Took an incredible tour with two very informative and incredible tour guides. We were able to get…read moreclose to the telescope and operate a simulation on how it works. It was very cool and we enjoyed our time here.

Yesterday (March 18th, 2025) we made the drive up to Mt. Palomar Observatory, something my…read more93-year-old father-in-law said he wanted to do. Seeing this wonder had been in the back of my mind as well, so I said, "Let's do it!" Having only recently lost his wife, through tears he explained to our amazing, friendly and knowledgeable guide Christi that he'd hoped to bring her up to the observatory someday, but she passed before he'd had the opportunity to do so. To Christi, he said, "I'd love to look through that 200" telescope and try to find my wife in Heaven." Definitely a tug on the heartstrings moment... and she responded with the sort of compassion one would expect from a family member. As other reviewers have noted, the public is not allowed to look through the scope; that privilege is reserved for nighttime astronomers. News to this 70-year-old reviewer... learn something new every day! That said, Christi explained to us the intricate construction of the telescope, the "re-mirroring" every two years, how the entire dome rotates to accommodate the different astronomers' needs, why the inside of the observatory is kept at a chilly 40°, and so much more. She told us she was "...new here..." but would answer as many questions as she could. Well, I'm a questioner, especially when seeing an incredibly complicated device such as the Hale Telescope (named after astronomer George Ellery Hale). Christi was able to answer most of my inquiries, and I have no doubt she will research the answers to any questions that stumped her. I cannot recommend this young woman highly enough to the powers that be at Mt. Palomar Observatory. Next to the gift shop is a small but very informative room for visitors thirsting for more information. The infinity of the Universe has always fascinated me, along with the mind-boggling intelligence of those who wish to explore its vastness. This tiny room is bursting with their stories. To those who posted "glass-half-empty" reviews here, I'm sorry the wonder of this landmark was lost on you. Perhaps you'll give it another look sometime. Getting a feel for how tiny our little planet Earth is when compared to the infinite puts our very existence into an entirely new perspective.

5 years later, we returned for another show. Hands down, one of my favorite things to do with my…read morekids. Prices have slightly increased, but show me one place that hasn't raised prices...am I right? This time, we opted for the later show which was a 'full dome movie'. I'd never experienced one before and it was really cool. There are different themes each month so check the schedule. The movie was about extraterrestrial life. There are two powerful telescopes outside. You definitely don't want to miss it. Free parking right across from the planetarium. Mom approved! 5 stars!

Great place for a field trip! The show was very entertaining and educating for my kids. Everything…read moreseemed very organized and clean and I love that questions get answered by a scientist at the end. Parking was easy but costs a couple of $. Plan to be back sometime.

W always stop here when we visit Mount Laguna, It has a nice parking lot which is never full. Lots…read moreof trails for hikers, bikers and horses. If you walk up through the observatory there is an incredible viewpoint where you can see for miles.

We came up here recently overnight and I hadn't been in years. When I used to come out this way for…read morework I enjoyed coming up to Mount Laguna. I have to say it's still incredibly beautiful in the evening, watching the sunset. It's definitely one of the best views around and getting a chance to see the stars so brilliantly is a must as the pollution is more limited up there, making for clearer skies. The elevation is obviously higher, so dress in layers. I didn't drive up here this time, which was really nice, I had the chance to catch up on my sleep. It's not that bad of a drive though. We stayed nearby overnight, but it's worth the drive either way imo. There aren't that many places like this, especially in underdeveloped areas. The Pine House Cafe & Tavern is nearby on the Sunrise Highway if you get hungry afterwards. Be forewarned there's a bit of a walk to the top of the road from the visitor parking lot to the visitor's center. Adjacent to the visitor's center are the two apartments for visiting astronomers, a lecture hall, a kitchen for public gatherings, and the museum/gift shop. The Mount Laguna Observatory is owned and operated by SDSU under permit from the Cleveland National Forest. It's not unusual to see SDSU or local community college students here working on research projects or school activities. They do have a dedicated visitor's telescope and deck for public viewing. There are other telescope domes that are not available to the general public, but if you're willing to get a graduate degree in astronomy from SDSU I'm guessing you can get in there..

A great venue. The interior architecture is phenomenal. Sound quality is very good…read more The floor is slightly slanted upward toward the back. There are little sections separated by railings, which add a little separation. We paid for the VIP up top (not the four-top tables). We could choose to sit on a counter/bar stool with a thin-line bar top. But, it was farther back and you looked down at the people in front of you. So we moved to the right side in a standing section. The best! On the rail. Had a table to set drinks on. Private bathroom for upper level guests. Way worth it. One thing I wish they did was sell the 4-tops in twos. They are great. It, it's not always easy getting four people together for a show. Oh. Parking is a breeze. Structure across the way validates for concerts.

I went to the Heated Rivalry Rave and I can say that was such a fun event…read more Purchasing tickets online was really easy and getting in was fast and efficient, I felt like everyone was working together to make it safe and easy. The venue itself is really huge, I've been for a couple podcast tours but it was always seated so getting to come where there was open floor was fun. Lots of space for dancing and letting our little hearts live in the music. Would totally come back or another event here!

I was staying in Twentynine Palms near Joshua Tree last weekend and decided to stop by the…read moreobservatory on a whim around 11 PM with a couple of my friends. Little did we know that this would be one of the highlights of our trip. Not only were the stars beautiful but we met a very nice and passionate scientist who decided to chat with us and teach us all about the constellations. It was such a treat. He and his wife were finishing up and packing away their telescopes and he told us that they were going to lock the gate of the parking lot that our cars were parked in, but let us know that we could move our car right outside of the gate and stay all night if we wanted to because it was open 24 hours. He also warned us about the coyotes and cougars. Coyotes stay away with noise and cougars are attracted to noise, so pick your battle lol. We definitely can't wait to come back! And it's free!

So many different little areas to put your telescope on and check out the stars. This area is just…read morefor getting together with other enthusiasts and checking out the night sky. Love that this was built just for that purpose.

Great telescope accessories!…read more Nice work on what you have created. It is a pain in the butt to worry about where your eyepieces and accessories are.

I bought a Shannon Telescopics EP tray about two years ago. At first I found it useful for my…read moreeyepieces and the hand controller, plus any other accessories I needed while visually observing including filters and flashlights. But since I moved on to imaging, I have not used it much recently. It is a great item if you are into visually observing as it provides numerous holes for you 1.25" and 2" eyepieces. Plus it has to cutouts for the hand controller of your goto Nexstar telescope. As I said, since i moved on to imaging, I have not had the inclination of using the EP tray, but I would recommend it to anyone who is using their telescopes for visual observing. It is a great accessory to have.

I went on the Docent led tour and we had a blast the man (I really wish I knew his name, he's a…read moreprofessor of physics). Such a fantastic tour and a lot of information to take in. The tour lasted 3 hours and we had two people that were using walkers and they were patient and got them up to the various areas, don't be discouraged, not a lot of walking. Though getting up the Elevator involved a pully system and we only had a few people almost fall off (kidding, you don't get to be on the elevator, the man you meet in the Sun Telescope room however does go up there to align the scope every day.) So yes your feet will be on the ground, aside from a few steps up to the main area. We plan to come up there at night, but it does require good driving skills to get up there, just drive safe and slow, you'll be okay. Was jazzed that I can see the Observatory from my location here at home w binoculars.

Visiting Mt. Wilson Observatory is a great opportunity to learn about astronomical history, as well…read moreas the history of scientific endeavors in the Los Angeles area. Einstein was here, after all! The location itself is stunning, offering great views of the L.A. area. And the observatories, preserved by the valiant efforts of firefighters after too many wildfires to count, are something to see. We, unfortunately, sprung for the allegedly 2-hour tour at $20/person. The funds support the observatory, so no problem there. However, our docent was extremely long-winded and had no sense of time management whatsover, even on one of the hottest days of the year. After we were almost 3 hours into a supposedly 2 hour tour, we decided to leave early due to exhaustion and boredom. (We were starting to feel like we were on a cruise to Gilligan's Island......)To be honest, there was not much that we saw or learned on the tour that couldn't be seen just walking around and looking up information online. So, my recommendation is: donate money to the Observatory by all means but skip the docent tour unless astronomy is your biggest passion in life. Also, remember you'll need an Adventure Pass to park in the Observatory parking lot near the trailheads. Definitely worth a visit!

We had the absolute best time with Starman Steve. I have 3 young "space-obsessed" grand-nephews and…read morethey were all over Steven with questions. He was SO GREAT with them. The boys were jumping up and down in excitement. We had worried about bandwidth with the boys and an astronomer presentation. Well, far from it. They were 1000% engaged. We all loved learning about the constellations, the laser light was a big wow for the kids. We loved looking through the telescope. It was a Giant Win for the whole family. Thank you, Steven you made our trip something very special we will always remember.

Steven was outstanding. Had him come out to our resort for our corporate event. We learned a lot…read moreand had a great time. Highly recommend!!

They have a "folded lens " telescope. Basically, a huge telescope that takes up way less space…read more It's a little difficult to find, the gps failed us on that one. But when we called, they knew exactly how to guide us. We had to find the entrance behind a high school football field if I recall. Great tour, the kids had a blast. Wonderful gift shop as well. They treated us wonderfully.

Great little observatory run by passionate and educated locals! Events are paused for COVID but you…read morecan take a free guided tour of the telescope on Saturdays and visit the gift shop.