Theme & Amusement Parks in Escondido

Trapeze High owners David Ayers and his wife, Lindsay Van Voorhis, refer to their trapeze school as a “tribe.” It’s home to a close-knit community of passionate fliers who work together in order to ensure everybody’s safety and development. At least three instructors operate the trapeze rig during classes for beginners, helping novices climb the ladder, attach their safety lines, get ready for takeoff, and execute their first trick. Exhaustive attention also extends to more advanced students, who can hone complicated techniques and learn how to dodge flying squirrels in courses up to Level 5.

Beyond guaranteeing operational safety, David and Lindsay recognize that maintaining a nurturing, supportive community is the best way to help newcomers overcome their fears of flying through midair. To that end, they invite students to bring along their friends and family to cheer them on. They ban the word can’t from the school premises, although they encourage each student to progress through lessons at his or her own pace according to strength, skills, and desire.

The husband-and-wife team also operates the Circus Fund, an outreach program that provides at-risk youth with the chance to experience the circus arts and form support systems with their peers.

When drivers are whipping around the four hairpin turns at Miramar Speed Circuit and accelerating up to 40 miles per hour down the straightaways, it suddenly seems obvious that professional racers designed the layout. Both the quarter-mile, indoor, asphalt track and the soft tires of the go-karts wear a specialized sealant that helps eliminate the need for brakes when drivers are taking corners at high speeds. The mini vehicles also feature 6.5-horsepower, gas-powered Honda engines and electronic lap timers that allow drivers to survey their personal bests and determine how long it would take to drive to Australia. Safety is of the utmost concern, which is why a track manager and several marshals monitor each race, and why the course boasts bright blue and yellow protection barriers.

After races, patrons can refuel with sandwiches or snacks in the lobby's Monaco Cafe. The facility also hosts parties and corporate events, hones skills with private lessons and camps, and gives back to many charitable organizations within the community.

Since 1925, shrieks of delight have sounded from the pinnacle of Belmont Park's Giant Dipper Roller Coaster as it inches toward its 73-foot drop. Closer to the ground, the Vertical Plunge drops riders three stories, the Tilt-A-Whirl spins at a furious clip, and the carousel makes its leisurely rounds. Like the waves breaking on the shores of Mission Beach—located just steps from the park—sheet waves generated by FlowRider and FlowBarrel technology carry boarders across a wave pool's padded surface.

No waves find their way into Belmont Park's indoor swimming pool, the Plunge, where an artificial grass deck surrounding the shallow end hosts a bounce house and Slip ‘N Slide. That idyllic environment is a far cry from the Rush Laser Tag arena, a post-apocalyptic atmosphere of makeshift fallout shelters and computers stuck with dial-up internet. An adjacent arcade returns players to civilization with new and old classics such as Guitar Hero and skeeball. In between rides and games, guests take breaks to snack at Belmont Park's myriad boardwalk eateries or browse the goods of nearby shops.