Escape your local environs and head to a most unexpected destination, F-a-i-r-f-i-e-l-d! What you don't know about this nearby vacation spot may surprise you. Once you discover Fairfield, your family will smile and thank you.

Stay-cations haven't gone out of fashion. Less than an hour from urban gateways, Fairfield provides parents and kids a quick solution for rollicking weekend getaways. For budget-minded families, familiar brand hotels are ideal including all-suite properties with "kids eat free" options and free breakfasts, plus kitchenettes and barbecues. Kids can swim or enjoy outdoor sports courts, while mom and dad relax with a glass of wine.

With the heads in beds decisions resolved, a list of kid-friendly diversions are just minutes away. None of that stuck in traffic nightmare here. In fact, a little GPS can take you anywhere you want to go without ever getting on the freeway.

Scandia Family Fun and the Driven Raceway in Fairfield offer every configuration of amusement from miniature golf and arcade games to laser tag and Indy go-karts. Historic and nature adventures are plentiful, too. Kids will love Rush Ranch Open Space and the Western Railway Museum. Carriage and train rides, interpretive and living history exhibits - learning experiences to last a lifetime. Of course, a free Jelly Belly factory tour is a must. So many beans, so little time!

Fairfield is grown-up, too. A weekend, 48 hours, isn't nearly enough time to get it all done. Seeking comfort to while away hours or somewhere to collapse after a full-day of play? There's a pillow with your name on it. Indoor and outdoor pools, Jacuzzis, spa treatments, fine dining - Fairfield hotels deliver without breaking the bank.

Make a list: Recreation, wine and dine, and retail. Yes, there are decisions to be made. Strap on your helmets and get a couple of mountain bikes - head out for Rockville Hills Regional Park. With more than 600 acres, Solano County's largest regional park is a favorite with mountain bikers. Or explore the incredible vistas at Lynch Canyon Open Space Park or the King-Swett Ranch. Golfing enthusiasts can choose between two championship golf courses, Paradise Valley and Rancho Solano. The courses are rated in the Zagat Survey.

So now you've worked up an appetite and a thirst. Two wine valleys - Suisun and Green - are there for your wining pleasure. This cadre of regional wineries are both sophisticated and rustic, providing a wine-tasting experience akin to a coming home with old friends.

While traveling the breathtakingly beautiful back roads of the wine valleys, check out the numerous farm and produce stands, some of which are open year-round. Valley picnics should include fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade jams, olive oils, dried fruits and nuts from the farm stands.

Bring your Fairfield memories home: wine, olive oil, walnut oil, honey, jams - Solano Grown is but one retail mantra. At Jelly Belly and Anhueser-Busch gift offerings are plentiful for bean and brew lovers. If you have energy for one more thing, Fairfield's Solano Town Center Mall features more than one million square feet of retail space including a variety of popular restaurants and clothing boutiques.