You can't appreciate the enormity of the Hoover Dam until you are there and see it in person. We added this to our road trip and are glad that we did! What we planned to be a quick 20-30 minute stop, just to check it off of our bucket list, ended up being 2 hours of exploration. I was pleasantly surprised by how interested my kids were. Definitely worth the stop!
Bearizona is an incredible place to visit! The animals seem at peace and much less fearful than those we've seen at the zoo. The people who work here are awesome and happy to talk to you about the animals. Each employee that we encountered truly seem to love their job! The access to viewing the animals can't be beat. We LOVE this place and would certainly visit again!
Our visit to the Desert View Watchtower was my favorite part of visiting the Grand Canyon. Absolutely worth visiting for the great views and amazing architecture!
I absolutely loved this place! We chose to come here on a Sunday after the adjoining church had completed their services for the day. We were the only visitors there. This place is a true labor of love by the artist, we were all very moved. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful. The small Rock Chapel was a wonderful place to whisper a short prayer. We were very happy to find this place through a travel blog and have recommended a visit to friends and family. My parents lived in this town for years and we never even knew this was there. We would definitely visit this place again!
The Griffith Observatory was a great place to take my science-loving kids. Parking was a nightmare but just park in the lower level lot, the hike up the hill is worth it and it's FREE! We went when they were hosting a public star party and my kids were able to see the moon and Mars through the telescopes that were set up on the lawn. The Observatory was recently renovated/expanded so make sure to catch the movie in the Leonard Nimoy Theater to see how it was done, very interesting! My kids enjoyed seeing what they weighed on each of the planets and also seeing real moon rocks and learning where meteorites often hit. The interactive periodic table of elements was my son's personal favorite. The view of L.A. from the top deck is unbelievable! Bring quarters so your kids can look through the observation deck binoculars and don't forget to get a photo of the Hollywood sign in the background. This stop is perfect for a day trip!
This is something you just have to check off of your bucket list. It's nothing glamorous but one of those things you just want to be able to say that you've seen. Every few steps someone will try to sell you a tour. My kids quickly learned to say no loudly and firmly so that we would be left alone. We had fun seeing the names that we recognized. Be forewarned there is a lingering urine smell in several areas. I prepared my kids ahead of time by letting them know that it could be a little overwhelming (lots of tourists), sad (lots of homeless) and stinky (see above). All in all, they were glad that we went and overall they enjoyed it. However, we don't feel the need to visit again.
The Getty Center is a wonderful (and FREE) place to visit! There is a charge for parking. My children enjoyed the tram ride up to the museum grounds. There is a great deal of variety here; paintings, sculptures, mosaics, old Bibles, the list goes on and on. The view of L.A. from the upper floors is just incredible! My entire family enjoyed our visit here. We visited the Getty Villa on the same day and found the Getty Center to be far more impressive. Definitely worth your time, a wonderful day trip!