Shhhhh… I’m going to let you in on a little secret. It’s a GOOD one that my friend turned me onto recently. The local libraries in the bay area (and maybe beyond?) offer free tickets to local museums and attractions. Places like the Academy of Sciences and the Discovery Museum. For free.
Right? I know!
The program is called Discover & Go and all you need is a library card. The selfish me didn’t want to tell you because the number of passes to some venues is limited. However the loudmouth me, as usual, won out. This is the same “me” that feels compelled to tell a stranger who compliments my shoes that I got them for a buck at Target when a simple “thanks” would do.
Moving on along, we tried the Discover & Go program today by downloading and cashing in a free admission to CuriOdyssey at Coyote Point. We’ve been to Coyote Point before and it’s a pretty awesome place even without entering CuriOdyssey. It’s a regional recreation area located on the water in San Mateo, not far from the airport. This is key because not only do you have panoramic views of the bay, but the kids get to see large airplanes down low as they go in for a landing. And then there’s the playground, which I’ll get to in a second, but first some tips:
Coyote Point Adventure Tips:
– Pack a lunch and make a day of it.
– Start with Magic Mountain playground and hit CuriOdyssey a little later to catch the animal show.
– Have lunch at a table away from the playground so kids actually eat rather than beg to play. Better yet, face the airport direction and you can watch the planes come in.
– Get an ice cream at the snack bar and stroll the path along the water.
– Head over to CuriOddyssey after lunch for a couple of hours.
– At CuriOddyssey don’t miss the animal show. Make sure to line up early to get passes. They are free with admission but they go quickly.
Ok, more detail on each spot within Coyote Point…
Magic Mountain Playground
This is a pretty awesome playground with something for all ages. There’s a huge castle structure with a giant slide as well as a bunch of smaller kid play things. Jack’s slide tip: Go down on your sweatshirt for a turbo boost.
CuriOddyssey
We spent a few hours here and that seemed like plenty of time to meander through things. There are some hands on science exhibits as well as native California animals. The focus on native animals was great to give the kids an idea of what’s around them in our state and what to look for on our next hike.
We learned a number of things today but my favorite? That, when diving for prey, the Peregrine Falcon is the fastest animal on the planet, reaching speeds of over 200mph. The cheetah? 75mph. AND they are local so maybe our next adventure will be Peregrine Falcon spotting.
The Info:
Coyote Point Recreation Area
1701 Coyote Point Dr, San Mateo, 94401
FEE: $6/car park entrance fee
Magic Mountain Playground at Coyote Point
FREE with park entrance
CuriOdyssey at Coyote Point
http://www.curiodyssey.org/
Admission: $4 for 2-12, $6 for 13-17 & seniors, $8 adults
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