While visiting Peru, I saw all the bucket-list sites I planned to see: Machu Picchu, the Incan towns of the Sacred Valley, and beautiful Cusco. I hiked, I took hundreds of photos, and I took in the colorful marketplaces Peru is known for. But in addition, I saw and experienced things I had no way of knowing I wanted—perhaps even needed—to see and do. I met jewelers at Arte Magico employing … [Read more...]
New Hampshire with kids: Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves
August 31, 2016 By
The Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves is a great location for exploration that families can take at their own pace. It starts with a three-fourth mile boardwalk through the gorge. You may remain on the boardwalk, or, if your kids love off-roading, you can explore the boulder caves. This is an excellent outdoor activity in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Mysterious Boulder … [Read more...]
Dominican Republic with kids: Power snorkeling at Sosua Beach
July 18, 2016 By
During our Fathom cruise in the Dominican Republic, we knew we wanted to both visit a local beach and take a snorkeling trip. We were able to do both during a power snorkeling trip with Wild Play Adventures. Usually, we opt to skip official cruise excursions in favor of booking privately. You get a more personalized experience, usually for less. However, in the case of our DR trip, the … [Read more...]
Dominican Republic with kids: 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua
July 15, 2016 By
Located in the countryside outside of Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic, the 27 Waterfalls of Damajuana is the most talked-about experience on the north side of the island. Is it worthy of the hype? In a word, yes. What is the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua? The 27 Charcos of Damajagua is exactly what it sounds like: 27 waterfalls in a row in the middle of the Dominican jungle. Unregulated until … [Read more...]
Aboard a small ship cruise: Day by day with Alaskan Dream Cruises
July 1, 2016 By
When I told friends and family we'd be experiencing SE Alaska on a cruise ship, the image that came to everyone's mind included a huge ocean liner, busy ports of call, fancy restaurants, kids clubs, and maybe a climbing wall. After all, kids don't go on those intimate small ship cruises you read about, right? Wrong! (You knew that was coming, didn't you?) Small ship cruise options are more … [Read more...]
Driving the Creole Nature Trail in SW Louisiana
June 8, 2016 By
One of only a handful of All American Roads, the Creole Nature Trail runs in a loop of 180 miles, with numerous wildlife refuges, gulf beaches, and marshes along the way. Driving the Creole Nature Trail sounds like a lot of miles, but can easily be done in a day. It was the highlight of my trip to SW Louisiana. Along the way, families will find wildlife refuges, beaches, piers, and even a … [Read more...]
Eight top adventurous destinations to explore with your kids
May 13, 2016 By
The following guest post is brought to you by G Adventures. Pick up any children’s story-book and you’ll quickly discover a love for adventure. From timeless classics like Huckleberry Finn, Treasure Island and Paddington Bear to the more recent Harry Potter and 39 Clue series, kids love to throw themselves into the wild, mystical, and magical terrain of a good adventure tale. Children … [Read more...]
Dog sledding and snowmobiling in Breckenridge
February 10, 2016 By
The town of Breckenridge Colorado is known for its epic skiing and snowboarding, but there are many other ways to enjoy the snowy mountains here. Whether you want to plan a day away from the slopes during a longer vacation or have non-skiers among you, head out to Good Times Adventures, about twenty minutes from town. Good Times Adventures offers snowmobiling tours as well as dog sledding … [Read more...]
Beyond Mt. Rushmore: Custer, South Dakota
September 16, 2015 By
Mt. Rushmore is iconic, monumental, and inspiring. By all means, go and see it. Check out the museum below the viewing platform, and definitely stop for some vanilla ice cream made from Thomas Jefferson's original recipe. (The shop is located directly in the monument cafeteria.) After you've crossed this landmark off your list, however, you'll find an array of outdoor, active things to do in … [Read more...]
PCT section hiking with teens
August 12, 2015 By
We've been wanting to backpack on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) long before it was cool. This summer, my 16-year-old and I finally set out, tackling almost 70 miles of the PCT in Central Oregon. We built up to this trip with years of family backpacking, including several 3-4 night trips, starting when my son was just a toddler. How did we fare? We had one of our best backpacking trips … [Read more...]
