Sutter’s Fort State Historical Site

2701 L Street Sacramento, CA If you're passing through the Sacramento Valley on a road trip or family vacation and want to venture beyond the swinging saloon doors and adjustable bar stools of Old Town Sacramento, a visit to Sutter's Fort State Historical Site makes for a great pit stop. Note: Sutter's Fort has a Kidscore of 100. Learn more about Kidscore. Located downtown in the heart … [Read more...]

Home (Away) for the Holidays: HeliTahoe Helicopter Tours

If you're looking for a truly unique experience during your winter family vacation in the South Lake Tahoe area, book a helicopter tour with Tahoe's only helicopter sightseeing operation, HeliTahoe! With tour prices starting at just $70 per person, this breathtaking tour of the lake is no more extravagant than a day of skiing or afternoon of snowmobiling, and it's a treat no one will … [Read more...]

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Adventure Mountain

If you have thrill-seeking kids when it comes to sledding, you'll want to stop at Adventure Mountain near Echo Summit on Highway 50 for great family-friendly snow play in South Tahoe. Much more than just your neighborhood sledding hill, Adventure Mountain features multiple downhill runs divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced sections, walking paths up to the top, and, at least when we … [Read more...]

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Five things to do from our front door

As you know, we loved our HomeAway vacation rental in South Tahoe. Not only is this house idyllic, comfortable, and convenient, but it sits right in the midst of Eldorado National Forest, providing acres of wilderness to explore right from the front door. It's not in a neighborhood of multi-million dollar mansions lining Lake Tahoe, for which we couldn't have been happier. Instead, it's located … [Read more...]

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Sierra at Tahoe’s Blizzard Mountain

Sierra at Tahoe is a wonderful place for families to ski or ride, but sometimes, you just want to take it easy with a day of snow play. Or maybe you have young children who aren't up for a day on the slopes quite yet. Either way, if your idea of a fun family winter activity is a day in the snow, Sierra's Blizzard Mountain might be just the thing! Located conveniently away from the hustle and … [Read more...]

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Sierra at Tahoe ski resort

We're a family who loves to ski. We've visited many ski resorts, including a large sampling of what the Lake Tahoe area has to offer. During our Home (Away) for the Holidays vacation week, our rental home is right at the base of Sierra at Tahoe resort, so we checked it out. In a word: Wow. We don't say that lightly, but Sierra at Tahoe has so much going for it, we were floored. It is, … [Read more...]

Home (Away) for the Holidays: A Tahoe winter wonderland

Only two days into our Tahoe Holiday vacation, and we're convinced: if you're looking for a winter family getaway in the South Lake Tahoe area, you can't do better than to rent a HomeAway property such as this one we're currently enjoying near Twin Bridges. (It's easy to rent the perfect vacation home at HomeAway.com!) Nestled in the snow right at the base of Sierra at Tahoe ski resort, this cozy … [Read more...]

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Dreaming of a White Christmas

As mentioned in past installments of our Home (Away) for the Holidays series, Pit Stops for Kids is excited to team up with #1 vacation home rental company HomeAway to learn just how easy and affordable the vacation rental process can be. To this end, we'll be spending the week of Christmas enjoying a HomeAway rental near beautiful South Tahoe, CA. According to our rental's homeowner, we're in for … [Read more...]

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

The summer tourist crowds have left beautiful Northern California, leaving near-empty (and ever inviting) state parks and recreation areas behind. If you're looking to take an off-season road trip or family weekend getaway this autumn, consider a stay (or day trip) in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. We love this state park (located right along Highway 199 and not far from Highway 101 and … [Read more...]

Travel Tip: Legoland’s Premium Play Pass

If you plan to visit the increasingly popular Legoland California in Carlsbad, CA during their peak summer and holiday periods, you might consider upgrading your admission tickets to Premium Play Passes. Not widely advertised, this upgrade allows every passholder front of the line access for every ride, all day long and preferred seating for every show. The cavat: you pay dearly for this … [Read more...]