Determining the tallest buildings in the world is not constant. Every few years a new one enters the list and replaces an old building. There is always some dispute on what should be counted as part of the building height. There are guidelines about what to consider to include in the height, and they are as follows: One, the height of a spire, a statue or any other architecturally integral element DOES count as a part of the building and therefore count as height. The additional height of antennae, flag poles or any other structure that is not classified as an architecturally integral element, DOES NOT count as a part of the height of a building. Also, the rook height is only relevant if there is not another type of architecturally-integral element above it. So, what is the tallest building in the world? Here are the ten tallest buildings in the world based on these guidelines.

Burj Dubai is currently the tallest man-made building in the world, though it is not yet completely finished. It is scheduled for completion in September of 2009, but when last measured for height in January of 2009, it was about 2,684 feet (818 meters) tall and it became the tallest building in the world. It has at the moment 162 floors. This amazing piece of architecture is currently under construction in the Burj Dubai District of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Taipei 101 is the tallest completed building in the world and is located in Taiwan. It has been called one of the Seven New Wonders of the World (Newsweek) and one of the Seven Wonders of Engineering (Discovery Channel). This building stands at 1,670.60 feet (509.2 meters) tall and consists of 101 stories aboveground and five stories underground. The number 101 is significant for several reasons. It symbolizes high ideals by going one better than100, which is a traditionally perfect number. It also commemorates the renewal of time with the celebration of the century that started (100+1) when the building was made and every New Year that follows (1-01, meaning January first). The number also hints toward the binary numerical system used in digital technology. And finally it is a representation of where the building stands as 101 is the postal code of Taipei’s international business district.

The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) stands at about 1,614 feet (492 meters) in height and is located in the People’s Republic of China. This skyscraper is the second tallest completed building and the tallest competed building by roof measurement. It serves several functions; it consists of shopping malls, hotels, office buildings, observation decks, and conference rooms. The hotel area of the building will be the highest in world when it opens and is called Park Hyatt Shanghai. It also includes three amazing view points from their observation decks, the highest of which is 1,555 feet above the ground.

The Petronas Twin Towers are tied for the spot of fourth tallest building in the World. These towers, located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are about 1,483 feet (452 meters) in height an each have 88 floors. These Twin Towers are connected by a sky-bridge between the 41st and 42nd floors. This bridge is the highest two story bridge in the world and is about 170 meters above the ground and weighs about 750 tons. This bridge is open to all visitors who use the lower level for travel and view, while the people in the apartments use the upper portion of the bridge. It should be noted that free passes that allow visitors up, though are limited and are given out on a first come, first serve basis.

Nanjing Greenland Financial Center (also called the Greenland Square Zifeng Tower) is the fifth largest building in the world. It is still under construction but when last checked for height, it was about 1,476 feet (450 meters) tall. It is a mixed-function building meaning that it is used for different things. It includes office and retail space in the lower section it will include restaurants and a public observatory. The observation deck on the 72nd floor provides an unobstructed, panoramic view of Nanjing and the nearby Yangtze River, two lakes and the Ningzheng Ridge Mountains.

The Sears’ Tower, located in Chicago, Illinois, is the sixth tallest free-standing building in the world. It was, at the time of its completion I 1873, the tallest building in the world, when it beat the World Trade Center for the title. It stands at about 1,451 feet (442 meters) in height and is the tallest building currently in the United States. In 2003, the Sears naming rights expired on the building, but it is still generally called that. However, a London-based insurance broker, the Willis Group, bought the naming rights in March of 2009 and in June of that same year it will be referred to by the name of he firm.

Guangzhou International Finance Center is a 1,435 feet (437.5 meter) super-tall sky-scraper to be completed in 2009 in Guangzhou (Shanghai), People’s Republic of China. This building and its twin are some of the highest high-rise buildings in China. They are to be used as an office space, conference center and hotel. The ground floor through the 69th floor will be used as offices, the 7th through 98th floors will be the hotel and on the 99th and 100th floors will be observation decks.

Jin Mao Tower is an 88 story, 1,380 ft (421 meter) skyscraper that contains office spaces and the Shanghai Grand Hyatt Hotel that is located in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Along with the Orient Pearl Tower, it is the main focus of the skyline in Pudong. This building is the eighth tallest building in the world and was surpassed for the seventh tallest in 2007 by The Guangzhou International Finance Center. The building’s anchor tenant is the five-star, 555-room Shanghai Grand Hyatt hotel which occupies floors 53 to 87. It is the highest hotel in the world in terms of distance from the ground.

The Trump International Hotel and Tower and the International Finance Center are tied for the ninth tallest building in the world at about 1,362 feet (415 meters) tall. The former is located in Chicago, and was at first going to try for the tallest building the world, but after the September 11th attacks, there were many modifications made to the plans and it is not going to try for the record. The International Finance Center is located in Hong Kong, and consists of two buildings. These buildings are the IFC Mall and the 55 story Four Seasons Hotel. Bothe Trump’s Tower and the IFC are the exact height of the former World Trade Center, and will probably not be on the Top Ten list for many years to come due to the new buildings being constructed like Freedom Towers.

CITIC Plaza is the world’s tallest concrete building. It is also the final addition to our list of the top ten tallest buildings in the world. It stands at about 1,283 feet (391 meters) tall and is located in the Republic of China. This and the other tall buildings that are taking over in Guangzhou, is a sign of the cities increasing wealth and ever-rising importance.

When asked, “What is the longest river in the world?” One cannot give you the exact answer because there is no perfect measure of the length of a river. Rivers are not constant and there have always been disputes about where the sources of certain rivers are. In fact there are still arguments about whether or not the Nile is actually the longest river in the world as opposed to the Amazon. Because of this, compiling a list of which rivers are recognized as the longest in the world is difficult. Below is a list of what are generally considered the ten longest rivers in the world.

The Nile has long been considered the longest river in the world. It is about 4,135 miles (6,650 km) in length and flows in a northward direction to where it finally drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It passes through ten countries on the continent of Africa, where it has been a main source of water and life since ancient times. The Nile has two main contributories, the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The White Nile is the longer of the two, but the Blue Nile feeds the river more water.

The Amazon is approximately 3,980 miles (6,400km) in length and is known as the second longest river in the world. It passes through seven countries in South America and is actually the largest river in terms of volume and flow. In fact, it accounts for one-fifth of the world’s river flow. For these reasons scientists dispute that it should be considered the longest river in the world as well, but this title is not yet theirs.

The Yangtze River (also called the Chang Jiang) is about 3,915 miles (6,380 km) in length and is considered the third longest river in the world. It is located in the People’s Republic of China and it flows from its source in the Qinghai Province, to the East China Sea at Shanghai. Because it is the largest river in this region it is important economically, historically and culturally. It also id the home of the world’s largest hydro-electric power system, the Three Gorges Dam.

The Missouri-Mississippi River system at about 3,900 miles (6,300 km) in length, it is the fourth longest river in the world. Its average discharge of water makes it the tenth largest river in the world. It is the only river located in North America that made the top ten longest rivers list. Also, its name comes from an Ojibwe word meaning “Great River”. About 98.5 percent of this river is located within the United States, the rest resides in Canada.

The Yenisei is thought of as the greatest river system that flows in the Arctic Ocean and at 3,445 miles (5,539 km), is the fifth longest river in the world. It is in Russia and is mainly in the Siberian region. This river includes several hydro-electric dams that fuel a significant part of Russia’s primary industry.

The Yellow River (also called the Huang He) is the second longest river in the People’s Republic of China and is the sixth longest in the world being about 3,010 miles (4,845 km) in length. In china it is known by both positive and negative nicknames. The positive one being “the cradle of China” because it is the birthplace of northern Chinese civilization and the negative one being “China’s sorrow” because of the flooding that occurs that causes a large amount of damage.

The Ob-Irtysh river system makes up the seventh largest river in the world. The Irtysh is a tributary of the Ob and is actually longer than the Ob. These rivers are located in Siberia and together are about 3,364 miles (5,410 km) in length. They form a major basin in Asia, encompassing most of Western Siberia and the Altay Mountains.

The Congo River (also called the Zaire River) is the second largest river in Africa and the eight largest in the world. It is about 2,922 miles (4,700 km) long. It has both the second largest flow and the second larges draining basin in the world, only following the Amazon. The Congo has its name because of the Kingdom of Kongo that inhabited the area at the mouth of the river in ancient times. It is known as the Zaire River only because between 1971 and 1997he area was known as Zaire and the government called it the Zaire River until the country be came the Republic of Congo.

The Amur River (also called the Heilong Jiang) is the world’s ninth longest river and is also the border between the Russian Far East and Northeastern China. This River flows across northeast Asia to the Strait of Tartary, where it finally drains into the Pacific Ocean. It was has been called the” Black River” because it was sacred to the Manchu and the Qing Dynasty and it is also a symbol of Russian-Chinese relations.

The Lena River is Russia’s greatest river and being approximately 2,800 miles (4,400 km), it also the world’s tenth longest river. This river has seven different tributary rivers that join with it and they are the Kirenga River, the Olyokyma River, the Vitim River, the Amga River, the Aldan River, the Vilyuy River and the Maya River. It has the unique distinction of the River who appears to be the largest river in the world when looked at with a Mercator projection.

Pews at St. Patricks Church
Photo by: MikeBehnken, Creative Commons

The city of San Francisco has many religious and civic centers that are very historic in nature. These centers are popular not only to people who love chapels and churches, but also to people who want to know the rich history of the city. One of the religious centers that tourists visit is San Francisco’s St. Patrick’s Church. This church holds both elegance and the history of the Roman Catholic Irish community in the city.

The church is over 150 years old and is located in the South of Market neighborhood. St. Patrick’s Church was built in 1851 to serve the Irish religious community in San Francisco. The décor and interior of the church are Irish-inspired and it has a Gothic feel inside. The main colors used are the official Irish colors of gold, green and white. There are stained glasses above the altar of the church with the image of St. Patrick to honor the Irish patron. There are also many images of St. Patrick all over the place. Aside from the main altar, there are also other altars with the images of Mary and Joseph that are surrounded by images of Irish saints like Grellan of Hymaine, Lawrence O’Toole, and Brendan of Kerry. There is a black Nazarene at the entrance that is dressed in red velvet robe and carries a big cross.

The Church has retained the Neo-Gothic theme, although there are now modern buildings and structures that surround the church. The church is very stunning, both inside and out. The architecture is elegant and the church is maintained very well.

San Francisco Famous Landmarks

Ferry to Sausalito
Photo by: Kevin Hutchinson, Creative Commons

The topographic location of San Francisco explains why most of the tourist destinations here center around the bay. San Francisco’s Sausalito area is by far one of the favorites. Situated just across from the Golden Gate Bridge, there is certainly no way for any visitor to miss the chance of being able to take a glimpse of what the place has to offer.

Sausalito is a simple yet magnificent waterfront area reminiscent of the French Riviera due to its Mediterranean influences and picturesque views. Aside from its breathtaking sceneries, Sausalito has several first-class hotels, boutiques, marinas, shops, restaurants and galleries; thus providing convenience to its visitors. By simply strolling along the beach coast, you can enjoy taking pictures of sea lions, go on water adventures and get a chance to catch up on some family bonding activities. You can also check out the Bay Model Visitor Center, which exhibits the area’s houseboat community. The Bay Area Discovery Museum is good for those who are tugging along kids with them. Sausalito also provides accessible hiking and bike trails to Mt. Tam and Muir Woods. There are many bay adventures and nautical tours that let travelers see sea creatures up-close. If you have a yacht or love to stay at the beach all year round, you can sign up for membership at certain boat owners association or yacht clubs. Studio 333 and Marine Mammal Center are also two of the most loved tourist attractions here.

San Francisco Famous Landmarks

One of many Rock Climbing levels
Photo by: mariachily, Creative Commons

If you are adventurous, the San Francisco’s Mission Cliffs Rock Climbing Center is the best place for you to visit. This rock climbing center has a lot to offer visitors and you can try the challenging slopes and ropes at the gym. The Mission Cliffs Rock Climbing Center is located on Harrison Street and there are many ways to reach the gym. There is also a spacious parking area.

The Climbing Center was originally the Touchstone gym built in 1995. This indoor rock climbing center will give you the adventure that you want. It has an artificial granite climbing wall with many footholds and handholds and over 80 top and lead ropes that you can use. Whether you are an expert or a beginner, you will surely find the right climbing level for you.

You can try the steep slopes in which the hardest part is more than vertical, or you can try the gentle slopes suitable for kids and beginners. The rock climbing center has an impressive and amazing headwall that is 50 feet in height and the climbing terrain covers 14,000 square feet. There is also a 20,000 square foot bouldering area. To make rock climbing more fun, there are different setups and themes like The Crack and The Cave.

If you do not want to climb, there are other services and classes offered in this gym. There are yoga classes, performance cycling and exciting fitness programs that you can participate in. Classes for kids include basic movement technique, belaying, spotting, route-reaching, bouldering and climbing games and exercises. You can also use the cardio machines in the gym as well as the sauna.

San Francisco Famous Landmarks

Musee Mecanique Collection
Photo by: MRS.HART, Creative Commons

If you are looking for unique art collections in San Francisco, you will find a good one at San Francisco’s Musee Mecanique. A lot of tourists find themselves in this wonderful place to experience a different take on art. There are mechanically driven musical instruments and antique arcade machines throughout this complex.

It is a place where your children will learn about the time before digital games were in existence. Here you can show them that fun cost only a few cents back then.

What is great about this place is that it also houses different kinds of moving dolls from all over the world. Not only does it show how games were played before, it also shows what kind of lifestyle the early settlers of San Francisco had. You can show your children several designs that were used during the Victorian Era.

Do not miss the acrobats. These are hand-crafted to show everyone the fine works of art which were delicately put together in such a small confined space. A trip down memory lane is what you can share with your children as they try to understand how simple it was to live in back in the “good old days.” This segment of your trip to San Francisco will surely be remembered for years to come.

San Francisco Famous Landmarks

Light Rail Train to K Street Mall
Photo by: El Cobrador, Creative Commons

The K Street Mall is one of the biggest shopping centers in California today. Located within the Westfield Downtown Plaza and 13th street, the mall is closed to vehicular traffic and only pedestrians are allowed to enter the mall’s parking space. The mall regularly operates as the only shopping center in Sacramento that provides a specially designed “Light Train” where shoppers are allowed to take a ride along the mall.

The Mall has a six-block extension facing the western Downtown Sacramento area. The mall has two separate movie theatres. The theatres are said to be specially designed to develop technology in showing movies at cinema houses. “The Crest” is the street mall’s trademark theatre. The Crest is the first movie theatre built and established in the Westfield Downtown Plaza. During the early years, the theatre showcased repertory films and critically-acclaimed classical productions.

The Crest was recently renovated to showcase more quality Hollywood films, independent masterpieces and foreign art films. The “Esquire IMAX” is the newly renovated theatre located along the K street mall. The theatre features a showcase of films shot in High Definition and 3D camera. The mall is frequently visited by local residents and visitors for it’s variety of diverse shopping stores and restaurants located along the sidewalk area.

The K Street is where visitors can find two of the most elegant hotels in California today. The Delta King Hotel is one of the largest hotels along the Westfield Downtown Plaza. Only a stone throw’s away from the shopping center, the Delta King Hotel is famous for its overall interior features and providing a wide panoramic view of the city’s skyline. The Holiday Inn Sacramento is one of the oldest and finest five-star hotels located within the K Street Mall and Westfield Downtown Plaza.

Sacramento River
Photo by: *clairity*, Creative Commons

Located within the boundary of Northern and Central California is the Sacramento River. The river has an area of 27,000 square miles or 70,000 kilometers from the northern part of California. The river is primarily found under the boundary of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges which are also known around the world as the “Sacramento Valley.” The river serves as the state’s highly significant transportation route since the early 12th century.

The River was discovered by the great Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga. After discovering the state’s first generation of inhabitants, Moraga named the river “Rio De Los Sacramento’s,” which was later shortened into “Sacramento’s.” In the early 1800’s, the “Sierra Nevada” explorers changed the name of the Sacramento’s for the discovery of gold which are said to be found along the river. The “Siskiyou” and “California” trails are the two other rivers which were discovered by the Sierra Nevada explorers. The river started to develop in the 1950’s. The Sacramento watershed adapted the use of hydroelectric power to generate the water supply coming from the river.

It is now used as alternative dam for generating water supply to California residents. The water from the river is primarily used for irrigation and other water projects approved by the Federal law. Half of the cities and towns in California’s water supply come from the river. The river serves as one of the state’s major population center for Native Americans today. There are about 270,000 to 300,000 Native Americans currently living in the river’s valley area. Majority of the Native Americans in the Sacramento Valley are living in the small community of San Joaquin. 50% of the structures in the river area are permanent small villages and camps for Native American settlers from state communities.

Watts Tower
Photo by: Michael Oh, Creative Commons

Sabato “Simon” Rodia had a big dream: he wanted to create a structure that represents his beloved hometown in Watts, California. Rodia, an Italian immigrant, was a simple construction worker when he was inspired to create one of the most popular monuments in the US, the Los Angeles Watts Towers.

One can’t talk enough about the impressive design and structure of the Watts Tower without delving into the equally impressive and somewhat tragic history of its designer. Part of the fame of the Watts Towers can be attributed to the fact that Rodia was a self-made architect. He constructed the 17 interconnected structures from 1921 to 1954, a total of 33 years, during his spare time using only hand tools and window washing equipment. The two tallest towers in the collection are 99 and 97 feet tall. He initially dubbed his work as Nuestro Pueblo or “Our Town.” Despite being the work of an amateur architect, the Watts Towers is often cited as perfect examples of American Naïve art and non-traditional vernacular architecture.

Rodia used an assortment of materials during the construction. For example, the armatures are made of rods as well as steel pipes wrapped in old wire mesh and then coated in mortar, while the main supports have pieces of glassware, porcelain, and tile embedded in them. These structures are decorated with all sorts of objects like bottles, ceramic tiles, sea shells, and even bed frames. If you take a closer look at some of the green glass decorations, you can still spot some logos of soft drink brands like 7 Up, Canada Dry, and other brands.

Sadly, he did not get to see his masterpiece gain the much deserved acclaim. Rodia’s work was often subjected to abuse from his neighbors who vandalized and criticized his work, even going as far as accusing it of helping enemy forces during the war. Rodia moved away in 1955 after giving the property away and never returned: a decade later, he died.

Miniature Train Ride at Balboa Park
Photo by: jencu, Creative Commons

Balboa Park, located in San Diego, California is home to many attractions that include 15 museums, performing arts venues, botanical gardens, and a zoo, making it the United State’s largest urban cultural park. The park is a favourite destination for both visitors and residents because of the quality and amount of entertainment they get whether it is on the different exhibits and cultural shows or taking a tour of the beautiful sites. Situated on the vast acres of land, going around the park and taking in the wonderful sights is made easy via San Diego’s Balboa Park Miniature Train.

Covering four acres of the park, the Miniature Train is an easy, fun ride that will take you through the park in just three minutes. Since it was built in 1948, over five million people have already enjoyed this locomotive experience.

The Train is a model G-16, now considered a rare antique with as few as fifty of them remaining worldwide. It is built to one fifth scale making it a sight to see for adults and a delight for kids to ride in. Local folk have fond memories dating back to when they were still kids of riding the train and they continue the experience even now that they have their own kids to bring to the train ride.

The ride is managed by the San Diego Zoo Department of Transportation at a minimal charge. The train seats 48 people whether adults or kids and traverses a half mile trip throughout the park where passengers usually find joy looking at picturesque views and enjoy waving to crowds they pass on the trail.

Griffith Park Observatory
Photo by: prayitno, Creative Commons

In 1904, a man looked through a 60-inch telescope atop Mount Wilson and was inspired to share his experience of the heavens with everybody. Welsh businessman and long-time Los Angeles resident Griffith J. Griffith’s vision took almost 30 years in the making, even outliving Griffith himself who died years earlier. Today, the Griffith Observatory continues Griffith’s advocacy of free public access to the exhibits until now and is widely recognized as a national leader in public astronomy.

Standing high atop the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, the art-deco styled Observatory, particularly the building’s dome top, is one of the most well-known and beloved icons in southern California. Visitors continue to flock to the observatory, coming from different parts of the world, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area.

There are a variety of science and space exhibits featured in the Observatory. For example, one can find here the “The Big Picture” exhibit, which features the largest and most accurate astronomical image of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies. The image measures 152 feet long by 20 feet high and covers an entire wall of the building. Visitors can even use telescopes to thoroughly explore the highly-detailed image.

There’s also the Centered in the Universe show in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium Theater. The 30-minute program uses a combination of video and live performances from actors to showcase the progression of astronomy and science throughout history. The program also includes a short simulation of the night sky. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis due to the limited seating available.

Griffith Park Observatory is continuously expanding its offerings to the public. After its latest renovation, the Observatory included the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater and The Café at the End of the Universe helmed by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck were just some of the additions to the building. In May 2008, visitors were treated to a live coverage of the Phoenix landing on Mars.

Natural History Museum
Photo by: Lisa Andres, Creative Commons

San Diego’s Natural History Museum is considered to be the oldest museum found in Southern California. The museum in itself has survived since being founded in 1874 by the San Diego Society of Natural History. The museum boasts of an extensive gallery of fossils which reflect the history of early inhabitants. But what makes visitors flock the museum is the amazing exhibits which run throughout the year.

Some of the most memorable and most popular exhibits found in the Museum are the features on different kinds of intriguing flora and fauna, rocks and minerals among others. Recently, the museum featured an exhibit on art and anthropology, precious gems, water and other natural subject matter. The museum also runs a permanent exhibit entitled “Fossil Mysteries” which feature an extensive fossil collection tracing back the existence of dinosaurs which are believed to have inhabited the earth, particularly in Southern California and parts of Baja California in Mexico.

The museum was built as a venue to preserve the artifacts and ancient fossils. Children and adults all benefit from the educational and informational but still very entertaining exhibits. These exhibits are very significant in educating children and even adults of the natural history of the earth. Even adults flock to the museum not just to accompany their kids but also to marvel at nature’s greatness.

Because of the heightened awareness of nature, everyone who visits the museum has also become aware of conserving the environment and preserving it from ruin. San Diego’s Natural History museum also boasts of its in house breakthrough research endeavors regarding nature which can improve or even change the course of natural history.

It is found in Balboa Park in San Diego where there are also other attractions apart from the museum itself such as whale watching and theater viewing.

Inside the Gallery
Photo by: glenngould, Creative Commons

Art is the main subject at the Crocker Art Museum. However, the museum isn’t just home to a number of famous paintings. Visitors can find examples of furniture which date back to the Victorian era and ceramics from different corners of the globe. The museum also hosts a number of art classes during the summer, which help locals – and tourists – help get in touch with their inner artist.

Some of the other events hosted by the museum are art auctions, concerts, the Crocker Ball, exhibits by local students, and field trips. The Crocker Ball is a fundraising event, while concerts are usually held every first and third Thursday night of the month. Classical and jazz music are the highlight of these concerts. Artistic students can showcase their works or learn more about the different forms of art.

The Art Museum has been recognized by the prestigious American Association of Museums. This has been given to only 750 museums in the United States (there are about 16,000 in the United States to date). There are about 15 exhibits in the museum, some of which are changed after a few weeks. Artworks from California, Europe, Asia, and other cities in America are part of the museum’s permanent collection. Unique keepsakes and other gift items can be bought at the museum store.

The locals can be part of the Museum by becoming an intern, a volunteer, or a sponsor. There are a limited number of slots for the internship every year, and college juniors, seniors, and even doctoral and graduate students are all encouraged to apply. Museum volunteers serve as the museum guides, who take visitors on a tour of the museum and give them bits of information about every artwork seen in the building.

The museum is located in downtown Sacramento and can be reached using either public or private transportation.

SFO Museum of Modern Art
Photo by: david.orban, Creative Commons

When planning for a family trip, it is recommended that you find places where your kids can have fun and learn at the same time. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art will not bore your kids when you bring them along. In San Francisco, there are a lot of places to go to, but the activities here that will keep them busy include: film screenings, book reading and engaging art projects.

It is best for you to plan ahead since the Museum showcases different events and activities all year round. You can choose the day and time to visit so that you will not waste any precious time. Open from 10 in the morning until as late as 9 at night, you can find ways to keep your children’s interest on high-gear. Children under 12 are admitted for free. The rates for adults vary.

There is also a coffee shop within the museum called the Caffè Museo. This is the best place to hang out when your children are busy with the different activities. Enjoy a cup of coffee picked from the local farms. There are both indoor and outdoor seating options from which to enjoy your coffee or tea.

San Francisco Famous Landmarks

Getty Center Garden
Photo by: Michael Oh, Creative Commons

Sitting above the Santa Monica Mountains in the Brentwood district of Los Angeles, the Getty Center is one of the city’s most popular visitor destination. The Getty Center is only one half of the J. Getty Museum, renowned all over for its extensive collection of pre-20th century European artworks and 19th-20th century photographs from America and Europe. Apart from its impressive collection, the Center is also known for architecture and location which overlooks the entire Los Angeles area. Aside from the museum, various other Getty organizations are located within the Center.

Construction for the Getty Center was originally commissioned in August 1989 and lasted until 1997 due to several construction delays. The architectural design of the Center, spearheaded by renowned architect Richard Meier, is popular for incorporating the natural surroundings with the final design of the building, especially evident in the Central Garden designed by artist Robert Irwin.

A monorail designated to transport guests greets visitors once they alight from the parking lot. Once they reach the top, visitors can make their way through the various buildings in the area. There are five museum buildings, dubbed as pavilions, which house the various art collections acquired by the museum. The North, South, East, and West Pavilions contain the museum’s permanent collections, while the Exhibits Pavilion is mostly where the traveling art collections are put on display. There are also child-friendly activities in the Center’s Family Room such as the Art Detective game, storytelling, sculpture building, and many more.

Some of the masterpieces you will find in the Center include Paul Gaugain’s “Arii Matamoe”, “Irises” by Vincent Van Gogh, “Portrait of Halberdier” by Pontormo, and a couple of “Portrait of Louis XIV” by Hyacinthe Rigaud.

Art buffs should not forget to make a stop at the Getty Center to get a taste of world culture and art.

Mammoth at La Brea Tar Pits
Photo by: David Berkowitz, Creative Commons

As far as parks go, people rarely ever describe them as unusual. When you think of parks, the first thing that would come to your mind would most likely be lush green surroundings with cute woodland creatures instead of bubbling asphalt pits and all sorts of fossils. A trip to Hancock Park, located in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles, are the La Brea Tar Pits, one of the most popular and unusual tourist attractions in the city, might change your perception about parks.

Located in the heart of urban Los Angeles is a cluster of tar pits, famous all over the world for being one of the richest sources of fossils dating back to the Ice Age. The tar pits are a result of continuous oil seepage, spanning for thousands of years, between the areas now known as Hancock Park and Salt Lake Oil Field. Occasionally, certain animals would wander off into the area where these pools formed and be trapped in the tar pits. Predators lured by a trapped prey would find themselves sharing the same fate.

Aside from the fossils of huge mammals like mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and dire wolves, scientists have also uncovered “microfossils” like insects, plant remnants, including dust and pollen grain perfectly preserved in the pit’s asphalts. The oldest material obtained from the La Brea pits is approximated to be around 40,000 years old.

Visitors can walk around and observe the various small pits scattered throughout the area. You can see how the fossils originally looked like upon discovery in the Observation Pit and even see an actual excavation when you come across Pit 91. Lake Pit, which is the largest pit, features a reenactment of how animals get trapped in the tar pits using life-size models of Columbian Mammoths.

The excavated fossil specimens from the Tar Pits are then displayed in the George C. Page Museum, located just beside the tar pits. Visitors can also watch how the bones are cleaned and repaired at the Page Museum Laboratory.

Historic Shrine Auditorium
Photo by: Alan Light, Creative Commons

Los Angeles has always been associated with glitzy, glamorous and entertaining events. One building that has seen its share of such events is the iconic Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. The auditorium is considered as a historic entertainment landmark, serving as the venue for many major events and award shows like the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, the Primetime Emmy Awards and a whole lot more.

The Shrine Auditorium was originally an Al Malaikah Temple, which served as headquarters for the Shriners, a fraternity of the Masons, in 1906. A fire razed the original building in 1920 and burned down the entire structure in the space of 30 minutes. The task to rebuild fell to a San Francisco-based theater architect G. Albert Lansburgh who redesigned the auditorium in a Moorish Revival style with the help of two local architects, John C. Austin and A.M. Edelman. The new Shrine Auditorium reopened its doors in 1926. The new auditorium holds a seating capacity of more than 6,000 people and 1,000 people on its 194 feet wide and 69 feet deep stage.

The Academy Awards were first held at the Shrine Auditorium in 1947, hosting it again for eight more times between the periods of 1988-2001. Other prestigious awards held at the Shrine include the People’s Choice Awards, American Music Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, NAACP Image Awards, the Soul Train Music Awards and the BET Awards. The Shrine’s facilities are constantly being upgraded. State-of-the-art lighting and rigging stage equipment, concession stands, a brand new performance plaza, and a new parking garage are just some of the modern amenities being offered at the Shrine since its 2002 renovation.

Today most of the glittering award shows that were once staged at the Auditorium have moved on to bigger venues. Regardless The Shrine Auditorium remains as one of the most iconic landmarks in Los Angeles City.

In the middle of Time Square
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Times Square is considered as the heart of New York City. There are countless numbers of restaurants, famous designer stores, electronic stores, a sea of cars and many very busy people. Times Square, which was previously known as the Longacre Square, is probably one of brightest places on earth. You may have already seen countless photos and videos of the famous square and you might even feel that you do not have to see anymore. It would be such a waste not to see the beauty and how glamorously busy this place in New York is. It is not enough to see the Times Square in movies and photos. (more…)

Olvera Street
Photo by: Nick Boalch, Creative Commons

Every great city has to start from somewhere. The city of Los Angeles was originally founded on 1781 by a group of Spanish settlers. 11 families consisting of 44 men, women, and their children established their homes in what is now known as the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. Considered as the oldest part of downtown Los Angeles, Olvera Street is well known for its homage to old Mexico through its authentic traditional Mexican establishments and colorful attractions.

Olvera Street was originally known as Wine Street but it was renamed in honor of one of its long-time residents, a prominent judge named Agustin Olvera in 1877. Part of the change included an extension of the short lane which now spans a block long. Olvera Street was then converted into a Mexican-style marketplace, which continues to enjoy immense popularity among its visitors. You can score handcrafted Mexican wares and souvenirs in one store and enjoy traditional Mexican cuisine in the next! You can also find 27 of the park’s historical buildings alone all lined up in Olvera Street. The oldest building in the park, the Adobe Avila, can be found along Olvera Street.

You can also experience Mexican outdoor entertainment as you stroll along Olvera Street during the weekends. Enjoy performances from street musicians and folk dancers that can make you feel as if you truly were walking the streets of old Mexico.

Mexican culture has always been associated with festivals that are both vibrant in color and energy. There’s no shortage of that here in Olvera Street where traditional Mexican festivals are celebrated side by side with other cultures. One of the popular events in at Olvera is the Blessing of The Animals held every Saturday before Easter. During the event, which lasts for an entire day, vendors, performers and participants hold a procession where their pets are displayed and blessed by religious authorities.

Echo Park Lake
Photo by: alossix, Creative Commons

If history had played out differently, the Echo Park area could have ended up as the entertainment capital of the world instead of Hollywood. Today, this hilly neighborhood located just southeast of Hollywood continues to be a favorite location among filmmakers due to the pre-war look of some districts. Some scenes from Michael Jackson’s 1983 “Thriller” music video were shot in the area.

Before World War I struck, the Los Angeles film industry was concentrated in the Echo Park area. Keystone Studios, the first enclosed film studio in history built by Mack Sennett in 1912, still exists in the neighborhood. The area is equally famous for the variety of personalities who have lived in the neighborhood. Prior to World War I, Echo Park earned the moniker “Red Hill” due to the number of political radicals who lived in the neighborhood. Many notable artists and celebrities have lived in the area due to relatively affordable housing and ambience of the neighborhood. Famous luminaries from the area include writer Ayn Rand, actor Shia LaBeouf, film director John Huston, and painter Jackson Pollock.

Over time the area has also attracted Asian and Latino immigrants, resulting in festivals that celebrate both cultures held every year. There’s the Cuban festival held in May to commemorate Cuba’s independence and Jose Marti, a Cuban poet and patriot. There’s also the Lotus Festival, named after the large amount of lotus plants that used to grown on Echo Park’s lake, which showcases the different Asian ethnicities and even has an exciting dragon boat race. The Lotus Festival celebration features Asian artists who have made a mark in their respective fields like George Takei of Star Trek fame.

Take a trip down Echo Park neighborhood and who knows, you just might find yourself playing an extra in a Hollywood feature.

LA County Museum of Art
Photo by: Sarah_Ackerman, Creative Commons

It’s hard to believe that the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), currently home to some 100,000 pieces of art from all over the world, once had to borrow its entire art collection during their first inauguration. LACMA has certainly come a long way. From being originally part of the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science, and Art in Exposition Park, the museum now boasts of a seven-building complex exclusively dedicated to art situated in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles.

The County Museum of Art is home to an extensive collection of world art. You could say that you can trace the entire history of art just by going through LACMA’s impressive collection of past and present artworks. Where else can one find pre-Columbian works displayed side by side with works from contemporary masters like Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Jose Clemente Orozco? Asian art, Latin American art, and Islamic art are just some of the museum’s popular collections.

The collected artworks of LACAMA are spread out among the museum’s buildings as follows:

1. The Ahmanson Building contains the Modern Art, African, German Expressionist, Greek, and Roman art collections, including Tony Smith’s sculpture “Smoke” at the base of the building’s staircase.
2. The Art of Americas Building contains the pre-Columbian, Latin American, American collection.
3. The Hammer Building has the Chinese and Korean works on display.
4. The Pavilion for Japanese Art includes Shin’enkan collection and various other art pieces.
5. The Broad Contemporary Art Museum or BCAM houses the Contemporary Art collection of the museum.

Pick your favorite exhibit, from the extensive collection or discover new and intriguing pieces from a country you’ve been dying to visit. With museum’s vast collection of world art, learning about different cultures might not seem like a farfetched idea after all.

State Capitol Building
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The California State Capitol Building is also called the “People’s Building.” This late 19th century structure symbolizes the politics and government of the state of California and houses the offices of the Governor, the Senate, and other important political bodies. The building was constructed and planned by M. Frederic Butler, who used the neoclassical style of architecture. The building is a famous visitor attraction, with over 750,000 visitors visiting the building every year. One striking feature of the building is the similarity of its dome to that of the dome of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Visitors can first go to Capitol Park, which has a number of memorials and about 40 acres of park area. One can spend hours strolling around the park, but the Capitol also has its own attractions. There are guided tours being conducted for free in the Capitol, and they start every hour from 9AM to 4PM. The building is open every day, save for three important holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year.

There are a number of artworks housed in the building such as paintings, murals, and even a statue of the Spanish Queen Isabella and well-known explorer Christopher Columbus. There are 3 kinds of art collections at the Capitol Building. The Permanent and Loan Collections have one thing in common: these depict the state of California and its citizens through paintings of events and places in California.

All of the California senators are given the opportunity to choose one budding artist from their districts and have a sample of his/her artwork displayed in the Building. These artworks are then considered as part of the Biennial Senate Contemporary Art Collection and are put on display for 2 years. Other artworks in the building include paintings of past and present governors of California.

Los Angeles Museum of Natural History
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The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles is the best place to stock up on extra knowledge about animals, dinosaurs, art, and history without having to pick up a book. There are two types of exhibits in the museum: the permanent exhibits and the special exhibits. Permanent exhibits include those about mammals, dinosaurs, gems and minerals, and the history of California.

There is a discovery center in the museum. Visitors can interact and even use the exhibits. Kids and adults alike can feel the excitement of an archaeological dig as they look for dinosaur fossils buried under the soil, or they can interact with some animals such as snakes and turtles.

There are many activities being held almost every day, like tours and encounters with dinosaurs. These can keep visitors pre-occupied during their stay in the Natural History museum of LA. Different learning programs can unleash the hidden scientist and archaeologist in everyone. During summer the museum offers a nature camp for students in kindergarten to the 8th grade. Field trips to the museum can be given for free, provided that those attending the field trip arrange a reservation 3 weeks in advance.

Aside from entertaining people of all ages, the Natural History museum also keeps collections of different research. There is a dinosaur institute where visitors can see museum workers clean and prepare different dinosaur fossils for upcoming exhibits. The Rancho La Brea is where different artifacts taken from the La Brea Tar Pits are placed, and the museum’s history is kept and preserved in the museum archives. Those who wish to view these documents must secure an appointment. The museum is open every day from 9:30 AM to 5PM and is closed during New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and Independence Day.

Aerial Exhibit at California Science Center
Photo by: Wendy McCormac, Creative Commons

There’s nothing like an interactive exhibit to enhance one’s learning experience, especially young children. Parents who want keep their children preoccupied with educational exhibits can schedule a trip to the California Science Center, which prides itself as the largest interactive science center in the West Coast.

Located within the Exposition Park grounds, the Los Angeles California Science Center started out as the State Exposition Building in 1912, showcasing simple agriculture displays and industrial products from the state. As science and technology continued to advance, so did the objective of the group behind the Center. It soon became a science museum in the 1950s and was subsequently renovated to a science education facility in the early 90s.

The Science Center’s main building is the Howard F. Ahmanson Building which sports the original historical façade of its predecessor, the State Exposition Building. There are two permanent exhibits in the building: “World of Life” which explores the life processes of all living creatures, “Creative World,” which showcases the advancement of technology and the new “World of Ecology,” which focuses on the Earth’s ecosystems. The largest IMAX theatre in Los Angeles is also located at the Science Center grounds. A recently renovated exhibit is the SKETCH Foundation Air and Space Exhibits, which displays artifacts collected from various flight and space explorations for over 100 years.

The Science Center continues to expand to contribution to the local science education by opening various learning institutions such as the Science Center School, the Amgen Center for Science Learning, and the Wallis Anneberg Building for Science Learning and Innovation. Each of these facilities offers their students opportunities to learn and utilize cutting-edge science.

The California Science Center is continuously undergoing renovation and expansion, especially more so that they are approaching the third and last phase of the Science Center’s development plans.

Old Womans Shoe
Photo by: exploresacramento, Creative Commons

The Sacramento Fairytale Town is a park and open-air museum for children. This fun-filled fantasyland spans over 2.5 acres and features attractions such as King Arthur’s Castle, Sherwood Forest, and the beanstalk of “Jack and the Beanstalk” fame. Visitors can prepare a picnic on any of the green lawns in the park or enjoy a snack at the Dish & Spoon Café.

Aside from giving children the opportunity to play with their favorite fairytale characters, the theme park is also open for birthdays, field trips, and other special events. The theme park can be rented or reserved for these special events. As soon as the park closes, it can be used as a site for family reunions and even weddings. Field trips to the park should be arranged at least 2 weeks in advance and there should be no less than 20 children attending. Birthday parties are usually arranged at King Arthur’s Castle.

This park also highlights learning while having fun. Children can learn the names of new plants by following the exotic plant alphabet, and live theatre performances are also held every year. Camp-outs at Humpty Dumpty’s house are another special event during the summer.

Fairytale Town has a special mission: to make the dreams of the children in Sacramento come true. The theme park and museum is owned by a non-profit organization which relies on the contributions of its guests. Sacramento locals have the chance to help out and have fun at the same time by signing up for an annual subscription. Each subscription member has free admission to the park for a whole year, plus a variety of other rewards such as discounts on birthday parties and Fairytale Town items.

The park is open daily from 9AM to 4PM during spring and summer, while it is only open Thursdays to Sundays from 10AM to 4PM during fall and winter. Sacramento Fairytale Town is located along Land Park Drive and is adjacent to the Sacramento Zoo.