Wow! I haven’t blogged since my recap of Jadyn’s first birthday. Well, she’s 14 months old now and always wants to be on the go, go go. So, what better way to be on the go than to explore our own backyard. And by backyard I mean San Francisco.

I’ve lived in the Bay Area my entire life and have only been to the California Academy of Sciences in elementary school. I haven’t found the time to explore it since its remodel––until now. Now that my little one is so eager to get outside and explore, the hubby and I figured taking her to the California Academy of Sciences would be a great way to accomplish two things: first, to see how Jadyn does with crowds and second, to see the fish!

California Academy of Sciences is located in the beautiful and historic Golden Gate Park and lucky for us it wasn’t raining today. The fountains were going full blast and families (and tourists) were enjoying the outside and having lovely picnics (note to self, go back during summertime). The museum is literally a two-minute walk from the Music Concourse parking garage (you go through the park and cross the street to get to the main entrance of the museum). When you get to the California Academy of Sciences, you can either stand in line to purchase tickets the traditional way, or use the kiosk. We used the kiosk and paid general admission ($35 per person) and Jadyn was of course free since she’s under two years old. The moment we stepped into the museum, Jadyn immediately squealed with excitement.

Jadyn absolutely loves fish. We discovered this during our Thanksgiving trip to Oregon when we went to a fish store to look at some for grandpa Larry’s fish tank. Ever since then, anytime Jadyn sees a fish she loses it. So we immediately headed to the aquarium. To get to the aquarium we had to wander through the natural history exhibits. Jadyn saw giraffes and giggled with glee. Same goes for the owls, tigers and other birds we walked past to get to the aquarium.

We hopped on the elevator down to the aquarium level and the excitement and joy on Jadyn’s face was incredibly contagious. She was kicking and laughing and smiling in her stroller the moment we stopped at the first fish tank. The Steinhart Aquarium is absolutely beautiful and features over 900 unique species. We saw rockfish, coral, jellyfish, guppies, starfish, sand dollars, crabs, stingrays and so many other aquatic life. We spent most of our time wandering the aquarium.

We wanted to see the rainforest and experience butterflies and birds flying around us, but the line was ridiculously long and Jadyn was due for a nap.

There’s also a planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences, but Jadyn is a bit young to really appreciate it.

All in all, this was a great first time in a large crowd for Jadyn. She wasn’t phased by anything or any other outbursts from other kids. She did so well that she walked out of the museum with a stuffed animal giraffe and seal, courtesy of daddy’s wallet, and then fell asleep in the car on the way home.

MOM HACKS/TIPS WHEN YOU GO:

• Restrooms are located on the main level featuring changing tables if necessary. There’s also a family restroom to make things a bit easier.
• Water stations throughout to refill those bottles.
• There’s a terrace restaurant and also a cafe featuring many different types of food (pizza, sushi, deli, grill, etc).
• Bring snacks. Easy to feed your little while on the go!
• Bring an extra jacket. While the museum is heated, San Francisco is notoriously cold, so be sure to dress in layers.
• For older kiddos, you can plan events or even take part in sleepovers.

Have you ever been to the California Academy of Sciences? I’d love to hear about your experience. Leave a comment below.