MOSAC NEW Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon

I was invited to a special preview of the NEW Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon experience at the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity. The show debuts on July 29th and will run through August, so hurry and get your tickets. The MOSAC Museum is located at 400 Jibboom Street, Sacramento, CA. I was not super familiar with the music from Pink Floyd but WOW, this was such a fun way to experience space and the planetarium. If you love music, you will LOVE this. It is definitely the coolest planetarium experience I've ever been to. 

If you have ever been to another planetarium theater experience, it was probably narrated by a monotone voice or had slow music with it, not epic guitar sounds like this show. This show attached to the Pink Floyd music is such a unique experience. I wish my husband could have gone with me, he is a musician and works in audio/visual so he would have LOVED this. He was out of town for work so I took my sixteen-year-old. Note this is a paid program, and not included with a Museum entry ticket. 

While my other children have visited MOSAC before, this was his first visit, he loved the Multiverse Theater, it is state of the art! He loved the music, so I think no matter if you are familiar with Pink Floyd or not, you'll enjoy it. This show is mostly aimed at adults and the 13+ crowd, as there are some curse words. I am not for certain as I have only seen it once, but at the beginning, there is a small portion of Pink Floyd conversation audio played and there is some language, and then somewhere in the middle, a song also has some language, but it is not excessive and during those parts, the speaking audio volume is lower so I feel like you would have to really be listening to catch it. I was looking for what was going to be "inappropriate" because the info I read had the following disclaimers 

* Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.

* Please be advised that this show contains bright, sometimes flashing lights, virtual motion, and loud music. This experience is not recommended for guests who are highly sensitive to light, motion, and noise.

Photo by Diana Miller Photography

If you have not yet experienced the planetarium theater here, you get to lounge back and the dome theater screen makes you feel like you really are staring up at the stars. This particular show had so many cool transitions. There were parts where I felt the room was moving, it truly is an immersive experience. MOSAC is proud to be the only west-coast planetarium to host Pink Floyd ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’. This is a mind-blowing experience celebrating 50 years since the release of the iconic album. For tickets and more information click here visitmosac.org/pink-floyd/. 

This music took me back to my childhood, let me explain. I believe I gained my love for all types of music from my parents. While my parents are Hispanic, they listened to a variety of music. I grew up listening to Spanish music blasting while my mom made homemade tortillas in the early morning hours and as she cleaned the house, and then on many occasions my dad was blasting Santana and Earth, Wind, and Fire music. I am sure he probably listened to some Pink Floyd too, but those other bands were his favorites. So I say all that to say while sitting there listening to Pink Floyd, it brought me right back to the sounds of my childhood. I know my dad is going to love this show! If you know Pink Floyd fans, definitely tell them about this show. 

If you have never been to the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity, it is such a fun hands-on museum. They have a nature room where you can guess things from nature based on smell, you can push buttons and listen to sounds from nature and they have a really cool microscope where you can see up close and with great clarity a butterfly, bee, and more. It is two stories and on the upstairs level is where you will find the Multiverse Theater as well as an entire area where you can test your engineering skills by building things. Upstairs is where you will also find a room all about space. Even my six-teen-year-old enjoyed exploring the museum after the Pink Floyd preview. They even have a toddler zone, this really is a great museum for all ages. 

Here is info from a press release we were given. 

The Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon is an immersive planetarium experience featured at MOSAC’s state-of-the-art Multiverse Theater. MOSAC will be the only west-coast museum to feature the Pink Floyd experience that celebrates the 50-year anniversary of their iconic album. The hour-long experience features the full album accompanied by stunning visuals that only a planetarium can display. The cost is $25 for general admission and $20 for MOSAC members. The show debuts on July 29 and will have dates available through August. Additional dates will be added soon. For more information and tickets, visit visitmosac.org.  

Pink Floyd’s iconic album ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’, originally released in March 1973, turns 50, and what more fitting a place to celebrate it and experience it than in a Planetarium, through the music set to visuals. With the help of modern technology, the idea of a show combining breath-taking views of the solar system and beyond, played out to 42 minutes of The Dark Side Of The Moon in surround sound, has been embraced by the band. NSC Creative have led the visual production efforts, working closely with Pink Floyd’s long-time creative collaborator Aubrey Powell from Hypnosis.  Each song has a different theme; some futuristically looking forward and some a retro acknowledgment to Pink Floyd’s visual history, all relating to a time and space experience, embracing up-to-the-minute technology that only a Planetarium can offer. A truly immersive and all-encompassing surround sound and visual treat that will transcend reality and take you way beyond the realms of 2D experience. 

Some other things to know before you go.

Parking - The City of Sacramento operates the parking lot at MOSAC.  The parking fee is $6/day.  Visitors can use the kiosk in front of the museum to pay for parking or by visiting the PARKMOBILE website, input the location code 6848 and check out as a guest.

Multiverse Theater - A complimentary general UC Davis Multiverse Theater show is included with your general admission; however, the theater has limited capacity. You can reserve your theater seat at the front desk on the day of your visit.

They have a MOSAC Café with food available but you may also bring your own light snacks. There is no food or drink allowed in the theater, but they do have picnic tables around the theater and there is a park within walking distance. 

Last Chance to Visit the California State Fair

Disclosure: I receive a media pass to share the fair with you, although I receive this benefit, I still purchase tickets for my children, they are not part of that media pass. My opinions and thoughts shared here are my own. We have attended the State Fair every year as a family since my babies were babies and I attended before that as a teenager, I love the California State Fair. 

This coming week is your last chance to visit the California State Fair, it is here through July 30, 2023. I took a couple of my kids who wanted to go this past Tuesday on Kids Day, they loved the Bear Cup Competition Gaming Room and the NEW Dragon Exhibit. The Dragon Exhibit has a ton of hands-on activities and really cool large-moving dragons. The Bear Cup Competition Gaming Room has rows and rows of PS4s, PCs, and other gaming consoles. 

The Wild Science Exhibit was another favorite in Building 1, there are live reptiles, hands-on puzzles, giant bubbles and so much more. 

If you are from Sacramento you know it seems like every State Fair we have a heat wave, we've had triple digits most days of the fair. I highly recommend freezing sealed water bottles before you go. Having ice-cold water and a frozen water bottle to place on your neck and head, is a big help in staying cool. They do not allow hydro flasks or metal water bottles. No glass, aluminum cans either, but you can bring in outside food. 

Here are things I recommend to stay cool, bring a personalized mister or cooling towel. Dress light and in light colors, bring a hat for extra shade. Stay hydrated and seek shade throughout your visit, take breaks, and remember your sunscreen. 

Know before you go, parking is $10 and they have a clear bag policy, no bags larger than 12"x12"x2". Nowadays most venues and events have a clear bag or no bag policy, I recommend purchasing one and keeping it just for events like these. 

Hours are Monday through Thursday 11 AM to 10 PM and Friday through Sunday 10 AM to 10 PM. I do wish they opened earlier, considering our triple-digit weather, but I am guessing they base the hours on previous years' attendance. I know if they opened at 8 AM, I would totally go 8 to Noon to beat some of the heat, but it is what it is. They do have cooling stations, misters, and air-conditioned buildings. 

Spend lots of time in the air conditioning! I love the Candy Maze and Selfie Experience in Building 2 there are so many fun photo props. 

Here are some ways you can save while visiting the California State Fair:

Purchase the Food Festival Pass for $34, and you can redeem your pass for four food items at select vendors. Note buy your pass online or at the entrance because it is not sold throughout the parks. That is one thing I wish they would add, a few booths throughout the fair. I say this so you don't forget to buy one and then have to walk all the way to the front gates to purchase one, that's happened to me. You can find an entire list of the Food Pass items and a map of where to find them here. One of our favorites is the Cinnamon Roll, it is an annual tradition for my kids. 

Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls took home the Best of Show for the third consecutive year with their mouthwatering Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Sundae. And a newcomer, Benito’s Tacos, won ribbons in two categories, bagging the Best in Division: Savory and Gold in Savory for their delightful Benito Taco & Horchata. 

The Food Pass items are all $12 or more, so it is a good way to save if you want to try a variety of the State Fair foods, and let's be honest the fair food is why we really go.

Visit the Save Mart Farm and receive a FREE healthy snack. When you get your passport stamped at five fruit/veggie stations you can redeem your passport in the farm area for a free fruit, an apple, pear, or orange. 

Monday is SMUD Giving Monday! If you bring five non-perishable food items to donate, you can get into the fair FREE! This Monday, July 24th is the last day to participate. This also goes towards a great cause of helping the Elk Grove Food Bank! Bring the food to the booth near the Blue Gate between 11 AM and 3 PM and you will receive one free ticket for same-day admission. You can bring canned tuna, macaroni and cheese, rice, pasta, ramen, cereal, and more. You can find a full list of what is most needed here. 

Tuesday is Kids Day, kids ages 12 and under receive FREE admission!

BOGO Offer - Visit an O'Reilly Auto Parts Store for a Buy One Get One Free Coupon. They have a QR Code at their locations and you'll receive a Buy One Get One Free offer. 

Military, Veteran, and First Responder Day is Thursday, July 27th! All military, veterans, and first responders get into the California State Fair for FREE!

Read to Ride Program - Students from kindergarten to eighth grade who read two books, write a summary, and bring this form with them will receive two free ride tickets and a monorail ticket. Bring the form to the State Fair Guest Services Office, which is located to the left as soon as you enter the main gates. 

Taste of the Fair Days! On Wednesday and Thursday, you can try select fair bite-sized foods for only $4 from 11 AM to 4 PM. 

Senior Saving Fridays! On Fridays, seniors age 62 and older can receive fair admission for only $10. 

On the first day we visited my eight-year-old participated in a fruit trivia contest at the cooking theater, this is another great place to cool off. They often have cooking demonstrations and other food-related contests here. For the fruit trivia, there were twenty questions, some multiple choice, and some questions relating to produce and agriculture. It was a three-way tie between him and two other contestants for the tiebreaker question they asked how many seeds are in a pomegranate, the person closest to the answer without going over would win and he won! He won a blue ribbon and four tickets to ride the Monorail and of course, bragging rights for winning the first-ever Kid Edition Produce Trivia Contest. 

If it is going to be a super hot day on the day you have planned to attend, try and break up your day into two parts if you can. Go as soon as they open for a few hours, visit the air-conditioned buildings and your favorite parts, and then return in the evening for the rides. I think that is a great way to ENJOY the fair when it is in the triple digits or even 90s. To me, it would be worth paying double parking to not be in that heat all day long or at the peak times of the hot weather. You could also see if someone could drop you off and pick you up for your evening second visit. Just know there is no re-entry after 7 PM, so you have to arrive before 7 PM. There is also no auto access to the main gate loop after 7 PM and Uber and Lyft pick-up is at Gate B. There is also no admission after 8 PM. You can find more hour info here. 

Another good thing to do is the fair has an unaccompanied minors policy, all youth under 18 must attend with a supervising adult (parent or guardian). This is newly implemented for safety reasons. You can read more about it here. 

Fun fact did you know this year marks the 10th Anniversary of the California Letters, from Disney California Adventure being here. Did you also know the Monorail here was also inspired by Disney's Monorail and these two are the only amusement park Monorails in California. The Cal Expo Monorail was built in 1967! The Monorail is a great way to see the entire fair and get a great overview of the layout. It is also another way to get in the shade and cool off a bit. 

The California State Fair is located at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds at 1600 Exposition Blvd. You can view a daily schedule of the fair here.  

Celebrate Summer at Six Flags | Summer Nights Spectacular Vallejo, CA

Disclosure: This post is a sponsored post in collaboration with Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. While our family receives these benefits to share our experiences on our blog, all reviews and opinions expressed here are my own.

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Check out Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, it would be the perfect weekend to go and escape the triple digits that we are expecting in Sacramento. It is only going to be in the 80s in Vallejo, CA.

Hurry and make plans now to go to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, CA for Summer Nights Spectacular, the summer festivities are here through August 5th, and the amazing fireworks are only on Fridays and Saturdays. We attended last weekend and we had so much fun riding rides, taking in the Summer fun, and indulging in mouth-watering food! 

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom really wowed me with the fireworks show, it was non-stop fireworks for thirty minutes and they were amazingly big. There is a fee for the VIP seating at Chabot Stadium, but after experiencing that firsthand, I say it is well worth it. They have a live DJ, playing music along with the fireworks and you can feel the booms because you are so close right near the water. With the $10 VIP Fireworks Seating package you also get a light-up wristband that changes colors with the fireworks, it is such a fun experience. While the fireworks are definitely visible throughout the park, the best views are at Chabot Stadium and Picnic Groves for an additional fee. Showtime is at 9 PM!

I will say be sure to bring a sweater because even though it is Summer and warm during the day, it cools down quick once the sun goes down. There was a breeze and we were quite chilly. Only a couple in our group had sweaters. 

On this visit, we went to the Live Wildlife Experience in the Discovery Theater, right near Tava's Jungleland. We learned about a Porcupine and some really unique birds including a Bald Eagle and more! Although we have visited the parks many times, this is one of the shows we always seem to miss. Because I know it's been years since we've seen this show, we went here first. The kids loved seeing these animals including talking birds. We also stopped and watched the Giraffes eating, Giraffes are so majestic. 

I have said it before but our local Six Flags Discovery Kingdom has some of the BEST theme park food! I love how they change it up and make each time we visit feel brand new. 

I love the new way they have all the limited-time foods in one place, they just started this at the last Viva La Fiesta they did and it makes it so easy to find all the "specialty" foods. Be sure to snap a photo as soon as you enter the park of the Food Guide, it helps to remember what you want to try. They also have a Food and Beverage Passport for $34.99, where you can sample up to six select food and beverage items, that is such a great deal!

Savor the flavors of the summer specialty food items with five Summer Nights Spectacular food and beverage booths, located in the Festival Zone.  The Festival Zone is open from 12 – 7 PM.

Liberty Grill - Here you'll find Hot Dogs with Toppings for $14.99, Grilled Corn on the Cob for $8.99, Deep Fried Mac N Cheese Bites for $9.99, and Kettle Corn for $10.99.

Stars & Stripes Snacks - Here you'll find Carnitas or Beef Loaded Nachos at $10.99, Carnitas or Beef Walking Tacos at $7.99, and Pork Sliders at $9.99.

The Red, White, and Blue Café - Here you'll find the Tajin Fruit Cup $9.99, Strawberry Shortcake $8.99, three different Mocktails Citrus Spritz, Cherry Bomb, & Watermelon Sparkler $8.99.

Festival Cart - which has churros and frozen cheesecake pops. There is also a Face Painting and Cookie Decorating booth, you get a large cookie with icing and sprinkles to decorate. 

All American Bar - Here you'll find the Chicharron $7.99 and adult beverages.

In this same area of the specialty food booths they also have a stage with live music at select times. 

If you have not visited in a while, they have updated the Shark Experience with fresh paint, new flooring, and a really neat wooden bridge when you enter. I love that they are constantly updating. I noted a ton of new benches throughout the park and a shaded tent over additional tables and chairs in the DC Universe area. They also have a NEW Cabana Rental area with comfy seating near Sidewinder Safari. 

One thing I love about visiting during the summer months is we get to enjoy the water rides. We love White Water Safari and Monsoon Falls. We also love snapping photos with the Looney Tunes Characters. I grew up watching Looney Tunes, so I think I get more excited than the kids when we see them around the parks. 

We have been previous season pass holders and I think that is the best way to go. Enjoy the parks all year long for a great price. They have a Gold Pass for $65, Platinum Pass for $90, and Diamond for $160. For more details on what is included click here. Also a good thing to know is they only accept card and Apple Pay, no cash. For park hours click here. 

Thank you for reading, if you would like to see more of our Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Summer Nights Spectacular adventures on our TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube.