TRAVELPHOTOBOX

The seasonal Butterfly Pavilion at Natural History Museum (NHM) of Los Angeles is filled with 400 to 500 butterflies from 25 different species. This seasonal exhibit is located outside on the south side of the Museum.  Your time in the Pavilion is limited to 20 or 30 minutes, which is enough. You will see up close how butterflies use their tubular mouthparts to obtain nectar and caterpillars feed on leaves and go through the process of their transformation into adults. 🐛 There are butterfly identification cards available and NHM Interpreters are around to answer any questions. There are a big variety of insect and plant species in the Pavilion: 20 species of California natives such as the monarch, mourning cloak, and buckeye 10 species of subtropical varieties from south Florida and Texas, such as the malachite and the grey cracker.  

The Dinosaur Hall at the Natural History Museum (NHM)  in Los Angeles is a dynamic and exciting exploration into the ongoing discovery of dinosaur fossils. Inside are more than 300 real fossils, 20 complete dinosaurs and ancient sea creatures.  The visitor can see the Tyrannosaurus Rex growth series . It is the only series of its kind in the world and consists of a baby, juvenile and sub-adult T-Rex. The baby T-Rex at NHM is the youngest known T-Rex fossil in the world. Also amazing is a 25-foot Triceratops assembled from four different discoveries. The specimen has prompted researchers to revise their beliefs on how the animal positioned its hands.

To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, the California Science Center presents KING TUT: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh . The tomb was first discovered by British archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter in 1922, which was more than 3,000 years after his death.  The exhibit features more than 150 artifact s from the young king's tomb, many of which were actually used by him in both life and death. Those artifacts comprise items like gold jewelry, gilded wood furniture and "ornate ritual objects". Nearly half of the items on display will be leaving Egypt for the first and last time. Visitors can follow King Tut as he journeys from death through the underworld to find his place in the afterlife, learning how each burial artifact was used to assist him in his life-after-death journey.  The exhibition started on March 24 and will stay open until January 2019, which is when the exhibit will head to Europe. ...

The Hollywood Sign is one of Los Angeles 's most famous icons. It stands on Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills . The best way to see the landmark is to hike from the Griffith Observatory . 📌 The sign was originally erected in 1923 to promote a housing development called Hollywoodland. Each letter is 45 feet tall and painted white. We left the car in the paid parking near the Griffith Observatory . The starting point is located at the bottom of Mount Hollywood Drive . This paved road is closed to vehicles and begins from an intersection near Griffith Observatory where Western Canyon Road and West Observatory Road meet. From that point, we hiked about two miles until we reached the Mulholland Fire Road on our left. We continued along Mulholland, with intermittent side views of the Hollywood Sign , until the trail hits Mount Lee Drive . The last part of the route follows a paved road to reach the summit of Mount Lee , directly behind the Hollywood Sign . A tall chain-l...

The San Diego Zoo is one of the most prestigious zoos in the world and is one of the largest in the USA. It is situated in Downtown San Diego . Since 1916 it has housed some of the most exotic animals and plants on the planet. More than 3,700 animals from 650 species are showcased in nine diverse animal zones. This zoo is huge , so you probably won't be able to see all of it in one day. It’s a good idea to prioritize what you want to see and do. All the zoo is organized into animal areas , featuring lions, monkeys, pandas, elephants, reptiles and marine life. Several trails connect them and all are marked with their distance, time and level of difficulty. The zoo is a unique walking experience where you can observe animals in spacious enclosures that replicate their natural habitats. The park also boasts a botanical collection of more than 700,000  exotic plants . 👍💗  Our recommendation! The Polar Bear Plunge is one of the most impressive and interact...

The Aquarium of the Pacific is Southern California’s largest aquarium and a shore-side attraction in Long Beach . It is home to more than 500 species in 19 habitats and 32 focus exhibits. Large viewing windows provide visitors with an exceptional view of the voracious creatures in a natural habitat. The general admission gives you access to all of the aquarium’s galleries and exhibits, which focus on the creatures and the environment of the Pacific Ocean . ⭐⭐⭐  Highlights include sea otters, penguins and sea lions, and a touchable shark lagoon. A unique feature at the aquarium is the Lorikeet Forest containing more than 100 colorful lorikeets (Australian parrots). The Aquarium of the Pacific  has several interactive touch sections, where you could touch sharks, sting rays, jelly fish, star fish, anemones, etc. Information is readily available and volunteers are frequently nearby to provide educated responses to questions.  

The Catherine Chevalier Woods Forest Preserve is a 338-acre nature preserve along the Des Plaines River  greenway. This is one part of the Chicago area where a pedestrian-bicycle path system exists. It provides habitat for wildlife and plants, and provides the public with an opportunity to experience these habitats and to enjoy the outdoors. 🦌 🦌 🦌   A large population of deer lives in these woods. The Catherine Chevalier Woods Forest Preserve is a living legacy of the era in which Native Americans, French-Canadians, and Métis peoples were living in what would become Chicago . Des Plaines River Trail Des Plaines River Des Plaines River Trail