Pit stops

We have successfully made it to Utah and the drive was so much fun! We left at 1 p.m. on Friday, and arrived at 7 a.m. Saturday morning. The kids really enjoyed themselves, and we managed to make it a solid 6 hours before we had to bust out the dvd player. Here were our pit stops along the way:

1. Woodburn – Walmart to get sunglasses for my husband

2. Multnomah Falls – We walked around a bit, stretched our legs and enjoyed the gorgeous falls

3. Cascade Locks – Thanks to Raeann’s recommendation, we stopped for an ice cream cone at the East Wind Drive-in. This was a huge hit, especially since the kids got to eat them BEFORE dinner. 

4. Rt. 84 mile marker 163 Rest area – We stopped here to eat the picnic dinner we had packed. Dodged land mines planted by traveling dogs, ate pbj’s and saw a nest with some little birdies.

5. Pendelton, OR – Gas and coffee break. I kinda like the French vanilla cappuccinos you get out of the machine.

6. Baker City, OR – Bathroom and stretch break (kids were fast asleep at this point).

7. Boise, ID – Gas, bathroom and stretch break.

8. Twin Falls, ID – Bathroom and stretch break.

9. Ogden, UT – One last stop for gas – the final stretch.

10. Park City, UT – We made it!

What helped to make the drive successful:

· Frequent stops when the kids were awake, and a focus on what was coming up next.

· Travel bingo – we printed this off of the internet – lists of things the kids had to look for.

· Doing the bulk of travel while the kids slept – once they fell asleep for the night, they didn’t wake up until we arrived in Park City. My husband and I took turns driving so the other person could sleep.

· Humorous podcasts to listen to while the kids slept – our fav is the Ricky Gervais show.

We are considering longer route for some new scenery on the way back. Any suggestions for stops between Park City, UT and Corvallis, OR?

2 comments for “Pit stops”

  1. Posted Friday, July 10, 2009 at 8:12:59 AM

    You have to stop at the Sumpter Railroad. It is so fun and the view is amazing! http://www.svry.com

  2. Posted Saturday, August 08, 2009 at 11:35:12 PM

    There is an amazing children's museum that is tons of fun in Pendleton! We used to take the kids there every 3 weeks when we were visiting....we loved it! If you need a break check it out. They have a vet play station, grocery section, tunnels, a Lewis & Clark ship, a rocket ship and several other 'stations' for the kids to enjoy. With 7 kids at that time it was a wonderful way to spend a hot Eastern Oregon day and use up a lot of energy! Enjoy and be safe!

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