A 35-minute drive from our house in Berkeley, Pixieland Amusement Park was a super fun day for all three of my kids (age 2, 6, and 8) in a contained area small enough that it wasn’t a problem to parent alone. Think of it as a more modern (some say better, others say charmless), smaller version of Fairyland.
Admission is free but you pay per ride carnival-style. Tickets are $2.95 each. Buy books of 10 or 20 tickets with a discount for bulk purchasing, which gets them closer to $2 each. With that in mind, allow me to give you a tour…
Red Baron Airplane (2 tickets): Exactly like at Oakland Zoo. The little one was scared; the big ones were bored. Preschoolers love it though.
Dragon Roller coaster (3 tix): Perfect intensity for my 6- and 8-year-olds.
Teacups (2 tickets): Great if you like the spinny rides. The 2-year-old discovered mid-ride that he’s not a fan; the 8-year-old sat out.
Froghopper (2 tickets): Both big kids loved it and wanted to do it over and over.
Carousel (2 tickets/person and one adult free per child): Kinda fast for a merry-go-round. We learned that if you yell, “I don’t want to do it,” the operator will stop the ride for you and let you move from a horsie to a bench, even if you’re two. Little kids require adults and adults require tickets. Even on the bench.
Windy Grove Cars (1 each): Â This was the toddler’s most favorite ride — he got to DRIVE a car!! — and, oddly enough, he rode for free. The big boys seemed to enjoy it, too.
Pixieland Express Train (3 tix): Runs occasionally so check the schedule. It’s a train and, thus, a must-do.
Okay, that’s it. You’ve seen the entire park. There is a picnic area and a few coin-op games that we avoided.
Plan your visit to Pixieland Concord
Prices: Tickets are $2.95 each or you can purchase multi-packs, such as 30 tickets for $65, and share with your group.
For myself and three kids, we spent about $95. That felt like a splurge of an outing.
There is a large, free parking lot.
Address
2740 E Olivera Rd, Concord
Hours
Pixieland is an outdoor fun park open on weekends starting around 10:30 with occasional Monday and Friday hours. In November, that slides back to 11 am.
Since days and hours vary throughout the year, check the Pixieland calendar before you head out.
Bottom line: It was a super fun outing and next time we go, I’ll look for a deal on ride prices. The boys all loved it. Pixeland is also a small enough amusement park that when the big kids left their hats on the dragon coaster, I sent them back in alone to find them while I waited in the parking lot. I would never do that at Fairyland.
4 thoughts on “Pixieland for Pint-sized Adventures in Concord”
Looks a bit like the rides section of the Oakland Zoo too, but much cheaper! Thanks Heather!
Lisa, Very similar to the Oakland Zoo. I maybe should have done a straight-up comparison with the rides area rather than imagining it like a mini Fairyland.
The car driving is a different style (PL has old timey cars and a longer track, OZ is a loop with modern cars).
The roller coaster is probably similar, but my kids haven’t been on the OZ one.
The carousel at PL seemed faster than OZ.
The trains are quite comparable with different scenery to view.
No teacups at OZ, right?
Same same airplanes.
No frog hopper at OZ.
What’d I miss?
Hello, I was just wondering if the parent can ride the rides with them as my Child is very unpredictable and may get freaked out midway in?
Most of them, yes.