by Melynda Harrison - Atop gentle horses saddled by the expert staff at Brooks Lake Lodge, my family climbs into an impossibly beautiful meadow in the Absaroka Mountains of Wyoming. With a background of striated cliffs, a creek running over a mountain edge into a thin cascade, and late summer wildflowers hanging on for just a little longer all around us, I decided this might … [Read more...]
Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary – 14 Must-Stops Along Route 1
by Jennifer Fontaine - An epic summer Pacific Coast Highway road trip is as American as warm apple pie ala mode, but the intricacies of planning accommodations and outdoor activities along the famous Route 1 one can prove a bit more challenging than simply following grandma’s recipe. Complex itineraries, careful budgeting, and a thousand hours of in-car entertainment can take … [Read more...]
10 Best Kids Water Shoes Under $50 | 2019 Expert Buying Guide
Looking for the best kids water shoes on the market today? Look no further! We have carefully and thoughtfully reviewed more than 30 different kids swim shoes and boiled it down to these top 10 best kids water shoes for all the adventurous infants, toddlers, and older children in your family because quality outdoor gear is a gift worth giving. All kids love jumping in rain … [Read more...]
Best Family Camping Tents of 2019 + Expert Tent Buying Guide
There are a wide variety of vacation experiences that are ideal for families. For those that want to enjoy a wholesome family trip and have lots of fun, car camping is a great option. All you need is the right camping equipment and gear, and you can look forward to a family vacation that is not only affordable but also packed with excitement, adventure, and - most importantly - … [Read more...]
Door County, Wisconsin: Top Hotels, Campgrounds & Family Activities
by Jean Grant - Door County is the thumb of Wisconsin’s “mitten” and a popular Midwest vacation spot, a half-day’s drive from Chicago and Minneapolis. Bicyclists, hikers, boaters, golfers and food connoisseurs alike gather on the 70-mile long peninsula known for its lighthouses, scenic vistas, quiet ambiance and family adventures by land and by water. Green fields abound inland … [Read more...]
Oregon State Parks: A Family Guide to Hiking, Camping, & Exploring
by Todd Holcomb - Pull up the state of Oregon on Google Maps and you’ll see a lot of green scattered across its diverse landscape, but that’s not all federal land. Some of the most interesting and beautiful spots to get away with the family are waiting among Oregon State Parks' many stunning natural, scenic, and historic recreational sites. The Oregon Parks and Recreation … [Read more...]
It’s All Happening at the Bermuda Zoo (and Aquarium, and Natural History Museum)
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 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 tent can be the answer to dreaded hours spent unpacking, whether on a beach, by a river, or at a park. Think a lighter, … [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...]
