The Big Bear Discovery Center is on the north side of Big Bear Lake and is a great place to stop and view informative displays, get questions answered, buy passes, use the restroom, etc. And kids love to get their picture taken with the bear statue.
Links: BBDC previous related post
Rhinos are a favorite attraction at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and they love to visit their favorite mud hole for a delightful mud bath.
Great views abound in Joshua Tree National Park. This spot is close to Inspiration Point.
One of the attractions at La Brea Tar Pits is the Observation Pit which gives visitors an idea of what scientists see before specimens are removed and cleaned up. The Observation Pit reopened in 2014 after being closed for 20 years.
Links: LBTP previous related post
The San Gorgonio Pass wind farm is one of three major wind farms in California, the other two being at Altamont Pass (near San Francisco) and at Tehachapi (near Bakersfield). Wikipedia says there were 3,218 wind turbines at San Gorgonio Pass in 2008, generating 615 MW of power. Currently there are over 13,000 wind turbines in our state. This pic was taken from the observation deck at the upper terminus of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
This bust of James Dean is in front of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on the right (west) side as you face the building. Both the interior and exterior of the Observatory were featured in his most famous movie, 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause, and was the first time a planetarium theater was used in a movie. The work is by artist Kenneth Kendall and a duplicate bust is in the James Dean Memorial Park in the actor’s hometown of Fairmount, Indiana. On a clear day you can take a picture of the statue with the Hollywood sign in the background.
Links: GO previous related post
This statue, which is outside the entrance to the Autry Museum of the America West in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, depicts the Pony Express ride carrying the news of President Abraham Lincoln’s election. The ride began in St. Joseph, Missouri and ended in Sacramento, California, and was the fastest ride in the history of the Pony Express. The artist is Douglas Van Howd.
Links: previous related post
Here’s another great Ricardo Breceda statue of a stagecoach and team of horses to brighten up your morning. This sculpture is located at Mr. Breceda’s “showroom” which is along Highway 79 near Vail Lake. Stop by and take a look at the many statues for sale and maybe take one home!
Links: previous related post previous related post Ricardo Breceda
The Big Bear Solar Observatory is operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Their newest solar telescope has a 1.6 meter clear aperture and is the largest aperture solar telescope in the world. Tours are offered from 2-3pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. I love the stark whiteness of the building against the blue and green of its surroundings.
Links: BBSO (tour info, webcams, latest images)
This beautiful teahouse was designed by architect Whitney Smith and built in 1966. The distinctive blue roof tiles were imported from Japan. The entire Japanese Garden section of Descanso Gardens (in La Canada Flintridge/Glendale) imparts a real feeling of tranquility .
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