The Fun House at S.F.’s Playland At the Beach was a must for any City kid looking for a laugh, especially since “Laffing Sali” was always obliging. Her demonic cackle greeted you as you entered. You first passed through a maze of mirrors, having a bit of fun at your own expense as twisty or lumpy or skinny figures posed for your entertainment. After squeezing through the spin-dryers, you came across the main area of the Fun House where you might want to take on the Joy Wheel. The challenge was to be the last one sitting on the spinning wooden disc, smirking at all those other kids who had slid off. Nearby was the Barrel of Laughs where most would rush through the rotating wooden structure as fast as possible. Not infrequently there would be a fleshy roadblock as others tumbled over each other, unable to get to their feet and exit.
Fun House:
If you escaped the barrel unscathed, the Moving Bridges awaited. This was another balancing act as you tried to negotiate connecting gang planks that went up and down. The Fun House also featured rocking horses and staircases as well as air jets (where hopefully your date would do a Marilyn-Monroe-flying-skirt number), rickety catwalks, and so much more. But I think my favorite was the 200′ bumpy slide where you would climb three stories, position a burlap bag under your tush and off you went to race all comers. What was your favorite?