I like to hike as much as the next guy — I suppose. It is quite a different activity when you are in blistering heat and have not been blessed with an adequate amount of melanin. That said, I would say consider hiking throughout the band of canyons (Palm, Tahquitz, Murray, Andreas, et al.), nestled in the outskirts of Palm Springs, during the cooler months.

We experienced the Palm Canyon during the month of July (we really need to stay out of the desert in the summer months, there’s a reason these resorts drop their rates then). In hindsight, the Tahquitz Canyon probably would have been a better pick with its refreshing 60′ waterfall. For those of you who are avid hikers and/or very outdoor-sie types, you will really enjoy this any time of the year.

I think part of the problem for us was we did not take the guided tour (general admission $8 + $2/3 bucks for the hour long guided tour), I think our experience would have been very different. As far as the level of difficulty (hiking) or grading - I would say it is easy, so you could probably stand to bring a toddler who is old enough to have a good sense of balance. In general it is a nice option to get the kids away from the glitz of Palm Springs and enjoy the surrounding flora and fauna.

Related Links:
Head of Palm Canyon, Palms Springs, CA | VR Panorama
PalmSprings.Com
Meta-DAD Review | Parentography
AmericaSouthwest.Com
Palm Canyon on Google Maps

   

Throughout the summer months I will be sharing some reviews of some local kid-friendly destinations. I should preface this review with some facts about my family; my oldest is two and a half and the youngest is six months. So that said, I will explain that our weekend down in Carlsbad (California) was surprisingly good. I wasn’t sure that there would be enough to do for him considering his age and height, but I stand corrected.

Yes, Legoland will set you back over a $150 not including lunch but it was a great time for all and the lines weren’t bad at all. I used some vacation time, so we were able to go mid-week which makes a world of difference. My understanding is that during the weekend in the summer the lines are quite a killjoy.

Beyond that, the rides were great. Considering my son was too small for most of the rides (36″ minimum), we found plenty to do. He really enjoyed the toddler wet playground (Water Works) by the Pirate Tours Ride. It gave my wife and I a chance to rest our weary feet and take a breather. We found ourselves alternating between sit-down rides (like the Swanboat Ride and Fairy Tale Brook) and the active stuff (like Dig Those Dinos and Firefighters Wanted). We were surprised at how many wet rides and activities there were. Of course my wife was prepared with a change of clothes for the boys.

Seven hours later, my wife and I had to carry him out of there, asleep on my shoulders.

VICTORY!

PARENT TIPS: Learn from our shortcomings and PACK A LUNCH, we did not and we spent $40 for a light lunch (wife, me and babies). I’m talking - a fruit cup, peanut butter and jelly, tuna sandwich (I split with my wife), soda and a water, outrageous! And remember to bring a change of clothes for everybody going, chances are you’re going to want to get wet.

Related Links;
More MetaDAD Reviews @ Parentography
LegoLand, California

   

The Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino has a staggering 150 acres of gardens to experience with lots of themed gardens to choose from; Jungle Garden, Shakespeare Garden, Herb Garden, Camellia Garden, Japanese Garden, Palm Garden, Australian Garden Desert, Sub-Tropical Garden, the Lily Ponds, the Children Garden and of course, the upcoming Chinese Garden. The Chinese Garden is currently under construction as is the Gallery but the Tea Room located in the Rose Garden is open.

We set our sights on seeing the Japanese Garden and the Children’s Garden for this first visit, understanding that the kids may not last the whole time. It is not a cheap entry at $15 per adult but we were pleasantly surprised that the grounds are immaculately kept and the attention to detail and balance is striking when experiencing all the different views.

My wife put it best when describing it to her mother over the phone that night when she said, “it is basically the Disneyland of Gardens,” which is to say the themed gardens do a wonderful job at transporting you to another place. When you’re in the Japanese Garden you feel as if you are in the scene from the Last Samurai (I believe they may have shot some of it there but can not confirm it). The bamboo forest is fantastic! That’s all I’ll say…

If you’re traveling with small children consider leaving the Children’s Garden for last like we did. After walking a couple miles we were in desperate need of a bench and it worked out well that the northern point in the park has a water park (not in the traditional-sense) where the little ones can splash in the water fountains, bubblers and misters while the grown-ups rest their feet for a moment. On your way out, check out the Rose Hills Foundation for Conservatory for Botanical Sciences building to experience an amazing indoor rain forest.

On our list of things not to miss when going there, I would say here’s a short list to consider, a.) The California Juniper Bonsai Court at the far end of the Japanese Garden, b.) The Bamboo Forest mid-way through the Sub-Tropical Garden, c.) The waterfall toward the end of the Jungle Garden, and d.) The Helen and Peter Bing Children’s Garden (water park).

PARENT TIPS: The are water bubblers throughout the gardens but it wouldn’t hurt to bring a bottle or two of your own and for goodness sake remember the sun block and wear comfortable shoes! They do not allow picnics on the grounds (no tables or benches) which surprised us but we plopped down on the grass between the Jungle and Desert Gardens and had a needed break and a healthy snack and no one seemed to mind.

Related Links:
Huntington Gardens | Virtual Tour
Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens
The Huntington | On the Map
Parentography | More Reviews by Meta-DAD

   

My wife and I had been meaning to go to the Getty Villa for a while now. I must admit, the fact that you have to make a reservation to go kind of put us off, for some reason. It seems a bit snobby. We finally went with kids in tow, of course, and found it to be a surprisingly enriched experience.

Tucked away in a narrow ravine in the hills looming over the Pacific Coast Highway is the Getty Villa which is a meticulous and vibrant recreation of a Greco-Roman Villa served up as one part museum, one part archaeological dig and one part villa inspired from the ancient Roman Villa of Papyri which houses the private antiquities collection of oil mogul J. Paul Getty.

To set the mood for the experience, I recommend seeing the 12 minute introductory movie just inside the theater and then upon exiting I would sign up for one of the many guided tours offered. We did the Architecture and Gardens Tour and even though we did not last the full 45 minutes (actually the boys didn’t) we found the whole thing very fascinating. The guided tours are done with headsets and receivers that are linked the Tour Guide’s microphone which is nice because this allowed us to linger in the back of the group with the kids but still hear everything he was saying.

Depending on how old your kids are I would also recommend the Art Odyssey (ages 5+) where you can get a guided tour for your family or group or sign up for the Art Quest where kids and parents get to make jewelry inspired by the Greco-Roman styles (this is in the main courtyard). There is also a set of Art Detective cards in the family room which allow kids to identify certain pieces throughout the grounds (the Brentwood Getty Museum has the same kind of thing). The Family Room which is located right off the main peristyle is a great place to take a breather and let the little ones play in the shadow hall (their shadow is projected along-side over-sized Greco-Roman Soldier motifs you would find on the vessels and pottery of the time) or do some coloring.

**PARENT TIPS: You can only enter the Villa from the north-bound side of the PCH and the entrance is just before Coastline Drive (you can not enter it from Coastline so keep a sharp eye). If you are approaching it from the south-bound side go just beyond it (about a quarter mile) and do a U-turn at the intersection of Porto Marina.

The museum is free but the parking is $8 dollars. If you are going with kids (+ stroller) park on the top level of the parking facility since everything leading up to the main area is uphill when you arrive it will mean one less elevator to wait for.

Also, consider packing a lunch. There is a very nice shady picnic area next to the gift shop where you can find vending machines (the prices in these machines are surprisingly normal) and plenty of tables.

Related Links;
Parentography Review
The Getty Museum
Wikipedia - The Getty Villa

   

Now I have to admit, having my son’s second birthday party here was not our idea, we were inspired by friends who live in Los Feliz. I think it is fair to say that’s how the (kid’s) party train goes, right. Our oldest son’s birthday is in October and we decided to have it at the Travel Town Museum which is located on the north perimeter of Griffith Park (at the junction of the 5 and 134). We were a little worried because the day started out uncharacteristically overcast, but then it magically cleared up just as family and friends started to arrive.

I was over-prepared with collapsable tents and umbrellas and such. I say over-prepared because it was a very pleasant surprise that I was greeted by Travel Town staff that was ready and willing to help me and answer my questions (What?! Really?!), yeah like when does that ever happen? Now we payed like $75 to reserve the gazebo and a deposit of $25 which was promptly returned. I say, “what a bargain!” Seriously. Considering they were ready to help me set up additional banquet tables (part of the package) and get us matches for the BBQ pit.

The long and the short of it is - I would highly recommend this place for a kid’s birthday. The admission is free, as is the parking (which there is ample amount of parking) and there is even one of thos mini-railroads ($2 a ticket) that takes you around the perimeter of the park, which is a great photo-op. There is also a little museum in the center of the park that has some old vehicles and train cars and so forth. But the real treat is the miniature railway setup they have - the thing is huge.

The best part is there are antique train cars that you can rent for birthday parties (and other events I imagine) up to 40 people, how cool is that. I imagine these train cars would be a better bet in the heat of the summer (they’re air conditioned) or perhaps during the winter months.

   

I have to admit I was not sure if this trip was going to be worth it. I was worried that there would not be enough stuff to engage the attention span of my oldest son (2.5 yr old), but I was pleasantly surprised that I he had a fantastic time at the KidSpace Children’s Museum in Pasadena.

Like most kids his age it is all about the tactile experience and it seems this museum does a fit job at creating an all encompassing experience for all ages. Pictured above (left) is the kaleidoscopic entrance way, complete with prismic mirrors, lights and a goofy soundscape. There are lots of typical displays for the kids to learn from; cross sections of ant farms, an area where the kids can dig up fossils, live scorpions, and displays on the eating habits of cockroaches and such. As much as he enjoyed all of this stuff (the Climbing Tower was a big hit as well), the pinnacle of the visit for my son was the wet play area in the back of the 3.5 acre park. Fortunately my wife read their website and opted to bring a change of clothes for him. I guarantee we will be going back. It seems as if they’re in the process of expanding as well.

A friendly tip: pack a lunch and snacks. The Wolfgang Puck Cafe was understaffed and out of many items (and characteristically overpriced).