Bassetts Station

Bassetts Station, CA

Bassetts Station, CA

100 Gold Lake Road
Sierra City, CA

Once a stagecoach stop, Bassetts Station is still a much-appreciated rest stop for travelers navigating US Hwy 49’s windy, tree-lined turns. Serving both campers, fishermen, and hikers in summer and snowmobilers in winter, Bassett’s sits conveniently at the junction between several prime locations for outdoor recreation, and provides all the conveniences of home: gas (both unleaded and diesel), a well-stocked store, a cafe, firewood, even sandwiches and ice cream. There’s a motel as well (although we stayed just a mile or so further down Gold Lake Road at Salmon Creek Campground, which we loved. If you need nothing else, stand on Bassett’s wooden porch and take in the breathtaking view of the Sierra Buttes and surrounding Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

If you have time (or are headed further down 49 anyway), make another stop in the town of Downieville. From the Sierra County Visitor’s Guide: “Visit the historic gallows outside of the courthouse, the see Sierra County’s collection of gold nuggets in the lobby. Walk through the historic county seat, wander the shops on Main Street, laze at “The Forks” of the North Yuba and Downie rivers, and grab a copy of California’s oldest weekly newspaper.”

Also worth visiting, the Downieville Museum is open through the summer months and on many weekends through the spring and fall. Learn all about the gold rush which once made this tiny community a boom town. Located in a stone building on Main Street.

Date last visited: July 2009

Distance off the interstate: Bassett’s is directly at the junction of 49 and Gold Lake Road. Downieville is another approximate 20 miles.

Bathrooms: Yes.

Food Services: Grab a burger at Bassett’s and eat it outside in the alpine air.

Website: None.

Directions: From Sacramento: Take I-80 E to Exit 188A toward Truckee. Turn left at Donner Pass Rd. At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto CA-89/State Route 89. Continue to follow CA-89, then turn left at CA-49/CA-89/W Main St. Continue to follow CA-49. Destination will be on the right.

From Reno, Nevada: Take the ramp onto I-80 W, entering California. Take exit 188 for CA-267/CA-89 toward Lake Tahoe, then turn right at CA-89/State Route 89 (signs for Truckee/CA-89/Loyalton). At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit and stay on CA-89/State Route 89. Continue to follow CA-89 to CA-49.
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Tallahassee Museum with kids

Discovery Center at the Tallahassee Museum

Discovery Center at the Tallahassee Museum

3945 Museum Drive
Tallahassee, FL

The Tallahassee Museum is located on I-10 mid-way between Pensacola and Jacksonville. Says Lucia of Dim Sum, Bagels and Crawfish, We drive I-10 between Florida and Louisiana on a pretty regular basis and each time we drive through Tallahassee I see the signs for the Tallahassee Museum. I often wonder about it and make a mental note to stop on a future trip. Well, last weekend on the way back from a week at the beach my mom and my son turned it into a memorable pit stop. They kept raving about all of the interesting animals they saw. My mom was especially impressed with the cypress lake and the fact that most of the paths are well shaded (very important and not always easy to find on hot Southern days). In addition to the outdoor exhibits, there are also some interesting hands-on displays inside.

For a map and more positive reviews on the Tallahassee Museum, check here.

Date last visited: July 2009

Distance off the interstate: Ten minutes from the I-10 exit (well marked with sign for the museum).

Hours and Admission Prices: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 12:30 p.m.  5 p.m. Sunday. Entry fees are $9.00 for adults and $6.00 for children, per their official website.

Bathrooms: Yes.

Food Services: A quick service cafe with kids’ meals.

Website: http://tallahasseemuseum.org

Directions: Take exit 196 for FL-263. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for Tallahassee. Turn left at Capital Circle NW/FL-263, then left W. Orange Ave. Turn right at Rankin Ave. Rankin Ave becomes Museum Dr.

 

E.J. Roberts Park

Shady and green playground in E.J. Roberts Park

Shady and green playground in E.J. Roberts Park

North Bend
Washington

If you’re stopping for a quick bite to eat in North Bend, WA, you’ll quickly lament the lack of play lands at any of the fast food offerings. But a quick inquiry of the drive thru staff at Taco Time led us to E.J. Roberts Park. Only a few minutes into town (and it’s a lovely town!), EJ Roberts is a beautiful little respite from a long roadtrip. Located in a quiet residential area, the park is medium-sized, with a shaded play area, lots of grass to throw a ball around, and picnic tables, all with a stunning mountain backdrop.

Toby, engage in horseplay? Noooo....

Toby, engage in horseplay? Noooo….

Date last visited: June 2009

Distance off the interstate: Three minutes off I-90.

Bathrooms: They were not very clean, but frankly, we were just glad they were there!

Food Services: Plenty of fast food nearby, including McDonald’s, Taco Time, and KFC. There’s also a Safeway within five minutes.

Directions: From I-90, take Bendigo Blvd to E. 4th, then turn left on Ballarat. Turn right on SE 114th, which turns into 6th. Park is on the right.

For more travel photos today, check out Photo Friday at delicousbaby.com.
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La Tarasca Restaurant

La Tarasca in Centralia, WA

1001 W. Main
Centralia, WA

All the other reviews out there are right: La Tarasca has excellent Mexican food¦perhaps the best, and certainly the most authentic, I’ve ever tasted. Due to its close proximity to The Great Wolf Lodge Grand Mound, this restaurant has been heavily reviewed (just do a Google search), but all those words really do bear repeating. From the street, the place is nothing to look at, but don’t let that dissuade you. Inside, it’s colorful and cheery. We were served by the restaurant’s owner herself, who was happy to help us decide which of her native southern Mexican specialties we’d most enjoy. When our four-year-old couldn’t decide on his drink order, she told him she’d whip him up something special’ and came back with a delicious rice milk and cinnamon concoction. The restaurant does has a children’s menu, but she allowed mine to customize it to their tastes (my ten-year-old substituted beans for meat in his taco, for instance, and my seven-year-old opted for a tamale hot out of the oven instead of any of the kid offerings). My husband ordered carnitas (the house specialty), and ended up sharing his plate with all the kids, who all loved it (which is rare, as they’re primarily vegetarians). I ordered the chile relleno, and can say it’s the best I’ve ever had.

Date last visited: June 2009

Distance off the interstate: About two minutes.

Bathrooms: Yes.

Website: None. There is a phone number however: 360-736-7756. It’s advisable to call to check hours, which can vary. At the time of this posting, it’s open until 9 pm, and is closed every Tuesday.

Directions: From I-5, take Exit 82 (Harrison Ave). After Yew Street, Harrison turns into Main. The restaurant is located on the left.
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Extensive Great Wolf Lodge review: Grand Mound Washington

This past week, my family and I spent two nights and two days at The Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, WA.

We arrived at the resort at approximately 9 pm on a Sunday night. The lobby was still filled with children watching the evening animatronics show by the Grand Hall’s main focal point, the clock tower (more on that later), but there was no wait to check in.

Great Wolf

Get our top Great Wolf Lodge tips here, good for all locations!

As a family of five, we had booked a Kid Cabin Suite, which consists of a room with a queen bed, a pull-out sofa, and a framed off cabin compartment with a kid-sized bunk bed and day bed. Based on photos from the website, my boys had wanted a Wolf Den Suite (similar but with a faux rock wall to simulate a cave), but as it’s designed for a family of four, booking one would have required purchasing an additional water park ‘Paw Pass’ for our youngest to the tune of $40 a day (a detail I only realized after booking¦luckily it was easy to change). For our family, the Kid Cabin Suite was a better deal.

And the kids were very happy with it.

The rest of the room was spacious and clean. We were pleased with the corner fireplace and flat screen TV, and it was also very nice to have a fridge and microwave (enabling us to eat breakfast in our room and store drinks and snacks). Within the kid cabin was a second flat screen TV with a Game Cube (games can be ordered for $6.95 an hour). We opted to skip that feature, and used the TV only for free channels in the mornings. I was slightly worried about noise level at night with so many kids afoot throughout the lodge, but at least in our section of the lodge, the ‘Hibernation’ hours of 10 pm to 7 am were well adhered to. We never heard a peep after putting the kids to bed at 9 pm each night.

great-wolf-lodge-kidcabin

On Monday morning, we ate our own breakfast in our room, and I checked out the fitness center. It was smaller than I had expected, but at 7:30 am, I was easily able to get an elliptical machine. There were also treadmills and weight machines.

Great Wolf Lodge activities:

MagiQuest:

By 9 am, the water park was open and MagiQuest was activated for the day. This bears explaining, because trust me, your kids will want to do it.

Tip: get all our MagiQuest tips here!

MagiQuest is an interactive activity installed throughout the lodge. The official website explains it better than I can: Armed with high-tech wands, your family must solve magical challenges throughout the resort to gain powers (and points) and move to higher levels of the game. Even if this doesn’t sound like your sort of thing, you won’t be able to avoid it. Everywhere you go (on the public areas of the first four floors), kids will be waving wands and bringing various fixtures in the hallways and ceilings to life. I know it sounds annoying, but it’s actually quite good fun. We encountered older children stopping to give hints on the game to younger ones and while kids occasionally bumped into us in their excitement to find their next clue, the general chaos wasn’t unmanageable.

MagiQuest

But onto the nitty gritty: wands start at $14.99 (you can pay substantially more for fancy toppers) and then an additional $9.99 is necessary to activate’ your game. I am not one to spend money on overpriced souvenirs or gimmicks, but let me say: it’s worth it. Every penny. It took my kids their entire stay to complete the quest (playing on and off as time allowed), and then several more games opened up…they continued playing right up until the moment we left, and could have played for another day at least. They took their wands home as keepsakes, and if we come back for a return visit, they can reuse the same wands (paying only the $9.99 activation fee). All in all, it was a great activity, and good exercise too!

ShadowQuest:

shadowquest

ShadowQuest is a brand-new interactive wand game, available at Great Wolf Lodge’s Grand Mound location, as well as at several other Great Wolf Lodge locations. In this live-action adventure game, your family takes on the task of helping to save the light of the sky before it vanishes. Players follow clues in a guidebook and explore the halls and stairways of Great Wolf Lodge to find hidden objects and complete quests.

The game is 12 stages long and can be completed over multiple visits to Great Wolf Lodge. My family played for about 3 hours and had a great time finishing the first four stages. My kids loved that their wands could be used not only for playing the game, but for opening treasure chests and activating statues and animals all over the lodge!

Howl at the Moon Miniature Golf:

Another new attraction at Great Wolf Lodge is the very cool Howl at the Moon miniature golf course. This golf course is a 9-hole course located near the arcade. It is decorated with lots of woodland creatures and has simple obstacles to work around on your way to the holes.  The whole course is lit with blacklights for a fun effect.

Waterpark:

The main attraction of The Great Wolf Lodge, however, is the water park. My first impression was that it actually smelled less chlorinated than most indoor water parks, which was a huge plus for me, since that heated, chemical-based smell really bothers me. I learned later that I wasn’t imaging it: The Great Wolf takes green’ measures to use less chlorine.

But of course my kids didn’t care about any of that. They were off and (not) running (that’s a big rule) from the moment we stepped through the doors. They were initially disappointed in the lack of a lazy river, but were quickly enamored by the wave pool. There was an excellent zero-depth entry splash and slide area for toddlers (the deepest section went up to my four-year-old’s waist) and a huge fort with dumping bucket and more slides. My husband and one of my kids spent most of their time in the pool with basketball hoops and moving floatation pads in the shape of animals, and my favorite feature was the indoor/outdoor hot tub. The thrill rides were fairly mild, but plenty thrilling for my family (oldest child at age 10). Two of the slides have a minimum height requirement of 48 inches, much to my preschooler’s disappointment, but there was plenty else to distract him. During our two day stay, we spend two whole mornings in the water park.

Northern Lights Arcade:

The kids were quite happy with the medium-sized arcade (and I was quite unhappy, because I hate arcades.) That said, this one was clean and the staff was very friendly. The kids were all able to redeem tickets for prizes, and came away with the usual assortment of arcade junk, which they greatly enjoyed.

Dining at Great Wolf Lodge Ground Mound:

On that first day, we ate an adequate lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers at the Spirit Island Snack Shop, which came to a total of approximately $30 for five people (this did not include drinks, as we brought in our own). Outside food is allowed in the water park, which was a great cost saver. I saw some families bringing in whole coolers. I wish I had been that organized!

For an afternoon break, the older boys continued their MagiQuest game, and I took the preschooler to the Cub Club, where he was able to color and play simple computer games for free. For additional fees, kids could decorate their own Great Wolf Lodge t-shirt or choose from a number of other art projects. We found it quite peaceful…and there was no pressure to purchase anything.

We opted to leave the lodge to eat dinner at La Tarasca in nearby Centralia, which I cannot recommend enough. We were back in time for the nightly clock tower show and story time, which was geared for ages perhaps 2-5. I took our four-year-old, and when we arrived right at 8 pm, we had trouble finding a place to sit. The show was a combination of song and animatronics, and ended in an appearance from Wiley the Wolf (GWL’s mascot) and a bedtime story read by a lodge employee (called a Pack Member). The message was very environmental in nature, and I’ve read other reviews criticizing the heavy emphasis placed by GWL on the outdoors when everything they offer is in fact indoors, but I was willing to let it pass. Perhaps that’s because our family spends enough hours out-of-doors backpacking and camping that I wasn’t concerned my children would mistake the woodsy d’cor of the lodge for the real thing.

Throughout our stay, I made mental comparisons between The Great Wolf and Silver Mountain Resort, where we had stayed the previous summer. They both have their pros and cons, and of course both are family friendly and have family suites. For a compatible room rate (based on the best available public rate at each), you get substantially more room for your money at Silver Mountain, with ‘true’ suites with separate rooms and a full kitchen and the ambiance of an established ski and mountain resort, but Great Wolf provides more for families to do on-site with their Cub Club, Gr8 Space (night club for kids 12 and older), and MagiQuest. The water parks are very compatible: Silver Mountain lacks a wave pool, but boasts a lazy river and surf simulator. My kids couldn’t decide which was better. Undoubtedly, Great Wolf is more centrally located for most people in the Pacific Northwest, and they are definitely geared solely toward families with young children.

We found the service staff to be excellent throughout our stay, with Pack Members’ never failing to say hello, smile, or ask if we needed anything. A Magi Master’ was always on-hand to answer quest-related questions, and I didn’t count the number of life guards in the water park, but it was teeming with them.

I’d definitely recommend The Great Wolf Lodge for a kid-centered getaway.

As I will disclose whenever applicable, we did receive significant compensation in the form of reduced rates and gift vouchers for review purposes, as is standard in the travel industry; however, these compensations came with no strings attached. As always, no less than my honest impressions will be present in this review.

Oregon Coast Aquarium

Abby McCoy gets an up-close view of sharks

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

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

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!

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.

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

Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base

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

450px-multnomah_falls_from_the_baseMultnomah 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»