Spotlight: Salt Lake City - The Leonardo

Spotlight: The Leonardo is a museum dedicated to open your mind to new possibilities and discover your inner genius. The museum opened its doors in 2011 with the goal to open visitors' minds to explore possibilities in the fields of science, math, technology and art. Its educational philosophy is based on the methods of its namesake - Leonardo da Vinci who continually allowed his curiosity to guide his experiments. Unfortunately, the museum has been plagued by financial woes since opening its doors, and may be forced to close unless it can find a way to improve its fortunes.

Location: The Leonardo Museum is located in Library Square at 209 E 500 S, Salt Lake City, UT. 

Cost: $12.95/adult, $8.95/child (3-12), $9.95/senior, student or military

Time: Open daily from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Plan on spending from 1-3 hours.

Description: The Leonardo hosts a variety of different exhibits. FLIGHT is an interactive exhibit that allows visitors to learn about different human experiments with flight over the years, with successes and failures documented in film. Visitors can explore a massive C-131 aircraft that helps them discover the secrets of flight. Two flight simulators allow visitors to experience what it is like to pilot one of these massive vehicles.

     Perception: The Illusion of Reality helps visitors explore how their brains work - distorting, adding or subtracting elements from reality in order to make sense of what their senses (particularly hearing, sight and touch) are telling them. My daughter was fascinated by the optical illusions.

     Woman/Women celebrates the achievements of women through the course of history including several contemporary women who are helping to shape the world today. It includes a film entitled 50/50 by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Shlain.
     The Innovation Showcase highlights inventions that have changed the world, focusing particularly on inventions by Utahns - such as the Frisbee, the artificial heart and television.
     The Young Inventors Garden allows young inventors to explore their own creativity through Legos, puzzles and a variety of other interactive experiences.

far away view

close up view

     Other attractions include: the O.C. Tanner Atrium, Leonardo's Workshop, Leonardo's Studio and Leonardo's Laboratory.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - You need to provide ID to get the student or military discount.
- Entrance fees to the Leonardo are covered if you have an active Salt Lake Pass.
-Parking is available below Library Square.

Nearby: Salt Palace Convention Center, Clark Planetarium, Gilgal Sculpture Garden, Tracy Aviary

Spotlight: Kenai Fjords National Park

Spotlight: Kenai Fjords National Park was established in 1980 to protect the Harding Icefield and the animals that live there. The Harding Icefield contains almost 40 glaciers. In the frigid waters of the bay, and the pristine forests of the peninsula and nearby islands, a delicate ecosystem thrives. Some of the animals that live here are: orcas, humpback whales, seals, sea lions, otters, puffins, ducks, geese, porpoises, herring, salmon, bears, moose, mountain goats, wolverines, marmots, beavers, rabbits and myriad fish and birds. The only road in the park goes from Seward to the Exit Glacier Nature Center, located at the northeastern edge of the park. The best way to explore the park is on one of the many boat tours departing out of Seward and Whittier daily. Some of these tours have a park ranger directing your attention to points of interest - such as animals and glaciers - and provide a wealth of knowledge about the park.

cliffs with waterfalls

islands poking up from the sea

Location: Kenai Fjords National Park is located on the Kenai Peninsula in near the town of Seward.

Cost: Free - no entrance fee or charge for camping at Exit Glacier campground. Public use cabins are available for $75/night. Commercial boat tours can range anywhere from $75/adult to $250/adult. 

Time: Although the park is open all year, the vast majority of visitors come between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Minimal services are available the rest of the year. During the summer, the Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center (in Seward) is open from 9:00 am - 7:00 pm. The Exit Glacier Nature Center is open from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Plan on spending 1-2 hours at Exit Glacier. Boat or kayaking tours can be a few hours or all day.

Description: The Exit Glacier Nature Center has several different displays on glaciers, climate change and the animals that live within the park boundaries. From there, a wheelchair-accessible loop trail lead to the Glacier Overlook. There are other more rugged trails that lead to the edge of Exit Glacier as well as other points in the Harding Icefield. Exit Glacier is shrinking, and signposts along the way show where the edge of the glacier was at various years since the late 1800's, helping visitors realize how quickly it is actually shrinking. As the ice field shrinks, a lush, temperate rainforest has grown in the fertile soil left behind.

Exit Glacier

Exit Glacier Nature Center

Signpost of where the glacier was in 2005 (to get perspective, look at the people on the far right)

     We took a boat tour of the fjords with Major Marine Tours. We took the 7 1/2 hour tour. Even though it was long, it exceeded our expectations. We saw several glaciers including close up views of Holgate Glacier and Aialik Glacier. At both glaciers we were able to witness ice calving from the glacier and dropping into the water. Although we were the mandated quarter mile away from the ice, we could clearly hear the ice crack, which was usually followed by chunks of ice dropping into the water. Although most of the chunks didn't look very big, the fact that we could clearly see them from a quarter mile away indicate that they were much bigger than we realized. One time in particular stands out - on that particular occasion, the cracking ice sounded like thunder, which was followed by a large sheet of ice crashing into the bay with a loud splash. 

Bear Glacier (the largest in the Harding Icefield)

Holgate Glacier

Aialik Glacier "calving"

     From there, we sailed among the island looking for sea life. We saw a handful of humpback whales, dozens of Steller Sea Lions, Harbor Seals and puffins, otters, eagles, kittiwakes and a porpoise.

whale

sea lions

puffin eating a fish

seals

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - The road to the Exit Glacier Nature Center isn't plowed during winter months.

- Accommodations are available in nearby Seward. There is also a walk-in summer-use campground at Exit Glacier. Click here for more information on public use cabins.

- Ranger Programs are available between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend.

Nearby: Kachemak Bay State Park, Chugach State Park, Alaska SeaLife Center, Tustumena Lake

Spotlight: Denali National Park

Spotlight: Denali National Park and Preserve is centered around Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley), the highest peak in North America. Denali means "The High One" in the native Athabaskan language. If you are lucky enough to see it, you'll understand why - it towers over most of the neighboring mountains. Mount McKinley National Park was originally established in 1917, after plans were drawn up by the Boone and Crockett Club and submitted to Congress Alaskan delegate James Wickersham. Visitation to the park was extremely sparse until the completion of Highway 3, which allowed motor vehicles access to the park from either Anchorage or Fairbanks. The park currently covers more than 6 million acres (larger than the entire state of New Hampshire), but is only serviced by the 91-mile long Denali Park Road (only a small portion of which is paved) extending from the park entrance to Kantishna.

Location: Denali National Park is located about halfway between Anchorage and Fairbanks. The easiest ways to get there are by taking Highway 3 or taking one of the trains that run between the two cities.

Train from Anchorage to Denali

Cost: A $10/person fee is collected year round. All day tours run about $180/person.

Time: Depending on the type of tour you wish to take, you can spend anywhere from 2 hours (self-guided tour) to 13+ hours (Kantishna bus tour) inside the park.

Description: Private vehicles are only permitted on the first fifteen miles of the Denali Park Road. If you wish to explore further, you may take a tour, use the transit bus service (for a fee), or obtain a backcountry permit.
     We took the Kantishna bus tour. This 13-hour tour took us along the entire stretch of road from the park entrance to the Kantishna Roadhouse. Along the way, our bus driver/tour guide gave us detailed information on the flora and fauna as well as historical background about the park. Anytime someone spotted wildlife, we stopped so that everyone could take pictures. It was an uncommonly good day to spot grizzly bears (we saw 13) but not moose (zero). We also saw six caribou, a handful of Dahl sheep (way up on a slope), several falcons, ptarmigans (Alaska's state bird), marmots and several ground squirrels.

Mother grizzly with her two cubs

caribou

Dahl sheep

falcon

ptarmigan

marmot

      We stopped at the Eielson Visitor Center where we had a great view of Denali (simply referred to as "the mountain"). We were lucky enough to be there on a day where we could actually see it. Evidently, only about 30% of tourists to Alaska even see part of the mountain. The entire mountain is only visible a few days a month on average.

Denali

The High One

Eielson Visitor Center

     The final stage of our journey took us past Wonder Lake to the Kantishna Roadhouse. There, we had a two hour break which included a nice lunch and an activity - either panning for gold or watching a sled dog presentation. We chose to see the sled dogs. Since there was no snow, they practice during the summer by pulling a four-wheeler around the ranch.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - No food service is offered beyond the park entrance area. Know how long you will be gone and be prepared with the appropriate food, drink, clothing and gear: hat, gloves, raingear, proper footgear, insect repellent, binoculars and camera.
- Summers in Denali are usually cool, wet and windy with occasional snow. In winter, the weather is more predictable - dark and snowy. From mid-September to mid-May, services are limited. The park road is only kept plowed to Park Headquarters (Mile 3.4). The backcountry can only be reached on snowshoes, skis or dogsled.
- If you plan on hiking, be aware that Denali is a true wilderness. Encounters with grizzly bears and/or moose can be extremely dangerous so be prepared by knowing how to respond.
- A free courtesy shuttle takes visitors from the Visitor Center to the Savage River (15 mile mark). For a fee, the transit bus service runs from mid-May to mid-September from the Wilderness Access Center to Toklat River (six hour round trip), Eielson Visitor Center (8 hours) and Wonder Lake (11 hours).
- Overnight backpacking trips require careful planning and a backcountry permit which is only available after an in-person orientation with a ranger at the Backcountry Information Center.
- Denali and Mount Foraker climbers must register 60 days prior to the start of their ascent and pay a special use fee. Contact the Talkeetna Ranger Station (907-733-2231).

"Somewhat" Nearby: Denali State Park, Susitna River, Chugach State Park, Nelchina Public Use Area

Travel Tip #59 - Check reviews from other Customers

     Five years ago, my wife and I went on a cruise with some friends of ours. In preparation for the trip, we got a list of the shore excursions and decided what we wanted to do at each island. Relying solely on the cruise ships descriptions of each excursion, we debated among the various options until we finally made our choices. Among our choices, we decided to take a tour of what was labeled "the world's only drive-in volcano." It turned out to be a major disappointment - primarily because it was false advertising. First of all, it wasn't true - we'd been to other places in Yellowstone and Hawaii that fit their definition of a "drive-in volcano." Second, it wasn't nearly as cool as it sounded. Every few minutes one of our fellow tourists would ask when we were going to enter the volcano and our tour guide had to keep explaining that we were already in the collapsed caldera of the volcano. Third, by taking that tour, we missed out on another tour we would have enjoyed much more - swimming with sting rays.
     The reason for mentioning this trip is to illustrate the importance of reading independent reviews. The reviews the cruise company provides are going to be biased in favor of the trip since they want you to spend your money on the tour. Yet, if we would have done more research, we would have realized that the volcano was basically sulfur pits instead of the magnificent caldera we imagined. Since then, we have done a better job at checking out reviews. Not only have they helped us decide which places to visit when we are short on time, they also given us hints on the best time of day to visit them.
     In addition to reading reviews, I also recommend writing your own reviews. If you liked something, let other people know about it. If you didn't, other people need to know that too. You might be the voice of reason that makes a positive difference in helping someone else have a great vacation instead of just a good one.
     P.S. I noticed that since posting my own review of the aforementioned volcano, the official tour site has changed their definition to the "Caribbean's only drive-in volcano." It might only be a small change, but at least it is more accurate than before.

Spotlight: southern Utah - Kanarraville Falls

Spotlight: Kanarraville Falls is one of my favorite hikes. First of all, I love waterfalls, and Kanarraville has several of them. Second, the canyon is just gorgeous! I'd heard about the hike years ago, but my daughter reminded me of it when she hiked it while attending school at SUU. The popularity of the hike has soared in recent years due to exposure in social media - so much so that an $8 fee was recently added in an effort to discourage hikers from coming in. The excessive travel up and down the canyon is having an impact on the flora and fauna. Also, the huge influx of visitors to the tiny town has caused problems such as parking in unauthorized locations and contamination of the water supply. Therefore, if you go, please park in designated areas and follow the principles of "Leave No Trace."

fall colors

Location: Kanarraville is a tiny town along I-15 in southern Utah, about 13 miles south of Cedar City. The trailhead is located on the eastern side of town on 100 North just past 300 East.

Cost: $8 for a hiking permit; $10 for parking

Time: The hike will take about 2-4 hours, depending on the hiking skills of those in your group.

Description: The hike is officially 4.8 miles, but can be shorter or longer depending on how far up the canyon you go. The hike ranges from moderate to strenuous. For the first part of the hike, you hike along a dirt road. It eventually turns into a trail that crosses the creek several times. Eventually, the creek becomes the trail. When you reach the first waterfall, you can either climb the wooden ladder with metal struts, or turn back. When you come to the second waterfall, you can scale the large boulder on the right using the rope that is attached there. Further up the creek you will need to climb over several boulders that are slick with moss. Eventually you will arrive at a rickety wooden ladder that is somewhat sketchy. This is where we turned around. Along the way, take time to take photos of the gorgeous scenery on either side of the creek.

steep trail down the side of a hill

Crossing the river

Following the "trail"

the "first" waterfall

climbing the ladder

the "second" falls

the "third" falls

the "fourth" falls

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Your GPS may tell you to head up the dirt road, but it is closed to regular traffic.
- Wear close-toed shoes that you don't mind getting wet. While you can keep them dry for the first half of the hike, eventually you'll have to hike in the river. Just be careful about stepping on mossy rocks. I almost fell a couple of times, and my sister-in-law did.
- The best time to hike this trail is during the summer or a hot spring or autumn day. We went mid-October and the water was freezing.
- Bring dry socks and a second pair of shoes to change into once you get back to the car.
- This is a challenging hike because of the water factor. There are also wooden ladders and ropes to get up a couple of sections that can be difficult for small children or people with balance issues.
- You can purchase the permit online or at the kiosk at the trailhead. The permit can only be purchased with credit cards or debit cards.
- Use the restrooms located at the trail head so as not to contaminate the water in the canyon.
- Dogs are not allowed in the canyon.
- This hike reminds me of the Virgin Narrows more than any other hike I've been on. With that in mind, it would be wise to check the weather upstream before hiking. You wouldn't want to hike it if there was danger of a flash flood.

Nearby: Zion National Park, Quichapa Lake, Cedar Breaks NM, Brian Head

Spotlight: Salt Lake City - The Clark Planetarium

Spotlight: "Clark Planetarium's mission is to create and present enlightening experiences that inspire wonder in learning about space and science, and to promote greater public awareness of the science in our daily lives." Having experienced the Planetarium first hand, I'd have to say that they succeeded.

Location: The Planetarium is located within the boundaries of the Gateway Mall at the corner of 100 South and 400 West in Salt Lake City.

Cost: Free admission. The shows cost: $7/child (2-12); $7/adult (before 5 pm); $9/adult (after 5 pm).

Time: 1-4 hours per visit; Daily schedule: 10:30 am - 7 pm (Sunday-Wednesday); 10:30 am - 10:00 pm (Thursday); 10:30 am - 11:00 pm (Friday-Saturday).

Description: The Planetarium has a variety of interactive exhibits in which visitors can learn about a wide variety of science related issues: the moon, stars, telescopes, weather, black holes, meteorites, our solar system, clouds, gravity, and much more. Find out your weight on different planets. Learn about how black holes are created. Examine different types of meteorites - including the largest specimen this side of the Mississippi. About half of the exhibits allow visitors to do simple experiments to better understand the concepts being taught.

cloud exhibit

heat signature display

     They have a special exhibit room that is currently displaying an exhibit on IO - one of Jupiter's moons. It has an IO landscape and allows guests to drive around RC moon rovers. My daughter loved it.

     In addition to the free exhibits, visitors can purchase tickets to one of the movies or shows. The IMAX theatre shows several 3D movies about various themes. The Hansen Dome Theatre uses 3D computer animation and digital projection to teach visitors about a variety of space related topics ranging from constellations, to black holes, to astronauts, etc. The Gateway to the Stars show is the first Saturday of every month and is an absolutely fabulous presentation on stars, constellations, and space in general. Perhaps the best aspect is that they encourage the audience to ask questions. They also host several Cosmic Light Shows for those who prefer their science lessons to have a bit of pizzazz.

Rating: 4 billion stars (out of 5 billion)

Things You Should Know: - If you park in the Gateway parking garage, you can get your ticket stub validated giving you 3 hours for only $1.
- The Planetarium is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- The Trax trolley line has a stop right in front of the Planetarium.
- The Planetarium shows a variety of movies and interactive shows. For show listings, go to http://clarkplanetarium.org/shows-and-exhibits/
- If you purchase a membership, you gain free admission to a year's worth of shows in both the Hansen Dome Theatre and the IMAX Theatre. You can also get discounts for your guests.

Nearby: Energy Solutions Stadium, Mystery Escape Room, Temple Square, Salt Palace

Spotlight: Colorado - Silverton Old One Hundred Mine Tour

Spotlight: In the spring of 1872 the Neigold brothers arrived from Germany and staked their claim on the "Number Seven" vein. Reinhard, Gustave and Otto Neigold organized the Midland Mining Company and spent 30 years prospecting the veins on Galena Mountain. In 1904, the Midland Mining properties were sold to the Old Hundred Mining Company. By 1906, gold bars were being shipped to the Denver Mint. By 1908 the good gold was "mined out" and the financial panic of 1907 dried up sources of new capital. The Old Hundred Mining Company never made a profit on the ore it mined, and later defaulted on its debt to the Neigolds who got the now abandoned property back. The brothers tried to sell the mine but eventually lost it due to unpaid back taxes. During the 1930's, new owners worked the mine sporadically but still unprofitably. By 1973, the mine was finally abandoned. It remained so until it was opened up to tours.

Galena Mountain

Location: The Old Hundred Gold Mine is located at 721 County Road 4A, Silverton, CO. It took longer to get there than we expected because of road work and its location outside of town, but we got there just in time for the last tour.

Cost: $18.95/adult; $9.95/child (5-12); $16.95/senior (60+)

Time: From early May to early October, the Old Hundred Gold mine is open for tours. Tours start at 10:00 am with the last tour at 4:00. The tour takes one hour, so plan on spending about 90 minutes there.

Description: The tour takes you 1/3 of a mile into the heart of the Galena Mountain. First you take an old open mining cart into the heart of the mine. Then you get out and walk through the tunnels where the miners worked. You get an up close view of vein of colorful crystals with demonstrations of how mining work was done while your tour guide explains how the equipment was used back in the early-mid 1900's as well as other interesting tidbits on mining life - including a view of an original "port-o-potty".

old elevator

Mining Car port-o-potty

     Before or after the tour, visitors can try out their hand at panning for gold (or silver or copper) in the sluice box. Panning is "free" with a paid tour and you may keep any metal you find.

Rating: 2 1/2 stars (out of 5); the tour was interesting, but not worth the price of admission.

Things You Should Know: - The "Million Dollar Highway" from Durango to Ourey is quite steep with steep drop-offs, so if steep mountainous roads scare you, you won't like this one.
- Give yourself extra time to get there because of low speeds and road conditions.
- Our tour guide was a no-nonsense ex-miner who told it like it was. If children are getting a little careless, he makes sure the parents set them straight.
- If you are visiting Silverton via train, there is a Train Connection Shuttle.
- Temperature inside the mine is a constant 48 degrees, so a jacket or sweater is recommended.
- You wear the rain slicker for protection from the water which you will probably encounter and a helmet to protect you from falling rock which you probably won't encounter.

Nearby: Durango & Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad Train, Ouray Hot Springs, Cascade Falls Park, The Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP