Museums - Pitstops for Kids

San Francisco Pier 39 attractions for kids

June 21, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Families touring San Francisco could easily dedicate a full day to the busy, touristy region of Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. And while not to replace visiting other parts of the city, a day here is well spent. We definitely suggest beginning your day with a family tour of Alcatraz Island, but this still leaves you with an afternoon and evening to fill at the wharf. Here’s our picks for how to spend a day at Fisherman’s Wharf with kids:

Pier 39 and Aquarium of the Bay:

Pier 39 is bright, busy, and filled with fun (kids especially love the many street performers), and families could certainly wile away an afternoon browsing the shops and riding the carousel. If you have young children (whose attention span may not warrant to trip to a larger aquarium) and/or have San Francisco CityPASS booklets, make a stop at the Aquarium of the Bay. Not as large or professionally undertaken as the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park (if you plan to go there, skip this one), the Aquarium of the Bay is still a nicely done exhibit for kids. It can be toured in an hour, and features fun hands-on touching pools for young kids and a pretty darn cool shark tunnel. Housed primarily under the bay, museum staff ushers families into elevators for each section of the aquarium. This means you need to be sure to hit bathroom stops when you see them!

General admission is $16 for adults and $10 for kids 3-12, and is only worth the ticket price if you don’t have plans to visit any larger aquariums. Admission is included in CityPASS and Go San Francisco Card offering by far the best deal. (Warning: there is a gift shop at the end, and it’s full of enticing plush marine animals.) Afterward, stroll to the end of the pier to check out the seals and sea lions in their natural habitat.

The Embarcadero and National Maritime Park:

The Embarcadero runs many blocks from the Alcatraz cruise dock past Pier 39. On one side will be the new location of the Exploratorium, one of the best hands-on museums for kids in the country (it’s currently located in the Presidio). The Exploratorium is an CityPASS option, and will easily engage kids for hours. Kids will want to stop en route to watch the sourdough bread being made at San Francisco’s famed Boudin Factory, and shop for trinkets along the street. Further down, toward Ghiradelli Square, it’s fun to stop at the fish markets and see (and smell!) the fresh seafood offerings.

The San Francisco National Maritime Park makes for a great place to stop just as legs start to get tired, and kids can walk the pier to see the USS Pampanito submarine and other historic vessels.It’s located at Pier 45, and the visitor’s center is open 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. What’s nice is that families can opt to buy tour tickets for the Pampanito, or just view the vessels from the dock.

Ghiradelli Square:

Directly above the Maritime Park is Ghirdelli Square, where families can (must?) stop for ice cream at the famed chocolatier. (At the information booth in the square, ask for coupons if you plan to purchase sundaes.) We opted for sundaes for lunch (such a healthy choice…not!) but Ghiradelli makes for a great evening choice, too.

Between the Maritime Park and Ghiradelli Square, you’ll see the San Francisco Cable Car turnaround. This is a great place to hop on-board and take a ride, though you’ll likely wait in line. (Elsewhere in San Francisco, particularly along California Street), it’s easily to jump on and jump off cable cars.

The Solar Living Institute

May 14, 2012 By Sharlene Earnshaw

The following pit stop is submitted by guest reviewer Barbara Zaragoza. Barbara blogs about off-beat adventures in California at California Notebook.

Everyone wants to save the earth these days, but do we really know how to do it? The Solar Living Institute in Hopland, California gives visitors a wealth of eco-living tips. A tour of their rustic property is free and plaques everywhere describe innovative technology that can save our planet.

The property boasts the largest number of solar panels in the state of California, hooked up to the deregulated electricity grid. They also have a hands-on display of a solar oven as well as a solar water pump that takes water from a pond to irrigate their organic farm.

Beyond solar energy, The Solar Living Institute makes sure that everything on the property is earth friendly. There’s a ‘Sun Frost’ refrigerator that uses Krypton gas. The parking lot has a biodiesel fueling station and electric vehicle charging stations. Several small buildings are made of cob: a mixture of straw bales, clay, and strew infill, which are considered low-impact materials that replace wood or concrete.

Kids will especially love this place thanks to the solar powered ferris wheel during the summer, the bamboo pyramid pruned in the shape of Egypt’s Cheops pyramid, a rotunda that touts a Mayan solar calendar, a tree house, and a sundial. Through some brush they’ll find 1950’s automobiles that have been turned into planters for large trees. Finally, kids can ride on the pedal power bike generators to see how much electricity they are able to generate through exercise.

The Solar Living Institute holds workshops throughout the year and, most importantly, takes any visitor into a world that is possible.

Closest interstate:

Highway 101

Cost of admission:

Free!

Hours of operation:

Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week for self-guided tours.

Driving directions:

The Solar Living Institute is located at 13771 S Highway 101, Hopland, CA.

3 things to do with kids in Paso Robles CA

April 30, 2012 By Sharlene Earnshaw

The following pit stop was submitted by Bay Area blogger and mom Whitney Moss of 510Families.

Located exactly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Paso Robles, California is an excellent pit stop if you want to get out of the car and feel like you’ve arrived somewhere special. (Pro tip: locals pronounce the town name Paso Robuls, not Paso Roblase.) Here are three things to do with kids in Paso Robles:

Powell’s Sweet Shoppe

Did you say CANDY? The downtown of Paso Robles is set up around a traditional town square, similar to Sonoma if you’ve been there, or the town in Back to the Future with the clock tower on one side and the soda shop on the other side. The square itself is a sufficient park for running around with playground equipment. Parents can take turns manning the playground usage while the other roams around the shops on the perimeter. Powell’s Sweet Shoppe is a super fun vintage candy store which is actually a chain, but maintains a unique small town feel. Find it at 840 11th Street.

Paso Robles Children’s Museum

A short distance from the square is the Paso Robles Children’s Museum. Best for kids 2-7, it has art projects, dress-up, a real fire truck to climb on, and a mini-ball pit for toddlers with a wine barrel theme. There’s lots of amusement packed into this relatively small building, the most noteworthy of which is a netted area that features a complex system of ball chutes and blasters. If you have child whose first word was BALL, you should maybe drive straight there this instant. The museum located at 623 13th Street and is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Barney Schwartz Park

Out a little further from the town (10 minutes) sits our favorite park, Barney Schwartz. The equipment is pretty novel and the setting can’t be beat. Well maybe in Kauai, but it’s like nothing you’ll find in LA or San Francisco — the view is pure Paso Robles. Find it at 2970 Union Road, Paso Robles.

Bonus: wine country:

Paso Robles is wine country. Not a great fit for a day on the road, but I would be remiss to leave out this fact and even downtown, you’ll see tasting opportunities. To really appreciate where the grapes are coming from, head out to winery on one of the nearby highways. I can’t promise that the tasting room won’t have a gift shop full of breakables, but there are certainly several with picnic areas ideal for running around. Bianchi has automated toy sailboats; Castoro has a pot-bellied pig as the house pet; and, Sylvester features vintage train cars in front of the picnic grounds.

Note: Paso Robles has kid-friendly dining listed on Kidscore. Learn more about Kidscore.

Distance from the interstate:

Minutes from HWY 101 (and CA-46)

Cost of admission and hours:

The children’s museum admission is $7 for adults and $6 for kids 1-13.

Headed to the San Francisco Bay Area? Find more pit stops, family outings, and recommendations at PasoKids and 510Families!

Wings and Waves Water Park

April 26, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

After lunch would be a good time to move from the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum to the Wings and Waves water park. (The exception to this rule would be during peak holiday weekends, when the lines for rides at the water park escalate by mid-day. This, however, is not the norm.)

You can’t miss the water park, which is adjacent to the museum buildings and topped by an Evergreen commercial craft (more on that in a minute). Inside, you’ll find a spacious and airy, well-lit, and very high quality water park four large slides (one body slide and three inner-tube style slides), a wave pool, a leisure pool with basketball hoops and a whirlpool vortex, hot tubs, and an activity water play structure with additional slides and a dumping bucket. The larger slides do have height requirements (42′ for the tube slides and 48′ for the body slide), but quite young kids probably won’t be up for them anyway: visitors climb countless (dang, I should have counted them!) steps up to above roof-level where they enter the bay of the aforementioned aircraft to the slide entrances.

Our kids spent the most time in the wave pool (floating tubes and life vests are complementary) and leisure pool, but loved the slides as well. Evergreen describes their water park as an ‘educational water park’ and though I was skeptical, they really do deliver on this front. Upstairs (overlooking the wave pool) is an entire hands-on museum space coined ‘H20: Water Needs Life’, which features water cycle exhibits and play areas, hands-on water rocket launchers, a submarine to climb into, and even an ‘astronaut training’ fitness station. Best of all, kids can run around in their swimsuits, and no one cares if they get wet.

Date last visited:

April 15, 2012

Distance from the interstate:

The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is located 45 minutes from downtown Portland, Oregon and 30 minutes from I-5 off Highway 18.

Hours of operation:

Hours vary depending on season. Check the most recent museum and water park hours.

Admission prices:

Admission isn’t cheap at $20 per adult ($18 per youth) for the museums and $30 per adult ($25 for under 42′). Combined admission is not yet offered. There is a non-swimmer rate of $10 for the water park, and kids 3 and under are free.

Tip: Another guest informed me that the museum does honor other Northwest children’s and science museum memberships for entry, though I was unable to confirm. If you need a car, an option is Easyrentcars.

Food and drink:

There is a concession area at the water park and a healthier cafe at the museum. Outside food and drink are not permitted, but a nice picnic area is located outside. Visitors are free to bring coolers to the outside areas.

Directions:

The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum and Wings & Waves Waterpark are located 3.5 miles southeast of McMinnville, Oregon, on Highway 18 across from the McMinnville Municiple Airport. It is approximately one hour from Portland and 40 minutes from Salem. If using GPS, insert the address: 500 NE Cumulus Avenue.

Portland on Dwellable

Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum

April 26, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

When I first heard that McMinnville Oregon’s Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum was one part aviation history museum, one part military vehicle and firearms collection, one part 3-D theater, and one part water park (yes, water park), I couldn’t imagine how it all fit together. I worried that the 70,000 square foot indoor water park would seem gimmicky in comparison to the museum, which would feel overshadowed. I didn’t know what to think of the firearms, and most of all, I worried we wouldn’t have enough time to see it all.

After visiting this spring, I’m happy to say I was 1) wrong (the water park is extremely well designed) 2) wrong (the aviation museum shines in its own right) and 3) wrong (the firearms collection was my tween son’s favorite part), and 4) right (visitors definitely want to dedicate a full day to Evergreen). Since it opened an hour earlier on the day of our visit, we started at the museum, which I definitely recommend. After your kids get a taste of the water park, it will be hard to pry them away. (Bear in mind: admission is separate at the museum and water park.)

The museum and theater:

The museum is spread out in several large bays, and it’d be easy to miss a big section if you’re not careful. Directly after paying admission, you enter at the general aviation and military craft collections, which will definitely catch your children’s eye. Most impressive however, is the towering body of Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose, which visitors can board. If you’re not a military history buff (and all those planes look the same to you, like they did to me), never fear: there’s comprehensive signage and literature on everything, including very appealing videos and interviews that really draw you in. Most fascinating was learning about the early smoke jumper fire fighters, and the WWII air strike battles. Our school-aged kids were engrossed, but even if you have young children, there’s so much to see in the bay, they’ll be happy for a good amount of time. The firearms exhibit, which my boys went crazy for, is on the second floor; don’t miss it if you have gun enthusiasts (or boys of any age).

Best of all, the many docents stationed around the museum were simply excellent. They answered all our questions, particularly about WWII, and engaged the kids with questions of their own, stories, and even paper airplanes sailed at their heads.

Tip: Additional aircraft are open to tour as well, but there’s an additional charge for most.

The space flight exhibits take visitors from early space program history to present day, and includes a Titan II missile booster rocket, which kids can explore from inside its silo. The theater offers a 3-D IMAX-style viewing (which can be added onto your ticket), which I’m sure is impressive (but which we ran out of time for). Outside, a fun space-themed playground is available to burn off energy, before touring the military tanks along the lawn. Tip: This is a good area for a picnic between visiting the museum and the water park.

Read Part 2: Wings and Waves Water Park for water park and admission information, hours of operation, and directions.

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

March 29, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Are your children fans of The Very Hungry Caterpillar? Wait a minute, of course they are! Then come get up close and personal with storybook art—some new, and some familiar—at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.

The museum is set up like a typical art museum, with three galleries displaying the work of Eric Carle and other artists. The main difference? The benches are kid-sized, and a little running and shouting is ok! The exhibits change throughout the year, so be sure you check the website so you don’t miss out on the exhibition of a favorite book.

There is also a well-stocked library with plenty of cozy chairs and rugs, but my kids’ favorite room in the museum is the art studio. There’s a toddler play area, and small tables with big, baby-friendly crayons for the younger set. At the bigger tables, there are more intricate art supplies for older kids.

Classes are offered at the museum, ranging in subjects from music, to book-making, to writing workshops. Depending on the class, the age range is from infant to adult, so there’s something for everyone at the Eric Carle Museum!

Date last visited:

March 17, 2012

Distance from the interstate:

The Eric Carle Museum is approximately 5 miles off Interstate 91, in Amherst.

Hours of operation:

Tuesday – Friday 10am–4pm
Saturday 10am–5pm
Sunday 12pm–5pm
Closed on Mondays

Admission:

Adult admission is $9
Youth (under 18), students, teachers, and seniors are $6
Family admission (2 adults and 2 youth) is $22.50
See the website for prices of the different classes offered at the museum. And remember, like most museums catering to children, family memberships are available!

Food services:

Pack a lunch! While there is no restaurant in the museum, there is a lovely café area with a vending machine and plenty of tables and chairs (and some great high chairs).

Directions:

The museum is located at 125 West Bay Road, Amherst, MA. Full directions are available!

Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College

March 27, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

If you’re traveling to western Massachusetts and have a dinosaur-lover in your family, then the Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College is a must-stop! The Beneski Museum is a small, but well-stocked natural history museum featuring a wide variety of dinosaur artifacts, including the skulls of a Triceratops and a T-Rex! The museum also has full skeletons of animals from the Pleistocene, including a mammoth, a mastadon, and a sabertooth cat.

There’s an entire room dedicated to fossilized dinosaur footprints, many of which were found in the surrounding Pioneer Valley. If this piques your child’s interest, it would be worth your time to stop over at Dinosaur Footprints in nearby Holyoke. This Trustees of Reservations site is home to over 130 dinosaur tracks imprinted in slabs of sandstone.

All in all, the Beneski Museum is a great (and free!) way to spend a few hours in the Northampton-Amherst area. I know my three year old is already begging to go back!

<h3:Date last visited:</h3
March 17, 2012

Distance from the interstate:

The Beneski Museum is approximately 6 miles off Interstate 91, in Amherst.

Hours of operation:

Tuesday – Sunday 11am–4pm
Additional hours on Thursday evenings from 6pm to 10pm

Admission or ticket prices:

Free for everyone!

Food services:

There are no food services at the museum, but Amherst College is a beautiful spot for a picnic. Alternatively, there are lots of good cafes and restaurants in the town center of Amherst.

Directions:

The museum is located at 11 Barrett Hill Road, Amherst College, Amherst, MA. Full directions are available.

The Dr. Pepper Museum

March 2, 2012 By Sharlene Earnshaw

The following pit stop has been submitted by guest reviewer and blogger Rebecca of RWeThereYetMom.com. Reach Rebecca @RWeThereYetMom on Twitter.

Texans are very proud of their Dr. Pepper. It’s a legendary soda, created in a small Texas town called Waco. Open to the public, one can learn all about its famous history at the Dr Pepper Museum.

Dr Pepper was created in 1885 in Morrison’s Old Country Store in Waco, Texas by a pharmacist, and no, his name was not Dr. Pepper. It was Charles Alderton and he made it out of 23 unique flavors. What are they? The museum never tells, as it is supposed to be a secret. However, my little friend Google shared with me that some of the 23 flavors are vanilla, black licorice, carrot, rum, and yes, pepper. Most people think that it has prune juice in it…nope, not a drop!

And why was it named Dr Pepper? They are a lot of rumors out there that involve young love of a girl with the last name of Pepper, but none have been proven. As the museum says, “we don’t know the true origin of the name; Mr. Morrison came up with it and it stuck.”

This great little museum is proud to have one of the world’s largest collections of soda pop memorabilia, including the original drugstore countertop where Mr. Alderton created Dr Pepper, the history of the bottling plant, and actually shows the deep well where the water was brought up to make the original Dr. Pepper. Adults and children alike can easily spend a fun hour here, and the best part? Getting a taste of the “original” Dr. Pepper in the downstairs Soda Shop!

Closest interstate: Interstate 35, in Waco, Texas.

Cost of admission: Adults are $8.00, students and children are $4.00.

hours: Mon-Sat (10 am – 4:15 pm), Sun (12 pm – 4:15 pm)

Dining: None.

Driving directions: Take I-35 into Waco and exit 4th and 5th Streets exit. Turn west on 4th street. Go to Mary Ave. Turn left on Mary. The museum is on the corner of 5th & Mary.

Photos are courtesy of RWeThereYetMom.com.

Little Buckeye Children’s Museum

November 16, 2011 By Sharlene Earnshaw

The brand new Little Buckeye Children’s Museum in Mansfield, Ohio, offers young kids a terrific space for creative play. Set up in a number of open-ended exhibits, the museum is designed for children up to age 12, but I suspect it will be most popular among the preschool set. My boys (ages two and four) moved from exhibit to exhibit, delighting in pretend play in the miniature versions of a bank, a doctor’s office, a grocery store, and a veterinarian’s hospital. My older son eventually hunkered down in the “Super Scientists Laboratory,” proudly donning a lab coat and protective goggles and experimenting with combining different colored liquids. My two-year-old headed straight for the agriculture center where he planted flowers, picked wooden apples from a Velcro tree, and carted his harvest around in a pint-sized wheelbarrow. My baby daughter, meanwhile, was content to play with age-appropriate blocks and books in the “Little People Lounge.”

The environment at the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum was friendly, cooperative, and surprisingly calm. Kids were not only encouraged to explore and play, but also to take responsibility for the materials they were using. The staff was warm, welcoming, and easy-going; they were available when we had questions and encouraged the children without directing their play.

We had a great visit to the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum, a terrific place to recharge your batteries while your kids play and learn. The second floor of the museum is still under construction; my kids can’t wait to return someday to see what else is in store!

Tip: Little Buckeye Children’s Museum is located a block away from another great pit ptop: Richland Carrousel Park.

Closest interstate: I-71 (The museum is located 10 minutes from the highway.)

Cost of admission: $6 for ages 2 and up

Hours of operation: Thursdays, 10-5; Fridays and Saturdays, 10-8; Sundays, 1-5

Dining options: There are a number of fast food and casual dining restaurants located near the highway exit and in downtown Mansfield near the museum.

Directions: Little Buckeye Children’s Museum is located at 44 West 4th Street, Mansfield, Ohio. Take Exit 169 of I-71. Head north on OH-13 for 4.8 miles. Turn right on E. 1st St. Turn left onto S. Diamond St. Turn left onto 4th St. Ample parking is available on the street and in a nearby free public lot.

The Oregon Vortex and House of Mystery

October 6, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

The Oregon Vortex, location of the House of Mystery is described as a natural wonder. A spherical field of force half above the ground and half below the ground, it amazes both kids and scientists alike.

A guide takes visitors on a tour explaining the “vortex”; how it was discovered and what it actually is. She or he demonstrates the phenomena and it is quite interesting. In our group, we had some skeptics who became believers! Then the guide takes you a few steps up the hill to where an old miner’s cabin slid down the hill. This is the “crooked little house” and has all kinds of optical illusions due to how it is slanted in the hill. Combine that with the whole vortex thing and it is pretty cool!

Distance from the Interstate: 15 minutes off I-5 near Gold Hill.

Admission cost: Adults $9.75, Kids 6-11 $7, 5 and under free.

Hours of operation: Open 7 days a week March through Oct. (from 9-5 in summer, 9-4 in fall).

Food services: None. Cold drinks are available in the gift shop.

Directions: The House of Mystery is located at 4303 Sardine Creek Left Fork Road in Gold Hill. It’s easy to find off the Gold Hill exit of I-5. Follow signage.