No trip to the San Diego area is complete without a visit to the Birch Aquarium. It is part of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UCSD. While Birch is smaller than the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, it is still impressive.
Birch Aquarium is more research-oriented with an incredible team of people to answer your questions. I wondered out loud what an unusual item was and a staff member immediately came over. She explained that I was looking at a bowl of shark eggs and gave me helpful background regarding the eggs and their particular shapes. Later, someone else saw my husband and me staring at a large display of colorful fish swimming around coral. The staff member approached us to tell us about UCSD’s extensive coral research. He explained the relationship between the polyps and algae that make up coral. The brilliant colors of coral come from algae. He even pointed out a turf war going on between different corals within the tank. Throughout our visit, multiple staff members continued to offer answers for any questions we might have.
Naturally, the penguins stole our hearts. Warning – they do smell. We saw signage that they poop, on average, 145 times a day. After getting a few whiffs, I have no doubt regarding that factoid. John and I were surprised by how close we were able to get to some of the penguins who demonstrated pretty outgoing personalities.
For those with families , the aquarium offers organized activities for young children as well as an entire wing with displays geared towards them.
We did not eat at the aquarium but there is a very lovely outdoor cafe for those who choose to do so.
Finally, I do recommend purchasing tickets in advance online. If you buy your tickets at the aquarium, you pay more.
The Legacy Sculpture From 2996The Legacy Sculpture By Randy PuckettThe Legacy Sculpture At The Entrance Restaurant in Front of the Aquarium Front Entrance of the Aquarium The Best View In Town My Husband Enjoying the View Again, Enjoying the View Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial PierMore Inspiration The La Jolla Coastline Soaking Ip the ViewsTide Pool Close-UpTide Pool Close-upTide Pool Overlooking La Jolla Shoreline Tide Pool Closeup With a Lobster Starfish Tide spoolOutdoor Tide Pool Beautiful Deep Blue Water Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial PierOutdoor Opportunity to Tour Sea LifeShark Eggs Jellyfish Inside – Touring the Aquarium Sea Anemone Sea Anemone Sea Anemone Starfish Lounging Starfish Lobster Tiny Jellyfish Lobster Garibaldi Sea Slug Large Cluster of Tiny Fish Frog FishDangerous LionfishSpectacular Live Coral Blue Tang With Coral Coral Gets Its Colors from Algae More Living Coral Amazing Collection of Living Coral Lobby AreaRamp From the Interior to the Tide Pool AreaFast-Moving SeahorseSea dragon More Sea Dragons Comfy Sitting Area Within the Aquarium The Perfect Chairs to Enjoy the View The View Never Gets Old The Penguins Are Adorable Penguin Close-UpThe Penguin Pool
The Safari Park in Escondido is not just part of the San Diego Zoo, it is the crown jewel of zoos.
The entire park has so much space for the animals that I can almost hear “Born Free” playing in the background. The combination of vast spaces for the animals, gardens with vegetation from exotic locations in Africa and Australia and spectacular views creates an exhilarating experience. We especially enjoyed the section of the park that is adjacent to the condor exhibit.
My husband and I recently visited the park after a 16-year hiatus and were thrilled with the latest changes and additions.
The Valley of the Elephants is the newest addition and it is impressive. The elephants have a lot of room to roam as well as interactive toys. Plus, the way the space is designed – visitors can see the elephants up close without disturbing them.
The park even has a Roar & Snore option where visitors can stay overnight in elegant tents, located near Elephant Valley, and enjoy a night vision safari among other fun activities.
One of the biggest surprises to me is the addition of the Mkutano House – a large fine-dining restaurant that opened in March of 2026. It is a stunning restaurant with a unique international menu and great views of the adjacent Elephant Valley.
I suggest getting an early start as there is a lot of space to cover and Escondido gets hot in the afternoons. The day we went, we walked almost 15,000 steps.
Tram Ride Around Africa The Cheetah Space Flamingo Territory Close View of the Giraffes from the TramViews from Africa Cheetah Takes a Break Fun BridgeFun Walk on a Bridge Enjoying the Surroundings One of Numerous Dining Options with Great Views The Gorilla Encampment More Gorillas Near the CranesCranesThe Valley of the Elephants Elephant Elephants Entrance to the Elephant Valley Elephant More Elephants Beautiful Vegetation Throughout the Park Glamping Is Available at Roar & SnoreHot Air Balloon Rides Enjoying Our Day The TigersStanding Near a Waterfall Beautiful Views on the Way to See the Condors Beautiful Area to Sit A CondorThe View Near the CondorsViews Near the CondorsLily Pond in Australia Kangaroo TimeKangaroo Getting a Snack Hot Pink Bottle Brush Plant
Borrego Springs is special for so many reasons – my favorite is the wildflower season. Every year we make the drive to the desert to catch the wildflowers. In recent years, we have arrived too late for the big display. This year, the rain has been intense and we opted to make the drive a few weeks earlier than our usual schedule. It paid off. The flowers were out in full bloom along Henderson Canyon Road with a beautiful array of purple and white flowers. In addition, we found some beautiful purple blooms on Borrego Springs Road near the famous dragon sculpture that stretches over both sides of the road. The Anza-Borrego State Park Visitor Center had lots of yellow blooms along with a few traces of red and blue flowers.
Upon entering town, we first went to the Visitor Center. Not only is it a great place to stretch your legs but the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. We bought a book that identifies all the wildflowers in the area and received a map showing all current areas of wildflowers.
Next, we made the short drive through the one-street town of Borrego Springs to Henderson Canyon Road. The wildflowers were outstanding. Because rain was forecast for the afternoon, there were no crowds. It was us and three other couples taking in the glorious sight of vibrant flowers. From there we drove another 15 minutes to the nearby canyon. There are nine canyons in the Borrego Springs area. As an added bonus, we saw the Salton Sea in the distance.
On our way back into town, we stopped by the enormous dragon sculpture (it’s 350 feet long) that goes across both sides of the road. The sculpture is one of numerous sculptures by Ricardo Brecedo that you will see throughout Borrego Springs. More purple wildflowers flowers surrounded the sculpture.
Normally, we stop at the amazing Pablito’s for delicious Mexican food. This time, we decided to try the famous Carlee’s that so many people have told me about. The food is wonderful but I warn you that the portions are enormous. We were there by 11:30 AM and the place was already busy. We were the only out-of-towners. Carlee’s is clearly popular with the locals. The steak quesadilla known as “The Andy” did not disappoint. My husband loved his shrimp basket that came with delicious homemade warm chips.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor CenterAnza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor CenterAnza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor CenterAnza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor CenterAnza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor CenterAnza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor CenterHenderson Canyon Road Blooms Henderson Canyon Road BloomsHenderson Canyon RoadHenderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Road Henderson Canyon Henderson CanyonHenderson Canyon The Salton SeaHenderson Canyon Fields of Wildflowers Map of Flower Activity Given at Visitor Center Borrego Springs Road Borrego Springs Road Famous Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture The Dragon Sculpture The Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture My Husband Taking Photos Dragon Sculpture Sneaky Photo of Me by HubbyDragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Dragon Sculpture Famous Carlee’s Bar at Carlee’s Potato Skins Appetizer at Carlee’s Shrimp Basket with Homemade Chips at Carlee’s Andy’s Quesadilla at Carlee’s Small Sculpture in Town Small Sculpture in TownExterior of Carlee’s Front Entrance of Carlee’s
Over the years, I have heard so much about Frogtown and the Los Angeles River. Recently, my husband and I opted to sign up for one of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s tours of the area – also known as the Elysian Valley. The tour of the area was done in partnership with Friends of the Los Angeles River. Our tour met at the Lewis MacAdams Park, named after the founder of the Friends of the Los Angeles River. MacAdams, who passed away in 2020, was a huge advocate for restoring the river to a more natural state. The park and surrounding area has been designated a protected butterfly habitat with lots of milkweed planted to encourage butterfly activity. Consequently, beautiful butterflies are everywhere within the park and nearby homes.
After a massive flood in 1938, the Army Corps of Engineers created a 51-mile waterway encased in concrete to prevent future devastating floods. The area we visited is one of the few areas with a dirt basin. A nice walkway with a bike lane, adjacent to the park, has been built. We were warned in advance about speeding cyclists and the warnings were valid. We stayed on the far left side closest to the river and managed to avoid a collision with a few Lance Armstrong wannabes. Future plans include new parks, recreational areas and restored habitat areas for wildlife. Unfortunately, the plans are moving at a snail’s pace due to conflicting goals and concerns from the multiple government agencies involved.
The surrounding area started as a working-class neighborhood of affordable housing near industrial facilities, including the Kruegermann Pickle and Sauerkraut factory and the massive Hostess Bakery facility. The pickle factory site is now a dance studio and the bread factory is now an amazing film industry prop house. As part of our tour, we spent some time exploring the prop house. The place has furniture, lighting and dishes from every decade. Based on the hold tickets I saw, every major studio is renting items from this place.
In addition, a nearby automotive repair shop called Salazar’s is now Salazar’s Mexican BBQ restaurant. Our tour guide mentioned this restaurant and we met a friend there for lunch. The food and atmosphere were amazing. Salazar’s serves a delicious salsa made with tomatoes that they roast on the grill. The tres leche cake was phenomenal, too. Our waiter was an actor originally from Argentina. Apparently, he grew up primarily eating Italian food in Argentina and was relatively new to Mexican cuisine. He and the rest of the crew were incredibly welcoming.
The neighborhood dates back to the late 1800 and the streets are extremely narrow. Parking is limited with street parking at a premium. With all the cars parked on both sides of the streets, the remaining street space is too narrow for cars to pass going in opposite directions. We found ourselves frequently waiting for a car going in the opposite direction to pass before we could continue driving.
Additional fun business have opened up in the area including Bauer Pottery. I have been buying dishes made by Bauer online and was really excited to have the opportunity to see the company’s showroom.
LA River and Bridge LA River LA River LA River Gallery Adjacent to the LA RiverLA River LA RiverLA River Walkway Interior of Bauer Pottery Showroom Salazar’s – Former Automotive Repair Shop and Now Mexican BBQ Restaurant LA River Walkway Former Wonder Bread Bakery – Now a Movie Prop Business Interior of Gil & Roy PropsBoarding House Built in 1917Historic Home Near the River ParkLocal Graffiti at the Freeway Underpass
I am fortunate enough to live within two hours of Borrego Springs. Usually, my husband and I visit during the wild flower season in early spring. This year, we opted to visit in late June. Given the heat factor, I was not sure of what to expect. Our visit was a pleasant surprise. This is a place where a large community of artists thrives and I can see why. The natural desert scenery is beautiful. The combination of mountains, plants and colors are inspiring for painters and photographers. Right in downtown is both the Borrego Springs Art Center as well as an performing arts center.
In particular, the larger than life collection of outdoor sculptures is breathtaking. Each visit, I seem to come across sculptures I missed on previous visits. There approximately 130 sculptures, created by Ricardo Breceda, scattered throughout the area. On my most recent visit, I discovered the dragon that appears to emerge from the sand and stretches over both sides of a local highway.
Everyone has a favorite restaurant in Borrego Springs and for my family it is Pablito’s for killer cocktails and delicious Mexican food. The restaurant first opened in 1995 and has a very casual atmosphere with a mixture of indoor and outdoor seating. It is located in the same shopping center as the community performing arts center.
The head of the famous dragon sculpture in Borrego Springs CA
NO time for boredom today 