Morgan Hill Aquatics Center

Morgan Hill’ s Aquatics Center, located at 16200 Condit Road, opens for the 2017 Summer Season on Saturday, May 27, offering fun for kids of all ages. Have a blast on the variety of water features, or enjoy a leisurely day poolside. The ultimate summer experience is just minutes away with two large waterslides, a water play feature, splash pad, full size competition pool, and a warm instructional pool. morganhill. ca. gov / 209 / Aquatics

Located at 5000 Highway 146 in Paicines, the park was formed over 23 million years ago when multiple volcanoes erupted and flowed together. Its landscape is unlike any other, consisting of grasslands, chaparral, oak woodlands, and canyon bottoms. The park is a home to many species of plants and animals, including Prairie and Peregrine falcons, Golden eagles, and the endangered California Condor. With a little luck, visitors may spot two or three soaring over the peaks. Pinnacle visitors can also explore two systems of talus caves, which were formed by massive boulders wedged in ravines and widened, over time, by water and erosion. The park offers hikers 32 miles of trails, where bobcats, coyotes, black-tailed deer, and any number of lizards and snakes, and tarantulas, are likely to be spotted. nps. gov / pinn / planyourvisit / basicinfo. htm

The Monterey Bay Aquarium at 886 Cannery Row in Monterey is located on the site of a former sardine cannery on Cannery Row, and features thousands of plants and animals representing more than 600 species on display. The centerpiece of the Aquarium is a 28-foot-high, 333,000-gallon exhibit ideal for viewing coastal marine life, including giant kelp. The largest exhibit in the aquarium is a 1,200,000-gallon Open Sea exhibit, featuring one of the world’ s largest singlepaned windows, where you have a closeup view of stingrays, jellyfish, sea otters, sea horses, and numerous other native marine species. The Aquarium’ s impressive display of jellyfish is a mystifying sight. More than 35,000 creatures representing over 550 species fill 34 major galleries. There are nearly 200 exhibits in all, providing all who visit the aquarium,“ a window to the wonders of the ocean.” montereybayaquarium. org,

Freemont

Peak Observatory

Located in San Juan Bautista, the observatory is one of the finest amateur-operated astronomy centers in the United States. Each year the Observatory offers over 2,000 members of the public free multimedia presentations by a FPOA astronomer on Saturday evenings as the sun sets over the Pacific. The“ Challenger” Newtonian telescope, and a variety of sophisticated amateur telescopes, allow observers to view the splendors of the night sky. The Observatory is open to the public for free scheduled viewing and educational programs from April through October on Saturday evenings that don’ t conflict with a full moon. fpoa. net

Mission of San Juan Bautista

Located at 406 Second Street in San Juan Bautista, the mission was founded on June 24, 1797 by Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuén. Named for Saint John the Baptist, the mission is known for being the largest of the mission churches, and quickly grew to become the core of the prosperous town. The mission features a museum with an extensive collection of artifacts and a serene garden. There are numerous buildings that still remain from the Spanish colonial and early American times: the Plaza Hotel, built 20 years later; a settler’ s cabin with gardens, a great example of early California settlers typical housing; Indian Burial Grounds next to the Mission Church, where over 4000 American Indians are buried; the Plaza Hall; and stables. oldmissionsjb. org,

GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MAY / JUNE 2017 gmhtoday. com

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