California Family Destination Guide

California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco lets you expirence earth, ocean and space all in one building. The science center is “Greenest Museum” in the world it even has tress growing on its roof. The California Academy of Sciences is Platinum LEED certified and the only place on the planet to combine an aquarium, natural history museum, Worlds’ largest all-digital planetarium and four story rainforest under a 2.5 acre living roof. Slip on a pair of 3D glasses and check out Bugs3D! shot on location in the tropical forests of Borneo. Meet Claude the Albino Alligator and hang out with Pierre, Howard, Ocio and the rest of the South African Penguin colony. Designed by award winning architect Renzo Piano, the Academy will inspire lifelong curiosity for the natural world as you experience the depths of a Philippine coral reef, climb into the canopy of a Costa Rican rainforest and fly to the outer reaches of the Universe.
Location: San Francisco, CA 55 Music Concourse Drive – Golden Gate park
Hours:Open Monday – Saturday from 9:30am – 5pm
Sunday from 11am -5pm
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Tickets: order online now and save. Special: $20.00 off behind the scenes tour.

Dana Point Ocean Institute Located next to the Dana Point harbor and the Pacific Ocean, the Ocean Institute offers science and maritime history programs to youth during the week, and is open to the general public on weekends, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Visitors can enjoy ocean-themed exhibits, marine life touch tanks and aquaria with hundreds of marine creatures. Institute staff and volunteers are on hand to share the secrets of our seas. Unique maritime and ocean-themed items are available in the Chambers Gallery everyday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Institute address: 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr., Dana Point. For an added charge, visitors can enjoy marine mammal cruises onboard the Institute’s R/V Sea Explorer or sail onboard the tall ship Spirit of Dana Point. Ocean Institute 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr. Dana Point, CA 92629