This week friends are visiting from NYC, and having out‑of‑town guests always gives me the perfect excuse to do the “touristy” things I don't get to do often. Today we headed to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco—a place that never fails to impress, whether you’re a first‑timer or a local returning for the hundredth time.
The Academy is a living, breathing celebration of science and nature. From the lush rainforest dome to the shimmering aquarium tanks, every corner invites you to pause, marvel, and reconnect with the wonder of the natural world. Walking through with friends reminded me how much joy there is in rediscovery—seeing familiar exhibits through fresh eyes makes them feel new again.
We wandered past towering dinosaur skeletons, watched penguins dart through the water, and stood in awe beneath the planetarium’s vast dome. It’s the kind of place that sparks conversation, laughter, and curiosity all at once. Sharing it with visitors felt like sharing a piece of the Bay Area’s heart.
Days like this remind me that cities and their attractions are always evolving, and there’s real joy in playing tourist in your own hometown. The Academy blends education with wonder, and stepping inside is like stepping into a kaleidoscope of life on Earth. It’s a reminder to keep exploring, keep learning, and keep finding joy in the treasures close to home.
And here are some pictures I took at the aquarium. Aquariums are poetic to me because they embody the contrasts of life: freedom and confinement, light and shadow, stillness and movement — an underwater universe that mirrors human emotions. Aquariums invite us to see beauty within boundaries, to find poetry in stillness, and to reflect on our own inner currents. Behind the glass, sea creatures drift like thoughts — contained, luminous, forever searching for the depth of the ocean they can dream about and move within but will never fully comprehend.
