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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
Cleanwell Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Up Close
by Stephanie Harper - The CleanWell line of disinfecting products and soaps include no fuss, kid-friendly, easy-to-use spray nozzles and pumps. Cleanwell, based in Denver Colorado, began with a father’s quest for plant-based cleaning products that were safe for his son who suffers from an immune system disorder. CleanWell’s toxic-free pledge resonates with anyone who prefers … [Read more...]
6 Outdoorsy Families Tell Us What They Really Think About REI
by Jennifer Fontaine - Outside-minded families are happier families, and while most of our readers already know this, a growing pile of research supports what a legion of parents, grandparents, coaches, and caregivers already understand. When people go outdoors, attention and focus sharpen, family relations improve, moods become lighter, and everyone, regardless of age and … [Read more...]
Outdoor Safety for Kids | An Outdoor Expert’s Essentials
by Jennifer Fontaine - Recent studies have revealed the benefit— perhaps even the necessity—of spending time outdoors. For both kids and adults, spending time in nature's great outdoor spaces makes us smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious than those who spend more time indoors, and while it’s unclear exactly how the brain and mood improvements occur, there are a … [Read more...]
