Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades

The Getty Villa is located at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, one mile north of Sunset Boulevard, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is about 28 miles from the heart of Thousand Oaks. The most direct path is the 101 south to Old Topanga Canyon Road, though you can also take other arteries like Malibu Canyon and Kanan to PCH.

The Getty Villa is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum, the other being the spectacular Getty Center in Brentwood.

The Getty Villa houses the J. Paul Getty Museum’s extensive collection of over 44,000 Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities dating from 6,500 BC to 400 AD, including the Lansdowne Heracles and the Victorious Youth. More than 1,200 of them are on view in 23 galleries devoted to the permanent collection. An additional six galleries present changing exhibitions, often featuring works from other institutions.

Main museum at the Getty Villa

The Family Forum features hands-on activities that encourage shared learning and discovery for children, while another interactive installation, the TimeScape Room, helps place the collection in an historical context.

On a personal note, this place is stunning, Pristine, well maintained, peaceful. The grounds take you back to how the Romans may have lived. Although my younger son in 3rd grade was not particular engaged during our first visit, my 6th grader had learned about the Greek and Roman Gods in school and found many of the exhibits quite interesting. There's also a cafe and gift shop.

Due to the severe drought this was not filled with water, but is beautiful nonetheless

Located on a pristine 64 acres, the Getty Villa is modeled after the Villa dei Papiri, a first-century Roman country house, the Villa is an airy, sunlit environment, featuring mosaic floors and colorful trompe l’oeil walls and paintings. Its four gardens and grounds are planted with species known from the ancient Mediterranean, creating lush and fragrant places to stroll. There is also a 450 seat outdoor theater at the Villa.

You'll notice that these many of the antiquities on display have damages incurred for various reasons (they were outdoor displays thousands of years ago).  This adds to their aura.

The UCLA/Getty Master’s Program in Archaological and Ethnographic Conservation is housed on this campus. The collection is documented and presented through the online GettyGuide as well as through audio tours.

Admission to the Getty Villa is free of charge but requires advance reservation with a timed ticket that you can obtain at www.getty.edu, or by calling (310) 440-7300. There is a parking charge of $15 per car; $10 after 5pm for evening events. 

Open Wednesday–Monday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Closed Tuesdays and on major holidays (January 1, July 4, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day).

Outdoor amphitheater has an authentic feel to it

Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach

The Aquarium of the Pacific is the fourth largest aquarium in the nation. The aquarium has over 11,000 animals in more than 50 exhibits that represent the diversity of the Pacific Ocean. Each year more than 1.6 million people visit the Aquarium. Founded in June 1998, the Aquarium of the Pacific is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

The Aquarium is a MUST SEE if you have kids. It is just jam packed with eye popping, interesting, mesmerizing sea life but in an easily accessible way. You can actually make it through the entire museum, indoors/outdoors, in just 2 hours, or you can easily spend the entire day there. Some of our favorites are the shark tank, sting rays (they let you pet the sting rays, which come up and visit you like they are dogs), sea otters, jellyfish and hammerhead sharks.

You will hear screams of joy and amazement throughout the Aquarium as everyone will find aquatic life that is just mind blowing to watch. In addition to the animals, there is a small outdoor play area, films and other exhibits. Visit www.aquariumofpacific.org or call 562.590.3100 for more information. It is located at 100 Aquarium Way.

Pricing as of February 2017 is $44.95 for ages 12 and up, $41.95 for seniors 62+, $29.95 for ages 3 to 11 and free for 2 and under. If you are a AAA member, save up to 20% off tickets at AAA location or buy online or show your card at the Aquarium for 10% off.

From Thousand Oaks, simply take the 101 east to the 405 south to the 710 south. There are plenty of signs that will lead you to the parking lot. Open every day of the year, except Christmas Day and during the Grand Prix of Long Beach in April.

Skatelab Museum and Skate Park - Simi Valley (CLOSED)

AFTER 21 YEARS, SKATELAB HAS CLOSED ITS DOORS AT THIS LOCATION AT 4226 VALLEY FAIR STREET, SIMI VALLEY.

However, Skatelab founder/owner Scott Radinsky posted on 1/6/19 that a new Skatelab location will be coming soon. Check for updates at www.facebook.com/Skatelab.

The world's largest and best skateboard museum resides in Simi Valley at Skatelab.  There are over 5,000 vintage skateboards, scooters and skateboard memorabilia at this 20,000 square foot facility from the 1960s to present day.  The museum is open to the public seven days a week and is free.  You really have to see this in person to get the full effect. This is a downright AMAZING collection!

Hours as of January 2018 are 4-10PM Mon, 3-10PM Tue-Thu, 3PM-Midnight Fri, 10AM-10PM Sat and 10AM-7PM Sun. Visit www.skatelab.com or call 805.578.0040 for more information.

Read more about the world's largest skateboard collection on display at www.skateboardman.com

Skatelab has a large indoor skate park that your kids will love.  It is located at 4226 Valley Fair Street, Simi Valley.  Visit www.skatelab.com or call 805.578.0040 for more information. They offer skateboarding classes on Saturdays and Sundays for beginners and novices too!

The Woolworth Museum in Downtown Oxnard (CLOSED)

Although the vintage items in the Woolworth Museum still reside in the building as described below, the museum is generally not open to the public at this point.

What is believed to be the only Woolworth Museum in the world is located in the Woolworth Building (circa 1950) at 210 West Fourth Street, Oxnard (4th and A Streets). This small, unique museum contains all sorts of nostalgia associated with the F. W. Woolworth Company, one of the original "five and dime" stores. Woolworth closed its stores in 1997.

The Woolworth Building is a 16,800 square foot building completed in 1950 that was completely redeveloped in 2003. It is now occupied by office tenants.

Many of the old items in the museum exemplify what Woolworths used to sell. Other items relate directly to this building and the people who worked there, including two managers and a woman who worked here on the first day that the store opened in 1950. There are souvenirs from the Woolworth Building in New York, which was the tallest building in the world when completed in 1913.

There is a collection of books related to the Woolworth stores. There are several items from old lunch counters, including dishes and menus, as well as some items that relate directly to the pivotal civil rights sit-in that took place at a Woolworth lunch counter in 1960.

Photos of various Woolworth stores from 1878 through the 1960s are seen throughout the building. There is a working antique dial pay-phone, a take-your-own photo booth from the 1940s and games and vending machines from the 1930s through the 1960s.

There is a vintage cash register, like those found in most stores in the 60's and 70's, displayed so visitors can push down "No Sale" so that the cash-drawer pops open with the familiar ch-ching, bell ringing and all, and the wooden drawer can be examined and closed.

Also seen is a 1959 Cavalier 96 Coke machine, which dispenses ice cold vintage coke bottles...at a not quite as vintage price of $1.25.

So stop by sometime! Just walk in. No attendants and no entrance fees. The museum is typically open from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am to 2:30 pm on Saturday.

For more information and pictures, visit www.thewoolworthbuilding.com (not functional as of 8/6/18).

Throwback time seen in the men's room

Santa Barbara Historical Museum

Founded in 1932, the Santa Barbara Historical Museum houses a collection of over 80,000 objects and artifacts of significance relating to Santa Barbara’s past. Constructed in 1965 by the Santa Barbara Historical Society, the Museum is the primary repository of Santa Barbara’s collective cultural heritage and ethnic diversity. Visitor see a wide array of unique paintings, objects, photographs, furnishings and textiles dating from the 15th century. Santa Barbara’s rich past is represented with artifacts from Chumash, Spanish, Mexican, “Yankee” and Chinese cultures. The Museum also hosts three to four special exhibitions a year in the rotating Sala gallery.

The Gledhill Library contains rare literary and visual documents, including 70,000 historic photographs. Two early 19th century buildings, the 1817 Casa Covarrubias and the 1836 Historic Adobe are adjacent to the Museum.

The Fernald Mansion, a fourteen room Queen Anne Victorian located at 414 West Montecito Street, is currently closed for renovation.

Admission is free, $5 donation suggested. The Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm, and is closed Mondays. Free guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm.

The Museum is located at 136 E. De la Guerra Street, on the corner of Santa Barbara St. and De la Guerra. Visit www.SantaBarbaraMuseum.com or call 805.966.1601 to learn more.

Noah's Ark at the Skirball Center

Noah's Ark Exhibit at Skirball Center

Noah's Ark at the Skirball is a can't miss excursion for your kids.  It is an 8,000 square foot permanent exhibit with a huge ark and numerous interactive exhibits involving the various animals on the ark.  While roughly based on the biblical story of Noah's Ark, the exhibit is nondenominational and is an interactive learning and fun experience.  I would say that generally kids between the ages of 2 and 7 will enjoy this exhibit the most but kids and adults of all ages enjoy this amazing display of life-size giraffes, camels and uniquely displays. 

Noah's Ark Picture #2

If you plan to attend, reserve a space in advance as they limit the crowds to manageable quantities (which is good because it gives the kids more space to explore).  This is a beautiful museum off the 405 freeway going down the Sepulveda Pass, off at Skirball Center Drive, roughly 25 miles from Thousand Oaks.

More information from the www.skirball.org website:

Imagine yourself immersed in a favorite childhood tale. Five years in the making and occupying an 8,000-square-foot gallery, Noah's Ark at the Skirball welcomes children and families to take this journey together. Inspired by the ancient flood story, which has parallels in diverse cultures around the world, this one-of-a-kind new destination invites visitors of all generations to have fun—and to connect with one another, learn the value of community, and help build a better world.

The galleries are divided into three distinct and lively zones embodying the central themes of the Noah's Ark story:

• Storms (meeting challenges)
• Arks (finding shelter and community)
• Rainbows (creating a more hopeful world)

Inside a floor-to-ceiling wooden ark, filled to the rafters with whimsical animals, you and your family will play, build, climb, explore, collaborate, and more. Conduct a storm, help construct the ark, and bask in the glow of a beautiful rainbow. Mingle with hundreds of fanciful animals—from cuddly companions to life–sized puppets—all crafted from recycled materials and everyday objects, including bottle caps, bicycle parts, baseball mitts, croquet balls, mop heads, and rear-view mirrors.

The Skirball is open Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays and certain holidays). Museum admission is $12. $9 for 65+, full-time students with ID and children over 12.  $7 for ages 2-12. FREE admission to all on Thursdays.

Carnegie Art Museum - Oxnard (Closed July 2019)

The Carnegie Art Museum (CAM) was closed effective July 1, 2019 as a result of a $9.2 million shortfall in the fiscal year 2019-20 City of Oxnard budget. City Council opted to close the Museum as a result of the shortfall.

CAM Cornerstones will continue offering exhibits and programs at the CAM Studio Gallery, behind the Museum on the right-hand side, facing Plaza Park. Updates on exhibits will be posted via social media, email newsletter and at www.carnegieam.org.

The Carnegie Art Museum is run by the City of Oxnard.  It was originally built by Andrew Carnegie, who donated $12,000 in 1906 towards the construction of the building to be used as a library for the area. Its Neo-Classical (1900-1920) architecture and grand scale preserves the prevailing taste for classical forms during the first decades of the twentieth century. Its strict Greek Temple facade in the Doric Order with interior Ionic columns are graphic documents of a young western town's striving for recognition. Its Greek architecture was in fact the choice of Oxnard's first mayor, Richard Haydock. It was designed by Los Angeles Architect, Franklin Burnham.

The Carnegie collection is Oxnard's municipal art collection which began before the Carnegie Building was used as a fine arts museum. The collection began in 1924 when members of the Art Club of Oxnard decided to purchase "Desert Bloom" by California landscape painter Katherine Leighton.

In addition to its traveling and special exhibits which change every month, the Museum has a permanent collection of over 1,500 art and ethnographic objects. Over 600 are paintings, drawings, prints and photographs primarily by 20th century California artists.

The museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, Sunday from 1-5pm and is closed on holidays. For more information, visit www.carnegieam.org or call 805.385.8157.  The museum is located at 424 South C Street, Oxnard.

Page Museum / La Brea Tar Pits

The La Brea Tar Pits has the largest collection of Ice Age plants and animal fossils in the world.  Over the last 100 years, more than 3 million bones, plants, bugs and other items have been retrieved from the oily asphalt that continues to ooze up out of the ground at Rancho La Brea in the heart of Los Angeles.  These bones are between 10,000 to 40,000 years old.

The Page Museum located at the La Brea Tar Pits displays many of these bones...giant mammoths, saber tooth cats, ground sloths, bears, wolves, bison and a whole assortment of animals.  The museum is open 361 days per year from 9:30am to 5pm, closed only for Independence Day, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day.  We visited on a Sunday and were amazed by the fact that half a dozen scientists were hard at work in this amazing "fish bowl" laboratory, cleaning and restoring fossils while we watched.

Outside, you can walk around and see the gooey sticky tar-like asphalt, including "Pit 91," where the annual excavation of Ice Age fossils has taken place since 1969. 

This is a great place to take the kids, for both education and for a fun, active excursion.

Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits is located at 5801 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles 323.934.PAGE (7243) Visit www.tarpits.org for more information.

Carpinteria Valley Museum of History

The Carpinteria Valley Museum of History hosts exhibits that reflect the histories of the three cultures that have dwelled in the region: the Chumash people; Spanish and Mexican settlers; and the pioneers. On display are historical photographs that reflect the development of the region as well as artifacts left behind by former inhabitants.

General Admission is free, donations are appreciated. Suggested donations: Adults: $2; Seniors and Children: $1

Exhibit Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 1:00 – 4:00 PM. (Closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays.)

Visit www.carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org for more information. Located at 956 Maple Avenue, Carpinteria.

Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles

The Petersen Automotive Museum at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles re-opened in December 2015 after a 14 month, $90 million complete renovation. Displays include some of history’s most breathtaking collector cars, championship winning race cars, groundbreaking art cars, famous Hollywood vehicles, seminal motorcycles and more through the Museum's 25 galleries.

Courtesy of the Petersen Automotive Museum

There are three full floors of content with 95,000 square feet of exhibit space. Guests are invited to enter the museum through either the parking structure off Fairfax or the new entrance on famed Wilshire Boulevard. There they can see several display vehicles in the David and Ginny Sydorick Grand Concourse, purchase tickets, and take an elevator to the third floor, where the experience begins.

The History Floor (3) covers history of the automobile. “Concept Cars as Art” shows what the future looked like in the 1950s and 60s, while the Hollywood Gallery includes the Batmobile, the Magnum P.I. Ferrari, several vehicles from James Bond movie Spectre, the Pontiac Aztec from Breaking Bad and other fan favorites. Also featured is “Southern California: A Region in Motion, " which uses interactive video content to show how Los Angeles grew out, instead of up, like most cities.

As visitors descend the staircase to the Industry Floor (2), they can explore the diversity of automotive design and technology and see cars that have been modified for speed and efficiency. Learn what it’s like to work in the car industry and watch automotive design students as they design the next generation of transportation.

View fullsize

Courtesy of the Petersen Automotive Museum

One of the most visually stunning displays in the museum is the Precious Metal exhibit in the Bruce Meyer Family Gallery presented by Rolex, a gathering of the world’s rarest and most exotic cars – all finished in silver. The gallery includes a 1995 McLaren F1, the 1959 Chevrolet Corvette XP-87 Stingray, the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 driven by James Bond in the movie Goldfinger, a stunning 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic by Ghia, a 1967 Ferrari 625/250 Testa Rossa by Scaglietti known as one of the most winning Ferraris of its time, and a 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner.

The Pixar Cars Mechanical Institute features a life-size Lightning McQueen and uses augmented reality technology to tech children how cars really work, starring their favorite characters from the Cars movies on Carspad tablets. The Industry Professionals exhibit features interviews with the engineers, designers, marketers and executives who take cars from design to reality – all hosted by Jay Leno. The Alternative Power exhibit showcases the history and future of alternative fuel vehicles – from early 20th century steam and electric cars to the latest in hybrid, CNG and fuel cell technology.

Courtesy of the Petersen Automotive Museum

The Production Gallery features “Made in Italy: Design to Line,” an exhibit showcasing how a production luxury car goes from rendering to model to finished vehicle. The High Performance Road Cars exhibit celebrates the 50th anniversary of Ford’s historic win at LeMans with the museum’s GT40 MkIII alongside the all-new Ford GT supercar. The Motorsports exhibit features some of the fastest and most seminal race cars of all time, backed by a 134-foot, 180-degree projection wall immersing visitors in the sights and sounds of these incredible cars on the track. Directly behind the Motorsports exhibit is the Forza Motorsport Racing Experience, where fans can get behind the wheel of a variety of vehicles and try their hand at racing on driving rigs running the latest version of Microsoft’s racing simulator.

The Motorcycles Exhibit features nearly two dozen of the fastest, rarest, most beautiful or sometimes oddest two-wheeled vehicles from history. The Hot Rod Gallery celebrates Hot Rod Magazine, Petersen’s first publication, along with the cars featured in the magazine over the years, artifacts from Petersen’s life and a selection of wildly customized cars – from iconic customs (the Hirohata Merc and Billy Gibbons’ “CadZZilla”) to lowriders, roadsters and race cars.

One last trip down the grand staircase and visitors will find themselves on the Peter and Merle Mullin Artistry Floor (1), where they can discover the most artfully designed vehicles from history, often regarded as rolling sculpture. Explore how the automobile has been interpreted as the subject of fine art and even used as a canvas for artistic expression. The Mullin Grand Salon features the exhibit Artistry of the Automobile, featuring some of the finest coachbuilt cars of the art deco era, from the 1936 Type 57sc Bugatti Atlantic to the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C SS Figoni et Falaschi Teardrop, and more.

From the Mullin Grand Salon, visitors can move to the Ken and Dayle Roath Gallery, featuring a curated display of cover art from the 106-year history of Westways Magazine, the print publication of the Automobile Club of Southern California. Never before has such a collection been assembled and displayed in one place.

The last exhibit on the top-to-bottom tour is also the first one visitors see upon entering the museum – BMW Art Cars, featuring  a 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL, the 1995 BMW 850 CSi designed by highly influential British artist David Hockney, who now lives a few miles from the Petersen, as well as the 2008 BMW Z4.

The Petersen Automotive Museum is open seven days a week, from 10am to 6pm, and admission prices are as follows: adults - $15, seniors and students - $12, children - $7, active duty military and educators – free, Children under 3 – free. To learn more about The Petersen, its latest exhibits, rotating galleries and special events, visit www.Petersen.org. 

Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles

The Griffith Observatory opened to the public in 1935 and is a Los Angeles icon. After 67 years of operation, it was closed for renovation in 2002 and reopened in Fall 2006. The original art deco 27,000 sq ft building built during the Great Depression was expanded by an additional 40,000 sq ft of public space. 

The Observatory is located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood, 1,134 feet above sea level, with expansive views of the surrounding city, mountains and Hollywood sign. Other than the spectacular views outside, the inside of the Observatory features the 300 seat Samuel Oschlin Planetarium, 200 seat Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon, public telescopes, dozens of exhibits and a cafe/gift shop.

Parking and entrance into the Observatory are FREE! Even if you're not into astronomy, you'll love the scenic views up there. It is located at 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles. More information at www.griffithobservatory.org or call 213.473.0800.

The Observatory is owned and staffed by the City of Los Angeles Dept of Recreation and Parks. As of May 2015, hours are noon to 10pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am to 10pm Saturday/Sunday. Closed Mondays. Free public telescopes are available each evening the Observatory is open and skies are clear.

The New Children's Museum in San Diego

We visited The New Children's Museum in downtown San Diego (200 West Island Avenue at the corner Island Avenue and Front Street) the day after Thankgiving with our young boys.  We have taken our kids to a lot of different places and have to say that this place is very unique.  I've never seen anything like this museum.

The NCM opened in May 2008.  It is a very modern, open, airy building with lots and lots of windows.  The museum offers all sorts of sensory exhibits and activities that encourage kids of all ages to experience creativity and the arts.

In the 2 hours that we were there our kids painted, worked with clay, painted (both with paintbrushes and hands) a VW Bug that was completely slathered with paint (quite unusual...and messy...though the paint was washable and they provided washing stations in close proximity of the exhibit).  The kids crawled through tunnels, climbed climbing walls, ran around in an oversized playhouse and an igloo, frolicked in beanbags and couches, and much much more.

We were told that all of the materials used in the exhibits of this 50,000 square foot, 3 story building were made out of recycled materials.  That made for some quite unusual and unconventional looking exhibits.  The building is one of the first completely "green" museums in California.

Across the street from the museum is a new park with plenty of room to run, play, swing, teeter-totter and spin. 

So if you are looking to do something completely different and unique with your kids, check it out!  Admission as of January 2022 is $15 for ages 1+, $10 for seniors 65+ and military with ID.  For more information, visit www.thinkplaycreate.org or call 619.233.8792.