The Fred Rogers Memorial Statue in Pittsburgh, PA is dedicated to the work and memory of Fred McFeely Rogers, host of the popular show for children (and those that love them), Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The statue was created by Robert Berks, stands about 11 feet high, and was dedicated on November 5, 2009.

I, like many Americans, grew up watching Mister Rogers, and to be honest I still think about him when I come home and trade my sneakers for slippers. You know what I’m talking about.

If you find yourself in the North Shore area of Pittsburgh, close to Heinz Field (home of the Pittsburgh Steelers), do yourself a favor and pay your respects. I’m sure Mr. Rogers would love to see you.

This post is part of Uptake’s Monday Museums, Monuments and Memorials Series.

Photo: daveynin via Flickr

My son and I (pictured — not the guys in white) spent a recent weekend in San Francisco, and it was fantastic.

We rode on the cable cars, hung out with friends, and spent some quality time with the good people at 20th Century Fox (who supplied the trip) and Lucasfilm. That’s right, we visited Skywalker Ranch and the Presidio location (right by the Walt Disney Family Museum!). We’re talking Star Wars, people (The Phantom Menace mostly)!

My son ranks it as the best weekend ever. Who am I to disagree?

This post is part of the Uptake Friday Family Fun series.

Photo by Araya Quanah Diaz, courtesy of 20th Century Fox

It’s Mardi Gras, people. Time to party. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

There are celebrations being held all over the world, but the two best are Carnival in Rio and the craziness of America’s own New Orleans. By best I mean the most drinking, parades, and public nudity. You may have your own ranking system.

If you can’t get to Brazil or New Orleans there are plenty of other places to enjoy the celebration before Lent sets in (although, my personal experience has shown a lot more people seem to partake in Fat Tuesday than Ash Wednesday — go figure).

St. Louis throws a nice party as does Mississippi’s West Coast (both of which offer lots of family fun). Most cities feature some sort of celebration, although they tend to focus on Fat Tuesday (February 21) rather than weeks of debauchery. San Diego claims to have the best party out west, but I recall one Fat Tuesday in Seattle that brought out police in riot gear, which is always a sign that things are pretty wild (also a sign that it is time to duck down an alley and get the heck out of there).

If you want something that the kids will enjoy (not that they won’t get a kick out of the above, but the parents will probably have a nervous breakdown), then check out the rolling good times at Disneyland. Yes, Disneyland. Parades start tomorrow (February 10) and the fun runs from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. in New Orleans Square (check link below for dates, subject to change).

Disney’s New Orleans Bayou Bash has all of your favorite Disney characters, street performers, food, and music, and runs well into March.

Unfortunately there isn’t any drinking at Disney’s party, but a quick walk through Downtown Disney, one of the Disney hotels or Disney’s California Adventure can wet your whistle quick enough. Please note, they do tend to frown on public nudity.

Party on!

Photo: Mark Gstohl via Flickr

Maid-Rite drive-ins have been feeding the Midwest since 1926. That’s a lot of sandwiches.

The restaurant chain is headquartered in Iowa, but has additional locations in Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio. Carry out beer is not available in all stores, but it should be.

There’s nothing better than good food on a family road trip. While the bigger chains are convenient and often necessary, it’s always nice to try someplace local. What are some of the regional favorites in your area?

This post is part of Uptake’s Tuesday Roadside Attractions Series. If you have a photo of an odd, funny or interesting roadside attraction that you would like to see featured here please submit it via the link in the sidebar with subject line: Roadside.