarium early.

5. Ready, set, go: Rainforest. The rainforest exhibit opens an hour after the museum, and although museum employees discourage people from queueing up too early, people do anyway. For us, this was the highlight of the museum, so I don’t recommend you skip this. The butterflies are the main attraction, and they are more plentiful in the higher levels of the dome. They will land on you, so don’t go if you get queasy about insects. My son stood there for about ten minutes, waiting for the butterflies to land on him. One finally did.

6. Bring your own lunch and seat. The meals are pricey and the dining areas are small. It’s common to see families eating their lunch on the floor of the Academy Cafe. We bought a snack, and had a bigger meal outside the museum afterwards.

7. The penguins are as crowded as the people gawking at them. After you hit the three main areas, head over to Africa Hall for a stroll through a very quiet African savannah. This is the retro part of the museum and the home of the penguins. They are cute, even I’ll admit it.

8. Take a breath on the Living Roof. If you need a break, go up to the trademark plant-covered roof. It is a lesson in green design and offers some good views of the plaza.

Family Travel Tips
San Francisco

The Monarchs Are Back

The trees are not resplendent with as many fall colors here in California, but that’s because our foliage turns another kind of orange: the fluttery, migrating kind. See Exhibit A: a cluster of Monarch butterflies hanging from their winter home in the eucalyptus grove of Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz.

They arrive sometime in October and hang out until February, unless a rare California storm evicts them a bit earlier. We go visit our fluttery friends at least once a year, because their grove happens to be at one of my favorite California beaches. We never tire of our visits. The truth is that the butterflies are just so darn mesmerizing. We lay on the wooden deck and look up.

We sit still, breathe, and watch the monarchs fill the sky above with beauty. Those moments are rare and make our frequent trips to the grove oh-so-worth-it. And anything that can get my kid to sit still and meditate quietly, even if it’s only for 5 minutes, can truly be called awe inspiring.

I’m sharing these photos at Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday. Go there to check out all the other inspiring photos.

 

Things To Do
Santa Cruz

Our Dream Beach: Kapalua Bay

Everyone has their own image of a perfect beach. You get that image in your head when you are having a bad day: you stepped in a puddle and soaked your shoes right through, forgot to pay your credit card bill on time, and picked up your feverish child from daycare. On those days, you want to feel the warm, ocean breeze on your face. So you go to the perfect beach, even if it’s only in your mind.

That vision of the perfect beach for me these days, is Kapalua Bay in Maui. On our way to school in the mornings, my son and I reminisce about the days we spent there this summer. He likes that he can go out by himself on the Boogie board, since the beach is protected from the big waves by the reef just outside of the bay. He can float out there for hours, until he becomes 90 percent salt water.

I like that he can float out there for hours, and that I can sit on the beach and watch him, without also becoming 90 percent salt water myself. I also like that there is excellent snorkeling a few feet from shore. You can wade out and put your face in the water to see the fish. Basically, it is the perfect place to take a beginner snorkeler or lazy lady.

So this Monday, I’m rolling out my beach towel, taking out my paperback and heading over to Kapalua Bay. Hey, a girl can dream.

Good to Know: Kapalua Bay is in front of the Ritz-Carlton Private Club Residences, but is accessible to everyone. The Ritz has a shack that rents out snorkeling equipment, kayaks, and sells Chocotacos for those cases of beach-munchies. There are showers and a bathroom, though it wasn’t always very clean.The best time to go is early in the morning. If you get there before nine, then you will experience the bliss of having found paradise. A bit later, the small beach begins to fill up with beach towels and umbrellas. The parking is limited, with only about 30 spots available. Hint: For more exact parking directions check out our Maui google map under Kapalua Bay.

Go read about all the other Monday Dreaming going on at Mother of All Trips.

Family Travel Tips
Kapalua

Our Dining Favorites: Balboa Park

It’s no secret Balboa Park is a fantastic place to visit with kids: museums, fountains, gardens, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. All of that sightseeing is bound to make you hungry, so here is a short list of my favorite places to dine at the park.

The Zoo
There are fast food eateries all over the zoo, but the one with the best view is the Treetop Cafe. The menu is decent and you’ll get a nice breeze out on the deck. If you are looking for a fancier meal-without giant gorilla head beverage cups-then take the elevator down from the Cafe to Albert’s Restaurant. I enjoy splurging on a meal (even while at the zoo), if it means I get to rest my tired footsies and let the waiter do all the work. The food is good, but know you’re mostly paying for the rainforest ambience. The best seats are out on the deck by the waterfall; call ahead to reserve those tables.

The Park

I already wrote about my love for the at Sculpture Court Cafe in the San Diego Museum of Art. We dined there again, on a recent trip, and found the menu a bit different, but still delicious. This is a relaxing place for a lunch break and to check out the cool architecture of Balboa. If you want to eat at the culinary gem of the park, then you’ll have to go to the The Prado. We didn’t make reservations for this popular restaurant, so we opted to sit in the bar section. This worked out well since we wanted a light lunch. By light, I mean the best fish tacos I had while in San Diego, and some kickin’ macaroni and cheese for my little guy. The colorful, Spanish-style decor is going to keep the kids busy looking around, at least until the appetizers get there.

Picnic

You could opt to do the more rustic dining experience and plop down anywhere in the park. The Zoo has a picnic area right outside the zoo and there are hot dog carts to be found near the Natural History museum.

Family Travel Tips
San Diego

Hiking (a Bit of) the Napali Coast

A few months back, I wrote about how I was dreaming of Kaui. I was taking my son there for his first visit, and I wanted to hike the Kalalau trail of the Napali Coast with him. I knew there were going to be some challenges in taking a child out for that hike. It’s strenuous, slippery, and along some steep cliffs.

But I’m a determined sort of woman-on most days-so I took him anyway.

We hiked it in the safest way possible. That is, we only hiked for about an hour. The first part of the trail was rocky and slippery. My son had an easier time of it than I did. The fact that I was hiking in my flip-flops probably didn’t help, but I will go to the ends of the earth with my flip-flops on. It was also very, very windy that day. So my son’s hat flew off the side of the trail. Neither my sister, nor I, felt like we were trail-savvy enough to hike down the side of the cliff to get the hat. So we gave it up as lost.

We stopped for a bit to watch the pod of dolphins leaping out of the water below. I don’t know if I will ever forget the sight of those dolphins, in the waters of the Napali coast, sparkling under the morning sun. Actually, I know I won’t forget sharing that experience with my son.

After the long climb up, we made it to a level part of the trail. Here is where you get your first sweeping glimpse of the Napali Coast. We took our pictures, took in the views, and got my son’s hat delivered to us via two young hikers. I’m so glad that there were two more sprightly individuals hiking the trail behind us, or my son wouldn’t have gotten his favorite hat back. We saw one other family hiking the trail with younger children, but most of the other hikers were the young, extreme adventure sort of people. They actually had on real hiking shoes, and passed us by like we were the old station wagon holding them up on the highway. We got back on the trail, attempted to swing on some vines like Tarzan, and made it back to Ke’e beach in time for a midmorning nap.

Here are my tips for hiking the Kalalau trail:

1. I cannot stress how important it is to go before 9 in the morning, mostly because the parking area for the Kalalau trail is very small. You don’t want to have to do any extra hiking from the overflow parking.

2. Don’t wear flip flops (a.k.a. as slippers in Hawaii) unless you have undergone years of special training.

3. Don’t give your child anything to hold, that you will miss if it slips out of his hand and down the side of the cliff. This rule also applies to loose-fitting hats.

4. This trail is not for toddlers or most preschoolers. You will drive yourself nuts telling them to be careful to not slip off the side of the trail.

5. Be prepared for your child to act as if he’s the adventurer in a scene from a movie. He will be truly impressed and unlikely to ever forget hiking that trail with you. Hopefully, he’ll remember it when you argue with him over curfew in his teenage years.

I’m linking up to the original Monday dreamer, Mother of All Trips. Go check out all the other dreamy posts.

Family Travel Tips
Hanalei