While you’re in Estes Park with kids enjoying the mountains, be sure to carve out some time to explore the downtown area of this fabulous destination. Fun City: I would be remiss if I didn’t start with Estes Park’s ultimate kid-friendly attraction; it was the place my kids remembered best from our first trip, and the place they most wanted to return to. With burlap sack and 3-story twisty … [Read more...]
Outdoors and wellness in Gulf Shores Alabama
September 22, 2017 By
I love it when a destination surprises me. Before visiting Gulf Shores Alabama, I pictured pretty white sand beaches, a party scene of high rises and beach bars, and plenty of greasy fried seafood in paper-lined plastic baskets. And I'm told that up until about ten years ago, my impression would have been correct. The Gulf Shores and adjacent Orange Beach of today, however, offers so much more. … [Read more...]
Estes Park with kids: Hi Country Stables review
September 15, 2017 By
Rocky Mountain National Park is spectacularly beautiful, but with kids, there can be limits to the distance and elevation you can reasonably expect to cover on foot. Fortunately, there’s another way to get up to the heights: a trail ride with Hi Country Stables. Hi Country Stables review: Hi Country Stables, which is part of Estes Park’s Sombrero Stables family, operates two locations inside … [Read more...]
24 hours in Carpinteria CA with kids
September 13, 2017 By
If you're not familiar, Carpinteria, California is a beach town just south of Santa Barbara that, in the three decades I've visited, has managed to retain its beach-town charm and distinct lack of city or suburbia influence. Located just off Highway 101, Carpinteria is characterized by sandy beach bungalows (each valued around a million dollars, of course), a quintessentially laid-back downtown of … [Read more...]
Five free things to do in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
September 4, 2017 By
Sioux Falls is a surprising city in many ways: it's larger than most visiting families would guess, and is well-stocked with family friendly activities and historical sites...many of them cheap or free. Read on for our top five cheap or free things to do in Sioux Falls. 1. Ride the Sioux Falls Trolley This trolley system works its way from downtown Sioux Falls to the falls themselves at Falls … [Read more...]
Open Air Adventure Park Estes Park
August 28, 2017 By
Estes Park, Colorado, is known as the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. But mountains aren’t the only outdoor adventures you can find in this small town. Tucked off highway 36 on the way out to the Beaver Meadows entrance of the park is the compact but surprisingly extensive Open Air Adventure Park. Open Air Adventure Park is a web of 32 aerial obstacles arranged around a central hub. … [Read more...]
Where to find the best outdoor adventure activities in New Zealand
August 25, 2017 By
The unparalleled beauty of New Zealand’s outdoors beckons thousands of tourists ready to experience the most adventurous and exciting activities in this island country year after year. New Zealand’s virtually unspoiled natural expanses make it one of the greatest places in the world to enjoy the very best outdoor activities. A combination of mountains, rainforests, fjords, and the magnificent … [Read more...]
5 fun ways to view the total solar eclipse in Oregon
August 16, 2017 By
On Monday, August 21st, a total solar eclipse will cross over 14 U.S. states. In the week leading up to this rare event, tourists from across the world will converge to see the moon's shadow touch the earth. The shadow (called the umbral cone) will make landfall in Oregon just north of Newport at 10:15 am PST, then make its way east across the state. Hotels along the path of the eclipse are … [Read more...]
What to expect on an O.A.R.S. river rafting trip
August 11, 2017 By
Earlier this month, we enjoyed our fourth multi-night rafting trip with O.A.R.S. If you do something four times, it's because you love it, and there are very few vacations we've loved as much as O.A.R.S. trips. This unique family vacation combines some of our favorite things: outdoor exploration, adventure, isolation and off-the-grid family time, and conservation. And it packages all these … [Read more...]
Things to do in Ojai with kids
August 7, 2017 By
When most travelers think of Ojai California, they imagine a lush Southern Californian oasis of spas, retreats, and artistic shops and galleries...not exactly kid-paradise. In fact, an Ojai vacation can be family-friendly, as long as you know where to stay, where to find child-friendly activities, and what to avoid. Read on to ensure a relaxing Ojai getaway...with the kids. Get outside. Ojai … [Read more...]
