San Diego Maritime Museum ~ December 29, 2006

We’ve walked past the Maritime Museum on San Diego’s Embarcadero dozens of times and admired the ships from the outside, but it was the addition of the HMS Surprise from Master and Commander fame that finally got us to pay the admission charge and take the time to venture on board. All these years, I never realized how extensive the exhibits are once you get in there! While walking around on old ships is fun as it is, there is also much more to see and do at the Maritime Museum while you’re at it.

The Maritime Museum of San Diego features one of the world’s finest collections of historic ships, including The Star of India which is the world’s oldest active sailing ship. The museum’s collection also includes the 1898 steam ferryboat Berkeley; the 1904 steam yacht Medea; the 1914 harbor Pilot boat; the state’s official tall ship Californian;a B-39 submarine; and the HMS Surprise.

The museum displays many exhibits on maritime history and offers a wide variety of educational adventures for schoolchildren and the public such as historic boat rides, sailing adventures, cannon battles, family days, and other special events. For example, the museum’s schooner Californian takes passengers out on San Diego Bay and on weekend sails to Catalina Island. Visit The Museum’s website at www.sdmaritime.com to find out what’s happening and when.

CLICK HERE to take a virtual tour of the ships at the San Diego Maritime Museum.

Did You Know…? San Diego was once the tuna capitol of the world.

Every one of the ships on display at the Maritime Museum is unique and interesting in its own way. We went on the HMS Surprise first, then the B-39 Submarine, followed by the Star of India, and finally the Berkeley. If you get there a little ahead of their official opening time, they may let you on board one of the ships early which was great because we were able to get a head start and explore the HMS Surprise by ourselves before anyone else came aboard.

HMS Surprise

Movie fans will love this one! It was a great thrill to stand at the helm of the HMS Surprise just like Russell Crowe did as Captain Jack Aubrey. The HMS Surprise, from the Academy Award-winning movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, was acquired by the San Diego Maritime Museum in October 2004.

The HMS Surprise was originally christened HMS Rose when she was launched in 1970. The 179-foot full rigged ship served as a sail training vessel on the East Coast for over 30 years. The Rose underwent extensive modifications for the production of the film in 2002, in a painstaking effort to recreate a 24-gun frigate from Britain’s Royal Navy. The result is a replica vessel unmatched in authenticity and attention to detail.

It was quite amazing to realize how small and compact the Surprise is, when you consider how many men this type of ship would have carried on board. It’s a lot smaller in person than it looks in the movie. Also, standing at the edge of the ship and seeing how low the sides are, you wonder how the crew kept from falling overboard all the time during rough seas. No safety railings here! Those guys really had to be alert and watch what they were doing while on deck. Then consider all the noise, smoke, and confusion there would have been during battles besides!

The Surprise is kind of like two ships in one. First and foremost, it’s a magnificent replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate which will be enjoyed by fans of Master and Commander. When you go below, you can see the cannons, captain’s quarters, displays of uniforms, etc. At the same time, fans of Pirates of the Caribbean will enjoy all of the educational exhibits about pirates.

The “Pirates of the Pacific” exhibit highlights the exploits of William Dampier, a sophisticated buccaneer who mixed an interest in natural science and geography with a lust for adventure. Also learn about Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Chinese pirates, pirate treasures, doubloons, pirate weapons, and much more. There is even a hands-on area with paper, crayons, and samples provided for kids to draw their own pirate flag and treasure map. “Pirates of the Pacific” is a fascinating collection of artifacts, pictures, and displays focusing on these “outlaws of the ocean.”

The B-39 Submarine

The B-39 was built by the Soviets in the early 1970’s and remained on duty by the Russian Federation until the early 1990’s. Its design was based on a World War II era German U-boat, but it was larger and more powerful. The B-39 was 300 feet in length and could carry 24 torpedoes. On active duty for more than 20 years, the B-39 probably tracked and stalked many U.S. Navy ships.

Note: Anyone who has trouble bending, crouching or climbing, or who is uncomfortable in confined spaces (claustrophobic) may have difficulty touring the B-39 submarine. There are several low hatchways to go through, steep narrow stairs/ladders, and cramped tight spaces. Our 16-year-old son who is 6’2” tall had to keep watching his head so he wouldn’t whack it on a low ceiling, doorway, or pipe. The bunks all seemed short, too – I guess a submarine is not the best place for a tall person! Finally when we got down to the engine room he could stand up straight.

Also, if you have a family member who likes to read in the bathroom, he would not be a good candidate for the submarine crew. With 78 men on board, lingering in the “head” was not tolerated. (But the sign didn’t say what they would do to you!) People in our family tend to be late quite often, too, which would not be a good idea on a submarine. In case of emergency, the crew would run through the ship closing and locking the hatches behind them, and they would not be allowed to open them again – no matter who was banging on the other side. So you definitely don’t want to be running late on a sub!

Star of India

I was amazed at how large the Star of India is, especially compared to the Surprise. We boarded the main deck, went up onto an upper deck, went down into a lower deck and then another deck below that. It's long, too, so that ship could hold a lot of cargo! Now it is mostly museum and exhibit space with lots of displays to look at, a children’s education section, as well as having some working and storage areas that are closed to the public.

The Star of India is an iron-hulled ship that was built on the Isle of Man in 1863, when most vessels were still being built of wood. Back then she was called the Euterpe and often traveled to India as a cargo ship. In 1871 she embarked on a new career of hauling emigrants from England, Ireland and Scotland to New Zealand (also sometimes Australia, California and Chile).

From 1902-1923, she was owned by the Alaska Packers who renamed her the Star of India and converted her to a fishing and canning vessel. By 1923, sailing ships had become obsolete and steam powered ships ruled the seas. In 1926, the Star of India was sold to the Zoological Society of San Diego to be the centerpiece of a planned museum and aquarium. But that plan had to be canceled because of The Great Depression and World War II.

For three decades, the Star of India languished in port; it wasn’t until the 1960’s that her restoration began. In 1976, the fully restored Star of India went to sea for the first time in fifty years. The Star of India now sails at least once a year, maintained by a volunteer crew that trains year-round. Star of India is the second-oldest ship afloat, after the USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”) which is docked in Boston. The Star of India is called the world’s oldest active ship, though, since the Constitution is not in seaworthy condition and just turns around in the harbor once a year.

Did You Know…? The Euterpe (aka Star of India) survived a collision, a mutiny, a cyclone, the death of her first captain on board, and many storms at sea.

The Berkeley

The Berkeley is a historically and architecturally unique vessel from the Victorian Age and the golden age of steam. The Berkeley is one huge ferryboat! Aboard the vessel are numerous exhibits and displays, the museum store, a maritime research library, offices, workshop, model shop, storage areas, and a special events venue with room for 800 guests. Take a 360-degree panoramic virtual tour of the Berkley: http://www.sdmaritime.org/berktour/BerkeleyVT.asp

Did You Know…? During the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, the Berkeley carried thousands of people to safety.

We spent an average of about an hour on each ship, but by the end the kids were tired and hungry so we were rushing a bit on the last one. It would be nice if they would consider offering individual admissions for each ship so that we could go back to visit our favorite one over and over again instead of having to pay for them all.

Ocean Beach ~ December 28, 2006

After the parade, we went to the beach. We were planning to visit Point Loma, but we got all the way there and it was $4.00 to get in and we didn’t have any cash and they didn’t take credit cards. We could have given them a check but we didn’t have our check book. I was disappointed of course but maybe it was just as well because I could see that it looked crowded anyway. Hmm, must be a lot of people from the parade decided to go there afterwards. On the way to and from the Point Loma entrance, you drive right through a national memorial cemetery. Both sides of the road along this narrow peninsula are lined with row after row of thousands of white headstones that stand out from the green grass and the blue ocean background. Its appearance was quite different from the nondescript bronze markers that blend into the desert ground at the National Memorial Cemetery in Arizona.

We headed over to Ocean Beach after stopping for a while at the Sunset Cliffs. Ocean Beach was a really nice town. It looks just the way a California town should be. It must be like what San Diego used to be like before it got so big. Ocean Beach is located south of Mission Bay and Mission Beach, just west of downtown on the Pacific Ocean at the western terminus of Interstate 8. So if you were to head west on I-8 all the way to the coast, that’s where you would end up. Newport Avenue is the main street that goes through town and ends up at the beach. The Ocean Beach Pier, built in 1966, is the longest pier on the West Coast. It was closed when we got there, though, probably due to the high waves. It seems like they experience heavy surf quite often at that spot. Ocean Beach also has strong rip currents, so perhaps it’s not the best place for swimming. There is a Dog Beach at the north end of Ocean Beach.

Websites

http://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches/ob.shtml
http://oceanbeachsandiego.com

To view a movie of the big waves on 12/28/06, click on the following:

Storm-roiled ocean brings moderately heavy surf (RealPlayer) or:

http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/multimedia/archives/cat_news.html

Big Bay Balloon Parade ~ December 28, 2006

On Thursday morning my 11-year-old son woke up first. He looked out the window and said “Hey, there’s a bunch of balloons!” Having no idea what he was talking about, I got up to look and I couldn’t believe my eyes. An empty parking lot across from our hotel was being used as a staging area for a parade! They were inflating the balloon floats which included Beetle Bailey, Clifford the Big Red Dog, the Cat in the Hat, and what looked like a giant Oscar Meyer wiener. Well, that was pretty cool. We would get to see a parade while we were there besides! That explains why the day before I had seen a sign that said Harbor Drive was going to be closed on December 28 due to a special event. We would be able to walk right over to it without having to worry about parking or anything!

So we all got up, got ready, and went out. By this time some marching bands and drill teams were also there practicing, and a Texas A&M truck kept driving by playing music. In addition to the balloons, when we walked down North Harbor Drive past the County Administration building, there was a line-up of other floats, too. This was going to be a pretty big parade. As we got closer to the grandstand area, a lady handed us a program for the annual “Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade.”

I didn’t realize that The Port of San Diego’s Big Bay Balloon Parade was recognized as “America’s Largest Balloon Parade.” The one-mile parade route was going to feature more than 30 inflatables, more than any other parade in the nation. This year’s theme, “It’s a Wacky World,” explained why there were so many crazy cartoon characters. We grabbed some breakfast at a deli down the street, while at the grandstand they were having wiener dog races. Then we walked down to the other end and saw the Bumble Bee Foods 5K runners take off at 9:45 am. The parade started at 10:00, and we saw all of the balloons come by that we had seen getting set up earlier.

The best balloon we thought was a giant Elmo holding a fish bowl, and the goldfish inside was a free-moving inflatable as well. Of the other floats, our favorite was the Legoland Brickmobile. Jon got right up there and managed to get a special Pirate Duplo piece that they were tossing into the crowd of bystanders. He was really lucky to catch one of those for his collection! We also got a couple of foam footballs that some firefighters were throwing off the back of their fire truck. There was a neat bubble-making machine bringing up the rear, and the San Manuel Marching Miners from Tempe, Arizona were there. The Texas A&M marching band’s presence was because their football team was going to be playing in the Holiday Bowl.

There’s no better way to spend a sunny San Diego day with the family than along its wonderful waterfront, and being able to watch a parade while we were there was an unexpected surprise! So if you ever go to San Diego between Christmas and New Year’s be sure to catch this parade. Grandstand tickets were $15 and had to be purchased in advance, but there was plenty of room to view the parade from streetside for free, and people were even watching from their hotel balconies.

This was one of the nicest parades I’ve ever been to, and I don’t think I've ever seen a balloon parade in person. The colorful floats combined with the beautiful harbor views made for an unforgettable experience. And what a perfect day for a parade! They were so lucky it wasn’t the day before! This day was blessed with a clear blue sky and a light sea breeze, quite the opposite of the stormy previous day that blew down trees!

We were at the head of the parade route, so as soon as we saw the last float, we walked back to our hotel to beat the crowd before everyone else started departing. When we got there we turned on the TV, and the parade was being televised live from the grandstand area which was farther down along the parade route, so it wasn’t even over yet from their point of view. So we got to watch the last of the floats go by again that we had just seen, but this time with commentary!

Windy Day in Balboa Park! ~ December 27, 2006

Believe it or not, there is a car hidden underneath that tree!

After the rain, it stayed windy all day. It was REALLY windy! As we were walking through Balboa Park, palm fronds were blowing off the trees. One big branch fell down onto the sidewalk with a loud CRASH. Luckily no one was standing underneath it at the time. Later, we saw that one area of the park by the International House had been roped off because of all the branches falling off an adjacent row of trees. The water from the big fountain at the end of El Prado was blowing sideways! We were standing near the fountain when all of a sudden we heard a squeal and a crash on nearby Park Blvd. We ran over there to see what was going on. First we saw a taxi that had spun around and was facing the opposite direction up on the sidewalk. We stood there for the longest time trying to figure out how that had happened. It wasn’t until we walked across the bridge and looked on the other side that we got the whole story. A big tree had fallen down across the road, landing on a parked car and hitting another car. Too bad we weren’t standing on the bridge at the time – it would have been an amazing sight to see that tree tipping over, although it must have happened pretty fast. The emergency vehicles came and the lady in the car was okay. I wonder where the person in the parked car was. They were in for quite a shock when they returned to their vehicle! A bunch of people were standing up on the grassy hill watching and we walked over there, too. For such a large tree, it didn’t have a very big root ball where it had pulled out of the ground, so no wonder it was easy for the wind to blow it over. Maybe they watered it with shallow drip irrigation and that’s why it didn’t develop a strong root system. Anyway, the park crew came right away with their axes and chain saws to cut up the tree and remove it. There was a big traffic jam, of course. A couple of cameramen showed up, and later on when we got back to the hotel we saw it on the local news!

San Diego Model Railroad Museum ~ December 27, 2006

The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is the largest indoor model railroad display in the world! The individual HO and N scale layouts are also among largest of their type. The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is located on the lower level of the Casa De Balboa on El Prado in Balboa Park.

The mission of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is to preserve the heritage of railroading through a series of miniature representations of California railroads. The model railroads are constructed by volunteer club members.

Train Layouts

Cabrillo Southwestern – This O-Scale exhibit is a freelance model of an imaginary prototype and features an electric trolley line. The layout is being built in place to give visitors a first-hand view of model railroad construction.

Pacific Desert Lines – An N-Scale Exhibit for which club members have won awards for their meticulous craftsmanship and painstakingly realistic details. For example, the model of San Diego's Santa Fe depot was constructed using actual blueprints of the building. The Carlsbad power plant has fiber optic strobe lights on top of its chimney.

San Diego & Arizona Eastern – This HO-Scale exhibit features an impressive 10- foot high model of the Carriso Gorge in eastern San Diego County and the Goat Canyon trestle, which was the largest timber railroad trestle in the world at the time of its construction in 1932.

Tehachapi Pass – An HO-Scale exhibit of Tehachapi Pass, which is still considered the busiest single-track freight railroad in the U.S.

Toy Train Gallery – This interactive exhibit features 3-Rail, Lionel and Brio layouts. The trains have realistic horns, whistles, engine sounds, and even smoke. A camera car broadcasts a real-time video onto a color television screen so that you can see the scene from an engineer’s point of view. There is also an underground coal mine section where kids can push buttons to operate the coal cars.

Lego City Visiting Exhibit – They really should have a permanent display of Lego trains, but luckily we just happened to go there at the time of a Lego City Visiting Exhibit which began on November 21st and ends on January 26th. This was pretty neat since we weren’t going to Legoland this year so the kids got to see a Lego exhibit anyway! This display included the usual cute details for observant viewers such as R2D2, Spiderman, etc.

TIPS: Be prepared to pick up your little one often or carry him or her on your shoulders throughout the museum. While there are steps and platforms at strategic locations, and the Toy Train Gallery is built at a child’s eye level, they will also want to see portions of the displays that are located at an adult’s eye level. Speaking of kids, we learned from experience that if you don’t like crowds it’s best to visit the museum on a school day, not on a weekend or during a school holiday. There is a snack bar conveniently located just upstairs from the museum. You can schedule School and Community Group Tour admissions, birthday parties, and they also offer summer camps.

WEBSITE: The San Diego Model Railroad Museum’s website at www.sdmodelrailroadm.com has an extensive online model railroad library, exhibit information and photo gallery, and a kids corner with a Virtual Railway. Guide your train, switch the track up, and control its route. How many different ways can you send the train around the track?

San Diego Natural History Museum ~ December 27, 2006

The last time we were at the San Diego Natural History Museum was probably about ten years ago, and boy was I shocked when I visited it this time. It sure wasn’t the same old natural history museum that I remembered! I didn’t realize that it had been renovated in 2001, with a new wing added on. I guess I’m just old-fashioned, because I liked it better the way it was. They call it the Natural History Museum of the 21st Century, but now its style is more like a hands-on science center.

The Natural History Museum building on Balboa Park’s Prado is a registered historic site, having been dedicated on January 14, 1933. I’m thankful that at least the familiar entrance on El Prado was left intact. Nevertheless, once you step inside it looks like the building was gutted out and opened up. Originally, the north and east exterior facades were meant to be temporary walls slated for future expansion. The new wing extends from those temporary walls of 1933.

The museum now has two major entrances – the ornate historic south entrance adjacent to the main fountain in Balboa Park, and the new north-facing entrance across from a giant fig tree. The new wing is mostly a big open atrium as far as I can see, along with a snack bar, gift shop, exhibit hall, big screen theater, and large lobby. That long bronze “crack” in the floor is actually a reproduction of the San Andreas Fault, and there is a large relief map on the back wall depicting the Southern California-Baja California region.

At the time we were there, they were showing Al Gore’s propaganda film, An Inconvenient Truth. So far I wasn’t impressed. They should just stick with their “Ocean Oasis” movie. Downstairs, the traveling exhibit on “Dinosaurs: Reel & Robotic” was pretty interesting since our family likes movies and animation, and it was neat to learn about the history of our favorite monster films like “King Kong” and “Godzilla.” However, it still wasn’t what I would consider to be natural history.

Where were the rooms full of dinosaur bones and dioramas? The new construction more than doubles the size of the old building, and yet it seems like there aren’t that many exhibits. There is a comprehensive Wildfire section focusing on the San Diego fire of 2003. They also have an interactive walk-through prehistoric environment, but it’s all about evolution and extinction. I’m so sick of having evolution force-fed to us wherever we go. Now they’re spoon-feeding it to the kids with clever hands-on exhibits in attempt to show how evolution relates to us. I just want to have an opportunity to see the actual fossils and come to my own conclusions, thank you. And what about the flora, fauna, and habitats of today? I saw better displays of those at Cabela’s, and that was free!

One thing that I did like was the giant computerized globe showing the tectonic plate movement and shifting continents. That was pretty cool. And the Foucault Pendulum is still there, fascinating onlookers as they watch it swing back and forth and wait for it to knock down a small wooden tree on the floor. My 16-year-old son is studying Physics right now, and when he started telling me about the oscillation rate of the pendulum, a guy turned and looked over at him as if wondering what he was talking about.

I finally did find one room downstairs that still had the feeling of the old museum! Natural Treasures Past & Present has lots of fossils and rocks, insects and stuffed animals, in glass display cases as well as live critters including a rattlesnake, scorpion, and black widow spider.

I guess we picked a bad time to go, because I found out later that a lot more exhibits are in the planning stages but haven’t been installed yet. In the future, there will be a state-of-the-art interactive walk across Southern California – from the ocean to the mountains to the desert – with state-of-the-art dioramas, interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations, etc. Now that sounds more like it! To learn more about the exhibits, see:
http://www.sdnhm.org/exhibits/index.html
http://www.sdnhm.org/exhibits/future/index.html

By the way, tickets already went on sale a year in advance for the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition which will be coming to the museum from June 29–December 31, 2007. The Israel Antiquities Authority will be bringing one of the world's greatest archaeological discoveries to the San Diego Natural History Museum.

Did You Know…? In 1943, the U.S. Navy took over the Natural History Museum for hospital use. They added a nurse’s station and an elevator designed to handle gurneys, and turned the museum into an infectious disease ward!

Balboa Park Nativity Display ~ December 27, 2006

We parked near the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. The organ was closed at the time, but we got to see the Community Christmas Center Nativity display across from the Organ Pavilion. There were disclaimers all over it stating that the City of San Diego in no way endorses the display, but I was pleased to see that they allow it anyway. Since 1989 the Community Christmas Center Committee has set up this series of life-size dioramas, each depicting a different scene from the Nativity story: the Angel Gabriel appearing before Mary, Mary and Joseph’s trek to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the Shepherds, the arrival of the Three Wise Men, etc. It was a really neat exhibit and I’m glad we had a chance to see it before they took it down at the end of the season.

Richard Walker's ~ December 27, 2006

I woke up in the morning to the sound of traffic on wet pavement. The whole time we were out the day before and even at night it didn’t look like there was any bad weather coming, so I couldn’t believe it. But I looked out the window and sure enough, the sky was gray and it was raining steadily. That was okay, though, as we could just make this day our museum day instead of our beach day. By the time we all got ready to go, the rain had disappeared just as unexpectedly as it had come, though it was still cool and super windy, so we continued with our museum plan.

For breakfast we went to Richard Walker’s Pancake House (520 Front Street, just south of Market St. in the Marina District of downtown San Diego, www.richardwalkers.com). I love pancakes, and I’m also a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, so I wanted to see this award-winning restaurant that was voted “Best Breakfast” while also viewing its Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired décor. It’s a relatively new restaurant, having opened over the summer.

Richard Walker’s does serve lots of delicious pancakes - including plain old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes (with a hint of sourdough), chocolate chip pancakes, a giant oven-baked apple pancake, German pancakes, Swedish Lingonberry pancakes, blueberry pancakes, strawberry pancakes, banana pancakes, cinnamon pancakes, potato pancakes, buckwheat pancakes, healthy wheat germ pancakes, Gold Rush flap jacks, raisin and pecan pancakes, etc. They also offer classic Eggs Benedict, several different kinds of crepes, Belgian waffles, French toast, scrambled eggs, omelets, fresh squeezed juices, and for chocolate lovers – a chocolate-filled crepe topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

The menu design is whimsical and fairy tale-ish, apparently to match the Children's Museum soon to be opening around the corner, although the restaurant itself is not really designed with young children in mind. Instead, the upscale interior is reminiscent of a classic Frank Lloyd Wright design complete with hand-blown glass fixtures, stained glass windows, wood paneling, and a juxtaposition of high and low ceilings.

The restaurant is rather small and cramped, seating 50 inside a compact room and another 30 outside on Front Street. The bathroom door is right there in the middle of the seating area and only one person at a time can use it. Classical music plays in the background, but it’s difficult to hear because the restaurant is noisy with people talking and dishes clinking, the sounds of which bounce off the hard surfaces.

Richard Walker’s Pancake House is right next to the new Pinnacle Museum Tower, a luxury high-rise condo. Hold onto your hat, because the buildings create a wind tunnel effect when walking between them. Expect to pay around $10 per person, which for a family of five turned out to be a rather expensive breakfast!

Shop, Eat, Learn, and Play at this Retail Store / Tourist Attraction ~ December 26, 2006

Our family stopped at Cabela’s on the way to California since we often don’t get down to the west side of Phoenix and there were a couple of items that we wanted to get. We had gone to Cabela’s once before, about two months after its grand opening. (It opened on July 28, 2006.) It took us 3 ½ hours to explore the whole store at that time. On this, our second visit, we were just going to run in and out real quick, but it still took us an hour and a half!

Cabela’s is the largest mail-order, internet, and retail outdoor outfitter in the world. Just like their product line, the two-story 60,000 square-foot Glendale showroom is huge! They carry a wide variety of camping, hiking, hunting, archery, fishing, boating, shooting, and other outdoor-related merchandise including clothing, optics, and accessories. If you like camouflage, you will want to check out all 75 varieties of camouflage that they have at Cabela’s. My favorite –the “3-D Real Leaf” suit, which can transform you into a pile of fluttering leaves – or a swamp monster for Halloween! Cabela’s is built on such a grand scale, it even has its own specialty shops within the main store, including an old-fashioned General Store where you can buy candy and fudge, and the Bargain Cave, where you can get a good deal on slightly damaged merchandise and used returns. (In general, the store’s clothing prices seemed high to me, although the other stuff seemed more reasonably priced.)

Cabela’s is much more than a retail store – it’s a museum! The building contains a 40,000-gallon walk-through aquarium with local and native fish including endangered species; a two-story “Conservation Mountain” complete with a waterfall and a walk-through slot canyon; a life-size airplane suspended from the ceiling; a wood-paneled Gun Library in which antique rifles, gold pistols, and other collectible firearms are displayed behind glass; an 8,000-square foot “Canyon Country Wildlife Museum” depicting southwestern animals; and more than 400 other animals on display in museum-quality dioramas throughout the store – from a tiny mouse to a huge elephant! All of the taxidermy exhibits are placed in detailed, realistic settings with hand-painted backgrounds depicting their natural habitat. Even the stuffed geese hanging from the ceiling are arranged in a “V” formation. The exhibits also include descriptive signs with information about each animal, just like you find in a real museum.

While the decor and exhibits at Cabela’s are certainly pleasing to the hunting, fishing, and natural history enthusiast, they would be a PETA person’s nightmare. So if you have any friends who are PETA members, DO NOT let them set foot into this store! While some of the displays are extremely lifelike original creations, many others were once real live trophy animals that have been stuffed. Not to mention that at the Cactus Flats Cafe upstairs, you can try wild game entrees such as elk, bison, wild boar, or an ostrich sandwich!

For a nominal charge, kids can try their luck at the Old West-themed shooting range upstairs. Downstairs, next to the African Big Game exhibit, there is a large-screen video shooting range for one or two players. The Cabela’s store also offers an indoor archery range.

I think this new Cabela’s store is an amazing concept that I wish more businesses would follow. Imagine if every store was a place where your kids could learn and have fun while you shopped. I know some stores do try to create an exciting, unique shopping experience. However, this is the only store I’ve seen that is a real educational adventure. Cabela’s did an excellent job, too. For example, to make sure they got everything right, the Cabela’s management team worked closely with Arizona Game and Fish on the aquarium. On your next visit, see if you can find our state fish! Cabela’s would be a great destination for school and scout groups to go on a field trip. Or take your husband there on his birthday and let him pick out what he wants!

The Cabela’s store is located east of 101 Loop, near the new Cardinals Stadium in Glendale. It’s a good idea to get there at 8:00 am when they first open, to beat the crowds that start coming between 10-11:00. Don’t forget your camera! Photos (without flash) are permitted inside the store.

San Diego Trip ~ December 26-29, 2006

This was the first year I can remember that my husband got the whole week off between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Since we didn’t get to go on our autumn vacation this year, we used this opportunity to go to California for a winter holiday. Usually we stay in Oceanside or Carlsbad, but this time we stayed in the heart of downtown San Diego. In the next several entries, I will be reminiscing about this trip.