Science Center of Iowa

March 11, 2010 By

Science Center of Iowa

401 West Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway
Des Moines, IA

The Science Center of Iowa is an ideal place to stop and play for at least several hours. There are shows and demonstrations scheduled throughout the day, no matter how high the attendance, which is nice on uncrowded weekdays. Visit the IMAX theater as well (currently showing Avatar) and the star theater for night sky demonstrations. From the official website: “Live programs and hands-on activities encourage you to touch, play, discover and experiment. Explore a cave, blow a bubble, or create your own planetarium show in dynamic experience platforms. These themed spaces are the heart of the facility, each offering participants the opportunity to explore their curiosities and engage their interests in topics ranging from the inner workings of the human body to the outer reaches of the solar system.” Read more reviews of the Science Center of Iowa.

Date last visited: February 2010

Distance off the interstate: Just a few minutes off I-235.

Hours and Admission Prices: The science center’s hours differ from the IMAX Dome hours.

Bathrooms: Several located within the building.

Food Services: The Food Chain Cafe is located within the museum, and is pretty reasonably priced.

Website: http://www.sciowa.org/

Directions: Take Exit I-235 on Martin Luther King Parkway. Turn East onto W. Martin Luther King Parkway, then turn North onto 5th Street. Turn East onto Market Street to the SCI Entrance.

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Portland International Airport (PDX)

March 9, 2010 By

We’re back again with another great airport find! Portland International Airport (PDX) has a large play area in Terminal C, right past a food court with plenty of food options. You’ll see a fairly large play structure, plus activity panels for younger kids and lots of seating for grown-ups.

pdx-play-area

Theres another in the main terminal, but there’s a catch: Reviewer Julie Hagstrom writes, “It is just BEFORE you go through the big line for security and where passengers come out to meet people so if you are going to meet anyone at the airport and their plane is delayed the kids can play while you wait! If you are the traveler, you would play here only if you had plenty of time to go through security and get to your gate.”

It has a large climbing/sliding structure and other smaller toys to explore (great for toddler eye-level). Just be sure you have plenty of time to get through security before you get too comfortable here.

Date last visited: April 2016

Hours and Admission Prices: Free. Open whenever the terminal is open.

Bathrooms: Nearby.

Food Services: Just on the other side of security, you can find Panda Express, several pizza places, and a Jamba Juice. (Wendy’s and Starbucks aren’t far away, too!)

Website: http://www.portofportland.com/PDX_home.aspx

Terminal Map: http://www.portofportland.com/PDX_Terminal_Map.aspx

 

Cantrall Buckley County Park

March 5, 2010 By

Wading in the river at Cantrall Buckley.

Cantrall Road
Ruch, Oregon

If you’re exploring the pioneer town of Jacksonville (10 minutes off I-5) and have more time to spend, drive out into the Applegate Valley and visit Cantrall Buckley County Park. Set on the shores of the Applegate River, Cantrall Buckley has a long, sloping lawn and picnic areas. The river is slow-moving in this area and great for wading, minnow-fishing (bring nets!) and inner tubing or rafting. Wear water shoes (the pebbles on the river bottom are slippery!) and bring cash for the $4 parking fee.

Toby finding crawdads and minnows!

There’s a little playground right across the road from the river as well. It’s an older one, so be careful of hot metal in the summertime. Dogs welcome on a leash.

Date last visited: September 2009

Distance off the interstate: 30 minutes

Hours and Admission Prices: $4 admission to the county park, open sunrise to sunset.

Bathrooms: Located by the playground.

Dogs welcome!

Food Services: None. There’s a fun drive-through ice cream and coffee stand in nearby Ruch, or better yet, hold off and eat hamburgers and onion rings at Jasper’s, located on California Street in Jacksonville (on the way back out to I-5).

Directions: From I-5: Take the Phoenix/Jacksonville exit (south of Medford). Turn right on US Hwy 99 to South Stage Road. Left on South Stage to Jacksonville. Turn right at E California St/OR-238 W and continue 9 miles. Turn left at Hamilton Rd, then take the 2nd right onto Cantrall Rd. Follow signs.

This post part of Photo Friday at www.deliciousbaby.com!

Andalo’s Clubhouse

March 4, 2010 By

Photo courtesy of Two Kids and a Map

420 High Street
Portsmouth, VA

The Children’s Museum of Virginia is currently closed for renovations, and in the meantime, they’re diecting families toward Andalo’s Clubhouse in Portsmouth. While not as extensive as a full children’s museum, Andalo’s does the job as a place for kids to stop and play on a dreary winter day or while traveling. You’ll find the usual imaginative play centers, such as a play kitchen and lots of building toys. Reviewer Jen of Two Kids and a Map visited recently to escape the snow: “Despite the fact that I was annoyed that I had to pay $20 for the visit, the kids really did have a blast. The eight year old loved reading and trying the few science exhibits. The little ones enjoyed building castles in the block section. There is a separate room for children three and under but we also skipped this section.” Read her complete review!

Date last visited: February 2010

Distance off the interstate: 5 minutes from I-264

Hours and Admission Prices: $5 per person (children and adults). Under 2 is free. Hours are: Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bathrooms: Located within.

Website: http://www.childrensmuseumva.com/index2.html

Phone: 757-393-5258

Directions: From I-264: take exit 7 toward Downtown Portsmouth/Harbor Center Pavillion. Turn left at Court St, then left at High St. Andolo’s Clubhouse is located next to the Courthouse Galleries and across the street from the Commodore Theater. There is a small, metered parking lot behind Andalo’s Clubhouse off Court Street.

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The Petersen Urban Wildlife Refuge

March 2, 2010 By

View from the Dupont Environmental Education Center bridge (photo courtesy of Mother of all Trips)

1400 Delmarva Lane
Wilmington, DE

The Russell W. Petersen Urban Wildlife Refuge is 212 acres of protected urban wetland along the Christina River just outside downtown Wilmington. Reviewer Mara of The Mother of All Trips writes, “The place is a fascinating intersection of the industrial and the natural. Freight trains thunder over a sculptural bridge that spans the river. To the north, the banks and churches of Wilmington stretch skyward. Not too far in the distance traffic hums by, the murmur of cars and trucks punctuated by the cries of Canada geese landing in the marsh. On the day we were there, fox footprints dotted the snow. A small botanical garden, which is beautifully landscaped and in warmer weather has series of stone-line paths and waterfalls, is a delightful place to play.” Read her entire article on the refuge.

Be sure to check out the DuPont Environmental Education Center, located by the Riverwalk, to learn more about the wildlife you might encounter. Educational programs for children are run from this building as well; check the board for the daily schedule.

Date last visited: February 2010

Distance off the interstate: Just a couple minutes off I-95.

Hours and Admission Prices: Free admission. Hours are: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday–Friday (Closed Mondays)

Website: http://www.duponteec.org/

Directions: Free parking is available on site and in several Riverfront parking lots located at the end of Justison Street, south of Frawley Stadium. You can also arrive via the Riverwalk: The DuPont Environmental Education Center (within the refuge) is located at the south end of the Riverwalk, which now extends beyond the Shipyard Shops, through a botanical garden to a new “flyover” bridge that arches above the railroad tracks and slopes gently down to the building’s third-story entrance. The refuge is accessible via the Riverwalk from dawn to dusk.

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Elwell Lakes Lodge review, CA

March 1, 2010 By

Hands’ down, Elwell Lakes Lodge and the surrounding Sierra Nevada region of Northern California is one of our favorite places on earth. As such, I’m afraid I’ll have a hard time being impartial in this review! Having grown up in the area and visited numerous times from childhood to adulthood, I cannot recommend it highly enough for an adventurous family vacation well off the beaten path.

Elwell Lakes Lodge review:

One of many family cabins at Elwell lakes Lodge.

The lodge, nestled high in the Sierras 25 minutes from the small resort town of Graeagle, CA, is located over an hour northwest of Reno, NV, and almost two hours north of Tahoe, and is comprised of approximately a dozen rustic guest cabins, seveal tent cabins, a recreation hall well-stocked with books and games, and a main lodge. Cabins are comfortable with furniture, linens for the beds, kitchens, and bathrooms. Most, if not all, have a front porch and a BBQ.

Best of all is Elwell Lakes Lodge’s location. Situated just past Lakes Basin Campground, it is literally a gateway to the numerous lakes that comprise the Lakes Basin Recreation Area. Directly from your front door is a well-maintained network of hiking trails leading to some of the most beautiful scenery in the Northwest. The fishing, swimming, and exploring can’t be beat. If you so desire, you could easily stay a week and not get back into your car once.

Nate and Cal, playing along the shore of Long Lake.

If you do choose to take a drive, our picks are to the wonderful mining town of Johnsville and Plumas Eureka State Park where your kids can see a stamp mill still standing, or (in the opposite direction) to Dowieville and the excellent swimming along the Yuba River. Nearby Salmon Lake and Sand Pond offer great swimming and fishing as well, and excellent golf is awaiting in Graeagle.

Most days, we prefer to make pancakes for breakfast, explore the lodge, and hike or swim (kids love the stockpile of Legos in the main lodge and the creek running alongside the furthest ring of cabins). They spent one memorable (to them) afternoon catching frogs. Be sure to bring a book or two, and plan to sit awhile on the main lodge deck overlooking the mountains.

Date last visited: Last weekly stay, July 2004. Last visit, July 2009.

Distance off the interstate: Approximately 35 minutes from Hwy 89.

Rates: Rates vary by cabin, ranging from under $600 to over $1000 weekly. (These rates include housekeeping and use of all lodge facilities and row boats on Long Lake). If you’re looking for a place with nightly rates, Gold Lake Lodge has similar style cabins, is nearby, and has a restaurant on-site. We’ve stayed there as well, and love both lodges.

Food Services: At the time of this posting, Elwell Lakes Lodge does not provide meals. The owners do host a fun pot-luck dinner once weekly in the large dining building, and every cabin comes equipped with a kitchen and stocked with pots, pans, dishware, and silverware. Otherwise, our dining recommendations are The Sardine Lake Lodge, just a few miles further up Gold Lake Highway, or for kid-friendly pizza and pasta, Gumba’s in Blairsden.

Website: http://www.elwelllakeslodge.com/

Nate looks for minnows in the shallow water of Sand Pond on a summer evening.

Contact Information: Phone: 530-836-2347 Mailing address: P.O. Box 68 Blairsden, CA 96103

Directions: From the town of Graeagle, turn onto Gold Lake Highway. After driving seven miles, turn right into the Lakes Basin Campground. Follow the signs to Elwell Lodge (stay left).

 

Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport

February 25, 2010 By

Photo courtesy of MSP International

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 control tower and beautiful murals of the Minneapolis skyline. The first is located by gate C12 (right by the tram stop to the other concourses). There is an A&W, Godfather’s Pizza and bookstore right next to it. If you have over an hour to kill in this airport it is definitely worth seeking it out.

The second play space is located on Level 2, inside security, at the Humphrey Terminal and includes a giant suitcase designed to educate young and (parental) travelers alike.

Date last visited: February 2010

Hours and Admission Prices: Free. Open during concourse hours.

Bathrooms: Nearby. Also: a Nursing Mothers Room is located at the Lindbergh Terminal on Concourse C near the play space. To obtain access, nursing moms should go to the Travelers Assistance desk across from Gate C12. The assistant will provide you access to the room, located at the north end of the Concourse Connector above the C rotunda food court and near the elevators.

Food Services: Several choices (see description above).

Website: http://www.mspairport.com/

Mrs. Grossman’s Sticker Factory

February 23, 2010 By

Mrs. Grossman's Stickers (photo courtesy of Delicious Baby)

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 made, and a $3 off coupon for your purchase of $20 at the Company Store.

You’ll get to view thousands of stickers going through every stage of printing, high-speed packaging as well as machines sorting and wrapping. (Strollers permitted everywhere except the factory floor.) In a recent article at Delicious Baby, Debbie admits the stop was probably more for her than her kids, but that soon changed: “Once I finally got the kids inside the company’s sticker store…they were floored. They’ve never seen so many stickers together in one place. Every design needed to be inspected and evaluated. At the cash register we noticed “mystery packs” which included $10 worth of stickers in a box for $2, and these turned out to be a huge hit when they were opened.” Read the full review!

Date last visited: February 2010

Distance off the interstate: 8 minutes

Hours and Admission Prices: Hours vary (Monday through Friday). Closed weekends. Check hours here: http://www.mrsgrossmans.com/7-1_location.cfm

Website: http://www.mrsgrossmans.com/

Directions: Traveling North on Highway 101: Take the Sonoma/Napa East 116 Exit. Turn left at traffic light on Lakeville Hwy. Follow approx. 1 mile. Turn right at the light on South McDowell Blvd. Follow approx. 1/2 mile.

Traveling West on Interstate 80: Take the Marine World Pkwy/Hwy 37 exit. Stay on Hwy 37. You will pass Marine World on left, and continue on Hwy 37. Cross over bridge and you will be on a two-lane road with a barrier between the lanes. You will come to the Sears Point Intersection; continue through to the next intersection, which will be Lakeville Hwy. Turn right on Lakeville Hwy. Follow approx. 9 miles. Turn left on Pineview Way. At the first stop sign, turn right on Cypress Drive. Continue on Cypress Drive until you come to the first stop sign, then turn left onto South McDowell Blvd. Take an immediate left into the first driveway.


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Del Mar Motel on the Beach

February 18, 2010 By

View of the motel from our spot on the beach (2005)

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 hardly in the typical ‘motel’ category), but it’s perfect for families who want a low-key place where kids are welcome and sand on the carpet is no big deal. With only 44 rooms, Del Mar on the Beach has a cozy, old-time beach resort feel, and with its communal walkways and patios, it felt homey to us. Our boys loved the beach right outside our door, and even though our youngest was a baby at the time, our room was large enough to easily accommodate a port-a-crib.

Date last visited: June 2005 (recently researched to fact check all info).

Distance off the interstate: 5 minutes.

Amenities: Location, location, location. Did I mention it’s right on the beach? It’s also within easy walking distance of local restaurants and a nice playground (about a quarter of mile away) overlooking the ocean. On site is a nice sundeck with chairs, BBQ area, outdoor shower to get all that sand off little (and big) feet, and boogie boards and sand toys available. In room, you have refrigerators and coffee makers as well as air conditioning and cable TV.

Rates: Rates get steeper during the summer months, but remain quite reasonable in the off-season. Consider a late September/early October visit! Winter rates for a room with two double beds: $159/night. Summer rate: $279/night (at time of this review) They do offer mid-week deals and special packages that are worth checking out!

Food Services: None at the motel, but all of the cuisine of Del Mar is at your fingertips. For families, there are seveal great cafes right up the street (especially for a late breakfast before hitting the beach), and if you get away for a night for grown-ups only, our pick is Jake’s, fun, fine dining right on the sand.

Website: www.delmarmotelonthebeach.com

Directions: From I-5 South, take the Via de la Valle Exit toward Del Mar. Turn right on Via de la Valle, then left on Camino Del Mar. Turn right on Coast Blvd. From I-5 North, take the Del Mar Heights Road Exit. Turn left on Del Mar Heights Rd, then right on Camino del Mar. Turn left on 15th Street, then right on Coast Blvd.

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Moab, Utah and Arches National Park

February 16, 2010 By

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. Located 45 minutes from I-70 in Utah along US Highway 191 (2 hours from Grand Juncton, Colorado), Moab is one part champion of the arts, one part gateway to adventure and three parts sun-baked natural beauty.

Moab, Utah and Arches National Park:

Double Arch in Arches National Park…great for climbing and hiking!

Why it’s worth the drive: Moab is home to both Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, which showcase some of the most stunning geological formations we’ve ever seen! Arches in particular is breathtaking, and offers many easy hikes and vista points for kids to explore. We started at the overlook for Delicate Arch (an easier hike with great views), then drive the short distance to Double Arch. You’ll see the visitor’s center directly after entering the park, but do that last when the temperatures rise. (General Tip: whatever your activity, get up and go early; later in the day, temperatures can be unbearable in summer.)

The town of Moab has much to offer in and of itself. If your kids will tolerate such activities, there’s ample shopping (for everything from boutique clothing to high end outdoors equipment to fine art). If you’re up for some adventure, rent bicycles and explore the area on the many trails or book a dune buggy or Jeep expedition to see more of the desert. Read more about our impressions of Moab.

Chuck-wagon style dinner at the Bar M

Date last visited: July 2009

Distance off the interstate: 45 minutes.

Hours and Admission Prices: The National Parks charge $10 per vehicle. Hours vary by season. Check the official websites for more information. There are many hotel and motel options. We stayed in the Days Inn Moab (426 N. Main), which was in walking distance to restaurants and shops and had a nice pool and free wi-fi.

Food Services: Moab is known for both its fine and casual dining. Our favorite spot was a small cafe called the Wake and Bake (57 S. Main), where you can get homemade crepes with a multitude of fillings and eat out on their sun-touched patio. We also ate one dinner at the Bar M Chuck Wagon, a fun wild-west themed dinner show located a few miles out of town. The BBQ offerings and entertainment were family-friendly (and the pre-show ‘shoot out’ was great), but very young kids might get bored (ours did). If you go, be sure to get reservations!

Website: http://www.moab-utah.com/

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