Central California Coast Visits
San Juan Bautista
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831-623-2127
February 2001 |
This is a venerable historic mission along highway 101 in the central part of California. |
Casa de Fruita
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It may have started out as a fruit stand, but it has added a number of attractions, including a narrow-gauge railroad and campground. The grounds host a large collection of deteriorating farm equipment. You can get very close and see how these things operated.
January 2008 |
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Monterey, CA
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City of Pacific Grove: Museum of Natural History 831-648-3116
pgmuseum@mbay.net
February 2001 |
The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is rather small and focuses on Monarch Butterflies that over-winter in the area.
Plan your visit to the Monterey Peninsula in January or February and enjoy the Monarch Butterfly winter resting area. Stop by the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History to find the best places to view them when you are there. |
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PO Box 51683 Pacific Grove, CA 93950 831-375-0962
The Friends of the Monarchs work to ensure save habitat for the Monarch Butterflies that over-winter on the Monterey Peninsula. They track the butterflies and are well-situated to carry out population monitoring, location or other data collection for scientific studies.
February 2001 |
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408-648-4800 fax - - 4810
The class-act of aquaria, the Monterey Bay Aquarium will spoil you for any other. The permanent exhibits are excellent. The Aquarium hires many teenage docents and also runs “real-science” research at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing, North of Monterey.
February 2001 February 2002 February 2008 |
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831-775-1700
The Monterery Bay Aquarium Research institute performs marine research and outreach from Moss Landing, between Monterey and Santa Cruz on Highway 1.
June 2002
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831-624-1271
Carmel Mission is another beautifully-preserved mission. It is currently still used as a Catholic Church.
February 2001 |
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San Francisco, CA
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Exploratorium
December 2001 |
The Exploratorium is the class-act of the hands-on science museums. Noisy and exciting for kids, adult need to let-go, relax and let the kids have fun. |
Lompoc, CA
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775 Mission St 805-467-2131 http://www.missionsanmiguel.org/
December 2001 |
Mission San Miguel is conveniently located along US 101. This is no accident because the original mission route, El Camino Real, eventually became the highway. Sadly, the Mission itself is not in particularly good repair despite its ongoing historical value. |
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Old Town Lompoc Heritage Walk
The town of Lompoc is known for its flowers and its murals. When flowers are out of season (like when we were there), the murals take center stage. This short walking tour, sponsored by local citizens brings the murals up close.
December 2001 |
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La Purisima Mission State Historic Park http://www.lapurisimamission.org/
Mission La Purisima is a California State Park, with all the political-correctness that such status bring. Nevertheless, the mission structure and grounds are well-maintained. A re-enactment day would be quite interesting, though who knows what Sacramento would make it into. La Purisimia suffers from distance from heavily-populated areas. Or perhaps that’s a benefit. It is not crowded.
December 2001 |
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Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum 321 Town Center West Santa Maria CA 93458 805-928-8414
December 2001 |
This museum is geared to children, according to the information we had. Unfortunately, we were unable to locate it before the time became too late. |
Santa Cruz, CA
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Seymour Long Marine Discovery Center
Friends of LML/UCSC Foundation 100 Shaffer Rd Santa Cruz, CA 95060 http://www2.ucsc.edu/seymourcenter/
June 2002 May 2003
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San Jose, CA
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Almaden Youth Association PO Box 63 New Almaden, CA 95042-0063
June 2002
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The AYA is working to build a sports park in the South part of San Jose. The city is very supportive and has contributed to the effort, but it still appears that the bulk of the funding must come from private sources. |
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Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League
October 2004 |
The AVYSL serves approximately 2200 children per year. It runs approximately 25 playing fields at nearly a dozen schools and parks.
See companion documents on this site on goal construction for 4’x6’ goals and goal anchor attachments. |
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San Jose, CA (408) 287-2290
May 2001 |
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June 2002 |
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408-294-6107
February 2002 2006-2007 |
Silicon Valley’s technology museum. If you visit the are, you need to see it. The focus is more on engineering than science. There are many hands-on exhibits. My favorite was the make-your-own-recombinant DNA exhibit. |
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San Jose Symphony 100 N. Almaden Ave San Jose CA 95110 408-287-7383 408-288-2828
February 2002 |
The San Jose Symphony went bankrupt in 2002. Their financial difficulties were hidden as they sold subscriptions to a season they knew they couldn’t finish. There is a new symphony in San Jose now, but I’m just not that interested. Once burned, twice shy. |
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South Valley YMCA
May 2003 |
Among the YMCA’s programs is the Guides and Princesses (they’ve recently dropped the references to native Americans). One sub-group organizes an annual outing to San Jose Family Camp. Goals include parent-child bonding over games and chores and outdoor activities. |
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St. Frances Cabrini School is a Catholic PK-8 grade school. Like schools the world over, they need assistance with class material, particularly in the area of science and technology, as well as support for their enrichment programs, such as amateur athletics. |
Mountain View, California
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650-961-6633
http://www.voyagesthroughtime.org
February 2002 Frank Drake Award, August 2003 Many visits 2006-2009
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The SETI Institute is the real, hard-science people looking for evidence of intelligent life in the universe. Don’t talk to them about Area 51 or flying saucers; you won’t get in the door. But if you are interested in radio astronomy, extra-solar planets or exo-biology, this is the place to contact. They are currently building the Allen Telescope Array – an array of radio telescopes designed to search for radio signals like those we’ve been radiating into space for decades. (See the Hat Creek entry in “Northern California”.
There is a small exhibit at the office highlighting ongoing science projects.
Check the weekly science webcast at http://radio.seti.org
We recommend the “Voyages Through Time” science course at the high school level. Contact: Edna DeVore. |
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650-810-1010 http://www.computerhistory.org/
Every computer you ever used to work on is here. Every computer you’ve ever heard of is here. The first internet node is here! And more.
Note restricted hours! As of Aug 2007 the museum is only open Wed-Sun in the afternoons.
The babbage difference engine is supposed to be there through 2009.
June 2003 March 2004 Many visits 2004-2009 |
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NASA Ames
Research Center http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames
NASA Ames Research Center has a visitor center and museum just outside the main gate on Moffett Blvd., just off Highway 101. The grounds are open to the public for a few events yearly. We visited for the “Back to the Moon” celebration.
September 2008 |
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Milpitas, CA
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408-942-1776 http://www.communitymuseums.org/
February 2002 |
Tucked in among stores and movie theaters is the quiet Milpitas Community Museum. It was small, but we all stayed for hours. |
Berkeley, CA
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Project Phoenix
Dan Werthimer
February 2003
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This is the group that runs seti@home.
There’s nothing to see, but they’re good guys. |
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510-642-5132 |
They have an active daily program for kids. |