OC Great Park Sports Complex located in Irvine is now open.

Irvine, California is home to the Orange County Great Park. The city has partnered with Five Point Communities to create a beautiful place to play and live. They have been creating modern master-plan communities since 1971. This summer, the OC Great Park opened their 194 acre sports complex. It is part of the parks 1,300 acres that once was home of the U S Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Marine base is an important part of Orange County history operating between 1942 - 1999. Now, the city of Irvine is creating a green space that could rival Central Park in New York. The Orange County Great Park Sports Complex has opened phase one including a championship soccer stadium, 6 lighted soccer fields, numerous athletic fields, beach volleyball courts, and 25 tennis courts with a pro shop and concessions. 

The OC Great Park is located at 6950 Marine Way within the city of Irvine, home to more than 260,000 residents. It is the cities excellent public schools and safe city reputation for some of the main reasons people are moving here everyday. The OC Great Park is fast becoming the place for Southern California residents to enjoy their outdoor weekend athletic and daily life experiences. 

Important information you should know: "Planned in conjunction with the City of Irvine since 2013, the Sports Park is funded and built by FivePoint’s partnership (Heritage Fields, LLC) with the city as part of the company’s broader commitment to develop and improve 688 acres of the Great Park with public amenities. The FivePoint partnership plans to spend approximately $250 million creating its portion of the Great Park, an estimated $75 million more than required by agreements with the City of Irvine. The Sports Park is on track to become the largest public multi-sport facility in California and one of the largest in the United States." Source: City of Irvine

The 194-Acre sports park is fast growing popular with young families and local athletics because of all the amenities. It is very easy to access the park from the 5 freeway and Sand Canyon. Surrounding the park are NEW homes and great public schools to help create a new and vibrant lifestyle. 

As the community continues to grow in and around the OC Great park, Irvine will become the Central Park of Southern California. Come out and enjoy the fun in the sun activities the OC Great Park has to offer.

Compare the Orange County Great Park to the following parks:

Central Park is 843 acres - The park, with a perimeter of 6.1 miles (9.8 km), was opened on 770 acres (3.1 km2) of city-owned land and was expanded to 843 acres (3.41 km2; 1.317 sq mi). 

Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre urban cultural park in San Diego, California, United States. 

Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, United States, is a large urban park consisting of 1,017 acres (412 ha) of public grounds. 

Grant Park is a large urban park in the Loop community area of Chicago. Located in Chicago's central business district, the park's most notable features are Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum Campus 

Hyde Park is a Grade I-registered major park in Central London. It is the largest of four Royal Parks that form a chain from the entrance of Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, 

Forest Park- At 1,293 acres, it is approximately 500 acres larger than Central Park in New York. 

Disclaimer: Not a sponsored post. Media invitation. All thoughts and opinions are all my own. 

Resources:

Thrillist -  15 Best parks in America. 

OC Great Park-6950 Marine Way, Irvine, CA

Orange County Register - local newspaper

NBBJ  - Architecture. Design

City of Irvine -  Master-planned community since 1971

Wikipedia - Facts 

Cabazon, California is home to iconic roadside art and museum!

Cabazon, California is home to some of the largest dinosaur art pieces that we have ever seen. Mr. Rex and Dinny have been greeting road trip folks since 1975. These gentle giants reside outside a small museum offering kids and adults a fun experience. Most people consider this a nice break from driving long distances. Nearby, there is a Burger King restaurant and Hadley's Fruit Orchard for people to grab a bite to eat. The area is an unofficial rest stop for drivers on the 10 freeway.  Not too far from the Cabazon Dinosaurs, you can take a longer break with a stay at the Morongo Casino and Spa. Neighboring the casino is the Cabazon Outlet Mall, which is a giant outdoor shopping oasis hosting many famous name brand products. Both the casino and outlet shops are usually packed with people enjoying staycations. 

Artist, creator and sculptor of these realistic roadside attractions, Claude Bell, worked and retired from Knott's Berry Farm.  We find this Knott's Berry Farm connection very interesting. Mr. Bell was inspired by his childhood love of "Lucy the Elephant," a landmark in New Jersey, that is part of Zoomorphic Architecture royalty. The sculptors took approximately (11) eleven years to design and create Mr. Rex and Dinny. When you see these gentle giants, it is evident that lots of love and creativity went into bringing them to life. 

We recommend that you stop by and take a selfie with Mr. Rex and Dinny. There is no charge for photo taking. Admission to the museum is $12.00 for adults and $10.00 for children under 12 years old. You will find a small store inside the museum to buy souvenirs. 

Have fun going on family field trips and don't forget to share your pictures with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. We would love to hear your story. 

Disclaimer: Not a sponsored post.

Links:
Cabazon Dinosaurs Official Site - https://www.cabazondinosaurs.com/

Knotts Berry Farm - https://www.knotts.com/

Lucy the Elephant - http://www.lucytheelephant.org/

Morongo Casino Native American Reservation - https://www.morongocasinoresort.com/

Hadley Fruit Orchard - https://www.hadleyfruitorchards.com/
References:

Weird CA - http://www.weirdca.com/location.php?location=109
Roadside Attractions (2007) by Butko, Brian and Sarah, p: 75
Roadside Giants (2005) by Butko, Brian and Sarah, p: 84
The Ruby Slippers, Madonna's Bra, and Einstein's Brain (2006) by Epting, Chris, p: 72
Weird California (2006) by Greg Bishop, Joe Oesterle, Mike Marinacci, p: 166 - 167
Southern California Curiosities (2004) by Rubin, Saul, p: 140 - 141
New Roadside America (1992) by Wilkins, Mike; Smith, Ken; Kirby, Doug, p: 30

Family Field Trip to Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

We took a family field trip to Natural History Museum of Los Angeles which made for a great Saturday afternoon. We played, learned and made memories. It was one of the most fun things we have done this summer! 

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles has opened a new exhibit. The Story of P-22 Mountain Lion exhibit is now open for the public to explore. This exhibit will help you understand why we need to protect these amazing cats. 

Family friendly museum - While you visit the Natural History Museum you will find there is something for everyone. Dinosaur fossils, Gem and Minerals, Insect Zoo just to name a few of the exhibits that are permanent. Spending an entire day is not enough time to explore this remarkable landmark of Los Angeles. 

Family field trips are an amazing way to help your children discover their passion. We recommend that you visit Natural History Museum this summer or add it to your bucket list of things to do.

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Natural History Museum invites all fans to come out and learn more about this amazing story. 

Thursday, August 17, 2017 

6:00pm - 9:30pm 

"Until 11,000 years ago, Los Angeles was home to a very different diversity of wildlife. Many species still survive today, but of the five large cats that roamed this prehistoric city only one remains: the mountain lion. Learn what caused the extinction of these legendary predators and what new challenges exist for the mountain lion’s survival, including P-22, the puma of Griffith Park. Discover how our understanding of modern day animal behavior has been influenced by new technology, such as camera traps and GPS collar technology, and how conservation efforts have been influenced by wildlife photography as well as federal-and nonprofit-led conservation efforts. Join us for a panel discussion with Steve Winter, National Geographic wildlife photographer, Jeff Sikich, carnivore biologist with the National Park Service, Emily Lindsey, Assistant Curator at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, and Miguel Ordeñana, wildlife biologist and Citizen Scientist Coordinator at the NHMLA in conversation with moderator Thomas Curwen, award-winning staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, as they delve into the topic of feline extinction and survival in Los Angeles. Read more about NHMLA's special exhibit about P-22 here." source NHM website.

COST: Non-members $10 Member $5

Disclaimer: Not a sponsored post. Media review only

The Cat that Changed America (2017 Movie) Official Trailer

A mountain lion in the middle of Hollywood. The scientists named him P-22 because he is the twenty-second puma that has been found and studied. The cat is now deceased but his brave story will be seen on the big screen. The trailer gives us a glimpse into his incredible life. To screen the movie, please contact https://thecatthatchangedamerica.com/

Studying P-22 then consider these sources: https://nhm.org/site/ http://www.nwf.org/Save-LA-Cougars/P22-Mountain-Lion.aspx http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-griffith-park-mountain-lion/ http://www.smobserved.com/story/2016/12/25/movies/cougar-p22-the-cat-that-changed-america-a-mountain-lion-documentary-film/2408.html Disclaimer: Not a sponsored post.