Mrs. Grossman’s Sticker Factory

3810 Cypress Dr. Petaluma, CA If you look back with longing to your sticker-trading days, you won't want to pass up a stop at Mrs. Grossman' Sticker Factory in Petaluma, CA. Free one-hour tours run multiple times per day, and include a video, a guided tour of the sticker factory, a fun sticker craft, a visit to their sticker museum, where you can see every sticker Mrs. Grossman's has ever … [Read more...]

Del Mar Motel on the Beach

1702 Coast Bvld. Del Mar, CA The San Diego area is a family vacation wonderland (Legoland and SeaWorld, anyone?) and Del Mar Motel on the Beach is a wonderful option for your accommotions, often overlooked in travel magazines and guidebooks. There are countless luxury hotels scattered throughout Del Mar, and in comparision, Del Mar Motel on the Beach is a no-frills operation (although it's … [Read more...]

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 … [Read more...]

Mt. Shasta Treehouse Inn

111 Morgan Way Mt. Shasta, CA My family and I have stayed at The Best Western Treehouse Inn in Mt. Shasta, CA several times, and while most chain motels are not worth a review, this one is an exception! If you're traveling I-5 and need a place to stay the night, skip Redding (to the south) and Medford (to the north) if you can, and stay in Mt. Shasta. Not only is it a beautiful area in all … [Read more...]

McKinley Park

601 Alhambra Boulevard Sacramento, CA Some of you may know this already, but the concept for Pitstops for Kids was born after a frustrating afternoon trying to find a nice park while driving through Sacramento, CA. So you can imagine my excitement when I came across this wonderful review at Tripping with Kids! McKinley Park was named Best Playground of 2009 in the Sacramento News and Review, … [Read more...]

Crescent City, CA

Hwy 101 Crescent City, CA The entire beach town of Crescent City, CA makes for a breathtakingly beautiful pit stop any time of year! A great place to start is Enderts Beach in Redwoods National Park. Says reviewer Angie McCoy, "It's a great flat beach with a picnic area, parking and bathrooms. You go just 2 miles south of Crescent City (Hwy 101) to Enderts Beach Road. Take this road for … [Read more...]

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom tips

1001 Fairgrounds Dr. Vallejo, CA Six Flags Discovery Kingdom may seem more like a destination than a pitstop, but given its location off I-80 and near the I-5 corridor between LA and Sacramento, it serves as a great overnight break from long-distance driving. We stopped on our way home to Oregon from Laguna Beach this past summer, staying one night at the Courtyard by Marriott Napa Valley … [Read more...]

McArthur Burney Falls State Park

24898 Hwy 89 Burney, CA McArthur Burney Falls State Park is one of the nicest state parks I've run across in a long time. In northern California's volcanic country near Lassen National Park, it sits directly on Highway 89 near Burney. After you enter the park, you'll find a large, shaded picnic area to your right, with parking to the left. Follow the signs to the Burney Falls overlook for an … [Read more...]

Bassetts Station

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 … [Read more...]

Jelly Belly Factory Tour

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 … [Read more...]