Central - Inland Empire and surrounding areas

Palm Springs - Living Desert
www.livingdesert.org
47900 Portola Ave # 900
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 346-5694

$11.95
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Planning Your Visit
Call before you visit or check our Daily Program Schedule on this website for updated events, programs, special tours, demonstrations or lectures.
It’s cooler in the morning!Plan the timing of your visit. Instead of suffering through the hottest part of the day, visit the zoo when it’s cooler. This is a desert. The morning can begin quite cool but by noon, things can get a little uncomfortable. It is recommended that you allow 3-4 hours to see the park and participate in some of the daily activities.
Clothing
Make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes, preferably closed toe. Dress accordingly to the season. Summer days can reach well above 100º F/37ºC. Even though most visitors think less clothing means cooler body temperatures, this is not true. Long sleeve 100% cotton shirts are the best to keep you cool. Allowing sweat to completely evaporate from you skin will make you hotter and dehydrate quicker.
Hats, sunscreen, even an umbrella is recommended for all seasons. Winter day temperatures sometimes warrant a jacket or sweater.
Water
Water, water, water! Drink plenty of water. Remember this is a desert and due to the dry conditions, your body rapidly loses water. It is recommended that during the hottest part of the summer season, you must drink one gallon of water per day for low activity. Your body can sweat 3.5 pints in two hours! Bottled water is available for purchase in our cafe, grill, snack stand and vending machines. Drinking fountains are conveniently located throughout the park.
Food
Two restaurants feature a great selection of food for every taste and budget. We also have limited picnic areas for visitors who may choose to bring their own food. NOTE: No locker facilities are available.


Pasadena - Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens
http://www.huntington.org/
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100

$15 Adults
Tues.- Fri.: Noon - 4:30 p.m.
Sat.- Sun.: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

The Huntington is a research and educational center set amidst 120 acres of breathtaking gardens. Three art galleries and a library showcase magnificent collections of paintings, sculptures, rare books, manuscripts, and decorative arts. The botanical collection features over 14,000 different species of plants.



High Desert - Joshua Tree National Park
http://www.nps.gov/jotr/
74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
(760) 367-5500


7-Day Vehicle Permit: $15Admits the passengers of a single, non-commercial vehicle. Valid for the day of purchase and the next six days.

7-Day Single Entry Permit: $5Admits one person, 16 years of age or older, when entering on foot, bicycle, motorcycle, or horse. Also the per person entrance fee for individuals traveling together in a vehicle as a non-commercial, organized group. Valid for the day of purchase and the next six days.

A Desert Park
Viewed from the road, this desert park only hints at its vitality. Closer examination reveals a fascinating variety of plants and animals that make their home in this land shaped by strong winds, unpredictable torrents of rain, and climatic extremes. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the attraction of this place. Come see for yourself!

Climate
Days are typically clear with less than 25 precent humidity. Temperatures are most comfortable in the spring and fall, with an average high/low of 85 and 50°F (29 and 10°C) respectively. Winter brings cooler days, around 60°F (15°C), and freezing nights. It occasionally snows at higher elevations. Summers are hot, over 100°F (38°C) during the day and not cooling much below 85°F (29°C) until the early hours of the morning.


Redlands - Kimberly Crest
http://www.kimberlycrest.org/
1325 Prospect Drive
Redlands, CA 92373
(909)792-2111


Hours
1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, September through July
closed During holidays and parts of August.

Guided tours start every 30 minutes with the last tour beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Admission donation is $7 for adults

Kimberly Crest, a picturesque French chateau style home built in 1897, is a well preserved example of the Victorian Era in California. The 7,000 square foot, three-story chateau sits on a six and one quarter acre estate two miles south of downtown Redlands, at 1325 Prospect Drive, and is enjoyed by more than 11,000 visitors annually.
Originally built by Mrs. Cornelia A. Hill, a widow from New York State, the home was purchased by J. Alfred Kimberly (a co-founder of the Kimberly-Clark Corporation) and Helen Cheney Kimberly in 1905. Their widowed daughter, Mary Kimberly Shirk, lived in the home from 1920 until her death in 1979.
The house’s unique features include a French revival parlor complete with gilt furniture and silk damask wall coverings. Terraced Italian gardens, orange groves and ponds surround this historic landmark home. The lily ponds feature radiant Koi; vivid red, pink and yellow lilies against deep green majestic lotus blossoms; and papyrus. In 1998, KSA was made an honorary member of the Inland Koi Society who maintains the lily ponds at Kimberly Crest.
In 1963 there was a community effort to raise money to purchase Prospect Park (a 39 acre botanical park east and adjacent to Kimberly Crest) for the City of Redlands. To motivate support for this project, Mrs. Shirk promised to give her home to the “people of Redlands,” if the needed money was raised. The park was acquired in 1968. The following year the Kimberly-Shirk Association, a non-profit corporation was formed. In her will, Mrs. Shirk left the house to the Association for the people of Redlands.

The Italian terraced gardens were designed by G. Edwin Bergstrom, a prominent Los Angeles architect and a son-in-law of the Kimberlys. Bergstrom successfully interpreted Mrs. Kimberly's wishes for an Italian garden. Terence Hernstrom, director of gardens and grounds, revives and designs the breath-taking gardens today. The gardens include neverending Mediterranean borders, cascading fountains, lily and koi ponds, multiple terraces, curved stairways and engulfing orange groves - all reminiscent of Renaissance Italy.
The luxuriant gardens and grounds provide an aristocratic setting for important private events. Wedding ceremonies often take place at one end of the main terrace in a semicircular nook where a wisteria-covered arbor makes a classical backdrop. Kimberly Crest provides the perfect setting for an exclusive outdoor event.

Local Casinos

Southern California Poker Players Association map:
http://c-j-b.net/poker/scppa/map.html

Best Casino:
Commerce
http://commercecasino.com/default.aspx
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=3400+Shelby+Street,+Ontario,+California&daddr=6131+Telegraph+Road,+Commerce,+CA+90040&sll=41.61308,-101.44016&sspn=18.841831,48.164062&ie=UTF8&z=11&om=1

Other Casinos:
Morongo
http://www.morongocasinoresort.com/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=3400+Shelby+Street,+Ontario,+California&daddr=49500+Seminole+Drive+Cabazon,+CA+92230+&sll=34.015475,-117.861075&sspn=0.326692,0.752563&ie=UTF8&z=10&om=1

Hawaiian Gardens
http://www.hgcasino.com/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=3400+Shelby+Street,+Ontario,+California&daddr=11871+carson+hawaiian+gardens,+ca&sll=33.995675,-117.18881&sspn=0.653535,1.505127&ie=UTF8&z=11&om=1

Hollywood Park Casino
http://hollywoodpark-casino.com/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=3400+Shelby+Street,+Ontario,+California&daddr=3883+W.+Century+Blvd,+Inglewood+CA+90303&sll=33.959415,-117.840665&sspn=0.326909,0.752563&ie=UTF8&z=10&om=1

Hustler Casino
http://www.hustlercasinola.com/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=3400+Shelby+Street,+Ontario,+California&daddr=1000+West+Redondo+Beach+Blvd.+&sll=33.999365,-117.961265&sspn=0.686521,1.505127&ie=UTF8&z=11&om=1

Ocean's Eleven
http://www.oceans11.com/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=3400+Shelby+Street,+Ontario,+California&daddr=121+Brooks+Street,+Oceanside+CA+92054&sll=33.989955,-117.93493&sspn=0.343299,0.752563&ie=UTF8&z=9&om=1

Southwest - Long Beach area

Aquarium of the Pacific
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/11280286/long_beach_ca/aquarium_of_the_pacific.html

The Background
Fish fans are in luck--this ambitious Long Beach attraction is the next best thing to scuba diving. Opened in 1998, the Aquarium of the Pacific offers re-creations of three distinct oceanic ecosystems: Southern California/Baja, the icy north Pacific and the tropical south Pacific.
The Appeal
The five-acre facility features a whopping 17 habitats and more than 12,000 birds, fish, mammals and amphibians. Don't miss the three-story-tall Blue Cavern, which is stocked entirely with predators like sharks and giant sea bass. Divers with microphones swim among the psychedelic denizens of the Tropical Reef Habitat, broadcasting their observations to the audience. Other popular exhibits showcase diving birds, rescued seals and sea lions, otters and jellyfish.

100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
Phone: (562) 590-3100


Queen Mary
http://www.queenmary.com/
Open Daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PST
Ticket booth closes 30 minutes prior to Attraction & Tours.
Extended hours for restaurants, bars, and lounges.
Hours of operation subject to change without notice.
The Queen Mary Attractions & Tours will be closing (1) hours early (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) on the following dates:
Oct 5,6,7,12,13,19,20,21,26,27,28,30,31 and Dec 1,8,15,22.

West - Los Angeles area

Museum of the American West and the Institute for the Study of the American West

http://www.autrynationalcenter.org/about.php
The Autry National Center explores the experiences and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West, connecting the past with the present to inform our shared future.

Museum of the American West and the Institute for the Study of the American Westin Griffith Park
2007 HOURS
Winter/Spring/Fall:
January 26 through May 27
September 4 through December 31
Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We are closed on Mondays throughout the year. Our museums and offices are also closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Griffith Park address
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA, 90027-1462
T. 323.667.2000
F. 323.660.5721
Google Map & Directions
Admission$9.00 for Adults$5.00 for students (13-18) and seniors (60+)$5.00 Adult Students (18 and over with ID)$3.00 for children (3-12)Free for children under 3Tickets can be purchased at the museum. Admission is always free for Autry Members and is free to the public on the second Tuesday of every month.
CafeThe Golden Spur Cafe at the Autry National Center in Griffith Park is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, please call 323.667.9060.
Autry Library (at the Griffith Park location)Access to the Autry Library is by appointment only. Appointments for research are available Mondays – Fridays, 9 AM–5 PM (holidays excluded). Please visit the Autry Library for more information.


Griffith Observatory
http://www.griffithobs.org/
Welcome to Griffith Observatory, a beloved icon of Los Angeles and world leader in public astronomy. Since 1935, the Observatory has given tens of millions of visitors the opportunity to become observers. Griffith Observatory offers exciting shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, public telescopes, and observing and astronomy exhibits.


Griffith RC airfield
(Get info from dad)


Page Museum La Brea Tar Pits

http://www.tarpits.org/
The Page Museum is located at the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits in the heart of Los Angeles. Rancho La Brea is one of the world’s most famous fossil localities, recognized for having the largest and most diverse assemblage of extinct Ice Age plants and animals in the world. Visitors can learn about Los Angeles as it was between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age, when animals such as saber-toothed cats and mammoths roamed the Los Angeles Basin. Through windows at the Page Museum Laboratory, visitors can watch bones being cleaned and repaired. Outside the Museum, in Hancock Park, life-size replicas of several extinct mammals are featured.

Hours & Admissions:
- Monday through Friday, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
- Saturday, Sunday & Holidays, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Pit 91 is open June 25 - September 11 (Wednesdays - Sundays only) from 10am - 4pm

- Admission is free on the first Tuesday of each month.
- The museum is closed on Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Please call (323) 934-PAGE for information about special extended holiday hours or closures.
Admission Prices:
Adults: $7.00

Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
5801 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-PAGE (7243)


Peterson Automotive Museum
http://www.petersen.org/
Explore the evolution of the Automobile and its impact on our culture. Experience the last 100 years of automotive history at our museum and here on our web site. There is always something new to discover for the whole family. Explore our web site and enjoy.

Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Closed on Mondayswith the exception of major holidays (e.g. Labor Day, Memorial Day etc.) when we are open the standard hours.

6060 Wilshire Blvd.(at Fairfax,)
Los Angeles, CA 90036