One thing that has worked for me is hitting the local YMCA.  We got lucky in that ours has a pretty good kid play area, with the big crawling tubes and lots of lego play areas.  My daughter turned 2 in December and sometimes gets pushed around by the 3-4 year olds, but time and patience has taught me to plan around the times when those guys are rolling out of whatever classes they are taking.  It's also a bonus when other 2-year-olds are around.  Take something to read though, the SAH mom's tend to be more than a little stand-offish.

Also, sometimes there is a kid care service that will allow you to cut out and work out in the gym!

Are there any dad's groups near you. A good dad's group goes a long way towards bring sanity back. If there isn't one, start one. Ask for help on how to do that on websites like this. We have been through it, and might be able to help you along the way. Keep your head in the game, this is an awesome gig, once you find your footing.

P.S. Try taking your kid to something you really enjoy doing. Explaining things you like fascinates kids and makes you happy too. I found this out at the horsetrack where, incidentally, we each picked a horse and one a $23 quinella. Keep trying new things.

 sorry didnt mean to throw my stuff out there under someone elses post