Fun at the State Fair

This year was the 3rd year that we have been to the State Fair, and we had so much fun.  It is such an American tradition... and being in the capital of such a beautiful bountiful state like California makes this fair really great.  Bigger and grander than anything I'd ever been to.  (To compare, I went a few times to The Rand Show.  In April 2010 they had almost 175 000 visitors.  The 157th California State Fair 2010 had 741 189.  Yikes!)

Obviously a huge part of the fun is taking the kids and seeing stuff through their eyes.  This year the choices were different to last year's:

We saw "real" moving, roaring life-size dinosaurs at a new Dinosaur Exhibit, 

and took this picture: 

 

As usual they were fascinated in the reptile area       and by snakes, alligators, bugs.  

They stood tasting honey and watching a beehive for half an hour (while we ate delicious boxes of grapes being handed out nearby).

   

We watched the crazy motorcycle stunt show twice (once on the way in and once on our way back to our car).  

They went on a huge fun slide, played in bubbles, begged for a "fair toy" each, rode in the wagon when their little legs got too tired

 

and had an all around fun time.  We didn't do any big carnival rides or even get to the barn or farm.  Too busy with other stuff.  Amazing, and very different to last year when we stayed mainly in the livestock/ farm area!  I suppose you do different stuff each time you go because it is too big to fit it all in in one day.  I thought they'd leave upset with missing out on some of the Big Stuff, but they didn't even notice... their minds were full of the creatures they'd seen and fun things they'd done.  It's wonderful being there with young kids... I'm sure when they get older they'll want the unlimited ride wristbands and all that stuff.  And it'll cost us $200 in one day, but this year we packed a picnic, took our wide-eyed wonder, and had a great day.

This big tank of water with "bubbles" was fun.  Some bigger kids could actually run and make them spin, but the kids just crawled or lay... with BIG smiles :)  WHAT A GREAT DAY!!