Dealing with camping mishaps: Camping tips for families!

It's almost camping season! If you've been reluctant to enter the wilderness with your family because of worries or fears, read on! Our camping tips address the most common camping mishaps, and how to deal! Those who camp regularly know it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Here’s what to expect from the unexpected and what to do when you encounter camping mishaps. Read on for camping hacks! When … [Read more...]

10 tips for avoiding altitude sickness while vacationing

  The first time I traveled to high altitude while on vacation, I didn't take the threat of altitude sickness seriously. After all, I reasoned, I had grown up in the mountains, and knew how to enjoy myself in the thinner air. But I had been living at low altitude for years, and the first time I exited my mountain condo at Keystone Resort Colorado for a morning jog, I suffered. At first, I … [Read more...]

Hiking Safety: How to keep kids safe in the outdoors

A ramble through the woods, a stroll across a mountain meadow, or a strenuous alpine hike with the reward of a breathtaking vista – it all sounds idyllic until something goes wrong. As a former search and rescue volunteer and EMT, hiking safety is very important to me. I’ve participated in too many wilderness searches that could have been avoided with a few precautions, a little know-how, and the … [Read more...]

Your Favorite Travel Spot Needs You: How to Protect the Outdoor Places We Love

Whether you’re packing up the family for a National Parks tour or getting in a historical monuments road trip, you can give your trips new meaning this summer with Team Sierra.  We love Team Sierra’s fun community of planet-lovers – they’ve come together to raise funds to benefit Sierra Club because protecting the places we live and play is so important and each of us can make a real impact when … [Read more...]

What to expect on an O.A.R.S. river rafting trip

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...]

Travel Gear We Use: Top sleeping bags for backpacking families

It's time to think family camping! Get your family geared up for the summer camping season by snuggling up in a down or down-alternative sleeping bag! Today on Travel Gear We Use, we're listing our favorite sleeping bags for backpacking and camping families, with lightweight and kids' picks. Best sleeping bag we use for kids:   We love our son's The North Face Dolomite 20F Youth … [Read more...]

How to teach kids the joys of fishing (and plan a fishing trip)

Fishing is an easy and relaxing activity that's easy for children to learn and gets them outside to enjoy nature. If you're interested in learning how to teach your children the joys of fishing, discover some helpful tips and advice for making memories and new experiences for you and your children. Foster an Interest in Fish First Before you take your children out for their first fishing … [Read more...]

Coleman camping gear and #FindYourPark

It's camping season in most of the US and Canada, and I'm excited to spend time in the outdoors for the next few months. Most of us are now familiar with our National Park system's #FindYourPark initiative, which is helping more families than ever discover outdoor recreation in state and national parks. Most families are also familiar with Coleman, an outdoor gear brand with a long … [Read more...]

Pit Stops for Kids selected as Oboz Footwear Ambassador

Readers of Pit Stops for Kids know how much we love to cover outdoor travel, and how we advocate equipping kids (and Mom and Dad) in proper outdoor gear in our Travel Gear We Use series. This year, we'll be taking this passion a step further as official ambassadors for Oboz Footwear.   If you look on the right-hand side bar of the site, you'll see at glance the brands and … [Read more...]