Santa Barbara Beach

 

The beach in Santa Barbara is just beautiful. The waves are calm, the sand is perfect for building castles and the pier that jets out from the main street offers a walk with restaurants, stores and even a small museum.

Dinosaur takes over Santa Barbara Zoo

Dinosaurs roam the Santa Barbara Zoo. At least, one that is. His name is Duncan. He actually does shows twice daily. Alex was selected to brush his teeth on stage. Serene sat in the first row and watched her brother take care of a T-Rex. Our dentist would be proud.

Dubbed the "World's Most Beautiful Zoo," the Santa Barbara Zoo boasts a view of the Pacific and the mountains that is stunning. Steps from the beach, affordable and easily visited in just a few hours, the zoo is the perfect day trip for Los Angelenos.

The Tech

Everyone should visit The Tech Museum in San Jose, California. It's mission is to 'inspire the innovator in everyone' and it did just that.

We never even left the basement galleries, but we got to experience an earthquake, pilot a vehicle from under the sea, ride in a NASA jet pack chair, design a roller coaster and then ride it, and play in a shadow garden. After all, what sort of a museum can happily entertain a one-year-old Serene, six-year-old Alex, graduate student cousins and rocket scientist father for hours -- and leave them all wanting more? 

Aqaba, Jordan

 

Aqaba on Jordan's southern tip sits on the Red Sea. You can look across the water to see Israel and Egypt. A few miles down the coast is Saudi Arabia. It is Jordan's only coastal city and major attraction for tourists.

 

The desert heat will take your breathe away, the many Five-Star resorts will cater to all your desires and the gay culture alongside Arab women wearing full hijab (i.e. covering all their body & face) will confuse any western tourist. You can watch a belly dancer in bar, but probably shouldn't venture onto the street with shorts. Men can pick up a prostitute, women can disco, but the Muslim call to prayers will still happen on schedule five times daily.

 

The Movenpick and the Intercontinental are two of many beautiful hotels along the sea. In the daytime, bring the kids and enjoy the water -- boating, snorkeling, exquisite resort swimming pools, and jet skies are popular. Its rich marine life makes the sea a bastion for diving.  In the evening, leave the children with babysitters to enjoy the many downtown pubs and restaurants.

Petra, Jordan - the Rose City

Petra, meaning stone, is an ancient city in Jordan chiseled of stone. Don't bring the children until they are old enough to appreciate it and hike it on their own. Established as early as 312 BC, today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its called the Rose City after its reddish mountains. The buildings are half-built, half-carved into the mountains' sides. The city was lost until the mid-1800s when archaeologists re-discovered its splendor. You'll recognize it from the Indiana Jones movies.

 

At its pinnacle is a Monastery, 804 uneven steps straight up, it will take you more than hour to climb, but from there you'll have one of the best views in the world. 

Descanso....gardens within gardens

Descanso Gardens (http://www.descansogardens.org)  is 160 acres of forest and gardens on the rim of the city of Los Angeles. Open year-round, the gardens were built in 1953. Its enchanted railroad attracts train aficionados young and old. The grounds are divided into different gardens, described as "gardens within gardens." More than 3000 rose bushes bloom in its rose gardens annually. Tea is served in the summer time in its Japanese Gardens. Its Oak Forest is has trees that are centuries old. Camellias, lilacs, and iris are also featured in the gardens. In the summer months, there are evening concerts. The Brody House, also on the grounds, features collections of art. Hundreds of events for families are held annually on the grounds.

Alex and Serene both love the gardens. They can run free, check out turtles in the ponds, run through the children's maze, and ride the train. And, its even better if you invite a friend.

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden is another attraction at the city's Griffith Park. I'm sad to say, we had a membership for many years, but let it lapse. When Alex was little, he watched a lot of episodes of "Go, Diego, Go!" and as a result, he knew all the exotic animals. But after awhile, the trips to the zoo meant more time riding the train and jumping at its playground than learning about animals.The playgrounds in our neighborhood were closer, cheaper and less crowded. Serene is now addicted to Nick Jr., so I am sure we'll need to renew our membership.

The LA zoo really has an impressive number of animals to learn about and appreciate, a strong conservation program, educational classes for children, a nursery and a petting zoo. (All you really get to pet are goats, but that's ok).

The giraffes and chimpanzees are both fun to enjoy. Big animals like hippos, rhinos, and bears are all next door to each other. The Elephants of Asia exhibit is extraordinary, but its very large and with too few elephants to be able to glimpse them close up and enjoy. One the other hand, the Campo Gorilla Reserve is excellent. There are lots of gorillas and they will sit nose-to-nose with children at the glass. The new LAIR - Living Amphibians, Invertebrates & Reptiles - houses more than 60 species. The zoo is hard at work on improvements to a campus that had been ailing.

Unfortunately, the zoo still is hard to navigate, and when pushing a stroller, much of it is uphill. The map is poor and the signage could be better. Watch for contruction information too! Be sure to ask employees. A "short-cut" we took to the parking lot ended up being a dead-end. Not much fun on a hot day. The LA Zoo isn't on my top 10 list of fun zoos in the world to visit, but it should be supported!