On my very first morning of a week-long dude ranch stay at Flathead Lake Lodge in western Montana, I sat down to breakfast in the historic lodge dining room and couldn’t find a spoon. I looked about, but the wait staff was busy, so I turned to a fellow guest…a veteran of many summers at the dude ranch. “Oh, just start checking the drawers,” she said, pointing to a cabinet. “I think they’re in the … [Read more...]
What to expect on an O.A.R.S. river rafting trip
August 11, 2017 By
Earlier this month, we enjoyed our fourth multi-night rafting trip with O.A.R.S. If you do something four times, it's because you love it, and there are very few vacations we've loved as much as O.A.R.S. trips. This unique family vacation combines some of our favorite things: outdoor exploration, adventure, isolation and off-the-grid family time, and conservation. And it packages all these … [Read more...]
Beyond the Blue Lagoon: Iceland hot springs off the beaten path
July 26, 2017 By
Yep, we went to Iceland for eight days and never went to the Blue Lagoon. Why pay a crazy entry fee to go to an overcrowded geothermal pool, when so many remote, beautiful, and FREE pools exist all over Iceland? During our camper van road trip in Iceland, we dipped our toes in steaming water every single day, and never paid an entry fee of more than $25 (and usually paid nothing at all). Where … [Read more...]
Deschutes river rafting with Sun Country Tours
July 19, 2017 By
During our recent visit to Pronghorn Club, we were fortunate enough to enjoy the Big Eddy rafting trip with Bend, Oregon's Sun Country Tours. 'Short but sweet', the Big Eddy trip is only 1.5 hours long (2.5 door-to-door from Sun Country) but promises more whitewater than most families see on the average float or raft trip (at least it was more than we had seen!). Deschutes river rafting: Our … [Read more...]
Three northwest backpacking routes for families
July 17, 2017 By
Parents with young children: you absolutely can backpack with kids! Our family has found success by choosing backpacking routes that are short on distance but big on rewards, whether that be in the form of a fun lake or river to swim in, dramatic scenery, or both. The following three northwest backpacking routes for families deliver. Before you read on, check out our tips for backpacking with … [Read more...]
Summer in the Berkshires: Bousquet Mountain Adventure Park review
June 26, 2017 By
Bousquet Ski Area’s Adventure Park is a vertical playground of high rope courses, zip lines, nets, and ladders, all set against the backdrop of the beautiful Berkshires. With three levels of course ‘elements’ to master, everyone will be challenged here, and everyone can get a taste of what ropes courses are all about. Bousquet Mountain Adventure Park review: We met first with our … [Read more...]
Aerial adventure in St. Louis: Go Ape-St. Louis
June 9, 2017 By
Driving through beautiful Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park in St. Louis, you could be forgiven for thinking you've stumbled across an Ewok village. Actually, it's Go Ape-St. Louis, an aerial obstacle course with ziplines. The Go Ape experience Our treetop adventure began with check-in at the red barn, where the attendant holds keys, wallets, and phones behind the counter for safe … [Read more...]
Earth Day-friendly bucket list experiences and destinations
April 21, 2017 By
In celebration of Earth Day, we've rounded up our favorite experiences, tours, and travel operations that promote a spirit of 'Earth Day every day'. These travel experiences, through their passion for their destinations, help create the next generation of environmentalists. Earth Day-friendly bucket list experiences: Uncruise in Panama and Costa Rica: We just returned from Uncruise's newest … [Read more...]
Top travel destinations of 2016
December 19, 2016 By
Here at Pit Stops for Kids, we travel approximately once or twice a month, all year round. In December of every year, we take a moment to reflect on the past year's trips, and try to select the five that stood out the most. It's a tough decision, and always, there are multiple contenders. But we have our winners! Use the list below as inspiration as you plan your travel for the coming year! Top … [Read more...]
Guide to Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley Peru
October 17, 2016 By
We traveled through Peru with Vantage Adventures, which I highly recommend. However, this guide is designed to be useful to you whether you’re traveling with Vantage, another tour company, or on your own. The Sacred Valley of Peru is a stunning region of high mountain plains dotted with quinoa, wheat, and Incan corn, impossibly high peaks covered in glaciers, and valleys nestled with medium to … [Read more...]
