10 Bay Area places to take the kids this summer

Summer’s here, and the kids are starting to bounce off walls. You’re at the end of your rope, and the dog days of summer still loom head like a shiny mirage on a hot highway. It’s time to get them out of the house, and maybe even the hometown zip code, to find a few ways to burn off all that energy without burning up a lot of cash.

To help, here’s a short list of modern challenges like rock climbing and high-tech roller coasters mixed with more old-school pastimes like mini-golf and trampolines. Hang on for the ride. There may be some rough patches of nostalgia ahead.

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Bay Area Discovery Museum: A full schedule of hands-on exhibits, classes and shows is designed to foster creativity in young children. Check out the Imagination Playground, Lookout Cove, Tot Spot, Wave Workshop and more. 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. baykidsmuseum.org, 415-339-3900.

Children’s Museum of Sonoma County: The newly opened indoors facility lets kids 10 and younger learn while they play, dressing up, pretending and experimenting in a mock cafe, doctor’s office, hardware store and more. Outdoor area features water play, and a second building offers art projects. 1835 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. cmosc.org, 707-546-4069.

Fundemonium, Rohnert Park: Fundemonium is a toy store extraordinaire. Its offerings run the gamut from toys to games to crafts. But it’s also a place for kids to gather and play. There’s indoor car racing and a place for LEGO play. Fundemonium, which offers a range of daily activities, also hosts birthday parties. 579 Rohnert Park Expressway West, Rohnert Park. www.fundemoniumtoys.com, 707-540-0701.

Jelly Belly Factory, Fairfield: Willy Wonka wannabes will be greeted by the aromas of chocolate, peach, pineapple and popcorn when they step inside the famous Jelly Belly Factory for a 40-minute walking tour. During the tour, kids learn how the factory creates its legendary jelly beans, which can take up to a week to produce. Tip: Best to go during the week, when the candy-making is in full swing, and try to avoid rush hour on I-80. The visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with cafe, retail shop and chocolate shoppe to tempt with sweet treats. Free tours start about every 15 minutes. 1 Jelly Belly Lane, Fairfield. jellybelly.com.

Pee Wee Golf And Arcade, Guerneville: You’ve got to love this place, an original roadside attraction with its kitschy, hand-made sculptures like the huge dinosaur that has been a Guerneville landmark for several generations of river goers. Play Land Amusement Park across the street bit the dust years ago but Pee Wee lives on. The current owners have spent the past five years giving some love to the place, which first opened in 1948 and retains much of its old-timey character. Everything has been repaired and painted and a few new sculptures have been added -- a rock ship and a giant cactus. But old favorites remain, like the cannibals cooking a faux human in an iron pot. The message has been softened with a sign declaring “Vegetarian Stew,” but the unfortunate main dish remains in the pot.

Pee Wee has two 18-hole courses, an arcade with a pool table, air hockey and old-school video games like Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac Man. Lights allow you to play until closing at 10 p.m. Cost is $8 for 18 holes or $12 for 36 holes. 16155 Drake Road, right over the Guerneville Bridge. 869-9321 or peeweegolfandarcade.com.

Rebounderz Rohnert Park, Rohnert Park: Rebounderz Rohnert Park is a trampoline park that offers more than an afternoon of jumping. There are arcade games, basketball courts and even a café. Rebounderz also hosts action-packed, themed birthday parties. 555 Rohnert Park Expressway West, Rohnert Park. www.rebounderzrohnertpark.com, 707-416-4445,

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo: If you can’t make it to The Magic Kingdom this summer, The Discovery Kingdom is a good fallback when the kids are pleading for a theme park adventure. Part of the Six Flags franchise, Discovery Kingdom is just a short drive away in Vallejo, right off the freeway exit. Worth a visit for thrill seekers is a new stomach-churning coaster. The Dare Devil Chaos spins 360 degrees, taking you up 7 stories and then turning you upside down at 70 feet up, so hold on to your hot dogs. Also new this year for Season Pass holders are a series of add-on passes for dining, drinks and shopping. 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Until 9 p.m. Saturdays. Tip. Buy tickets online for savings up to $20 per adult ticket which is $64.99 at the gate. 1001 Fairgrounds Dr. SW, Vallejo. Across from the Solano County Fairgrounds. Sixflags.com/DiscoveryKingdom.

Traintown, Sonoma: Sometimes little kids can be overwhelmed by the big amusement parks with their huge surging crowds and scary rides that they’re not tall enough to board. For the tiny tots, there is Traintown, a whistlestop for the youngest Sonoma visitors for more than 45 years. The main attraction is the 20-minute train ride to a miniature town with a petting zoo. Traintown over the years has grown into a miniature amusement park with flying airplanes, a small ferris wheel, a roller coaster and more. There is no admission price to enjoy the grounds. Train rides are $6.25 a head, $2.75 each additional ride or $12.75 for a book of six rides. So you could treat your kids to every ride for less than $20. The park includes a gift shop and kid-friendly foods like hot dogs, corn dogs and pizza. 20264 Broadway, Sonoma. 938-3912 or Traintown.com.

Urban Putt, San Francisco: Forget the windmills and dinosaurs. Steve Fox wanted to make mini-golf cool, so he built a Jules Verne-inspired, indoor putting course in an old mortuary in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District. The fantastical course caters to kids under 21 before 8 p.m. daily, with 14 holes that start out with the “1906 Earthquake” complete with quivering Victorians and churches, and zig-zags through a sea-floor submarine lit by flickering LED lights. “I get to see people come in, and their jaws are dropping,” Fox said. “It’s supposed to create a sense of wonder and awe.” The restaurant serves bar bites and all kinds of comfort foods for dinner, capped off by Straus Organic Soft Serve Ice Cream, plus trendy cocktails at the steampunk-inspired bar. Golf is first come, first served. Mini-golf opens at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. $12 for ages 13 and up, $8 for ages 6 to 11 and free for 5 and under. 1096 South Van Ness Avenue. 415-341-1080. urbanputt.com.

Vertex Climbing Center, Santa Rosa: Climbers of all stripes are welcome here, from newbie to experienced. A wide range of rock climbing classes are offered, and there’s even yoga for those who want to slow their pace. But if mastering your climbing craft is your goal, the Vertex Climbing Center has plenty of trainers available. 3358a Coffee Lane, Santa Rosa. www.climbvertex.com, 707-573-1608.

Staff Writers Meg McConahey, Peg Melnik and Dan Taylor contributed to this report