Discovery Science Center

The Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana is about 35 miles south of Los Angeles on the 5 and well worth the trip for the kids.

It is small enough that it isn't overwhelming and you can be sure to see everything, yet there is still plenty to interest everyone. Children under three are free and there is plenty for a two year old to see and enjoy so take them while they are young!

If you have a toddler, the weekends at the discovery science center are pretty packed with older kids getting pushy around the popular displays and your little one won't have a chance. With little ones, avoid the insanity and go during the week when it is quiet and the big kids are in school.

On the second floor they have a "kidszone" which is for age five and under only and they have crayons and puzzles and blocks and other hands on toys which is kept pretty clean and organized.

Don't miss the outdoor dinosaur exhibit (it can be easy to miss the entrance to it) where kids can run around and climb through a tunnel and see fossils. This part is the most impressive in terms of scale and there is plenty of room to roam around.

On the first floor there is a small dining hall with a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut counter, but if you don't want to do fast food I suggest going down the street to Polly's Pies at 2660 N Main St, which is a small chain (about 10 restaurants total) of homestyle (yes, they really make everything from scratch - even bread) family restaurants that was started in Southern California back in the 60s. To the fellow food snobs - no it ain't gourmet or even interesting food...just plain good homecooked and locally owned, which in our book is always better than a fast food chain.