Highway 42 Oregon You won't find a better place to stop along windy Highway 42 on your way to the Oregon coast than the Bear Creek Recreation Site. Located between Roseburg and Coquille off Highway 42, look for the sign on the right-hand side directly after the Bear Creek bridge. There's parking for several cars, a picnic area, bathrooms, and a beautiful foot bridge over Bear Creek ending in a … [Read more...]
Lithia Park
June 18, 2009 By
Lithia Park Ashland, Oregon is a stunningly beautiful 93-acre park in a garden setting situated within easy distance of 1-5 for either a quick pitstop or an afternoon detour. Located on the north end of Ashland, Oregon in their pedestrian-friendly downtown, there are several entrances to this sprawling park, but the easiest to access from the city center is on Winburn Way. Park either in the city … [Read more...]
Multnomah Falls
May 18, 2009 By
Multnomah Falls Oregon It's hard to miss Multnomah Falls when traveling I-84, but you really need to stop and see it up close to appreciate its 620 foot height. And this pitstop doesn't have to take a lot of time. From the parking lot, walk under the road through the pedestrian tunnel to the lodge and base of the falls (amazingly, even with a spectacular waterfall yards away, my kids were … [Read more...]
Bear Creek Park
May 1, 2009 By
1520 Siskiyou Blvd Medford, OR Bear Creek Park is an excellent pitstop that quite frankly, I forgot to review earlier because it's right in my hometown. It's also, however, right off of I-5 but tucked out of sight, making it a perfect candidate for Pitstops for Kids. Bear Creek Park is huge, and has something for everybody. On the east end of the park are a dirt BMX track (try it out if you … [Read more...]
Sweet Tomatoes
April 25, 2009 By
6600 SW Cardinal Lane Tigard, OR I once forced my children to sit tight in the car an extra 70 miles past our pre-determined dinner-stopping-point in order to push on to Sweet Tomatoes. And even considering the whining, loud singing, and general disgruntlement, it was worth it. For those who aren't familiar with this restaurant chain (which is brought to us by the same fine folks as Soup … [Read more...]
Bonneville Dam and Fish Hatchery
April 8, 2009 By
Exit 40 of I-84 Cascade Locks, Oregon The first time my husband convinced me to stop at the Bonneville Dam and Fish Hatchery, I was skeptical at best. To me, a fish hatchery sounds about as exciting as a coma, but kids love it. You also can't beat the price (free!) or the stunning Oregon scenery. The dam is about 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon, and perfect for a quick stop after or before … [Read more...]
KidZone in Club Northwest
April 7, 2009 By
2160 N.W. Vine Street Grants Pass, Oregon You can't miss KidZone from I-5 (see photo of the outside of the building), but you will be left wondering what it is you're looking at, it's so poorly marked from the outside. Put simply, it's kid-heaven: 60,000 cubic feet of tubes, slides, and ball pits, housed within Club Northwest, a fitness and health club. It's open to the public, and while it … [Read more...]
