Barbara’s Lake Hike, James Dilley Preserve

How many natural lakes do you think Orange County, CA has? True, there are a few lakes in OC, but as with alot of things in Orange County, most of them are not natural.  The answer is ONE.  Just one.  One small, unassuming lake tucked away in the James Dilley Preserve off Laguna Canyon Road.  At 12 acres, Barbara’ Lake may not be Lake Superior, but she certainly is pretty.

Mari and I met some friends and introduced them to the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.  We have hiked quite a few trails in this park but we still hadn’t seen the lake!  Since the trail from the Nix Nature Center to Barbara’s Lake is flat, we decided it was a great hike for our toddler foursome to take on.  We began with a quick loop around the 1/2 mile nature trail (named Mary’s Trail) and admired all the sights and scents of the coastal sage scrub habitat.

Then we headed out south on the Little Sycamore Canyon Trail which lead us under the road past more great scenery and over towards a little pond.  Now this may or may not be Bubble’s Pond.  I seem to have found conflicting reports on the internet as to its exact location.  What is the significance of Bubble’s Pond?  Well back in the early eighties a hippo escaped from the (now closed) Lion Country Safari and took up residence for 19 days in the area! 

 

We took a right on the Stagecoach Trail and then a quick left onto the Lake Trail.  The vegetation grew more lush and we could tell that we were close!  Suddenly we found what we were looking for- Orange County’s lake!!!  The shore was lined with cattails and wildflowers instead of million dollar homes.  I think I like lakes alot better that way…

Sealife Aquarium

They are the most feared creatures of the deep. While they are sleek predators with mouths full of forever regenerating teeth, they are also some of the most misunderstood creatures in the ocean. Most sharks pose no threat to humans, but “Jaws” has left so many of us with a tremendous fear of a giant carnivorous fish slinking beneath us as we swim. At Sealife Aquarium (on the LEGOLAND California Resort property), they are helping to dispel some of those myths and educate families on the many wonders of the deep.

Recently, Mari and I were invited to spend the morning at Sealife Aquarium and get a look at some of the new shows that have recently debuted. As we walked through the aquarium and over to the Lost City of Atlantis where the Daily Dive was held, Mari peered in at fish, seahorses, and rays through kid sized peep holes. Its details like height appropriate viewing areas which make educating children about our oceans that much more practical. When children can explore things at their level, they are much more likely to absorb what’s going on around them.

The Daily Dive was a great way for kids to be able to ask questions about sharks, sea life, and marine biology to an actual diver inside the tank with the sharks. The newest star of the Lost City of Atlantis tank is a hammerhead shark. Little ones inquisitively asked why the hammerheads eyes were so far apart (so he can see all around him) and what types of food these unusual creatures ate. There were also silly question such as “Can you eat underwater?” (the surprising answer was yes!) and if sharks liked pizza (which I think would depend on the shark.), but the point was that children were actively engaged in being educated and they were having too much fun to notice it!

The next show we watched was the Shark Talk puppet show. It was a comical talk show involving a octopus interviewing a hammerhead shark. It was geared towards younger children but I certainly saw older kids with smiles on their faces. Mari was enthralled throughout the show and I have to admit, I was pretty entertained as well. There was just enough adult friendly humor thrown in there to keep things interesting.

With all this shark talk I do want to let you know that there is more to Sea Life Aquarium than just sharks. The California Coast exhibit demonstrates the ebb and flow of tidal life.  Ray Lagoon is a wonderful place to check out those ever smiling flat fish. The Kingdom of the Seahorse with especially popular with Mari who holds a soft spot in her heart for those delicate little creatures. And of course no self respecting aquarium is complete without a touch pool. Luckily, Sea Life Aquarium has two.

 

In honor of last week’s Earth Day festivities, here are nine great tips on how you and your family can help save our seas. The people at Sealife Aquarium gave to me on a Grow a Note; a note card with wildflowers seeds in the paper that you can plant!

1. Ban the Bag- Bring your own bag to carry your things.

2. Scoop the Poop- Clean up after your pet.

3. Pick Up Three- Pick up three pieces of trash (that you didn’t create) per day.

4. Shorten the Shower- Make a game out of taking shorter showers.

5. Turn the Tap- Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth.

6. Keep it Real- Limit your use of disposable cups, plates, and utensils.

7. Trash to Treasure- Find new uses for old things.

8. Limit the Landfills- Put recyclable items in the right bin.

9. Spread the Word- Tell a friend how they can help.

Family Vacation
Carlsbad

Laurel Canyon Hike- Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

As we round the corner she spots what she’s been looking for, an open expanse of trail. She turns around, her eyes searching for my nod of approval. When she sees it, she takes off in a full sprint, her silent strides only interrupted by the occasional joy filled giggle.

She loves to run.

Suddenly her gate slows to a stop and she covers her mouth  with one telling finger. Shhhh….. She has spotted something. I creep closer to spot her discovery. Its a lizard. Probably the tenth we have seen one our hike but no less exciting than the first. He does his chest pumping dance and then scurries under a rock. She is overcome with joy and squeals with excitement. Nature through her eyes is pure magic.

Our hike through Laguna Canyon was a special one. I love when I am able to spend time one on one with my children, especially when we are doing something they love. Mari is my little clone. She loves animals, the outdoors, and hiking. So when we get to hike together, we are two peas in a pod. She asks me about animals and what sorts of food they eat and I point out different flower species to someone who actually has genuine interest.

We headed up Willow Canyon at a fast pace. Most of the time I was trying to keep up with Mari. We stopped occasionally to check out the new crop of poppies and point out tracks that animals had left in the mud.

We admired  boulder outcrops in the distance and talked about when we had explored rocky caves in hikes past. 

As we reached the top of the hill, we took in the view. I tried to help Mari grasp the concept of those little bumps in the distance actually being the mountains near our home. I wonder if three year olds are as taken aback by grand views as adults are…

As we wound our way down into Laurel Canyon, we admired the lush vegetation and a steep drop off which was for most of the year, a dry waterfall. We had some rains recently but not enough to get the water flowing over the edge. I imagine it must be a beautiful sight when the water does flow.  We followed the barely trickling stream and stopped to peek at lizards who clung to sun filled portions of trail like they were tiny pieces of heaven.

On our way back to the trailhead, we passed a boulder that looked just like Blinky from   Pac-Man (Or maybe it was Inky. Or Clyde).

Blinky, however, was not the most excited thing we came across on our hike. Just as the parking lot was in eye sight a snake slithered right across the trail in front of us. And not just any snake, a rattlesnake. A LARGE rattlesnake. I told Mari to stand back as I peered into the bushes to make sure he was gone. Suddenly a loud rattle came from the brush, causing me to gasp and poor Mari to cry with fear. I knew that rattlesnakes were not aggressive but I still wanted to get the heck out of there as fast as possible. I waited until he calmed down and then grabbed Mari and made a run for it. I have been hiking for years and I knew eventually I could come across a rattlesnake, but it was still a nerve jarring experience. I have since explained to Mari the differences between good snakes and bad snakes and have made sure she has had contact with the good snakes (at zoos and nature events) so she doesn’t develop an unhealthy fear of them. Spring is a common time of year to find reptiles on the trails so always be aware of where you are stepping and you should have no problems.

If you would like to hike the trails we did (don’t let our run in with the snake deter you, it certainly won’t deter us.), park at gate #6 on Laguna Canyon Road just west of El Toro Road. Take the Willow Canyon Trail up to the Laurel Spur and the Laurel Canyon Trail back down. The total loop is about 3.7 miles. For more information about Laguna Canyon Wilderness Park click here.

Family Vacation
Laguna Beach

Wildflowers in Orange County: Quail Hill

One of the best things about spring is all the new life. There is just something so miraculous about bursts of color sprouting up amongst fields of vibrant green. Tiny mice and fluffy bunnies open their eyes for the first time and are exposed to Southern California at its best. Little do they know that in a couple short months, the green will be replaced by brown. Recently, I had the chance to participate in my very first photo workshop at Quail Hill in Irvine. The hills were lush and green but the flowers weren’t as plentiful as we had hoped. Luckily there were still enough around to help me work on the finer points of lighting and  manual shooting. Here are some of my best shots. Enjoy! (Special thanks to Nick Carver Photography. He is young  but he certainly knows his stuff. I highly recommend his workshops and hope to be taking another one soon!)

Family Vacation
Irvine

LA County Natural History Museum

Life with my three year olds often revolves around negotiation. I try to convince them to eat their vegetables, pick up their toys, and behave in public. In return, they bargain with me for trips to the zoo, cookies, trains, and dinosaurs. The majority of the time, our negotiations go nowhere but every once in a while, one of us gets lucky. This time, the kids got their dinosaurs.

The Natural History Museum is a Los Angeles institution. Its located in the heart of LA, next to the Coliseum, in Exposition Park (and yes, its worth the traffic to get there). The gargantuan staircase out front leads you into a world of paleontology, dioramas of African mammals, and California history. Walking through the museum’s grandiose halls swept me back in time to the days of elementary school field trips and excited exploration.

The diorama halls are old fashioned but still entertaining. Its nice to be able to stand so close to wild (stuffed) animals and actually get a feel for their true size. Even with that mid twentieth century feel, we still had plenty of fun indentifying the African and North American Mammals.

Of course, my kids came with expectations to see dinosaurs. Unfortunately, most of the dinosaurs are currently not on exhibit. The Dinosaur Hall is undergoing major renovations for a state of the art exhibit to open in 2011. You better believe we will be there for that! In the meantime you can still see a Trex and Triceratops battle it our in the Grand Foyer or peek inside the windows of the Dino Lab to see real paleontologists hard at work during the restoration process. 

The Bird Hall was another fun place to explore. There were stuffed birds everywhere! Dioramas of birds. Birds behind glass cases. Eggs from different species of birds. It was avian madness!!!!! My favorite display was the hummingbird egg next to the ostrich egg. It really put into perspective just how diverse nature can be.

We quickly walked through the Gems and Minerals, Shells, and ancient Latin American Art because quite frankly, my three year olds just weren’t that interested. We spent a bit more time in the American and California History because it involved swords, cable cars, and model ships. But what really excited my kids was the Discovery Center.

The Discovery Center is geared towards children and gives plenty of hands on opportunities. Ben could have spent the rest of his life building the Trex and searching for bones in the Paleontology Dig Pit.  Mari enjoyed the pit as well but she also loved searching for tiny creatures inside the many terrariums they had set up inside the center. She found everything from snakes, to beetles, to giant hairy tarantulas! Eek!

All in all, I think the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has something to offer for everyone. Are interested in spending some time exploring those great halls? Looking for details? The museum is located at 900 Exposition Blvd in Los Angeles and is open from 9:30 to 5:00 seven days a week. Adult admission is $9, Children 13-17 are $6.50, 5-12 years old are only $2 and Children under 5 are FREE. Such a bargain! 

Family Vacation
Los Angeles

Red Rock Trail, Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park

Spring is in bloom in Orange County. The air is filled with scents of fresh cut grass and newly budded blossoms. The beauty of wildflowers decorating our semi arid landscape makes it impossible for us to stay inside. This past weekend we headed out to Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park

The Red Rock/Borrego Canyon hike at Whiting Ranch is one of contrast. You start out in the parking lot of a Ralph’s grocery store, head through a steep, tree shaded canyon, enter a world of wildflower studded hillsides, and end in a stark sandstone canyon that looks like something you would find in a National Park in Utah. Its incredible. The hike is almost 4 miles roundtrip and mostly level.

We took this hike in hopes of spotting wildflowers. They didn’t seem to be as prolific as last year but they were still plentiful. We saw plenty of purple lupines, blue dicks, poppies, buttercups, and lots of other flowers I have no business trying to identify. Its no secret that I have a serious “thing” for wildflowers and its seems to have rubbed off on my daughter as well. We can’t pass a patch without my daughter reminding me to take a picture.

The Red Rock trail (and offshoot of the Borrego Canyon Trail) leads you into a land filled with cacti, circling turkey vultures, and deeply carved sandstone cliffs. Its truly hard to believe you are only a couple miles from suburbia. Its easy to find yourself staring at those red walls whilst dreaming of  a world filled with condors and desert dwellers.

One of the more unexpected experiences we had on the trail was having a man show us a fossil on the side of a boulder that had been washed down a creek. I knew there were fossils just waiting to be discovered but I had never actually stopped and tried to find any. They are certainly something I will start to keep my eyes open for in the future.

(Look closely, its there!)

I can’t end this post without sharing a couple of my favorite pictures from the hike. One of them is a close up of a lizard we met on the trail. He just looks so darn cute! The other is of me and my kids in a tree. Its the first shot that I have had with my kids and I actually looking at the camera and smiling in well over a year. We were out doing what we love and its a photo I will treasure forever. Many thanks to my husband, Paul, for capturing this treasured moment.

 

Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park is located in Foothill Ranch on the corner of Portola Parkway and Market. Hour are from 7AM to Sunset. Hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians all frequent the many trails of this beautiful park. For more information click here.

For more fantastic travel photos, check out Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday here.

Family Vacation
Lake Forest

Cabrillo National Monument

I love that end of the earth feeling. It usually involves standing at the edge of a cliff that drops off into a never ending sea full of churning blue water. I can’t help but imagine what it must have felt like to think that the earth was flat and the drop into oblivion was just on the edge of the horizon. What a scary and finite concept.  Cabrillo National Monument is a great place to let your mind get swept back to the days of conquistadores, Spanish occupation, and early exploration.

 

We decided to head over to the tide pools for the first part of our Cabrillo NM tour. I had planned our day around low tide so we would have the best opportunity to view sea life. Unfortunately, and tragically, the Chilean earthquake had hit the day before. Between the tsunami warning and the massive storm that had hit the day prior, the minus tide ceased to exist. The seas were incredibly rough and most of the tide pools were inaccessible. That being said, I felt the rough seas added to the rugged feel that Point Loma possesses.

 

We followed the trail that hugs the cliffs and stood at cliffs edge, admiring the swirling waters below. The scenery reminded me a bit of Point Reyes in Northern California and served as a nice reminder of what the San Diego coast once was.

We did manage to make it down to beach level and spot a few critters that had washed ashore. Since it was the weekend (and the first warm day in over a week), there were crowds down around the tide pools. I think if the tide was lower and people were able to spread out a bit more, it would have had a much more intimate feel.

 

Next we headed over to the visitor’s center to get our National Park passport book stamped and learn about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. Cabrillo was the first European to set foot on the West Coast way back in 1542, and historians believe those first footsteps were made on Point Loma.

The views from this area, including the actual Cabrillo monument are filled with vistas of the San Diego Bay and the city beyond. 

 

The visitor center provides educational videos, a small museum, and replicas of 16th century armor for children of all ages to try. My son thought the 16th century sword was particularly cool and wasted no time knocking his sister in the head with it. Luckily, she was wearing a 16th century replica helmet…

 

If you would like to visit Cabrillo National Monument (and you should) check out the park’s website here. We didn’t have time to visit the Old Point Loma Lighthouse (the park closes at 5PM due to it proximity to the naval base at Point Loma) but tours are offered frequently. It will be high on my priority list for our next visit.

For more fantastic travel photos, check out Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday here.

Family Vacation
San Diego

Soaring Above Torrey Pines

 

I think we have all wondered what it must be like to fly like an eagle. There is just something so peaceful about a bird gliding silently above the world. Most of us dream about being a bird. A few of us actually soar.

There is no better place to watch wanna be birds than at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Its perched on a cliffside overlooking the ocean in La Jolla and watching dare devils take their shot at the sky is absolutely free! If I ever had the guts to fly, this is where I would want to do it. I mean with a view like this, how could you go wrong?

We arrived late in the day so we were only able to see people practice getting their parachute up in the sky while keeping their feet firmly planted on the ground. I have seen paragliders flying in the area before and its such a beautiful sight.

We walked the trails along the cliffs and saw surfers carry their boards down steep stairways to catch the sunset swell. Even without paragliders in the sky, it was impossible to walk away disappointed from a place like this.

Just as we got to our car, we saw a man with a motor and a parachute running along the bluff. It was long before he was up, up, and away. I bet he had an amazing sunset.

If you would like to visit the Torrey Pines Gliderport, check out their website here for directions and more information.

For more great travel photos check out Delicious Baby's Photo Friday here.

Family Vacation
La Jolla

Sycamore Canyon Hike- Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

We have been having some awesome weather in Southern California. And when its beautiful out, we HAVE to get outside. This time, Laguna Canyon Wilderness Park was our destination.

I have been eyeing this park for so long  and had yet to make it over there. I am now kicking myself for not visiting sooner! What a great park! It is filled with miles of hiking trails, Orange County’s only natural lakes, and plenty of amazing scenery.

We took the Sycamore Canyon Trail up to the top of Serrano Ridge, which is 500 feet in   elevation. Along the way we saw more than a few sandstone caves along the rocky hillside. Turkey vultures sailed on the wind currents  above us, scanning the landscape for their next meal. Cacti intermingled with freshly bloomed poppies. Snowcapped mountains graced the easterly view while Catalina and the coast dominated the west.

We walked along the ridge for a while, taking in the view and enjoying the cool ocean breezes. Then we headed down into Camarillo Canyon. Oak trees grew to form wonderful shady retreats for animals (and people) trying to escape the mid day sun. We enjoyed the downhill hike into the canyon it was a bit steep and washed out in some spots. Holding little ones hands is a good idea. The flat bottoms of the canyon soon gave out to some more hills to climb as we executed the final stretch on the Stagecoach Trail. One final turn around the hillside and the parking lot came into view. Success! Another hike conquered!

If you would like to take the same hike we did (it is about 3.5 miles round trip) park at Nix Nature Center. Take the Little Sycamore Canyon Trail up to the top of Serrano Ridge. When it dead ends, head left on Serrano Ridge until you hit the Camarillo Canyon Rd Trail. Make a left. Follow it to the Stagecoach Trail (make your final left) and this trail will lead you back to the parking lot. There is some elevation gain and loss throughout the hike but if our three year olds did it, so can you!

For more great travel photos, check out Delicious Baby's Photo Friday here.

Family Travel Tips
Laguna Beach