Adventure City
Stanton (near Anaheim)
(714) 236-9300
A small park for young children. A unique park.  Nine exciting rides for kids to enjoy, including two roller coasters, All but one ride accommodates. The entire family can partake in the fun. Other attractions include a petting farm, live children's shows, and an arcade.

Belmont Park
San Diego
(858) 488-1549
A seaside amusement park. Home to the great Giant Dipper wooden coaster.

 Gilroy Gardens ( formerly Bonfante Gardens)
Gilroy (near San Jose)
The park, which changed its name in 2007.

Castle Park
Riverside
(909) 785-3000
Family entertainment, arcade, mini-golf, and a small ride park.

Children's Fairyland
Oakland
(510) 452-2259
Small lakeside storybook park

Disneyland Resort
Anaheim
(714) 781-4565
Two theme parks, three hotels, Downtown Disney, and more.

Funderland
Sacramento
(916) 456-0115
Small park for young children.

Knott's Berry Farm
Buena Park (Next to Anaheim)
(714) 220-5200
Wild roller coasters to go along with your boysenberry jam. Adjacent water park.

Legoland California
Carlsbad (near San Diego)
(760) 918-5346
Geared to younger children, this charming park takes the ubiquitous toy building blocks and transforms them into enchanting attractions.

Pacific Park
Santa Monica
(310) 260-8744
Classic-style seaside pier park, built in 1996.

Pixieland Park
Concord
(925) 689-884
Small park for young children.

Rotary Storyland and Playland
Fresno
(559) 486-2124
Fairy tale-themed park for young children.

San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park
San Diego and Escondido (near San Diego)
619-234-3153
No roller coasters or other rides, but arguably the nation's finest zoos.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Santa Cruz (between, Monterey and San Francisco)
(831) 423-5590
Classic seaside amusement park with three coasters, including the vintage 1924 Giant Dipper.

Scandia Amusement Park
Ontario (near Los Angeles)
Also operates family fun centers in Victorville, CA and Sacramento, CA
Small park with a junior steel coaster, thrill and kiddie rides, plus go-karts, 2 mini-golf courses, and bating cages.

SeaWorld San Diego
San Diego
(619) 226-3901
Shamu's West Coast digs. Offers a few rides along with the marine life shows and exhibits.

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Vallejo (near San Francisco)
135-acre park featuring awesome rides, great shows, and incredible attractions.
Hybrid zoo/oceanarium/amusement park

Six Flags Magic Mountain
Valencia (near Los Angeles)
(661) 255-4100
260-acre park featuring world-class roller coasters and over 100 rides, games and attractions.
A cutting-edge thrill ride park with an incredible arsenal of roller coasters. Affiliated water park: Six Flags California Hurricane Harbor

Six Flags Marine World
Vallejo (near San Francisco)
Now known as Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Tahoe Amusement Park
Lake Tahoe
(530) 541-1300
Small, classic-style park.

Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal City
(800) UNIVERSAL
An actual working Hollywood studio, UH rings truer than its Florida counterpart. The California park has upped the wow factor however, by adding some of Orlando's big-bucks attractions.