Off-Island: San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Our very last stop on our trip to San Diego was the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido.

Highlights of Our Trip:
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is a wildlife sanctuary home to thousands of animals, several of which are endangered species, as well as thousands of plants.

My kids loved watching the gorillas prance around in Gorilla Forest, the elephants roam in Elephant Valley, and the California Condors spread their wings in Condor Ridge.

One of the biggest highlights was going on the Africa Tram tour.  To see giraffes, gazelles, and other animals roam freely throughout the Africa Plains was quite an amazing sight.

On the tour we also saw a northern white rhino, one of only 8 left in the entire WORLD (click on all photos to enlarge)!

One of our favorite exhibits was the Bats.  Seeing all the fruit bats was very intriguing.  They look rather cute, but once they spread their wings, they started to look a little scary!

My kids also loved seeing all the various types of birds in the lagoon, and we all thought the Blue Shoebill Stork was such a cool bird (I actually thought it was a statue at first!),

My personal favorite exhibit was the Okapi. I love whenever I see this beautiful creature - a relative of the giraffe despite looking somewhat like a zebra. 

A fun moment for our entire family was when we found the animated Robert the Zebra.

He was quite a character, joking around with passersby and anyone who'd stop to chat.  Even my husband couldn't help but start a conversation with him, and my kids giggled whenever Robert spoke to them.

My kids also had a great time playing at the Fisher Price Samburu Jungle Gym, and we were able to watch two shows - Frequent Flyers Bird Show, which featured many types of birds both big and small, as well as Cheetah Run, where we watched a cheetah run a track in less than 6 seconds (people start lining up to get a good view at least 30 minutes before the show starts, so get there early!).

Food: 
For lunch we stopped at Samburu Terrace.

Although the wait was very long (only one window was open for a very long line), the food was quite good.  I ordered a Chicken Strips plate which I shared with my boys, my oldest ordered a Kids Meal Chicken Quesadilla (which also came with a drink, Pirate's Booty, raisins, and animal crackers), and my husband ordered a Chicken Salad.

Visiting with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
I know every child will behave differently in different environments, but for us, we try to prepare my oldest son, who has an ASD, as best as we can in order to minimize challenges whenever we visit a new attraction.

Prior to visiting, we made sure to let him know where we were going and what kinds of things we'd see at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (there's also a free San Diego Zoo Safari Park app that could come in handy for kids who love to play on the iPhone like my son does).

While at the park, he did fairly well in terms of following directions, but because he loves to walk (and walk and walk), and there are plenty of long paths throughout the park, there were times he did start to wander off and get ahead of us.  My husband did have to remind him quite often that we all needed to "stay together."

Because the Safari Park is rather large, we made sure to take plenty of snack or rest breaks whenever possible to minimize the chance of meltdowns.

He did have some meltdowns, but to help him self-calm we'd simply tell him to take several deep breaths, and if that wasn't enough, we'd tell him we'd go back to the playground, or any exhibit he enjoyed (like the lagoon to see the ducks) if he was able to stay with the group/not wander off/etc.

For those with kids on a GFCF diet or any other type of special diet, it's probably best to bring your own food to dine on (large coolers are not allowed).

Final Thoughts:
It was simply amazing to see all the different plants and animals that we saw at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Despite having a long wait at the restaurant, overall we had a great visit.

Every staff member we encountered was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable, which made our visit even that much more enjoyable.

We can't wait to visit again!

Below are more photos from our visit.  Enjoy!

San Diego Zoo Safari Park:  15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd  Escondido, CA 92027; (760) 747-8702

Parking: $10 per car

Admission: $44 Adults (ages 13+); $34 Kids (ages 3-12) - includes Africa Tram tour; visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park website for more ticketing options.

Thank you to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: LEGOLAND California

During our trip to San Diego, we knew a visit to LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad was a must, and everyone in our family was excited for our very first visit! 

Highlights of Our Visit:
As expected, LEGOLAND was full of fun rides and super cool LEGO creations.

Just about everywhere we looked there were animals, plants, vehicles, buildings, instruments, and even people - all made out of LEGO bricks (click on all photos to enlarge)!

 

Every single one of my kids thought the Musical Fountain in Water Works was the coolest thing.  They'd jump from circle to circle to activate various instruments which would start playing music while shooting water.  They had so much fun making music that we made numerous stops at the Musical Fountain during our visit.

 

My middle and oldest son both loved the Volvo Driving Schools.  There's a Junior Driving School for kids ages 3-5 in which kids drive around a track, and then there's the "regular" Driving School for kids ages 6-13 in which kids drive throughout a bigger area with more turns and even working stoplights.

My kids also loved DUPLO Playtown, and many of the rides, specifically Splash Battle, and Royal Joust.

My oldest also loved The Dragon and Coastersaurus coasters.

I personally loved the amazing LEGO masterpieces, especially those in Miniland USA.

The buildings, the scenes, and even the STAR WARS models were just incredible.

It's amazing what can be done with LEGO bricks!

Food:
For lunch we ate at Fun Town Market.

The boys ordered Kids Meals with either Chicken Strips or a Hot dog.  The meals came with a drink and a snack.  I ordered the Oriental Chicken Stir-Fry.  After seeing how huge the serving was, DH and I ended up sharing the stir-fry.  It was quite good and loaded with veggies and chicken!

Also, towards the end of our visit I couldn't resist getting some of Granny's Apple Fries.  They were quite delicious, but next time I'd try and get them earlier in the day, because when I bought them it was within a 1/2 hour of closing and they were a bit soggy (but still yummy!).

Visiting a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
I know every child with an ASD is different, but whenever we venture out, we always try to prepare as best as we can to minimize challenges.

As with any attraction we plan to visit, I researched any autism-related information, and I was very pleased to find this post on LEGOLAND's Model Mom Mary's blog regarding autism awareness, and how they provide exit passes to families of children with autism.

So upon arrival at LEGOLAND I was able to obtain an exit pass for my son (I loved that a Guest Services window was open before the actual park opened, which meant as soon as we entered the park we could go straight to a ride!).

Upon receiving the pass, I was advised to simply show the pass to an employee at the exit of any ride (with the exclusion of Fairy Tale Brook, which the pass is not valid on).  The employee would then proceed to let us know when we could go on.  Also, we were told the pass can only be used once an hour per ride.

Because the day we visited was a "slow" day, we only ended up using the pass twice (on the Safari Trek - since it was one of the rides closest to the entrance the line got long rather quickly, and Treasure Falls, because that ride had a pretty long line), and any other rides my son wanted to go on was either very short or non-existent and he was able to wait in line without any major issues.

Throughout our visit the only meltdowns he had was whenever he finished with Driving School.  Whenever it was over, he cried and screamed because he wanted to go again and again, but once we specifically told him how many more times he could drive again before we had to leave, he was able to self-calm and we were able to leave the ride.

Also, for those who have kids on a GFCF diet or any other special diet, LEGOLAND has a very handy Dietary Guide on its website with allergy information of various dining venues.

Final Thoughts:
Overall we had a fantastic time at LEGOLAND.

I love that LEGOLAND is an autism-friendly attraction, and that there was so much to see and do.  I also loved that there were so many LEGO creations all throughout the park, and even several places where kids could get creative and build their own creations.

Although there were a few employees that we encountered that were not too friendly, just about everyone else on staff were super friendly and helpful.

My kids had an amazing time, and they keep asking to go back (and hopefully when we do we'll get to stay in the new LEGOLAND hotel, which opens on April 5!).

Below are more photos from our visit. Enjoy!

LEGOLAND California: 1 Legoland Dr  Carlsbad, CA 92008; (760) 918-5346

 

Admission: 1-Day LEGOLAND: $78 Adults (ages 13+); $68 Kids (ages 3-12); Visit the LEGOLAND website for more ticket promotion options.

Parking: $12 for Cars

Thank you to LEGOLAND for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

While visiting San Diego, we knew we wanted to visit a museum in Balboa Park, and after reading about Kid City and the great exhibits at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, we knew that it would be a great choice.

Highlights of Our Visit:
Housing over 100 interactive exhibits, the world's first IMAX Dome Theater, and Kid City, where kids 5 and under can pretend in their own special city, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is an attraction terrific for both kids and adults of all ages.

Explor-O-Rama featured numerous hands-on exhibits throughout the center, and my kids were excited to try as much as they could!  They loved the interacting with such exhibits as the Gravity Well, the Kaleidoscope, and the Giant Chair (click on photos to enlarge).

My kids absolutely loved Kid City (for kids ages 5 and under; older kids are allowed to enter, but they had to remain by their parent's/adult guardian's side).

My middle son loved going "grocery shopping" (he'd push the shopping cart throughout Kid City and pick up any stray groceries he'd find), and my oldest and youngest son LOVED the Ball Wall.  They loved watching balls getting sucked up in vacuum tubes and falling down through metal pegs. They remained at the Ball Wall for a very long time, and really enjoyed all there was to do there.

Other exhibits at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center included Great Balls of Fire, where my kids learned more about comets and asteroids; Block Busters!, where the kids were able to create their own masterpieces with wooden KEVA (Knowledge-Exploration-Visual-Arts) planks; and Cellular Journey, where we saw several exhibits about human bodies, cells, etc.

At the end of our visit we watched an IMAX film, Flight of the Butterflies, a movie about a zoologist who was determined to track the flight of the butterflies and figure out where they migrated to each winter.

The IMAX Dome Theater allowed for a stunning view of the story. Although we had to constantly look around to absorb entire scenes, it made everything look that much more impressive - whether it was a single butterfly or thousands of butterflies on screen.

Food:
For lunch we bought food from Galileo's Cafe.

The boys got Pepperoni Pizzas ($2.95); I ordered a Fleet Club Sandwich ($6.75); my husband ordered a Greek Salad ($5.25).

My sandwich was quite good, and I thought the prices were pretty reasonable, especially considering the location!

Visiting with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
I know every child with an ASD is different, but we always try various techniques to minimize challenges whenever we travel.

Prior to our visit, we made sure to tell him where we were going and what he expected to see.  I anticipated that he would really enjoy the Ball Wall, which he did, and another exhibit he became fascinated with was the Kugelbahn exhibit.

This exhibit featured billiard balls rolling about through a sculpture via various forms of energy.

My son could have stayed at this exhibit for our entire visit, either turning the wheel himself to watch the balls move, or simply to watch the balls in motion as other kids turned the wheel.

Because he loved the exhibit so much, whenever we could sense him becoming over-stimulated, or to help him recover from a meltdown, we'd simply go back to the Kugelbahn exhibit.

Also, there were plenty of benches and other seating throughout the center available for us to use if he needed to take a mini-break to rest.

Final Thoughts:
Although I think the age limit could be increased at Kid City (I completely understand the limit due to safety reasons, but I could totally see older kids enjoying all there is in Kid City), I loved how it helps to foster kids' imaginations and creativity.

Overall The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center had a nice variety of exhibits and is a great attraction to keep visitors of all ages intrigued and entertained, while learning interesting facts about science.

Below are more photos from our trip.  Enjoy!

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center: 1875 El Prado; San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 238-1233

Free Parking

Admission: $11.75 Adults (Ages 13+); $9.75 Juniors (Ages 3-12 and Seniors Ages 65+); visit the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center website for special discounts and offers.

Thank you to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center for the complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: Birch Aquarium at Scripps

After a 20-minute drive through rain and fog a couple of Saturdays ago, we arrived at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, which turned out to be so much more than I expected (click on photos to enlarge).

Highlights of Our Visit:
Sitting atop a hillside with spectacular views, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps houses numerous exhibits and hands-on displays to help visitors learn more about ocean science and conservation.

In the Hall of Fishes, we saw so many amazing sea creatures, like a ray, a wolf eel, and a lionfish; and at the Tide Pool Plaza my boys got to touch sea stars.

The Kelp Forest Tank was one of my favorite exhibits. An enormous 70,000-gallon tank filled with a variety of ocean life was just an amazing sight. 

 

I also loved seeing all the jellies.  One interesting exhibit was full of plastic (below, right), demonstrating how predators who eat jellyfish could often times mistake floating pieces of plastic for jellyfish, and how ingesting them can do so much damage. 

The exhibits in There's Something About Seahorses were also very popular.  There were so many beautiful seahorses on display, as well as some very adorable baby seahorses in the nursery (the ones on the right were born on 12/25/12).

Both inside and outside of the aquarium there were numerous interactive exhibits.

Inside, Feeling the Heat: The Climate Change focused on environmental changes; outside, Boundless Energy showcased how natural sources of energy can power various objects (like see-saws).

All three of my boys' LOVED the interactive water exhibit by Tom Egan, in which they erected barriers and tried to get boats across the water through the energy of the water's currents. They literally could've played at that exhibit all day!

Food: 
We did not eat at the aquarium, but the Splash! Cafe is located near the entrance for those who wish to purchase food, snacks, and drinks.

Visiting with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): 

I know every child with an ASD is different, but we always try various techniques to minimize challenges whenever we travel.

As with other attractions we visit, we told my oldest son, who has an ASD, where we'd be going and what he'd expect to see ahead of time, and during our visit we allowed him to peruse the map and help us decide where to go next.

We arrived at the aquarium when it opened, so there was no crowd, however, by the time we left (after an hour and a half), there was a very large crowd at the aquarium, so for children who may get overwhelmed with crowds, visit early to try and avoid them.

Because many children with an ASD are prone to wandering, like my son, it can be scary venturing out, but because the Birch Aquarium at Scripps is not very large, he was always well within sight even if he started to walk a few steps ahead of us (but still always keep an eye on your children!).

And if he started to get overstimulated, we simply found somewhere to sit so we could take a break (there are few places to sit both inside and outside the aquarium).

Final Thoughts:
Although the overall facility is small, Birch Aquarium at Scripps is packed with a lot of fun, informative exhibits.

I love that the Birch Aquarium at Scripps is both educational and entertaining, and that there were so many exhibits to keep my kids occupied and intrigued.

It's a beautiful aquarium with a great mission in helping to teach visitors the importance of the ocean.

Below is a slideshow of more photos from our visit.  Enjoy!

Birch Aquarium at Scripps: 2300 Expedition Way La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 534-3474

Parking: Free for three hours.

Admission: $14 Adults; $9.50 Child (ages 3-17) 

Thank you to Birch Aquarium at Scripps for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: Discovery Science Center

We've passed by the Discovery Science Center's giant Cube numerous times before while visiting Southern California, and we finally had a chance to see it up close (and go inside) earlier this month.

From the moment we stepped into the facility, my kids were intrigued and engaged.  There are over a hundred hands-on exhibits where they could do all kinds of cool stuff, such as fly a little airplane, play music on a laser harp, and even make clouds (click on photos to enlarge)!

A really fun thing kids can do while at Discovery Science Center is go on a Dino Quest Adventure.

After going into the Dino Quest Field Office, DS2 got his challenge sheet (challenges vary by age), and his research transmitter, and he began his search for all the items on his sheet - it was like a really cool treasure hunt to him! 

He had so much fun looking for the various items.  When he found a correct item, he'd wave his transmitter and something neat would happen (e.g. items would open up to reveal special objects)!  Throughout his search he also saw fossils and learned about how a dinosaur's organs worked.

After Dino Quest, we headed to the second floor for even more fun!

The current exhibit, Bob the Builder - Project Build-It, enabled kids to pose with life-size characters from the show, pretend to drive machinery, and even build things.

We all had our favorite exhibits in the Discovery Science Center.

DS2 loved the Race to Recycle game (that was one of my favorite exhibits too!).  Not only was it educational learning about all the different items we could recycle, but it was so much fun sorting through all the "garbage" for items that could be recycled and those that couldn't.

DS3 loved the Bob the Builder's Vehicle Shelter, where he could put rocks in a wheelbarrow and later stick them on a wall, and he could also slide down a little slide!

Besides the Race to Recycle game, I also loved the Discovery Market. It's the coolest grocery store I've ever seen.  The kids push special shopping carts throughout the store while picking up specific types of food displayed on the screen.

DH loved the Science of Hockey exhibits, especially You Be the Goalie, where he could pretend to be a goalie and stop flying pucks.

As for DS1, who has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), he just LOVED the Eurydice exhibit - a rolling ball machine by George Rhoads. Balls would move throughout the machine and different sounds could be generated, and DS1 was just fascinated.

This was the first exhibit he saw when he entered the facility, so we had a tough time getting him to move on to other exhibits.  I'm sure he would've watched the exhibit all day long if he could.

Overall DS1 did great at the Discovery Science Center.  He did have a few minor meltdowns, but fortunately there were lots of places to sit, and even several places where there was minimal noise, which enabled us to take a break so he could calm down when he seemed to be getting overwhelmed by all of the kids or all of the new sights and sounds.

Although at times it was challenging to get him to try out some of the exhibits, with prompting and encouragement he was able to experience and enjoy a lot that the Discovery Science Center had to offer.

We all had a wonderful time at the Discovery Science Center.

Everywhere you turn there's something cool to discover, and it's truly a lot of fun for the entire family!

The Bob the Builder - Project Build-It exhibit runs through Jan. 6, 2013.

Below are more photos from our visit.

Enjoy!

Discovery Science Center: 2500 North Main Street  Santa Ana, CA 92705; (714) 542-2823

Admission: Ages 3-14 and seniors ages 62+ $12.95; adults 15+ $14.95

Parking $4 (cash only) 

Thank you to Discovery Science Center for providing complimentary tickets.  All opinions are my own.

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Off-Island: Pretend City Children's Museum

I always love taking my kids to new and fun attractions, and we recently visited Pretend City Children's Museum in Irvine during our recent trip to Southern California.

From the moment we stepped into Pretend City the boys were engaged.

There was so much to see and do in Pretend City.

The kids could go to the library or post office, go grocery shopping, pretend to be a firefighter, visit the doctor or dentist, or drive around the city (click on photos to enlarge).

I know there are similar attractions in many cities throughout the nation, even in Hawaii, but I really loved the way Pretend City was actually set up - like a real city!  In addition to the various businesses and establishments, there are roads where kids can drive around in ride-on toys, and there are also stoplights, street signs, and parking spaces.

There's even a little house - complete with a living room, bathroom, kitchen, and two bedrooms.

And that's not all you'll find in Pretend City.

There's also an art studio, a marina, an amphitheater, a farm, and so much more!

If you or your kids are hungry, they even have a "Real Cafe" offering all sorts of healthy options.

Overall we had a truly enjoyable time at Pretend City.

I love how at so many of the exhibits there are appropriate costumes and accessories for kids to pretend play, whether it's a cafe worker, a firefighter, or a dentist.

Kids are also given a time card which gets stamped at various locations, and once it's filled they can go to the ATM, insert their time card, and they'll receive play money!

A really great thing about Pretend City is that they are very special needs-friendly.  They believe all children should have the ability to experience the value of pretend play, and they offer a variety of supplies upon request to help make it a positive experience for special needs children.  For instance, they offer gluten-free play dough, headphones, and weighted shoulder pads.

Fortunately during our visit, DS1, who has an autism spectrum disorder, remained relatively calm and did not have many major meltdowns despite the new environment and being amongst so many other children.

However, he did not do much pretending throughout the city.  Instead, he focused on certain items that made him content.  For instance, he enjoyed playing "stop and go" with the stoplight (whenever it turned green he'd walk, when it turned red he'd stop).  For a long while that's all he wanted to do - play "stop and go."

He also loved playing in the marina (he loves water play at school).  In fact - the marina was a popular spot for all my kids.  They had a blast going fishing and making boats (raincoats are available to prevent from getting soaked).

Unlike DS1, DS2 did A LOT of pretending.  His favorite pretend activity was cooking - he could've stayed all day in the cafe!

As for DS3 - he's a bit too young to understand what pretend play is all about, but he really enjoyed finding familiar toys he could play with (blocks, puzzles, etc.).

Although there were a lot of kids because of a field trip, our kids had enough time to explore each exhibit.  My favorite moment of our visit was when DS2 went to the "doctor's office," and all of a sudden a bunch of kids from the field trip made him their patient.  DS2 was such a trooper and remained a good patient! 

We could've spent all day at Pretend City.  It truly is a great place for little kids of all ages and needs to explore, play, and pretend!

Below are more photos from our visit.

Enjoy!

Pretend City Children's Museum: 29 Hubble, Irvine, CA 92618; 949-428-3900
General Admission: $11 Children (over 12 months) and Adults

Thank you to Pretend City Children's Museum for providing the complimentary passes for our visit. All opinions are my own.

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