Transportation Lesson #3: Endeavour & 3 Other Space Shuttle Sites

Endeavour, Photo by Krenda

Space is an exciting subject for kids, opening up the imagination and wonder.  To make it more real, take your kids to see a retired space shuttle.  We visited the California Space Center in Los Angeles California to see the Endeavor space shuttle.  It had quite the media attention when flown from Florida to California and then moved through the streets of Los Angeles with 1.5 million spectators.  If you are too young to recall the news, you can see video at the museum.  Imagine the preparation to move a 78 foot wide, 57 food high, and 122 foot long shuttle.  When you enter the Samuel Oschin Pavilion on the property, the numbers become real and you feel awe at the size and mission.  I found it really cool to walk underneath and be so close.  Close enough to touch, but you can't touch.  Just take photos and listen to the stories of volunteers.  The volunteers were so kind to answer my curious kids numerous questions.

California Space Station

Endeavor sounds like an inspirational name coming from the dictionary, using the meaning "try hard to do or achieve something" or "an attempt to achieve a goal".  From research, I was surprised that the name actually came from a contest won by school children.  The contest required the name to come from an exploratory or research vessel.  Endeavor name came from a ship chartered to explore the South Pacific.  Explorer James Cook and crew had sailed to observe the transit of Venus at Tahiti.

The government authorized Endeavor's construction, the fifth Space Shuttle orbiter, as a replacement for Challenger in 1987.  It served from 1992 to 2011, completing 25 missions and spending 299 days in space.  Endeavor made the first service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope and also worked on the International Space Station.With the arrival to the California Space Center and the restoration on the External Tank (ET), the center will be the only place in the world where you can see a complete shuttle stack - orbiter, external tank (like the "gas tank"), and solid rocket boosters with all real flight hardware in launch configuration.  When visiting the museum, plan for plenty of time to see the multiple exhibits. 

The museum's main building also recognizes other firsts.  It has a full-scale engineering model of Casseni spacecraft and Huygens probes, teaching about the first spacecraft ever to orbit Saturn.  A full-scale engineering model of the Viking Lander is on display, celebrating the first U.S. spaceship ever to land on Mars.  You'll see the Wright Glider replica, recognizing the first successful heavier-than-air powered aircraft.  

Giant Kelp Forest

This museum has more than transportation science exhibits.  Check out their ecosystems extreme zones including the giant kelp forest in a 188,000 gallon tank with sharks, eels, fish and a diver twice a day answering audience questions.  You can also purchase tickets for an IMAX movie.

Unfortunately the Challenger and Columbia space shuttles were completely destroyed during missions.  However, you can visit three other retired space shuttles:

1.  Space Shuttle Enterprise (1977-2012) - Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum - New York $33

2.  Discovery (1984 -2011) - National Air and Space Museum, free

3.  Atlantis (1985-2011) - Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Cape Canaveral, Florida $57

History Lesson #8: 7 Midwest Places to Bring Native American History to Life

Drums thundered, chants echoed, feathers and beads flung side to side, and the bright regala swirled to the beat.  On a Saturday afternoon, the sounds and colors filled the large Field House at UW Madison.  I sat in the stands mesmirized, impressed, and inspired.  I had convinced my sister and cousin to join my adventure.  They were happy to follow me to a traditional Pow Wow and turkey and potatoe meal.

Fast forward a decade plus, the beat of a drum softly beat as my two year old played under a grass thatched roof.  No crowds clapping, just the sound of wind through the feathers of geese landing on the grounds.  Sun Watch Indian Village in Dayton, Ohio consists of 3 acres and opened to the public in 1988 after 17 years of excavation.  We talked about what it would be like living in a village, hunting and preparing for winter.  You can read about it in a book...but when you walk through a village, the experience brings the lesson to life and inspires two year olds to ask lots of questions.

Lesson Idea

You too can immerse your kids in Native American history by visiting a museum, mound, park, or festival.  To prove you don't need to take a long trip out West for the history lesson, here's 7 sites in the Midwest:

1.  Sun Watch Indian Village / Archaeological Park - Dayton, Ohio (OH)

$5 entrance includes museum and village (pictured above)

 http://sunwatch.org/

2.  Effigy Mounds - near Harpers Ferry, Iowa (IA)

3.  Cahokia Mounds - near East St. Louis, MO

4.  Hopewell Cultural Artifacts - Chilicothe, Ohio (OH)

5.  Pawnee Indian Village State Historic Site - Republic, Kansas

6. Serpent Mounds - Memorial, Ohio (OH)

7. Native American Heritage Museum State Historic Site - Highland, Kansas

Check their websites for events like a pow wow.  For a list of National Parks with Native American education, see my other blog http://www.lightningbuglodge.blogspot.com/

NPS #9: Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego History

If you are looking to combine history and nature, save a half day in your San Diego travel plan to visit the Cabrillo National Monument.  Operated by the National Park Service, the monument commemorates the landing of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542.  

It's a great way to teach kids about exploration to the New World.  Cabrillo National Monument will tell stories of the 16th century exploration.  Born in Spain, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a conquistador, a Spanish soldier who explored and settled in the New World.  Cabrillo explored in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico.  He left Mexico on June 27th, 1542 with three ships and landed in what is now the West Coast of the United States.  The Kuneyaay Indians who lived in the southern border of the United States greeted Cabrillo.

Not far from the visitor center and parking lot, you will find the Old Point Loma Lighthouse and Cabrillo statue overlooking the harbor and ocean.  To keep focused on the history and nature, I've written a separate article about the lighthouse.  Standing at 422 feet above water views, you'll want your camera to capture
the breathtaking views.  If you visit during whale migration season (December through March), use your id to borrow binoculars from the visitor center.  You might see 30 to 50 foot long gray whales.  Peak time to see the whales is mid-January.

We kept hiking past the monument to the Bayside Trail.  Only a two mile hike and relatively easy (note some stairs and rock hopping), the website claims you can accomplish in an hour.  However, we took our time to enjoy the beauty of the plants and crashing waves against the rocks.  Also, you can explore more about the area history.  Since the Point Loma peninsula forms a natural protective barrier to San Diego Bay, this was an important military location.  It served as a military reserve in 1852 and Fort Rosecrans protected during the World Wars.  Within the park, you can find structures from the military past including base-end stations, fire control stations, searchlight stations, and radio station.

Interested in short video clip of crashing waves at the park or view from flight departing San Diego?  Visit my YouTube pagehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPe_8GnvSvwxgjoNHEzwfWQ/videos 

If I could repeat the visit, I would have allocated more time.  I visited in February and it would have been the right time to see the tidepools.  Late fall and winter are the best times to visit the tidepools.  It's only a one mile hike.  Go two hours before low tide times.  Check the NPS website for tide charts.  The depressions in the rocks along the coastline capture animals during low tide (when water recedes) which would create a great nature exploration for kids.  Make sure they wear shoes that won't easily slip on the wet rocks.

If I could choose anytime to visit, I would time the visit to the Cabrillo Festival in September.  It's a free festival with cultural music and dancing, food from Mexico, Portugal, and Spain, and Kumeyaay baskets and other crafts.  I'd time arrive in time for the 1PM re-enactment of Cabrillo's landing on Ballast Point.  If you want to help support, buy tickets (approximately $30) for the evening social reception.

The National Park Service brings history alive.  If you are interested in another way to teach your kids through travel about early Spanish explorers, visit my article on the DeSoto National Memorial.

Business Lesson #2: Moon Marble Company and three Marble Events

The English proudly claim The British and World Marbles Championship has been held at Finsley Green, West Sussex, England every year since 1932.  However, Americans can claim the National Marbles Tournament founded in 1922 and held in Wildwood, New Jersey.  It gives kids an opportunity for a scholarship, competing against other kids age 7-14 who have won a local championship.  If you don't compete, you may still want to visit and witness a game or two.  The event holds over 1,200 games over four days.

Learn a few of the terms before you arrive:
- "knuckle down" means the position adopted at the start line with his or her knuckles against the ground
-"keepsies" the player keeps all the marbles he or she wins
-"quitsies" allows any opponent to stop the game without consequences, if quitsies are allowed
Plus marbles have different names depending opon the marble size:  Peewee (under 1/2"), Shooter (3/4"), Targets, Duckies, or Alleys (5/8"), Boulder (1"), Jumbo (1 3/8"), Super Jumbo (1 5/8"), Toebreakers (2"), Grandfather (billiard ball or tennis ball size)
If you plan to compete, you'll need your Shooter.  It's the only size accepted in U.S. tournaments.

I spent hours playing with marbles, watching them move down the wooden run in my grandparent's house.  A form of kinetic art, the marble run or rolling ball sculpture, can mesmerize you. Kids don't play with marbles as often these days which makes it understandable why it's difficult to find a marble plant tour.  The United States had two factories, Jabo Vitro in Reno, Ohio and Marble King in Paden City, West Virginia.  Despite Ohio's fame as the marble-producing capital of the world, Jabo Vitro shut down.  Marble King as featured on The Travel Channel's Made in America and Discovery Channel's Some Assembly Required does not offer factory tours.  However, you can see hand made marble creation at a small toy shop in a small town called Bonner Springs, Kansas.  Moon Marble Company is located less than 30 miles from Kansas City.  We took a seat in the bleachers and watched the glass art demonstration.  If you plan for the right timing, you can see over 25 artists at Moon Marble Company.  The company hosts "Marble Crazy" event with free admission.  Here's three other marble events to consider:
1.  Badger Marble Show:  October, Madison, Wisconsin, show presenters exhibit marbles in their rooms Friday and Saturday prior to the show, free admission
2.  Des Moines Marble Show:  First Saturday in June, Des Moines, Iowa, six day event with in-room trading, free admission
3.  Humboldt Marble Weekend:  February, Eureka, California, visit artists, see glass blowing demonstrations, participate in a marble hunt, and attend the Bella Vita Fire Dance (dance entry requires a minimum $20 dollar donation to charity)

Business Lesson #1: Jelly Belly WI tour and 10 other Candy Factory Tours

What kid doesn't love candy?  Show him or her how it is made by taking a factory tour.  The Jelly Belly company offers tours at two locations - Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin and Fairfield, California.  I've taken my kids to both locations.  I usually highly recommend factory tours.  In this case, I'd like to give warning that the Wisconsin location is mostly a trolly tour around a warehouse.  You don't see major production lines.  The trolley stops at stations with video screens explaining the process of making taffy, gummies and the famous jelly beans.  The most action we saw was a small area of employees assembling shipments for online sales.

At the time, the tour ended at the shop which made it worth the visit.  However, please check their website for status of the shop.  Laura Sutherland, author of Amazing Places to Take Your Kids, also highlights the store as most exciting, "The Jelly Belly tasting bar is definitely the highlight of this sweet-smelling, family-oriented factory tour, which offers visitors samples of many of the 100 candies the Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin, company makes, including a wide variety of Jelly Bellies."  The tasting does give you an opportunity to try new flavors you might not normally gravitate towards.  I think they know their pre-teen and teen audience think the bad smelling flavors (rotten egg, dirt, earthworm, stinky socks, lawn clippings, moldy cheese) or mystery flavors are hilarious.  I'll stick to the fruit flavors like pear, coconut, cherry, and pineapple and sometimes search for buttered popcorn.  Another bonus in-store was the discounted bags of Belly Flops.  The misshapen jelly beans tasted just as good to me.

I've also visited The Hershey Company, Jelly Belly Candy Company in California, and Long Grove Confectionery Co.  These companies made the Fodor's Travel Top 10 Candy Tours list.  The article by Kristine Hansen gives you more tours to consider:
1.  Jelly Belly Candy Company:  Fairfield, CA, self-guided free tours
2.  The Hershey Company:  Hershey, Pennsylvania, free tours
3.  Long Grove Confectionery Co.:  Long Grove, IL, tour by appointment
4.  Hammond's Candies:  Denver, Colorado, free tour
5.  Pez Candy:  Orange, Connecticut, $5 self-guided tour
6.  Raaka Chocolate:  Brooklyn, NY, book a tasting tour or chocolate-making class
7.  Theo Chocolate:  Seattle, Washington, weekday tours
8.  Kimmie Candy (Sunbursts):  Reno, NY, weekday tours by appointment
9.  Sweet Candy Company:  Salt Lake City, Utah, free weekday tours
10.  Spangler (Dum Dum, Smarties):  Bryan, Ohio, trolley tour

Thinking Global in the USA #4: Jungle Jim's International Market - Fairfield, Ohio

Jungle Jim's Entry, Photo by Krenda

How can a grocery store provide an international experience?  If you visit Jungle Jim's grocery store in Fairfield, Ohio, you take your mind to 75 countries through food.  While living in Ohio, this store provided both education and entertainment.  When we had visitors, it was a must stop attraction with no entrance fee and lots of wonder.

Let's start with the numbers.  This place has scale, spanning seven acres.  Even the food inside has scale.  Just visit the 781-pound block of cheese.  If you like variety like me, you can explore to your hearts desire with 180,000 items and 60,000 International items.  Certain sections seem disproportionately big including the wine section (15,000 different wines -one of the largest collections in the United States), beer section (4,000 beers), cheese (1,400), and honey (140 types).  It takes 700 employees to operate this business.

You'll have to choose the store entrance.  The one closer to the parking lot entrance, across from the garden center, is relatively plain (for Jungle Jim's) with the NASCAR racing car and animatronic corn and butter inside.  Keep walking to see the talking Campbell's soup can.  I usually drive further to the main entrance.  I like to take a moment and enjoy the sounds of a waterfall and jungle calls when entering the grocery store.  I may snap some photos of the fiberglass giraffes, gorillas, pelicans, and elephants.  Past the wine and bakery section, I also stop to wait for the animatronic Lion dressed as Elvis and will sing you a song every five minutes. 

Fruits and vegetables acts as my favorite section.  The naturally colorful section entices me to try something new.  Although others have warned me to stay away from the durian.  I also like to look up at this point to see the "Cereal Band" play in a 55-foot boat between the fruit and seafood section. 

Keep walking towards the seafood live tanks and non-perishable international sections, clearly labeled.  Every corner of the store has delight, look up and you'll find a Robin Hood like scene with a horse and giant tree.  The Europe section has delightful facades representing each country.  The tiny theater with a video about the store origin is a must visit nook.  The message of the owner Jim and his determination is one you want your kids to hear.  He talks about starting as a farmers market worker to finding land and convincing local authorities in 1975 to give him a permit for a fruit and vegetable market.  His message rings loud and clear to follow your dreams.

Jungle Jim just kept expanding.  There's an event center and strip mall in the same lot.  My company had an outing to the store because it has a cooking school.  As a team building event, we made apricot stuffed dates.  So delicious and I conveniently ended at a location that takes my mind everywhere just by shopping.

If you or your kids need a restroom, don't let the Rumpke portable toilet facade fool you.  Open the door to modern, award winning bathrooms.  Jungle Jim not only exhibits determination and creativity, he has a sense of humor too.

NPS #8: Adams National Historical Park

Where can you teach your children about two Presidents at the same time?  Take your kids to the Adams National Historical Park in Massachusetts.  Part of the National Park Service, this historical site is located 10 miles south of Boston in Quincy, MA.  You can enter the buildings only through a guided tour, so go to the Visitor Center (1250 Hancock Street) early.  Tours are based upon on a first come, first serve basis between May 18 and Nov. 10th.  First tour begins 9:15AM and last tour leaves at 3:15PM.  No big bags or backpacks allowed.  The visitor center also provides an approximately 30 min. orientation film Enduring Legacy:  Four Generations of the Adams Family.  Allow up to three hours for the tour.

 The first tour stop takes you to two homes declared a National Historic Landmark: 1) John Adams Birthplace, and 2) John Quincy Adams Birthplace.  You will learn the history of our 2nd U.S. President and 6th U.S. President.  The stories are full of love and patriotism.  After marrying Abigail Smith, John Adams settled the family in a house less than 75 yards away from his birthplace.  You'll see where Abigail wrote John letters and the fireplace where her son John Quincy helped make musket balls for the war.  You can imagine Abigail and her son watching the battle on Breeds Hill from another nearby hill.  John Adams served as a leader in the American Revolution, assisted in the Declaration of Independence, served two terms and Vice President, and elected President.  His son John Quincy joined John Adams in Europe and John Quincy learned seven languages.  Both John and his son began practicing law and served as U.S. Presidents.

Stone Library   Photo by Krenda Frushour

   You'll board the trolley again to transport to the next Adams family home.  The Old House or Peacefield has a Georgian-style estate.  The Adams family made numerous additions over the 140 years.  My favorite were the English-style garden and the Stone Library.  John Adams constructed the garden and pond.  The grounds still hold a yellowood and black walnut that John Adams planted.  John Quincy Adam's son Charles Francis Adams, an ambassador to the Great Britain during the Civil War, added the library, greenhouse, and carriage house.  The library is stunning and holds 14,000 historic volumes and believed to be the first presidential library. It also served as the location for Charle's sons Henry and Brook Adams to serve as historians and write.  We visited on a beautiful day in which bright flowers bloomed, the sun shined, and we ended the tour on the vine covered porch.

Peacefield or Old House