Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Chabot Space and Science Center Ages 4 and up. This 86,000-square-foot facil-
ity high in the East B ay hills will thrill y oungsters with an inter est in spaceā€”and is a
must-visit for any kid studying the solar system. The center focuses on educating stu-
dents, teachers, and the general public about astr onomy and r elated sciences and has a
number of delightful exhibits to do just that. The Observatory houses 3 powerful tele-
scopes, among them one of the largest open to the public in the U.S. (F ree access to the
refractor telescope is av ailable Fri and Sat evenings 7:30-10:30pm; daytime vie wings of
the sun, moon, and Venus are available daily 1-4pm to people who hav e paid general
admission.) The Ask Jeeves Planetarium offers dazzling shows using the most advanced
digital technology to pr oject stunning images acr oss a 70-foot-diameter scr een. (Plane-
tarium sho ws ar e $5/adults and $4/childr en, with paid admission.) The Challenger
Learning Center boasts a full-size space station, and the Discovery Lab offers activities
for childr en under age 7. E very F riday night fr om 7 to 10pm (ex cept holidays and
Memorial Day weekend), the Telescope Maker's Workshop lets kids of any age make
their own telescope. Chabot also has sev eral exciting temporary exhibits. A r ecent one
explored what it's really like to be an astronaut working in space, featuring real spacesuits,
astronaut food, and exercise gear. You'll find the drive up here well worth it, as the center
is housed on 13 wooded acr es full of lovely walking trails with wonderful bay views.
10000 Skyline Blvd., Oak land. & 510/336-7300. www.chabotspace.org. General admission (r equired
except when visiting evening shows or when exhibits are closed) $13 adults, $10 seniors and students w/
valid ID, $9 childr en 3-12, fr ee for kids 2 and under . Wed-Thurs 10am-5pm; F ri-Sat 10am-10pm; Sun
11am-5pm. Closed M on-Tues except certain holidays; check w ebsite or call f or details. To get ther e:
Head east on I-580 to Hwy. 24 (toward Walnut Creek). From 24, go south on Hwy. 13 (Warren Fwy.) toward
Hayward. Take the Joaquin Miller/Lincoln Ave. exit. Turn left and proceed up the hill on Joaquin Miller to
the crest, then turn left at the signal onto the two lane portion of Skyline Blvd. The center is 1.3 miles up
Skyline on the right.
11
Children's Fairyland Ages infant to 7. Fairy tales and nursery rhymes come alive at
the delightfully low-tech and innocent Children's Fairyland. Purchase a magic key for $2
when entering, which lets the kids listen to nurser y rhymes at each of 30 animated sets.
The park has rides for the little ones including J olly Trolly, a train that rounds the park,
and a miniatur e Ferris wheel. F airyland also offers daily puppet sho ws, ar ts and craft
events, and special pr esentations throughout the y ear. For families with pr eschoolers, it
is a magical place.
There's a picnic area, or you can pick something up (PB&J, burgers, hot dogs) at the
Johnny Appleseed Cafe. Fairyland is located on the shor es of Lake Merritt, a fine place
for boating, lawn bo wling, or a scenic str oll. From the Lake Merritt Boating Center
( & 510/238-2196 ) you can rent sailboats, rowboats, pedal boats, and canoes for $8 to
$15 per hour . The boathouse is open daily , with longest hours in summer . Another
option is a Venetian-style gondola ride fr om Gondola S ervizio ( & 866/737-8494;
www.gondolaservizio.com), which operates fr om daily in summer and Wednesday and
Thursday in winter. Rides, $45 per couple for 30 minutes with $10 for each additional
passenger, are all private and must be reserved in advance.
Grand Ave. at Bellevue Ave. & 510/452-2259. www.fairyland.org. Tickets $7 per person, children under
1 free. Adults must be accompanied by a child. Open Fri-Sun and holidays 10am-4pm in winter (Nov to
mid-Apr); Wed-Sun and holida ys 10am-4pm in spring and fall (mid-Apr t o mid-June and S ept-Oct);
Mon-Fri 10am-4pm and Sat-Sun 10am-5pm in summer (mid- June to Aug). To get there: By BART: Exit
at the 19th St. Station. Take the 20th St. stairway and exit at street level. Walk down 20th St., make a lef t
on Harrison St. Turn right on Grand Ave. Fairyland is 1 block over on the right-hand side at the int ersec-
tion of Grand and Bellevue aves. By car: From the Bay Bridge, take I-580 East to Harrison St. exit. Turn right
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