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Bruce Munro Light at Sensorio – Field of Light & New Light Towers. (San Luis Obispo County)

Address: 4380 CA-46 Paso Robles Ca. 93446

Bruce Munro Light at Sensorio is located in the town of Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo County. The place started in May 2019, owned by the Hunter Family and created by locals Ken/Bobbi Hunter. It offers visitors amusing, vibrant and colorful kinetic experiences with their fiber optic colorful bulbs. The Field of Light is a 15 acre walkthrough experience that was created by acclaimed artist Bruce Munro. Light at Sensorio is about 3 hours and 20 minutes drive (202 miles) from San Francisco via US-101 South. It’s only open from 7-10pm and only on a few selected dates. The costs of General Admission is $43 per person, while for the child (3-12) is $22. They also offer premium packages for a Private Terrace with food platter $112 per person, and Private Terrace only $87 per person. Paso Robles is about 45 minutes away from Pismo Beach.

We ate at the Alchemist Garden Restaurant and explored the Paso Robles Downtown area. It only took us about 15 minutes to get to Sensorio from Paso Robles downtown and the free parking lot area is made up of sand and dirt. We arrived at Sensorio Field of light at about 6:45 pm and there was already a long line formed at the main entrance. Luckily, the line went fast and got in within 15 minutes but we had to pass through a security check point. We saw the beautiful sunset from the field while waiting for the lights to turn on. There were fire pits, live entertainer, tables to eat, food trucks and indoor food court (to order food) in the middle of the pavillion/lawn located in the main entrance.

There were a few benches and hays located everywhere on a large field with narrow walkway for people to sit and relax. The VIP sections were all located on top overlooking the field of lights with private terrace, fire pits, foods and warmers. The best part was when it got darker and the Field of Lights were lighted. The entire field was very colorful, illuminating, amazing, breathtakingly beautiful and turned into a magical place. We decided to walk the winding pathway and enjoy the unique experience as we saw each bulb dims and changes color. Each bulb, fibers were artistically placed and the entire field looked like a scene on a fantasy/adventure movie such as the Disney Movie “The Troll”.

It took us about an hour to walk around, enjoy and explore the entire field of lights. But they added an area for the “New Light Towers” which are colorful fiber optics inserted inside a lot of bottles that were formed like a pyramid. It was very relaxing to look at all the different colors that illuminates all the wine bottles. It felt like we were trap on a maze with colorful bottles trying to find our way out. But be careful as you walk through the dark pathways as it gets crowded with too many people walking both ways. We used our phone light to guide us through.

Overall, it was a fun, unique, memorable, mesmerizing and exciting family adventure experience. There were lots of areas that were good photo opportunity. It is a different experience for us to see the entire field with colorful lights and amazing, artistic display of fiber optic. We would highly recommend the Sensorio Field of light to the whole family, singles and couples.

Tips: Paso Robles is a small town known for it’s wineries and arts. Here are a few places we had visited such as the Sculpterra Arts and Winery, Estrella Warbird Museum, Alchemist Garden Restaurant, Opolo Winery, Downtown Paso Robles and Negrani Creamery. Bring your jacket, flashlight and warmers due to cold weather. You can purchase food, drinks, wines and hot chocolate inside. Clean restrooms are available onsite and drive slowly since the parking lot is made up of sand and gravel. Arrive early as the line gets longer but VIP will get you in earlier. No flash photography and no selfie sticks allowed.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Bruce Munro Light at Sensorio after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you. Please don’t forget to subscibe to our blog.

Click here to find a hotel close to the Sensorio Field of Lights in San Luis Obispo County

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Holiday Ice Skating Rink at Meritage Resort and Spa (Sonoma County)

Address: 875 Bordeaux way Napa Ca. 94558

The Meritage Resort and Spa along with Vino Bello Resort a timeshare property opened its doors in July 2006. The Meritage Resort is located in Napa Valley which is known for its wide-ranging mix of charming B&B’s, chic luxury hotels, restaurants, and a wide variety of wineries. The resort offers a high-end 322 room property located in the business with free bottles of wine. Some of the rooms have a patio with an amazing view of the outdoor swimming pool, underground cave, and the vineyard situated on the hill.

It took us about 1 hour and 10 minutes (53 miles) to drive from San Francisco to Meritage Resort and Spa via I-80 East, CA-29 North/Sonoma Blvd, exit 19 from CA-37 West. We were surprised to see that they also have a unique, and vintage dining car restaurant on the premise. Some of the Hotel’s amenities are a spa treatment on an underground estate cave called Spa Terra, a winery vineyard, heated outdoor vineyard pool, bowling alley, farm-to-table restaurant Olive and Hay, fitness center, and a wine tasting room.

Since we didn’t want to drive back to San Francisco late at night. We checked in at one of the nice and quieter rooms at Meritage Resort and Spa. After checking in at around 4pm we immediately proceeded to the Ice Rink and Christmas Tree Lighting area which is located across the street of the Meritage Resort and Spa. The place was like a Winter Wonderland with a 40 foot Christmas Tree, Carolers singing, Mimes entertaining the guests, vendors selling their holiday items, Famous Disney Characters such as Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, Tinker Bell, and Santa Claus walking around taking pictures with children and families. It was a very festive atmosphere with lots of visitors and happy families.

The Christmas Tree lighting happened at around 5:30 pm and it was such a magical moment when the 40 foot Christmas Tree was lighted with colorful bright lights and holiday ornaments and decorations. All the visitors happily cheered loudly during the Christmas Tree Lighting. We enjoyed the fun performances on stage by the local caroler and local band entertainer. The Ice skating rink was situated in the middle of the lawn area facing or adjacent to the beautiful lighted Christmas Tree. There were a few VIP fire pits and special igloos for rentals available surrounding the ice rink area. We had to reserve a time slot online for a 1 hour and 30 minutes skating experience. There was a long line of excited skaters on the ice skating registration booth. The line was moving quickly as they have a lot of available staff to help with the registration and skate rentals. My wife and daughter enjoyed the awesome experience and took nice pictures on the ice skating rink facing the Lighted Christmas Tree in the background. There were lots of staff members that facilitate or watched over the skaters for safety precautions.

The best part was when we ate a late dinner at the “Crush Lounge” with 6 luxurious bowling lanes, foosball, pool tables, and shuffleboard games. All the food that we ordered was good and delivered promptly on our table. Our host server Lizabeth was very attentive, fast and helpful in serving our table. We ordered Buffalo Wings, Cheese Nachos, Fish tacos and chicken quesadilla. My daughter had the delicious Oreo Milkshake while my wife had a Margarita cocktail drink. All the bowling lanes were already reserved that night so we end up not bowling. But we had the opportunity to play bowling during our first stay in the resort.

Overall, we enjoyed our short stay at the Meritage Resort and Spa which is a hidden gem in the Napa Valley area. It was fun waking up in the morning with the stunning view of an underground cave, swimming pool, and a grape vineyard. The gardening landscape was very colorful due to its colorful leaves. It’s a great unique and romantic place to stay with your family and loved ones while enjoying tasting wine. It was a fun and memorable experience to celebrate a Holiday Christmas Tree Lighting, Ice Skating and Wine Tasting in a Tuscan Themed style resort in the heart of Napa Valley.

Tips: The resort’s vineyard on the hill is a good spot to watch the sunset. There were several fire pits with outdoor seatings available throughout the property. The resort is about a 15-minute drive to Oxbow Public Market, Napa Valley Train, Napa River Inn, Morimoto Restaurant, and a wide variety of local restaurants. There is also a premium shopping outlet located near the Resort. And don’t forget to visit the “Grape Crusher” sculpture located on top of the Vineyard on the hill. Vista Collina Resort is located adjacent to the Meritage Resort. There is a farm-to-table restaurant located at Meritage Resort called Olive and Hay.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Holiday Ice Rink at Meritage Resort and Spa after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel/room at Meritage Resort and Spa or around the area close to the Resort.

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Kaneohe Sandbar (Oahu)

Address: 47-86 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744

Kaneohe Bay is located on the East side (windward) on the Island of Oahu. The Kaneohe sandbar is a natural formation and a collection of exposed islets surrounding coral reefs. The Kaneohe Sandbar is one of the unique, best-kept secrets, and exciting places to visit in Oahu. The sandbar is only exposed during low tides in Kaneohe Bay. The Kaneohe Bay is the largest bay of the main 8 Hawaiian Islands. The bay is protected by reefs from the waves of the open ocean. From the shoreline, the beautiful sandbar is about a mile away and only accessible by boat or kayak.

We drove for about 35 minutes (16 miles) from our Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel to Kaneohe Bay via HI- 63 North. We arrived at the He’eia kea Boat Harbor at around 9 am and parked in front of our boat. We paid and reserved a tour under Captain Bruce Kaneohe SandbarTour company. There is also a public restroom available onsite and a small Cafe, that serves snacks, ice cream, and sandwiches. We were early enough to find a parking space in front as parking is limited. We checked in with the staff members and decided to take pictures while we were waiting for the others. We were given safety instructions and basic information by the friendly, fun, and knowledgeable Captain Crystal and her staff members. We were also instructed that we had to remove our shoes, slippers or aqua socks before boarding the boat. There were some snacks, drinks, fruits and water games, and snorkeling gears for guests to use.

The boat ride from the harbor to the sandbar only took us 10 minutes. We were all in awe as we approach the Kaneohe Sandbar with its clear deep teal blue color and white sand. The boat anchored at around 9:50 am and we were informed that it was free time and our departure will be at 12:15 pm. We all jumped into the pristine clear blue water and proceeded to the other boat that stored all the free use of kayaks, (SUP) stand-up paddle boards, floaties, tubes, and many more. We choose to use the tubes and stand-up paddle board and took pictures with the background of the mountains. The bay water was warm, clear, and shallow (knee deep). After an hour, we were all called and were asked who wants to participate in snorkeling on the reef to see some fish and turtles. We decided to not do snorkeling since we already had experience with snorkeling. The best part of the tour was when it started to rain just for a few minutes followed by the sunshine. It was an amazing, memorable, experience for me and my family to enjoy the tropical rain in the middle of Kaneohe Bay.

All the guests were busy either kayaking, snorkeling, having lunch, playing beach volleyball, taking pictures, or just simply enjoying the beautiful, picturesque panoramic views of the Koolau Mountains and nearby islets.

Overall it was a great, memorable, and one-of-a-kind experience for me and my family. It is our first time visiting a sandbar and was a good treat or surprise for my daughter’s 13th birthday celebration. We even saw a few turtles (honu in Hawaiian) swimming through the clear blue turquoise water in the bay.

Tips: Ensure that you pack lots of bottled water to stay hydrated, and wear aqua socks or just barefoot since the sand is fine. You can bring your own snacks or food but the tour company provided us with some snacks, drinks, and water gears for us to use. Be at the dock or harbor earlier since parking is limited. There is also a small cafe with outdoor tables that sells sandwiches, snacks, and ice cream in the Harbor area. There were plastic cubbies available to use underneath each seat. The common tour hours that are being offered are either 9:30 a.m. and 1 pm.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Kaneohe Sandbar after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel or place to stay near Kaneohe Sandbar in Oahu.

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Berry Best Family Farm (Contra Costa County) (Brentwood)

Address: 7450 Balfour Road Brentwood, Ca. 94513

Berry Best Family Farm is situated in the town of Brentwood which is a part of the Contra Costa County. In 1878, the town of Brentwood was founded and it’s known for its farming and agricultural products such as peaches, corn, cherries strawberries, and many more. The Berry Best Family Farm offers one of the sweetest strawberries in the county. The Family Farm is about 1 hour and 20 minutes from San Francisco/Daly City via I-580 East. The farm opens from 9 am -5 pm but started their u-pick strawberries at 10 am on our visit. The Strawberry picking season is best in the month of June while the cherry-picking season is best in early May to mid-June. The season changes or varies depending on the weather and crop size.

We arrived at the farm early at around 9 am due to the fact that we didn’t know the strawberry picking will start at 10 am. Since we arrived too early, we decided to check out the surrounding area and took pictures of the family farm. It was a sunny day but was windy in the morning and later became warm in the afternoon. The Berry farm also has a small produce stand with a wide variety of fresh produce and fruits such as watermelon, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, lemons, local honey, and various greens. We had to park our car on the side of the road behind the farm signage. We then proceeded to the main entrance and bought a box for 50 cents each to put our u-pick strawberries. My 12 years old daughter was excited when she saw the strawberry field with rows of bright, delicious, red strawberries ready to be picked. We all went on our own and picked the sweet, ripen, and reddish strawberries in different areas of the field. My daughter was happy while she picked her own strawberries from the field.

It took us about 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete our strawberry picking and had 3 full boxes of fresh sweet strawberries. We then proceeded to the exit area and a lady weighed all our picked organic strawberries. We paid a total of $50 for our strawberries and the price that day was $3.50 per pound. We didn’t buy anything at the farm stand since we just went there for the u-pick strawberry experience. The farm area has a portable potty onsite and a tank with water to wash your hands.

Here are some of the Strawberry picking farm rules that we saw posted in front of the entrance. Cash only, no backpacks allowed, 50 cents per box, please avoid jumping over the rows, no pets allowed, no outside food, no eating strawberries in the field, and a minimum of 2 lbs per person.

Overall, we were completely satisfied with the wide variety and quality of the sweet fresh strawberries. It was a fun and relaxing strawberry-picking experience, especially for my daughter. Their fresh strawberries were so sweet that it felt like we were eating candies. The warm sunny weather and fewer people made our strawberry experience at Berry Best Family Farm very memorable. We will definitely come back for the other types of berries during its picking season. We actually went Cherry picking afterward as the entire agricultural area is surrounded by farms that offer a Cherry picking experience.

Tips:  They have a large dirt parking lot area for all their customers. Be careful when driving through Vasco Road which passes through the mountains. The road is very winding, with lots of uphill and downhill. There were even a few police cars that we saw waiting for cars that were speeding. The agricultural area has a lot of Cherry-picking farms all around the vicinity. We went to the Cherry Blossom Farm for our Cherry picking experience which is about 3 minutes away. There is a good restaurant called Tequila Taqueria about 25 minutes away and S.F. Premium Outlet in Livermore which is about 35 minutes from the Berry Farm. There is also a winery called Hannah Nicole Vineyard within the area. Don’t forget to bring comfortable shoes, a shirt that can get dirty, sunblock, a hat, and sanitizing wipes while picking strawberries.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Berry Best Family Farm after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel or place to stay near the Berry Best Family Farm in Brentwood, Ca.

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Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary (Pacific Grove, Ca.)

Address: 250 Ridge Road Pacific Grove, California 93950

The Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary and grove of trees is a safe haven for thousands of Monarch Butterflies during their winter migration. It is located at Pacific Grove in Monterey County. Monarch Butterflies migrate to safe overwintering areas to survive, the Monarchs migrate to areas that are neither cold enough to kill them nor too warm that it wastes their energy flying. The Monarch Sanctuary in Pacific Grove’s purpose is to have a safe place to view the Monarch Butterfly and protect or maintain its habitat. Flowering nectar plants and new trees are planted by local volunteers as well as restoring or maintaining the Monarch Butterfly habitat. The Pacific Grove Trail is a 0.3 short and easy trail and is the overwintering spot for Monarch Butterflies. Pacific Grove is nicknamed “Butterfly Town USA” due to the unique migration of butterflies. The Monarch Butterflies cluster together on Pine, Cypress, and Eucalyptus Trees in the sanctuary from October to February. The Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary is open 7 days a week from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. It’s free admission and parking but donation boxes are available in the sanctuary and donation is optional.

It took us about 2 hours and 10 minutes drive and 118 miles from San Francisco to Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary via US-101 South, CA-156 West, and CA-1 South. The route was very easy and straightaway but can get traffic or congested especially on CA-156 due to two lanes only. The drive was very nice and relaxing seeing all the expensive, beautiful, and big houses on the way to the sanctuary. We arrived at the sanctuary at around 2 p.m. and were lucky enough to find parking right in front of the sanctuary entrance. There was a big wooden signboard that states Monarch Grove Sanctuary. We had to walk on a dirt path that led us to the beautiful butterfly sanctuary. There were a lot of people as it was on a Saturday and a beautiful day. We were then greeted by a friendly volunteer docent and informed us that we can use the telescope to see a closer look at all the Monarch butterflies that were clustered together on top of the trees. The loop or trail is about 0.3 miles, short and easy. There were a lot of Monarch butterflies clustered on top of the trees, an area with flowering nectar plants where we saw butterflies on top of the flowers. There were also informative signboards about the Monarch Butterflies available along the short trail. My daughter enjoyed and had a great time watching a few Monarch butterflies flying through the trees and flowers. In fact, we saw one Monarch butterfly land on a person’s jacket and had a close-up experience and picture of the beautiful, colorful butterfly. We took lots of great pictures and only stayed for at least 45 minutes since we have to head back home.

Overall, it was a very memorable family experience especially for my daughter where she learned that it has to be 55 degrees or more for the butterflies to start flying. And seeing all the brownish-orange grape-like clusters or pinecones of monarch butterflies sleeping was priceless. My daughter was in awe seeing the beautiful orange-colored Monarch butterflies flying through all the surrounding trees. It’s a fun and safe experience for all ages to enjoy.

Tips: Limited parking spaces are available in front of the sanctuary entrance by Ridge Road street otherwise there is parking along the residential area. There is a Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History that exhibits the Monarch butterfly and it’s about a mile away from the sanctuary. Bring a jacket just in case the weather change, binoculars to see the clustered butterflies on top of the trees, and a camera with a zoom lens for a closer shot. Take selfies or group pictures at the Pacific Grove Inn butterfly wall mural near the sanctuary entrance. There is a public restroom available onsite. Watch out for deers, as we saw a few deers eating in the grassy area closer to the sanctuary. There are other locations to see Monarch butterflies which are Pismo Beach Butterfly Grove, Santa Cruz Monarch Butterfly Grove, Goleta Monarch Butterfly Grove.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Monarch Butterfly Grove Sanctuary after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to Monarch Butterfly Grove in Monterey.

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P.G. Butterfly House in Pacific Grove (Monterey County)

Address: 309 9th Street Pacific Grove, Ca. 93950

The Pacific Grove Butterfly House is a unique, hidden gem private residence and is a labor of love house created by the husband (owner) for his partially blind wife due to eye disease. It is located at Pacific Grove in Monterey County. The husband dedicated his time to painting his home with different colors and decorated it with butterflies and rabbits. The P.G. Butterfly house’s colorful paint and unique decorations are created to help his wife identify their house. Pacific Grove is nicknamed â€śButterfly Town USA” due to the unique migration of butterflies.

It took us about a 2 hours drive and 114 miles from San Francisco to Pacific Grove Butterfly House via US-101 South, CA-156 West, and CA-1 South. The route was very easy and straightaway but can get traffic or congested especially on CA-156 due to two lanes only. The drive was very nice and relaxing seeing all the expensive, beautiful, and big houses on the way to the P.G. Butterfly House. We arrived at the Butterfly House on a Saturday at around 9:30 a.m. and we had to park uphill on the side of a narrow two-way residential street. No one was there as it was still early and we had to be respectful and take pictures only in the front of the house as the sides are chained up and not accessible. There were a lot of cameras installed around the house for safety. The house also has a section on the side of the house called the “butterfly brick road/ butterflies of hope memorial wall.” The walkway was painted yellow like the yellow brick road from the wizard of Oz. We saw all the butterflies affixed on the wall that were purchased in support of a nonprofit organization. The P.G. Butterfly House is about a few minutes away from the famous tourist destination Monterey Bay Aquarium. We only stayed for about 10-15 minutes as we have to visit some of the tourist spots around Monterey.

Overall, it was a very fun and memorable family experience, especially for my daughter. My daughter was in awe seeing the butterfly house with colorful, bright, whimsical, and cool butterfly and rabbit decorations. It’s a fun and safe experience for all ages to enjoy.

Tips: Don’t block or park on their driveway. Please be quiet, mindful, and respectful as it is a private residence. The location is close to lighthouse avenue. Please don’t touch the decorations or enter on the side of the house. You can purchase butterflies for a cost and the proceeds will go to a nonprofit organization that supports the blind and visually impaired.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Butterfly House in Pacific Grove after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker. (War Memorial Opera House)

Address: 301 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, Ca. 94102

Nutcracker Ballet is a two acts classic Christmas story fairy tale ballet that focuses on a family’s Christmas eve celebration. The story is about a young girl named Clara’s experience of the real world and romantic love. On December 18, 1892, the first performance of the nutcracker Christmas ballet was held along with Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta as a double premiere. And it later became popular and performed at Christmas time. “The Great Russian Nutcracker” is Moscow’s ballet version of the nutcracker ballet. E.T.A. Hoffmann is the Nutcracker ballet’s original Author. And the fantasy aspect of the story is that toys may come to life and bring us happiness.

We arrived at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, Van Ness Avenue at around 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. The staff member checked our vaccination card, photo ID and stamped our hands. We were in awe as we went inside the main lobby which has a very high ceiling and beautiful interior design. My daughter posed for a picture by the festive, beautiful Christmas Tree located in the middle of the lobby. The staff that assisted us were very helpful, informative and directed people to the appropriate sections or areas. We

We had a good seat and a great price for the tickets since we went on weekdays rather than on weekends. Our seat section was Dress Circle and seat numbers B122, B124, B126 which are corner seats that are easier to get up when going to the restroom. The entire performance is about 2 hours long including intermission. Both acts were so good that my daughter was mesmerized by the talented performers acting and colorful costumes. Even the stage props and background designs were so realistic. Act I is about the Nutcracker defeats the Mouse King while Act II is about Clara and the Prince being welcomed by the Sugar Plum Fairy at the land of the sweets.

Tips: The closest public parking garage is at Performing Arts Garage Lot#21 and is located at 360 Grove Street San Francisco, Ca. 94102. We paid a flat fee of $20 until midnight due to the special event. Another Parking lot is at Civic Center Garage lot#200 at 355 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102. Try to get there as early as possible and take lots of pictures, buy your souvenirs right away as it gets crowded closer to the start of the show. Drinks and food are a little bit pricey. There were a few areas that are good for a photoshoot such as the Christmas Tree in the main lobby, Christmas Tree/ Nutcracker signboard display on the 3rd floor, and lastly the outside patio overlooking the San Francisco City Hall. There was a band that played music in front of Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall which is located across from the War Memorial Opera House.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or what you think about San Francisco Nutcracker Ballet at War Memorial Opera House after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to S.F. Nutcracker Ballet at War Memorial Opera House.

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Blackhawk Museum (Danville, Ca.)

Address: 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle Danville, California 94506

Ken Behring and Don Williams which formed a partnership founded the Blackhawk Automotive Museum and first created it in August 1988. The Blackhawk Museum is created to provide the public with access to a wide variety of automotive collections from classic, vintage cars to the new exotic race cars to provide enjoyment and educational enrichment. The Museum is open Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the admission fees are $15 for adults, $10 for students, Seniors 65 and over, Military Vets, and it is free for children under 6 and active military.

It took us about 45 minutes to an hour drive from San Francisco via I-80, CA-24 East, and 680 North. The City of Danville is very nice, quiet and a lot of rich or famous celebrities and athletes live in the community. We parked on the side of the Museum with at least 20-30 parking spaces available but have other parking areas around the Museum. The Blackhawk Museum comprises of 5 galleries which are the Classic Cars Collection, World of Nature, Into China, Art of Africa, and the Spirit of the Old West. Most of them are on the 1st floor except the Spirit of the Old West which is located on the 3rd floor.

The first gallery that we went to was the “Classic Car Collections” where I saw the famous 1967 Fastback Mustang named “Eleanor” from the movie “Gone in 60 seconds”. Some were rare collectibles such as the 1937 Lavish Copper Kettle Rolls Royce Phantom III Sedanca DeVille, 2016 Ferrari F12fdf with 770 horsepower, and the famous 1963 Ford Thunderbird “Italian” concept. But my favorite was the wide array of a gleaming, exotic, flashy sports car such as the 2017 Lamborghini “Centenario” 770 hp, 2014 Ferrari “LaFerrari” and many more.

Secondly, we visited the “Art of Africa” gallery where we saw a lot of unique arts created by Sub-Saharan Africa indigenous people that lived on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. Some of the artifacts that we saw include 3D works human images, paintings, musical instruments, weapons, ceremonial African masks, and many more.

Thirdly, we visited the “Into China” gallery which included a variety of arts of Chinese history and culture. It features exceptional reproductions and fine arts from China such as The Imperial Dragon Throne, detailed scale model of the Forbidden City, Emperor’s Terracotta Warriors, Wood Carvings of Chinese masters, traditional Yak bone carvings and a collection of ceramic vases, and many more.

Fourthly, we visited the “World of Nature” gallery which is cool and reminded me of the Rain Forrest Cafe due to its three-dimensional animal sounds in the background. My daughter loved and was impressed with this gallery due to its neon colors and background animal sounds. It has more than 600 species on display and they all look real with great craftsmanship. My favorite animals were the Rhinoceros which actually moves and the lions of Savannah.

Lastly, we visited the “Spirit of the Old West” gallery which is composed of old west collections from the mid-1700 through the early 1900s. We saw a lot of artifacts such as native American tools and weaponry, rare and unique firearms, artifacts of native American life, canoes, and a large-scale model of the old west. The one that caught my eye was the cool old western stagecoach and the large Bison display located in the front of the entrance.

Overall it was a fun, educational, unique museum that offers different historical galleries that are good for all ages. We came out learning a few historical facts especially my daughter where she can share her knowledge with her classmates at school.

Tips: Come in early before 10 a.m. to avoid large crowds and try to start off with the Car Collections gallery which for me is the main highlight of the museum. Take a picture of the cascading water fountain and the huge elephant in front of the museum. Try the local Beep’s Burger which is located near the water fountain. We ordered the famous 1/4 lb hamburger and the thick chicken sandwich with garlic and curly fries. The 1/4 lb hamburger was savory and the chicken sandwich was thick. There are other restaurants and stores available in the area.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Blackhawk Museum after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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OstrichLand USA(Santa Barbara County)

Address: 610 East Hwy 246, Solvang Ca. 93463

In 1990, Ostrichland USA was created by a South African couple and was later sold. It is like a ranch or zoo with 100 plus ostriches and emus that you can feed or watch them roam freely around large enclosures. Ostrichland USA is about 2 miles away from the town of Solvang and is busy on weekends. It was also used in an episode of the Simpsons. Emu is the 2nd largest bird native to Australia with 3 toes and has a speed of up to 30 mph. While Ostrich is the largest bird native to Africa with 2 toes and has a speed of up to 40 mph. They are both fascinating, funny-looking, and scary birds but magnificent to watch.

It took us about 5 hours (290 miles) drive from San Francisco to Ostrichland via US 101 South, CA-246 East, East Hwy 246 in Buelton. We enjoyed our relaxing drive as there are a few places to stop and enjoy the scenery. We parked our car on a large dirt road parking area which is free. The entrance fee is $7 for adults, $3 for children 12 and under, and $1 for a bowl of food/pellets to feed the birds. It is also open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They also have a small gift shop with unique items in front of the ranch to buy souvenirs.

We were surprised as we saw a lot of humungous emus and ostriches roaming around freely within their enclosures and entertaining all the visitors. We finally found a spot with fewer people and birds. It was our first experience and we were a little bit scared to get closer to the birds. The feed bowl has a longer handle to prevent your fingers from getting pecked. The emus and ostriches pecked hard and fast on the bowl with pellets that made an annoying sound. We even saw a few people that had their bowls fell on the ground due to the birds pecking. It was very entertaining, amusing, fun watching and feeding the large birds. The place also has a wall decor or display where you can take pictures. They even have bunnies onsite to keep the little kids busy and entertain.

Overall it is a good place to stop over and feed the ostriches and emus while on your way to Solvang and the wine trails. It’s an unforgettable unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience to closely feed the large birds and watch them roam around freely in their enclosures.

Tips: Be careful as the birds (ostrich/emu) can be aggressive and they do bite so watch your fingers and the young kids. You can all take turns feeding the ostriches with just one bowl of pellets. Free parking on the dirt road. No shade or benches are available by the ranch so bring water or a hat during sunny days. A great place to visit is the town of Solvang which is about 2 miles from the Ostrichland and a small waterfall called Nojoqui.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Ostrichland USA after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Gold Prospecting Adventures (Gold Panning)(Jamestown California)

Address: 18170 Main Street Jamestown, California 95327

Gold Prospecting Adventure is located in a small town called Jamestown. It’s about 3 hours drive from San Francisco via I-580 East & CA-120 East. Gold Prospecting Adventure offers a variety of gold mining adventures for the past 40 years. There were two gold rushes at Jamestown one in 1849 and in 1880. Jamestown is a gold rush town, one of California’s original and the gateway to the Southern mines.

Our drive was fun and passed through a couple of smaller towns and back-country roads. When we arrived at Jamestown it really felt like a mining town with narrow roads and old structures. We saw a statue, branch jail, Jamestown Museum, Hotel, antique stores, and local restaurants. We had to check in at the store and were instructed to drive for a few minutes to the small creek to meet our instructor. There were a lot of gold panning or mining supplies, shovels, pan, samples of gold, a bag of sand for panning, and many more antique items. As we arrived at the small creek, we were greeted by our instructor named “Table Top” Terry. He was nice, friendly, knowledgeable, patient, and good with kids. We walked around the creek and found our little spot to dig for gold. We brought our own water boots but they have one available onsite. Terry gave us a brief history of gold mining, how to set up the sluice box, and explained to us the basics of the gold panning and sluicing process.

The creek area is secluded, clean, with lots of trees for shades and beautiful green grass. We wore all our water boots, grabbed our shovel, buckets, strainer, and proceeded to dig for gold. The creek water was a little bit cold but we later got acclimated to it. So, I dug deeper into the creek and dumped it into a deep plastic bucket with a large strainer on top of it. Then, my wife and daughter dumped all the big rocks on the side of the river. The purpose of the strainer was to sort out all the big rocks. We then proceeded to bring the deep plastic bucket with water into the location of the sluice box to separate the gold from the gravel. Terry helped us throughout the process and we all jumped for joy when we found our first gold flakes on the sluice box. Our hard work finally paid off digging through the river and sorting things out. We ended up finding 7-10 small gold flakes and decided to call it a day. We end up staying in the area for a while and enjoyed nature. We all played in the river, relaxed, and threw rocks at the water. After all the fun we then proceeded back to the main store to return our supplies and bought a few souvenirs from Jamestown.

Overall, it was well worth the price, hard work, and patience in looking for gold. We all had fun, quality family time, and a unique experience that we will never forget. Even though we didn’t find a big golden nugget for us to retire, it’s still one of the most memorable family “Strike it Rich” adventures. There is effort and hard work involved because if looking for gold is easy then we will all be rich. Enjoy!

Tips: Bring bottled water, towel, sunscreen, extra socks, or clothing as you will get wet due to standing in 6 inches to 2 feet of stream water. You will also be tumbling, and walking over river rocks. Just enjoy the experience and walk around the town and explore the area. A sluice box is used as a tool to separate gold from gravel and is used in a river or creek. Gold panning is traditional mining that separates gold from a placer deposit using a pan.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Gold Prospecting Adventure in Jamestown after your visit in the comments below. And kindly subscribe, comment, and share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.