Fri, August 20th - Sun, August 22nd

1. Picnic with your family at the HOT SUMMER NIGHTS CONCERT in Elk Grove.
2. Bounce and eat pizza at Bounce Spot’s FAMILY BOUNCE NIGHT.
3. Roast marshmallow’s and listen to stories at the MAIDU FAMILY CAMPFIRE EVENING.
4. Meet a Geologist and do hands-on GEOLOGY activities at the Discovery Museum.
5. Giggle at SLEEPING BEAUTY IN SPACE at Fairytale Town.
6. Take an entertaining and history-rich UNDERGROUND TOUR in Old Sacramento.
7. Pet the cute BARN ANIMALS at Hagan Community Park.
8. Take a GUIDED NATURE TOUR through Effie Yeaw’s Maidu Village.
9. Enjoy songs and stories at Central Library’s BABYSIT LAPSIT STORYTIME.
10. See how the pioneers survived Culture Shock at SUTTER’S FORT DEMONSTRATION DAY.

*You can also see details of these events on our Upcoming Events Calendar.

Happy Friday!

Fri, August 6th - Sun, August 8th

1. Watch FLICKA 2 under the stars at Gibson Ranch.
2. Take a GUIDED NATURE WALK at the gorgeous Cosumnes River Preserve.
3. Make a SCHOOL BUS PENCIL ORGANIZER at the Home Depot Kid’s Workshop.
4. Learn about the sun with fun activities at Discovery Museum’s SUN AND FUN.
5. Make PEAR ICECREAM at the Courtland Library.
6. Play games and earn prizes at Arden Mall’s ROCKIN’ WALK WITH RADIO DISNEY.
7. Learn how to make beautiful ORIGAMI crafts at the Franklin Library.
8. Check out the inside of cool planes at the Aerospace Museum’s OPEN COCKPITS.
9. Enjoy historical STREET THEATRE in Old Sacramento.
10. Pet the cute BARN ANIMALS and ride the STEAM TRAIN at Hagan Park.

*Please note that details about each event are available on the ‘Upcoming Events’ calendar.

Happy Friday!

Fri, July 30th - Sun, August 1st

1. Bounce, eat and play at a free FAMILY FUN DAY in Lone Tree Park.
2. Learn all about bees at Soil Born Farm’s WHAT’S ALL THE BUZZ ABOUT? class.
3.Watch THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA at the 24th Street Theatre.
4. Start a ROCK COLLECTION at the Discovery Museum.
5. Laugh along with the PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Civic Theatre West.
6. Enjoy Hawaiian music and dance with the OHANA DANCERS at Folsom Library.
7. Magic, storytelling and puppets at Central Library’s MAGIC READING BASH.
8. Learn JAPANESE COOKING at Whole Foods Market’s class for kids.
9. Play games, eat BBQ, get your face painted at free PARK GRAND OPENING.
10.Last weekend to play at the CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR.

Some of our past experiences are sitting so far back in the archives that I thought it would be fun to  start periodically highlighting some posts that you might like to see.  Here are a few of my favorites!  Click on the picture to be linked to the post.

Exploring Art Beast

Storytime in the Barn

A Funtastic Time at Indoor Playground

The California State Railroad Museum

Fri, July 16th - Sun, July 18th

1. Gather around the CAMPFIRE at the Maidu Indian Museum.
2. Bounce and eat pizza at The Bounce Spot’s FAMILY BOUNCE NIGHT.
3. Get your face painted at The California Museum’s TARGET ARTS & WONDER FREE FAMILY EVENT.
4. Enjoy THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA at the 24th Street Theatre.
5. See PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Civic Theatre West.
6. Learn pioneer games at Sutter’s Fort’s MINING THE MINERS.
7. Start a ROCK COLLECTION at The Discovery Science and Space Museum.
8. Giggle at THE FROG PRINCE by The Fair Oaks Theatre Festival.
9. Create a SPLASH AND SPLATTER PAINTING at the Central Library.
10.Dig for dinosaur fossils and touch jungle creatures at the CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR.

[Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway by "Like"ing Sacramento Sidetracks and Raging Waters on Facebook!  We appreciate all the new friends!  THE LUCKY WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY IS SHANNON H.!  Congratulations!  Please contact me with your email address.]

Enter to Win 4 Free Tickets!

If you are looking for an extra special way to cool off this summer,  Raging Waters at Cal Expo is the way to go!  The water park features more than 25 exhilarating water attractions, breath-taking slides, crystal clear pools and fun-filled activities for children and adults of all ages.  Their thrill slides include favorites such as, Cannonball Falls, Hurricane, Cliffhanger Speed Slides, Breaker Beach Wave Pool and the Shark Attack Waterslide complex.  When you are in the mood to chill out you can float out in the tranquil waters of the Calypso Cooler Lazy River or play in Hooks Lagoon (our favorite spot - pictured here), a 5-story water kingdom with water slides, secret tubes and hundreds of water activities.

Our family loves that going to Raging Waters feels like we are on vacation!  We can spend the entire day there because there is so much to do.  The little ones stick to the Lazy River, the Wave Pool, and Hooks Lagoon for the most part.  Then my husband and I get to have our thrills with our oldest by taking turns going on the crazy slides with her.  It is so much fun!

You might be surprised at what a good deal it is to get your family in because of the fact that they have a BUY A DAY AND GET THE SUMMER FREE promotion!  When you buy a single day ticket, you automatically receive a summer Splash Pass.  General admission is $29.99 and Kids are $20.99.  Remember that parking at Cal Expo is $10.00 but once you have your season pass then that is the only fee you have each time you go back.

Raging Waters has generously offered to give one lucky Sacramento Sidetracks reader a FREE 4-pack of Tickets!

To enter, all you need to is the following 3 things that will take you less than 5 minutes!:

• Click here and “Like” Raging Waters Sacramento on Facebook
• Click here and “Like” Sacramento Sidetracks on Facebook
• Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you did the first two things.  (If you have already “Liked” Sacramento Sidetracks on Facebook in the past just “Like” Raging Waters and let me know.)

The Giveaway will close Sunday, July 18th at midnight and the winner will be announced next Monday, July 19th.  The winner will be selected at random using Random.org.  Good luck!

Sat, July 10th - Sun, July 11th

1. Learn about the Maidu Indians at MAIDU MUSEUM’S FAMILY FUN DAY.
2. Admire wildfowl artworks at the WILDFOWL ART FESTIVAL.
3. Enjoy MONKEY KING: BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR at Fairytale Town.
4. Construct a paper TRICERATOPS PILLOW at the Discovery Museum.
5. See PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Civic Theatre West.
6. Make a NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFT and learn about the Nisenan Maidu at TrailMix.Net.
7. Giggle at the FROGGY’S BIG SPLASH puppet show in the Rancho Cordova Library.
8. Watch A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM at The Shakespeare Festival.
9. SING ALONG with wild & wacky Mr. Candee in the Courtland Library.
10.Enjoy songs and stories of CYRUS THE UNSINKABLE SEA SERPENT with Francie Dillon.

4th Stop - MORSE PARK in Elk Grove

Our 4th stop on our Sprayground Tour was Morse Park in Elk Grove.  We have been to this park many times since it opened and continue to love it!  Besides the sprayground, there is a large playground for big kids, a smaller playground for the little ones, and a fitness area (that counts as a third playground according to my kids).  To top it off, the playgrounds are shaded.  You can really spend hours in this park!

This sprayground has water features for kids of all ages, from toddlers to 12-year-olds.  There is a palm tree that dumps water from its coconuts, fish water guns, and lots of less-intimidating fountains that are great for toddlers.  It is open 7 days a week, from 10am to sunset.  You cannot go wrong with this Elk Grove favorite!

Extras:
Bathrooms
Shaded benches
Skateboarding park
Dog Park

Stay tuned for several more stops on our Sprayground Tour!

Click here for a current list of Sacramento Spraygrounds which we are continuing to update.

Morse Park
5540 Bellaterra Drive
Elk Grove,CA

*Click on the location for directions

Close

Fri, June 25th - Sun, June 27th

1. Watch CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS under the stars at Laguna Community Park.
2. Laugh with a singing and juggling VENTROLOQUIST at the Courtland Library.
3. Learn all about bats at the TrailMix.net Store’s GOING BATTY!
4. Build a MONSTER TRUCK at Lowe’s Grow and Build Clinic.
5. Get ready for the 4th and create a STAR SPANGLED WAVER at the Discovery Museum.
6. Last chance to see RILEY THE WILEY RABBIT puppet show in Fairytale Town.
7. Picnic at the POPS IN THE PARK concert in McKinley Park.
8. Enjoy TOY STORY 3 in 3-D at the IMAX Theatre.
9. Splash and play at one of the AQUATIC CENTERS’ pool playgrounds.
10.Eat, ride and be entertained at the PLACER COUNTY FAIR.

The Placer County Fair starts tomorrow and they are offering FREE admission to everyone!  From Lawn Mower Races to Hot Rods, this fair sounds like fun with strolling entertainment, community theatre, medieval characters, live music, classic car show, pageants, livestock, an Extreme K-9 competition.  Headliners include hypnotist Susan Rosen, Chicago Tribute Authority, & Sebastian Sidi’s smokiin’ hot rock ‘n roll piano.  Grandstand Shows (need tickets) include Monster Trucks, Hot Rod Truck Pulls, Tuff Truck Racing, Motocross, and Destruction Derby.

Click here for the entertainment schedule.

When: Thursday, June 24th - Sunday, June 27th
Where: 800 All America City Blvd., Roseville, CA
Cost: FREE admission!  Fee for food, rides & some shows.
More info: Call (916) 786-2023 or click here for more info