With the Kids

What to do with the kid who jumps on your bed at the crack of dawn? The wavy greens of Lighthouse Plaza Mini-Golf beckon starting at 8:30 aM (9 aM on weekends; last tee at 6:30 pM). The quirky 18-hole course winds around a massive Humboldt State University lumberjack who holds … a golf club. Your 4 year old will be so happy to find a putter in just the right size. The junior caped wonder who rides in your back seat will love the new Batboat. Grab a hot dog at the Lighthouse deli before hitting the ADA-accessible greens. Afterward, seek out resident celebrity Homer J. Simpson and an opportunity for a hilarious family selfie. Play is $7 per person, 4 and under free. Take State Route 255 around Arcata Bay (north or south) to 180 Lupine Drive, Manila. Look for the lighthouse.

Cat Shack Ice Cream fits the bill for the kid (and the adult) tired of the limitations of the family freezer. The little ice cream shop was built by fourth-generation scooper Mark Albert’s great-grandfather. Choose from the colorful menu offering butter pecan, bubblegum, espresso chip and more. Large or small, cone or dish? The small cone is easy to hold in little sticky hands and just the right size for an after-lunch treat. There’s a reason the cone’s paper wrap reads “JOY.” Fireman’s Park at the end of a stunning Victorian Main Street gives parents a playground opportunity to burn off some dairy-fueled energy before bundling everyone into the car for the trip home. On the way back to U.S. Highway 101, see if the kids can spot the roadside cutout sign (driver’s side) of a young woman bottle feeding a calf. Cat Shack Ice Cream is open noon to 9 pM at 606 Main St., Ferndale.

Hot today? Grab the kids and that 5-foot inflatable floating pretzel they gave you for Father’s Day, and head for Swimmers Delight at Van Duzen County Park. It can’t have a more appropriate name. The river is clear and cool with a majestic backdrop of intense geology. Relax in dappled sunlight as crayon-colored canoes paddle by. Squeals of happy children echo off the bluffs as families caper in the water. Relax. Float. No interruptions — the park is a cell phone dead zone. Give the kids a history lesson and call grandma on the pay phone. Day use fee is $5 per vehicle (sunrise to sunset), or camp for $25 (no reservations). Floatation vests are available for smaller swimmers who may need a bit of an assist (free, thanks to the Sea Tow Foundation). U.S. Highway 101 to the Carlotta exit 685 and State Route 36 E, then contain the excitement for 16 miles. Any questions? Call the park ranger at (707) 445-7651. Don’t forget the towels!

Lighthouse Plaza Mini-Golf. Jonathan webster