TOURISM

Continued from page 7 tioning to city of Santa Clarita control from L.A. County, is like Vasquez Rocks, a rare combination, more than 160 acres of history, nature and film history.

The facility has a small zoo that includes a herd of bison, and Hart’s mansion, the home of a silent film star that was donated. The park also includes Heritage Junction, the former name for a collection of historic facilities that are in the process of being refurbished for the public’s viewing by dedicated volunteers.

For the summer, in addition to Six Flags Magic Mountain, Hurricane Harbor is now open every day during the summer. More information is available at sixflags. com.

Embracing Nature

Thanks to help from shows like “Santa Clarita Diet,” and long-running series like “NCIS” and “SWAT,” it’s well-known that the SCV is a destination for filming — but many aren’t aware of just how much wildlife surrounds these suburbs.

However, there are a few well-known spots that draw interest from all over the globe with some only-in-Santa Clarita opportunities. It should be noted though that all of the locations have limitations on scheduling, and things you should know if you go — and some even require reservations, so it’s important to give them a call if you plan to stop by.

The Gentle Barn, for one, is not your run-of-the-mill rescue, with its more than 200 animals at its location (15825 Sierra Highway). And that’s not just because most rescues don’t offer cow-hug therapy. Visit GentleBarn.org for more information.

TGB, a 24-year-old nonprofit on a 6-acre property with a stated goal on its website to “open Gentle Barns in every state so that everyone in America can hug cows, cuddle turkeys, give pigs tummy rubs, and look into the eyes of these animals and know for certain that we are all the same, and deserving of the same rights, respects and freedoms.”

The Gibbon Conservation Center at 19100 Esguerra Road in Santa Clarita, is like few other places on Earth.

Created in 1976 by Alan Mootnick, the idea is to “promote the conservation, study and care of gibbons through public education and habitat preservation,” according to its website. The facility offers a scheduled breakfast with the gibbons that offers visitors a chance to dine with the noisy neighbors and watch their calls up close and personal.

One of the best-kept secrets of the SCV is The Shambala Preserve, a sanctuary that opened in 1983.

“Up to the present, The Shambala Preserve has given sanctuary to over 235 exotic felines — lion, tiger, cougar, black and spotted leopard, serval, bobcat, Asian leopard cat, snow leopard, cheetah, lynx, tigon, liger and African elephant,” according to its website.

More information is available at Shambala.org.

And of course, in terms of experiencing nature up close and personal, the city has dozens of miles of trails featured on its HikeSantaClarita app, and Castaic Lake is also a popular summer stop.

Making Plans

The city of Santa Clarita is also proud to share its tourism website with residents and visitors alike, because you never know what you might discover.

VisitSantaClarita.com offers a tool for planning a stay in Santa Clarita, which is, as Thomason pointed out, the last city people will see when they head back north after a stay in L.A. County, and the first one that greets them when they’re heading into the area from the Grapevine.

As proof of its proximity, for example, the city offers the “Drive Within 25,” which is a list of tourist attractions with 25 miles of Santa Clarita, which includes museums, wineries, theaters, the L.A. Zoo, the Griffith Observatory, the La Brea Tar Pits and much more.

Thomason also highly recommended anyone who hasn’t explored downtown Newhall in the last couple of years do so, and enjoy some of the many new businesses that have come to the area, from tasting rooms that range from Main Street to a rooftop option.

And for those unfamiliar with some of the area’s history, the Newhall Walking Tour app offers an interactive opportunity to learn about the SCV’s past at oldtownnewhall.com/walking-tour. 