Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
286
Just south of Calistoga, in the town of St. Helena, you'll find
Taylor's Refresher
(933
Main St., St. Helena;
&
707/963-3486;
www.taylorsrefresher.com). Open since 1949,
this delightful diner is the older sibling of the terrific one in San Francisco (p. 125). Also
in S t. H elena is a v eritable N apa institution
Tra Vigne
(1050 Char ter O ak Ave., S t.
Helena;
&
707/963-4444;
www.travignerestaurant.com). The restaurant itself is always
packed and may not be the best choice with kids. I nstead, pick up sandwiches or salads
at its adjacent Cantinetta delicatessen and eat in the lo vely courtyard.
5
AMUSEMENT PARKS
Paramount's Great America
Ages 5 and up.
Since opening in 1978, this taw dry
amusement par k has undergone sev eral incarnations and is curr ently o wned b y Para-
mount S tudios, so many attractions featur e a N ickelodeon theme. D ora, D iego, and
SpongeBob SquarePants can be seen walking about. Kidzville, the par k area for younger
children, offers pint-siz ed r oller coasters, bumper cars, and other attractions for the
smaller set. B ig-kid daredevils will be happy to kno w that G reat America has the most
coasters in Northern California, including FireFall, which spins riders thr ough “fire and
water effects” as they dr op 60 feet, and SURVIVOR The Ride, based on the r eality TV
series. Other rides that take you free-falling, upside down, through loops, backward and
forward at speeds up to 50 mph, or twisting and w eaving, have names like D elirium,
Psycho Mouse, I nvertigo, Vortex, and D rop Tower Stream Z one. Whew! I f that's too
much, stick to Rip Roaring Rapids white-water rafting, the Columbia Carousel, and The
Grizzly, a replica of an old-style wooden roller coaster. Boomerang Bay Beach Club is an
11-acre water park, complete with 13 water slides.
4701 Great America Pk wy., Santa Clara.
&
408/988-1776.
w ww.pgathrills.com. Admission $54 ages
7-59; $36 seniors 60 and up and childr en 3-6; childr en 2 and under fr ee; $30 af ter 4pm, at the fr ont
entrance only. Weekends Apr-May, daily w/a few exceptions June-Aug, weekends Sep-Oct; open from
10am (closing times vary). Parking $10.
To get there:
Take 101 south to the Great America Pkwy. exit.
Safari West Wildlife Preserve
Ages 4 and up.
Get a little bit of Africa in the wine
country. You and the kids will pile into r eal safari jeeps, amble acr oss 400 acr es of
Savannah-like envir onment, and gaz e upon giraffe, gaz elle, ostrich, sev eral species of
African antelope, and even a scimitar-horned oryx (sounds exotic, doesn't it?). You'll also
see zebras, lemurs, cheetahs, sev eral species of ex otic birds—more than 400 mammals
and bir ds in all at this wildlife pr eserve dedicated to the conser vation of endanger ed
animals. You can visit for the afternoon, but for the full African safari experience, y our
family can opt to o vernight in a “safari tent” or cottage. O n-site dining options include
the Savannah Cafe, offering some what pricey safari ranch-style barbecue meals, or the
moderately priced Delilah's, which is only open in summer . Comfortable pants or jeans
(shorts in summer), walking shoes, hats, and sunscr een are recommended.
3115 Porter Creek Rd., Santa Rosa.
&
800/616-2695
or 707/579-2551. www.safariwest.com. Safari tour
prices $68 adults, $30 children 3-12, $10 childr en under 3. Safari t our times daily 9am, 1pm, and 4pm
(Apr-late Oc t), 10am and 2pm (lat e Oc t-Mar). Lodging tents $260-$295 double -room and $25 each
additional person requiring a futon; no charge to infants 2 and under not requiring a futon. Cottage $350
for 4 people; $25 f or each additional guest.
To get ther e:
Take 101 Nor th to River Rd./Calistoga/Mark
West Spring Rd. exit. Turn right off ramp and head east on Mark West Springs Rd. for 7 miles. Turn left into
park entrance at Franz Valley Rd.
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