Things to Do in Rohnert Park

Escape curates friendly competition within its 45,000-square-foot facility, which houses massive paintball and laser-tag arenas. The faux-combat emporium houses two indoor paintball fields, including a castle-themed map in which players defend flags just like peasants did in the days of medieval paint arrowing. Ribbons of light cut through the ominous fog that hangs over the 5,000-square-foot Q-ZAR Lazertag arena, a maze-like structure illuminated by black lights and soundtracked with high-octane beats. After rounds of recreational warfare, guests can relax at Escape's arcade or tap into the building-wide wireless Internet to send an email ordering an ambush on an unsuspecting pal.

Harnessing a background in both art and education, The Pottery Studio's owner aims to create a community gathering space where kids and adults can channel their individual creative urges into decorative or functional pottery, tiles, and mosaics. Amateur artists can grab provided brushes, dip them in eco-friendly and water-soluble paints, and then coat clay in any of more than 60 hues. Idea books are on hand to help aid in the design as one maneuvers stencils and sponges across mugs and plates, or kids and pets can learn to create a lasting impression without super-gluing themselves to the garage door by making clay hand- or footprints. Once ready, the professional staff dips each earthenware masterpiece into a clear glaze, fires it inside a kiln, and readies it to be picked up within one week. The pro potters also encourage each visiting artisan to bring coffee and snacks, and during evening hours, bottles of wine can tag along to refill adults' juice boxes.