Your daycation community pick:
John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
2225 Plaza Parkway
Modesto, CA 95350
p. (209) 523-0000

Sign up for email club promotions

A friend of mine just forwarded an article to me she came across on MSN called 91 Ways to Save: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/91WaysToSaveOnAlmostAnything.aspx. Most everyone is feeling the effects of the current economic situation and can benefit from these money saving ideas. We are definitely doing what we can to reduce our spending and be more efficient in the way we run our household. That includes taking advantage of many of the free activities offered by the city of Modesto during the summer months and staying in town.

One section of the article focuses on saving money on vacations, something that many families have to forego this year even though it is such a wonderful way to spend quality time with one another and make lasting memories. The advice was to stay close to home and find inexpensive entertainment. Along the same lines is the concept of a daycation, which just means planning a fun day out close to home. In a nutshell, don’t give up the special time with the kids – plan an outing that will be fun for the entire family without causing additional strain on your finances.

There are many places in Modesto and the surrounding area to create this type of daycation. You can go outdoors, or take refuge from the summer heat and find a venue indoors. We have a favorite fun spot we like to go – John’s Incredible Pizza Co. Everything we need for a fun day out with the kids, from food and beverages (including beer and wine for the adults) to games and rides is located within this large air-conditioned facility. John’s is known for their variety of unusual and classic pizza offerings – like macaroni and cheese pizza – but they also carry a fresh salad bar, different pastas and sauces. Fill up with the beverage of your choice and find one of the many themed rooms that suits your mood and enjoy a tasty and inexpensive meal. Our kids like the cartoon room (Toon Time Theater), but sometimes we sit and watch music videos in the Retreat room, or find some quiet time in the Cabin Fever room.

If your kids are like ours, they won’t want to sit and eat for long. Fortunately, you can come back anytime and as often as you want for food, including a yummy dessert section that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

The rides and games section of John’s Pizza is just as incredible as the food. Our older two kids are quite daring and love the spinning Twister ride. Thankfully, they go on that ride with Dad, and I stay with the baby and watch them fly by. Another favorite is the bumper cars. There is a height requirement for this one. If your kids aren’t quite ready for these types of rides, John’s has a section especially for the younger ones and even a baby and toddler section. The last time we visited John’s we tried out Glow Golf. This is an indoor miniature golf course with an under the sea theme all in Day-Glo paint, blacklighting and high energy music. We had a blast and stayed cool, too.

John’s Pizza is also offering a free gas promotion on their website through the month of July. Take the virtual tour and enter the sweepstakes to win free stuff! http://www.johnspizza.com/virtual_tour/sweepstakes.aspx

Here are a few of the things we really like about John’s and why it’s a great option for your daycation:

-The all-you-can-eat buffet of pizza, pasta, salad, dessert and drinks

-Indoor rides fun for any age

-Themed rooms to suit any mood

-Cost that is completely reasonable particularly when compared to a standard vacation or trip to Disneyland
John’s Incredible Pizza Co. has 8 locations: Bakersfield, Buena Park (coming soon 2009), Fresno, Modesto, Montclair, Riverside, Roseville and Stockton. Maps are available for each of them here.

Your daycation community pick:

John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
2225 Plaza Parkway
Modesto, CA 95350
p. (209) 523-0000

Sign up for email club promotions

View Larger Map