The Slithering and the Slimy

HOORAY FOR HERPS!
It's clear where my son and I will be this Saturday: Gawking at scores of gorgeous critters on display at the LA County Natural History Museum's "Reptile and Amphibian Appreciation Day," including Tallulah, the museum's Solomon Islands Skink (pictured above).

Featured guests include lots of (live) frogs and turtles, two American alligators, a 13-foot python, and all of California's native rattlesnakes. Herpetologists will be on hand to answer your questions. 

The event will also feature presentations/activities that explore the relationship between modern reptiles and dinosaurs. 

The shindig runs Saturday, July 11, from noon to 5 p.m. It's free to members or included with your regular museum admission ($9 for adults;$6.50 for children). But note, parking in the area is now $8.00.

For kids 3-5 years old, check out Critter Club at 10 a.m. Kids will learn about reptiles and amphibians through exhibits in the Discovery Center, as well as stories, games and a craft. This is free (with paid museum admission), but spaces are available on a first-come basis. For more info, call 213-763-3230.

More of my writing on the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

 

Tour de Arroyo

This weekend:

BIKE FROM PASADENA TO DOWNTOWN LA

Join us Saturday for the Tour de Arroyo, a ride along the Arroyo Seco sponsored by the Arroyo Seco Foundation. The ride runs ten miles from Memorial Park in Pasadena to Los Angeles State Historic Park in Chinatown. I'm tempted to let you think I'm a stud, but I'll confess it's all downhill. Serious cyclists will ride back up. We will return on the Goldline. It's a great outing for kids who love bikes and trains. However, some of this ride will be on city streets, so it'd probably not suited to little kids, unless they're on your bike. I've been wanting to bike this route for awhile, but I'm cautious about riding streets with toddler on board. The Tour is a good opportunity to try it in the safety of the herd.

One of the great things about this trip is there are parks along the route, including Debs Park. No doubt we'll stop at some for a snack and a chance to let our toddler run around. 

More on family bike rides.

This Land is Your Land

Hike, Explore Free in Forests this Weekend

To visit many popular areas in southern California's four national forests, you usually need to buy a permit, called an Adventure Pass ($5 a day, $30 a year). It’s controversial with some folks, because national forests are public lands.  They say Congress should allocate adequate funds; after all, millions of tax-payers live near southern California’s national forests. Opponents also complain that not enough of the revenue goes to forest improvement projects. Forest managers, of course, disagree, citing trail maintenance, restroom and picnic ground improvements, and other upgrades.

In any case, in honor of National Public Lands Day, the fee is waived this weekend.

For the rest of the year, you can buy passes at forest information and ranger stations, some outdoor stores, and online.

Baking at the Fair

LA County Fair

I consider many of our outings as rehearsals for our next visit. Such was the case yesterday with the LA County Fair. I’ve never understood why they hold this event during one of the hottest months of the year—in Pomona. We parked at the yellow gate, only to discover it was a long, hot walk to the other side of the fair grounds. That’s where the farm animals are. If you have little kids, park at the blue gate. There were certainly lots of animals, but mostly goats in the petting zoo. This seems to be because even a small goat can hold it’s own with a less-than-gentle toddler. Kids—the human ones, that is—can also pedal around a small corral on mini tractors. You can watch cows get milked by machines at 11:30, 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30.

Unless you live near Pomona, my take is, if you only have a little kid, you can wait on the fair until she’s older. Our son also rode on the Merry-Go-Round, and probably would have enjoyed the Garden Railroad—if we hadn’t had to start the expedition back to the car. But many of the little kid activities are available other places, in smaller and often cooler venues. The Tujunga Watermelon Festival (earlier in the summer) features a petting zoo, Merry-Go-Round, kid bands, and free watermelon.

Still, we’ll definitely return when the boy is older. There’s a lot to do for the 5+ set. Next time, we’ll bring a wagon instead of a stroller, and load it with a cooler. We spent a fortune on cold drinks yesterday.

Other attractions that look fun, if you can get to them at the right time: pig racing and stunt dog show.

The LA County Fair runs through September 28.