Family camping hack: Dispersed camping tips

Have you ever been on a road trip, paid around $100 a night to stay at a basic motel, and thought to yourself that you’d rather pay less and see more nature along the way? Or have you ever camped in a campground amid loud neighbors and wished you could find a place to pitch your tent away from the masses? If either question has crossed your family’s minds while traveling, dispersed camping might … [Read more...]

Lakedale Resort: San Juan Islands glamping

After a stay in 2015, we listed Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes as our #1 kid-friendly resort pick on San Juan Island Washington. And guess what? In the years since, they've only improved their offerings. New this summer, Lakedale has become the premier location for San Juan Islands glamping, as well as continuing to offer a diverse list of additional accommodation options. Located … [Read more...]

Five favorite coastal campgrounds for families

Families wanting to make the most of the camping season need to head to coastal, temperate zones to avoid temperature extremes (bonus if they can find yurts or cabins at the campground). Family camping is economical, easy to plan, and often close to home! We've compiled a list of our favorite coastal campgrounds for families in the Pacific Northwest and California. At each of the following state … [Read more...]

Where to stay on Orcas Island: a review of Doe Bay Resort and Retreat

Popular Orcas Island, WA can get busy during the summer season, and lodging on this less developed San Juan Islands vacation destination can fill up fast. Families will find they don't have too many options: only a few established hotel resorts, lots of B&Bs (not all of them kid-friendly), and two campground choices exist. Camping at Moran State Park and Doe Bay Resort fill up as fast as the … [Read more...]

Florida Caverns State Park

State parks make some of the very best pit stops, as fans of Florida Caverns State Park well know! One of the few state parks with dry (air-filled) caves, Florida Caverns is the only Florida state park to offer cave tours to the public. Accessible to all ages, the cave has dazzling formations of limestone stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, flowstones, and draperies. The park is also popular … [Read more...]

Where to stay on San Juan Island with kids

If you read our post last week, you're all set with your San Juan Island with kids itinerary! Now, where to stay on San Juan Island with kids: while it's true that the San Juan Islands are known as a destination for B&Bs, other options do exist. Read on for our top lodging experiences on San Juan Island, with a wide range of options for your family.   Lakedale Resort: Kid-heaven … [Read more...]

Weekend Guide to the CA Redwoods

We’re a family who loves spending our vacation days in the wilderness, and few places are as wild and beautiful as the Northern California and Southern Oregon Redwoods. However, we prefer hiking into isolated backcountry sites to campgrounds, and while the Redwoods feature some of the most stunning scenery I’ve seen, the trails are short in length, without ample backpacking options. Because … [Read more...]

Where to backpack with kids in Northern California

Will you be backpacking with kids this coming summer? Most families who love backpacking with kids are familiar with backpacking options in popular regions such as Yosemite National Park, but the following lesser known areas offer backpacking just as scenic and often crowd-free. Tahoe and Northeastern Sierra Nevada: Our favorite section of the Northeastern Sierra Nevada mountain range is … [Read more...]

Stay the night in a fire lookout: a weekend on Pickett Butte, OR

We love camping in all seasons, but we also like to be (reasonably) comfortable. A number of years ago, we discovered Oregon state park yurts, and this year, we've added national forest fire lookouts to our off-season camping picks. If you might stay the night in a fire lookout, read on! Fire lookouts available for civilian stays are located across the US. To find one in your state, start with … [Read more...]

Yellowstone lodging alternative: Harriman State Park

I almost hate to let readers in on this golden secret, which we learned through on-the-road experience, but if you're looking for a peaceful, non-crowded lodging experience near the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park, you'll want to book a yurt or ranch dorm room at Harriman State Park just over the border in Idaho. Located 30 miles from Yellowstone, this state park is different than … [Read more...]