The National Park Service is working to make all parks safe for visitors and has made adjustments for guests visiting Yosemite this summer. In lieu of camping cancellations, visitors will now need to reserve park tickets to enter.
Each day 1,700 day-use park passes will be made available via online reservation for entry Jun. 11 through Oct. 31. Reservations will be required, with only one needed per vehicle and all occupants for $33 per car.
Reservations go on sale at 7 a.m. PST daily 48 hours in advance and on July 1st, August 1st, and September 1st for one month in advance. So, tickets for entry Aug. 1-31 will be available starting Jul. 1.
In order to gain access, all visitors must arrive on the day reserved between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. Day use access will be good for seven consecutive days after, including the day of arrival.
Annual or lifetime pass holders can use their passes as the entrance fee, plus a non-refundable $2 reservation fee. Eligible passes include Yosemite National Park Annual Pass, Interagency Annual Pass, Interagency Senior Pass, Interagency Access Pass, Interagency Volunteer Pass, Interagency Military Pass, Interagency 4th Grade Pass, Golden Age, Golden Access.
If you have an overnight reservation in the park, no day use reservation is needed. However, all visitors will need to show their permit reservation conformation at the entrance station.
Gather up all of those little astronauts in training. Students from across the nation will have an opportunity to ask questions of the NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The special Earth-to-space call will air live at 1:10 p.m. ET on Fri., Jun. 19 on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
NASA astronauts Robert Behnken, Christopher Cassidy and Douglas Hurley will answer questions recorded by K-12 students from the Challenger Center’s national network of learning centers. Challenger Center provides more than 250,000 students annually with experiential STEM education programs. Challenger Center President and CEO Lance Bush will give opening remarks via a pre-recorded video. The student question-and-answer session will be the first of its kind with astronauts who arrived at the station on a commercially owned and operated spacecraft.
Cassidy launched to the space station Apr. 9 and currently serves as the commander of Expedition 63. On May 30, Behnken and Hurley became the first NASA astronauts to launch to the station aboard a commercial spacecraft and rocket, lifting off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket as part of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission. Behnken and Hurley joined the Expedition 63 crew after their Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, arrived at the station May 31.
Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides unique, authentic experiences designed to enhance student learning, performance and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Astronauts living in space on the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through the Space Network’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS).
For nearly 20 years, astronauts have been continuously living and working on the space station, testing technologies, performing science and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Through NASA’s Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon by 2024, with eventual human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.
If you’re having way too much fun during a rousing game of cards to cool off in the pool, now you can do both! The Swimline Game Station Set is a must for your summer soiree.
The inflatable comes with two inflatable swing seats with drink holders, game table and waterproof cards for fabulous fun. There’s even an option to attach the table to the chairs, for steady float fun!
The included waterproof cards are a standard set, and the game table top is made from the same inflatable material that pulls tight when everything is blown up. You can snag your own set on Amazon for $49.98. There’s also a floating blackjack table for $32.99 and a magnetic multi-game set for $59.99.
Kids screams of delight at the sight of a fire engine tearing down the street can give the fire sirens a run for their money! And sometimes you would love to take a morning to get your kids up close and personal to one of these urban wonders on a non-emergency basis. Luckily, Los Angeles is chock-full of firefighting museums that will stoke the flames of your child’s interest. Pick one that suits your family, and spend a superfun day learning about the heroes who protect our city from fire, smoke and so much more.
Los Angeles Fire Department Museum & Memorial
If you only visit one fire museum in Los Angeles, let it be the Los Angeles City Fire Department Museum and Memorial in the heart of Hollywood. The biggest station west of the Mississippi when it was opened in 1930, Old Fire Station 27 has been turned into an absolute showpiece for the department. A great collection of old-time trucks, the Fallen Firefighters Memorial, a fire safety education facility, room after room of memorabilia and vintage equipment, a children’s play area and a lovely little gift shop make this the premiere fire museum in town.
Open every Sat. and staffed by retired LAFD volunteers, each little firefighter gets a fire hat and a warm welcome from an old-timer. Admission is free, but tourists are encouraged to sign the guest book and consider a $5 donation to support the museum’s work. Kids can play and explore here all day, and parents enjoy the vintage details in the building’s architecture (the bathrooms are gorgeous!) and the views of Hollywood from the second-floor windows. If you have the time, do pop into the current Hollywood Fire Station next door, where firefighters who aren’t out fighting fires are happy to give kids a tour and let them sit in the real trucks.
Hours: Sat, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cost: Free but a $5 donation is suggested
Long Beach Fire Museum
The Long Beach Fire Museum is a total hidden gem! Staffed by retired LBFD firefighters and local history aficionados who do all their own maintenance and upkeep on the vintage fire trucks, the Long Beach Fire Museum is absolutely worth the trip. Located near the Little Cambodia neighborhood of Long Beach, the LBFM has a veritable catalog of great old fire vehicles, including one built from a Model T and a vintage hose truck donated by TV legend Larry Hagman. You and your kids can chat with some wonderful old-timers and if you show up on the right day, they might even take you out for a spin in one of the fire engines.
The museum doesn’t have a dedicated sign, but look for the currently in-use Long Beach Fire Station 10; the museum is housed in the neighboring building with Engine 10 inscribed above the door. Parking is available in the small lot to the right of the building, and if that’s full, there are usually spots on the street.
Hours: Second Sat. of the month, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (Visitors may also drop by the museum on Wed. from 7:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m. when volunteers assemble to do maintenance on the trucks.) Cost: Free
Los Angeles Harbor Fire Museum
San Pedro and Wilmington’s fire history is on display for the public to enjoy inside “Old Fire Station 36,” located within San Pedro’s old city hall, across from the famous Ports O’ Call Village. Trucks from the 1920s are the highlight of the collection, as well as several displays highlighting the special problem of firefighting on the water, including marine firefighting equipment, old-fashioned scuba gear and information about the historically significant Ralph J. Scott fireboat, which is on display two blocks away on the waterfront at working Fire Station 112. Yep, you’ll be wanting to walk down and check that out, too.
Hours: Sat. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Cost: Free but donations appreciated
African American Firefighter Museum
Located kitty-corner from the Streamline Moderne Coca-Cola Building, this museum is a monument to the history of civil rights in Los Angeles as much as a fire museum suited for siren-crazy kids. They have one vintage truck downstairs, and the exhibits upstairs document notable African-American firefighters in Los Angeles. This smaller museum is a great stop during a visit to downtown LA.
Note to parents building up their dress-up collections: Most fire museums have red plastic fire hats on hand for little visitors, but the AAFM hands out black fire hats to kiddos who stop by.
Hours: Tues. & Thurs., 10 a.m.–2 p.m.; Sun. 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Cost: Free but donations are appreciated
2nd Saturday Los Angeles County Fire Museum
Not to be outdone by the fire museums of Los Angeles city, the county fire department also has a dedicated fire museum. Open to visitors once each month, the museum is located in southeast Los Angeles county near the intersection of the 605 and the 91. The Bellflower location is known as the museum’s main “showroom,” but there is a huge archive of trucks located off-site in a Southgate warehouse, as well as a engine from 1941 parked at the Artesia Historical District’s Old Fire Station 30. For most parents, the highlights of the museum’s collection are the “Squad 51” and “Engine 51” vehicles from the 1970s NBC series Emergency!
Old Plaza Firehouse
Next time you’re downtown enjoying the sights and sounds of Olvera Street, be sure to step inside the Old Plaza Firehouse to see what life was like in a Los Angeles firehouse over 100 years ago. This charmingly restored attraction is California Historical Landmark No. 730. The one-room museum includes the original stalls for the fire horses, an ancient horse-drawn fire engine and a collection of vintage fire hats. Definitely a photo-op spot.
L.A.’s Annual Fire Service Day
Don’t forget that the second Saturday in May is always Fire Service Day in Los Angeles. Most fire departments organize station open houses where you can chat with local firefighters, see equipment and trucks, and even enjoy a pancake breakfast. Check in with Los Angeles Fire Department and other local departments on their social media channels for updates in the spring.
The one thing most moms really want this Mother’s Day? Just. One. Day. Off. The one thing most grandmas really, really want? Time with the grandkids. Unfortunately, neither of those is an option for most families these days. So instead, we’ve done our best to bring you gifts that are both useful and unique. From a watercolor kit to a frame-worthy puzzle, here are seven Mother’s Day gifts that support LA’s small business community, while making mom feel extra special.
Now's the perfect time for moms to take up a new hobby, courtesy of Makers Mess (which offers kids parties, camps and more during non-Covid times). In addition to the Watercolor Kit, pictured, there's also a Macrame Kit, Embroidery Kit and Mini Weaving Kit—just to name a few. With the Watercolor Kit, you can also get $10 off Makers Mess pre-recorded watercolor workshop.
Speaking of new hobbies, propagating plants, anyone? (Plants that propagate grow roots from their cuttings in water.) This 10 in. birch log from Valley Village's Greenwood has seven glass tubes for your clippings. Check out the shop's Instagram stories for more plants and gifts available for pick up or delivery.
Discovered on Unique Markets virtual Mother's Day Marketplace, LA-based Inner Piece's grown-up puzzles are the soothing escape what we all need right now. Once completed, this 500-piece puzzle is its own 18x18 work of art.
SHOP NOW:Inner Piece Puzzle, $30 (use discount code UNIQUE for 15 percent off); free shipping on orders over $50
Another Unique Markets find, these sweet shortbread cookies are handmade and packaged in LA. Each treat, 16 in total, is individually hand-wrapped and they come in a gorgeous floral box.
Score the bloom of all blooms Rose Lane Farms, an heirloom rose-cutting farm hidden in North Hollywood. Send a DM via Instagram to arrange for a pick-up order.
Take Mom to France, by way of Los Angeles, with the Saint-Martin candle by LA-based candlemaker Mar Mar. The scent is warm and woodsy, but still subtly crisp, like a night in Paris. Like all of Mar Mar's candles, this one is poured by Light for Life, an organization that creates jobs for adults with disabilities.
Get same-day delivery via Postmates on all the trinkets, baubles, books and more from gift shop Yolk. Perfect for mom during this time of nonstop hand washing: subtly scented soap and hand cream from Compagnie de Provence.
If your baby shower guests are crafty types, these fun projects will help them to get creative—and give mom useful, one-of-a-kind keepsakes that remind her of family and friends. Here are 10 DIY craft ideas for a memorable shower and a happy new mama!
New moms need lots of hangers for all of those cute, tiny baby clothes. Set up an art station and let your guests paint wooden hangers or wrap them with fabric, yarn or washi tape, whatever you think they'll enjoy. Your guests get a fun, creative activity, and the mom-to-be goes home with a practical gift. Win-win!
This simple, four-step DIY gives guests creative freedom in how they decorate a onesie. All it takes to make them is colored onesies (Carter's, Target and Walmart always have these in stock), freezer paper and bleach pens. The creator of this too-cute DIY, blogger Liz Stanley from the Say Yes blog, suggests that you either give onesies to guests in advance with a request to decorate it prior to the party, or that you turn it into a party activity. Visit Say Yes for the full step-by-step.
A baby girl can never have too many hair bows, and this craft station will help the mama-to-be get a good start. With a mix of supplies, including elastic, ribbon, buttons, a glue gun and a few other easy-to-get items, you'll have your very own bow-making station. Find out if the expectant mom has any preferences of color or style, and then let the bow-makers go to work. If a baby boy is on the way, switch out the hair bow-making station for a bow tie creation booth. Get more inspiration on Positively Oakes.
A is for apple, B is for ball. Task shower guests with decorating 26 pages for every letter in the alphabet to create a one-of-a-kind ABC book for baby. Lay out lettered pages on a table along with markers, colored pencils, stamps and stencils. Inviting more than 26 guests? Add numbers zero through nine to the book so every guest has their own page. See the ABC book inspiration at A Girl and Glue Gun.
In the early months, babies can go through 10-12 diapers a day. Help the parents-to-be prepare for this task by decorating diapers for them. From much-needed encouragement ("You can do it! One diaper closer to potty training!") to funny phrases ("I've got a surprise for you in my diaper..."), these diapers will add some fun to a task that isn't always pleasant. Have lots of diapers on hand so guests can do more than one. Find out more about how to set up your own diaper decorating station on the Driven by Decor Blog.
Babies go through lots of burp cloths, so help Mom and Dad out by filling up their supply. This fun craft project allows each guest to create a totally unique burp cloth, whether it's adorned with a design, a quote, a message, etc. As the host, you can go all out by providing all kinds of decorating materials, like fabric markers, fringe to glue on and more. Get more ideas from A Plus Life Blog.
The gals at Canary Street Crafts designed this sweet idea: Every guest decorates a page and include all of the pages within this collage-style frame. What makes it even more fun and special is that each guest writes a note to the baby on the back of the page, so he or she will know who made each one. You can find frames like these at Target, Hobby Lobby and most other craft stores. If you can get intel on the nursery color scheme in advance, you can pick out a frame that matches (or spray-paint the frame a complementary color). Get the scoop on this idea at Canary Street Crafts.
Get guests in a festive mood with a onesie painting station inspired by Victoria of A Subtle Revelry. Guests can create something fun for the baby to wear (and we all know babies go through so many onesies, you can never really have enough!). With a variety of supplies, materials and colors for the paint and bodysuits, it will be a blast for guests to put on their fashion designer caps. Helpful tip from Victoria: "Be sure to provide a hanging rack and hangers to allow the onesies to dry and the mom-to-be to thumb through them ohhing and ahhing over her favorites." Get the full tutorial at A Subtle Revelry.
Record those dreams, well-wishes and hopes for Mom and baby by giving each guest a sheet of wishes, and then bind the pages together in a keepsake book. To help the book last through years of wear, tear, drool and potential ripping, laminate each page, then bind it or use a three-hole-punch to put it in a binder. You can offer your guests blank pages or, like Courtney from A Plus Life blog did, give guests a page with prompts, like "I hope you become __________," for guests to fill in the blank. See more on the book of well wishes from A Plus Life.
Another great decorating station to incorporate into a baby shower? Bib customizing! Ashley from Hither and Tither says this was the perfect activity for a co-ed baby shower. She describes the bib decorating station as a "great activity that was low-key, low-embarrassment and a lot of fun." Guests will love showing off their final product.
If you thought Stormi Webster’s 1st birthday was extravagant, welcome to the sequel. Kylie Jenner teased the party in December 2019 when she tweeted that it was going to be “insane.” On Saturday, Jenner gave her fans a sneak peek of the festivities when she shared photos and videos on her Instagram story.
Jenner was also joined at the celebration by Stormi’s dad, Travis Scott.
“StormiWorld 2” did not disappoint. The entrance to the party was comprised of a giant head made to look like Stormi inspired by Scott’s 2018 “Astroworld” album cover. The party was so large, guests needed guidebooks, mapping out the various attractions and where to find them.
A “Frozen” room featured Elsa, and ice sculpture of Olaf, a craft station, a bounce house, and furniture made from ice. The “Trolls” room had rainbow decor and characters from the movie. Finally, the largest room was dedicated to Stormi herself. It had a giant slide, a ball pit shaped like an “S”, and dancers on stilts.
Jenner captioned one of her posts, “Such a blessing to be able to create these magical experiences for my baby. StormiWorld!!!! ⚡️🌎 thank you God.”
Guests included Hailey Bieber, Rosalía, Chrissy Teigen, and John Legend. Attendees could stay entertained with a claw machine game, a photo booth, and a tie-dye station or by riding “Crazy Dumbos” inspired by the Disney elephant.
Guests sang Happy Birthday to the two-year-old around a Stormi World cake surrounded by sweets. As the theme of the party stated, “2 is better than 1!”
Forget about the classic televised Yule Log fireplace. This year Disney+ has an alternative that will warm even the coolest Frozen 2 fan!
The Arendelle Castle Yule Log is a play on the iconic old school TV station. Instead of just any fireplace, Disney+ allows subscribers to stream a faux fire from inside Anna and Elsa’s Arendelle Castle.
How can you get this Christmas-y treat? The Arendelle Castle Yule Log is only available to Disney+ customers. If you don’t already have this subscription service, which includes tons of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic titles, you can sign up here.
Disney+ is currently available for $6.99/month. If you’re not completely sure about the streaming service, even though your kiddos are already all-in, you can score a free seven-day trial right now.
No trip to New York City is complete without a visit to Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. (It’s frequently erroneously called “Grand Central Station,” but that’s not accurate, as it’s the end of the lines, i.e., where they terminate.) And while most New Yorkers pass through this landmark at some point or another simply due to daily life—it’s a fully-functioning train station for both the NYC subway and Metro North commuter lines—it’s worth making a special trip to explore and enjoy this NYC icon with kids. Be prepared, and read our guide to visiting Grand Central Terminal with kids!
It might be hard to believe, but there was a time when the magnificent Grand Central Terminal was almost torn down! (And, when its condition was not quite its current splendor.)
The existing structure was built in 1913, and by 1954 Grand Central's owner New York Central was proposing it be torn down and replaced by an office building. That didn't come to pass, and in 1967 it was granted landmark status. However, a couple decades of neglect left the terminal in disrepair. Following the demolition of the Beaux Arts structure Penn Station (an act now recognized as a tragic occurrence) in 1978 Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis and architect Philip Johnson formed the Committee to Save Grand Central Station, and a court ruling prevented the building from being demolished thanks to landmark protections.
The '80s and early '90s brought millions of dollars in restoration funds, which improved the terminal both structurally and aesthetically. Now, Grand Central Terminal not only serves as an active transportation hub, it is host to special events, shops and restaurants both formal and casual. Here are our favorite things to see and do at Grand Central Terminal with kids.
An icon within an icon, this clock sits atop the information booth in the center of the terminals grand concourse. In addition to being a perfect meeting spot, with four opal faces, it's estimated to be worth about $10 million.
Soaring, vaulted, and gorgeous, Grand Central's ceiling features a depiction of the sky, complete with lit stars and constellations. It famously has one small dark spot in the northwest corner, a single patch left untouched from the ceiling's restoration. What is it? Remnants from decades of people smoking in the concourse. (Gross!)
The image of the sky is also reversed, a point of embarrassment for its creators; a convenient cover was crafted—this was actually the view of the universe from above, or "god's view."
Located on the dining concourse level of Grand Central Terminal just outside the famed Oyster Bar & Restaurant, The Whispering Gallery is an architectural feature that would be right a home in a spy novel or romance story, enabling someone to hear a whisper from all the way across the bustling passageway. (It is famously lined with Guastavino tile.) To experience the phenomenon in action, one person should stand facing one corner of the space, while another stands facing the opposite diagonal corner. When one person speaks in a normal tone, they can be heard by the other with no problem at all. Of course, this makes The Whispering Gallery a popular place for marriage proposals, but you could also employ it to tell someone they’re going to Disneyland or getting that new scooter they’ve been eyeing.
For any train-crazed kid, the New York City Transit Museum in downtown Brooklyn is a must-do, but the museum does, appropriately, operate an annex at Grand Central. Check out smaller exhibits here, as well as lots of cool train-related toys and goodies. During the holidays, the store becomes the site of the MTA's train show, which should not be missed. PS: it's free!
For another kid-friendly store, check out toy store Kidding Around.
Holiday Market
Grand Central Terminal
Another holiday tradition, the Grand Central Terminal holiday market showcases lots of gift-worthy goods from area vendors, and has the advantage of bering inside on those cold winter days.
If you need to know all the ins and outs of Grand Central, there are plenty of ways to learn more. Visitors can sign up for an audio tour produced by Orpheo ($12/adults; $10/kids and seniors), download an app for 4.99, or get a docent-led tour from a real person ($30/adults; $20 kids and seniors).
You won't go hungry at Grand Central Terminal, and can dine as high-end or casual as you want.
For quick bites, there's the Great Northern Food Hall from Chef Claus Meyer, which serves Nordic-inspired cuisines with the freshest of ingredients. (Don't miss the tiny greens growing on site!)
Downstairs, a bustling food hall is filled with local vendors such as Shake Shack, Chirping Chicken, Prova Pizzabar, Magnolia Bakery, Doughnut Plant (one of our favorites!), and more. This is also where you'll find the famous Grand Central Oyster Bar.
Approximately 250,000 people pass through Grand Central Terminal every day, which makes it a great place for events—such as when J.P. Morgan built a squash court inside for a tournament, seen above.
Build-A-Bear Workshop and iHeartMedia are teaming up! Build-A-Bear Radio, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, is now available on the free iHeartRadio app and on iHeartRadio Family.
The streaming station will feature all your child’s fave Build-A-Bear shows, such as “Build-A-Bear On Air with the Moseley’s” as well as fave pop songs from family-friendly artists and curated shows. So how can your kiddo listen to the streaming radio station?
Kids can tune in to Build-A-Bear Radio through the iHeartRadio app on your mobile phone, wearables, in your car and other compatible devices! Sharon Price John, president and CEO, Build-A-Bear Workshop, said in a press release, “The goal of Build-A-Bear Radio, as with Build-A-Bear Workshop, is to create a fun and safe place for families to have a great experience and for kids to be engaged and empowered.”
Price John also added, “iHeartRadio is the perfect platform for us to bring our popular family-friendly music and content on Build-A-Bear Radio to more families than ever before. With hit songs and original tunes offered in our sound chips that go inside furry friends, music has been a key part of the Build-A-Bear Workshop experience for many years.”
The CEO continued, “Our recent partnership with Warner Music Group’s Arts Music division and a publishing deal with Warner Chappell to create Build-A-Bear Records, a newly formed record label, positions us to take music and radio to the next level as we move to the iHeartRadio platform. The iHeartRadio deal and Warner Music and Warner Chappell deals were both put together through Foundation Media Partners.”
Stream Build-A-Bear Radio’s shows, stories and songs 24/7 via iHeartRadio on more than 250 platforms. Click here to download the iHeartRadio app now.
