1. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
City: California, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (707) 643-6722
Address: 1001 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo
Description: Rare is the Wine Country parent who hasn’t succumbed to the splashy fun of this theme park. Run by the Six Flags Corporation, the park has occupied its present 135-acre spot since 1986. The park is classified into three areas: land, sea, and sky. The long bill of shows includes performances by whales and dolphins, sea lions, cheetahs, and humans on water skis. The ongoing attractions are too numerous to list, but don’t miss the 10-story roller coaster called Roar and the V-2 Vertical Velocity Spiral Coaster, one of only a handful like it in the world. Tamer rides include the Frog Hopper and Safari River Journey. One-day tickets are $49.99 for humans over 48 inches tall, $29.99 for those under 48 inches, and children 2 and under get in free. From Napa, go south on Highway 29, then east on Highway 37 for just more than a mile. Days and hours of operation vary by season, so call ahead.
2. Nut Tree Theme Park
City: California, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (888) 448-6411
Address: 1681 E. Monte Vista Avenue, Vacaville
Description: After stuffing your face with Jelly Bellies (see previous listing), travel eastward on I-80 just a little farther, to a historic icon of the interstate. The Nut Tree began in 1921 as a fruit stand and quickly became a favorite stopping point for visitors and locals. Its popularity—and its size and attractions—thrived over the decades as freeway traffic increased. The attraction closed for a few years in the 1990s, then was reborn in 2006 with carnival rides, cafes, and a railroad system sized just for kids. There are lots of rides, including one ominously called “I-80 Traffic Jammers,” and a vineyard balloon tour. Tickets are sold in packages, starting at 10 for $8.50; a wristband for unlimited rides for one day is $18.95. The kids can also feed fish in a koi pond, ride on colorful hobby horses, and pose for photos atop painted animal figures. Days and hours of operation vary by season; call ahead or check the Web site for the latest. The Nut Tree is located just off I-80 at—what else?—the Nut Tree Parkway exit.