From time to time I visit non Disney destinations, some of which have a Disney tie in, and some that do not. I started this section to house the pictures from these travels.

• San Diego Zoo & Safari Park (2020)
  My first venture out since the 2020 Covid Lockdown in March was to San Diego and we visited the Zoo & Safari Park on back to back days.
  • 2020 – San Diego Zoo & Safari Park Trip Summary
  • 10/18/20 – San Diego Zoo – Thoughts, Observations & Cell Phone Pictures
  • 10/18/20 – San Diego Zoo – Full Picture Set
  • 10/19/20 – San Diego Zoo Safari Park – Thoughts, Observations & Cell Phone Pictures
  • 10/19/20 – San Diego Zoo Safari Park – Full Picture Set
    
    
• Inside the Walt Disney Archives - 50 Years of Preserving the Magic @ Bowers Museum
  From March 7, 2020 - August 30, 2020 this exhibit will be at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. This picture set is of a preview and ribbon cutting on March 5, 2020. It features a walktrhough and some of the 465 items on display.
  
  
• Washington D.C. (2017)
  I spent several days touring the District of Columbia in August 2017.
  • 2017 Washington DC Trip Summary Page
  • U.S. Capitol
  • Library Of Congress
  • Supreme Court, U.S. Capitol Grounds, Smithsonian Air & Space Museum
  • White House
    
  • Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • National Zoo, U.S. Navy Memorial & National Archives
  • Smithsonian National Zoo – Pandas, Tigers, Lions & Cheetah
  • National Mall, World War II Memorial, Washington Monument & other Washington D.C. sights
  • Pentagon Memorial & Trip to Maryland
  • Washington D.C. – Trip Home Pictures  — Airport sights, aerial pictures of D.C. and more
    
    
    
• Muppets Most Wanted Screening @ El Capitan (3/15/14)
  A quick visit to Hollywood Blvd. for a screening at the El Capitan. Includes a look at some props and costumes from the film that were on display.
  
  
• Aulani - A Disney Resort & Spa - Hawaii (2013)
  In August of 2013 I headed West to Hawaii and spent five nights at Disney's Aulani Resort.
  
  
  • Daily summaries, thoughts & observations, as well as cell phone pictures
    • Tuesday August 27 - Arrivial and walked around Aulani
    • Wednesday August 28 - Spent the day exploring Aulani
    • Thursday August 29 - Aulani's second anniversary & USC football game
    • Friday August 30 - Visited Pearl Harbor and Drove around the North Side of the island
    • Saturday August 31 - Drove around the south side of the Island as well as up the coast from Aulani
    • Sunday September 1 - Spent relaxing at Aulani then heading home in the evening.
      
      
  • Pictorial Sections:
    • Aulani 1st Annual Rubber Ducky Derby August 29, 2013
    • Aulani Expansion Construction - The project will be completed in October 2013
    • Arriving in Hawaii, Ko Olina, and Aulani from the street
    • Aulani Lobby
    • Aulani Towers (Waianae & Ewa)
    • Aulani Stores (Kalepa's Store, Hale Manu, Lava Shack)
    • Aulani Other Spaces (Luana Lounge, Pau Hana Room Community Hall, Restrooms)
    • Aulani Studio Room (our room)
    • Aulani Two Bedroom Villa
    • Aulani from across the Lagoon
    • Aulani Lagoon/Beach
    • Aulani Waikolohe Valley
      • Overview/walk around the paths
      • Menehune Bridge (Children's Water Play Area)
      • Rainbow Reef (Snorkel Experience Play Area)
      • Waikolohe Pool (Family Fun Pool)
      • Whirlpool Spas (Waikolohe & Sunset Spas)
      • The Circle of Álae Úla (Mo Ólelo Fire Pit Storytelling)
      • Pu’u Kilo Volcano
      • Sun/Deck Area
      • Waikolohe Stream (the lazy river)
    • Disney Characters @ Aulani
      • Meet and Greets
      • Aloha Fun with Disney Friends
      • The Shake-A-Shaka Pool Party (Waikolohe Pool + Characters)
    • Aulani Starlit Hui
    • Aulani at Night
    • Menehune Adventure Trail
    • Menehune Around Aulani
    • Dining at Aulani
      • Ama Ama
      • Makahiki
      • The Olelo Room
      • Mama's Snack Stop & Papalua Shave Ice
      • BBQ, Poolside Dining, Little Ophihis, Off the Hook
    • Oahu (Driving Around, Pearl Harbor, & Football)
      • H3 to North Shore
      • Around Diamond Head, South/East Shores then back on H3
      • Farrington Hwy beyond Ko Olina
      • Pearl Harbor
      • Aloha Stadium USC vs Hawaii
        
      
      
• A YouTube PlayList featuring all my Aulani/Hawaii Videos
  
  
  

• Alaska 2013
  I headed North to Alaska the first of June on a cruise and land package. Due to the itinerary I wanted I opted not to go on Disney for this trip. We did 7 nights on a ship going from Vancouver through Anchorage then a train up to a lodge near Mt. McKinley followed by a bus trip to a lodge by Denali National Park and an 8 hour excursion into the park. Then a bus up to Fairbanks where we flew home from the following day. Here are some highlight photos that include my thoughts and observations too:
  

• My thoughts and observations from the trip
  
  
• Day 1 - Arrival in Vancouver and setting sail
• Day 2 - At Sea (look around the ship, food carving demonstration)
• Day 3 - Ketchikan
• Day 4 - Juneau including Glacier Gardens and the Mendenhall Glacier
• Day 5 - Skagway
• Day 6 - Glacier Bay
• Day 7 - At sea and College Fjord
• Day 8 - Whittier and train Talkeetna and bus to Mt. McKinley Lodge
  • Part 1: Disembarking and train from Whittier to Talkeetna
  • Part 2: Talkeetna & Mt McKinley Lodge
• Day 9 - Denali
  • Part 1: Bus from Mt McKinley to Denali Lodge
  • Part 2: Denali National Park - Tundra Wilderness Tour
• Day 10 - Fairbanks (trip to Fairbanks & Riverboat Discovery Tour)
• Day 11 - Trip Home
• Youtube Playlist containing videos from the trip (they are embedded in the pictorial sections too
  
  
• Space Shuttle Endeavour @ The California Science Center (11/24/12)
  The Space Shuttle Endeavour is on display in a temporary facilitiy for the next several years until the final exhibit is contructed. I take a walk through its new/temporary home.
  
  
• Space Shuttle Endeavour Southern California Fly By (9/21/12)
  I took a series of pictures from the rooftop of a structure at the University of Southern California of the Shuttle Endeavour arriving in the Los Angeles area. You will see it fly over the California Science Center (where it will be on display) and the circle around Downtown LA including the Giffith Park Observatory and Hollywood Sign before it passed directly over head.
  
  
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (7/22/06)
  Starting in July 2012 and running through April 2013 the Reagan Presidential Library located in Simi Valley CA will house an exhibit called D23 Presents the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives. I thought it would be fun to look at a previous visit to the library. So here is a look around the Reagan Library with a focus on the Air Force One Pavilion.
  
  
• Avengers Movie Costumes & Props @ USC (5/14/12)
  The University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts has an exhibit featuring Avengers movie costumes and props inside the George Lucas Building lobby. I paid a quick visit and here are some pictures of what you will find there. Quick fact: May 14th is George Lucas's birthday. Note these are cell phone pictures with no flash so the quality is iffy, but you get the idea of what is there.
  
  
• Railroad Days 2012 in Fullerton (5/5/12)
  As part of the 2012 Railroad Days Disneyland brought the Lilly Belle to Fullerton and opened the car for all to walk through. Also the Carolwood Pacific group brought a restored Combine Car from the Disneyland/Sante Fe Railroad to the event.
  
  
  
• Hawaii 2010
  I was out in Hawaii and spent some time walking the perimeter of the Disney Vacation Club property that is under construction. The Aulani resort is slated to open August 29, 2011 so just under a year from when these pictures were taken.
  
  Due to quite a bit of interest I have posted pictures, non-Disney, of my Hawaii trip here.
  
  • Day 1 - Waikiki
  • Day 2 - Pearl Harbor - Arizona Memorial, Aviation Museum, drive around the Northern side of the island
  • Day 3 - A drive east/south, Punchbowl, Round Top, and USC Rally
  • Day 4 - Ko Olina, Aloha Stadium for the USC football game
  • Day 4 - Disney's Aulani Resort
  • Day 5 - Arrivial on Kona, then a drive north to the Polou Valley Lookout
  • Day 6 - Drive South around the Island to Volcano National Park and back
    
  • Day 7 - Drive North/East around the Island to Hilo, then to Waipio Valley
  • Day 8 - A couple last shots of the Kona airport before heading home