We learned that my son is allergic to peanuts when he was three years old due to skin testing and bloodwork in investigating another condition.  In the past six years, we’ve become adept at navigating restaurant menus and working with our school, friends, and family to ensure a safe environment for him.  We’ve traveled far and wide, but always in a car where we could control the food that’s brought in.

Our recent trip to California created a new page in our book of dealing with food allergies:  flying with a peanut allergy.  Our experience flying on Delta follows; I welcome any thoughts about your own food allergy airline experiences, or tips for traveling families, in the comments.

Pre-Trip Planning

My pre-trip concerns were two-fold: how to keep our son safe while on the flight, and how to handle epi-pens at the security gate.

About a month before our trip, I called Delta’s main information number and spoke to an agent about the peanut allergy.  She said that Delta does not provide peanut-free flights, but recommended sitting in either the first three or last three rows of the cabin.  We already had seats at the back of the plane, so this was not difficult.  Another option provided was to talk to the gate agent one hour prior to the flight and ask to be assigned (him plus one adult) to the first economy row, which is reserved until that point in time for people with service animals or other special needs.  We decided to stay with our seat assignments at the back of the plane, especially since our family of six was already taking up two rows on one side, which would create a bit of a natural buffer zone.

The phone agent also noted the peanut allergy on our son’s reservation.

Regarding the epi-pens, I checked the airline and TSA websites to see how to handle medications and learned that there should be no problem with them.

At Security

We did nothing special with the epi-pens we had in our carry-on luggage and no questions were asked at security regarding them.

Flight 1: At the Gate

We had arrived quite early for the flight, and as soon as the gate agent arrived, I talked to her about the peanut allergy.  She was very kind, reiterating that there were no peanut-free flights offered on Delta, but that they would not offer peanuts in the three rows ahead of or behind my son.  I asked if I needed to talk to the flight attendants, and she said no, that she would inform them.

Flight 1: On the Plane

We had brought along wipes with which to clean the trays and surfaces in my son’s row, in case there should be any peanut residue there from an earlier flight.  Though we normally do not do this in everyday situations, the idea of having a reaction while in the air with no ambulance or hospital readily available caused us to take more precautions than usual.

When the drinks and snacks were served, the flight attendants worked from front to back.  When they reached the row my son was in, they offered him peanuts.  My husband quietly reminded them that there was a peanut allergy in the row, and they hastily backed up and took back the peanuts they’d just given to passengers in the row ahead.  There ended up being just a two-row buffer instead of the three rows there were supposed to be.  I give the confiscated-peanut passengers credit for not complaining, but I was disappointed that the flight attendants had forgotten the protocol and offered peanuts to them in the first place.

Flight 2:  At the Gate

This time, we did not arrive at the gate until about 20 minutes prior to boarding.  I gave the same spiel to the agent:  “My son has a peanut allergy and the reservation agent said I should let you know.”  He annoyed with me, and said he’d have to put us in the last row.  I mentioned that we were already near the back of the plane, but he said the very back was what he was supposed to do, and now the plane was nearly full and he’d have to move people around.  After pausing a bit, he asked how severe the allergy was.  “Not airborne or contact-sensitive as far as we know,” I replied.  “So just ingestion?”  “Yes,” I replied.  He then decided that where we were sitting was good enough and that they’d have to do a buffer zone of “4 rows or something,” and that he’d have to notify the flight attendants RIGHT NOW.  He walked immediately down the jetway with this information.

Flight 2:  On the Plane

When we boarded, we noticed two small pieces of paper taped to the seatbacks of the third row ahead of our son’s row, marked simply with “ø.” Once everyone in those rows had boarded, the flight attendant explained that there was a customer with a peanut allergy in this area, and that peanuts would not be served beyond that point.  She also asked that any passengers who had brought a peanut snack not eat it during the flight, and that if a peanut snack was the only thing they had brought to eat, she would talk with them about trading it for something else from her cart.  As during the first flight, I did not see or hear anyone complain about this.

As had been promised, the flight attendants discontinued offering peanuts when they got to the marked row.  I did notice that there was still trail mix available for sale, but I did not see if anyone attempted to order it during the flight.

Overall Thoughts:

• I’m surprised that the peanut allergy was not flagged in the gate agent’s information. Sometimes it is not possible to arrive early enough for seat reassignment, especially if catching a connecting flight.  Similarly, sometimes seat assignments are not available until arriving at the gate, so the allergic passenger could be assigned to a row other than that suggested for people with allergies on Delta.  Delta’s computer system should be able to flag this so the gate attendant knows before we arrive that there’s an allergy on board.
• The demeanor of the gate agent isn’t what keeps the allergic passenger safe.  The flight attendants are the key piece of the puzzle. Though Flight 1′s gate agent was much friendlier, the flight attendants on the plane were not very attendant.  The gate agent for Flight 2 was more brusque, but the flight attendants on board were much better at communicating with the passengers and following the protocols we’d been told they would use.
• The allergic passenger was kept anonymous throughout the process. We were not in any way singled out as being the ones with a food allergy in our row.  Any passengers who might be disgruntled did not know if the allergic passenger was right next to them or a few rows away.
• Our fellow passengers were kind and understanding. No one on either flight was visibly hostile about the absence of peanuts in their row.
• The cookies and pretzels offered as snacks besides peanuts were a may-contain, so my son couldn’t eat them anyway.  We always travel with our own snacks for him in situations like this.
• It surprises me that Delta can’t create a peanut-free flight.  I don’t think of myself as a warrior mom for whom everyone else has to change just because my son has a peanut allergy.  But is the right to peanuts on a flight so absolute that they can’t simply be removed from the flight when given advance notice of an allergic passenger on board?
• I’d think twice about flying on Delta if the allergy were airborne-sensitive. Some people have severe allergic reactions by merely smelling or breathing small amounts of peanut dust.  In an confined space like an airplane, I’d be very hesitant at having just a buffer zone with an airborne reaction history.
• Traveling with a larger group is a benefit. Our family created its own buffer zone of sorts, just as my son has a self-created group of friends who avoid peanuts so they can sit by him at lunchtime.
• It was still nerve-wracking. Being locked on an airplane without quick access to a hospital can be dangerous in any medical emergency, but with a severe allergic reaction, time is of the essence.  An epi-pen dose only helps for 15 minutes or so, and a second dose will buy a bit more time, but that’s not enough in the case of a severe reaction while at 30,000 feet.  Preventing a reaction in the first place is really the first defense.

Questions and Comments:

• Have you flown with a food allergy?  What was your experience?  What precautions did you take?
• Are there any airlines that offer peanut-free flights?  What are the policies of airlines other than Delta?
• What could/should we have done differently?

Please share with a comment below.

Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach, Oxnard, CA

• The hotel: Resort-style hotel laid out in several buildings with beautifully landscaped grounds and large pool and whirlpool.  Restaurant on-site.  Reasonably priced room service.  Quiet except for baby crying next door.  Most rooms open directly to outside walkways.
  
• Our room: Spacious 2-queen, 2-bath suite with living room, dining table for four, small fridge, and microwave.  Large balcony with doors to both the bedroom and living room provides views of beach and ocean; has bar-height table and two stools.
  
• Breakfast, etc.: Free breakfast that includes made-to-order omelets and other hot items in large breakfast room.  Complimentary evening reception includes snacks (nachos, popcorn) and drinks (alcholic and non-alcoholic) in breakfast area.
• The view: Hotel gate opens directly onto beach.  Some areas are dune-like and others flat beach.  Channel Islands and California mountains can be seen in the distance.
  
• What we paid: $166/nt (“partial view” AAA rate)+ $15 for parking in the hotel’s underground garage.
• Best for: A beach getaway with time to relax at the pools and enjoy the hotel’s resort feel.
• Hints:  Ask for a partial view room for the best combination of view + cost.

Quality Inn and Suites Oceanview, Dana Point/Capistrano Beach, CA

• The hotel: Small (30 rooms?) hotel directly on Pacific Coast Highway.  Restaurants within walking distance.  Highway noise and passing Amtrak trains can be bothersome.  Rooms open to outside walkways.  Bathroom fan is loud and on when bathroom light is on.  Hotel has outdoor whirlpool.  Balconies face each other.  Free underground parking.
• Our room: 2-king bedroom with huge living room, dining table for four, small fridge, and microwave.  Mid-sized balcony off living room with patio table and chairs.
  
• Breakfast, etc.: Free continental breakfast (waffles, pastries, fruit, cereal, toast) in breakfast room with just four tables.
  
• The view: Beach is located across the road/railroad tracks; crossover walkway is about 2 blocks from hotel.  Higher floors have best views of ocean and beach/park.
  
• What we paid:  $95/nt (organizational rate); free parking.
• Best for: Budget-minded travelers who want to be close to the beach.  People looking for a somewhat central location between LA and San Diego.
• Hints: Parking garage entrance can be hard to find at night.  Our GPS had a hard time finding the hotel.
  

Homewood Suites Liberty Station, San Diego, CA

• The hotel: Two lodging buildings plus central “lodge” with lobby, breakfast area, etc.  Outdoor pool and whirlpool, various patios and terraces, some with fireplaces.  Game room with pool table, exercise rooms.  Variety of restaurants (Greek, sushi, Thai, pizza/brewpub, Mexican, Starbucks, Subway) in strip mall just across parking lot. Snack shop in lobby.  Grocery store (Von’s/Trader Joe’s) nearby.  Airport is nearby but plane noise not an issue.  Within 20-minute drive of most San Diego attractions.  Quiet/no highway noise.
• Our room: 1-king, 1-queen, 2-bedroom, 2-bath with living room and full kitchen (except oven) and table for four.  Tiny balcony with patio chair off queen bedroom.
  
• Breakfast, etc.: Free hot breakfast each morning.  Weeknight manager’s reception includes light meal offerings and includes beer and wine.
• The view: Some rooms overlook the harbor inlet, greenway, and walking path.
  
• What we paid: $204/nt (AAA rate); free parking.
• Best for: Families looking for nice, centrally-located lodging in San Diego.  People who want to cook instead of eating in restaurants.
• Hints: You pay the same whether you get a waterfront view or a parking lot view, and it’s luck of the draw whether you get a room with a view or not.  One of the top-rated hotels in San Diego on TripAdvisor.  Price fluctuates so keep an eye on it and rebook at a lower rate if you find it.  Larger rooms can sell out quickly.

So there you have it–the skinny on three waterfront lodging options in southern California.  Of all of them, the one I’d most like to return to is the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach with its convenient beach access and relaxed feel plus well-designed room and beautiful view. I would, however, stay at any of them again.

Those who have been reading Travels with Children for a while may remember my Disneyland hotel-choice dilemma.  I made and canceled numerous reservations as I found better prices or better promotions or better locations.  On occasion, I even asked my husband where he thought we should stay.

In the end we went with the Comfort Inn Maingate.

It wasn’t a slam-dunk decision, mind you.  After reading reviews on TripAdvisor and looking at Google street view and poring over the hotel’s website, we were pretty sure it would work for our six-night stay, but we agreed that if it wasn’t up to snuff we’d leave after the first night and find something better.

That was not necessary.

I booked the hotel at an association rate that’s usually a bit lower than the AAA/senior rates at Choice Hotels, netting us six nights in a two-queen, two-bunk, two-room with two bathrooms family suite for $102/night.  As our trip dates neared, I checked the rates online and saw that the price had dropped, and was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to rebook for the lower $95 rate.  That $95 included free parking, free breakfast, and free wi-fi.  Not bad.

I knew from my research that the location would be decent.  Though it was a beyond walking distance to Disneyland for most people, it was a mere three-minute drive from Disneyland’s Toy Story parking lot, and about 15 from the Mickey & Friends parking structure.  We never had trouble with traffic, and at the end of the day, it was nice to have a short ride back to our lodging.  With restaurants and stores nearby, the location was good.

But would we actually like the room?  The rate seemed almost too good to be true.  Would we be happy there?

When we drove up, the kids gasped in delight.  “It’s a MOtel!” they said.  Apparently parking right in front of the rooms is rare enough for us that they thought it exciting.  The birds of paradise blooming in the parking lot also drew oohs and aahs as our first real taste of California.

I checked in and asked for a room on the second floor, which I’d read might be the quietest.  We were given room 220 at the back of the courtyard and parked next to the stairs.  I took in my flashlight and did the first check I always do at hotels, for bedbugs, before letting anyone or anything else inside.  Being satisfied that we were ok, we moved in.

The family suites at the Comfort Inn Maingate have been constructed by dividing a room in two and giving half of it to each of the adjacent rooms.  One of the half-size bunk rooms gets the extra window, and the other gets the second bath.  Paying a few dollars extra per night for the second bath was well worth it, especially since it meant we also had a second closet.  With all of our luggage, we had plenty of room to stash our stuff.

The bunk room with a real door that closed was also a benefit when our children awakened at 4:45 a.m., having not yet adjusted to the new time zone.  They could play quietly, read, or watch TV without disturbing us.

The two queen beds were comfortable, and even the small square pillows that hotels seem to stock these days were good enough.  We had an upholstered chair and small table plus the dresser/TV stand with dorm fridge and microwave in the main room, and the bunk room had its own dresser with TV plus a kid-sized table and chairs.  The safe in the corner was locked unless we wanted to pay a fee to access it.

This is an older building but it’s in good repair.  Everything in our room worked as it should, except a sink with switched faucets and a delay in getting hot water to the shower in the morning, which were minor inconveniences.  The room was extremely quiet and set back well away from the street.

We didn’t use the pool because we were too busy seeing the sights, so I can’t comment on it.  There was a guest laundry area adjacent to the outdoor pool.

Breakfast was complimentary each morning, just a bit on the better side of basic.  Besides the usual cereal, toast, and pastries, there were make-your-own waffles, scrambled eggs, and sausage.  A refrigerator stocked yogurt and boiled eggs, and fresh fruit was available.  The fare was identical each day of our stay, and while not exciting, there was certainly enough that everyone got a good start to the day.

The breakfast room itself was not large, with seating for perhaps 25 people, but picnic tables just outside the doors provided an acceptable overflow seating area.  Most mornings, we were at breakfast just after it opened, and everything was well stocked.  The only day there were empty shelves was the day we ate later in the breakfast time.

Though the Comfort Inn Maingate is not fancy, it was for us the perfect combination of price, location, and space.  Having a room where each of the six of us can sleep on a bed for under $100/night is a bargain.

I recommended the Comfort Inn Maingate to a friend who was visiting just a week later with her family of six and they had a similar pleasant experience.  When I started to apologize for the basic breakfast fare, she told me it was much, much better than what they’d been offered at their Days Inn in San Diego.

Families, especially with three or four children, visiting Disneyland on a budget should consider the Comfort Inn Maingate.  We’re glad we did.

Take, for example, the winter vacation we’re taking to California.  Our requirements (in no particular order):

1. Sleeping area for six
2. Reasonable price
3. Convenient to Disneyland
4. Comfortable for an eight-night stay
5. Good reviews
6. Free breakfast
7. Laundry facilities
8. Pool

I used my favorite family-travel resource, Six Suitcase Travel, to take care of #1, but this did not narrow down the list very much.  At a family destination like Disneyland, there are many hotels in various price ranges that would fit our family.  Still, some are better than others.  These are some of the hotels we’ve considered for our trip to Disneyland, with details listed for each. (Laundry and pool are not listed invididually, as each hotel has these things available.)  My husband and I usually prefer a queen bed, and the kids are getting big enough where they like a real bed instead of a sofabed, but is that extra comfort worth extra money?  Is a full kitchen worthwhile when visiting Disneyland?  These represent just a few of the hotels available in the area.  Which one would you choose for your family of six?

Residence Inn Placentia-Fullerton

1. 3 queen beds
2. $179/night, free parking.
3. 5.2 miles (15 minutes) from Disneyland
4. Bi-level loft with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, full kitchen including oven
5. 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor; #1 of 3 hotels in Placentia

Residence Inn Anaheim Resort Area

1. 2 queens beds plus two bunks
2. $169/night, $8/night parking.
3. 2.3 miles (7 minutes) from Disneyland.  On Disney shuttle route.
4. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, full kitchen including oven
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #5 of 16 hotels in Garden Grove

Homewood Suites Anaheim/Main Gate

1. 2 queens plus sofabed
2. $134/night, $12 parking.
3. 2 miles (6 minutes) from Disneyland.  On Disney shuttle route.
4. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, full kitchen (no oven)
5. 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, #2 of 16 hotels in Garden Grove

Quality Inn & Suites Anaheim Stadium

1. 1 king and 2 double beds
2. $129/night, free parking.
3. 3 miles (6 minutes) from Disneyland
4. Bi-level loft.  2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, full kitchen with oven
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #3 of 13 hotels in Orange.

Quality Suites John Wayne Airport

1. 2 double beds and a sofabed
2. $64/night, free parking.
3. 10.8 miles (15 minutes) from Disneyland
4. 1 bedroom, living room, microwave, refrigerator
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #1 of 26 hotels in Santa Ana

Comfort Inn Maingate

1. 2 queen beds and two bunks
2. $102/night, free parking.
3. 1.3 miles (4 minutes) from Disneyland
4. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, microwave, mini refrigerator
5. 3.5 stars on TripAdvisor, #42 of 106 hotels in Santa Ana

Disneyland Hotel

1. 2 queen beds and a sofabed
2. $620/night, $15 parking, breakfast not included
3. On Disneyland Resort property
4. Suite, DVD player, Disney features
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #30 of 106 hotels in Anaheim

Grand Californian Hotel

1. 2 queen beds and a sofabed
2. $865/night, $15 parking, breakfast not included
3. On Disneyland Resort property
4. Suite, Disney features
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #7 of 106 hotels in Anaheim

What do you think?  Would you pay more to be on-property in a Disney hotel or in a location with other amenities?  Or find something cheaper even if its reviews or location weren’t as good?  If this were your vacation, which hotel would you choose for your family?

Related:

Why We Didn’t Keep Our Disney Trip a Secret from the Kids

Saving Money on Southern California Attractions Tickets

This summer, as we wrapped up our time in the Black Hills and Colorado, we stayed at the Hotel Alex Johnson in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota.  I made the reservation at this hotel because of the combination of convenience and price; as part of Choice Hotel’s Ascend Collection, it’s moderately priced though lacking the free breakfast of other Choice Hotels brands like Comfort and Quality Inns.  For our family, any room that includes beds for everyone as opposed to a sofabed for two kids is a gem, and this historic hotel fit the bill with a suite containing one bedroom with a king bed and another with two queens, connected by a small yet adequate bathroom on the top floor of the hotel.

The Hotel Alex Johnson is one of the tallest buildings in downtown Rapid City, so the kids had spotted it easily when we came into town.  Validated parking is available in a ramp a block from the hotel.  Surrounding the hotel are shops and restaurants in a downtown setting that looked interesting and inviting enough to make me want to return to downtown Rapid City again when I have more time to explore.  Our kids liked the street-corner sculptures of the presidents dotting the downtown area.

We didn’t take advantage of the in-house restaurant or Rapid City’s only rooftop bar, and though our cobbled-together room wasn’t as efficiently laid out as modern suites are, it was comfortable, and had some history with it, such as presidents and famous people who have stayed there for various events in the area. The bed was comfortable, the temperature was just right, and the room was quiet.

So why was it that I didn’t sleep well?

I hadn’t mentioned it to the rest of my family, but I’d read that the Hotel Alex Johnson is supposedly haunted.  Literature in the room described tales of figures in the hallway and the story that is said to have led to the spirits in the hotel.  I’m not one to think much of ghosts and such, but it was my first experience even being in a place where such tales are told.  So is that why I couldn’t sleep?

No, probably not.  I just don’t sleep well the first night in a new hotel.  Ever.  It’s the reason that whenever possible, we stay several nights in the same hotel, or else I’m sleepwalking by the end of the trip from lack of sleep.

If you can find a reasonable priced room that fits your family at the Hotel Alex Johnson like I did, I’d recommend it as a nice stay in a historical hotel near Mt. Rushmore and other Black Hills attractions.  And whether you see an apparition or not, you can say you survived a night in a haunted hotel.

As part of my trip to the premier of Legoland Florida, I stayed at the Marriott World Center hotel.  This upscale resort hotel boasts golf courses, a convention center, ten restaurants, and numerous pools for those who want to enjoy the Florida sun.

My room was on the 24th floor overlooking the pool area.  In the distance, I could see the recognizable white orb of Epcot from my balcony, and the Nickelodeon Hotel across the highway.

My room, with a king-size bed, sofa, and chair with ottoman, was comfortable and tastefully decorated.  Located on the west side of the east tower, it was shaded in the morning and sunny in the afternoon.  The room also included plenty of power outlets as well as various television inputs, a safe, and plenty of closet and work space.

The ride down the glass elevators was ear-poppingly fast,  and there was a nice, if fleeting, view of the area during the ride.  With five elevators for the east tower upper floors, I never had to wait more than a few seconds for an elevator to arrive.

The pool area is sprawling with plenty of seating in lounge chairs (some with shade cabanas) and umbrella-covered tables.  The various swim areas and hot tubs included waterfalls and a 106-foot long waterslide as well as an indoor pool and an arcade.  There’s even a topiary-surrounded sandbox for the little tots.  My Minnesota friends will understand when I say that the pool area reminded me of the Waterpark of America, except outdoors and without the big waterslides and wave pool.

For those who many have forgotten sun essentials, the hotel’s gift shop includes swimwear, sunscreen, pool toys, and other amenities.  The food court is located just off the pool area for easy access late-morning to early-evening eating for those enjoying the pool.  The Pavilion sports bar is an outdoor restaurant in the pool area that includes a kids’ menu; my $14 fish sandwich with chips and $10 margarita were not large in size, but were very tasty.  A surcharge of 20% was automatically added to my restaurant bill, bringing the total to nearly $35 for a sandwich, chips, and drink.

Other restaurant options include Solara, whose breakfast buffet includes made-to-order omelets and an excellent variety of food, and Japanese cuisine, where I found that sushi is enjoyable and surprisingly affordable.  A Starbucks coffee shop is found in the lobby next to a small convenience shop, and there are more upscale options such as the Hawk’s Landing steakhouse on the premises as well.  According to Executive Chef Greg Picard, all of the foods and pastries in the hotel are made on-site, and they even have a chocolate room where they make some delightful confections.  The hotel’s large convention center has the ability to do a banquent for 10,000 people at one time.

From my room on the pool side of the east tower, I had a beautiful view of the pool area both day and night, and could see the Disney fireworks each evening.

Although the rooms and suites at the Marriott World Center don’t accommodate families of six, connecting rooms are available.  To see pricing for connecting rooms, check the “room packages” tab in the online reservations system.

The Marriott World Center is a Bed & Brick partner of Legoland Florida, and you may be able to find package deals by booking through the Legoland website.

While the Marriott World Center will not be the first choice of budget-minded families, those who are looking for an upscale experience in Orlando will find it to be a well-maintained property with beautiful views and a large, relaxing pool area.

These are all of my photos from the Marriott World Center.  Click on each to see a larger picture.

Legoland Florida paid for my expenses to visit Florida for the grand opening of Legoland Florida.  I chose what to write and how to share the experience with my readers.

Fitz's Restaurant in St. Louis

Located not far from the St. Louis Zoo, Science Center, and other Forest Park attractions, we headed to Fitz’s after visiting CityMuseum and found it in an area with many other restaurants and shops.

Our stop started out a bit rocky as the restaurant was busy and our promised wait time came and went. Once we were seated, however, service was efficient and the food was good. Our kids liked coloring on the menus and were excited to see their kids’ meals come in a box shaped like a classic car. The portions were plentiful with some unique offerings. Although I usually opt for something else, I chose one of the unique burgers on the menu and enjoyed it fully.

The biggest treat for the kids, however, was the fact that Fitz’s brews its own soda. First we taste tested various varieties like root beer, orange, and cream soda with our meals, and when we were done eating we moved to the back of the restaurant to watch the bottling in action.

Root beer bottling at Fitz's restaurant in St. Louis

Fitz’s is a classic St. Louis restaurant and has been voted one of the top family-friendly restaurants in the city. This is evidenced by its popularity. I recommend Fitz’s if you visit St. Louis with your family; just be sure you have something along to occupy the kids if there’s a wait for a table.

The Forest History Center is a living history museum with an interpretive center, preserving the logging camp for visitors who want to see what the buildings and lifestyles in the camp were like.

Rapid River Logging Camp has some original buildings and equipment that visitors are allowed to explore, but the real draw there is the food, all-you-can-eat breakfast or dinner served family-style in the logging camp mess hall.   The combination of the menu and ambience was enough for us to give it a try, so we headed over to the logging camp for breakfast.

Payment is made upon entering the complex, at the gift shop register.  For breakfast, which is served from 7:30 a.m. to noon, the price is $8.25 for adults and $5.25 for children ages 3-9, which includes food, milk, coffee, juice, and tax, but not tips. For our family, the total was about the same as a breakfast at Perkins.

After you’ve paid, you go to the entrance of the dining hall itself and are directed to a table set with tin serviceware just as in the lumberjack days.  (During busy times, you may have to wait, but we were seated right away.)

When your server arrives, you place your order, which is basically how many eggs you want and how you want them cooked — scrambled or “softies” — and what you would like to drink.  The pancakes, ham, and hash browns will be replenished as often as you like.

The first food to arrive at our table was a bowl of prunes, something that was very common at lumberjack meals.  Then the platters of the rest of our meal arrived.  Our eyes got big as we saw the huge amount of food placed in front of us.

It was good.  Really, really good.  Our ten-year-old son took off after the ham, which was delicious, and I dug into the just-right hash browns and eggs.  The girls ate pancake after pancake, and when I finally got to one, I saw why they liked them so well.  Everything was hot off the griddle and it’s the best breakfast I’ve had in a long, long time.

We didn’t think we’d be able to eat it all.

But we did.

And then we asked for more, and finished that as well.  (The only thing we didn’t clean up was the prunes.)

Finding a restaurant that all of us like is a challenge, so it was a testament to the Rapid River Logging Camp that all the kids wanted to go back the next day to eat again.  (We didn’t, because my stomach was still full from the previous day’s meal.)

After we ate, we explored the outbuildings; marked trails along a creek are also available to help walk off the meal you’ve just finished.

If a big breakfast isn’t your thing, dinner is served from 1-9 p.m. daily, with an all-you-can-eat menu of roast beef, chicken, ham, roast port, and ribs.  Sounds good to me!

Rapid River Logging Camp is located on County Road 18 north of Park Rapids, Minnesota; follow the signs.  It’s open daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.  Call 218-732-3444 for more information.  When you go, be sure to take your appetite!

Since then, my kids have been counting the days, and today we arrived at the Radisson Bloomington, home of the Waterpark of America, for the party’s kickoff.

First things first:  Mr. Bubble’s birthday bash is tomorrow, June 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The public is welcome to attend; read more details.

If you can’t come to the party but live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, watch FOX9 news Saturday morning for some live scenes, or follow the #bubblebash hashtag on Twitter.

What I really want to write about today, however, is our room at the Radisson.

We’ve stayed in hotels around the country, where it’s often difficult to find a room that will sleep our family of six.  Most often, we find a “suite,” which is often a long room with a half-wall separating two beds from a sofa sleeper.  While adequate for our family, it’s not always ideal, as sofa sleepers aren’t the most comfortable or convenient places to sleep, even when you’re a kid.

Our room at the Radisson, however, has a design that I’ve only ever seen once before, at the CanadInns Polo Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  We thought it was genius at the time, and I haven’t changed my mind since then.

The bathroom is closest to the hallway, and the queen bed is at the far end of the room, and in between, where often there would be another queen bed, there’s a bunk room.

That’s right:  actual walls with actual bunks.  Four of them.  A dresser in the middle with four drawers.  Four nightlights.  And a TV for the kids in their own little room.

This is perfection for us.

Instead of the usual “she touched me” or “he took the covers” that we hear at bedtime, I had blissful quiet.

Our room overlooks the waterpark and the balcony rail is high enough and the bars close enough together that it doesn’t make me nervous to let the kids watch the waterpark action.  The balcony door doesn’t shut out all of the waterpark noise, but it does a better-than-decent job of it, and the waterpark hours don’t interfere with most adults’ sleeping schedules.

We have a full bathroom and then an additional sink area outside it, a mini fridge and microwave, and a table with three chairs in addition to the usual bed and side chair.  The room is spacious, with plenty of storage space.

There are plenty of power outlets in logical places, and free wi-fi in the rooms.

And it has one other touch that is so simple and useful, yet almost always overlooked:  pegs.

In the winter, these pegs would come in handy for hanging up coats, and for waterpark days, they’re great for hanging swimsuits to dry overnight.

Yes, I’m excited about the pegs, because usually we run out of room to hang six swimsuits in the bathtub, and they never dry there anyway.

We’ve stayed at the Radisson Bloomington before.  Once we had a room with a bed, sofabed, and two bunks, which also worked for our family but wasn’t as ideal or as fun as our current room.  The other time, my husband and I stayed on the night before a cruise with a park-and-fly rate; we enjoyed free shuttle service to the airport and our car was housed in the hotel’s heated underground parking garage while we were gone.  It was nice to come back after a week away without having to brush a bunch of snow off a freezing car.

The Radisson Bloomington is located near Mall of America and the MSP airport.  There are restaurants and a spa in the hotel, but for us, the main attraction is the waterpark.  My kids can’t wait to get their feet wet with Mr. Bubble tomorrow!

Our family received a complimentary stay and other gifts, courtesy of Mr. Bubble.

Our family at the end of a fun week

When people think of Minnesota, they often think of lakes.  And when Minnesotans think of lakes, they often think of getaways at a Minnesota resort.

My family went to a resort only once when I was a child.  It was near Aitkin, Minnesota.  We had a small cabin near a lake, but I don’t remember much about that.  I do remember that it rained a lot, and we kids had a magnificent time splashing in the puddles.  It was family time spent together and a ton of fun, even in the rain.  (My mom may not remember it quite the same, however.)

Several years ago, my husband’s family decided to find a resort for some good Minnesota family fun.  After much resort, we settled on Sunset Shores Resort near New London, Minnesota. It was family-friendly, not too far from where anyone lived, and had many amenities on the property and nearby.

Location

Sunset Shores Resort is west of New London, Minnesota, in the Willmar Lakes area.  Our whole family lives in southern Minnesota, so it was a benefit not to have to fight traffic to go “up north” to find a quality resort.  It’s just a few miles from Sibley State Park, and the towns of New London, Spicer, and Willmar are nearby if provisions are needed.

Cabins

Because of the size of our group, we needed two cabins.  The larger of the two, the Norway Cabin, is attached to the resort’s “lodge” area that includes a rec room, small store, and resort offices.  The kitchen and living rooms are one open space, and there’s a large patio with picnic tables on the side of the cabin.  Six bedrooms and a sofabed offer a variety of sleeping arrangements, and there are two bedrooms.  This was the main gathering area for our family.

The six of us slept in the Sunset cabin, just a few steps away.  This cabin is a two-story model, with kitchen, living room, and bathroom on the main floor and two bedrooms upstairs.  It was just the right size for us.

Both of these cabins are modern with air-conditioning, utensils and cooking supplies in the kitchens, and bed linens are provided.  Wi-fi connections are available, which we used for uploading photos and tracking storms in the area.

Things to Do

It’s hard to say what the kids like most about Sunset Shores Resort.  There are two playgrounds, free mini-golf, a bean-bag toss, and a basketball hoop near the cabins.  The water activities are down some stairs and somewhat separate from most of the cabins, which was nice with younger children.  There was a good line of separation between the water area and the play area that made it easy to make safety rules.

The beach area features a roped-off wading area with a slide and small paddleboats, and out deeper there’s a volleyball court and raft.  Out farther still is the “bongo,” a big floating inflatable that was the favorite water destination of everyone in our group.

Paddleboats and kayaks can be checked out from the office for use on Norway Lake, and other boats, including a pontoon, can be rented by the day or the week.  There is no fishing allowed from the resort dock, so those who want to fish must go out in a boat.

Atmosphere

Sunset Shores is a family-owned resort, and the owners are constantly making improvements.  When we arrived last year, there was a large new cabin that had replaced a smaller, older one.  The owners are very visible and friendly and do everything they can to make your stay pleasant, including greeting you with homemade cookies on your arrival day.  Daily activities for kids, like a sandbox hunt and minnow races, give the kids something special to look forward to.  Because it isn’t a large resort, there isn’t much traffic, so we didn’t have to worry much about the kids moving about as they changed activities.

Recommendation

While I don’t have other resort experiences to compare it to, I’d definitely recommend Sunset Shores Resort to families looking for a week at the lake in Minnesota.  It has a variety of cabins to fit the needs of different-sized families, kid-friendly, well-maintained, and a pleasant place to spend a week getting away from it all.

Has your family enjoyed a resort getaway? Do you have a favorite resort? What features do you look for in a family-friendly lake cabin?

In Iowa, Maid-Rites are a part of everyday life.  To be sure, not everyone eats at Maid-Rite restaurants on a daily basis, but you’ll see Maid-Rites on the menu at concession stands and fundraisers as well as family gatherings and school lunches.

When we spent a week in Iowa on our summer vacation, one of the things I had on our to-do list was to eat at Maid-Rite and share this native food with my kids.  We almost were unsuccessful.  Our first attempt was in Decorah, where we stopped at Walmart for camping supplies.  I asked the young clerk if there was a Maid-Rite in town.  “Maid-Rite?  What kind of business is that?”  I don’t think he was from Iowa.

Our next try was in Marion, where I’d taken my mom for her first Maid-Rite.  It was closed for Sunday lunch, however.

Finally, in Tama/Toledo, just a bit away from the Lincoln Highway bridge, we were successful in timing our Maid-Rite stop.

But what’s a Maid-Rite, you may ask?  Also known as a “loose meat sandwich,” the real Maid-Rite is browned ground beef with some secret seasonings, served on a bun.  Purists will say that you should eat it with pickles and onions (correct me on this, Iowans) and maybe mustard, but never ketchup.  They won’t run you out of the state if you change up the condiments, however.

In the private kitchens and concession-stand roasters of Iowa, though, any kind of sloppy joe or barbecue sandwich can be dubbed a Maid-Rite.  It’s kind of like Kleenex or a Xerox machine.  The word has become a part of Iowa life.

To get a real Maid-Rite, though, you need to look for a Maid-Rite restaurant.  We found ours at the Big T Maid-Rite in Tama-Toledo.

We sat around the horseshoe counter, but there were plenty of booths available as well.  It’s not a fancy place, just a diner with good food (and as you can see from the menu, they serve more than Maid-Rite sandwiches).  It’s reasonably priced, and kids’ meals are available.

After we ordered, we were each given a spoon.  I had the kids try to guess what it was for.  No, we were not having ice cream for dessert.

The spoon is for scooping up the loose meat that escapes from your sandwich.

If you’re traveling through Iowa at mealtime, look for a Maid-Rite restaurant and see what you think of this local favorite.

Have you ever had a Maid-Rite?

My secret weapon, and always my first stop when looking for a hotel room for our family, is Six Suitcase Travel.  It lists hotels with rooms that will fit six, seven, or even eight people, and includes notations about breakfast, pools, and other family-friendly considerations.  Organized by state and city, it’s easy to see where we’ll be able to find a place to rest our heads along our route.

I know that another option for large families is to book two rooms, but in my experience, I’ve never found this to be less expensive than paying for a suite-type room that will accommodate all of us, and because few hotels have adjoining rooms any more, it would mean splitting up our family in many cases.  In most cases, our hotel stays range from $75-$125/night, and our favorites include free breakfast and Internet service.

Since hotel reviews aren’t my forte, I rarely write posts about individual hotels.  But because we’ve had pleasant stays at a variety of hotels, today’s article will give an overview of chains and individual hotels where we’ve had success, as well as details about locations we’ve stayed.  I hope it’s helpful to large families looking for a place to stay, or for smaller families who enjoy a bit more space than a standard hotel room with two beds, a desk, and a chair.

Hotels for Large Families

Homewood Suites

Far and away our favorite place to stay.  Their one-bedroom suites include two double or queen beds, and a separate living room holds a sofabed and chair.  In addition, a kitchen with a large refrigerator, cooktop, and microwave also includes dishes, pots, and pans, so we can make some meals in our room.  Not that we need to cook very often, because Homewood Suites offers a superb hot breaHkfast each morning and an evening meal Monday through Thursday.  Rates are frequently very affordable, with discounts given for long stays or special promotions.  Near St. Louis, we had a special AAA holiday rate of just $76/night.  TV’s in many locations are new so that we can plug in our iPod to the A/V jacks and watch downloaded movies.

We’ve stayed at several Homewood Suites in the past, and found the service and quality to be consistent throughout the brand.

Homewood Suites Galleria, St. Louis, MO

Although located next to a busy Interstate, our tenth-floor room overlooking the highway was very quiet.  The hotel is just across the street from the Galleria mall and there are several restaurants within walking distance.  This hotel is quite new, and the decor is modern yet comfortable.  This particular Homewood Suites hotel has an indoor pool, which is somewhat unique among Homewood Suites, whose pools are usually outdoors.

Homewood Suites, Chesterfield, MO

Found in the western suburbs of St. Louis, the Chesterfield Homewood Suites is near a grocery store and restaurants, with a major shopping area just down the road.  Staff were friendly and helpful, as we’ve found at all the Homewood Suites locations we’ve stayed at.

Homewood Suites, Sioux Falls, SD

This was the first Homewood Suites we ever stayed at.  My in-laws were also staying in Sioux Falls for the weekend, at a conference-center hotel.  My mother-in-law couldn’t believe that for almost the identical price, they had a standard room with a bed and chair, and no breakfast included.  On the other hand, we had a two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite with kitchen, full breakfast, and evening meal included.  We definitely had the better deal.

Homewood Suites Philadelphia-Valley Forge, PA

Just a few minutes from Valley Forge, this Homewood Suites hotel was our home for nearly a week when we were in the Philadelphia area.  With restaurants nearby and a Walmart across the road, it was a good location with easy Interstate access.  The hotel had enough closets and dressers for us to really unpack and make ourselves at home.

Homewood Suites, Baton Rouge, LA

When traveling on Christmas Day, finding a meal can be a challenge.  We were happy to arrive at the Baton Rouge Homewood Suites in time to make our own supper with food we had brought along.  Staff were friendly and the breakfast good, as always.  The hotel was easy to access from the Interstate.

Hyatt Summerfield Suites

While Homewood Suites is part of the Hilton family, Hyatt has its own similar chain of hotels called Hyatt Summerfield Suites.  There aren’t a lot of them yet, but they are reasonably priced and offer many conveniences.

Hyatt Summerfield Suites Arboretum, Austin, TX

For around $75/night, we had a room with two beds, a sofabed, and small kitchen.  The best part of this hotel was the walk-in closet.  It was big enough that the kids could go in, turn on the light, and play games quietly in the morning without disturbing us.  Full breakfast and an evening meal were also provided.  This hotel is located near the Arboretum mall with easy highway access.

Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels brands include Comfort, Quality, Sleep, and more.  While we’ve found inconsistencies in some of the locations, overall they’re a reasonably-priced choice, and many of their properties have rooms that will fit six or seven people.  If I didn’t have Six Suitcase Travel to help me find a room, this would be the first place I’d look when making reservations because they have rooms for large families in more locations that most other hotel chains.  The Comfort Suites brand is entirely smoke-free.  Free breakfast and Internet service are part of all of the Comfort and Quality sites we’ve stayed at, and many have indoor pools.

Comfort Suites, Coralville, IA

Just across the street from Coral Ridge Mall, this Comfort Suites has become a stopping point for us on more than one occasion when traveling through Iowa City.  The next-door IHOP is reported to be the only place in town that’s open on Christmas Day, making it a good location for our holiday travels this year.  The kids’ favorite part of this hotel was the pool area, which includes a 100-foot waterslide.  It provided plenty of fun for our family while at the hotel.  Comfort Inns and Suites almost always offer a waffle maker and biscuits and gravy in addition to continental breakfast choices, so we get some good food in our tummies before hitting the road the next morning.

Comfort Inn Sea World, San Antonio, TX

The name is somewhat deceiving, as it’s a 10-15 minute drive from Sea World, but the location is handy nonetheless.  Restaurants and a shopping area are just down the street, and the hes easy highway access.  One of the newer Comfort Inns, this one features updated decor, including a high marble vanity that was too tall for our kids when brushing their teeth.  Our room, however, was large, with the living room separated from the bedroom by French doors, and we had plenty of room for our family.  Bedding for the sofabed had to be requested from the front desk, so we now know to check for that before we’re all in our pajamas.  Waffles in the shape of Texas were a hit with the kids.

Comfort Suites, downtown Minneapolis, MN

I believe this was formerly an Embassy Suites hotel, and when the switch was made, the good breakfast with made-to-order eggs and other hot items remained.  Cookies were also available upon checkin, and snacks were complimentary in the evening.  Our room included two beds, a separate living area that included a bar and table, and plenty of closet space.  The hotel is located near the Metrodome but is connected to the skyway system, so a winter walk to Target Center took a bit of time but required no coats.

Comfort Suites, Ennis, TX

Found just off I-35 south of Dallas, our room at the Comfort Suites Ennis was one of the largest half-wall “suites” we’ve been in.  Sometimes the beds are right against the walls, but this one had plenty of space to walk on both sides.  Staff were friendly and we had a pleasant stay.

Comfort Suites, Galveston, TX

I made the mistake of paying a few dollars more for an ocean view at this hotel.  While it’s true that we could see the Gulf of Mexico from the balcony, we first had to look over an open lot, a bunch of power lines, and a busy street.  The view wasn’t worth the extra money spent.  This is also another property where we had to obtain bedding for the sofabed from the front desk, rather than having it already on the bed or in the closet for easy access.  The half-wall suite we stayed in was tight quarters, with the beds right up to the walls.  Still, staff were friendly and the standard Comfort Suites breakfast ample for our stay in Galveston.

Comfort Suites, Monroeville, PA

This Comfort Suites in the eastern Pittsburgh suburb of Monroeville features “boutique-style” decor and an updated breakfast area.  While a TV in the bathroom was a perk (though not entirely necessary), the sofabed was very small.  Fortunately our kids were still small as well, because when I inquired about a rollaway, I was told the hotel didn’t have any available.  I’d rate this a fine hotel for a family of five, but for six it’s not a good choice unless there are young children who can fit on that small bed.

Quality Inn Gettysburg Motor Lodge, Gettysburg, PA

An older hotel built in the “motor lodge” style, this is a sprawling hotel where you park right in front of your room door.  The indoor pool, rooms, breakfast area, and office are all in different buildings on the property.  Still, our room was clean and spacious, a large room that contained three double beds.  I wish more hotels would have this option available.  Breakfast is in the dining room of a house on the property, and the breakfast staff were very friendly.  We found the price to be reasonable and the location near Gettysburg attractions to be convenient.  We’d stay here again when in Gettysburg.

Quality Inn, Rhinelander, WI

When we stayed here, it was a Holiday Inn but has apparently changed brands since then.  The suite we stayed in was originally two adjoining rooms, so we had two beds, a sofabed, two bathrooms, and a whirlpool tub–plenty of room to spread out for our family.

Hyatt Place

Hyatt Place is another option we’ve found that works well for our family.  We can get a room with two beds and a pull-out sofa, and the decor is modern and includes flat-screen TV’s with several inputs so we can watch a movie from an iPod or computer while relaxing in the room.  Hyatt Place offers a hybrid breakfast–basics are free but hot items, cinnamon rolls, etc. must be paid for.  There is also 24-hour food service available near the front desk, making it another option for holiday travel or late arrivals.  We’ve found some very reasonable rates at Hyatt Place.

Hyatt Place, Bloomington, MN

Located near Mall of America, this was our first Hyatt Place stay.  The kids thought the TV’s and L-shaped sofa were very nice.

Hyatt Place, Overland Park, KS

Near an office park and shopping area, we had a pleasant stay at this Hyatt Place when we visited Kansas City.

Embassy Suites

Embassy Suites feature suites with two beds and a separate living room with a sofabed, table, and bar area.  The made-to-order breakfast items are a favorite of my husband’s.

Embassy Suites, Bloomington, MN

After finding the correct hotel (there are two Embassy Suites in Bloomington, one on American Blvd W and one on American Blvd E) we enjoyed our stay.  The kids liked wandering around the courtyard area and the rides in the glass elevator.  Breakfast options were plentiful and tasty.

Holiday Inn

While not a lot of Holiday Inns have rooms for six, we’ve found a few that do.  They tend to be a bit higher in price than Comfort Suites but offer similar amenities.

Holiday Inn Express, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Found hear the outlet mall just off the Interstate, we found respite here in a snowstorm.  Our room was spacious with two beds and a sofabed, and there was an indoor pool are that looked fun even though we didn’t have time to use it.  Breakfast was good and staff were friendly.

Holiday Inn Express, Cape Girardeau, MO

Another spacious room just off the highway in Cape Girardeau, this is where Santa found us on Christmas Eve.  As a Christmas treat, milk and cookies were waiting in our room when we arrived back in the room after church Christmas Eve.

Other Hotels

Other hotels where we’ve found rooms for the six of us…

Radisson, Bloomington, MN

With the Waterpark of America located on property, this is a popular family destination.  Our room had two full beds and two bunks for the kids.  No breakfast is included, but there is a restaurant on-site.  This one’s a splurge, especially if using the waterpark.  Hotel guests get a discount on waterpark wristbands.  Another feature of this hotel is a park-and-fly package, which features underground heated parking and a shuttle to the airport.

CanadInns Polo Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba

We enjoyed our stay at the family-friendly CanadInns Polo Park.  While breakfast isn’t included, the hotel’s restaurant has specials for kids.  Our themed kids room featured bunk beds and a space theme, and the kids liked the scavenger hunt around the hotel and the indoor waterpark.

Atlantis Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Our King Neptune suite was spacious and the waterpark is ideal for younger kids–older, more adventurous types will enjoy some of the larger Dells waterparks more than the Atlantis.  The hotel is sprawling, so we had to carry our luggage a long way, and there is no breakfast on site.  We were glad to have a refrigerator and microwave so we could bring our own provisions , and our young kids enjoyed the waterpark.

The Edge, Duluth, MN

We had a large, family-friendly room at this Duluth hotel.  There’s an old section and a new section at this hotel, and reviews seem to vary according to which section you stay in.  Hint:  ask for a room overlooking the waterpark and you’ll be in the new section with a spacious room.  There’s also outdoor mini-golf (seasonal) and an arcade on site, as well as free breakfast in the mornings.  We really like this waterpark, where passes are included in the room rates, making it a bargain for families looking for a waterpark getaway.

Country Inn & Suites, Cedar Falls, IA

At this Country Inn & Suites, we had a huge hotel room with plenty of room to spread out (and even rearrange the furniture a bit.  Although it’s a bit off the major highways, we’d definitely stay here again if in Cedar Falls.

Country Inn & Suites, Madison, WI

Another spacious suite, with cookies available each evening and a good breakfast in the morning.  There’s a waterslide in the pool area that was a hit with our kids.  Located on Madison’s southwest side, near Verona, so it was easy to get to attractions like House on the Rock and Cave of the Mounds.

King’s Pointe Resort, Storm Lake, IA

This is another waterpark resort that features both indoor and outdoor waterparks on the shores of Storm Lake.  We especially enjoyed the outdoor waterpark with its variety of pools and slides that were good for all ages.  Our room was nicely decorated although somewhat oddly set up.  There’s no free breakfast but there is a restaurant on site.  Our kids keep asking to return to King’s Pointe.

Final Thoughts

Finding a room for a large family isn’t impossible, but it may take a bit more work.  I encourage large families to start with Six Suitcase Travel when looking for a hotel room, and if you find one that isn’t listed on the Six Suitcase site, let them know so they can add it.  You can also add hotel reviews for large families on Six Suitcase Travel, or reviews of any hotels or attractions on Trekaroo, another site I use when looking for family-friendly lodging and attractions.

Do you have any favorite hotels for your family, no matter how big?  What do you look for in a family-friendly hotel?  Your comments are appreciated.

That’s when I remembered.  Casinos often have cheap buffets.  And, as Lady Luck would have it, she was along our route, just off Highway 20 in Marquette, Iowa.

We parked and went in and paid for our breakfast buffet (around $24 for the six of us; our youngest was free) and let the eating begin.  The kids were delighted to have hot chocolate to drink on a cool summer morning, and even more delighted to see that the ice cream machine was turned on.  (Yes, we did let them have ice cream for breakfast, after they ate something a little more breakfast-y first.)

Eggs made to order, meats, pastries, you name it–if it could be eaten for breakfast, it was on the buffet.  My son loved the chicken strips, and the fresh fruit was excellent.

The real treat, however, was the excellent service we received.  When I inquired as to the peanut-free status of a pastry item, one of the kitchen staff offered to make up a fresh one for my son, and personally delivered it to our table–with sprinkles.  She then told me that the nut topping for the ice cream was also peanut-free, and brought out the bag to prove it.  She was a former school lunch worker, and had experience with food allergies.  It was so nice to see someone who really understood and helped us navigate the food lines.

With our tummies full, we headed outside, and there, what should we find, but a huge pink elephant.  You know we like our really-big things, so this was a find that we really enjoyed.

Pink Elephant, Lady Luck Casino, Marquette, Iowa

Little did we know, this elephant has some history to it.  How many pink elephants do you know who have water-skiied for presidents?

Pinky the Pink Elephant History

I wished we’d had more time to explore the nearby communities of Marquette and McGregor, with their historic buildings and unique shops.  We’ll go back someday to see more.

But for now, we have memories of a good meal and photos of Pinky.  Who can complain about that?

Most Pizza Ranch locations are found in smaller towns, although some mid-sized cities like Mankato, Minnesota, have opened restaurants as well.  We’ve eaten at eight different Pizza Ranches in Minnesota, and each has something a little different–Glencoe has Cherry Coke and chocolate milk available, plus a slide for tots who finish eating before their parents; Norwood Young America features antiques and a children’s play area plus some of the friendliest ranch hands we’ve seen; Alexandria has toys for the kids to play with; Waseca has figured out the pizza to perfection; and New Ulm has plenty of room to move.

The pizza at the ranch is, of course, the highlight, and even if you purchase the buffet, you can have them make a pizza to order.  When it’s ready, they’ll bring the first slice to you at your table.  While my favorite Taco Pizza is often on the buffet, I often have to ask for Buffalo Chicken, and my son likes to request Barbecue Chicken.  Bread sticks and dessert pizza are also on the buffet, so you can make a meal of it.

But wait, there’s more!  The salad bar at Pizza Ranch is plentiful, with a nice variety that includes fruits and veggies.  One of the reasons we started frequenting Pizza Ranch is that my doesn’t-eat-much daughter, who doesn’t eat pizza, would eat peaches, pears, applesauce, pudding, and crackers, and could get milk with her kid-priced meal.  (Kids pay by their age at Pizza Ranch.)  It was as good of a meal as she’d eat in any restaurant.

My favorite part of Pizza Ranch, though, is the chicken.  In fact, my brother (who happens to work for Pizza Hut) claims it should be called “Chicken Ranch.”  The broasted chicken is delicious, and when paired with broasted potato wedges, or mashed potatoes and gravy, it is possible to visit Pizza Ranch and not touch the pizza.

Pizza Ranch displays a western decor, and there’s usually country music playing to round out the theme.  There are always tables already set up for groups of six (and often more), which doesn’t always happen at restaurants.  My kids love the napkins, which proclaim, “Hi there, I’m a napkin,” and enjoy perusing the menus that list all the Pizza Ranch locations.  We’ve joked that we’d like to take a vacation and see if we could manage to eat all of our meals at Pizza Ranch locations.  (Pizza Ranch, are you listening?  Will you take us up on our dare?)

The price is right; for our family of six, we usually leave with full stomachs from the buffet for around $35.  Of course, if you don’t want to gorge yourself on the buffet, you can order regular pizza or broasted chicken, or get a take-out or delivery order.

We’ve found Pizza Ranch to be filled with good food, fair prices, and friendly staff.  If that’s the kind of eating you like to do, Pizza Ranch is the place for you.

Want to see what my kids think of Pizza Ranch? This is from a while ago, but it wouldn’t be much different if I remade it today.

And so it is that today I write about the oxymoronic place where my girls and I had lunch today:  Plaza Garibaldi in New Ulm, Minnesota.

Now, if you don’t know New Ulm, you won’t know why this is such an oddity.  After all, what’s so strange about a non-chain Mexican restaurant that has efficient but friendly service, excellent food, and reasonable prices?

Mostly the fact that it’s plunked in the middle of New Ulm.

If you’ve never been to New Ulm, you haven’t seen its top-of-the-hill statue of Hermann the German, watched the Glockenspiel, or toured Schell’s Brewery (where Grain Belt beer is made now, too).  You haven’t been to German Park or driven down German Street.  You haven’t shopped at the Guten Tag Haus or the Treasure Haus or Domeier’s German store.  You haven’t had sauerkraut with a meal at the Kaiserhoff (which has arguably the best ribs in the Midwest) or Otto’s Feierhaus and Bierstube at the Holiday Inn (home of many of the town’s festivals).

Do you see a theme here?

Yes, New Ulm is about as German as it gets.  Yet in the years since Plaza Garibaldi moved into the building where I once bought a dishwasher and refrigerator and deep freeze (known to many of you as a chest freezer), its parking lot has become fuller and fuller.

Perhaps it’s because these Germans watch their money closely, and Plaza offers good food for a fair price.  Perhaps it’s because they’ve had enough landjaegers and sauerkraut and kuchen and are looking for something different.  Perhaps it’s because kids eat free on Sundays.

Whatever the reasons, Plaza Garibaldi has found its way into the hearts and stomachs of New Ulm.  If you’re traveling through, you should stop in and give it a try.

Just be prepared to park a ways down the block because the parking lot will likely be full.

Plaza Garibaldi is located at Broadway and 17th North Street, in front of Runnings fleet store and almost across the street from Happy Joe’s pizza.  If you’re traveling through town on US 14 or MN 68, it’s on your route.

Things to do in New Ulm, MN, via Uptake.

I’ll be honest, I’d never heard of Whirla Whip until Kim from the North Dakota Tourism office told me about it last year.  On my trip around North Dakota with the kids, she said we could stop in at Stanley Drug for a Whirla Whip.  She also mentioned that it was one of the last Whirla Whips around.  Disappearing history? A tasty treat?  I added it to our itinerary.

Stanley’s Whirla Whip is located in the Dakota Drug store, which still has a full-service soda fountain.  The centerpiece of the soda fountain is the Whirla Whip machine.  (Unfortunately, this photographer didn’t get much of a picture of the actual machine.  You can see the handle for it on the left side of the above photo.)

A Whirla Whip is the predecessor of the DQ Blizzard or McDonald’s McFlurry.  Made with scoops of hard ice cream, bits of candy or flavoring are added and then the machine does its magic, smashing and swirling and mixing it all together until you have a lovely concoction called a Whirla Whip.  Our soda jerk ground the candy bits with a mortar and pestle before adding them to the treat.  The flavor combinations are seemingly unlimited, as you can choose the flavor of ice cream as well as how many and what kind of additives to put in your Whirla Whip.

It was worth the stop off Highway 2 to have a Whirla Whip in Stanley.

A few months later, we visited the End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum in Currie, Minnesota, while camping at Lake Shetek State Park.  To my surprise, they had a familiar-looking machine stationed in their gift shop.

“Is that a Whirla Whip?” I asked.  And indeed it was.  The Currie Whirla Whip hasn’t been used in a while, but I found it interesting to see two of these old guys within one summer.

Apparently, Whirla Whip is still around; the company has a website.  And if you’re one of the lucky few to have had a Whirla Whip at Dakota Drug in Stanley, North Dakota, there’s a Facebook group just for you.

Have you ever had a Whirla Whip?  Where was it?

Buckhorn Saloon

If you’re visiting San Antonio, you’ll likely come across a brochure for the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum.  This unique Texas place is well-known for its collection of animal mounts, and is located just blocks from the Alamo and the Riverwalk.

We stopped at the Buckhorn for lunch on a rainy day after visiting the San Antonio Children’s Museum, which is just across the street.  We ordered our counter-service lunch and found plenty of seating available for our family in the saloon area.  Lunch at the Buckhorn was acceptable, although nothing special.  It advertises reasonable prices, which are similar to what you’d pay at a bar & grill-type restaurant.  They were out of one of the kids’ meal choices when we were there, which was disappointing for our son.

My son desperately wanted to see the museum portion, which includes the Buckhorn Museum and the Texas Rangers Museum on a single ticket, but we we were short on time and the admission price was more than we wanted to spend.  (He was similarly disappointed the previous day when we wouldn’t spend the money to go to Ripley’s  or Guinness.)  We were told that it generally takes about an hour and a half to go through the museum.

Even without seeing the wildlife in the museum, there were several stuffed animals on display in the saloon area, so the kids were able to get a taste for what would be included in the museum.

Whether or not you go through the museum, it’s interesting to see the saloon, and there’s no charge to visit it or the gift shop.

More about San Antonio, Texas, at Uptake.

For families like mine with more than two children, finding a place to stay when traveling is a bit of a challenge.  When I’m looking for a hotel room for the six of us, the first place I turn is to Six Suitcase Travel, with its city-by-city lists of hotels that can accommodate large families.  More often than not, a Choice Hotels brand is on the list.  Theresa at Six Suitcase Travel recommends Choice Hotels for their nationwide presence, family-friendly accommodations, and affordability.  On our family’s recent 11-night Texas trip, six of our nights were spent in Choice Hotels.

Choice Hotels has ten brands to meet a variety of travel needs, from inexpensive overnights to extended stays, from free breakfasts to special treatment.  No matter where you travel, you’re sure to find a Choice Hotels brand along your route.  If you’ve seen a Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, Mainstay Suites, Suburban, EconoLodge, or Rodeway Inn hotel, you’ve seen a Choice Hotels property.

Choice Hotels and Six Suitcase Travel have teamed up to offer Travels with Children readers a chance to win a $250 Choice Hotels Gift Card.  With Choice Hotels’ affordable rates, that could make a pretty nice Spring Break getaway!

Here’s how:

Entry

• “Main Entry”:  Where would you go if you won the gift card?  Head over to Six Suitcase Travel and find your dream destination, then tell us how many Choice Hotels properties for large families are available there.  (Remember that Choice Hotels has ten brands, which are listed above.)  Input your information into the entry form.  For example, Fargo, ND, has a Rodeway Inn and a MainStay Suites listed at Six Suitcase Travel, so my entry would read:  Fargo, ND–2.
• “Extra Entry”:  Tweet the following:  RT @minnemom Win a $250 gift card from family-friendly @ChoiceHotels and @sixsuitcasetrav .  http://bit.ly/bgwZ2l. Fill out the entry form, mentioning your twitter ID.  Feel free to follow any of the sponsors as well!

Prizes

• One winner will receive a $250 Choice Hotels Gift Card, courtesy of Choice Hotels.
• Two runners-up will each receive a tote bag from Six Suitcase Travel.

Rules

• Each person may complete one “main entry” and one “extra entry.”
• Entries must use the entry form below (NOT the comments field), which places each entry into a numbered spreadsheet.
• Winners will be chosen by a random number generated by Random.org.  The entry number from the spreadsheet corresponding to the random number generated will be the winner of the prize.
• Entrants must be legal residents of one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.
• Family members and households of Travels with Children, Six Suitcase Travel, and Choice Hotels are ineligible.
• No purchase necessary to enter.
• Odds of winning depend on number of entries received.
• Winners will be required to provide shipping information within five days of winning notification.
• Prizes will be shipped directly from Choice Hotels or Six Suitcase Travel.
• Contest begins February 18, 2010.  Contest ends February 24, 2010, at 11:59 p.m. CST.
• Void where prohibited.

Good luck!

The contest is now closed.

Jenny is the wife of one and stay-at-home mom of three, trying to use the world as her classroom.  She lives in Watertown, South Dakota.

Last summer I was sitting with a group of moms discussing travel plans.  One mom had just returned from a long road trip with her family of five.   As they were nearing their hotel destination one evening, her two-year-old got carsick all over herself.   They were anxious to get to their hotel room to clean her up.  Despite the fact that they had made advanced reservations, the desk clerk refused to let them put three kids in one room.  The reason? Fire code.  Furious and exhausted, they were forced to keep driving with their messy child until they found another hotel.   Our group then discussed the methods we’ve used to get three kids into a room.

Is having three kids really that uncommon?  A quick survey of my moms’ group revealed that 17 out of 29 moms have three or more children.

We adopted our third child a little over a year ago.  She’s getting a tad big for cribs and now I’m running into this same situation.  There are so many hotels which won’t let you put three kids in a room.  We enjoy traveling, and this has definitely complicated things.

After a recent bout of cabin fever, I found myself hunting for a motel in nearby Sioux Falls with an indoor waterpark.  There are only two such places in Sioux Falls.   On a previous outing, we stayed at “Hotel A” and had an enjoyable time.  This year, however, Hotel A was booked.  I attempted to book a room at “Hotel B” online.  The online reservation system would not let me reserve for five people.

Normally, I would have sneaked the third child in, but because waterpark wristbands were involved, I knew we’d be one short.  I phoned the hotel directly.  The clerk refused to let me book room for five people.  She wanted me to buy a suite.  I explained that my third child could sleep on the floor and that a suite was more money than we wanted to spend.  No deal.  I threatened to take my money down the road to their competition (figured she didn’t know they were booked). No deal.  She was willing to let me walk away.  I then asked why it was unacceptable to have five people in a room.  She informed me that it was a “violation of fire code.”   I hung up in frustration.

I was baffled for a couple of reasons.  #1.  How is having a child sleep on the floor any more of a fire code violation than having a crib brought into a room?  #2.  If it truly is a violation of fire code, how does “Hotel A” get away with it?  I was beginning to suspect that this was all an elaborate scheme to force people into booking suites.  What happened to the concept of a rollaway bed?  More and more hotels seemed to be getting away from this.

Because I apparently have nothing better to do with my time, I  went online and did some investigating.  It was very simple to find a contact e-mail address for the fire department.  I e-mailed the department with the name and address of the hotel and posed my question.  Is it truly a violation to have five people in one room?

To my amazement, I received a reply within the hour from the division fire chief marshall.  He stated, “Fire and building code requirements generally do not regulate individual sleeping rooms relative to occupant loading other than a requirement for more than one exit where an occupant load exceeds ten people.  The statement ‘violates fire code’, in this case, is incorrect.”

I decided  to call Hotel B again and ask them to explain themselves.  I was forced to leave a message with a secretary.   A short time later, the fire marshall took it upon himself to phone the hotel and set them straight.  I only wish I could have been in the room to see the look on the manager’s face when she received that call.  Shortly thereafter, the manager phoned me.  Apparently, the managers had a huddle, did some investigating and discovered that this policy was a corporate policy, not a government policy.  The corporate policy allowed two people per bed plus an additional person on the floor.  I was granted my reservation.  An apology was issued.  A promise was made that staff would receive training on this matter.  I told the manager that I believe a lot of hotels do not realize how much money they are losing with this policy.  When I hunt for hotel rooms online, I will keep searching until I find one that will allow me to put three kids in a room.  I informed her that her clerk was willing to let me walk away with a few hundred dollars’ worth of business rather than let me put a child on the floor.

Most people are probably not willing to go to these lengths to get a room.  My determination stemmed from running across this issue frequently, plus a desperate need to get my kids to a waterpark in a town with limited choices.  If you’re in a situation where you have your heart set on a certain hotel, or you’re in dire need of a room (like my friend with the sick child), take action.  When a clerk refuses to provide your family of five with lodging, ask for the reason behind this.  If you’re told it’s a corporate policy, ask to speak to a manager.  If you’re told it’s fire code, call them on it.  It’s simple to find contact information for a local fire department.  Heck, you could phone them while you stand at the front desk!  Be firm, polite and persistent and see how far you can get.

Have you had a similar experience?  How did you handle it?  Have you ever called the fire department to check the “fire code” claim of a hotel?  Please share your thoughts.

If you want to find a room that will accept families of five, six, or more without problems, I recommend starting at SixSuitcaseTravel.com, or if you’ll be traveling in the UK, find rooms for five at http://www.roomfor5.co.uk.

For the record, the kids are drinking hot chocolate, my husband has some caramel-apple type of thing, and I had a chai tea latte, which is my favorite coffee-shop indulgence.

What special things do you occasionally splurge on when on an outing?

Juneberry Pie is one of those delicacies of summer in North Dakota that few other people know about.  Juneberries, in some places called “service berries,” grow wild on prickly bushes in coulees and pastures and have a fleeting season.  Some years are good, but others aren’t, so if there are berries found, they’re often whisked away to the freezer to enjoy a treat later in the year.

Dark purple in color, these pea-sized berries are best when put in pie.  Besides rhubarb pie from my mom’s friend Marcy’s recipe, Juneberry is my favorite.  And since we don’t have Juneberries here in southern Minnesota, it’s a real treat to have Juneberry Pie.

Imagine my delight, then, when I heard of a place in North Dakota that serves Juneberry Pie year-round.  At Lund’s Landing on the north shore of Lake Sakakawea, 22 miles east of Williston, homemade Juneberry Pie is on the menu any time of year.  Analene makes the pies from frozen berries gathered by her contacts from around the state.  And that’s not all she uses the berries for — I started my morning with Juneberry pancakes.  Yum!  Then I had dessert with my breakfast in the form of a slice of pie.  It was just as good as my mom’s–not better, but just as good–Mom and Analene must use the same recipe.

Pie is available by the slice or by the whole pie.  Mail orders are currently not available, partly because it’s delicate and wouldn’t ship very well.  Therefore, if you want to try a piece of this delicious food, you’ll have to stop in to Lund’s Landing.

Besides pie, Lund’s Landing has a full menu as well as recreational facilities available.   We took some time to wander the birding trails, and Analene and my son compared notes on their favorite birds.

Lund’s Landing and its Juneberry Pie is yet another of the unique treats that can be found when traveling through North Dakota.  What others do you know about?

Since then, the hotel has undergone a few name changes and some updates, and we enjoyed a nice stay in Bismarck.

We arrived on a Saturday evening, and it was difficult to find parking near the registration area because of a wedding and/or other activities in the banquet facilities.  Checkin was courteous, although there was only one representative on duty and we had to wait in line for several minutes.

The hotel is sprawling, so it is important to use the map for getting around.  We ended up carrying our luggage down a long hallway to find an elevator, as the entrance where we had parked had only a staircase.

Our room was a nicely decorated standard but spacious two-bed room.  The beds were comfortable and each had four pillows.  The room had the standard amenities, including an armchair and ottoman, a side chair, and a large desk with free wi-fi access.  There was a closet with hangers and a shelf, and two luggage racks.  We were on the second floor, in a room with a balcony overlooking the pool area.  Our balcony was shared with the room next door, and the kids enjoyed looking out on the pool from our room.  Rooms on the first level are actual pool-side rooms.

Except for noise from the pool, our room was very quiet.  In the three days that we were there, we didn’t hear anything from the hallway or adjacent rooms.  At night, when the pool was closed, the room was absolutely quiet.

The pool area included a zero-entry toddler area with a frog slide, two small children’s slides, and a big waterslide.  Although the pool itself wasn’t huge, it was fun for the kids and I could easily keep an eye on all of them.  The pool area also included a whirlpool, many tables and chairs, and an arcade, and the exercise area was adjacent to this space.  A business center is located near the front desk.

We ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant on Sunday morning, and the kids were impressed with the “fancy” decor.  Although it had a kids’ menu and coloring sheets, the service was not very prompt and the prices were high for kids’ breakfasts.  Our server forgot to bring the kids’ juice, and there were no staff in sight to ask for help until our meals were finished.  All-in-all, it was nothing special and we did not return the next morning.

The Ramkota is located across the street from Kirkwood Mall and is just a few blocks away from Famous Daves, McDonald’s, and other restaurants, as well as a grocery store.  It is close to downtown Bismarck, but quite far from I-94.

All in all, our stay at the Ramkota Bismarck was pleasant.  Aside from the initial parking difficulties and mediocre restaurant experience, we had a pleasant stay in a quiet room, and the kids enjoyed the pool area.

Disclosure:  Our stay at the Ramkota was paid for by the Bismarck-Mandan Convention & Visitors Bureau.  This review reflects my personal experience at the hotel.
Related Posts:

• Ramkota Sioux Falls with Splash-tacular Indoor Waterpark
• Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park

The McDonald’s in Dickinson, North Dakota, may be tops when it comes to providing service, however.  It’s the first McDonald’s I’ve seen that actually delivers.

That’s right, if you pull up to the gas station in the next lot, you can stop at Pump #2 and place and pay for your McDonald’s order.

By the time you’re done filling up with gas, your food will be delivered to your door.  Your car door, that is.

To see more travel photos, which are likely more exotic than this one, visit Deliciousbaby’s Photo Friday.

The Country Inn & Suites, Madison Southwest, is located on the southern edge of Madison, Wisconsin.  Some addresses list it as Fitchburg, and others as Madison, and it’s just a few miles from Verona.  The hotel is just off U.S. 18/151, making it easy to access points west of Madison, such as The House on the Rock and Cave of the Mounds.  The Baraboo/Wisconsin Dells area is about an hour away.

Our Room

We stayed in a suite, with two queen beds, a chair, and a television in the bedroom, and a sofabed, desk, and television in the living room.  A real door separated the bedroom from the rest of the room, so my husband and I could watch TV in the living room after we put the kids in bed.

The bathroom had a large countertop and, although not a massaging showerhead, the shower had power and was high enough for my tall husband to fit under.  Mirrors were plentiful in the room.  A bar area with a sink sat atop a dorm-size refrigerator and microwave.  Plentiful light switches in the suite allowed lighting when and where we wanted it.  The thermostat was easy to configure, and a ceiling fan in the living room helped with circulation if we wanted it.

There was a dresser with three drawers in both the bedroom and living room, and also a closet with several hangers in each room.  The usual amenities (ironing board, hair dryer, coffee maker) were available for our use.

The beds were comfortable, and although feather-type pillows were all that were offered, they were better than some I’ve used in hotels.  I don’t always sleep well in hotels, but I got a good night’s rest throughout our stay here.

The sofabed sunk toward the middle, as sofabeds often do, but it was adequate for our kids.

The hotel was quiet; although adjacent to a busy road, the pool faces the road and the rooms face the parking lot of the hotel on one side and a bowling alley on the other.  We seldom heard any noise from the hallway or adjacent rooms.

Our room adjoined another identical room, so a large family or group of people could share two rooms with a door between.

Outlets were plentiful in our room for charging all of our gear, and wi-fi was free and easy to log in to.  For those traveling without a computer, a terminal and printer are available in the lobby for guest use.

The entire hotel is non-smoking, which is helpful for my families’ allergy concerns.  An elevator is available for the second- and third-story rooms, and there’s a guest laundry room available.

Breakfast/Cookies

Country Inns & Suites prides itself in its breakfast, and it wasn’t a disappointment.  Cereal, yogurt, and a variety of breads were available, as well as hard-boiled eggs and microwaveable omelets and sausage.  The part of breakfast we liked the best was hot waffles, with batter ready-to-pour and waffle irons that were well-seasoned so that the waffles came out perfectly every time.

In the afternoons and evenings, chocolate-chip cookies were available in the breakfast area.  I appreciated the manager’s knowledge of the peanut-allergen status of the cookies (a may-contain statement on the package).  I was also happy to see that there were not peanut butter cookies served, as this would have created some fear in using the tables for breakfast in the mornings.

The breakfast area was large, with several tables and high chairs available, as well as a sofa and television.  Even when it was busy, we always found a place to sit for breakfast.

Pool/Exercise Area

The pool area at this hotel consists of a large hot tub, a medium-sized pool with basketball hoops, and a children’s slide/splash area. 

It was an excellent setup for a family with younger children.  The pool depth ranged from 3 to 4 feet, and balls were available for playing basketball. 

The splash and slide area was just right for our kids, and I could easily keep my eye on the entire area from the pool deck so I could count heads while my husband played in the water with the kids.  (We’ve been to bigger waterparks that were a nightmare for keeping track of little ones.)

An exercise room is adjacent to the pool, and if you prefer more workout equipment, you can check out a pass to a nearby 24-hour fitness club.

Lobby/Library

The lobby at Country Inn & Suites is homey, and features a Read It and Return It library with books for both adults and children.  You can borrow books from the library and then return them to any Country Inn & Suites.  It was nice to have a few extra books in our hotel room for when the kids tried to claim boredom.

Suggestions for Improvement

Our stay was positive, with our complaints being very minor.  I’ll start with the tiniest one:  the Pantene conditioner is in narrow round bottles, and it’s nearly impossible to get any conditioner out of the bottle.  For three days I shook and shook the bottle, trying to get out conditioner.  On the fourth day, I gave up.  I know it sounds strange, but it drove me crazy.  Squeezable bottles or not-so-thick conditioner would solve the problem.

The second, not-so-trivial, downside was finding our way into the hotel itself.  We came in from the back side, in the dark, and there is absolutely no signage for the hotel from this side.  Fortunately, I had spotted the company logo atop the building, through the trees, as we approached, but this was the only clue I had that we had arrived.  I mentioned this to the manager, who said he receives this complaint at least once a week.  Apparently, the corporate office only allows one sign on the property, and their sign is along the busy road (which has no direct access to the hotel).  In addition, if you approach from the back side of the hotel, there is no sign on the building at all.   Driving past a hotel because of lack of signage has happened to us before, and it puts us in a poor mood before we even walk in the door.  Signs are important in getting guests to the hotel efficiently and happily.  I hope the corporate powers that be will change this policy.

My third suggestion has to do specifically with our larger-than-average family:  Our room was designed to sleep six people, and there were pillows and bedding for six, but only towels for four.  I received more towels upon request at the front desk, but it would be nice to have them in the room, ready for us, when we stay in a room and have six people on our reservation.

Hit the Road Country Streams & Shores

We used several suggestions from the “Hit the Road Country” Streams & Shores itinerary for a last-minute vacation.  For four days, they suggest Mall of America and Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, and Circus World, Noah’s Ark at Wisconsin Dells, the Original Wisconsin Ducks, and the State Capitol in Wisconsin.

We’ve been to Mall of America several times before, but we hadn’t taken the kids to Minnehaha Falls yet, so we started our trip there.  The kids loved the falls.  We may go back to rent one of the bicycle-cars for a ride around the park.

In Wisconsin Dells, we did the Ducks tour, and although it was a nice ride through the forest and on the lake, we found that our kids were too young for the jokes told on the trip.  They just didn’t understand the puns and other “cheesy” humor.

We decided against Noah’s Ark since we’d be outnumbered by young kids.  (See above comment about the pool.)  Maybe when the kids are older we’ll brave that big waterpark.

Circus World was a delight, and I see why it was a “mom-approved” choice on the itinerary.  The shows throughout the day were fun and interesting for the whole family.

The State Capitol was on our list, but the kids’ patience was wearing thin so we decided a guided tour wouldn’t work out so well.  We’ll try that on another trip.  A necessary part of traveling with kids is flexibility.

We also found many other interesting things to do in the Madison/Wisconsin Dells area that complemented the Streams & Shores itinerary.

Conclusion

Our stay at the Country Inn & Suites was pleasant, as our previous stays at Country Inns have been.  (We’ve had good experiences in Cedar Falls, IA, and Roseville, MN, in the past.)  The kids were disappointed this morning when we had to leave.  When we travel, we like to find a central location where we can stay, yet have several places to visit within an hour’s drive.  This location fit the bill.

Our room was spacious for our family of six, and this is no small task.  As other families with more than two or three children know, it can be difficult to find a hotel room for five or six people.  Our room not only had enough beds for all of us, but it was not cramped, and had plenty of closet and dresser space as well.

The room that we stayed in generally runs from $129-$149, which is a decent rate for a room that fits all of us and includes breakfast.  With AAA discounts or Country Inn’s current “Sweet Deal” promotion of saving 15% with multiple-night stays, the price is very good for a large room.

Our stay at the Country Inn & Suites in Madison was pleasant, and we would not hesitate to return to this or another Country Inn location.

What? You’ve never heard of a pitchfork fondue?

The Medora Pitchfork Fondue consists of steaks being put on the tines of pitchforks (nice, clean ones, of course), and cooked in hot oil.  And somehow those steaks are seasoned perfectly so that they come out just right.  Delicious!

Steak’s not the only part of the meal, though; they have all the trimmings as well–baked potatoes, baked beans, salad items, garlic toast,  lemonade, and brownies for dessert.  Kids can get a hot dog meal instead of a steak.  Prices range from $6 for a hot dog meal to $25.50 for a ribeye.  With tax included and no gratuity, that’s not a bad price for the amount of food you get.

The Pitchfork Steak Fondue shares a parking area with the Medora Musical, so you can head up the hill and stay for the evening.  If you’re planning to go on the Behind the Scenes tour, I’d recommend getting there at the beginning of the fondue; if not, you can wait until later in the serving time.  If there’s a long line when you arrive, don’t fret–they can serve an amazing number of people in a short amount of time, and there’s plenty of seating available.

The Pitchfork Steak Fondue overlooks the Badlands for a unique outdoor dining experience.  It’s a fun–and tasty– part of the Medora experience.

Note:  My family received complimentary meals at the Pitchfork Fondue.  This does not affect my review.