Summer plannin'

My own boys, both safely swathed in five-harness seatbelts, travel in more space now, and Hubby's internal GPS is way better than my which-way-is-north-again sensibility. The radio is tuned to Radio Disney (can you hear the drums, Fernando?) and we are content to possess that one summer essential: each other.

            Herewith: our summer plans, excepting the beach (you all know how to get there). Feel free to let us in on where you're taking the little people this season.

            Each year, we decide which membership to renew (depending on our budget): the Huntington (starts at $100 and includes year-round free admission, discounts and members-only events, plus the best summer concerts in the gardens); the Aquarium of the Pacific ($110 for a family, but so worth it. On some members' only nights, we literally got the place all to ourselves). Then there's the Arboretum in Arcadia, a bargain at $70 a year for a family of four.

We haven't yet been able to afford the whole Disney annual pass deal, multiplying everything by four and all, but the idea's the same. Membership or annual passes allow us to just drop in, spend an hour or two and not stress about "getting our money's worth." (And my math genius Hubby makes sure we use the passes often enough to do that, just like he calculates how much sushi he has to eat to make the all-you-can-eat deal worth it. Gotta love him!)

I am so looking forward to haunting the local farmer's markets, Monrovia (Fridays), West Covina (Saturdays) and Glendora, munching on kettle corn, ogling the clothes racks and jewelry tables and sampling local produce along the way. Never mind that we all smell like barbecue when we get home.

Our local libraries and bookstores are treasure troves of free activities and events, from world-class magicians to bug shows, check your city Web site for a list of dates for programs and summer classes, most of which are free. Library staff really do come up with the most fun ideas. Of course, Lakeshore Learning and Michaels now also offers free activities on Saturdays, as do our local malls.

Once I streamlined the 10 tons of equipment a baby needs, we became regulars at local summer concerts in the park. When we had but one kiddo, we even went concert-hopping from city to shining San Gabriel Valley city, taking in a Neil Diamond tribute band one night, then shimmying to '50s music the next. You don't have to live in the city to attend the concerts (and yes, we're going with a theme here, admission is free). Just remember to bring lawn chairs and beach blankets, a picnic dinner, and jackets.

One stop we will make this summer will be to the Arroyo Seco Grill, 1055 Lohman Lane, in South Pasadena. We attended a birthday party there last year and just love the breakfast at the grill, the beautiful green space and the children having the time of their lives playing mini golf. It's one of many perfect, lazy Sunday morning destinations.

Which makes the trip, Abba soundtrack or not, worth every minute.

P.S. If you do make it to the beach, make sure to check for beach closures and check the water quality. You do not want to deal with bacteria in the water than can lead to ear, nose and throat infections, to cholera, hepatitis and amoebic dysentery. Check here:

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/Mag2/beaches