Year-round outdoor exploration from St. George Utah with kids

Need a home base for your Zion National Park adventure? How about a launching point for fall and winter outdoor exploration of Southern Utah? St. George fits the bill, with red rock canyons, mountain bike and hiking trails, and Virgin River. Families can bike, rock scramble, discover new parks, and even get some culture in St. George. Here’s what not to miss, awaiting discovery just outside your … [Read more...]

Guide to Iceland’s southern coast

It's easy to find advice and guides to Iceland's famed Golden Circle, and yes, this well-trafficked and easy route from Reykjavik is definitely worth doing. However, beyond the Golden Circle, there's so much to see in Southern Iceland. Here's where to go and what to see on Iceland's southern coast along the Ring Road. Touring Iceland's Southern Coast From Reykjavik, take the Ring Road (Route … [Read more...]

Exploring Custer State Park with kids

Haven't been to Custer State Park? Get ready to be impressed! This state park encompasses 71,000 acres, making it larger than some national parks. In fact, some argue that Custer should be a national park, and after visiting, I agree! Plan to stay at least two nights to see the majority of what this park has to offer, or at least one full day to see some highlights. Here's how to tackle Custer … [Read more...]

Gettysburg National Military Park with kids: how to plan your trip

Gettysburg is a sobering, powerful, amazing, and vast destination, and definitely worthy of a trip with kids. We recommend dedicating at least 1.5 days to the Gettysburg National Military Park with kids, plus another for attractions in town. We always preach researching destinations ahead of time, and this advice goes double for Gettysburg: kids who have been given some background information … [Read more...]

Kings Canyon lodging pick: John Muir Lodge review

Kings Canyon National Park's John Muir Lodge is located in the heart of the park's Grant Grove Village. Bustling in summer with campgrounds and tent cabin units, the village is nearly empty in the off-season (any time between September and May). The lodge registration is located at the main complex with convenience store, gift shop, and the Grant Grove Restaurant (more on that soon) but the lodge … [Read more...]

What to do in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with kids

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island's scenic west coast is a must-do for families visiting Vancouver Island. The park is divided in to three sections: Long Beach, Broken Island Group, and West Coast Trail. The Broken Island Group is off-shore, and accessible only by guided kayak tour if you're inexperienced (and best for older children of at least 12 years old), and the West … [Read more...]

Our top ten national park travel moments

The Pit Stops for Kids family does our best to do more than 'talk the talk' of family travel: we pack up the kids and walk the walk...through rainforests and woods, deserts and beaches, striving to take our kids beyond the boundaries of what they know of our corner of the natural world. I suppose it's no surprise that our top travel moments have occurred on just such 'foreign' soil as our own … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 11): Yellowstone National Park

Day 11, we drove the short distance on Hwy 191 from Big Sky Resort to Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone crowds swarm the Old Faithful hub of this massive park, so after entering at the West Entrance, we drove north from the Madison hub to Artists' Paintpots, then back-tracked to Firehole River for a wonderful swimming hole. At Artists' Paintpots, you'll find a well-maintained loop trail … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 4): The Many Glacier Hotel

On Day 4, we drove from Spokane, WA to Glacier National Park, which took us along Hwy 2 and Hwy 93. 94 years old, the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park opened to the public on July 4, 1915. The hotel was declared a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 29, 1976. Located in the northeastern section of Glacier National Park on … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day Keeps the “Are We There Yets” Away

Or at least, that's my hope as my family and I embark upon a 22-day road trip, touring four national parks, six family-friendly resorts, eight states, and a partridge in a pear tree. Well, maybe not that last one (which means it's sure to show up on auto bingo, right?). Where are we going? Glacier National Park Yellowstone National Park Grand Teton National Park Zion National Park with … [Read more...]