How to save on accommodations for your next family vacation

Getting ready to plan your holiday travels? Early planners can reap the benefits of early bird specials, deals, and savings, making family vacations more affordable. Here's how to save on accommodations for your next family vacation: Think long-term: Instead of chasing last-minute deals, parents planning ahead have time to earn loyalty rewards. Start here, with a comparison of hotel loyalty … [Read more...]

Where to stay in Paris on a budget with kids

When we planned to spend five days in Paris with kids, we knew we'd be on a budget. To make it possible for us, we chose to book a HomeAway apartment rental in an outer arrondissement. This arrangement allowed us enough sleeping space for our family of five, a kitchen to cook some meals in, and a washing machine for our laundry. We already trusted HomeAway, as we use this site for ski vacations in … [Read more...]

Holidays away from home: Tips for preparing kids

At least every other year, we travel during the holiday season. This means my kids are pretty accustomed to celebrating holidays away from home, and as a parent, I'm pretty good at making Christmas special...wherever we are. This year, we'll be celebrating Christmas Day in Italy. In the days leading up to the holiday, we'll be renting a HomeAway apartment in Paris. Here's how we'll celebrate the … [Read more...]

Where to stay on Kauai North Shore: HomeAway vacation rental pick

We recently spent 10 days exploring as many off-the-beaten-path locations on Kauai we could. Our home base: this North Shore Kauai vacation rental. Located in the resort community of Princeville just a few blocks from the ocean, the home was perfect for our extended, multigenerational family of 11. If you're wondering where to stay on Kauai North Shore with your family, read on! When we … [Read more...]

Winter vacation home rental process made easy

Ever rented a vacation home for a family holiday? Worried it might be a complicated process? Not sure how to go about it? Pit Stops for Kids can help! This post was originally published in 2010, when we rented our first winter vacation home in Lake Tahoe through HomeAway. In the years since, we've rented homes several times, including two more Tahoe homes (once through Northstar California, and … [Read more...]

Skiing with a Tween at Sierra-at-Tahoe

This post was originally published as part of our Home (Away) for the Holidays series. It's easy to find kid-friendly skiing in Tahoe, but what about those hard to please tweens and teens? I spent an extra day at Sierra-at-Tahoe last week with Nate, during which we noted what worked for his age group (middle school) and ability level (advanced). Sierra at Tahoe is not too big, and not … [Read more...]

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Preparing for winter driving

During the holiday season, the Pit Stops family is often on the road, en route to Lake Tahoe, California or Central Oregon for a family ski vacation. If you'll be traveling in winter weather as well, revisit our Home (Away) for the Holidays series, with tips on getting a holiday vacation rental, playing in the snow, and preparing for a winter vacation. Our first challenge? Packing all the … [Read more...]

Thimbleberry Cabin: winter escape in Southern Oregon Cascades

For a year-round mountain getaway in the Northwest, families can't beat the Southern Oregon Cascades. Easy to access from I-5 (to Highway 140), this region south of Crater Lake National Park and west of Klamath Falls is rich with national forest land, lakes, and recreation. We love the area's 'off-the-beaten-path' feel (and the fact that it's only a few short hours from several Oregon cities)! … [Read more...]

Best Ski Towns: South Lake Tahoe, CA

Spring is a wonderful time of year to spend in South Lake Tahoe! Skiing and other snowsports are still on offer, and sunny skies and warmer temps make hiking and lake days possible, too. Note: As travel today remains uncertain, please keep your safety and the safety of others in mind at all times. If you are comfortable with traveling, please travel responsibly and within regulation as any … [Read more...]

Our top ten national park travel moments

The Pit Stops for Kids family does our best to do more than 'talk the talk' of family travel: we pack up the kids and walk the walk...through rainforests and woods, deserts and beaches, striving to take our kids beyond the boundaries of what they know of our corner of the natural world. I suppose it's no surprise that our top travel moments have occurred on just such 'foreign' soil as our own … [Read more...]