Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Travelers through Minneapolis-St Paul are lucky enough to have not one, but two airport play spaces available to them (although we all know the truly lucky depart on their planes without any airport waiting with small kids at all!). Both play spaces feature a great play area with a huge plane, slide, and climbing area in addition to an air traffic … [Read more...]

Mrs. Grossman’s Sticker Factory

3810 Cypress Dr. Petaluma, CA If you look back with longing to your sticker-trading days, you won't want to pass up a stop at Mrs. Grossman' Sticker Factory in Petaluma, CA. Free one-hour tours run multiple times per day, and include a video, a guided tour of the sticker factory, a fun sticker craft, a visit to their sticker museum, where you can see every sticker Mrs. Grossman's has ever … [Read more...]

Del Mar Motel on the Beach

1702 Coast Bvld. Del Mar, CA The San Diego area is a family vacation wonderland (Legoland and SeaWorld, anyone?) and Del Mar Motel on the Beach is a wonderful option for your accommotions, often overlooked in travel magazines and guidebooks. There are countless luxury hotels scattered throughout Del Mar, and in comparision, Del Mar Motel on the Beach is a no-frills operation (although it's … [Read more...]

Moab, Utah and Arches National Park

Since not all great places to stop with kids are along the major interstates, Pitstops for Kids! has added a new series called Off the Beaten Path. First up, beautiful Moab, Utah and its surrounding areas. We had the pleasure of visiting Moab while touring national parks of the southwest, and quickly realized we could have happily spent many more than the one night we'd reserved in the town. … [Read more...]

Alameda Historical Museum

2324 Alameda Avenue Alameda, CA Sometimes, you need to find kid-friendly pit stops in the center of urban areas, too! Whether your destination is the San Francisco Bay Area or you're just passing through, The Alameda Historical Museum is a fun place to stop near the Oakland International Airport if your family is learning about Victorian history. Kids can learn about the past by touring living … [Read more...]

Mt. Shasta Treehouse Inn

111 Morgan Way Mt. Shasta, CA My family and I have stayed at The Best Western Treehouse Inn in Mt. Shasta, CA several times, and while most chain motels are not worth a review, this one is an exception! If you're traveling I-5 and need a place to stay the night, skip Redding (to the south) and Medford (to the north) if you can, and stay in Mt. Shasta. Not only is it a beautiful area in all … [Read more...]

McKinley Park

601 Alhambra Boulevard Sacramento, CA Some of you may know this already, but the concept for Pitstops for Kids was born after a frustrating afternoon trying to find a nice park while driving through Sacramento, CA. So you can imagine my excitement when I came across this wonderful review at Tripping with Kids! McKinley Park was named Best Playground of 2009 in the Sacramento News and Review, … [Read more...]

Julian Price Memorial Park

Milepost 297 Blue Ridge Parkway Blowing Rock, NC Julian Price Memorial Park is one of the most beautiful parks in the Blue Ridge area, at the base of Grandfather Mountain. If you're traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, you'll definitely want to stop! Boosting 3900 acres of picnic spots, campgrounds, hiking trails and nature walks, the park has long been a favorite for locals and … [Read more...]

Fort Sherman Playground

416 Mullan Road Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Fort Sherman Playground is the perfect place to stop along mountainous I-90 during a summer vacation. A beautiful city in any season, Coeur d'Alene is a is a summer recreation mecca with ample hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, and golf. Fort Sherman Playground at City Park offers a sprawling, 14,000 square foot wooden ‘fort' play space on 17 acres near … [Read more...]

Spokane’s Riverfront Park with kids

507 N. Howard St Spokane, WA If you find yourself driving I-90 from Seattle or Idaho's ski and outdoor country, Spokane's Riverfront Park is a beautifully appointed greenbelt worthy of a stop. Much more than a simple pit stop, the park spans both sides of the Spokane River and includes a pavilion originally built for the 1974 Expo, amusement rides, an ice skating rink, a Sky Ride gondola, an … [Read more...]