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Western U.S. national parks road trip

Touring Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Zion national parks, as well as Portland, OR, Spokane, WA, Big Sky, MT, Park City, UT, and Laguna Beach, CA.

Day 1: Arrive in Portland, OR (or start there!) and enjoy a Portland Spirit River Cruise. Overnight at Hyatt Place Portland.

Day 2: Drive I-84 and I-90 from Portland OR to Spokane WA (5 hours).

Day 3: Check out downtown Spokane, including the Mobius Kids Museum.

Day 4: Drive Highway 95 and Highway 2 from Spokane, WA to Glacier National Park. (Spend three nights at Many Glacier Hotel.)

Day 5: Explore Glacier National Park (Logan Pass and Hidden Lake).

Day 6: Explore Glacier National Park.

Day 7: Drive I-90 from Glacier National Park to Big Sky Resort. Stop en route at the Boulder Hot Springs.

Day 8: Spend two nights at the Summit Hotel at Big Sky Resort.

Day 9-10: Explore Big Sky and its many family friendly activities.

Day 11: Drive Highway 191 from Big Sky to Yellowstone National Park (1 hour). Enjoy Yellowstone for the day.

Day 12: Drive the Rockefeller Memorial Parkway from Yellowstone National Park to Grand Teton National Park (1 hour) and spend two nights at Colter Bay Village.

Day 13: Explore Grand Teton National Park.

Day 14: Horseback ride and visit nearby Jackson Hole, WY.

Day 15: Drive Highway 189 and I-80 from Grand Teton National Park to Park City, UT (7 hours). Overnight at the Westgate Park City.

Day 16: Drive I-15 from Park City to Zion National Park, UT (6 hours). Spend two nights at Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens.

Day 17: Explore Zion National Park.

Day 18: Explore Zion National Park.

Day 19: Drive I-15 and I-40 from Zion National Park to Laguna Beach, CA, with an optional stop in Las Vegas (7 hours).

Day 20: Explore Laguna Beach.

Day 21: Drive I-5 from Laguna Beach to Sacramento, CA (7 hours). Overnight at Embassy Suites on the river.

Day 22: Explore Old Town Sacramento.

National Parks with Kids

Great Basin with kidsOne goal of the Pit Stops family is to visit every National Park in the United States. We’re not there yet…not even close…but below you’ll find our extensive reviews of the parks we’ve seen firsthand, including where to stay, what to do, and when to go! And if you’re thinking of combining more than one national park in one trip, check out our Road Trips page for planned itineraries.

Arizona:

Grand Canyon National Park (and Maswik Lodge)

California:

Death Valley National Park (Furnace Creek Ranch)

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Colorado:

Mesa Verde National Park

Montana:

Glacier National Park (Many Glacier Hotel)
Glacier National Park (Logan Pass and Hidden Lake)
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park (Big Sky Resort)

Nevada:

Great Basin National Park

Oregon:

Crater Lake National Park (and lodge)
Oregon Caves National Monument

Utah:

Arches National Park
Zion National Park (hiking)
Zion National Park (Narrows)
Zion National Park (Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens)

Washington:

Olympic National Park with Kids
Lake Quinault Lodge

Wyoming:

Grand Teton National Park (Colter Bay Village)
Grand Teton National Park (Hidden Falls and Jenny Lake)

(For road trip itineraries featuring these parks, see our Road Trips page.) If you have a review of a national park we are missing, we’d love to learn from your family’s experience. Please fill out the pit stop submission form on the front page and we’ll feature you here!)

Junior Rangers: One of the Best Kept Secrets of National Parks!

August 14, 2010 By

Nate and Calvin get sworn in as new rangers at Death Valley National Park.

In honor of this weekend’s free admission to National Parks, Pit Stops for Kids would like to remind readers about one of the best programs the National Park system offers: Junior Rangers! It’s easy to sign up, it’s (usually) free, and it’s an excellent way to learn about aspects of the park you might otherwise miss.

Signing up is simple: you can find Junior Ranger booklets at nearly any park’s visitor center. Depending on the child’s age, they’re required to complete a certain number of pages in the booklet, then turn it in to a ranger. The tasks range from simple mazes and puzzles relating to the park to more difficult trivia questions (which your grade schooler may have to research to find the answers to). Most parks require that kids attend at least one ranger-led activity, campfire program, or guided tour while visiting in order to earn their ranger badge, but if you don’t have time or ability to get to one of these, a simple chat with any ranger is usually sufficient. Some parks even offer specially-designed Junior Ranger hikes and games, which your kids can attend (with an adult).

Our favorite Junior Ranger programs:

Zion National Park (where there was an extensive list of kid-oriented programs and times).

Mesa Verde National Park (where kids had to search through the Mesa Top museum scavenger-hunt style to find answers to questions).

The most extensive Junior Ranger program:

Yellowstone National Park, where earning that badge involves serious time and investment for older kids!

The friendliest Junior Ranger program:

Great Basin National Park, where the rangers presented the badges in full ceremony!

Be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity next time you’re visiting a national park! It adds much to the experience (and adults learn a lot more than they otherwise would as well). And if you’re taking advantage of this weekend’s free admission (August 14-15), enjoy!

Filed Under: National Parks and Monuments, Travel Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 20): Stops for Kids in Laguna Beach, CA

July 16, 2010 By
Pacific Coast Highway (California State Route ...

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On Day 20, we drove from Zion National Park to Laguna Beach, CA, a route pretty devoid of pit stops! We were very glad to arrive in such a kid-friendly mecca of attractions, restaurants, and beaches!

Having grown up in the area (and returning to visit relatives every year since), we are quite familiar with Laguna Beach and its surrounding areas, and we’re convinced it’s one of the best beach towns in America. Below are our favorite picks for families:

Best Public Beach:

Main Beach is lively and fun (and perfect for a post-breakfast or dinner stroll), but to escape the summer crowds, we recommend heading south to Aliso Creek Public Beach. Aliso Creek is on the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) just outside of Laguna in South Laguna. (The Montage Resort borders it on the north-end, a wonderful hotel which caters to children more than you’d think; if it’s in your budget, this is a wonderful hotel option). At Aliso, you’ll find a parking lot (eliminating long walks to the beach while carting all your stuff), bathrooms and showers, a playground right on the beach, and over a mile of sand. (The creek that feeds into it is inviting to kids, but there’s no wading allowed.)

Best Park:

Again, Main Beach boasts a fun park along the boardwalk, but for pure kid fun, we prefer Bluebird Park on the Laguna hillside. From Hwy 1, take Cress Street up the hill (directions). At Bluebird, you’ll find extensive play structures (with new, space-age-esque designs) for the toddler set as well as older kids, fun slides built into rocky hillsides, a rocket, and scooter/bike paths. (Sometimes gets busy with the kids’ club located adjacent to the park.)

Nate enjoys some downtime in Laguna Beach!

Best Local Event:

If you’re in Laguna during the summer months, be sure to check out the Sawdust Festival! Located right on Laguna Canyon Road (Hwy 133), this art festival features the booths of local artists (from pottery to fine art to jewelry) and gives kids plenty to look at! Be sure to check out the glass blowing demonstration and stop by the kids’ art booth to let your children try their hand at the project of the day! (Admission: $7.75 for adults, $3.25 for kids 6-12, free for under age 6.)

Best kid-Friendly Restaurant:

Ruby’s Diner, located at 30622 Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) is fast, fun, and kid-centric. Designed like an old-time diner, kids will love the shakes and malts, burgers, and onion rings (as well as their own chef hats). On nice days, ask for outdoor seating: they’ll take you up to the roof!

Best Toy Store:

Main Beach Toys is a great place to stop while browsing art galleries and shops in Laguna (so kids can actually touch some stuff!). Be sure to stop here before hitting the beach, too: they carry lots of sand and water toys.

Date last visited: July, 2010.

Distance off the interstate: Laguna Beach is about 30 minutes from I-5.

Directions: From the 405 or I-5, take Hwy 73 exit to Beach Cities to Hwy 1 into Laguna.

Up Next: We take the kids (and nephew Homer) to Pretend City in Irvine, CA!

Need to catch up? Find all ‘A Pit Stop a Day’ posts by searching ‘a pit stop a day’ in the search box!

Filed Under: Best Beach Towns, Best Vacation Towns, California, Hwy 101, Interstate, Outdoor Attractions, Pit Stops, Road Trips, state Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 17): Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens

July 13, 2010 By

Suites facing river views at Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens

After driving from Park City to Zion National Park, day 17 found us at Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens in Springdale, Utah, gateway to the park.

Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens is located in the heart of Springdale, mere yards from the national park entrance. While all of Springdale enjoys an unexpected lushness of greenery and flowering plants (due to water from the Virgin River which flows through town), the Cliffrose in particular boasts beautiful gardens and even fruit trees which contrast dramatically with its backdrop of sandstone cliffs and barren land.

I didn’t expect to love this resort as much as I did. On paper, it looked certainly comfortable (and clearly more than your average resort-area motel), but in ‘person’, it was so much more. It is beautifully laid out to mesh with its surroundings, the units steps away from the river and shaded by the well-kept gardens and grassy areas. The desert air felt ten degrees cooler on the property, and even at near full-capacity, it felt very peaceful and welcoming.

Nate and Cal walk through the gardens to the pool.

Swimming pool with beautiful cliffside backdrop!

The amenities for kids are extensive. The Cliffrose has a full-sized pool and hot tub, grass to play on (with chairs and umbrellas set out under shade trees for parents), a small playground for the toddler set, and best of all, river access with a sandy beach, fire pits, and picnic tables and chairs. The river is perfect for wading and floating, and inner tubes are available to use. My kids spent more time in the river than the pool, walking up the path to the lodge boundary, putting their tubes in, floating down to the other end of the grounds, and getting out to to it all over and over again. (Meanwhile, I was more than happy to sit in a deck chair with my feet in the river and read.)

Second bedroom in the Riverside two-bedroom suite.

There are several available room configurations at the Cliffrose, from regular one-room units to family, one-room, or two-room suites. We stayed in a Riverside two-bedroom suite, which was perfect. With a full kitchen and living area, we could store leftovers and picnic lunch supplies, spread out, and start a long game of Monopoly. Each bedroom had two double beds (or one King…rollaways are available) and a large bathroom (with tub).

Note: We bought our own inner tubes for river use at the Sol Market in Springdale (before realizing there were tubes for use on-site). They were larger and sturdier, and cost $20 each. Be sure to buy a pump as well ($6)!

Extra Tip: You’re in walking distance of the park entrance and most dining and shopping at the Cliffrose, but free town and park shuttles are available as well. We used these extensively, and found them to be very convenient.

Date last visited: July 6-8, 2010.

Distance off the interstate: Right off Hwy 9, about half an hour from I-15.

Room Rates: Rates range from $149 for a standard unit to $279 for a two-bedroom suite.

Food Services: There are no restaurants on-site, but Springdale is filled with great places to eat (and the Sol Market for snack and picnic supplies). We bought groceries for breakfasts and lunches, and ate dinners in town. Our favorite picks were the Bit and Spur (great outdoor seating and lawn for kids to play on) and The Spotted Dog (extensive children’s menu with large portions).

Website: Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens

Directions: From I-15, take Hwy 17 south to La Verkin, then take Hwy 9 west to Springdale.

Up Next: We hike (and swim!) in Zion National Park’s ‘Narrows’!

Filed Under: I-15, Interstate, Outdoor or Wilderness Resorts, Resort or Hotel, Road Trips, state, Utah Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 16): Cove Fort, Utah

July 12, 2010 By

Entrance to Cove Fort.

On Day 16, we reluctantly left the Westgate Park City behind to enthusiastically set out for Zion National Park. We needed a pit stop en route, and found it in Cove Fort between Fillmore and Beaver along I-15.

At first, we thought Cove Fort was a self-guided tour, but after eating our lunch in their large picnic area, we were greeted by a fort guide (docent) and told that entrance to the fort is by guided tour only. The tour included a 15 minute film followed by a walk-through. I wasn’t sure how much time I wanted to devote to this pit stop, but I wanted the kids (and myself!) to learn a bit more about Utah history, so we decided to do it.

The film was your typical historical museum recounting of the events leading up to and following the construction of the fort, and explained its purpose and described the people who lived there with narratives. It held everyone’s attention and Toby (age 5) followed along fine.

Our tour guide was very friendly and clearly cared about the historical significance of the fort. I was (happily) surprised that we didn’t need to wait for more visitors before starting our tour: there were enough guides to take individual families through the fort. She took us through many different rooms (all of which had been preserved with articles and furniture of the fort’s era) and explained life at the fort during its operation. Again, she kept the kids’ attention and answered their many questions.

Restored interior room at Cove Fort.

What I had thought would be a so-so pit stop and mostly a lunch break turned out to be very interesting and a great history lesson. The kids got to stretch their legs, learn about Utah history, and were given a small wooden toy much like a boy at the fort would have played with as a parting gift.

Note: Cove Fort is owned and operated by the LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). Understandably (due to Mormon and American history merging so thoroughly in Utah), there is a religious undertone to the tour. The inhabitants of the fort were Mormon pioneers, after all, and this is part of their story. However, the guides do take the opportunity to share their faith, and there are many Mormon references during their spiel. If this sort of thing makes you uncomfortable, you might want to skip the tour.

Extra Tip: If you need to cut your tour short due to time constraints, attention spans, etc, just let your guide know. They can cut out parts of it to help you get on your way (one perk of having guides per every family/group). Ours was very understanding.

Date last visited: July 6, 2010.

Distance off the interstate: Right off both I-15 and I-70.

Admission: Free!

Hours:

April-September: 8 am-sunset daily
October-March: 9 am-sunset daily

Food Services: There’s a very nice picnic area adjacent to the fort (you can’t miss it because you park right next to it). It’s well shaded by mature trees and there’s lots of grass and nice bathrooms. We bought sandwiches at the Subway right off the interstate and ate before touring the fort.

Website: None.

Directions: From I-15, take Exit 135 and follow signs after the gas station/Subway. From I-70, take Exit 1 to destination.

Up Next: We arrive in Zion National Park and check into the Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens!

Filed Under: Historical Sites, I-15, Interstate, Pit Stops, Road Trips, state, Utah Tagged With: , , , , , ,

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 15): Westgate Park City Resort and Spa

July 11, 2010 By

View of resort from our seventh floor balcony.

On Day 15, we traveled down Hwy 89 from Grand Teton National Park to Park City, Utah to stay overnight at the Westgate Park City.

The Westgate Park City is a beautiful resort nestled against the base of The Canyons ski resort about five minutes from downtown Park City. Winter is their peak season (no pun intended!), which makes it a great choice in the summer months to beat both high prices and crowds. And lest you think they only offer ski-oriented activities, rest assured: there’s plenty to do! In fact, had our itinerary allowed for it, we’d have gladly stayed two nights so the kids could spend more time at their Kids Club, pools, basketball court, playground, and nearby hiking trails, bike rentals, and alpine slide.

For our party of six (three adults and three kids), we were reserved the Presidential suite, which comprised of a similar layout to a two-bedroom suite plus adjoining one-bedroom suite, and had more than enough room. With a full kitchen (with granite counter-tops and quality appliances), we could have prepared Thanksgiving dinner had we wanted to (but who would, with all of Park City’s great restaurants?) and with three bathrooms, no one had to wait for showers. There was also a full dining room and living area, which made for a cozy place to share a dinner ordered in after a long day of traveling.

Full kitchen in suite.

Westgate master bedroom.

Full dining area.

The beds were ‘super comfortable with tons of pillows’ (in Nate’s words) and the living room also offered a pull-out bed/couch. With working fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, and a large balcony, the Westgate suite was the perfect place to spread out and relax for prices lower than you might think (as I said, I wished we had more time).

As guests of the ‘Moose Lodge’ section of the resort (buildings are distinguished by various animal names), two pools were at our disposal: the main indoor-outdoor pool (protected by a glass ceiling and walls for winter months) and hot tubs, and a smaller outdoor pool and hot tub closer to our lodge. The kids had fun at both, and Toby especially loved that each were only 3-4 feet deep max…making it easy for him to keep up with his older brothers without too much swimming. Another perk of the main pool was its proximity to the basketball and tennis courts; you could keep an eye on other kids playing while in the pool area.

Indoor-outdoor pool with atrium.

The Westgate also offers a fitness center (which I used) and exercise studio (offering yoga and other exercise classes at designated times), an adult-only relaxation pool and sauna, and a Kids Club, which had an extensive itinerary of programs and supervised care for kids 2-12 ($15/hour for non-Westgate Resort members).

Date Last Visited: July 5, 2010

Room Rates: At the time of this posting, rates ranged from studio rooms started at $107 per night to two-bedroom units from $215 per night during summer (off-season) months. Since Westgate Park City is a timeshare resort, you can also rent the units directly from resort owners, sometimes at cheaper rates than when you book through the resort.

Restaurants and Dining: Westgate has a quick service pizza counter and marketplace on-site for sundries and convenience foods (limited hours in summer) and a fine dining restaurant (closed Mondays) which offers room service. Otherwise, guests need to drive into Park City (five minutes) for their choice of an array of dining options. We ordered pizza from http://www.davanzas.com/, one of the only places with delivery to the Westgate, and it was delicious and fast.

Distance off the interstate: Minutes off I-80 on Hwy 224.

Directions: From I-80, take Exit 145/Highway 224 South toward Kimball Junction/Park City. Travel 2.7 miles and turn right onto The Canyons Resort Drive. Continue 0.5 mile to Westgate Park City Resort & Spa.

Note: Our only criticism of Westgate was its confusing layout. To their credit, they did try to warn us: right after I checked in, I was sent to guest services, where they explained how to find my rooms. Helpful, but not a good sign for me after a tiring travel day! The way the resort is divided into ‘lodges’ causes a complicated system of various elevators (especially when trying to approach from the underground parking garage). After another day on-site, I’m sure we would have had the route down, but for the first day, we were certainly lost more than once in the vast resort, and we weren’t the only ones. My advice: accept the resort’s offer of a valet to help show you to your room; the escort will be worth the price of a tip!

As I disclose with all compensated reviews, Westgate Resorts hosted us free of charge. While we greatly appreciate their hospitality, this compensation came with no expectation of a positive review.

Up Next: We drive south to Zion National Park and check in to the Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens.

Filed Under: I-80, Interstate, Resort or Hotel, Road Trips, Ski Resorts, state, Utah Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

A Pit Stop a Day Keeps the “Are We There Yets” Away

June 22, 2010 By

Or at least, that’s my hope as my family and I embark upon a 22-day road trip, touring four national parks, six family-friendly resorts, eight states, and a partridge in a pear tree. Well, maybe not that last one (which means it’s sure to show up on auto bingo, right?).

Where are we going?

Glacier National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Zion National Park

with overnights and multi-night visits at many mountain and family resorts, all of which we’ll be reviewing!

I’ll be posting ‘A Pit Stop a Day’ during our travels

(as WiFi availability allows), and hope you’ll follow along as I document our progress with texts and photos on Twitter using the hashtag #apitstopaday. Throughout our trip and after we return, you can expect extensive reviews on not only the best potty break locations (although those are worth their weight in gold), but on all the “Off the Beaten Path” resorts and attractions we visited.

If you need further incentive to stick with us as we make our way along the interstates and highways of the western U.S., Pit Stops for Kids will have not one, but TWO great giveaways introduced during our road trip!

Details to follow in the next few days, so make sure you’re following us on Twitter and ‘liking’ us on Facebook so you don’t miss out on opportunities to win!

Below is our general route. Our first stop: Portland, Oregon, where we’ll be reviewing the Portland Spirit Sightseeing Cruise and the Hyatt Place hotel!

To see all 23 posts on this road trip, click here.

View National Parks road trip 2010 in a larger map

Filed Under: road trip tips, Travel Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , ,