family fun five Archives - Monterey Bay Parent

San Jose, located 70 miles North of Monterey is the largest City in Northern California. When I was in my twenties and early thirties, I would drive up to San Jose with friends and visit Santana Row, downtown nightclubs, concert halls and other “adult” hot spots. Now that I have a family, it’s time to do some research on the kid-friendly venues offered in this popular city. Here are five to add to your “must visit” list.

Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose

180 Woz Way, San Jose

www.cdm.org

This Children’s Museum had been on my list of places to visit for a few years, but I wanted to make sure my son would be able to enjoy all they had to offer. Since he is entering Kindergarten in the Fall, I knew it was time to visit.

The Museum is open on Mondays until Labor Day from 10-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday 10-5pm, and Sundays 12-5pm. (Member-only 11-12pm). General admission for ages 1-59 is $15, 60+ is $14 and infants under one year old are free.

Be prepared to spend hours in this interactive, hands-on museum filled with activities for every type of child. My son was instantly drawn to the water, gardening and fossils exhibits. Some activities engage children in art, technology, archeology, architecture, farming and so much more.

Make sure to check out the newest exhibit, based on Disney Junior’s award-winning series, Doc McStuffins. This exhibit, full of active participation will be at the museum until September 17th.

At lunchtime, we decided to try their Food Shed and was pleasantly surprised. The Food Shed offers healthy Kid’s Bento Boxes filled with your choice of items like chicken tenders, pasta, or grilled cheese, and one fruit or vegetable on the side. I ordered a Chicken Tikka Tart, a delicious Indian dish and loved it.

Our final stop after hours of playing was The Shop. My son enjoyed browsing the many interactive games, art activities, maker kits and science experiments. We received a free Children’s Museum tote bag. It was a fun-filled day and we will definitely return.

The Tech Museum of Innovation

201 S. Market Street, San Jose

www.thetech.org

The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose has always been one of my favorite indoor spots to explore. They offer many hands-on activities that help us explore how technological advances are changing our way of living.

General admission to the Galleries is $24, Student/Seniors (65+) $19, Child (9-13) $19 for the Museum Galleries, the Educational IMAX Film alone is General admission is $11, Students/Seniors (65+) $9, Child (9-13) $9 & the combo of both IMAX and Galleries is General Admission $29, Student/Seniors (65+) $23 & Child (9-13) $23.

The Museums hours are 10-5pm daily. They are closed September 4-September 14, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

The Tech Museum features many exciting and intriguing exhibits including my favorite, Body Metrics, which allows museum visitors a window into their physical and emotional selves of today as well as the most promising health care techniques of tomorrow. Have a pre-teen or teenager? Make sure to pay a visit to the Cyber Detectives exhibit to learn how to become empowered to protect your own digital life.

My son’s pick of our visit was the build a robot activity. Wanna-be engineers of all ages can design, construct, and program a real robot using sensors, controllers, and actuators. Another favorite for the younger crowd is the Tech Studio. In this hands-on exhibit, people can explore their problem-solving potential with guided experiences in STEAM: science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. We enjoyed designing a windmill and learning about physics by building a better ice skate.

Feeling adventurous? My husband took a flight in a bird simulator. Equipped with a VR headset, you will experience the closest thing to bird flight possible with modern technology. It was definitely worth the $8 for a 2-minute ride ($5 for members).

Emma Prusch Farm Park

647 King Road, San Jose

https://www.sanjose.gov/Facilities/Details/131

I had no idea that Emma Prusch Farm Park in East San Jose even existed until one of my son’s teachers recommended a trip. Native San Josean Emma Prusch bequeathed 87 acres to the City of San Jose in 1962 with the intention of it being a place of relaxation, recreation, and enjoyment for the people of the City of San Jose. The fertile agricultural land was once a working dairy farm located in the heart of the Valley of Hearts Delight at the intersection of King and Story Roads. The park consists of the remaining 47 acres from the original gift.

The Emma Prusch Farm Park is open daily from 8 am to 30 minutes before sunset. The original Prusch family farmhouse, along with other historic structures are located within the park, which has one of the most substantial free-standing wooden barns in California. The barn is home to large 4H animals including beef cattle, sheep, and swine. There are also many agricultural displays and educational events held at the farm.

Emma Prusch Farm Park includes heritage, high density, and rare fruit orchards, a Plant Science Center, two community gardens, pollinator, and butterfly gardens, as well as acres of lush green lawns for picnics and playing. The Park also has a Friendship Forest planted with trees from all around the world. The Santa Clara Home Composting Program maintains a demonstration site here as well. The small farm animal enclosure is home to many typical farm animals including chickens, pigs, and rabbits. Chickens, guineas, ducks, geese, and peafowl can be found roaming the park.

The barn is a central attraction at the park and my son loved it. Local 4H youth use the barn to raise their market and breeding animals. The barn serves as a residence to steers, goats, sheep, and pigs. The barn is open to the public during certain park hours.

Every first Sunday of October is the Prusch Farm Park Mountain Music Festival. This year’s event will include all-day live entertainment, hay wagon rides, farm animal displays by 4H, tours of the Park, historical farmhouse, barn, orchards and “Emma’s Heirloom German Kitchen Garden.”

Winchester Mystery House

525 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose

www.winchestermysteryhouse.com

The spookiest and most intriguing place that I have ever visited is the Winchester Mystery House. I am waiting to bring my five-year-old until he is older, but I have visited several times in the past. Sarah Winchester was a real woman of independence, drive, and courage who lives on in legend as a grieving widow.

Today you can tour 110 of the 160 rooms of the Winchester Mystery House mansion and see the bizarre architecture such as windows built into the floors, stairs leading to ceilings, doors that open onto blank walls, and an obsession with the number “13” and spider web motifs.

Some of the highlights of the 65-minute Mansion tour include the “25,000 Room”, hayloft, Sarah’s bedroom, Séance room, Grand Ballroom, Venetian dining room, “Hall of Fires” and much more. The Mansion Tour includes admission to the Victorian Gardens, Historic Firearms Museum, and Specialty Gifts and Antique Products Museum. The price ranges from $20.00 to $39.00.

For a limited time, you can add on the Explore More Tour–a new experience that takes guests to never-before open to the public areas in the mansion. Guests will gradually make their way deeper and deeper into the mansion’s unsettling corridors and dark hideaways. Children 10 and under are not permitted to go on the Explore More Tour. Tour Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes (combined with the Mansion Tour). Prices range from $20.00 to $49.00.

The most popular time for people to venture to the mansion (besides the summer months) is in October. As autumn leaves start to fall, the Halloween Candlelight Tour begins. The Winchester Mystery House’s Gothic vibe will chill you to the bone while you are guided through the 160-room Victorian mansion. Check the website for more details.

Besides enjoying the Mansion Tour, I have had the opportunity to attend the Friday the 13th Flashlight Tour. On this spooky tour for adults only, visitors will be guided through the darkness with nothing but a flashlight. The final date is Friday, July 13th so check now to see if tickets are still available. Tickets: $49 Adults

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

748 Story Road, San Jose

www.hhpz.org

Have a little one who wants to go to the zoo? Don’t want to drive to San Francisco or Oakland? You are in luck. The perfect place to meet and greet animals and enjoy age-appropriate rides is only an hour away in south San Jose. Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is home to a wide variety of animals such as the Black & White Ruffed Lemur, Capybara, Giant Anteater, Jaguar, Monkeys, Tortoises, many different species of birds and much more.

General admission to Happy Hollow (ages 2-59) is $14.25, $11.25 for ages 60+ and babies under two are free. The park is open daily from 10-5pm, except for major holidays. Parking is $10 per vehicle.

My son was so excited to visit Happy Hollow, so we planned a visit before the weather became too warm. The first activity on our agenda was an animal meet and greet. We visited many different mammals, reptiles, birds and even saw some honey bees. We caught part of a cute puppet show featuring an imaginative little fox. I was so delighted to learn that the American Alligator Exhibit had just opened. The public can view the alligator training sessions during the week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2:30 pm.

After enjoying a tasty picnic lunch in the Picnic Basket Restaurant, it was time to try the rides. My son enjoyed the Carousel, Frog Hopper, and Mini Putt Putt Ride to name a few. My favorite was the somewhat more thrilling Pacific Fruit Express Family Roller Coaster.

We all enjoyed looking at The Crooked House and exploring The Animal Barn. We spent the last part of our adventure playing at the Redwood Lookout. It’s nestled in the Redwoods complete with ropes, swings, slides, and climbing areas.

Happy Hollow organizes many events and classes throughout the year. On Saturday, July 14 there is a Beekeeping & Beyond Workshop planned for 9 am, occasional guest storytelling from Kristi Yamaguchi and ½ price admission days each month throughout the year. Check their Facebook page for many more fun events and updates.

Pristine beaches, towering sea cliffs, roaring rivers and thundering waterfalls await you in Big Sur, a California gem spanning more than 90 miles of coastline and featuring several state parks. It’s the perfect destination for your next day trip.

Big Sur has many family-friendly activities, ranging from short hiking trails to nature reserves spotted with tide pools. Whether you’re looking for an adventure in the Redwoods or a relaxing place to spot migrating whales, Big Sur possesses limitless prospects. Here are five kid-friendly places you can’t miss while exploring Big Sur.

1. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Called the “crown jewel of the State Park systems,” Point Lobos is a prime place for sightseeing, photography, painting, nature study, picnicking, SCUBA diving and jogging. There are rare plant species, endangered archeological sites, unique geological formations, and incredibly rich flora and fauna in both the sea and on land.

Point Lobos is made up of headlands, coves, and rolling meadows. The offshore area is a popular spot for diving and is home for sea lions, seals, sea otters and migrating whales (December-May). Hiking trails follow the shoreline and lead to hidden coves. This area was home to the turn-of-the-century whaling and abalone industry. A cultural history museum (open 9-5pm) remains at Whalers Cove, a small cabin built by Chinese fishermen from that era.

Cost: $10 per car for day use only

Hours: 8am-7pm (last entry at 6:30pm)

2. Julia Pfieffer BurnsState Park

Near mile marker 35.8 on Highway 1, the park is 37 miles south of Carmel

Are you looking for a short hike that it extremely worthwhile? The ½ mile round trip Waterfall Outlook Trail located at Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park is just that. The almost flat stroll ends an oceanfront overlook with immaculate views of McWay Falls, which was a favorite spot of Big Sur pioneer woman Julia Pfeiffer Burns, for whom the park is named. The column of waterfalls 80 feet from the top of a granite cliff to a sandy inlet below. This beach isn’t open to the public, but the sight is completely worth checking out.

A panoramic view of the ocean and miles of rugged coastline is available from the higher elevations along the trails east of Highway 1.

Cost: $10 per car, per day. Your entrance fee allows you access to all California State Parks until sundown.

Hours: The park is open to day use visitors a half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset.

Camping: Two environmental campsites are located on the west side of Highway 1 south of McWay Cove. Both sites are hike-in only, and no vehicle access is permitted. Reservations should be made six months in advance. 1-800-444-7275 or book online https://www.reservecalifornia.com/CaliforniaWebHome/

3. Limekiln State Park

The park is 56 miles south of Carmel, off Highway One; two miles south of Lucia.

Limekiln features breathtaking views of the Big Sur Coast, the beauty of the redwoods, the rugged coast and the cultural history of limekilns. The park has 24 campsites. An exceptional and fairly level hike through redwoods and along several lush creeks, with both a waterfall and the historic limekilns, is among the sights. The Limekiln Trails are well-maintained and short with modest elevation gain and a series of creek crossings to keep things interesting. There is also a short walk to the coast!

After finishing the trails on the inland side of the park, head west across the parking lot to a road that goes under Highway 1 and out to the beach. There may be a chance for you to spy some dolphins frolicking in the waves 100 yards offshore, especially during the Winter months.

Cost: $8 per car

Hours: 8am-sunset unless camping

Camping: The park has 24 campsites. Visitors will be able to reserve campsites and lodging six months in advance. Bookings may extend from the arrival date to the desired departure date-based on availability and the park’s maximum stay rules. Book online at www.reservecalifornia.com/CaliforniaWebHome/

4. Andrew Molera State Park

Near mile marker 51.2 on Highway 1, the park is located 21 miles south of Carmel

In the spectacular Big Sur area, this park is still relatively undeveloped and offers visitors great hiking and beachcombing. Miles of trails wind through meadows, bluffs, beaches and, hilltops. Lesser known than Julia Pfeifer Burns State Park, Andrew Molera offers a great trail along the Big Sur River to vegetated bluffs and a sandy beach.

To reach Molera Point, follow the Headlands Trail for the picnic area. To get to the beach, you might need to get your feet wet unless you can hop across the seasonal footbridge over the river by the picnic area. At the beach, watch the tide and sleeper waves! The beach is well worth the adventure.

Cost: $10 per car for day use only

Hours: Open ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset

5. Big Sur River Inn

46800 California 1, Big Sur

The Big Sur River Inn first opened 80 years ago as the Apple Pie Inn. Its history parallels the history of Big Sur pioneering families. It was built beside the Big Sur River and guests can lounge on chairs in the river and tangle their feet in the cool water while reading a book or hanging out with friends and family.

The River Inn has a restaurant (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), gift shop, store, gas station and 20 motel rooms. The general store offers everything from camping supplies to a great selection of local wines, made-to-order pizzas, and a burrito bar. They even make smoothies, perfect for the hot summer months! The lodge and restaurant have a rustic log cabin feel, and you can dine indoors or outdoors with a view of the river. Come on a Sunday, and you will catch some outside entertainment and a BBQ!

Five San Jose Attractions You’ll Want To Visit

Family Day Trip: Destination Big Sur!