Going into the White House was one of the highlights of our Washington DC trip. Many families are unsure how to take a White House tour. It's not as complicated as most think! The tour is self-guided, and takes about one hour door-to-door. (In DC, ‘door-to-door’ to us means security check through exit.) The tour takes guests through a visitor entrance on the side, through a ground floor … [Read more...]
Washington DC Bike ’n Roll Monuments at Nite Tour
September 26, 2014 By
We love patronizing Bike ’N Roll whenever we’re in major cities (and want to save our feet from lots of walking). We’ve reviewed Bike ’N Roll in NYC, and didn’t hesitate to book a tour with Bike N Roll DC during our trip to Washington DC with kids. We opted for the Monuments@Nite tour, because we visited DC in the heat of the summer, and hoped for a cooler ride. We also got a prettier one: the … [Read more...]
Washington DC with kids: Touring the US Capitol
September 24, 2014 By
I always promise honest reviews here at Pit Stops for Kids, but this one will be brutally honest…and maybe a tad unpatriotic. While vacationing in Washington DC with kids, it’s hard to skip a tour of the Capitol Building. It’s iconic, right? It’s full of history. It’s the site of our ongoing democracy. But in my opinion, touring the US Capitol is mediocre at best and most the stops along it are … [Read more...]
Colonial Williamsburg with kids: two-day Revolutionary City itinerary
August 29, 2014 By
There’s so much to do in Colonial Williamsburg with kids, prep work ahead of time is definitely essential. Luckily, planning a Williamsburg vacation is very user-friendly. It’s been called the ‘Disney of history buffs’, and I do see the similarity. Williamsburg’s Revolutionary City has a lot going on…at all times. Prepare for sensory overload! Like Disney, Williamsburg cannot be done in a … [Read more...]
Gettysburg with kids: where to eat and tour in town
August 27, 2014 By
The heart of the Gettysburg experience is undoubtedly the National Military Park battlefield sites. However, Gettysburg with kids isn’t complete without spending time in and around town. Because Gettysburg in 1863 was much smaller than the Gettysburg of today, what is now town space featuring motels and restaurants was once farmland and battlefield. Throughout the town, houses sport plagues and … [Read more...]
Gettysburg National Military Park with kids: how to plan your trip
August 25, 2014 By
Gettysburg is a sobering, powerful, amazing, and vast destination, and definitely worthy of a trip with kids. We recommend dedicating at least 1.5 days to the Gettysburg National Military Park with kids, plus another for attractions in town. We always preach researching destinations ahead of time, and this advice goes double for Gettysburg: kids who have been given some background information … [Read more...]
Valley Forge National Historic Park
August 22, 2014 By
After three days sightseeing in Philadelphia, I have to admit that I didn’t think Valley Forge could possibly compare. In fact, we nearly skipped this stop en route to Gettysburg, PA. We were so glad to stayed the course! We ended up spending almost three hours at Valley Forge, and could have used more time. The way this national historic park is set up, visitors start at the Visitor’s Center, … [Read more...]
Philly with kids: how to plan for a two-day historical itinerary
August 15, 2014 By
Philadelphia has so much history in their many museums, exhibits, and attractions, families could easily be here 3-4 days. We only had two, so we had to make some tough decisions. We did manage to tour all the following Old City attractions in Philadelphia over the course of a day and a half, plus visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art and enjoyed some good eats Independence … [Read more...]
Medalta Historic Clay District, Medicine Hat
July 23, 2014 By
If you’re traveling through Medicine Hat, Alberta, as we were during Day 2 of the Great Coast Road Trip (in partnership with Coast Hotels…check it out!) make a stop at Medalta. This 150-acre Canadian National Historic Site houses the historic ceramic factory and beehive kilns of Medalta in a one-of-a-kind museum. Families can tour the site by guided self-tour: eight galleries take you through … [Read more...]
Exploring Fort Whoop Up and Old Man River, Alberta
July 14, 2014 By
Lethbridge, Alberta is an interesting town located in the Old Man River. South of Calgary, Lethbridge is Alberta prairie country (called the Badlands of Canada, actually) and home to a great deal of Wild West history. You’ll want to focus your attention on the River Valley area, which is essentially an urban wilderness near the heart of town. This area features rolling coulees (or hill … [Read more...]
