With over 18 viticulture regions in Oregon alone, the Pacific Northwest has gained a reputation for growing wine grapes and producing great wine. To date, however, the vast majority of Oregon and Washington wine production is small-batch, grown on boutique estates. For wine aficionados used to frequenting large, well-known wineries in California, Tuscany or France, the difference in experience is … [Read more...]
Search Results for: portland
Riding Amtrak: how and when to enjoy an affordable rail trip with kids
January 8, 2018 By
I love rail travel: I find a train journey to be restful, peaceful, and productive for a work-from-the-road type like myself. My kids enjoy it as well: they appreciate the mobility afforded (compared to air travel), the extra leg room, and the fun dining and panoramic cars. However, train travel today is not always the economical choice it was just a few decades ago. Price a multi-day rail journey … [Read more...]
The MaiZe at the Pumpkin Patch
October 30, 2017 By
A fun outing for kids of all ages, the MaiZe at The Pumpkin Patch consists of acres of twisting, turning stalks that kept our group of kids entertained (and lost!) for nearly an hour. Located on picturesque Sauvie Island about 10 minutes from downtown Portland, The Pumpkin Patch is just one of many area farms and organic produce markets that give this beautiful location its fall festival … [Read more...]
CarLock review: Monitor your car while traveling
March 29, 2017 By
CarLock is a real-time car tracking and alert system. After installing the small device in your car, you can track many actions from your smartphone, including when your car is moved or started, how it's driven, and if your battery is low. You can also track where it goes via GPS. Read on for our CarLock review: What CarLock can do: Why do you need all this info? Let's say you're on a road … [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...]
What to do on Mt. Hood in summer: a three day itinerary
August 15, 2016 By
Mt. Hood Oregon is a winter playground, but it's an amazing outdoor destination in the summer months as well. Located just an hour from Portland, Mt. Hood National Forest offers stunning mountain vistas for hikers, backpackers, campers, and kayakers. The central 'town' is Government Camp, which is a smaller community of outdoor-focused shops and dining, but the actual towns of Welches and … [Read more...]
Chicago Field Museum tips
January 22, 2016 By
We love natural history museums and have visited versions of them all over the country. The Chicago Field Museum is in our top five! We loved this cavernous, elegant museum situated on the Museum Campus by Lake Michigan and Shedd Aquarium. Here’s what we recommend seeing and doing, plus tips to plan your visit: What not to miss: If you have older kids or teens, the top two or three exhibits may … [Read more...]
Booking a family travel rental with Kid & Coe
January 18, 2016 By
In multiple posts, we've recommended booking vacation rental homes when traveling with kids. We've had nothing but good experiences doing this, and have always appreciated the savings and local feel. There are a lot of vacation rental companies out there, and we thought we'd tried them all. When Kid & Coe approached us, we were intrigued. We decided to book a short family trip with Kid … [Read more...]
Spooky Pit Stops: Find a corn maze in 47 states!
October 14, 2015 By
Even so-called 'family friendly' haunted houses have become more and more frightening in the past few years, making us less enthusiastic about recommending them. If you're looking for some Halloween family fun that doesn't involve ultra-scary haunted houses or ghost tours, look to corn mazes with nighttime operations (spooky without the scares). Ready for the travel hack? Find a corn maze near … [Read more...]
Top hotel chains for family travelers
August 26, 2015 By
We get asked for hotel recommendations all the time. And we have plenty to give: after all, we spend over 100 nights per year in hotel rooms, suites, vacation rentals, and condos. While specific hotel picks in family travel destinations are important, it can be equally useful to know which are the top hotel chains for family travelers...no matter where you're going. We have our favorites, … [Read more...]
