Uncategorized

Monster Tour @ Descanso Gardens

Published on September 25, 2017July 19, 2022 by julesdor

October is almost here, and that means a whole month for little ones to get their fill of spooks, pumpkins and Halloween cheer. Raise your hand if you love Shakespeare, botanical gardens, wearing costumes and looking for monsters? If you said yes to at least half of that sentence (and your kids for the other half), the Monster Tour at beautiful Descanso Gardens is a perfect fall event for the entire family.

The Ensemble Shakespeare Theatre puts on a not-so-scary production that starts on the stage and takes a short tour through the woods in search of goofy spooks. Along the way, kids learn a bit about botany and conservation.

Admission to the show is free with admission to the gardens, and kids and grownups are encouraged to come in costume. After the show, you can tour the gardens, ride the train and have lunch at the garden cafe.

The details:

Best time to go: Late October; Oct. 21 & 22; 28 & 29

Time: 11 am

Good for: Kids 3+

Wear: Halloween costume; good walking shoes

Bring: Water, snacks, layers

Nearby eats: Cafe Descanso

Address: 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011

https://www.descansogardens.org/event/monster-tour/

Seize September: Go Apple Picking!

Published on September 24, 2017October 15, 2021 by julesdor

Growing up in Georgia, when I wanted to pick apples on a fall day, I simply walked down the street to my aunt’s backyard. In SoCal, while backyards tend to be filled with oranges, lemons, guavas and avocados ripening almost year-round, apples right off the tree are harder to come by. So, if the change of seasons has you yearning to pluck some fresh fruit off the branches, consider heading up to Oak Glen for blue skies, fresh air, and some down-home family apple-picking fun.

While Oak Glen is home to many ranches and fruit farms, Riley’s is often the first to come to mind. There are, in fact, three Riley’s locations in Oak Glen. Riley’s Farm at 12261 Oak Glen Road is open Monday through Saturday and offers living history exhibits that give children a look at what Colonial American life was like. Kids can participate in archery, candle making and cider pressing, and if you want to stay overnight there is Colonial-style glamping available on the farm.

You can also pick your own apples at Rileys, but keep in mind that they sometimes get “picked-out” by early afternoon. If that’s the case, there are plenty of other farms down the road where you can fill your baskets, including Los Rios.

When it’s time to eat, Apple Annie’s Restaurant and Bakery serves home-cooked meals and a famous 5 lb. mile-high homemade apple pie. It’s located within a shopping village that includes fun activities for kids such as a train ride, bouncy slide and petting zoo. There are also several parks where you can picnic or just relax and take in some clean mountain air before heading back to the city.

Make sure to stop by Mom’s country store on your way out for fresh cider if you didn’t press your own!

The details:

Best time to go: Labor Day – Thanksgiving (visit website or call for types of apples ready)

Good for: All ages!

Watch out for: Traffic, pedestrians on Oak Glen road

Get there: Interstate 10 East to Oak Glen road

Wear: Pants, layers, boots

Bring: Water, snacks, bags to carry apples, picnic blanket

Nearby eats: Apple Annie’s; Hawk’s Head Tavern

http://www.oakglen.net

Sequoia National Park

Published on August 13, 2017October 15, 2021 by julesdor

There are so many other amazing distractions in California, it’s easy to forget that world’s largest tree, the General Sherman, lives only about 4 hours away from Los Angeles in Sequoia National Park. That’s right – the world’s largest tree! (Sequoia is also home to Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the US, but it will be a few years before we can conquer that!) So add another entry to your bucket list because Sequoia is a must-see for residents of the Los Angeles area.

Sequoia is not a day trip destination, and two nights or more is ideal. Plans must be made well in advance to camp inside the park or stay in one of the lodges, but there is plenty of camping and lodging in Three Rivers, a town only about 10 minutes from the park entrance.

For families with younger kids, once a good place to start your tour is at the Giant Forest Museum. There is parking directly across from the museum. From there you can take a number of short hikes, including the 1.3-mile Big Trees trail, a paved path that leads you through a forest of giant Sequoias.

Look! A bear rock!!

After the Big Trees hike, take the shuttle to the General Sherman tree viewing area. Marvel at it’s size, the largest tree (by volume) in the world. We’re talking about 100 feet wide, 275 feet tall, and it’s well over 2,000 years old. It’s a humbling experience. Once you’ve taken that in, hop back on the shuttle and go to Lodgepole where you can grab a bite in the cafe.

With the family refueled, consider taking the 4.2-mile roundtrip hike to Tokopah Falls. It’s a fairly easy and picturesque hike alongside a rushing river for most of the way. At the end, the trail gets narrow and rocky, but it’s worth it for the view at the end. If you can’t make it to the end, you can still view the falls from other points on the trail.

The park gets crowded on holidays and weekends during the summer, so arrive before 10 am. if you want to get a parking space. Avoid moving your car by taking the shuttle to different areas of the park. Make sure to take note of the last shuttle times, around 5 or 5:30 pm, otherwise you will have to hike back to your car.

The details:

Best time to go: May – October

Good for: Kids 5+

Watch out for: bears, icy ground certain times of the year, uneven/ rocky ground

Get there: Insterstate 5 north to CA 65 north

Wear: hiking boots, sunscreen, hat, shorts or jeans

Bring: lots of water, snacks, first aid kit, camera

Nearby eats: Lodgepole Deli; The Peaks Restaurant at Wuksachi Lodge; River View Restaurant outside the park in Three Rivers