natural-habitat Archives

If you’ve found yourself approaching spring break without a plane ticket or weeklong camp, check out these fun ideas that don’t require a packed bag or long car ride. From horse rides to a yoga retreat, here are 12 activities guaranteed to bust spring break boredom.

photo: Oregon Beach Rides

1. Saddle up from some specially priced rides with Oregon Beach Rides. Kids ages six and up will enjoy this hour long trot along the sandy shores of Nehalem Bay. It’s $65/child and $75/adult, and be sure to call ahead before you drive out.

2. Get your art on and have a colorful spring break at Spark Art Center. From March 23-26, kids in grades K-5 can create kaleidoscopes, make tie-dye t-shirts and explore the world of explosive colors. Camp is $175 for the week and registration is required, so remember book online. They also have drop-in Pre-School Messy Art Monday through Friday for kids ages 2-6 for just $7.

3. Rain or shine, playing at The Craft Factory will bring a smile to your kid’s face. From March 23-25, they’re extending their hours to 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and budding artists can make anything from butterflies to robots from any supplies on hand for $12. Also, on March 27, there’s a free story time at 10:30 a.m., which features a $5 ornamental craft.

4. Get those legs moving with a spin around the Oaks Park Skating Rink. At $6.25/person (skates are $1.75 extra), kids of all ages can get rolling.

photo: Honey Heart Yoga

5. Stretch those minds and bodies with Honey Heart’s Spring Break Yoga Retreat for kids 6-11 at Yoga Shala. The retreat runs March 23-27 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and incorporates learning yoga principles and techniques through games, stories and songs. It’s $200 for the week.

6. Kids can go see what it was like to live 100 years ago with Stumptown’s version of Downton Abbey, the Pittock Mansion. For $25/member; $35/non-members for a half-day camp, young ladies and gents, ages 8-12 will get to go back in time for an interactive, hands-on experience. Preregistration and prepayment is required for this popular day camp.

7. Go on a Honeybee Hike nature walk and discover what’s blooming around the bees at the Leach Botanical Gardens. Little buzzers ages 2-5 must be accompanied by an adult ($3 per walking child, adults and non-walkers are free), but be sure to check the site before you leave the house! The March 25th walk may be cancelled due to inclement weather.

8. Join Mimosa Studios for a fun time painting pottery while school is out. They will have party favors for each child, and a daily drawing of cool art supplies. Call ahead to make a reservation.

9. Cook up a storm in The Merry Kitchen with Julie Merry. During Spring Break, she hosts two-day baking camps that kids ages 8-12 will love. Classes are $75, and fill up fast, so remember to reserve your spot here.

photo: © Michael Hatten

10. Stop and smell the flowers at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn going on March 20th-May 3rd. Walk around 40+ acres of sweet tulips and daffodils, play in the kids’ play area with games, slides and bouncy houses and eat yummy food. It’s $20/car, so bring some friends along for the ride. Other activities may require a fee.

11. Play in the forest! Tryon Creek plays host to half-day camps for kids 4 years through Kindergarten and full-day damps for kids in grades 1-5 on March 24-26th.

12. Touch, see, smell and explore the refuge from March 22-25, 1-3 p.m. Discover wildlife in its natural habitat at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge with hands-on, free kids’ activities. Meet at the Wildlife Center.

What do you have planned for this Spring Break? Let us know in the Comments below!

—Suzie Ridgway

Parents often go out of their way to plan grandiose family trips with all the bells and whistles; but sometimes it’s the simplest, impromptu outings that create the fondest memories. Such is the case with a low-key trip to Malibu Lagoon State Beach, which promises to be a relaxing retreat into nature that the whole family will enjoy. This majestic backdrop offers the opportunity to ditch the lines and the admission fees at the local aquarium, and to observe and appreciate sea life in its natural habitat. In the tide pool, kids can discover plenty of crabs as they scamper by right next to their toes, or ooh and ahh over the bright orange hue of a real live sea star. Plus, there’s 22 acres of wetlands where you can spot an abundance of bird species who call the lagoon home.

Getting There & Parking: Malibu Lagoon State Beach is located at 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265. Look for the entrance for parking and the nature area at Cross Creek Road off the Pacific Coast Highway. This is directly across from the famed Malibu Country Mart, where you can pick up a picnic to go (see below). The state beach parking lot is located on the west side of the Malibu Creek Bridge. Parking costs $12. Be sure to pay the fee, as the area is heavily patrolled!

Picnic to Go: En route to the beach, stop and pick up food at John’s Garden at the Malibu Country Mart. They offer an extensive sandwich and salad menu, as well as smoothies, milk shakes and snacks that are all easy to tote on the go. While you wait for your food to be prepared, the kiddos can blow off some steam from the drive at the fun playground located just outside the order pick-up window.

Parking 411:After you park, you’ll have a beautifully scenic, yet somewhat lengthy stroll along a wildflower lined dirt path to the beach — so be mindful of how much you need to lug with you to set up shop.

Fun in the tide pool: A tide pool offers an adventurous departure from a smooth sandy shore. Swap out the lounging and building of sand castles for the fun of exploring! At Malibu Lagoon State Beach, you’ll find a rocky, shallow pool of water that’s teeming with ocean life peeking out from the crevices and creeping among the rocks. Expect to see black crabs scurrying by and perhaps a starfish or two basking in its natural habitat. Bring your camera because there will be many photo-worthy moments of your kids’ delight in this amazing backdrop.

Tide Pool Exploration Tip: Outfit your kiddos in water shoes because they’ll be climbing around in rocky terrain, and you’ll want to protect their fragile tootsies from sharp edges and maybe even a crab’s claw or two.

Surf’s Up: This setting is also a great place to watch surfers hang ten, as it is home to Surfrider Beach, a world-famous locale that’s a popular destination for catching waves, and one of the birthplaces of SoCal surfing culture.

Bird’s Eye View: Malibu Lagoon is an amazing place to go bird watching. Here you’ll find a large assortment of birds to behold. For a glimpse at some of the beautiful feathered creatures, you may be lucky enough to spy, visit this page of the Santa Monica Bay Audobon Society’s website. Don’t forget to pack binoculars for your little bird watchers in training!

Online: parks.ca.gov/malibulagoon

—Beth Shea

All photos courtesy of Beth Shea

ML Interest Tag: natural-habitat

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