The Oregon Vortex and House of Mystery

October 6, 2011 By

The Oregon Vortex, location of the House of Mystery is described as a natural wonder. A spherical field of force half above the ground and half below the ground, it amazes both kids and scientists alike.

A guide takes visitors on a tour explaining the “vortex”; how it was discovered and what it actually is. She or he demonstrates the phenomena and it is quite interesting. In our group, we had some skeptics who became believers! Then the guide takes you a few steps up the hill to where an old miner’s cabin slid down the hill. This is the “crooked little house” and has all kinds of optical illusions due to how it is slanted in the hill. Combine that with the whole vortex thing and it is pretty cool!

Distance from the Interstate: 15 minutes off I-5 near Gold Hill.

Admission cost: Adults $9.75, Kids 6-11 $7, 5 and under free.

Hours of operation: Open 7 days a week March through Oct. (from 9-5 in summer, 9-4 in fall).

Food services: None. Cold drinks are available in the gift shop.

Directions: The House of Mystery is located at 4303 Sardine Creek Left Fork Road in Gold Hill. It’s easy to find off the Gold Hill exit of I-5. Follow signage.

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

September 6, 2011 By

On a recent family trip to the New Hampshire lakes region, we spent a blissful morning at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, New Hampshire.

The science center is made up of a network of trails dotted with animal exhibits ranging from insects and birds to mountain lions and even a black bear. For the younger crowd, the highlight of the morning was the Gordon Children’s Center, an interactive (and indoors!) playspace with slides, tunnels, and games, all focused on the animals and habitats on display at the science center. The staff also offer fun, informal animal shows every hour between 11am and 3pm.

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center also offers lake cruises on Big Squam Lake, and summer camps for kids as young as four years old. Overall, this is a fun, educational way to get off the lake for a morning or afternoon with kids of all ages.

Date last visited: August 23, 2011

Distance from the interstate: Approximately 5 miles off 93N.

Hours of operation: Trails are open daily from May 1 to November 1, 9:30–4:30.

Admission: Adults: $15; kids (3¬–15): $10; 2 and under free.

Food services: Picnic! There are picnic tables located in a covered area just inside the ticket office, as well as a grassy area to set out a blanket. There is also food available for purchase at the Kirkwood Café (June through September only).

Website or contact info: www.nhnature.org

Directions: Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is located at 23 Science Center Road, Holderness, New Hampshire. Directions can be found on the website, or on googlemaps.

Douglas County Museum, Roseburg OR

April 8, 2011 By

This review of Douglas County Museum has been submitted by Pit Stops for Kids reader, Anne.

The Douglas County Museum in Roseburg, OR (123 Museum Drive) is a full-scale, quality museum in a small town. Its exhibits detail the Umpqua Valley history going back 12,000 years, and displays collections that appeal to adults and kids alike.

It’s located adjacent to the fairgrounds, just off I-5, and the price (free for kids!) can’t be beat. We love that it features a nice variety of historical and natural science exhibits, including some which are interactive. It makes for the perfect pit stop, as it won’t take families off the road for more than an hour (just enough time to stretch little legs and maybe have a snack). Anne’s kids (ages 5 and 7) loved playing “Little House on the Prairie” with the general store and Oregon Trail wagon exhibit and looking at the blacksmith and harvesting tools.

Extra tip: If you have time, check out the Junior Naturalists program for kids!

Distance from the interstate: Right off I-5

Date last visited: February 2011

Admission costs: Adults: $5, children under 17: FREE

Hours of operation: 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Sundays in winter)

Website; http://www.co.douglas.or.us/museum/

Directions: Take I-5 from either direction you are traveling to Exit #123. This exit is for both the Douglas County Fairgrounds and the Douglas County Museum. Once off the exit, follow the brown information signs directing you to the museum facility.

Western Pacific Railroad Museum

July 20, 2010 By

Reviewer’s family at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum.

700 Western Pacific Way
Portola, CA

This pit stop submitted by fellow mom and Pit Stops for Kids reader Vanessa. Visit Vanessa’s photography site, Second Spring.

If you should find yourself somewhere between Reno, NV and Chico, CA along Hwy 70 you will pass through the little town of Portola, CA. There you will find this little gem of a pit stop, The Western Pacific Railroad Museum. One of the best things about this museum is that they not only allow you to climb, crawl and explore the trains but encourage it…a fantastic way to expend a little pent up energy if you ask me! There are volunteer docents on hand should you have questions about any of the equipment. This part is not only a hit with the kids but the parents as well (I could have spent HOURS snapping the shutter on my camera around the rail yard had we not needed to stop for nap time!). The train ride is fun for the little kids- and you can sit either inside one of the caboose cars or outside. Our little guy jumped at the sound of the whistle but was thrilled to get to be on the train.

If you have a train lover in the family they rent out a caboose for parties and events (I am thinking birthday party for my little guy) and during the holiday season they deck out the caboose train in twinkle lights and get a visit from Santa. With a little planning ahead (since reservations are needed) you can even drive one of the diesel engines. Check the calendar on the website for more events.

Exploring the trains!

Date last visited: May 30th, 2010

Distance off the interstate: Just over half a mile off CA Hwy 70. (Approximately 50 minutes from Reno or 1.5 hours from Tahoe.)

Admission Prices: Museum is free (though donations are appreciated) and $5 to ride the train that run on the weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day (they also do special events like the Santa Train during the holiday season- see the Calendar page for more details).

Hours of Operation: 10am to 5pm

Food Services: Cold drinks and snacks available in the gift shop (and the Portola Frosty is a favorite stop for those hot summer days- just off Hwy 70 heading west from Gulling St.).

Bathrooms: Just down the hall from the gift shop in the museum.

Website: http://www.wplives.org/

Directions: From Hwy 70, take Gulling Street into the town of Portola, turn right on Commercial, a slight left onto Pacific and then a right onto Western Pacific Way. There are signs to lead you along the way.

The Choo Choo Barn

June 16, 2010 By

A traffic jam along the tracks is just one detail in the displays at Choo Choo Barn. Photo property of Mother of All Trips.

226 Gap Road
Strasburg, PA

Do you have a train-crazy kid in your family? Planning a family vacation or road trip through Pennsylvania Dutch country? You’ll want to stop at the Choo Choo Barn, a 1,700 square foot train-lover’s dream featuring over 150 hand-built animated figures and vehicles and 22 operating trains!

Mara Gorman of Mother of all Trips, says of the Choo Choo Barn: “I knew it was going to be a hit with Tommy when we walked in and immediately saw a baseball game with tiny players running the bases and a ski mountain with a working lift…there’s also lots of fascinating real-life stuff like construction sites with moving bulldozers, a car accident complete with backed-up traffic, and a house on fire being busily tended to by a crew of firefighters. And of course there are also trains chugging around continuously, passenger cars that you can see in, freight trains marked “Pennsylvania Railroad and B&O and even some that are pulled by engines who will be familiar to all Thomas the Tank Engine fans.” (Read her full review for more details and travel tips!)

Extra Tip! Can’t get enough of trains? Visit three other train attractions in PA: the Strasburg Railroad, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and the National Toy Train Museum. Alternatively, check out the cool railroading offers at modelbuildings.org.

Please Note: Route 30 has many outlets and tourist attractions along it, and during the summer months the traffic on the far side of Lancaster (the side closer to Strasburg) can be beastly! There are lots of lights because of all the businesses. Plan accordingly!

Date last visited: May 2010.

Distance off the interstate: Right off Route 30. Approximately 30 minutes from either I-76 or I-83.

Hours: Generally open 7 days a week, but hours are varied by season.

Admission Prices:

Adults (13 and up) $6.00
Kids (4 to 12) $4.00
Kids under age 4 are admitted free

Food Services: The Mother of all Trips recommends the restaurant next door to the Choo Choo Barn for lunch!

Bathrooms: Located on-site.

Website: Choo Choo Barn

Directions: From I-83, take exit 19 for PA-462 W, then merge onto N Hills Rd. Turn right at US-30 E, then right at PA-896 S/Hartman Bridge Rd. Continue to follow PA-896 S two miles, then turn left at E Main St. Take a slight left at PA-741 E/Gap R.

From I-76, take Hwy 283 to Hwy 23 into Strasburg.

Hormel SPAM Museum

May 16, 2010 By

SPAM Museum, photo courtesy of minnemom, Travels with Children

1101 N. Main St.
Austin, MN

If you’ve ever wondered what exactly is in that famous mystery meat, and you happen to find yourself driving along I-90 through Minnesota, you simply have to stop with your family at Hormel’s SPAM Museum in Austin.

Opened in 2002 and located directly across the street from Hormel’s main meat plant, the 16,500 square foot museum is housed in its own custom building and introduces visitors to every aspect of SPAM-making (which would certainly be educational!). “Spambassadors” roam the main floor, acting as guides (and serving SPAM on toothpicks), adding to the lighthearted fun.

Hands-on SPAMMY fun, photo courtesy of minnemom, Travels with Children

TwinCitiesGal of The Vacation Gals recently reviewed the museum, saying, “My kids’ favorite section was the Spam Production where they could dress up like factory workers and “package” their own SPAM. Mine on the other hand was the Changing Market Place. It showed the difference between the shopping habits of the 1950’s and today. The comparison was astounding!” Read her full review!

Date last visited: May 2010.

Distance off the interstate: Right off I-90!

Hours and Admission Prices: Admission is FREE! Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-5, Sunday 12-5. (Closed major holidays, open Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day.)

Bathrooms: Located on-site.

Food Services: If you’re feeling daring, Johnny’s Spamarama restaurant is located directly across the street. Beware: the menu is full of SPAM dishes!

Phone: 507-437-5100

Directions: From I-90, take exit 178-B. Turn south onto 6th St, then right at the T onto 14th Ave. Bear right (straight) onto 15th Ave, which turns left and becomes Main St. Cross the bridge, turn right onto 11th Ave., and the museum will be on the left.

 

Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park

May 7, 2010 By

Village at Indian Grinding Rock, photo courtesy of Tripping with Kids

14881 Pine Grove-Volcano Road
Pine Grove, CA

Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park makes for an excellent family road trip pit stop while you’re exploring California’s Gold Country. Located in the Sierra Nevada foothills eight miles east of Jackson, the park offers not only a great outcropping of marbleized limestone with some 1,185 mortar holes, but the Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum, which features a variety of exhibits and an outstanding collection of Sierra Nevada Indian artifacts. After visiting the museum, head over to the Miwok village complete with a ceremonial roundhouse that has been reconstructed in the middle of the small valley.

Reviewer Lora of Tripping with Kids comments on the excitement of exploring the village: “I watched the kids take off running to investigate some of the (other) teepees. Across from the hun’ge (roundhouse) was a large field, used even today as a playing field during living history events. Two trails are available to lead you around the woods, one is a half-mile and one a mile long. At the head of the trails, you can pick up a brochure that identifies particular local plants and what they were used for by the indigenous people.”

Date last visited: April 2010.

Distance off the interstate: 1 hour 15 minutes from I-5, 20 minutes from Hwy 49.

Hours and Admission Prices: Park hours are sunrise to sunset. Museum hours: Thursdays, Fridays and Mondays, 11 am to 2:30 pm. Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am to 3:30 pm. Admission: $8/car for day use.

Bathrooms: Located on premises.

Food Services: None. Picnic areas are available, or the town of Jackson offers several diners and a deli.

Directions: The park is northeast of Stockton in the lower foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains (or about 1 hour from Sacramento). Take State Highway 88 east through Jackson to the town of Pine Grove. Take a left turn on the Pine-Grove-Volcano Road, and about a mile and a half later you will enter the Park. The SECOND turnoff is the main entrance (the first is to the small campground).

Umpqua Discovery Center

April 20, 2010 By

Photo courtesy of the Reedsport chamber of commerce.

409 River Front Way
Reedsport, Oregon

Set along a boardwalk on the Reedsport Riverfront, The Umpqua Discovery Center is a cultural and historical museum designed to teach visitors about daily life in the town back when it revolved around whether the tide was coming in or going out. (This story not only applies to Reedsport but also to any number of river towns along the Oregon Coast.) From the official site: “As you enter the exhibits, you hear the sounds of the river rushing and feel nature surround you as you journey back through history.”

Great for all ages, the center serves as an educational starting off point as you drive up the Oregon coast. Interactive “Tidewater Community” exhibits and programs illustrate how land, water and people have shaped each other over time.

Distance off the interstate: Five minutes from Hwy 101.

Hours and Admission Prices: Open 7 days a week. Summer hours (June 1 through September 30) are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Winter hours (October 1 through May 31) are from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Admission ranges from $2.00 for kids under age 5 to $8.50 for adults, and group rates are available.

Bathrooms: Located within the center.

Food Services: Try lunch at the Schooner Inn Cafe, located adjacent to the center on the river front. Called ‘the best restaurant on the Oregon Coast’ by many TripAdvisor reviewers, it’s well worth the stop!

Website: http://www.umpquadiscoverycenter.com/

Directions: From Hwy 101, take Hwy 38 (Umpqua Highway) into Reedsport. Umpqua Highway turns into Fir Avenue. Take Fir to River Front Way. Turn left and continue to the center entrance.

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Kid Time! Discovery Experience

March 23, 2010 By

Kids are both chef and waitstaff in the play cafe.

Kid Time!, previously K.I.D.S, is a great place to stop and play while driving I-5 or just visiting the Rogue Valley, especially if the weather isn’t cooperating. A large, hands-on kids’ museum and play space, Kid Time has lots of imaginary place areas, including a store, a kitchen, a lemonade stand, a full stage and costumes, a camping set-up complete with tent, picnic table, and camping supplies, and more. They have a jungle room for climbing and playing (it even has a low rock wall!), and a large art area, water play area, and outdoor section for when the weather is nice.

Date last visited: March 2010

Distance off the interstate: 5 minutes

Hours and Admission Prices: Monday- Saturday 10:00-5:00,
Sunday 11:00- 4:00. $3.00/adult, $6.00/children (under age 1 is free).

Bathrooms: Two bathrooms are situated on opposite sides of the museum.

Food Services: The ‘Break Away Cafe’ is currently closed, but due to open again soon. When it was last open (under different management), it featured many healthy options at decent prices, and even foods adults like!

Website: http://www.discoveryspace.org/

Directions: Kid Time is located at 106 N. Central Avenue, Medford, OR. It’s less than three minutes from I-5.

Alameda Historical Museum

February 13, 2010 By

Photo courtesy of Alameda Historical Museum.

2324 Alameda Avenue
Alameda, CA

Sometimes, you need to find kid-friendly pit stops in the center of urban areas, too! Whether your destination is the San Francisco Bay Area or you’re just passing through, The Alameda Historical Museum is a fun place to stop near the Oakland International Airport if your family is learning about Victorian history. Kids can learn about the past by touring living history displays of every-day life¦right down to turn-of-the-century kitchens and living rooms. Once a month (4th Saturday), the entire Meyer’s House and Garden, erected in 1897, is open to the public.
The Alameda Historical Museum is just one of many locations listed and reviewed at MomMaps, an archive of kid-friendly spots on the go. You can find many of Pitstops for Kids’ reviews listed on the site or while browsing MomMaps’ app for iPhone. (Download it free at iTunes!) So far, MomMaps covers the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City Area, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Boise, and Hawaii.

Distance off the interstate: Ten minutes from I-880, twenty from I-80.

Hours and Admission Prices: Open Wednesday-Sunday 1:30 pm-4:00 pm, (Saturday 11 am-4 pm)

Food Services: None. Many restaurants are within a few city blocks!

Website: http://alamedamuseum.org

Phone for Meyer’s House: (510) 747.7529

Directions: From San Francisco: Go over the Bay Bridge and take 880 South to 23rd Avenue exit. Cross the Park Street bridge. Take Park Street and turn right on Alameda Avenue.

From the Oakland Airport: Turn left on Doolittle Drive and go straight for approximately 5 miles. Go over the Bay Farm Island Bridge onto the island of Alameda. Doolittle Drive turns into Otis Drive. Proceed to Park Street and turn right. Turn left on Alameda Avenue.
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