A Pit Stop a Day (Day 9): Zipline and Bungee Trampoline!

We were all excited to wake up at the Big Sky Resort's Summit Hotel and get going with an activity-packed day…without getting in our car for a change! We grabbed a quick bite to eat in the Mountain Mall, then arrived at BaseCamp (located right next door on the plaza) for our first two activities of the day. If you're a guest at Big Sky Resort (or a day guest), you're going to want to spend … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 7): Boulder Hot Springs

31 Hot Springs Road Boulder, MT On Day 7, we said goodbye to Glacier and the Many Glacier Hotel and drove south to Big Sky, Montana, with a midway stopover in Boulder. Boulder Hot Springs Inn and Spa is located almost mid-way between Butte and Helena just off Interstate 15 in Boulder. Sitting on almost 300 acres, it's in a very pretty location, and the geothermal waters are wonderful. We … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 6): Logan Pass, Glacier National Park

Day 6 was our last full day at the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park. For today's featured pit stop, we decided to hike from Logan's Pass to Hidden Lake. We drove the approximate 21 miles back to the St. Mary Visitor Center Park Entrance, then another few to the Logan Pass Visitor Center at the peak of the famed Going to the Sun Road (en route, we stopped to let a black bear cross the … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 5): Swiftcurrent Lake Cruise

Day 5 found us lucky enough to wake up once again at the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park. We spent the morning hiking nearby trails, then boarded Chief Two Guns for a Swiftcurrent Lake Cruise offered by the Glacier Park Boat Company. What a great way to combine sightseeing, a guided tour, hiking, and boating! We departed from the dock of the Many Glacier Hotel on Swiftcurrent Lake … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 3): Mobius Kids Museum

808 W. Main (Riverfront Square Lower Level) Spokane, WA Day 3 found us spending the day among friends in Spokane, WA for the city's annual Hoopfest basketball tournament. The kids and I temporarily escaped the crowds and heat at Mobius Kids, an expansive children's museum right in the heart of downtown. Mobius Kids is great for all ages with exhibits including a play city, a construction … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 1): Portland Spirit River Cruise

Tom McCall Waterfront Park Portland, OR Our Day 1 route (see map) took us from our home in Southern Oregon four hours north on I-5 to beautiful Portland, where we were fortunate to embark upon the Portland Spirit for a cruise down the Willamette River. The Portland Spirit is a 150' yacht with three public decks, two of which are enclosed and climate controlled. We were met at the dock by … [Read more...]

Enterprise Park and Kids’ Kingdom

4000 Victor Ave Redding CA We drive through Redding, CA often, and I'm ever on the hunt for a great park. On our most recent pass down I-5, we found one worthy of being declared a pit stop! Kids' Kingdom is a section of the larger Enterprise Park that spans several city blocks. Whereas the park at large seems to cater to the sports and leisure crowd (lots of soccer fields and picnic areas), … [Read more...]

The Choo Choo Barn

226 Gap Road Strasburg, PA Do you have a train-crazy kid in your family? Planning a family vacation or road trip through Pennsylvania Dutch country? You'll want to stop at the Choo Choo Barn, a 1,700 square foot train-lover's dream featuring over 150 hand-built animated figures and vehicles and 22 operating trains! Mara Gorman of Mother of all Trips, says of the Choo Choo Barn: "I knew it was … [Read more...]

North Point Lighthouse

2650 N. Wahl Ave. Milwaukee, WI The North Point Lighthouse, standing since 1855, is a fixture in scenic Milwaukee, WI. Better yet for traveling families, it's located adjacent to a great park for kids! Says Kara (AKA Vacation Gals' ColoradoGal), "After snapping a photo of both families in front of the lighthouse, we explored a bit: (Double the Adventure's)Sharlene's husband actually pointed … [Read more...]

The Children’s Museum, Seattle

305 Harrison Street Seattle, WA Visiting Seattle or Vancouver on a family vacation this summer? The Children's Museum, Seattle is a wonderful pit stop which will keep your children entertained for hours! Located on the same campus as the Space Needle, it's simple to access off I-5 and can be added easily to a kid-friendly Seattle sight-seeing itinerary. Eleven (11) exhibits stretch … [Read more...]