Pit Stops - Pitstops for Kids

Oregon Coast Aquarium

June 27, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

Abby McCoy gets an up-close view of sharks

2820 SE Ferry Slip Road
Newport, Oregon

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a local gem of northwestern Oregon. Due to it’s manageable size (you can get through it in 1-2 hours), it serves well as a pitstop along US Highway 101. Admission is a little steep at $14.95 per adult and $9.45 for kids 3-12, but the aquarium is on par with the best, despite its size. The aquarium houses six main exhibits, including a deep sea area, an otter habitat, sea bird aviary, and jellyfish room (my personal favorite!). Angie McCoy of Jacksonville, Oregon says of her 22-month-old daughter: Abby loved the ‘Open Ocean’ tunnel in the Deep Sea exhibit. She screamed at the sharks!

If you have extra time (and money), the aquarium’s private Animal Encounter tours have received positive reviews. Also check their website for special events, discount days for homeschoolers, and more.

Date last visited: June 2009

Distance off the interstate: Right off of 101 (Oregon Coast Highway).

Bathrooms: Yes.

Food Services: There’s both a cafe and a coffee stand with various drinks and muffins. A nice play area is located at the end of the outdoor walk.

Website: http://www.aquarium.org/

Directions: From 101: Follow 101 through Newport, across the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Turn left onto 32nd Street. At the T, turn left onto SE Ferry Slip Road. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is straight ahead on the right.

From I-5: At Corvallis, take Hwy 20 west to U.S. Hwy 101 and follow directions above.

Source: Angie McCoy
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Sideling Hill Service Plaza

June 23, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

Farmers Market at Sideling curstesy of The Mother of All Trips

Taylor, PA

The Sideling Hill Service Plaza is one of 18 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but only one of two hosting a farmer’s market of locally grown fruits and vegetables (the other one is located in Allentown).

Says Mara of The Mother of all Trips, We pulled off at the Sideling Hill Service Area on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in between Harrisburg and Altoona to discover that it is a lovely spot! We grabbed our cooler out of the trunk and had a nice picnic next to the memorial garden that is planted on one side of the service area building (a plaque there honors veterans of the armed forces)¦Nicest of all was the farmer’s market, where five days a week it is possible to purchase local produce, jams, and baked goods. I picked up some cherries and blueberry bread for breakfast they should make a nice supplement to the complimentary cereal we get at our hotel. Read Mara’s full article Playing Catch on the PA Turnpike.

Date last visited: Mid-June 2009

Distance off the interstate: Directly off the turnpike. Access from both east and westbound.

Bathrooms: Yes.

Food Services: In addition to the farmer’s market, the plaza contains a Burger King, Popeye’s, and Hershey’s Ice Cream.

Website: Find information on all of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s service plazas at: http://www.paturnpike.com/geninfo/srvcplaza/svcplazas.aspx.

Directions: West of Harrisburg on the PA Turnpike (I-78), between exits 161-180.

Photo curtesy of The Mother of All Trips.

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Lithia Park

June 18, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

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 square or follow Winburn around the side of the park, and cross one of the several arched bridges over Ashland Creek. At this north end of Lithia Park, you’ll find a duck pond and excellent play structure, complete with climbing wall/rock and rope tower. Near the play area is easy access to the creek, where kids can dip toes on hot days (unless signs dictate otherwise¦the creek is closed to waders during some summers).

Almost at the top!

If you have time, continue on the marked paths to the south end, where you’ll find tennis courts, a second (more inhabited) duck pond, and hiking trails.

On the way back to the car, let the kids peek into Small Change, an excellent toy and boutique-quality children’s clothing store at 5 N. Main. Little ones can climb up the ladder into an elevated loft (fully enclosed with a latching gate) where they are encouraged to play with a selection of toys while you peruse the offerings. The other shops along the square are fascinating to poke around in as well, if your kids have the patience!

Nate and Cal climbing the rope tower.

Date last visited: June 2009

Distance off the interstate: About five minutes’ drive.

Bathrooms: Clean bathrooms are located by the play structure. Many shops and restaurants are also within walking distance.

Food Services: Downtown Ashland has a plethora of excellent restaurants, but our personal favorite with kids is Munchies, located right in the heart of the square, on the corner of N. Main. They serve great vegetarian fare as well as burgers, pasta, and Mexican selections. There are also several ice cream and candy shops along the same block, as well as Big Town Hero and vegetarian and Thai cuisine.

Directions: From I-5, take exit 19 and turn right at S Valley View Rd. Turn left at Hwy-99 and continue 2 miles. Take a slight right at Guanajuato Way, then turn right at Winburn Way.

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Gunter Air Force Base

May 25, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base

Gunter Air Force Base
Montgomery, Alabama

As today is Memorial Day, it seemed fitting to post a pitstop for military families. If that applies to you, and you are driving I-65 in Montgomery, Gunter Air Force Base may be a good (and affordable) overnight option. Lucia at Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish stopped over with her family recently: $46 for two bedrooms separated by a bathroom and fairly close to major interstates. We stopped at the commissary the next morning to stock up on gas and snacks for the road.

Distance off the interstate: 4.5 miles

Food Services: Check out the commissary (links are below).

Website: Both of these provide good contact information:
http://militarymediainc.com/maxwell/
http://www.au.af.mil/usefullinks.asp

Directions: From I-65 south:

Take Exit 172. Turn right at Herron St. Herron St turns slightly left and becomes Bibb St. Continue on AL-108/Madison Ave, then turn left at Federal Dr. Continue on Cong W L Dickinson Dr, then turn right at N Turner Blvd, turn right at Spaatz St, turn left at S Morris Ave, and turn left at Clarke Park.

From I-65 north:

Take exit 173 for North Blvd toward US-231, then merge onto AL-152/Northern Blvd. Turn right at Emory Folmar Blvd, left at Cong W L Dickinson Dr, right at N Turner Blvd, right at Spaatz St, left at S Morris Ave, and left at Clarke Park.
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Multnomah Falls

May 18, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

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 still more enticed by the tiny creek that runs the length of the parking lot¦go figure!). You can view the falls right from here, but to get the kids some much needed exercise, I’d suggest taking the fairly easy, short hiking trail up to Benson Bridge (midway up the falls). If you have even more time and energy, the trail to the top of the waterfall is worth the effort, but keep in mind that it’s steep (with switchbacks) and over a mile long. A historical center resides inside the lodge, by the gift shop (yes, of course there’s a gift shop! It’s a nice one, though!). …read more»

Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center

May 3, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

2211 Dug Gap Battle Road
Dalton, Georgia

If you miss the Georgia Welcome Center a few miles north, or it’s too cold or wet to let the kids run around outside it, consider a pit stop at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center, locally called the Dalton Trade Center.

There is room to stretch, but small enough to not get lost. The bathrooms are spectacularly clean. And of course, there are vending machines. I admit it seems wierd at first to crash a trade center, but wait, there’s more……read more»

Bear Creek Park

May 1, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

A section of the Bear Creek Greenway

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 have bikes with you!) and a large skate park. Parking is available there, or on the opposite end, by the large fortress’ playground. This is the most shaded area, with a huge climbing structure, tire swings, slides, and more. Bike paths connect this playground with the skate park (and tennis courts in-between). Also connected to the park is the Bear Creek Greenway bike path, which runs miles in either direction (toward Ashland, Oregon and Central Point, Oregon). If you have time, the greenway is a shady place to be on a summer day.

Sweet Tomatoes

April 25, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

Buffet at Sweet Tomatoes

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 Plantation), imagine food that’s fast, but nothing like fast food. Or, if you will, a Hometown Buffet that’s actually good (sorry, I’m not a fan of the latter). Sweet Tomatoes is a buffet filled with fresh, whole foods: every type of salad you can imagine, six to eight homemade soups, pasta, bread to die for, drinks, and dessert. If you’re a newbie, don’t make the same mistake we made our first time: be sure to grab the compartmentalized child trays for your kids (they’re molded to keep foods from running into each other¦ewww), and if your kids want to skip all the specialty salads offered at the beginning of the buffet, don’t panic¦there’s tons more kid-friendly options (including a Kids Only station) further in the back.

Try to avoid this Tigard location on weekend nights (but that’s probably true for all of them).
…read more»

The Varsity Restaurant

April 22, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

61 North Ave NW
Atlanta, GA

Make sure you’re hungry for a meal while cruising through Atlanta on I-75, because you’re going to want to stop at The Varsity. According to a member of Disboards.com’s Transportation board, it’s a must: To say they serve burgers and chili dogs is unfair. It’s indescribable.

You’ll find burgers, hot dogs, and chili at The Varsity, but according to most reviews, it’s the hand-cut fries, onion rings, and fried pies that are to die for. What? I never said it was healthy! It’s also the world’s largest drive-in. You know you’ve got to see that!…read more»

Jelly Belly Factory Tour

April 11, 2009 By Amy Hagstrom

Fairfield factory main floor, photo courtesy of www.jellybelly.com

1 Jelly Belly Lane
Fairfield, CA

What I seem to remember most about Jelly Belly’s California factory is the absolutely horrendous tantrum my then-three-year-old (now seven-year-old) decided to throw somewhere between the sorting floor and the tasting room. And yet, despite the fact that mortal embarrassment is my first connotation with this attraction, it still makes my list of reviews. It’s that great.

And it’s free! Tours of the factory go from 9 am to 4 pm every day (every 15 minutes) and are 45 minutes long (about 10 minutes TOO long for my three-year-old…but maybe not yours). Guides take you past viewing areas of all aspects of the factory (beware primary color overload!). You end up in a gift shop (surprise!) but do get free samples.

Tip: look for the section with the ‘Belly Flops’ (misshapen but perfectly edible discount beans).

Try to avoid on holidays. It will be crowded, causing wait times for the tours, and some of the machinery won’t be running.