Fun Family Attractions In California

So Much To See!  —  So Much To Do!

Fun Family Attractions In California

Are you looking for some fun adventures or activities to enjoy with the whole family when boredom strikes or on you next excursion, vacation, weekend getaway or day trip in California? There is definitely no shortage of things to do in California that the whole family can enjoy together. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, you’ve come to the right place for a preview of what’s out there to enjoy with the kids of all ages.

Seasonal change is in the air as well as on the calendar – literally – Spring has arrived  and Spring Break is just around the corner – temperatures are on the rise and families are now beginning to make plans for the warmer months ahead for things to do and places to go with the kids  Here you will find a fairly comprehensive directory and guide to family oriented adventures, amusements and fun attractions throughout the state of California. Included are attractions that are educational, fun, interactive, adventurous, competitive, sports-minded, exciting, and relaxing.  Many listings promote imagination, physical fitness and social interaction.

The following listings include, but are not necessarily limited to, amusement parks, family fun centers, water parks, wildlife parks, zoos, aquariums, guided tours, “hands-on” interactive children’s museums, kid activity centers, family-oriented museums , exceptional parks, go-karts, train rides, miniature golf, larger arcades, ticket redemption centers, “soft-play” (bounce house type) play centers, a few laser tag centers, a few exceptional paintball arenas, a few aquatic centers that feature waterslides or water features, caverns that offer tours, winter resorts that offer snow-play attractions, and also unusual or unique attractions that may be geared towards kids or those that may appeal to all ages within the family or group. Lots of lesser known places of interest (other than by locals) have also been included here.

Now I’m also keenly aware that there are bound to be additional attractions out there that I may not be aware of yet but would appreciate your input in letting me know those favorites of yours that I haven’t included yet. None-the-less, this should give you a decent selection of  places to check out before planning your next weekend getaway, road trip or family vacation.

I strongly encourage you to check out the individual attraction’s websites before planning a visit as quite a few of these listings are seasonal and subject to reduced hours  or days open – also there are a few requiring appointments or reservations in advance. Most will charge an admission or entrance fee… bearing in mind that virtually every one of these do have overhead expenses that keep them in business, or operating properly – while some are non-profit and depend upon public support (suggested donations) or funding of some sort to keep their doors open.  A few are even free of charge or have discounted admission days or times.

Now you have no excuse — so go ahead — the weather now is ideal to get out there and enjoy some of these with your family and friends!

___________________________________________________________________________

* You should find these listings to be quite up-to-date (as of  March/April/2010) as I have personally verified each and every website individually before their inclusion here. Updates continue into Jan/Feb 2011

** You should also be aware that businesses (both profit and non-profit) open and close all the time and things do change so if you come across a site with a dead link since my original posting, let me know and I’ll try to update it ASAP.

*** As an added note —  There are bound to be family oriented attractions that I’ve overlooked so if you know of any, please drop me a comment at the bottom of this page and let me know.

___________________________________________________________________________

With California as large as it is — I decided to list locations alphabetically by county first — then by city — to make research a little easier — Hope this helps narrow down a focus area for you to make your planning easier.

Map Courtesy of Digital Map Store

___________________________________________________________________________

This is a continuous WORK IN PROGRESS that will never really be complete but should instead be very comprehensive. I try to verify all listings and links before adding them to this massive directory/list

___________________________________________________________________

Fun  Family  Attractions  In  California

Alameda County

Alameda – Crab Cove Visitor Center @ Crown Memorial State Beach

Alameda – Pacific Pinball Museum

Berkeley – Adventure Playground @ The Berkeley Marina – a wonderfully unique outdoor facility where staff encourage children to play and build creatively –  Come climb on the many unusual kid designed and built forts, boats, and towers –  Ride the zip line or hammer, saw, and paint.

Berkeley – Habitot Children’s Museum

Berkeley – Lawrence Hall of Science @ UC Berkeley

Berkeley – Studio Grow Children’s Play Space

Berkeley – Tilden Regional Park & Nature Area – featuring a Steam Train, Antique Carousel, Little Farm & Environmental Education Center

Castro Valley – Golden Tee Golfland Family Fun Center

Danville – Blackhawk Automotive Museum

Dublin – Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl – full video arcade inside

Emeryville – Triple Play USA

Fremont – Aqua Adventure Waterpark

Fremont – Ardenwood Historic Farm & Patterson House – Imagine a fully-functioning 1890s farm preserved in a modern world – Your family can actually: Join in doing old-fashioned farm chores, Visit a cow or a sheep, Try their hand at turn-of-the-century crafts, Sample a cookie freshly cooked in a wood-burning stove, Ride a horse-drawn railroad, Tour a fully-restored Victorian farmhouse

Fremont – Cloverleaf Family Bowl

Fremont – LeMans Karting – Indoor Go-Kart Racing

Fremont – Niles Canyon Railway Train Excursions & Museum

Hayward – Kennedy Park – featuring Merry-Go-Round, Triple Pines Ranch (petting zoo), Bounce, Train Rides, Pony Rides

Livermore – Boomers! Livermore formerly Camelot Park

Livermore – Lawrence Livermore Lab/Discovery Center

Livermore – Umigo Indoor Kart Racing

Newark – Kids Castle Fun & Entertainment Center

Oakland – Chabot Space & Science Center

Oakland – Children’s Fairyland on the shores of Lake Merritt

Oakland – Fortune Cookie Factory Tour – link to article from San Francisco Chronicle

Oakland – Junior Center of Art & Science

Oakland – Oakland Zoo also includesValley Children’s Zoo @ Knowland Park

Oakland – Rotary Nature Center & Wildlife Bird Refuge – located inside Lakeside Park @ Lake Merritt

Oakland – Sadie Dey’s Cafe & Play Center

Oakland – Union Point Park – exciting new  nine-acre waterfront venue located near Coast Guard Island, just south of the Embarcadero area shoreline – featuring sweeping views of the estuary and Union Point Marina; expansive lawns and gardens; spectacular landscape architecture and features; imaginative children’s play structures with a marine theme; and pedestrian and bike paths, some of which are part of the Bay Trail

Pleasanton – Bounce U – Indoor “softplay” center

Pleasanton – Super Franks Fun Adventure – Wholesome Family Entertainment – featuring Taught Town (interactive preschool playground), mini-gym play area, and a video and redemption arcade

Pleasanton – The Rapids Waterslides @ Shadow Cliffs East Bay Regional Park

Alpine County

Markleeville – Old Webster School & Old Log Jail Museum

Amador County

Amador City – Western Hardrock Mining Museum – featuring one of the most complete collections of mining and Gold Rush memorabilia on display in the US.

Ione – Preston Castle – Built in the 1890’s this is a California State Historical Landmark featuring Public & Private Tours as well as Overnight Ghost Tours as this impressive building is said to be haunted

Jackson – Amador County Museum

Jackson – Kennedy Gold Mine Tour

Pine Grove – Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park – featuring the expansive Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum – quite a bit to see and do here (more info here)

Pine Grove – Roaring Camp Mining Company – featuring Gold Panning & Dredging, Guided Tour, camping, cook-outs, water sports, miniature golf course,  playground, Wildlife & Mining Artifacts Museum, Placer Gold Mine – a wonderful outdoor adventure and lots of fun for the entire family

Sutter Creek – Gold Country Lanes

Sutter Creek – Sutter Gold Mine Tours – featuring an underground guided tour, gold panning, gemstone mining and Gold Rush movies

Volcano – Black Chasm Cavern National Natural Landmark – featuring cave exploration, gold panning and gemstone mining

Butte County

Chico – Cal Skate Chico – Funland – featuring Batting Cages, Miniature Golf & Kids Zone

Chico – Caper Acres Fantasy Playground @ Bidwell Park

Chico – Chico Air Museum

Chico – Chico Creek Nature Center @ Bidwell Park

Chico – National Yo-Yo Museum

Durham – Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation

Durham – Book Family Farm

Forbestown – Gold Trader Flat & Yuba-Feather Historical Museum – Exhibits include snowshoes for humans and horses, giant saw blades, Maidu and Chinese artifacts, mining implements, antique clothing/furniture, and a working print shop. There is also a replica of an 1870s gold mining town called Gold Trader Flat.

Oroville – Feather River Fish Hatchery & Nature Center

Oroville – Tyme To Bowl – Bowling Lanes & Arcade

Paradise – Gold Nugget Museum

Paradise – Paradise Depot Museum

Paradise – Tall Pines Entertainment Center – “Your Family Fun Center” bowling & arcade

Calaveras County

Arnold – Calaveras Big Trees State Park – considered to be the longest continuously operated tourist facility in California.

Arnold – Sierra Nevada Logging Museum – indoor & outdoor displays & eqipment

Mountain Ranch – California Cavern State Historic Landmark – featuring a cave tour, gem mining and gold panning

Murphys – Mercer Cavern Tours

San Andreas – Calaveras County Historical Museum – actually two museums spread out in two locations, one in a series of historical buildings downtown (Downtown Museum) and the 2nd called the Red Barn Museum – lots of turn-of-the-century equipment to check out in both locations

Vallecito – Moaning Cavern Park – “California’s largest public cave chamber” – featuring  a cave tour, cave rappel, climbing tower, twin zip-lines, gold panning and gem mining

Colusa County

Colusa – Riverside Lanes Family Fun Center

Contra Costa County

Antioch – Antioch Waterpark @ Prewett Family Park

Antioch – Golf N Games Family Fun Center

Concord – Clayton Valley Bowl – arcade room inside

Concord – Pixieland Amusement Park

Concord – Q-Zar Laser Tag

Concord – Studio Grow Children’s Play Space

Concord – The Jungle Fun & Adventure

Concord – WaterWorld California

Danville – Blackhawk Museum – “The Blackhawk Automotive Galleries – Like no place you’ve ever experienced!” – 70,000 sq ft – 4 exhibition galleries – featuring an exhibition of International Automotive Treasures™ displaying historically significant and artistically inspired automobiles from the very earliest to the contemporary for public enjoyment and educational enrichment. In every era there have been cars of special artistic and historic significance built to illustrate new ideas in styling, engineering or performance, or to satisfy a famous celebrity’s individual taste. Many cars are one-of-a-kind “rolling sculptures” conceived by the world’s leading designers and crafted by the most respected coach-building artisans. The exhibition presents over 90 of these great cars as individual works of art.

Danville – Danville Bowl

El Cerrito – Playland Not-At-The-Beach – Museum of Old-Fashion Fun – unique indoor attraction – pay one price & play all day – playable antique penny arcade, carnival games of skills, video games,  interactive displays & exhibits, and magic shows from former amusement parks, world’s fair and other famed attractions of many years ago

Pacheco – Paddock Bowl

Pittsburg – Small World Park – featuring a carousel, kiddie rides & playground

Richmond – Golden State Model Railroad Museum

Walnut Creek – Borges Ranch

Walnut Creek – Lindsay Wildlife Museum

Del Norte County

Crescent City – North Coast Nature Center

Crescent City – Ocean World – formerly known as Undersea Gardens

Crescent City – Tsunami Bowling Center

Klamath – Tour Thru Tree

Klamath – Trees of Mystery/Sky Trail/End of the Trail Native American Museum – featuring the Sky Trail aerial tram, the 49 foot tall Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox (35 feet tall) [Paul Bunyan link] – A walk among the giants – Almost a mile long groomed interpretive trail through the awe-inspiring Redwoods of Northern California. Part of the trail (The Trail of Tall Tales) is devoted to the myth and mythology of Paul Bunyan, America’s larger-than-life logger from the turn of the century. The Sky Trail will take you above the forest canopy for a spectacular once-in-a-lifetime view from the treetops. A shuttle to is available for those who cannot easily walk the trail. Enjoy FREE admission to End of the Trail Native American Museum, one of the largest and very best privately owned collections of Native American artifacts in the world.

Smith River – Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery

Smith River – Ship Ashore Resort/Gift Shop & Museum – Tour through this free museum on the lower deck of an old luxury yacht with an array of local historic artifacts, one of the west coast’s largest shell collections, rocks and minerals, natural history, preserved sea life exhibits, pirate-related exhibits (hands-on “steering” of the vessel  with a lot of real ship “gadgets”) and the famous ‘Pirates Den’ gift shop

El Dorado County

Camino – Apple Hill Farm Trails & Ranches – Activities, Attractions & Tours are featured here in this PDF Kid’s Activities brochure link] – several locations (50+) along the trail tour through Camino, Placerville & Pollock Pines

Coloma – Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park – featuring a Historic Museum, Visitor Center and gold panning – also check out the historic Olde Coloma Theater for live stage shows

Echo Lakes – Adventure Mountain Lake Tahoe – featuring a groomed sledding hill and snow play area for the whole family

El Dorado – Historic El Dorado Railroad Museum & Train Park – future location – [Facebook page link]

Emerald Bay – Vikingsholm Castle (tour)

Placerville – Hangtown’s Gold Bug Park & Mine – features two gold mines to explore, Stamp Mill, museum, nature interpretive center and gem panning

Pollock Pines – Knotty Pines Lanes

South Lake Tahoe – Explore Tahoe Visitor & Interpretive Center – located at the Heavenly Village Transit Center – opened in 2007 – includes a Children’s Discovery Center

South Lake Tahoe – Fantasy Kingdom Miniature Golf (no website found) link

South Lake Tahoe – Hansen’s Resort – featuring Snow Tubing & Saucer Hill

South Lake Tahoe/Stateline, NV – Heavenly Valley Adventure Peak – featuring scenic Gondola rides, The Deck Observation Platform, 5 lanes of tubing at the new Tubing Hill, ride Snow Bikes, hike with Snow Shoes, sledding down the kid’s hill

South Lake Tahoe – Heavenly Village Outdoor Ice Rink & Mini Golf

South Lake Tahoe – Magic Carpet Miniature Golf (no website found) link

South Lake Tahoe – Tahoe Amusement Park (no website found) – seasonal – current status unknown) go-karts, slide, kiddie rides – Here is an info link from Lake Tahoe Vacation Guide

South Lake Tahoe – Tahoe Bowl – “Tahoe’s Favorite Family Fun Center” – Arcade inside

South Lake Tahoe – Tahoe Tot SpotMini Gym & Play Center

South Lake Tahoe – Taylor Creek Visitor Center/Steam Profile Chamber

Twin Bridges – Sierra-At-Tahoe Ski Resort/Tubing & Snow Play

Fresno County

Clovis – Wild Water Adventure Park

Dunlap – Cat Haven Wild Animal Park

Fresno – Aquarius Aquarium – future opening – details and information on website

Fresno – Blackbeard’s Family Entertainment Center – This place seems to have it all! … Attractions includes 3 Miniature Golf Courses, Multiple Waterslides, Speedway Karts, Slick Cart Racing, Bumper Boats, Xtreme Laser Tag, Ropes Adventure Course, Paintball Course, Batting Range, Bankshot Basketball, Cap’n Kids Amusement Rides, Fun Factory, large Arcade & much more

Fresno – Boomers! Fresno formerly Camelot Park

Fresno – Bounce U – indoor “softplay” center

Fresno – Forestiere Underground Gardens

Fresno – Fresno Chaffee Zoo @ Roeding Park

Fresno – Island Waterpark & Fun Park

Fresno – Laser Quest Fresno

Fresno – Maxx Putt Fun Zone Family Entertainment Center

Fresno – Rotary Storyland & Playland Amusement Park @ Roeding Park

Fresno – The Discovery Center – Museum of Science & Natural History

Kings Canyon National Park – Boyden Cavern located in Sequoia National Monument – cave tour

Sanger – Wonder Valley Ranch Resort – private resort featuring a large Equestrian Center with horseback riding, Dalton Pond for fishing, canoeing, swimming, Ropes Challenge Course, Paintball, Trampoline Center, Waterslides & Games Pavillion

Glenn County

Orland –

Willows – Willows Museum

Humboldt County

Arcata – North Coast Natural History Museum @ Humboldt State University

Eureka – Blue Ox Millworks & Historic Park – Visitors to the Blue Ox can watch antique woodworking machinery in operation, visit a skid camp, learn about traditional boat-building, and meet the blue oxen, Babe and Blue.   You can take a self-guided tour or call in advance and have one of the crew show you around. Watch craftsmen at work at a blacksmith shop, machine shop, ceramic studio, printshop and boatbuilding shop.

Eureka – Clarke Historical Museum – located in the heart of Old Town Eureka

Eureka – Cybercity Family Entertainment Center & Laser Tag

Eureka – Discovery Children’s Museum

Eureka – Fort Humboldt State Historic Park

Eureka – Harbor Lanes Family Fun Center

Eureka – Sequoia Park Zoo

Ferndale – Ferndale Museum

Ferndale – Kinetic Museum – featuring a zany but cool collection of unusual foot-pedal-only vehicles used locally in an annual land and water race

Fortuna – Chapman’s Gem & Mineral Shop & Museum  (yelp link with lots of info) – Here is the YouTube video tour

Fortuna – Fortuna Depot Museum

Garberville – Famous One Log House – An actual and very unique horizontal tree house made from a single hallowed out redwood tree weighing 42 tons! Currently located just south of town near Richardson Grove State Park

Hoopa – Hoopa Tribal Museum

Loleta – Loleta Cheese Factory – Watch how cheese is made and enjoy sampling some of the many varieties of freshly made cheese

Myers Flat – Shrine Drive-Thru Tree & Fun Park – (no web site found) – After the drive thru the tree itself as well as a drive-on log, the kids will be able to get out of the car and explore a few other tree related attractions such as the 2-story tree house, children’s walk thru stump, and a few other surprises – here are a few photos – Here’s an info LINK

Rio Dell – Redwood Mini Golf

Samoa – Samoa Cookhouse & Logging Museum – Established in 1890 – Once you walk through their doors, you will take a step back into the early days of the lumber and logging industry. As the last surviving cookhouse of the west, all meals are still served “lumber camp” style.  Your food is brought to the table in large bowls and platters, allowing you to help yourself and pass it around.  Seconds are always offered so no one walks away from the table hungry. After your unique dining experience in the massive dining room, you are encouraged to browse their turn of the century logging museum (complementary) full of relics, specimens and photographs from the old logging and Cookhouse days. Their walls are lined with an extensive pictorial review of this history, including the maritime industry

Samoa – Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum

Scotia – Company Town of Scotia – check out the newly renovated Scotia Interactive Museum featuring a large historic logging locomotive and historic machinery that the kids can actually climb and play on (great picture opportunity for parents) just outside the museum on the well-groomed greenery – Tour the also newly renovated Fishery Center, the largest freshwater aquarium on the North Coast – It’s unfortunate that the highlight of this spectacular area for decades, the Pacific Lumber Company, which offered incredible self guided tours through the entire logging process from start  to finish has shut down it’s operations through a recent buy-out.

Trinidad – HSU Marine Laboratory – View various marine species from local waters and explore the hands-on experience of the touch tank

Weott – Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitors Center – featuring numerous visual and hands-on interactive educational exhibits, wildlife displays and a theater – While there, here’s a LINK to another recommended site featuring the “Ten Must-See Redwood Trees of Significance”….. several of which are within Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Willow Creek – Willow Creek – China Flat Bigfoot Museum (Bigfoot Collection) – “Bigfoot Country” – featuring the Bigfoot exhibit and collection – Here is another LINK to the ‘Bigfoot of North America’ history & story pertaining to this region

Imperial County

El Centro – Alford Auto Museum

Imperial – Pioneers Museum & Cultural Center @ Pioneers Park

Imperial – The Family Treehouse

Jacumba – Desert View Tower + Boulder Park – a long time highway/roadside icon featuring an unusual museum on multiple floors of the tower, observation deck and an unusual park with a rocky, hilly maze of  trails and tunnels that kids will enjoy featuring rock carvings of unusual animals and folk creatures.

Niland – Salvation Mountain

Ocotillo – Imperial Valley College Desert Museum – soon to feature interactive learning exhibits

Inyo County

Bishop – Laws Railroad Museum & Historic Site – featuring a variety of historic buildings filled with artifacts and collections highlighted by antique fire equipment, Railroad memorabilia, model train displays, several vintage engines, freightcars, boxcars, caboose, antique farm equipment, mining equipment, blacksmith shop, wagon barn plus much more – also a seasonal narrow-gauge train ride

Death Valley – Borax Museum – located at Furnace Creek Ranch featuring many indoor displays plus outdoor exhibits with the highlights being the 60 ton oil burning Baldwin 280 Locomotive and actual coaches from the famous 20 Mule Team Wagon Train

Lone Pine – Beverly & Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History – featuring an extensive collection of real movie costumes, movie cars, props, posters, and other memorabilia. This collection tells the story of filming in the area in and around Lone Pine over the past century plus the Wild West Theater

Kern County

Bakersfield – Buena Vista Museum of Natural History

Bakersfield – California Living Museum

Bakersfield – Camelot Park Family Fun Center formerly Boomers!

Bakersfield – Kern County Museum

Bakersfield – Lori Brock Children’s Discovery Center @ The Kern County Museum

Bakersfield – Monster Mini Golf – featuring monster-themed Glow in the Dark Mini Golf

Bakersfield – SuperKart Racing

Bakersfield – ‘The Wild’ – Child Fun Center

Boron – Borax Visitor Center

Boron – Saxon Aerospace Museum

Boron – Twenty Mule Team Museum

Ridgecrest – China Lake Museum/U.S. Naval Museum of Armament & Technology

Ridgecrest – Maturango Museum – a Museum of the cultural & natural history as well as the geology of the Northern Mojave Desert featuring a “children’s exploration” area, observatory and labyrinth – “CHILDREN’S AREA – where it IS OK to touch things! Discovery boxes, microscope, animals to pet, books, bones – all sorts of things to play with”

Ridgecrest – Sierra Lanes Family Recreation Center – video arcade inside

Rosamond – The Cat House – officially known as the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound’s Feline Conservation Center – This is a desert zoo/wildlife museum featuring a variety of endangered wildcat spieces

Kings County

Hanford – Hanford Adventure Park – featuringMinature Golf, Family Go-Kart Track, Bumper Boats, Batting Cages & Video & Redemption Arcade

Hanford – Kings Drive-In – Drive-In theaters are a dying breed and I normally don’t include them in this section but I had to make an exception on this one – One of the last true bargains around – only $5 a carload (as of this Feb/2011) – and that’s for a DOUBLE feature – WOW  – WHAT A DEAL!!

Lake County

Clearlake Oaks – Eleven Roses Ranch – The Historic Ranch Wildflower Day trip is a fun, unique, and entertaining outing featuring narrated mule-drawn wagon tour and chuckwagon barbecue with Dutch oven cobbler for dessert and complimentary Lake County wines. The barn houses a collection of antique wagons, buggies, and farm and ranch implements.

Cobb – Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp & Resort @ Cobb Mountain – private resort featuring mini golf, paddle boat pond, go cart peddle bikes, swimming pool, new playground, game room, outdoor movies

Kelseyville – Oops Ranch – (info link only) Farm Tours and a Petting Zoo featuring all miniature animals

Lakeport – Lakeport Historic Courthouse Museum – highlights include a state-of-the-art Rock & Mineral Room, Gun Room, Pomo Indian Basket Collection, Victorian Parlour and large-scale satellite map of the region

Lakeport – Lakeside Lanes – Bowling Alley & Video Arcade

Lower Lake – Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum

Lassen County

Susanville – Bams – Susanville’s Family Fun Center – featuring miniature golf, batting cages & arcade

Susanville – Chases Sierra Lanes – game room inside – reopening soon with new ownership

Los Angeles County

Alhambra – Lazerzone – The Ultimate Laser Adventure

Altadena – Under The Sea Indoor Playground

Arcadia – Jump ‘N Jammin Children’s Entertainment Center

Arcadia – Kids Island Children Enrichment Center

Avalon (Santa Catalina Island) – Golf Gardens – Internationally known as one of the world’s most beautiful and challenging 18-hole miniature golf courses – just a half block from the beach!

Beverly Hills – Under The Sea Indoor Playground

Burbank – All Amusement Play Center – located in the Burbank Town Center

Burbank – The Jump Around Indoor Playground

Burbank – Under The Sea Indoor Playground

Burbank – Warner Brothers VIP Studio Tour

Canoga Park – The Jump Around Indoor Playground

Carson – Go Kart World – premier facility featuring 6 tracks including the gigantic Super Track, Turbo Track, Slick Track, Mini Indy, Bumper Track & Kiddy Track plus a large video arcade

City of Industry – SpeedZone

Culver City – Putting Edge Fun Center – featuring Glow-in-the-Dark Mini Golf & Arcade

Culver City – Sony Pictures Studio Tours

Culver City – Star Eco Station – Environmental Science Museum & Exotic Wildlife Rescue Center

Downey – Del Rio Lanes

Eagle Rock – All Amusement Play Center – located in Eagle Rock Plaza

Eagle Rock – Peekaboo Playland

Gardena – K1 Speed Indoor Kart Racing

Glendale – Jewel City Bowl

Glendale – Jungle Zone – featuring multi-level lazer tag & an indoor children’s playground

Glendale – Kidz Playland – Indoor Playground

Granada Hills – Tiny Town Indoor Play Center

Hollywood – Grauman’s Chinese Theater

Hollywood – Guinness World Records Museum

Hollywood – Hollywood Museum

Hollywood – Hollywood Walk of Fame

Hollywood – Hollywood Wax Museum

Hollywood – Madame Tussauds Hollywood

Hollywood – Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Odditorium

Hollywood – Sunset Hollywood Ranch

La Canada Flintridge – Descanso Gardens – featuring the self-guided “Rosarium” Walk, Bird Observation Station, Boddy House Museum, Full Moon Teahouse, Art GAllery, Visitor’s Center, Narrated Tram Tour and the Enchanted Railroad Miniature Diesel Train Ride

La Crescenta – Playhouse 4 Kids Indoor Playground

La Mirada – Buccaneer Bay Waterpark – located at Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center

Lake View Terrace – Children’s Museum of Los Angeles – new location not open yet

Lakewood – Cal Bowl

Lomita – Lomita Railroad Museum

Long Beach – Aquarium of the Pacific

Long Beach – Eat Play Grow Family Lounge & Cafe

Long Beach – El Dorado Express @ Caboose Corners – miniature train ride – located at El Dorado Park

Long Beach – GameWorks

Long Beach – Shoreline Village – lots to see and do featuring a historic carousel & arcade

Long Beach – The Power House Entertainment Center

Long Beach – The Queen Mary – Tours

Los Angeles – Autry National Center of the American West – An Intercultural Museum featuring a “hands-on” Family Discovery Gallery

Los Angeles – California Science Center @ Exposition Park – This is the west coast’s largest hands-on science center

Los Angeles – Griffith Observatory

Los Angeles – Griffith Park – home of the Los Angeles Zoo, also featuring an Antique Carousel, the famed Griffith Observatory, 2 miniature train rides, 2 museums, pony rides and much more

Los Angeles – Little Barn Indoor Playground

Los Angeles – Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum & Miniature Train Ride @ Griffith Park

Los Angeles – Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens @ Griffith Park

Los Angeles – Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Los Angeles – Naya’s Garden – Indoor/Outdoor Playground

Los Angeles – Noah’s Ark @ Skirball Cultural Center

Los Angeles – Page Museum @ The La Brea Tar Pits

Los Angeles – Peterson Automotive Museum – “The nation’s premier automotive museum” encompassing more than 300,000 sq ft on four floors featuring more than 150 rare and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles

Los Angeles – The Tree House Social Club

Los Angeles – Travel Town Museum & Miniature Train Ride @ Griffith Park

Los Angeles – Under The Sea Indoor Playground

Los Angeles – Wells Fargo History Museum

Los Angeles – Zimmer Children’s Museum

Manhattan Beach – Adventure Plex

Manhattan Beach – Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab & Aquarium – located at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier

Manhattan Beach – Under The Sea Indoor Playground

Norwalk – Golf N’ Stuff – featuring miniature golf with 4 courses, Lit’l Indy Go-Karts, Bumper Cars, Bumper Boats, Cannonball Express Train, Disk-O-Thrill ride & large arcade

Norwalk – Keystone Lanes

Palmdale – Drytown Water Park

Palmdale – Mulligan Family Fun Center

Pasadena – Kidspace Children’s Museum

Pomona – NHRA Motorsports Museum – located at the Los Angeles County Fairplex

Redondo Beach – Redondo Fun Factory located on the pier (boardwalk)

Redondo Beach – S.E.A. Lab (Science Education Adventure)

San Dimas – Chaparral Lanes Bowling Center – features arcade and ticket games

San Dimas – Raging Waters San Dimas

San Pedro – Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

San Pedro – Marine Mammal Care Center @ Fort MacArthur

Santa Clarita – Mountasia Family Fun Center

Santa Fe Springs – Fun City – Indoor Inflatable Play Zone

Santa Monica – Magicoplois – featuring amazing and entertaining shows exploring the world of magic

Santa Monica – Pacific Park – The Amusement Park on the Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica – Santa Monica Pier – featuring Playland Arcade, a historic carousel, Pacific Park and the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Santa Monica – Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Saugus – Santa Clarita Lanes Family Entertainment Center

Sherman Oaks – Sherman Oaks Castle Park

Sherman Oaks – The PlayRoom Indoor Play Space

Sherman Oaks – Ultrazone Laser Tag

South Pasadena – Amy’s Indoor Playground

Studio City – Pinz Bowling Center – full arcade inside

Sylmar – MB2 Raceway Indoor Kart Racing

Sylmar – The Nethercutt Museum & Collection – featuring  an extensive collection of antique autos – over 250 American and European automobiles dating from 1898 to 1997 – hood ornaments, locomotive & private car, mechanical musical instruments, dolls, coins, figurines, much more

Torrance – Kid Concepts USA Edu-Tainment Center

Torrance – Mulligan Family Fun Center

Torrance – Palos Verdes Bowl

Universal City – iFly Indoor Skydiving/Vertical Wind Tunnel @ Universal Studios City Walk

Universal City – Universal Studios Hollywood

Valencia –Scooter’s Jungleland – Scooter’s Jungle is the premier private, indoor tropical-themed, family orientated party and event facility for entertaining toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers, and adults who want to be kids on adult-sized, humongous inflatables. The kids and parents stay active playing on custom designed fixed and “huge” inflated play equipment, table games (air hockey, ping pong, and foosball) and other related games.

Valencia – Six Flags Hurricane Harbor

Valencia – Six Flags Magic Mountain

Van Nuys – All Amusement Fun Center – located in The Plant

West Hills – Jumping Genius Indoor Play Center

Woodland Hills – Kali’s Garden Indoor Play Space

Woodland Hills – PlaySource – The Ultimate Indoor PlaySpace

Woodland Hills – Under The Sea Indoor Playground

Madera County

Madera – Pizza Farm – The Pizza Farm was created to educate and entertain “city folk” of all ages about how their food is grown. The Pizza Farm is a “living” demonstration farm that conducts guided tours for schools and tourists, teaching them about agriculture along the way. The Pizza Farm is circular (like a pizza) and is divided into eight pie-shaped “slices” (like a pizza), with each “slice” growing or grazing all the ingredients needed to make a farm-fresh pizza. Guests at the Pizza Farm see, touch, and learn about how farmers grow wheat for the crust and tomatoes for the sauce. They also learn about the dairy cows that give milk to make cheese and even the pigs for pepperoni. In a unique and entertaining way, visitors to the Pizza Farm quickly realize they could not enjoy their favorite food without the help of a farmer! Now sit back, relax, and enjoy a little taste of the only farm in the world that actually grows pizza!

Madera – Valley Bowl

Oakhurst – Children’s Museum of the Sierra

Marin County

San Rafael – Country Club Bowl – arcade inside

San Rafael – Marin History Museum

San Rafael – McInnis Park Golf Center/Miniature Golf

San Rafael – Star Base 1 Video Game Arcade

San Rafael – WildCare Rehabilitation Center & Museum

Sausalito – Bay Area Discovery Museum

Sausalito – Marine Mammal Center — link to Visitors Guide in PDF format

Mariposa County

Fish Camp – Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad featuring steam train excursions

Mariposa – California State Mining & Mineral Museum

Mariposa – Mariposa Museum & History Center

Mendocino County

Fort Bragg – Emerald Dolphin Mini Golf & Family Fun Center

Fort Bragg – Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens

Fort Bragg  – Skunk Train – Fort Bragg Depot – Legendary steam train ride through the Redwoods

Leggett – Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree Park

Piercy – Confusion Hill – Two seperate attractions – a miniature Mountain Train Ride &  a Gravity-defying ‘Mystery House’ and grounds

Ukiah – Yokayo Bowling Center

Willits – Mendocino County Museum

Willits – Skunk Train – Willits Depot – Legendary steam train ride through the Redwoods

Willits – Willits KOA Camping Resort – featuring a swimming pool, fishing pond, petting zoo, mini golf, playtower, arcade, rental bikes, disc golf course & waterspray park

Merced County

Atwater – Castle Air Museum – [indoor museum link] located at the former Castle Air Force Base

Atwater – Castle Science & Technology Center – featuring hands-on exhibits and Tumble Town Exploration Area for tiny tots

Atwater – Challenger Learning Center for Space Science [indoor museum link] – indoor and outdoor exhibits & displays located at the former Castle Air Force Base

Hilmar – Hilmar Cheese Company/Visitors Center – The World’s largest “single-site” cheese manufacturing facility featuring self guided tours of the factory & complementary sampling of their famous cheeses

Le Grand – Bright’s Pioneer Exhibit (Museum) – featuring a collection of old tractors, harvesters, farm equipment, cars, trucks, a street car and the famous bus from the Chowchilla kidnappings from years ago.

Los Banos – Milliken Museum

Merced– Applegate Park Zoo

Merced – Kiddieland – inside of Applegate Park – featuring 6 rides including a train ride and kiddie coaster Facebook Link

Merced – Merced Agriculture Museum – featuring antique farm equipment, 19th century wagons, demonstrations, a living history program and a working blacksmith shop

Merced – Merced County Courthouse Museum

Modoc County

Alturas – Modoc County Historical Museum

Mono County

Mammoth Lakes – Mammoth Dog Sled Tours – Meet the working dogs that make your journey the experience of a lifetime – A mix of Malamutes, Siberian & Alaskan Huskies – Photos LINK

Mammoth Lakes – Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center – featuring a zipline and rock climbing

Mammoth Lakes – Mammoth Mountain Scenic Gondola Ride & Top of the Sierra Interpretive Center

Mammoth Lakes – Sledz Snowplay Area (no website found) info link

Mammoth Lakes – Wild Willy’s Mammoth Arcade (no website found) info link located inside Minaret Village Shopping Center

Monterey County

Carmel – Point Lobos State Natural Reserve + Whalers Cabin Museum & Cove + China Cove & Bird Island

King City – Agricultural & Rural Life Museum @ San Lorenzo Park

Monterey – Dennis The Menace Playground @ El Estero Park – A one-of-a-kind classic playground & park for kids of all ages – lots to do and play on – FREE admission – with a long history dating back to 1956 – also included here is a park video — Also here’s another LINK to a photo gallery & map

Monterey – Jump-N-Around

Monterey – Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey – Monterey History & Maritime Museum – closed for renovation – scheduled for re-opening in 2011

Monterey – Monterey Mirror Maze & Lazer Challenge – located on Cannery Row

Monterey – My Museum – Monterey County Youth Museum

Monterey – Presidio of Monterey Museum

Monterey – Steinbeck’s Spirit of Monterey Wax Museum – located on Cannery Row (unsure of status as website is down at this time) – museum was vandalized in January 2010

Pacific Grove – Monarch Grove Sanctuary

Pacific Grove – Oceans 18 Black Light Miniature Golf – inside the American Tin Cannery

Pacific Grove – Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History

Salinas – Jump-N-Around

Salinas – Medical History Museum

Salinas – National Steinbeck Center

Salinas – The Farm – A unique organic agricultural showcase consisting of an agricultural education center, demonstration farm, farm animals – Daily Tours are offered

Salinas – Wild Things @ Vision Quest Ranch – Exotic animal facility that is a training ground for animals that star in film, TV and live productions – Over 100 animals in all at this educational and safe animal compound – Daily tours offered

Napa County

American Canyon – American Canyon Paintball Jungle

Calistoga – Old Faithful Geyser of California – featuring a petting zoo showcasing the famous Tennessee Fainting Goats

Calistoga – The Petrified Forest

Napa – PB&J’s – Party, Bounce & Jump

Napa – Playground Fantastico

Napa – Scientopia Discovery Center

Nevada County

Grass Valley – 49er Fun Park – featuring Go-Karts, Miniature Golf, Batting Cages, Arcade

Grass Valley – Empire Mine State Historic Park – Lots to see and do – guided tours daily

Grass Valley – Prosperity Lanes – “A Family Oriented Bowling Center” with arcade room

Nevada City – Imaginarium of Nevada County – An Interactive science museum with hands-on exhibits and activities in science, nature and technology for children of all ages.

Nevada City –Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum

Truckee – KidZone Museum

Truckee – Tahoe Donner Equestrian Center – featuring Trail rides & Pony Rides

Truckee – Tahoe Donner Snowplay Area – features a tubing & sledding arena

Orange County

Aliso Viejo – Scooter’s Jungleland – Scooter’s Jungle is the premier private, indoor tropical-themed, family orientated party and event facility for entertaining toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers, and adults who want to be kids on adult-sized, humongous inflatables. The kids and parents stay active playing on custom designed fixed and “huge” inflated play equipment, table games (air hockey, ping pong, and foosball) and other related games.

Anaheim – Adventure City – The “Little Theme Park” perfect for younger kids featuring amusement rides including a kiddie coaster, a petting zoo, children’s theater, puppet shows and a train ride.

Anaheim – Camelot Golfland Family Fun Center & Waterslides

Anaheim – Disneyland

Anaheim – Disney’s California Adventure Park

Anaheim – Flightdeck Air Combat Center featuring authentic flight simulators

Anaheim – House of Bounce – For parties featuring inflatable play arena, video games, etc

Anaheim – K1 Speed Indoor Kart Racing

Anaheim – Muzeo – Museum & Cultural Arts Center

Anaheim – Seascape Kids Fun – Indoor Play Center

Buena Park – Buena Park Slot Car Raceway

Buena Park – Knott’s Berry Farm

Buena Park – Knott’s Soak City Water Park

Buena Park – Medieval Times Dinner Theater & Tournament

Buena Park – Pirate’s Dinner Adventure

City of Orange – Bounce U – indoor “softplay” center

City of Orange – Dromo One Indoor Karting

City of Orange – Irvine Regional Park – Link #2 – Ride the Irvine Park Railroad, rent a paddle bike and ride around the lake, rent a 4-wheel Surrey, Deuce Coupe,  Quad Sport, Tandem Bike, Chopper or Cruiser bike and follow the trails, visit the Orange County Zoo or take the kids for a pony ride – Super Fun For The Whole Family!

City of Orange – Irvine Park Railroad @ Irvine Regional Park

City of Orange – Orange County Zoo @ Irvine Regional Park

Costa Mesa – Centennial Farms – located at the Orange County Fairgrounds – Centennial Farm is a three-acre working farm at the OC Fair & Event Center created to educate youth about agriculture and its importance to daily life. The Farm is home to fruit and vegetable gardens, livestock, and the Millennium Barn. View pigs, chickens, cattle, goats and more while strolling though gardens of lush vegetation

Costa Mesa – Mackerel Flats & Goat Hill Junction Railroad @ Fairview Park – offering a FREE miniature train ride to the public – operated by the Orange County Model Engineers – a non-profit club that operates a 7 1/2″ gauge railroad over a 5 mile layout of track at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa

Dana Point – Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Safari – Take a ride on the most unusual dolphin and whale watching vessel in the world

Dana Point – Ocean Institute – this is a hands-on marine science center, focusing on environmental education and maritime history

Fountain Valley – Boomers! Fountain Valley formerly Fountain Valley Family Fun Center

Fountain Valley – Fountain Bowl

Fountain Valley – Frogg’s Bounce House – “Indoor Inflatable Play Zone“

Fullerton – Laser Quest Fullerton

Garden Grove – Atlantis Play Center

Huntington Beach – Adventure Playground – located in Huntington Central Park – Kids can raft on a small pond, navigate a rope bridge, go down a mud slide or build forts at Adventure Playground, just like Huck Finn or Tom Sawyer

Huntington Beach – Bounce U – indoor “softplay” center

Huntington Beach – International Surfing Museum

Huntington Beach – Slyders Water Playground

Irvine – Boomers! Irvine – formerly Palace Park Family Entertainment Center

Irvine – Great Park Balloon – the first major attraction at the newly developed Orange County Great Park, formerly the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro

Irvine – K1 Speed Indoor Kart Racing

Irvine – Pretend City Children’s Museum

Irvine – Tanaka Farms – offering tractor pulled farm tours with sampling of organic fruits and vegetables – wagon rides, a petting zoo and corn maze fare eatured during Halloween season

Irvine – Wild Rivers Waterpark

Laguna Beach – Pacific Marine Mammal Center

LaHabra – The Children’s Museum @ LaHabra

Lake Forest – Forest Lanes

Mission Viejo – Jump ‘N Jammin Children’s Entertainment Center

Mission Viejo – Laser Quest Mission Viejo

Modjeska Canyon – Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary

Newport Beach – Balboa Fun Zone located on the Balboa Peninsula

Newport Beach – Environmental Nature Center

Newport Beach – Newport Sports Museum

Newport Beach – Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center (2nd link) – Upper Newport Bay

Placentia –Scooter’s Jungleland – Scooter’s Jungle is the premier private, indoor tropical-themed, family orientated party and event facility for entertaining toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers, and adults who want to be kids on adult-sized, humongous inflatables. The kids and parents stay active playing on custom designed fixed and “huge” inflated play equipment, table games (air hockey, ping pong, and foosball) and other related games.

San Juan Capistrano – Zoomars Petting Zoo – formerly known as The Jones Family Mini-Farm   (here’s another link)

Santa Ana – Bowers Kidseum

Santa Ana – Discovery Science Center

Santa Ana – Heritage Museum of Orange County

Santa Ana – Santa Ana Zoo @ Prentice Park

Tustin – Marconi Automotive Museum

Placer County

Auburn – Foothills Bowling Center – video games & pool tables

Auburn – Gold Country Museum

Auburn – Placer Nature Center

Carnelian Bay – Magic Carpet Miniature Golf (no website found) Yelp link

Homewood – Tahoe Maritime Museum

Kings Beach – Kings Beach Miniature Golf (no website found) Yelp link

Rocklin – Sky Zone Recreational Center

Rocklin – Star Eco Station – This is an Environmental Science Museum & Exotic Wildlife Rescue Facility

Rocklin – Strikes Bowling & Entertainment Center – featuring state-of-the-art bowling, Lazer Tag, Rock Wall Climbing and arcade

Roseville – Bounce U – Indoor “softplay” center

Roseville – Golfland Sunsplash – featuring 2 Miniature Golf Courses, Fastcar Raceway, Lazer Knights Laser Tag, King Ben’s Castle Arcade & Family Fun Center PLUS 12 water rides at Sunsplash Water Park including The Stealth, The Vortex, Revolution & StormRider, Thunder Falls & Adventure Island

Roseville – Speed Factory – Indoor Kart Racing

Roseville – Wacky Tacky – Indoor “softplay” center featuring climbing walls, enormous slides, foam shooters and much more

Squaw Valley – Squaw Valley Adventure Center – featuring an impressively large Ropes Course, Headwall Climbing Wall, Skyjump Bungee Trampoline & Miniature Golf  Course – located at the base of the mountain at Squaw Valley USA – just north of Lake Tahoe off Highway 89

Plumas County

Chester – Almanor Bowling Center

Chester – Collins Pine Museum

Graeagle – Graeagle Miniature Golf & Driving Range (no website found) info link

Graeagle – Plumas-Eureaka State Park & Museum

Portola – Western Pacific Railroad Museum – This is the largest and most complete collection in North America dedicated to telling the story of one railroad, and also one of the few places where you can experience railroad history in a truly hands-on way.  Sit at the controls of the world’s largest diesel locomotive.  Climb aboard passenger cars from the California Zephyr, one of the nation’s most famous passenger trains.  And you can even take the throttle of a real railroad locomotive in the oldest engineer experience program in the US.

Quincy – Plumas County Museum

Taylorsville – Indian Valley Museum

Riverside County

Cabazon – T-Rex Museum & World’s Biggest Dinosaurs

Cathedral City – Boomers! Palm Springs formerly Camelot Park

Corona – Outta Bounds Adventure Center – Laser Tag Arena, Arcade & Redemption Center,  LAN Center Gamer’s Lounge

Corona – Pole Position Raceway – Indoor Karting

Corona – Tom’s Farms/Family Fun Zone – featuring a Steam Train Ride, Old Time Carousel, Tractor Driving, Shooting Gallery, Pony Rides, Petting Zoo, Magic Show, Construction Scoops, Live Music Concerts and the new Tom’s Mining Company where you can Mine For Real Gems & Fossils

Hemet – Fingerprints Youth Museum

Lake Elsinore – Trevi Family Entertainment Center – elaborate bowling center with arcade

Murrieta – Mulligan Family Fun Center

Murrieta – Pole Position Raceway – Indoor Karting

Murrieta – Sensory Time Child Development Center – A multi-sensory, therapeutically designed Child Development Center for special needs children & their families offering over 5,000 sq. feet of climate controlled sensory area with a variety of developmentally appropriate challenges for your child to explore.

Murrieta – Sky High Party Zone – featuring an all new Glow-in-the-Dark Air Cannon Ball Blaster Arena for the entire family

Palm Desert – Living Desert Zoo & Gardens

Palm Springs – Knott’s Soak City Water Park formerly known as Oasis Water Park

Palm Springs – Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Palm Springs – Palm Springs Air Museum

Perris – Apex Kart Racing

Perris – Orange Empire Railway Museum –Explore the West’s largest collection of railway locomotives, passenger and freight cars, streetcars, interurban electric cars, buildings and other artifacts dating from the 1870’s.Ride streetcars, interurban cars and trains on the museum railway.

Rancho Mirage – Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert

Riverside – Arlington Lanes – Arcade inside

Riverside – Castle Park Riverside – featuring

Riverside – Pole Position Raceway – Indoor Karting

Riverside – Riverside International Automotive Museum

Temecula – Peltzer Farms – Fabulous Fall features include an Old Fashion Train, Pony Rides, Petting Farm, Pig Races, John Deere Tractor Collection, Mound-O-Hay, Corn Maze & much more

Temecula – Pennypickles Workshop – Temecula Children’s Museum

Temecula – Splash Canyon Waterpark – planned opening for summer 2010

Sacramento County

Carmichael – Lasertag of Carmichael

Citrus Heights – Fireside Lanes – game and video arcade inside

Citrus Heights – Sunrise Fun Center – featuring Bumper Boats, Indy Race Cars, Mini Golf, Water Wars, Batting Cages, Haunted House and Video Arcade

Elk Grove – Strikes Bowling & Entertainment Center – featuring state-of-the-art bowling, Lazer Tag, Rock Wall Climbing and arcade

Elk Grove –Funtastic Indoor Play Center

Folsom – Bounce-O-Palace Indoor Play & Party Zone

Folsom – Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary @ Folsom City Park

Folsom – Folsom Prison Museum

Folsom – Folsom Valley Railway @ Folsom City Park

Galt – A Magical Place Entertainment & Party Center

North Highlands – Aerospace Museum of California @ McClellan Park

Rancho Cordova – Monster Mini Golf – featuring monster-themed Glow in the Dark miniature golf

Rancho Cordova – Sacramento Children’s Museum  (newly renovated and reopened)

Rancho Cordova – Sky High Sports – The Trampoline Place

Sacramento – California Automobile Museum – formerly known as Towe Auto Museum – “Experience Automotive Evolution”

Sacramento – California State Capitol Museum (Kids Start Page) – tour info link

Sacramento – California State Indian Museum – A section of the museum features a hands-on area, where visitors can try their hand at using Indian tools

Sacramento – California State Military Museum

Sacramento – California State Railroad Museum

Sacramento – Country Club Lanes Family Entertainment Center + Lazer X Laser Tag

Sacramento – Discovery Museum/Science & Space Center

Sacramento – Fairytale Town @ William Land Park

Sacramento – Funtastic Indoor Play Center

Sacramento – RPM Indoor Kart Racing

Sacramento – Funderland Children’s Amusement Park @ William Land Park

Sacramento – Raging Waters Sacramento @ Cal Expo

Sacramento – Sacramento Zoo @ William Land Park

Sacramento – Scandia Family Fun Center – featuring 2 Miniature Golf Courses, Stockholm Raceway, Scandia Screamer, Baltic Sea Bumper Boats, Batting Cages, Grand Arcade & Redemption Center

Sacramento – Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park

Sacramento – Wells Fargo History Museum – located in Old Sacramento

San Benito County

Hollister – Casa de Fruta – legendary fruit stand turned resort offering wine tasting, cheese & deli sampling & candy tasting from the on-site candy factory – featuring a narrow-gauge train (Casa de Choo Choo), carousel (Casa de Carousel), playgound featuring a play train engine & caboose, and a duck pond

Hollister – Swank Farms – Several seasonal attractions & activities listed on their website including a very popular corn maze, 2 haunted houses, petting zoo and more.

San Bernardino County

Apple Valley – Victor Valley Museum – featuring a Childrens Imagination Station – Grand Re-Opening March 19, 2011

Barstow – Barstow Route 66 “Mother Road” Museum

Barstow – Desert Lanes Bowling Center (Marine Corp Community Services) – open to the general public – ID required

Barstow – Revolutions Entertainment Center – newly opened – featuring bowling and arcade

Barstow – Western America Railroad Museum

Big Bear Lake – Alpine Slide @ Magic Mountain Recreation Area – featuring a ‘year-round’ Alpine Slide, Waterslide, Go-Karts, Putt’n Around Miniature Golf & Snow Play Hill

Big Bear Lake – Moonridge Animal Park

Chino – Chino Youth Museum

Chino – Laser Quest Chino

Chino – Planes of Fame Air Museum

Colton – Fiesta Village Family Fun Park – featuring 2 Miniature Golf Courses, Lazer Odyssey, Fiesta Raceway, Super Slide, Bounce House,  4 Amusement Rides,  Batting Cages, Skating Rink, Fiesta Fun Zone Arcade,  and the brand new Pyrite Rapids Waterpark

Crestline – Lake Gregory Regional Park – features 4 acre swimming lake, double-flume waterslide and various Aqua Cycle, board and boat rentals

Lake Arrowhead – Lollipop Park @ Lake Arrowhead – featuring go-carts, mini golf, train ride, carousel, swing ride, pirate ship ride

Montclair – Bowlium

Needles – Needles Aquatic Center – features a 25-foot competition size swimming pool, a 2 story high corkscrew slide that empties into a 3 and one half-foot separate pool, and a kiddy pool with fountain. There is a park within the complex, complete with shade trees, picnic tables/benches and barbecue stands.

Ontario – Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park – features a swimming lagoon & double-flume waterslide plus peddle boat and Aquar Cycle rentals

Ontario – GameWorks – located inside Ontario Mills Mall featuring amazing interactive games, simulators and attractions – plus pool and darts

Ontario – K1 Speed Indoor Kart Racing

Ontario – Scandia Amusement Park – featuring a whopping 25 rides & attractions including 2 Scandinavian-themed Miniature Golf Courses, the NEW Cliff Jumper, Scandia Screamer Coaster, Little Dipper Coaster, Stockholm Raceway, Copenhagen Carousel, Denmark Railway, Viking Ship, Thor’s Hammer, Baltic Sea Bumper Boats, Batting Cages, 200-Seat Pavilion, Video Arcade & Redemption Center and much more!

Pioneertown – Pioneertown – Here’s an introduction LINK to the Wikipedia  description of this historic Old West movie ranch built in the 1940’s

Pioneertown – Pioneer Historic Bowl – a registered Historical Site featuring 6 historic lanes, dinner house, saloon, vintage arcade & pinball gallery, cowboy reenactments & gunfights every weekend, cast members serve you in period costume

Rancho Cucamonga – Jumping Jacks – is a HUGE indoor playground for all ages with the biggest, newest & wildest inflatables with a few free games like air hockey and foosball

Redlands – Empire Bowl

Redlands – Jump Zone Party Play Center

Redlands – Pharoah’s Adventure Park / Splash Kingdom Water Park – formerly known as Pharoah’s Lost Kingdom (recently renovated – link) – UPDATED: completed renovated in 2010 – The water park claims to have the fastest, tallest & wildest water slides to be found anywhere!

Redlands – San Bernardino County Museum – featuring the Exploration Station live animal discovery center

Running Springs – Children’s Forest Exploration Trail

San Bernardino – A Special Place Children’s Museum – (no website found- link for info)

San Bernardino – Del Rosa Lanes Bowling Center – Arcade inside

San Bernardino – Glen Helen Regional Park – features swim lagoon, double-flume waterslide and peddle boat rentals

Upland – Boomers! Upland – formerly Upland Family Fun Center

Victorville – California Route 66 Museum

Victorville – Monarch Family Fun Zone

Victorville – Scandia Family Fun Center – featuring 2 Miniature Golf Courses, Stockholm Raceway, Scandia Skyscreamer, Baltic Sea Bumper Boats, Batting Cages & Video Arcade & Redemption Center

Victorville – Victor Bowl

Yermo – Calico Ghost Town – visit a historic silver mining town that lives on as one of the few remaining original “Old West” mining camps – experience the Mystery Shack that defies gravity, tour Maggie’s Mine, pan for real gold, ride on an authentic narrow gauge mining train, and walk down old Main Street and explore the old Mercantile Shops, Lane House and Museum, blacksmith barn and old school house – Cabins, Bunkhouses and camping available on site

Yermo – Calico & Odessa Railroad – located inside Calico Ghost Town – see above listing

Yucaipa – Yucaipa Regional Park – featuring a one acre swim lagoon,  waterslide flume & aqua tube waterslide – Peddle Boats & Aqua Cycles for rent

San Diego County

Bonita – My Kids Clubhouse

Campo – Pacific Southwest Railway Museum + Train Rides & Rail Excursions

Carlsbad – K1 Speed Indoor Kart Racing

Carlsbad – Kidsville Play Town – Kidsville Playtown is a mini size city for kids with play houses including a Clinic, Theater with dress up costumes, Beauty Parlor, Jail, Fire Station, Dinosaur Mountain, Castle, climbing wall, ride on cars, 2 slides, and much more to explore! For the Babies we have created Babiesville! A section just for the wee ones. Age appropriate fun, learning toys in a jungle atmosphere. Kidsville Playtown offers a social, interactive environment for children ages 6 months to 10 years old. Kidsville has play structures that allow your children to use their imaginations as well as get exercise. The hardest part will be getting your child to leave!

Carlsbad – Legoland California

Carlsbad – Legoland Waterpark

Carlsbad – Museum of Making Music

Carlsbad – Sea Life Aquarium

Chula Vista – Living Coast Discovery Center  – A “zooquarium” that focuses on the importance of coastal resource conservation with exhibits of native species of fishes, birds and reptiles.

Chula Vista – Fun 4 All Amusement Park & Family Fun Center – featuring Miniature Golf, Go Karts, Bumper Boast, Batting Cages and Arcade

Chula Vista – Knott’s Soak City Water Park

Del Mar – Pelly’s Mini Golf @ The Del Mar Golf Center

El Cajon – Boardwalk Indoor Amusement Park

El Cajon – Boomers! El Cajon – formerly El Cajon Family Fun Center

El Cajon – Parkway Bowl – featuring a Lazer Tag Arena and a large arcade

El Cajon – Play Town Indoor Playground

El Cajon – Taylor Guitars/Factory Tour – The Taylor Guitars factory tour takes guests through the steps of guitar construction. From wood selection to final assembly, guests will experience each process as a guitar evolves from raw wood into a finished instrument.

El Cajon – Warbirds West Air Museum @ Gillespie Field

Encinitas – San Diego Botanic Garden (formerly known as Quail Botanical Gardens) – featuring the Seeds of Wonder Children’s Garden, a miniature operating railroad and the Hamilton Children’s Garden, which just happens to be the largest interactive children’s garden on the West Coast

Escondido – San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum

Escondido – San Diego Archaeological Center/Museum

Escondido – San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Wild Animal Park)

Julian – California Wolf Center

Julian – Julian Mining Company – featuring gold panning & gem mining for the whole family

Julian – Smith Ranch & Julian Railroad – Julian Train & Gold Mine Tour

LaJolla – Birch Aquarium @ Scripps – located on the campus of UC San Diego

Lakeside – Victoria’s Gardens – An actual “working farm” featuring Barnyard Animals, Straw Play Area, Bounce Jump, Straw Horses, Pony Rides, Giant Slide, Hay Rides, Straw Maze, Obstacle Course, Petting Zoo & Train Ride

Lemon Grove – Equinox Laser Tag – The ultimate cutting-edge laser tag experience that specializes in Indoor Laser Tag, Outdoor Laser Tag, Mobile Laser Tag, and Tactical Laser Tag (and introducing Water Tag) in the San Diego area – Providing you with an experience that will have your kids, friends and family raving over your idea for some serious FUN.

Oceanside – California Surf Museum

Oceanside – Surf Bowl – also has laser tag

Palomar Mountain – Palomar Observatory – A world-class center of astronomical research that is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology

Poway – Kidsville PlayTown

Poway – My Kids Clubhouse

Poway – Poway Fun Bowl – Arcade inside

Poway – Poway-Midland Railroad – located in Old Poway Park – featuring rides on a Steam Locomotive, Trolley Car and Fairmont Speeder plus museum displays

Ramona – Oasis Camel Dairy

San Diego – Balboa Park – Simple Incredible – featuring a historic carousel, miniature railroad, puppet theater, Japanese Friendship Garden, Science Center, Space Museum, Automotive Museum, Sports Museum, History Center, Model Railroad Museum, Natural History Museum, Museum of Art, Museum of Man and the World Famous San Diego Zoo

San Diego – Belmont Park – located in Mission Beach – San Diego’s Beachfront Amusement Park & Entertainment Center featuring amusement park rides, ride the waves at Wave House, mini golf, arcade, midway style games and an indoor children’s play center

San Diego – Boomers! San Diego – formerly San Diego Family Fun Center

San Diego – Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum @ MCAS Miramar

San Diego – Kearny Mesa Bowl

San Diego – Kid Ventures Indoor Play Village

San Diego – Maritime Museum

San Diego – Miramar Speed Circuit Indoor Kart Racing

San Diego – Mira Mesa Lanes

San Diego – Nickel City Family Entertainment Center

San Diego – Old Town San Diego Trolley Tour

San Diego – Reuben H. Fleet Science Center @ Balboa Park

San Diego – San Diego Air & Space Museum @ Balboa Park

San Diego – San Diego Automotive Museum @ Balboa Park

San Diego – San Diego Hall of Champions @ Balboa Park – The nation’s largest multi-sport museum with three floors of memorabilia in 68,000 square feet of space including a state-of-the-art theatre and an interactive media center.

San Diego – San Diego Model Railroad Museum @ Balboa Park – The largest model railroad display in the world with 27,000 square feet including Thomas the Tank Engine activity room, an interactive toy train gallery, and a relief map of San Diego County featuring a hands-on computer display.

San Diego – San Diego Museum of Man @ Balboa Park – features a Children’s Discovery Center

San Diego – San Diego Natural History Museum @ Balboa Park

San Diego – San Diego Seal Tour – Journey through San Diego by land AND sea on a unique “Hydra-Terra” amphibious vehicle

San Diego – San Diego Zoo @ Balboa Park

San Diego – Seaport Village – featuring a historic carousel and a horse-drawn carriage

San Diego – SeaWorld San Diego

San Diego – The New Children’s Museum

San Diego – Ultrazone – The Ultimate Laser Adventure

San Diego – USS Midway Museum

San Diego – Wells Fargo History Museum

Santa Ysabel – Himalaya Tourmaline Mine – Dig pink and green tourmalines from the world famous Himalaya Mine! – An unforgettable wild west outdoor gemstone mining experience – Learn about the formation of these gemstones from a geologist during a fun-packed rock digging adventure.

Spring Valley – Air Time – featuring an Indoor Playground, interactive games and video arcade

Valley Center – Bates Nut Farm – featuring farm animals/petting zoo – more attractions in the fall

Valley Center – Valley Center History Museum

Vista – Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum

Vista – Boomers! Vista – formerly Vista Family Fun Center

Vista – The Wave Waterpark

Vista – Vista Entertainment Center – includes Arcade Game Room with Billiards & Air Hockey

San Francisco County

San Francisco – Aquarium of the Bay @ Pier 39

San Francisco – AT&T Ballpark Tours – Home of the San Francisco Giants

San Francisco – Cable Car Museum

San Francisco – California Academy of Sciences + Steinhart Aquarium in Golden Gate Park

San Francisco – Camera Obscura – World Famous Giant Camera – a unique experience with incredible special effects

San Francisco – Cartoon Art Museum

San Francisco – Exploratorium + Tactile Dome – Discover the unseen world of the Tactile Dome—an interactive excursion through total darkness, where your sense of touch becomes your only guide! – @ The Palace of Fine Arts along the Marina

San Francisco – Golden Gate Park/Children’s Playground – featuring a Historic Carousel – Additional features about the upcoming Koret Children’s Quarter include the Treehouse Village, Adventure Play Yard, Hidden Hollow, and climbing wavewalls.

San Francisco – House of Air (Indoor Trampoline Park) – located in the historic airplane hangar at West Crissy Field on the grounds of the The Presidio of San Francisco

San Francisco – Musee Mecanique (Mechanical Museum) @ Fisherman’s Wharf – one of the world’s largest privately owned collections of coin-operated mechanical musical instruments & antique arcade machines in their original working condition.(over 200) (You can play them!)

San Francisco – Pier 39 @ Fisherman’s Wharf

San Francisco – Players Arcade & Sports Grill @ Pier 39

San Francisco – Randall Museum (children’s hands-on museum)

San Francisco – Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum @ Fisherman’s Wharf

San Francisco – RocketBoat – A Blast On The Bay @ Pier 39

San Francisco – San Francisco Fire Department Museum

San Francisco – San Francisco Zoo featuring an expanded Children’s Zoo, Insect Zoo, Little Puffer Miniature Steam Train, Historic Carousel & Talking Storybooks

San Francisco – Walt Disney Family Museum @ The Presidio of San Francisco

San Francisco – Wax Museum @ Fisherman’s Wharf

San Francisco – Wells Fargo History Museum

San Francisco – Yerba Buena Ice Skating & Bowling Center

San Francisco – Yerba Buena Playground – see listing below

San Francisco – Zeum – San Francisco’s Children’s Museum

San Joaquin County

Lathrop – Go Bananas Indoor Play Zone

Lodi – FunTown Amusement Park @ Micke Grove Park – formerly known as Funderwoods

Lodi – Micke Grove Park & Zoo

Lodi – World of Wonders Science Museum

Manteca – Manteca Bowl & Family Fun Center – featuring batting cages + large Arcade & Redemption Center

Stockton – Children’s Museum of Stockton

Stockton – Pacific Avenue Bowl – video game room inside

Stockton – Pixie Woods Children’s Park @ Louis Park

Stockton – West Lane Bowl – Arcade inside

Tracy – Fun Factory – located inside West Valley Mall

Tracy – West Valley Bowl – arcade inside

San Luis Obispo County

Arroyo Grande – Mustang Waterpark @ Lopez Lake Recreation Area

Avila Beach – Avila Hot Springs Resort – featuring a waterslide, large heated swimming pool, hot mineral pool & arcade

Atascadero – Charles Paddock Zoo @ Atascadero Lake Park

Cambria – Nitt Witt Ridge – (no website found – info link & here)

Morro Bay – Morro Bay Aquarium

Morro Bay – Museum of Natural History – featuring state-of-the-art interactive exhibits – Visitors can build a sand dune, operate the hydrologic cycle & dig into the food pit to create their own food chains.

Paso Robles – Paso Robles Children’s Museum @ The Volunteer Firehouse

Paso Robles – Ravine Waterpark

Pismo Beach – Monarch Butterfly Grove

Pismo Beach – Pismo Bowl – has arcade and pool tables

San Luis Obispo – Mustang Lanes – Arcade inside

San Luis Obispo – San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum

San Simeon – Hearst Castle

San Mateo County

Burlingame – Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia & Classic Toy Museum

Burlingame – Go Kart Racer

Daly City – Daly City Party Playhouse & Video Arcade Room

Half Moon Bay – Lemos Farm – featuring a Petting Zoo, OK Play Corral, Miniature Train Rides, Pony Rides, Outdoor Laser Tag,  Halloween Scare Zone & more features during Halloween time

Pacifica – Sea Bowl Entertainment Center

Palo Alto – Baylands Nature Preserve, Interpretive Center & Duck Pond

Palo Alto – Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo — another link

Palo Alto – Rinconada Pool – featuring “lemon drop” geysers, a circular waterfall, “Aqua-ducks” (water bicycles that squirt water), a zero depth “beach” area ideal for infants and a small slide

Pescadero – Phipps Country Store & Farm

Redwood City – Golden Gate Railroad Museum

Redwood City – Malibu Grand Prix/Malibu Castle

Redwood City – The Creative Loft

San Carlos – Bounce U – Indoor “softplay” center

San Mateo – Bianchi Railway Mini Train – located in Central Park

San Mateo – Coyote Point Museum For Environmental Education

San Mateo – Safari Run – The Healthy Indoor Entertainment Center

San Carlos – Hiller Aviation Museum

Santa Barbara County

Buellton – OstrichLand USA

Goleta – South Coast Railroad Museum & Miniature Train Ride

Goleta – Zodo’s Bowling & Beyond

Santa Barbara – Children’s Museum Santa Barbara – opening soon

Santa Barbara – Kidsworld Playground/Alameda Park

Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History + Ty Warner Sea Center @ Stearns Wharf

Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara Zoo

Santa Maria – Boomers! Santa Maria – formerly Camelot Park

Santa Maria – Santa Maria Museum of Flight

Santa Maria – Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum

Solvang – Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum

Solvang – Sunny Fields Playground – An amazing playground with everything a child could want! It is a wooden castle playground with a gingerbread house where kids can make believe they are in the kitchen baking cookies. There are shady spots like a theater where kids can put on a puppet show. There are plenty of medieval towers, monkey bars galore, rope bars kids can balance on, bridges, a tube slide, rock-climbing wall, baby swings, regular swings, and a tire swing! The helm of a viking ship decorates one end of the playground. It will take a long time before your child will become bored here! (lots of pics here as well as a map with driving directions)

Santa Clara County

Cupertino – Fujitsu Planetarium @ DeAnza College –

Cupertino – Homestead Lanes

Gilroy – Gilroy Bowl

Gilroy – Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park formerly known as Bonfante Gardens

Los Altos Hills – Hidden Villa formerly known as Duveneck Ranch

Los Gatos – Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad @ Oak Meadow Park & Vasona Park – historic miniature steam train ride

Los Gatos – Oak Meadow Park – includes the above listed train rides, carousel, multiple playgrounds with one impressive playground that has a USAF Jet, Fire Engine & lots to climb on, adjacent to Vasona Park listed below

Los Gatos – Vasona Science & Nature Center @ Vasona Park

Milpitas – Great Jump – The Ultimate Trampoline Arena

Milpitas – Lunar Mini Golf – Glow-In-The-Dark – located inside The Great Mall of The Bay Area

Milpitas – Milpitas Golfland Family Fun Center

Morgan Hill – Morgan Hill Aquatic Center – featuring 2 waterslides, a water playground & a “sprayground”

Morgan Hill – Morgan Hill Bowl

Mountain View – Computer History Museum – home to the largest & most significant collection of computing artifacts in the world

Mountain View – Deer Hollow Farm

Mountain View – Laser Quest Mountain View

San Jose – Alum Rock Science & Nature Center @ Alum Rock Park

San Jose – Cambrian Bowl – arcade inside

San Jose – Children’s Carousel @ Arena Green – located @ Guadalupe River Park & Gardens

San Jose – Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose

San Jose – Emerald Hills Golfland Family Fun Center & Waterslides

San Jose – Emma Prusch Farm Park

San Jose – Evergreen Acres Petting Farm

San Jose – Happy Hollow Park & Zoo @ Kelley Park

San Jose – History Park @ Kelly Park

San Jose – McEnery Park

San Jose – Monopoly In The Park – located in Discovery Meadow – features the largest Monopoly game board in the world — “larger than life” at 930 square feet in size –  It is designed to be an interactive element of the park with groups able to rent large tokens and actually play a game of Monopoly in an outdoor public setting with advance reservations

San Jose – New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum – Temporarily closed for renovation

San Jose – Raging Waters San Jose

San Jose – Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

San Jose – San Jose Flea Market – Largest open-air market in the country – on 120 acres -attracts 80,000 visitors weekly & 4 million per year – also has a Merry-Go-Round & playground on site

San Jose – The Jungle Fun & Adventure – Campbell @ Saratoga

San Jose – The Jungle Island – Camden @ Kooser

San Jose – The Tech Museum of Innovation

San Jose – Winchester Mystery House & Historic Firearms Museum

San Martin – Wings of History Museum

Saratoga – Sanborn Science & Nature Center @ Sanborn Park

Santa Clara – California’s Great America includes Boomerang Bay Waterpark & KidZville

Santa Clara – Intel Museum

Santa Clara – Sky High Sports – The Trampoline Place

Sunnyvale – Golfland USA Family Fun Center

Santa Cruz County

Felton – Bigfoot Discovery Museum

Felton – Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad – located within Henry Cowell State Park

Santa Cruz – Boardwalk Bowl – arcade inside

Santa Cruz – Mystery Spot – where gravity is defied

Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz –  Neptune’s Kingdom Amusement Center [at the Boardwalk] – a nautical-themed entertainment center featuring Buccaneer Bay 2-story Miniature Golf, Smuggler’s Arcade, Captain’s Game Deck (pool tables, air hockey, foosball) – next door is the Casino Arcade that features Desperatos Shooting Gallery & Laser Tag Arena

Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz Surfing Museum – located in the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse at Lighthouse Point

Santa Cruz – Seymour Marine Discovery Center – Visit a working marine laboratory, featuring an Aquarium, Touch Tanks, Exhibit Halls, Ocean Discovery Shop & tours to the Marine Mammal Research Overlook

Watsonville – Pump’d Inflatable Fun Center

Watsonville – Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Campground – featuring a KOA Express Fun Train, Jumping Pillow, mini golf, banana bikes, a climbing wall & spectacular playground

Shasta County

Lakehead – Lake Shasta Caverns – featuring cave tours, Sandy Creek Mining Sluice, and Rock Box

Redding – Country Bowl

Redding – Need 2 Speed Indoor Kart Racing – also featuring Blacklight 3D Miniature Golf

Redding – Redding Aquatic Center – featuring a large water-play structure & water slide

Redding – Shasta Lanes – game room inside

Redding – Turtle Bay Exploration Park & Museum – featuring Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp

Redding – Water Works Park

Shasta Lake – Oasis Fun Center – includes Bumper Boats, Go Carts, Laser Tag, Miniature Golf, Rock Climbing Wall

Sierra County

Alleghany – Underground Gold Miners Museum – Featuring Underground Tours and Exhibits which include a working 3D Mine Model and video footage of underground operations

Downieville – Foundry Museum – Featuring a detailed model turn-of-the-century Downieville as well as logging and mining exhibits – info LINK

Loyalton – Milton Gottardi Museum & Park – located in the city park, this historic building features displays on logging, agriculture and the Washoe Indians – info LINK

Sierra City – Kentucky Mine Historic Park & Museum – The Sierra County Historical Society presents Guided Tours into the underground mine and also into California’s last remaining workable Gold Ore Stamp Mill – Also features local American Indian culture.

Siskiyou County

McCloud – McCloud Railway Excursion Train + Shasta Sunset Dinner Train

Mt. Shasta – Siskiyou Ice Rink – Largest Outdoor Ice Skating Rink In Northern California

Yreka – Siskiyou Lanes – Bowling alley with game room

Solano County

Benicia – Benicia Fire Museum

Benicia – Benicia Historical Museum

Fairfield – Jelly Belly Factory Tour (also includes a virtual tour on their website)

Fairfield – Scandia Family Fun Center – featuring 2 Miniature Golf Courses, Lil’ Indy Raceway, Waterbug Blaster Boats, Batting Cages, Lasertron Laser Tag, Extreme Air Rockwall, Clubhouse For Kids Indoor Playspace & Grand Arcade & Redemption Center

Fairfield – Travis Air Museum – located @ Travis Air Force Base – “One of the Largest Collections of Military Aircraft on the West Coast”

Rio Vista – Rio Vista Museum

Suisun City – Western Railway Museum & Train Ride

Vacaville – Great Wonders Playground – located within Andrews Park

Vacaville – Nut Tree USA –  miniature train ride & carousel

Vallejo – Children’s Wonderland – featuring a very creative park and playground with lots of imaginative play areas and structures

Vallejo – Happy Frog – The Indoor Play & Party Zone

Vallejo – Six Flags Discovery Kingdom – formerly known as Marine World/Africa USA

Vallejo – Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum –

Sonoma County

Guerneville – Pee Wee Golf & Arcade – A classic a very fun 1950’s-style prehistoric-themed miniature golf course – [great pics here] – no website found but history can be found here  –  Here is the Facebook Page Link with lots of info & pics

Petaluma – Mrs. Grossman Sticker Factory Tour – You’ll see thousands of stickers going through every stage of printing, high-speed packaging as well as machines sorting, and wrapping. Wait until you see our LaserWeb! It’s the only system of its kind in the United States that can cut our laser-cut stickers. It’s a high-tech wonder that shoots 10,000-degree laser beams to make the delicate cuts on Mrs. Grossman’s Paper Whisper™ stickers. After the factory tour, it’s off to our Sticker Art room where you’ll decorate a postcard using Mrs. Grossman’s stickers, and learn a few decorating tricks that are quick, easy and lots of fun. You’ll also have a chance to visit the Sticker Museum – Truly a magical treat for the whole family.

Rohnert Park – Double Decker Lanes – large bowling center with arcade

Rohnert Park – Driven Raceway Indoor Karting & Entertainment Center – featuring Indoor Go Karts, Hack-n-Putt (a race themed Dark Light Mini Golf course), Mini Bowling Alley (also racing themed), and a wide variety of arcade video and redemption games

Rohnert Park – Scandia Funland – featuring Miniature Golf, Lil’ Indy Raceway, Bumper Boats, Batting Cages & Grand Arcade

Rohnert Park – Slot Car Raceway

Santa Rosa – Charles M. Schultz Museum – the late creator of Snoopy & Charlie Brown

Santa Rosa – Howarth Park/Big K-Land Amusement Area – featuring the C.P. Huntington Steam Train (rides), Carousel, Animal Barn Petting Zoo, Shetland Pony rides, JumpHouse, BoatHouse, Climbing Wall, DigZone (hydraulically-operated tractor shovel), Sprouting Water Orchard, and incredible Land of Imagination Playground divided into 5 different themed zones – Prehistoric, Native American Village, Rancho Santa Rosa, Western Town & Modern World

Santa Rosa – Kidspot Imagination Center – now located at Coddingtown Mall

Santa Rosa – Pacific Coast Air Museum

Santa Rosa – Safari West Wildlife Preserve

Santa Rosa – Spring Lake Regional Park – 320 acre park featuring a Swimming Lagoon with a sandy beach, 72 acre lake, paddle Boat rentals, fishing, boating, camping and lots of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding plus an educational Visitors Center

Sonoma – Sonoma TrainTown & Railroad – Tour over 10 heavily wooded acres riding on 15-gauge Steam Train pulled in open cars by a 1927 Hudson Locomotive with a nice miniature caboose bringing up the rear over bridges and trestles, through tunnels and past waterfalls to the miniature town of Lakeville with buildings scaled at one-half size! Several train themed attractions featuring a fully restored vintage Iron Horse carousel that plays old time railroad songs, a giant High Iron four-story Ferris Wheel, a Dragon Train Roller Coaster, Sonoma TrainTown Airlines, the high flying Chattanooga Choo Choo Chairs, the Locomotion, Iron Horse Merry-Go-Round, Dragon Train, Fort Structure play area & Petting Zoo. At your leisure, explore three full-sized Cabooses dating back to the 1930’s & 40’s.These rail cars have wood stoves and observation areas. One of them loaded with video games. For the littlest visitors there are also coin operated rides including a galloping horse, a stagecoach and a locomotive.

Stanislaus County

Ceres – Imagine It Children’s Museum (no website found) info link

Hughson – Resendiz Family Fruit Barn – petting zoo, playground, fish pond, waterfalls

Modesto – Boomers! Modesto – formerly Camelot Park

Modesto – Funworks! Modesto – tons of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy featuring a brand new R/C Racetrack, Highway 66 Bowling Lanes, Miniature Golf, Game Zone (arcade & prize redemption), PlayWorks (indoor playground), (triple level) Go-Cart Track, SplashWorks (Pirate ships with water cannons), Bump-N-Tag (bumper car laser tag), The Rock (climbing wall), Batting Cages, Teddy Bear Factory and the seasonal Corn Maze

Modesto – Laser Quest Modesto

Modesto – McHenry Bowl

Modesto – Modesto Virtual

Modesto – Yosemite Lanes Family Fun Center

Oakdale – Oakdale Cheese & Specialties – featuring Cheese Factory Tours, a Petting Zoo & 2 Koi Ponds

Oakdale – Oakdale Cowboy Museum

Turlock – Funworks! Turlock

Turlock – Ten Pin Fun Center – proposed bowling alley, multi-level laser tag arena, arcade, bocce ball courts and sports bar & grill (scheduled to open in late 2011) – Link to the newspaper articles here and here – Facebook page here

Sutter County

Nicolaus – Shooters All-Season Paintball – featuring an indoor play field

Yuba City – Cyberstation – arcade located inside the Yuba Sutter Mall

Yuba City – Gauche Aquatic Park

Yuba City – Nu Generation Bowl – featuring an arcade

Yuba City – PowerPlay Game Lounge

Tehama County

Gerber –South Shasta Model Railroad (link with pics) (local newspaper article) – also features actual rides on a 59-year-old German-built steam locomotive that uses wood for fuel – very limited hours of operation

Red Bluff – Lariat Bowl & Bowling Greens Miniature Golf – featuring a cosmic laser light show, arcade games and pool tables

Red Bluff – Sacramento River Discovery Center

Trinity County

Weaverville – Jake Jackson Memorial Museum – featuring historical buildings and exhibits – indoor & outdoor – a trip through history of days past

Tulare County

Tulare – Heritage Complex International Agri-Center – Antique Farm Equipment Museum

Tulare – Time Out Pizza & Fun Center – featuring waterslides, batting cages & arcade

Visalia – Imagine U Interactive Children’s Museum

Visalia – Visalia Adventure Park & Full Throttle Raceway – featuring 18-hole Miniature Golf, Hwy 66 Bowling, Family Go-Kart Track, Lazer Tag, Bumper Boats, Batting Cages, Video & Redemption Arcade and Kritters Pizza Buffet

Tuolumne County

Columbia – Columbia State Historic Park – The town’s old Gold Rush-era business district has been preserved with shops, restaurants and two hotels. Visitors have the chance to time-travel to the 1850s, imagining life when gold miners rubbed shoulders with businessmen and the other residents in Columbia. Visitors can experience a bygone era watching proprietors in period clothing conduct business in the style of yesterday. There are opportunities to ride a 100 year-old stagecoach, hire a “fine steed” for a horseback ride through the “diggins,” pan for gold, tour an active gold mine and explore the real working businesses of historic Columbia.

Groveland – Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum – featuring displays from the gold rush era and scale models of saw mills, animal pelts – see the mounted California Black Bear and Great Horned Owl showcased

Jamestown – Railtown 1897 State Historic Park featuring a historic museum and steam train excursions into California’s Motherlode/Gold Country

Sonora – Llamas of Circle Home – An experience you’ll not forget – Learn as you play with these gentle creatures. They have been caring for and breeding magnifienct llamas for over 20 years. Meet these wonderful creatures and if you’re adventuresome, spend some time joining, leading or training them on a llama hike. They will give you an insightful tour of the herd dynamics of these social animals – Over 50 llamas to enjoy!

Sonora – Sonora Fire Museum – featuring displays of vintage and historic fire engines and fire fighting equipment

Sonora – Tuolumne County Historical Museum & Historic Jail

Sonora – Veterans Memorial Hall & Military Museum

Tuolumne – Tuolumne City Memorial Museum

Twain Harte – Twain Harte Miniature Golf

Ventura County

Agoura Hills – Jungleland Activity Center – located in the Reyes Adobe Shopping Center

Camarillo – Jolly Jumps Indoor Party Place

Camarillo – Harley’s Camarillo Bowl

Camarillo – Lazer Tag Extreme

Moorpark – America’s Teaching Zoo – located on the campus of Moorpark College

Newbury Park – NextGen Video Game Arcade

Newbury Park – Stagecoach Inn Museum – Conejo Valley Historical Society presents several exhibits but one of the highlights include memorabilia and artifacts from the old Jungleland which started as a Wild Animal Farm in the late 1920’s

Oak Park – Bright Child Indoor Playground – formerly known as Fo-Fo Figgily’s – also featuring an arcade/game center & lazer tag

Oxnard – Gull Wings Children’s Museum

Oxnard – Murphy Auto Museum

Simi Valley – Big Z Family Fun Center & Restaurant

Simi Valley – Funtastic Indoor Play Center – (opening in 2010)

Simi Valley – Harley’s Simi Bowl

Simi Valley – Skatelab Indoor Skatepark & Skateboarding Hall of Fame/Museum

Thousand Oaks – Boulderdash Indoor Rock Climbing

Thousand Oaks – MB2 Raceway Indoor Kart Racing

Ventura – Buena Lanes – Arcade inside

Ventura – Golf N’ Stuff – featuring two 18-hole miniature golf courses, Lit’l Indy Go-Karts, bumper boats, bumper cars, a lazer tag arena & a large arcade

Ventura – Imagine That – “Educational Indoor Play Area”

Ventura – The Clubhouse Fun Zone – Indoor Play Center

Ventura – Ventura Harbor Village – featuring the Village Carousel plus the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center with live tide pool and movies

Yolo County

Davis – Bohart Museum of Entomology @ UC Davis Campus – 7th largest insect collection in North America

Davis – California Bicycle Museum – (website has not been updated yet) – Opening in April/2010

Davis – Explorit Science Center

Davis – Rocknasium – The Climbing Gym

Davis – United States Bicycling Hall of Fame

West Sacramento – California Indian Heritage Center (opening soon)

West Sacramento – Capitol Bowl – Arcade inside

Woodland – DK’s Place Family Arcade

Woodland – Hays Antique Truck Museum

Woodland – Heidrick Ag History Center & Antique Tractor Museum

Yuba County

Marysville – Marysville Flea Market & Auction / Family Entertainment Center (no website found) – Features a Miniature Golf Course, Go-Karts & Bumper Cars – Here is a recent newspaper article on this place dated October 12, 2011 – This Link will open up in PDF – LINK

Marysville – Museum of the Forgotten Warriors – over 60,000 items on display from the Revolutionary War through the Gulf War

Wheatland – Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm – lots to see and do in the spring as well as the fall including a 24-gauge train ride – pictures of train here

___________________________________________________________________________

Links To Indoor Attractions with Multiple California Locations:

• Chuck E Cheese – 81 California locations at this time
• John’s Incredible Pizza Company – featuring FunWorld – 10 California locations at this time
• Pump It Up – The Inflatable Party Zone – 30 California locations at this time
• Tilt Family Entertainment Center – numerous locations in shopping malls throughout California
  

Links To Attraction/Entertainment Directories By Type:

• Bowling Centers In California

• Classic Arcade Game Locations

• Ice Skating Rinks In California

• Laser Tag Arenas In California

• Paintball Parks In California

• Roller Skating Rinks In California

• Skate Parks of Northern California

• Skate Parks of Southern California

• Snow Parks In California

___________________________________________________________________________

Downloadable Coupons & Discounts

Save on your next family-fun vacation with California Fun Spots, offering money saving downloadable coupons on attractions throughout the Golden State, from theme parks, zoos, aquariums and museums to all sorts of other adventures. Check them out now at the link below!

California Fun Spots

___________________________________________________________________________

More Fun Family Attractions can be found in the link(s) below:

• Fun Family Attractions In Arizona

• Fun Family Attractions In British Columbia

[above link covers southern British Columbia, the eastern provincial parks and Vancouver Island]

• Fun Family Attractions In The Pacific Northwest

[above link covers the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho]