First up, my oldest son and I went to Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park. The observatory is free, though parking up close is $10 and hour and the planetarium shows charge a small fee for tickets. My son absolutely loves astronomy, so this was a really fun day-trip for him. His favorite part was the giant model of the solar system. As an added bonus for tourists, you get a great view of the Hollywood sign from the top of the hill. I highly recommend this excursion to anyone local or visiting the L.A. area. Just get there early and be prepared to walk a long distance if you don't want to pay the crazy prices to park up close.
We also took a trip to Santa Barbara, which has been one of my favorite trips since I was a young child. We stopped at Stearn's Wharf for lunch and had delicious fish at Moby Dick Restaurant, which has beautiful views of the mountains and the ocean. The food is good, but it's not cheap, so be prepared to pay about $10 for a child's portion and $20-$40 for an adult meal. It's definitely worth it, but there are cheaper places to eat in the area, too.
After lunch, we drove over the the presidio, which is a portion of Santa Barbara that was settled by the Spanish in the late 1700s. There are exhibits on life back in that time period and opportunities to explore the grounds. This area is located near shopping and dining in the heart of the city. It's a great little beach city area to walk through, but parking is a disaster, so plan ahead. Again, arriving earlier in the day will be your best friend.
Our final adventure of summer took us on our annual trip to the Ventura County Fair. This year, we decided to go on a weekday, which I think was a good idea. It felt a lot less crowded and we were able to go on a wristband day, so for $35 per person, my kids were able to ride unlimited rides. While $35 sounds like a lot, sheets of tickets cost about $25 for 40 tickets. Each ride takes 4+ tickets. So, really, it was a great bargain. I think the best part this year though was watching the pig races. If you're thinking of going out for the festivities this weekend, don't miss the pig races. Funniest, best action of the day. My little ones agreed.
I'll be honest. I'm sad to see summer go. There were so many things we just didn't get to do that I really wanted to. But, that's okay. We've got plenty of other adventures lined up later this year and next summer. Best of luck to all of you with kids going back to school soon!
