From the category archives:

Nature Centers

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine: Wildlife Spotting in the Wetlands

May 18, 2010

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary Thumbnail

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine is an oasis of hidden nature. The ponds are tucked away between bustling Jamboree Road and the quieter Harvard Avenue with an entrance off Michelson. It’s the perfect location for the Sea & Sage Audubon House – the first stop on our visit. The volunteer staffing the house was [...]

1 comment Find out more →

How To Enjoy the Caspers Wilderness Park Nature Center, Even When It’s Closed

April 27, 2010

The Caspers Wilderness Park Nature Center is a great bonus trip after you visit the playground (which we posted back in March 2010). The Nature Center sits atop a hill overlooking the park and features a lookout tower to take in the beautiful views. Caspers is part of Orange County’s regional park system. Look for [...]

1 comment Find out more →

National Wildlife Week Kick-Off

March 15, 2010

National Wildlife Week is a signature event of National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There™ campaign. They advocate for families to get their Green Hour in every day by playing outdoors. I didn’t realize that it’s been “. . . held annually since 1938.” And that, “National Wildlife Week is National Wildlife Federation’s longest-running education program.” [...]

2 comments Find out more →

SB Natural History Museum: Where The Rattlesnake Rattles On

February 21, 2010

The Santa Barbara Natural History Museum is more than a museum to me. It embodies my childhood. I was there when the museum acquired the blue whale that washed up on the shore. In the newspaper and on separate visits, I followed how they prepared the animal for exhibit outside the museum. My sister, cousin [...]

2 comments Find out more →

OC Explorer Guest Post: Orange County Nature and Interpretive Centers

December 7, 2009

Last week, we featured Joe Anzenberger’s guest post on OC Nature Preserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries. Since it’s supposed to be a rainy week, I thought his discussion of OC Nature Centers might be appropriate. ORANGE COUNTY NATURE CENTERS Fun Orange County Parks recently wrote up reviews of several nature centers, like Oak Canyon, Turtle Rock, [...]

0 comments Find out more →

OC Explorer Guest Post: Nature Preserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries

November 30, 2009

Joe Anzenberger dedicates himself to sharing stories and advice about exploring the “back country” of Orange County on his OC Explorer website. His site presents all the off-pavement trails in Orange County, spotlighting beautiful locations where entertainment lies in the sounds and sights of a million year old natural environment. I asked Joe to share [...]

2 comments Find out more →

Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim Hills

November 20, 2009

Oak Canyon Nature Center offers a great spot for Anaheim Hills kid-friendly hiking within the larger regional trail system. It’s tucked into a natural area beyond the Anaheim Hills Golf Course off Nohl Ranch Road. Our excursion to this secluded spot provided my 4 year old and me with a great morning adventure. I had [...]

3 comments Find out more →

Clark Regional Park in Buena Park

November 8, 2009

Clark Regional Park might just be my favorite OC regional park. It’s in Buena Park squeezed in between La Mirada and Fullerton. The grounds are expansive, but manageable for my 4 year old. There are no less than 3 separate playgrounds and an interpretive center. We walked almost the whole park during our visit. It [...]

0 comments Find out more →

Irvine Regional Park and Other OC Nature Centers

November 2, 2009

Nature Centers are favorite outings for many OC kids and especially our family. We stepped into the Irvine Regional Park Nature Center on Saturday and I was reminded how much our family loves these places. We can’t wait to put our hands on the interactive displays and Eagle Scout projects. It’s truly an indoor play [...]