Central California Coast
San Juan
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831-623-2127 February 2001 |
This is a venerable historic mission along highway 101 in
the central part of |
Casa de Fruita
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It may have started out as a fruit stand, but it has added a number of attractions, including a narrow-gauge railroad and campground. The grounds host a large collection of deteriorating farm equipment. You can get very close and see how these things operated. January 2008 |
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Monterey , CA
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City of Pacific Grove: Museum of Natural History 831-648-3116 pgmuseum@mbay.net February
2001 |
The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is rather small and focuses on Monarch Butterflies that over-winter in the area. Plan your visit to the |
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831-375-0962 The Friends of the Monarchs work to ensure save habitat
for the Monarch Butterflies that over-winter on the February 2001 |
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408-648-4800 fax - - 4810 The class-act of aquaria, the Monterey Bay Aquarium will spoil you for any other. The permanent exhibits are excellent. The Aquarium hires many teenage docents and also runs “real-science” research at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing, North of Monterey. Monterey Bay Aquarium holds spellbound not only children, but teenagers and adults. We keep returning. February 2001 February
2002 February
2008 November 2019 |
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831-775-1700
The Monterery Bay Aquarium
Research institute performs marine research and outreach from Moss Landing,
between June
2002 |
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831-624-1271 Carmel Mission is another beautifully-preserved mission. It is currently still used as a Catholic Church. February 2001 |
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San Francisco , CA
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Exploratorium
December 2001 |
The Exploratorium is the class-act of the hands-on science museums. Noisy and exciting for kids, adult need to let-go, relax and let the kids have fun. |
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2019 |
Walt Disney Family Museum - San Francisco CA We visited the Walt Disney Family Museum with Steve Trimberger in March of 2019. We saw and learned about the history of Walt Disney and his animation journey. This museum focused mainly on the animation side of Walt's history, although the highlight of the trip was most certainly the giant diorama of Disneyland. If you are a fan of Disney or animation, this is a great museum to go to. However, it's not super kid friendly. It's a lot of reading and history, so children who are older would probably enjoy it more than little kids. "mainly focuses on the animation side of Walt's history." |
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Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA. November
2019 |
Not just a bridge, this is a historical landmark in San Francisco worth seeing up close. It is permitted to walk on the bridge. The visitor center on the north side anchorage. |
Lompoc , CA
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805-467-2131 http://www.missionsanmiguel.org/ December 2001 |
Mission San Miguel is conveniently located along US
101. This is no accident because the
original mission route, El Camino Real, eventually became the highway. Sadly, the |
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The town of December 2001 |
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La Purisima Mission State Historic Park http://www.lapurisimamission.org/ Mission La Purisima is a December 2001 |
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Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum 321 Town Center West 805-928-8414 December 2001 July 2023 |
This museum is geared to children, according to the information we had. Unfortunately, we were unable to locate it before the time became too late. On our return, we found it to be a simple, delightful space. Lots of hands-on! Everyone was having a good time: kids, parents, docents, even the greeting staff. They have some kind of magic here. Only the teenagers seemed too cool to have fun. |
Santa Cruz , CA
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Seymour Long Marine Discovery Center Friends of LML/UCSC Foundation http://www2.ucsc.edu/seymourcenter/ June 2002 May 2003 |
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11/29/19 – Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz, CA. https://www.mysteryspot.com/ Discovered in 1939 and opened to the public in 1940, the
Mystery Spot claims to be a gravitational anomaly located in the redwood
forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California measuring around 150 feet or
46 meters in diameter. Visitors experience demonstrations that appear to defy gravity, on the
short but steep uphill walk and inside a wooden building on the site. 45 minute fully guided tours and hiking
trails are available to the public.
The Mystery Spot
was listed in the California Register as a California Historical Landmark on
August 22, 2014. While fun, especially for younger kids, due to the nature
of the location, the Mystery Spot may not be suitable for visitors who have
difficulty walking uphill or balance issues.
November 2019 |
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San Jose , CA
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Almaden Youth Association New June 2002 |
The AYA is working to build a sports park in the South
part of AYA shut down after failed approval for building new fields, but the AVYSL received permission to use many school fields. In return, AVYSL assisted with maintenance. |
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Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League October 2004 |
The AVYSL serves approximately 2200 children per year. It runs approximately 25 playing fields at nearly a dozen schools and parks. See companion documents on this site on goal construction for 4’x6’ goals and goal anchor attachments. |
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(408) 287-2290 May 2001 |
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June 2002 |
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408-294-6107 February
2002 2006-2007 |
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408-287-7383 408-288-2828 February 2002 |
The San Jose Symphony went bankrupt in 2002. Their financial difficulties were hidden as
they sold subscriptions to a season they knew they
couldn’t finish. There is a new
symphony in |
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South Valley YMCA May 2003 |
Among the YMCA’s programs is the Guides and Princesses (they’ve recently dropped the references to native Americans). One sub-group organizes an annual outing to San Jose Family Camp. Goals include parent-child bonding over games and chores and outdoor activities. |
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St. Frances Cabrini School is a Catholic PK-8 grade school. Like schools the world over, they need assistance with class material, particularly in the area of science and technology, as well as support for their enrichment programs, such as amateur athletics. |
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San Jose, CA Silicon Valley Lines Admission: Free. As one of a few model railroad clubs in the Bay Area, Silicon Valley Lines is dedicated to be an educational resource and support the model railroading community. Large layout supporting the model railroad hobby for young and old. SVL hosts monthly open house at its track near downtown San Jose. The foundation has frequent meetings with the Club Secretary. We assisted with coordination of a photographer visit from the NMRA for promotion of the 2021 NMRA Convention held in San Jose, CA. 2015-present |
Los Gatos, CA Los Gatos Youth Theatre (LGYT) Admission: Varies by event and location • The purpose of the organization is to give children in Los Gatos and the surrounding communities an opportunity to participate in local theatre, through multiple shows and workshops. LGYT serves school aged kids 6-18 in a safe, real-life theatre environment. Performance Day Camps develop acting, singing and dancing skills. Students participate in daily workshops in the three disciplines of musical theatre, as well as participate in games and activities. All camps culminate in a full-scale musical with costumes, sets and props. o Stage shows - Multi-week shows with full costume, sets, props, and stage coordination. 2019 |
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The intrigue behind the Winchester Mystery House is what makes it such an interesting site to return to. The rambling never-completed home of the widow of the Winchester rifle fame is now a somewhat spooky attraction. Every time you go to visit you will learn another interesting detail surrounding either the house, the occupants, or the “visitors” to the house. The extended tour through the gardens and basement is recommended if you enjoy what you hear in the house tour. November 2019 |
Mini Cat Town is a non-profit 501(c)(3) has rescued over 340 cats and
kittens since 2015. It is located in the Eastridge Mall. For a fee, visitors play with cats and
kittens. Most are adorable! All are adoptable. 2019 |
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Happy Hollow Park and Zoo https://happyhollow.org/ 2023-10 This park has many rides that are included in admission. Favorites of a 22 month old included the tot cars, a motorized train ride around a small track Danny the Dragon, and the extensive play structure with three story tall slides. There is also a mild roller coaster for older children. There were a number of animals at the zoo to visit including a wallaby, capabara, jaguar, alligator, tortoise, red panda, anteater, Guinea pigs and parrots. The petting zoo are has small goats for kids to pet and turkeys and chickens for kids to say hi to as well. It is a larger park so it is a bit spread out so make sure you’re comfortable walking or have other accommodations. Altogether, I think the only improvement would be signage leading up to the parking entrance. There was a large sign over the road to the parking area but until you were at the intersection, it was hard to see unless you knew it was there. |
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Children’s Discovery
Museum San Jose, CA https://Cdm.org 2023-05 Noisy kids having a great time! Pneumatic ball tubes. Special space for under 4 year olds. Water splash area. Knowing how rough kids can
be, not much needed repair. |
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Santa Clara, CA
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South Bay Historic Rail
Society Santa Clara, CA Santa Clara, CA https://www.sbhrs.org/ 2023-11-04 Rail
lovers in paradise! Train museum,
layouts to chase trains around, and real trains to watch. |
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Morgan Hill, CA
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Spina Farms Pumpkin
Patch Morgan Hill, CA https://spinafarmspumpkinpatch.com/ 2023-10-01 For profit. Seasonal. Admission to the pumpkin patch is free and provides tons of photo opportunities including rows of pumpkins and flowers, a giant inflatable jack o lantern, mini Dino pumpkin eggs that kids can climb inside, an educational area about pumpkins, and a mini hay maze. For an additional cost, visitors can ride a motorized train, a barrel train dresses as cows, try their luck at a corn maze, ride baby dinosaurs, and fire mini pumpkins from an air gun at the mini pumpkin shooting range. The pumpkin patch also has large dinosaurs guarding the patch decorated with pumpkins accordingly. I would love to see more activities for smaller children. There are great activities for kids ages 4+ but not much for smaller kids. |
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Mountain View , California
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650-961-6633 http://www.voyagesthroughtime.org February 2002 Frank Drake Award, August
2003 Many visits 2006-present |
The SETI Institute is the real, hard-science people
looking for evidence of intelligent life in the universe. Don’t talk to them about Area 51 or flying
saucers; you won’t get in the door.
But if you are interested in radio astronomy, extra-solar planets or exo-biology, this is the place to contact. They are currently building the Allen
Telescope Array – an array of radio telescopes designed to search for radio
signals like those we’ve been radiating into space for decades. (See the Hat Creek entry in “ There is a small exhibit at the office highlighting ongoing science projects. Check the weekly Big Picture Science webcast at http://bps.seti.org We recommend the “Voyages Through Time” science course at the high school level. Contact: Edna DeVore. |
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650-810-1010 http://www.computerhistory.org/ Every computer you ever used to work on is here. Every computer you’ve ever heard of is here. The first internet node is here! And more. Note restricted hours! As of Aug 2007 the museum is only open Wed-Sun in the afternoons. The babbage difference engine is supposed to be there through 2009. June 2003 March 2004 Many visits 2004-present |
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NASA Ames
Research Center http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames September 2008 |
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Los Altos, CA
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Redwood Grove Nature
Preserve 482 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 2023-04 This is a beautiful redwood grove and small creek nestled in the middle of a residential neighborhood. It’s a great place for photographers drawn to nature or for family portraits. There is minimal
advertising of the preserve. The only reason I heard about it was through
word of mouth.
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Milpitas, CA
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408-942-1776 http://www.communitymuseums.org/ February 2002 |
Tucked in among stores and movie theaters is the quiet |
Berkeley , CA
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Project Dan Werthimer February 2003 |
This is the group that developed seti@home. There’s nothing to see, but they’re good guys. |
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510-642-5132 |
They have an active daily program for kids. |