by Erin Kirkland - Dr. Ian Walker knows his place at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo; and right now, it’s in the tortoise pen, scratching the outstretched necks of Sally and Crooked Nose. The two, aged 50 and 100, respectively, had lumbered over as soon as they heard Walker’s voice carry across the shaded courtyard near their enclosure. We’re on a tour of the facility, … [Read more...]
Conquering the Mendocino Coast of California with Non-Committal Teens
By Annie Gallagher Yearout - What sort of ridiculousness are we in for? Two teenagers and a single mom on a road trip together, where service for cell phones and connections to social media might just be interrupted for a few moments by windswept beaches, spouting whales and wild bike contraptions that fly along train tracks? Why, an insanely cool adventure to Mendocino, … [Read more...]
Summertime Family Fun at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in New Braunfels, Texas
by Melynda Harrison - I’m lying, stomach-down, in a little chute, gripping a boogie board beneath me. I’ve ridden them in the ocean before, but this is my first time riding an artificial wave. The instructor tells me to pull my elbows in, keep my chest up, and put my feet down a bit if I am about to go backwards over the crest of the wave. I scoot down, shoot into the water, … [Read more...]
A Community Farm in Downtown Baltimore? Yep. And They Need Our Help
by Kate Koch-Sundquist - For millions of families across America, safe, accessible outdoor space is a privilege they can only dream about. But for the 26,000 residents of Baltimore’s Frankford neighborhood, all of that could be about to change. Here, a revolution is underway, and it’s called BLISS Meadows. The brainchild of Atiya Wells, Baltimoreans to Live In Sustainable … [Read more...]
11 Best Kids Sleeping Bags of 2019 + Expert Kids Sleeping Bag Buying Guide
by Stephanie Harper - Sleeping outside is, in my opinion, one of the best parts about camping with kids. After all, nothing says camping like having a cozy, warm kids sleeping bag in which to bundle up as night approaches. There are tons of options out there, and it may seem confusing, but don’t be discouraged--we recommend checking out the buying guide below before you spend a … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: Hiking Barefoot While Dragging a Stick
by Stephanie Green - I grew up in Chicago, where the highest elevation was a 50-foot freeway overpass. When I moved to California, I fell in love with the mountains and their commanding height. I also loved exploring the variety of natural areas from the ocean to the desert. After twenty years, I am still in awe of the abundance and diversity of ecosystems. My recreation of … [Read more...]
70+ Family Friendly Things To Do In The White Mountains, New Hampshire
by Jean Grant - Meander in a meadow of spiky lupine, hike to the alpine summit of New England’s highest mountain, bask in crimson and yellow autumn foliage along country roads, or swoosh down powdery ski runs. A plethora of outdoor excursions await in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The 800,000-acre hardwood White Mountain National Forest is home to over 150 miles of … [Read more...]
Washington State Parks: A Family Guide to Hiking, Camping, & Exploring
by Todd Holcomb - The state of Washington is well-known as a hub for national parks and forests on the West Coast. Adventurers from around the world flock to the Cascade range or towering Olympic mountains, all under the watchful eye of Mount Rainier ever looming on the horizon. While these federally-managed wonderlands are worthy experiences of their own right, some of the … [Read more...]
8 Best Instant Pop Up Family Camping Tents + Tent Buying Guide
By Stephanie Harper - Setting up your family campsite can be a challenge with kids in tow; hands full, and time ticking away by the minute until the moment you can sit down, relax and enjoy the great outdoors. Having easy access to an instant, pop up family camping tent can be the answer to dreaded hours spent unpacking, whether on a beach, by a river, or at a park. Think a … [Read more...]
Take Your Kids to Clean-Up a Local Stream (Even If They Won’t Clean Their Rooms)
by Shannon Brescher Shea - A metal bridge arches over a gently flowing stream in Rockville, Maryland, winding its way between trees and rock-strewn banks. Looking at little closer, it’s clear the water is littered with soda cans, cigarette butts, and plastic bags. But a stream clean-up is underway, with several families picking up trash. Adults wade in the water, picking up … [Read more...]
4 Expert Tips on Raising an Adventure Dog
by John Soltys - For many of us, dogs are family. We celebrate their accomplishments, we fear for their safety, and we mourn their passing. And, just like we do with human children, we enjoy adventuring together. In many cases, it's dogs that begin our adventures in life and in the outdoors. Some of my earliest memories are about time spent as a child with the family dog in … [Read more...]
Mammoth Lakes, California: Summer family travel just got more adventurous
by Rina Baraz Nehdar - My son, Kaleb, held his hands high, testing his grip on the grimy rope, suspended from a branch above his head. Although I wanted him to be brave, part of me pictured his hands slipping and his little body landing with a dull thud onto the sharp rocks as he attempted to swing into the lake. Besides our screams of terrified excitement, Gull Lake, near … [Read more...]
The Complete Quebec, Canada Family Road Trip Itinerary
by Erin Kirkland “Attache ta tuque!” This is what my Uber driver, natty ball cap askance on his bald head, shouted when I mentioned I was beginning a seven-day road trip to explore sections of Quebec. The literal meaning is “Secure your hat on your head,” and in modern vernacular translates to “Hold on tight!” because something unexpected or exciting is coming your … [Read more...]
San Ignacio, Belize: Finding culture & adventure fit for a teen
by Amy Whitley - The moment my seventeen-year-old son and I stepped out of the airport shuttle van and into the small porte-cochère of San Ignacio Resort Hotel in the Cayo District of Belize, I understood why this property is affectionately known as ‘the only jungle in town’. Literally steps from the lively bustle of downtown, the moment you step through the open-air doorway, … [Read more...]
17 Outdoor Birthday Party Ideas For Fun In The Sun
by Lindsey Lebowitz - When I think of summer with my kids, I think of popsicles, running barefoot through the sprinkler, sun-kissed cheeks, and outdoor birthday parties. Both my kids’ birthdays fall in the summertime, and as an outdoor family, we enjoy celebrating outside. This year, I’ve gotten a head start on researching outdoor summer birthday party ideas. Varying among … [Read more...]
An Apostle Islands Camping Family Adventure | Wisconsin Family Travel
by Jenny Wisniewski - In the summertime, my young family regularly camped. I have always wanted my boys to get dirt beneath their nails, play from dawn to dark, and explore until they collapsed in their sleeping bags, bellies full of s’mores. It was the packing of gear and meal planning that my husband and I dreaded. Our family camping trips had waned until this past August … [Read more...]
My Outdoor Family: Nature, Sustainability, and Conscious Choices
by Cheryl Magyar - One was born in a town of Romania, another was brought to life in the suburbs of America, and the third arrived quietly on a homestead in Hungary, with animals waiting patiently, in complete silence, just outside the door. Our births were given dates and exact locations, to be institutionalized and stamped on a certificate of existence, yet it remains that … [Read more...]
