Stockton, CA > 4th of July Activities and Fireworks, 2009

I love summer.  School is out and the days are longer.  We swim a lot and go on evening walks.  The kids are participating in the summer reading program through the city public library and we’ve signed up for various kids activities in Stockton to keep the kids engaged throughout the summer.  Still, it’s difficult to get outside during peak hours of the day when the sun is high and the temperature is unbearable.  Especially with another 100+ degree heat wave coming.  The kids need to get out, and to be honest, I get a serious case of cabin fever some days too.

4th of July is always a blast.  We always go to the fireworks, the kids love them.  This year you can find times and dates for all city activities here.

I’m always on the lookout for fun things to do with the kids in Stockton.  Staying fairly close to home is important to me because of ever-increasing gas prices (approaching $4 again).  And since we’re not planning a vacation this year, we want to make sure the kids don’t get bored and have some good experiences and create some lasting memories to share when school starts.

The city of Stockton offers a wide variety of family activities, such as day camps, Summer Discovery Camp, Children’s Museum and more.  Be sure to check out their website for more information and dates.

Even with all of these great and some free activities, we need to get out of the heat and find something fun to do indoors where it is cool.  With another heat wave coming, we’re looking for an indoor retreat from the heat.  When the kids were younger we loved taking them to Chuck E Cheese.  That would be more fun for our youngest, but the 7 and 6 year olds need something more geared to their age group.  Scandia and Boomers are also fun places to go, but many of their rides and activities are outside in all that heat.

We have found a place that has something to suit each age group and all of it is indoors.  John’s Incredible Pizza Co. is a welcome alternative and has everything you need for a fun day out.  You can even make a daycation out of it.  Pretty much all you’ll need to bring are the kids.  John’s has a wide variety of food to eat and activities that will engage kids of all ages (Moms and Dads, too).  Even their amusement park style rides are indoors!  Some of the rides are geared toward smaller children, so your toddler can be included.

Here’s what we love about John’s Pizza for special events (4th of July), birthday parties and even corporate events:

The Food:  We’ll say this is the best food set up for kids and adults anywhere.  John’s offers and all-you-can-eat buffet of pizza, pasta, salad and desserts.  For each category they offer many toppings, flavors, combinations and choices.  The kitchen is constantly bringing out hot pizza while replenishing the salad and pasta bar.  Beverages are all-you-can-drink with an additional cost of $1-2.

The Fun:  John’s is unique in that it is completely indoors but offers the fun of outdoor style rides and things to do.  Our two favorite traditional rides are the tea-cups and the bumper cars.  We mix up the ride fun by playing video and other games.  The great part is when the kids get hungry from all the play, you just walk back over to the food side and fill up again.  This is one reason why John’s is perfect as an all-day activity for the kids.

A Break for the Parents:  John’s is a very active environment, but they still offer quiet seating for dining in their multiple themed rooms.  The themes range from cartoons to music videos and one with a more log cabin feel, which is intended to be the most quiet of the bunch.  They also offer beer and wine with a 2 drink limit.

This Summer and 4th of July, remember John’s Pizza for your fun activities!

John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
4555 N. Pershing Ave.
Stockton, CA  92507
(209) 954-1111

Sign up for email club

View Larger Map

Roseville, CA > Fun and Fireworks 4th of July 2009

The beginning of Summer marks a fun time for your kids but it can also be stressful on the parents if there aren’t sufficient activities to keep them busy.

Though Memorial Day is the official start, many kids look forward to 4th of July activities and fireworks. This year the best information for Roseville activities and fireworks is here.

After the 4th of July celebrations you’ll need many more ideas to keep the kids busy.

This year, in particular, will be different for many parents due to the economy.  The reality is that most families will either not be traveling at all or will at least reduce their amount of travel.  The cost of necessities (food and fuel) is way up again even after a steep fall just a few months ago.  This is pinching the budgets of Summer travelers and forcing them to stay home this year.

So you’ve canceled that 1-2 week beach vacation and now the kids need some fun things to do or at least some activities to look forward to.  There are many fun things for your kids you just have to research a bit.

One obvious option is Disneyland.  We’ve held season passes for a number of years but a 6 hour drive from Roseville to Anaheim plus the cost of a single admission will really start to add up particularly when gas is hovering around $3/gallon soon to be $4.  This makes for a very expensive trip when packing up 3 kids and cargo in the SUV.

There are other options.  We’ve signed up our children for activities ranging from basketball camp to local art classes.  These types of activities typically run 1-2 weeks and are on a set schedule.  This is nice because you can plan your day around it.

But there are other days when there are no scheduled activities.  This is a great time to hit the swimming pool if you or one of your friends have one, particularly when it gets hot.  If you don’t have access to a pool there are other fun indoor activities for kids that are more open-play meaning you don’t have to schedule them to attend.

We’ve been to a number of indoor playgrounds from bounce houses to climbing centers.  They’re all great and work perfectly when you and your kids need a break for a couple of hours.  If you’re looking for something more along the lines of a half-a-day then try John’s incredible pizza company.

If you haven’t taken your kid’s to John’s it’s a must-try.  Our “picky eaters” like it because they have an all-you-can-eat buffet of pizzas, pasta and salad.  Beyond that, the biggest attraction will be the indoor rides.  They actually have the best bumper cars I’ve been in and believe it or not, an indoor roller coaster.

They also have new video games that your kids can handle and some retro video games (galaga is my childhood favorite) for the parents.

Our first visit to John’s was for a birthday party.  Our daughters friend had invited about 20 people.  It’s nice how they set it up because the facility is huge but the birthday party rooms are private.  It creates a nice, brief getaway from the action to cut the cake and open presents.  Plus, the varying tastes of 20 children were met with their extensive buffet.

Be prepared this Summer, particularly if you plan to skip the expensive vacation.  Come up with a variety of ideas.  Consider signing up your kids for a 1-2 week scheduled activity like arts and crafts or a camp of some sort then remember to fill that in with on-the-fly activities like swimming or a visit to John’s pizza company.

View Larger Map

4th of July Fireworks > Rancho Cucamonga > Summer Fun

It’s officially Summer and 4th of July celebrations are just around the corner. How will you celebrate this year?

Due to the economy many people will be foregoing their originally planned Summer vacations and 4th of July travel plans and staying home, but that doesn’t mean your 4th of July celebration can’t be fun.

There are some great ideas that will keep the kids happy, many of them free or at a great value. You just need to plan ahead a bit and consider what’s available.

Fireworks shows are a great way to end the holiday. The city of Rancho Cucamonga fireworks are being held at the Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter and Adult Sports Park. Fireworks tickets can be purchased at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center oronline.

Obviously the actual 4th of July (this year on a Saturday) is the day many families get together for outdoor barbeques, swimming and other fun things to do. The cost of food has skyrocketed but most grocery chains will be having sales the week of the holiday so take advantage of them. Stock up in advance with hamburgers, hot dogs and your favorite beverages but don’t forget the cool treats because temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees this holiday weekend.

Given the 4th of July falls on a Saturday this year, events will need to be planned for the weekend. If you want to save money like we do, keep it close to home and find ways to keep the kids cool.

One great idea is to head over to John’s Incredible Pizza Company.  We love this place because the access is great, prices reasonable, it’s close to home and indoors.  Here are some other reasons we’ll include John’s as part of our 4th of July celebration:

1.  All-you-can-eat-buffet of pizza, pasta, salad, dessert and fountain drinks

2.  They offer beer and wine at an additional charge (2 drink max)

3.  Multiple themed rooms that will take care of any mood you may be in

4.  Rides, fun and games that are relevant for very young ones all the way up do adults

5.  Fun promotions you can sign up for here

This Summer head over to John’s Incredible Pizza and remember that they do great birthday parties and corporate events too!

John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
5280 Arrow Highway
Montclair, CA  91763
(909) 447-7777

View Larger Map