SUMMER LIVING : Vacations in...

It would be called “White Water Canyon” and would be, by most fun-seekers’ standards, a major amusement park: 82 acres of sophisticated water slides, four raft-filled swimming pools, gift shops and snack bars, all surrounded by a 1,350-space parking lot.

But it’s not plans for another Los Angeles or Orlando attraction. White Water Canyon would sit just west of Highway 15, near the intersection of Dear Springs and Mountain Meadow roads in Escondido.

It is questionable, of course, whether such a water park could ever become part of a North County entertainment guide. The plan, which the county planning board will review this month, has already been met with several concerns by local residents: Will the park have an effect on Escondido farmers’ water supply? What about noise disturbance to local residents?

But White Water Canyon is nothing more than a proposal for now, and Disneyland still means a journey up the freeway. For those who believe that bigger is not always necessary or better, there are some less grandiose (and less expensive) amusement park destinations in North County.

At Sengme Oaks Water Park, tucked away on the La Jolla Indian Reservation off California 76, visitors can barbecue their own food while taking in a view of Mt. Palomar. At Vista’s new Family Fun Center, families can ride in “Battle Boats” and imitate pop music stars at a karaoke studio. And, at G. Wiliker’s Kids Club in Oceanside, parents and children can practice hand-eye coordination in 5,000-square-feet of tunnels known as “Jungle Island.”

Here are details on how you can enjoy these local amusement parks:

SENGME OAKS WATER PARK

The call it the “kiddy slide,” but don’t tell 4-year-old Alex he’s on anything but the real thing. To him the smallest of Sengme Oaks Water Park’s six slides is just plain “scary.”

“I’ve been down three times, and boy it’s fast,” said Alex, whose family drove from San Marcos for a day at the water park. “My dad won’t even go down it yet.”

Sengme Oaks Water Park is not visible from a major freeway. In fact, situated 26 miles off California 76 on the La Jolla Indian Reservation, the park seems almost hidden. But fun seekers may not want to mistake big signs and a visible location for fun.

Among the attractions at Sengme Oaks are two “Giant Slides” that twist, turn, drop and spiral their way to swimming pools, and two “Speed Slides” boasting 500-foot drops.

A 10-foot-wide, and only slightly steep “Grandma Slide” accommodates the less brave--and particularly Donna, Alex’s mother. “I’m working my nerve up to go down that one,” she said, urging her energetic son to take a short rest at the covered picnic table the family had claimed for the day.

Particularly appealing about Sengme Oaks, is that while semi-sophisticated slides abound, the park seems to lack commercialism. Volleyball nets and red picnic tables, in full view of the slides, are scattered around a large swimming pool. The park sits at the end of a dirt road and ends with an unpaved parking lot. And although a snack bar offers standard items, such as hamburgers for $2.75 and corndogs for $1.75, visitors are encouraged to bring their own food and use one of the several barbecue pits. Bags of ice can be purchased at the snack bar.

“We think of this park as a place where families can have fun, yet sort of get away from it all,” explained Jim Harris, vice chairman of the board of directors. “Instead of looking out at a busy city, visitors can look up at the Palomar Mountain.”

Sengme Oaks is completely owned and operated by La Jolla Reservation Indians and is an important source of income for the 300 members of the band. Visitors use the park at their own risk as the park carries no liability for injuries incurred.

Harris said the park has a full-time Emergency Medical Technician, and trained lifeguards at the top and bottom of each slide.

A main attraction for families, Harris said, is the park’s adjoining campground, and fresh water river for inner tubing.

“We just had a women call from Hemet and say: ‘I heard you have a river where (you) can inner tube--I didn’t think there was a place in Southern California where you could do that,”’ said Harris.

The heavily shaded campground offers R.V. hookups and a “tent” area, a fishing hole, and a general store. A car of four people camp for $12 per night. Inner tubes rent for $5 a day.

Especially if they bring a picnic lunch, visitors will likely find Sengme Oaks Water Park affordable. Prices are $7.95 for adults, and $5.95 for children--$1 lower than last year’s prices. The park gives a $1 discount to military personnel with proper identification.

Sengme Oaks is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. For additional information, call 742-1921 (water park), and 742-1297 (camping).

FAMILY FUN CENTERS

“This is our showcase--the most elaborate, most expensive Family Fun Center in San Diego. Maybe in the whole country,” said Tim Walsh, group sales and marketing director for Huish Family Fun Centers, referring to the company’s just-open facility in Vista.

Walsh may not be exaggerating. The “showcase” is an $8 million facility for batting cages, arcade games, 800-yards of two 18-hole miniature golf courses, double seat go-carts, boat games and such.

The new fun center features a game called “Battle Boats,” in which people can shoot balls at two-person boats in a large pool (the boats can shoot back), and “Pirates Cove” golf course with the largest man-made mountain outside of Disneyland, Walsh said.

And in addition to video games where a quarter will fight anything from monkeys to airplanes, the arcade offers the Super Star Recording Studio, and karaoke sing-along.

Also on site is Bullwinkle’s restaurant, where the menu includes “Rocky’s Remarkable Burgers” starting at $3.75, hero sandwiches, salad bar for $2.25, pan pizzas for $4.95, and “Kids Lunches”--grilled cheese, chicken strips and more--from $2.49.

“The president of the company has visited Family Fun Centers throughout the country,” Walsh said of John Huish, who owns six such facilities in Southern California. “He says this is one of the grandest he has seen.”

Prices at Family Fun Center vary ride to ride: $3.50 for an approximately 5-minute go-cart ride; $1 for 18 swings in the batting cages; $5.50 for a round of golf, and $3.50 for the battle boats.

Visitors “play” at their own risk.

The new center is located at 1525 West Vista Way. Hours are 9 a.m. to midnight, everyday. For more information call 945-9474.

There is also a Family Fun Center in Escondido.

Owned by the same company, the Escondido site offers go-carts, a kids’ country fair for children 12 and younger, and “Maze Craze,” which can take up to an hour to complete.

“Kiddie Rides” at the country fair cost $6 for 10 tickets. Other prices are similar to the Vista location.

G. WILIKERS KIDS CLUB

Adults can play free at G. Wilikers Kids Club in Oceanside, but Bill Marinconda decided to just watch his grandson, Noah Langton, 6, romp around on a recent afternoon. After all, climbing through 5,000 square feet of tunnels and “bubble balls” is no easy task.

It’s called “Jungle Island” and it’s the showpiece of G. Wilikers Kids Club, an amusement center sandwiched between two restaurants in El Camino North Shopping Center. Resembling an oversized hamster Habitrail, the ultra-colorful soft play area is a combination of air bounce cushions, “turbo slides,” bubble ball pits and rope climbs. Children pay $4.95 for an hour.

“It looks like fun, but I’d rather just watch,” said Mariconda, visiting his Oceanside relatives from Pittsburgh.

But many parents do “jump right in” and play with their children, said Andrew Beard, an assistant manager.

“There are a lot of little activities within Jungle Island where parents and children can, say, work on eye-hand coordination together,” he said. “The idea is for families to spend quality time together through physical play.”

It costs nothing to walk through the door of this one-room fun center, and a few freebies are offered. G. Wilikers, the talking bird himself, and his buddy, “Bluebird,” tell stories, engage children in counting exercises and discuss “what we want to be when we grow up.” There are race cars and zoo animals on springs, and a mini-playground.

After an hour on Jungle Island, though, Noah stopped at the change machine and then headed to “Cargo Game Room,” for skee ball and other non-video games.

And there’s more than a few food temptations. “Cookie Cafe” serves hot dogs for $1.25, quiche with salad for $3.75, and large pizzas for $12. The “Zoo Boutique” is actually bins of candy, candy, and more candy.

The amusement center is offering two “camps” this summer: a toddler-to-2-year-old play time, 10 a.m. Tuesday, and a 3- to- 4-year-old playtime, 10 a.m. Wednesdays. For more information call 439-KIDS.

With its’s purple and pink walls and miniature castles, G. Wilikers might be considered as a birthday party locale. Packages range from $4.95 per child for balloons and use of the “party room,” to $9.95 per child for the party room, cake, hot dogs, invitations and more.

Summer hours at G. Wilikers Kids Club are Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.