I honestly don't even know where to start -- this was AMAZING!!!…read more We had him at my son's birthday party, and both kids AND parents absolutely loved it. From the moment he arrived, he had everyone engaged, laughing, and completely entertained. It's not easy to keep a group of kids (and adults!) that happy and focused, but he did it effortlessly. The energy, the professionalism, the way he connects with the kids -- everything was just perfect. You can tell he truly loves what he does, and it makes all the difference. So many parents came up to me asking for his contact after the party! I would recommend him with my eyes closed -- truly. 1000% worth it. I only wish I had more parties just so I could hire him again! Thank you for making Noah's birthday so special and unforgettable!

Highly recommend! I called Brian with extremely late notice and he was so nice and accommodating…read more He arrived to our event and was set up quickly. The crowd of adults and kids alike were captivated by his snakes and lizards. It was a great show and super informative. This was literally my son's dream come true. He said being the helper was the highlight of the night. If you have any events and need some entertainment, Brian is your guy. We learned a lot about reptiles and snakes and you'll def have a new appreciation for them once you get up close and personal. Would definitely do this again. Thanks, Brian!!

I've been to Vasona many times and seen the sign for YSI, though I finally ventured in today!…read more This place is somewhat of a hidden gem; while it offers a chance to learn more about endemic species in our area, it is also very small. For that reason, I would say it's great to come here but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. COST: $6 for parking, but no cost to enter! PARKING: there is a spacious lot right next to the entrance. AMBIANCE: clean, uplifting, and cozy. There are many educational toys and books, which complement the somewhat small selection of animals to see. Would come back, but would be best to combine this with a walk in Vasona or a trip to the Oak Meadow merry-go-round or train.

Science is Golden…read more Signed my son up for a week-long summer camp ("Geology Rocks!") here at YSi and he absolutely loved it. Which is saying a lot for a kid that hates school and would much rather be whiling away his summer playing the Minecrafts®™. *eye roll* The Good: *Great communication from the staff, as they send out plenty of helpful emails to keep parents informed of what's going on. *Easy pick-up and drop-off *Extremely cautious 'Rona™ measures that include masks; socially-distanced pickup and drop-offs; as well as temperature checks. *A bit overly cautious but safe pick-ups as they check ID and the pick-up person *must* be on the list. *They offer tons of classes with easy sign-ups online The Bad: *Make sure you sign-up early as their classes fill-up fast. We lollygagged and waited too late and were only able to sign him up for one class. :( TLDR: We've always been big fans of YSi but now love them even more! Honestly not sure if he learned anything--as it's tough getting an answer between all the mining and the crafting--but if he liked it, then you know it's good.

This place is awesome. The owner is extremely energetic with both my little girls. Animals are…read moresuper friendly and there is so many fun activities around this whole area. There's also a spot where the animals are not in so yhe kids can play with the toys and sand. 100% would recommend and we will be returning. The owner said they are going to be open on the weekends, certain days.

I happened to visit this magical place today for a child's birthday party. My visit today had a…read moreprofound impact on my life, and that's not an exaggeration. I have been in a bit of a funk for the past several days due to an upsetting issue that I have been dealing with. I have been struggling to get my own energetic vibration back up to a comfortable place and maintain it there. As such, I have been walking around feeling like a character from an antidepressant commercial with a dark, rainy cloud hanging over my head. Every now and then, the rain would stop for a while, but the cloud persisted. Until today. I experienced true bliss every moment that I spent at Farmer Jen's farm today. I pet the most docile llamas with the beautifully soulful eyes. I painted with an adorable, super chill bearded dragon named Sunshine relaxing on the table. I pet beautiful corn snakes, helped children tie knots for a craft, made my own craft (which involved painting chickens on rocks while surrounded by the unusually friendly chickens), and watched my kids joyfully paint and play. It was almost as though we stepped into a movie, complete with background music from a perfectly curated playlist. One of the partygoers was crying about their artwork not turning out the way they wanted, and Farmer Jen jumped in and beautifully helped them (and literally turned their frown upside down with her compassionate words and actions). My blues seem to have vanished after visiting this idyllic farm and spending time with these strangely mellow creatures. It struck me that Farmer Jen never once expressed concern over kids interacting with her animals. She is super mellow and happy, and her calm and content energy seems to permeate her entire property and all of the creatures there. I'm so grateful for today's experience, and can't wait to go back there again someday.

Teressa did a great job for my 4-year-old daughter's birthday party. We had to reschedule due to…read morerain, and she was able to make it work. The kids loved the snakes, the tortoises eating, and the lizards. Even the adults were entertained! Her pricing is very good as well. The birthday girl got to be a helper and have first touch/hold of all the reptiles. At the end, she was also given a small scroll and some snake skin shed as a souvenir. She does shows all over. We are located in Contra Costa County, but she had a show in Sacramento booked right after. Thank you, Teressa!

Teressa and her crew put on the most amazing show for our 7 year old's birthday party! He had the…read moretime of his life. It was so lovely to see him so relaxed and happy with the beautiful reptiles. All the kids had an absolute blast too, parents were telling me how much they enjoyed the show and appreciated the care Teressa took sharing her beautiful animals. The birthday boy got special attention, seated on stage, and then all the kids could gently pet the animals. Seeing the awe on their faces was so precious. We have had many birthday shows, and this one was hands down the absolute best! Younger and older kids alike had fun, can't recommend highly enough! Thank you, a thousand times! You made his birthday

We celebrated my kid's 4th birthday! Last minute thought and when I reached out to Tina she opened…read moreup some appointment for the date I needed.. and I truly appreciate it. The couple puts in a personal touch so the kids can enjoy and the group too. The tour was fantastic and well paced. The animals were happy, healthy, calm and friendly with the kids. Kudos to the couple for managing this beautiful tour while they have a little one We took the 12-1 tour but because I have kids, Tina was kind to let me use the picnic area and stay on for a little bit longer so I can feed the kids and also let them play around a bit.. Thank you, Tina

It's a small business started by Tina and Julian during the pandemic. They love the animal and…read morestarted the farm way before they started the business. If you like a small family exclusive farm educational experience, this is for you. Julian and Tina are such a sweet sweet couple! Julian knows all about his animals and takes great care of them. Our 7 and 2yo boys absolutely loved the animals and the very natural experience. There're dozens of hens, a few goats, ducks and even peacocks. We were especially impressed by how much attention Julian pays to safety. He separates the animals while our toddler was petting ducks.

Very cool place. The taxidermy bird room alone is worth the entrance fee. I will definitely be…read moregoing back the next time I visit.

If you got a Pacific Grove, you need to see the Museum of Natural History. It's a nice little…read moremuseum. Well set up. You can learn about the fishing industry, you can learn about Jade. I found that very interesting. You can also find about the wildlife and birds in the area. They also had some very cool relief, maps of the geography and geology of the Monterey Harriet. They offer a senior discount. It's always good to support museums.

Wonderful park to explore and hike if you are ever in the Carmel Valley area. Plenty of parking…read moreboth on the street as well as in a designated parking lot. Much of the area in the lower section is flat and easy to walk around, however, there are also some trails with steeper elevation climbs for those who want to get more of a scenic view of the area. Cool historic barn is easy to get to and on hotter days you will definitely want to take some water as some of the trails are exposed to the sun. There is a public bathroom area by the visitor center.

Garland Ranch Regional Park -- Where Nature Went to College and Got a Degree in Enchantment"…read moreOh, you think you've been on a hike before? No. You've merely walked on ground. Garland Ranch Regional Park is where the Earth decided to get fancy -- rolling hills, whispering trees, and trails that seem designed by a benevolent chaos god who wanted you to get lost just enough to find yourself. The Vibe: This place doesn't just have nature -- it radiates personality. The air smells like enlightenment and expensive essential oils. Every oak tree looks like it has witnessed ancient wisdom and is judging you for not bringing reusable water bottles. The wind flirts. The grass gossips. The clouds... perform interpretive dance. The Trails: Sky Trail: Don't let the name fool you -- it's 80% up, 20% existential crisis. But at the top? A view so stunning, I briefly ascended into my third chakra and forgot my email password. Waterfall Trail: There's water. There's falling. There's also a high chance of spotting a woodland creature that may or may not be a druid in disguise. Saddle Trail: Not for the faint of calf. You'll meet at least one hiker who swears they saw Bigfoot running a mindfulness retreat. Wildlife Report: The deer here are too confident. They'll make eye contact like they know you left your stove on. Lizards do push-ups just to assert dominance. A hawk once circled above me for 20 minutes; I think I passed its vibe check. Local myth says the coyotes form an a cappella group at dusk. Their debut album, Howl to the Moonlight, drops every full moon. Random Fun Facts (Questionable Accuracy Edition): The park's elevation shifts based on how hydrated you are. 47% of the trees are rumored to be undercover dryads doing field research. If you say "Garland Ranch" three times at the visitor center, a ranger appears and hands you a perfectly ripe trail mix. Final Thoughts: Garland Ranch isn't just a park. It's an experience. It's Narnia with better signage. It's where fitness apps go to prove themselves. I came here seeking a light jog; I left spiritually rearranged, emotionally hydrated, and slightly sunburned.

Great barn/farm/orchard setting! The sandwiches were excellent but of course the real star was the…read moreapple pie! Huge slices too, as the apple pie is about twice the height of the other ones. There was simultaneously always a lineup (at 2:30min the afternoon), and yet people were never waiting long. The hot apple cider, and fresh apple cider, are amazing as well.

I really wanted to get my sister an apricot pie, but they didn't have a whole one, only a couple of…read moreslices, so I ended up with a "Very Berry". All the pies looked good, but I won't know how it tastes since it's not for me. My friends ordered slices and they seemed a bit small; the cost per slice is more than for a quarter of a whole pie, but the size seemed much smaller. I guess it pays to buy the whole pie! Very popular shop. There was a line when we arrived and a line when we left. The pie shop is next door to the store where they sold apples and fresh apple juice. There were cups of apple juice in the fridge that you could help yourself to as samples; very refreshing and delicious. The store also sold lots of kitchen knickknacks and some toys and fun things. Made for a great stop.

We've had Fiona for our son's 1st bday party for balloon twisting and it was such a hit show. she…read morewas fantastic with kids. came on time with her setup. all the kids literally surrounded her and enjoyed the twisters so much. some kids even went in for seconds. Look no further. am so glad we hired Fionna as our party entertainer and I was very happy to see all the kids having fun time. the kids will be occupied for an hour while the parents can take some breather, have lunch, enjoy the party etc :)

Fiona did a great job for a balloon backdrop for my son's first birthday! She was responsive, open…read moreto feedback, and had great suggestions! Her prices are also fair. She came and set up and took down super efficiently, everything turned out great! Will definitely work with her again for future parties :)

Today was the day!!! I have been a HUGE fan of the book Cannery Row and John Steinbeck for decades…read more As a lifelong local I always wondered what the inside of this place looked like! They offer free tours the first Saturday of the month. Tour lasts about an hour. I was very lucky and had the entire tour to myself! The docent was very knowledgeable about Monterey history as well as Ed Ricketts, John Steinbeck and all things Cannery Row. It was fascinating to look at the posters on the wall from the Mens club who owned the lab between the early 50's until the late 80's. The downstairs areas where the holding tanks are (visible from the outside) and the inside where the garage was. Along with things that you would know if you had read some of the books. Notably for me was the desk they built to take with them on the trip to the Sea of Cortez, that didn't fit inside the boat- so it was lashed to the outside and virtually never used. There it was! I touched it! If you're a lover of history and Steinbeck I highly recommend it!

I hesitate in writing even this…read more I wrote a lengthy review and deleted it. I don't want to give it away. I don't want it to cheapen it with more [censored] trotting around and trying to steal off of it or from it. But this, this is a holy place of sorts. You can go to the missions for religion. Or you can come here. But please don't.