STOCKTON – Pixie Woods Amusement Park was once described as Stockton’s own fairyland for the “young in age and young at heart.”

Jessica Arnaiz echoed just that during her recent visit to the park located next door to Louis Park.

 “Once inside, it’s like a magical fairy tale for kids,” she said “My kids call it the place of never ending playgrounds.”

Jessica and her husband Tony took their three children – Toby, 10, Jaymes, 7, and Olivia, 3 – on a day trip to Pixie Woods during the summer.

The Stockton couple had their own childhood memories of the park, including seeing the old pirate ship and the tea garden room.

As grown-ups, they appreciated the beautiful and well manicured grounds not to mention the vintage merry-go-round and numerous slides. “The landscaping is beautifully done – my kids really enjoyed the slides with the ivy growing around it,” Jessica Arnaiz said.

Pixie Woods was a dream turned reality in 1954 thanks to the generosity of local businesses, organizations, and individuals. That same outpouring is what sustains the amusement park to this day.

Pacific Gas and Electric gave this year a huge boost with a generous contribution that went towards maintenance and repairs.

“Pixie Woods is a children’s theme park located in Stockton,” according to roadtrippers.com. “The seasonal park is owned by the City of Stockton, offering three amusement rides and dozens of play attractions.”

The Arnaiz family climbed aboard the Pixie Express Train, with the tracks passing through Frontier Town and the old tunnel.

They rode the Pixie Queen paddle-wheel boat along the lagoon featuring a volcano and the usual cast of cut-out characters.

They came away exhausted after the all-day of play.

“Our kids loved Pixie Woods,” Jessica said. “They made us feel like kids all over again.”