Ramona, CA Indoor Activities

Tim Bluhm and Greg Loiacono, founding members of The Mother Hips, began playing together as an acoustical duo in a Chico State University dormitory. Twenty years and eight studio albums later, the pair continues to serve as the backbone of a four-piece rock band that Pitchfork has praised for its "70s rock and power pop" and that the New Yorker has applauded for "know[ing] how to sing it sweet and play it dirty." Last year, The Mother Hips celebrated two decades of soulful, Californian rock melodies with a four-CD set entitled Days of Sun & Grass. The collection hallmarks their tight songwriting and focused harmonies that, when performed live, carry enough confidence to playfully jam and stretch out into boisterous, sprawling sets.

As friends sup quietly in a private banquet hall, chaos reigns a floor below. There, stones hurtle toward the wall, forming piles of rubble soon swept away and forgotten in the clamor. Still, the friends dine peacefully, unaware of the destruction happening under their feet. At the two-story Irvine Lanes, bowlers topple pins on the first floor's 40 lanes while the second floor hosts private parties and catered events in an elegant setting. Of course, a snack bar lets bowlers eat downstairs, too, and a full arcade, bar, and smoking patio keep outings interesting as the machine whittles new pins between frames.

Mulligan Family Fun Center's three locations surround parents and kids with sprawling smorgasbords of kinetic entertainment. Outside, each park's sunny grounds encourage healthy activity with putt-testing miniature-golf courses and the hairpin turns of go-kart tracks. In the batting cages, aspiring sluggers test their swing while recognized major-league sluggers test their disguise against the park's do-not-admit posters. Back inside, climbers scale the rock wall’s vertical challenges and friends battle friends in laser tag’s intense light-based combat.

Each location also has its own signature activities. The Torrance location's rookie go-karts, for example, enable younger drivers to take a turn down the track, whereas the Palmdale location boasts a longer, 1,500-foot track for children and adults alike. At the Murrieta location, mini-bowling offers bumpers and kid-size balls, letting the whole family angle for strikes, and warm weather opens water slides so that wee ones can prevent their engines from overheating.

Peruse and purchase original works from more than 100 emerging exhibitors, representing the best indie designers of men's, women's, and children's clothing, accessories, innovative art, eco-friendly house wares, and more. Pore over the abundant offerings with the thumping beats of live DJs and local bands, or haul in old or unwanted designer and vintage duds for recycling, swapping, or selling. A complimentary hair and makeup touch-up will be available in the Style Lounge; spontaneous fashion shows and style tips will abound; and (non-complimentary) drinks will flow throughout the venue to relax stimulated shoppers at the end of a long, enlightening day.

The clatter of toppling pins resounds through the walls of the 89 locations of Bowling Centers of Southern California, which are scattered across Southern California, Nevada, and Hawaii. Each alley abounds with modern lanes and equipment, and many boast concession stands, lounges, and game rooms. The family-friendly centers host regular public bowling sessions and league tournaments. Many of the centers also host private birthday parties, which science has proven to be more fun than birthday parties covered by the paparazzi.

For 30 years, Zoomars's fuzzy and feathered fleet has tickled the fancy of more than 3 million tykes and critter enthusiasts with 16 varieties of animals on hand, ready for petting, riding, and cavorting. The USDA–approved, clean farm facility houses a host of friendly species suited to affectionate coddling, such as sheep, bunnies, and guinea pigs. Zoo staffers supervise kids as they climb into goat pens, or drop snacks into the mouths of zedonks, zebus, and staff members working through lunch.

Additionally, a child-size miniature train chugs a whistling ride around a circular track, and gentle ponies trot along on hand-led trail rides as parents canter along behind. At a re-created Gold Rush–era mine, staffers help small visitors to pan and sift for gemstones, arrowheads, dinosaur fossils, fool’s gold, and long-lost arcade tokens. During dinosaur fossil digs, guests can unearth pre-historic treasures.

Park staff can also connect visitors to the earth and American history through camps led by the camp director, a member of California’s Acjachemen tribe who grew up on the grounds. Campers explore the grounds and Pioneer Town through crafts, free creative play, storytelling, and special activities ranging from Native American dances to soapstone carving to reading excerpts from Lewis and Clark’s middle-school diaries.