17 Apr
27 Mar
Planning that Vacation? Let a State Park Surprise Your Family…
National Parks get a whole lot of attention and rightfully so. They are (across the board) breathtaking and phenomenal experiences, and one of the highlights of our national heritage. State Parks don’t get as much exposure, but over the last four years they have become a foundational part of our family travel. In general, state parks can be more accessible and affordable, offering wonderful hiking, fishing, canoeing, and swimming without the crowds that many of the national parks attract. Two summers ago we set off for a 16 day jaunt... Read More
01 Mar
Wanna Camp with Kiddos and have a good time? Respect the Routine…
We went on our first long road trip with Max and Theo when they were not even three months old. We had no game plan; we did no research. Basically, we threw the boys in the car at 6:30 am and took off on a 13 hour drive. Learning to take care of twins is not an easy transition into parenthood, and the idea of staying home with them all summer seemed more painful than the idea of travel, so away we went. Ten months later, we bought our first camper and committed ourselves to learning how to explore the world with our children. Now Max and Theo... Read More
26 Feb
The Evolution of our Family Hikes (Gearing Up For Spring With L.L. Bean)
My boys are darn good hikers. Not that they have a choice. Since Stephanie and I started RVing with them four years ago we have spent over a hundred nights camping, and dozens of days hiking. When they were just one we threw them in the truck, packed up the pop-up camper, and headed to Vermont and Maine for 16 days. We were determined to do some serious family friendly hiking with them, and we did. Of course that meant carrying them in our hiking packs. So we carried them–and we carried them joyfully. After a long winter of... Read More
22 Feb
It Was Spring Today At the Jersey Shore… (Manasquan Reservoir, NJ)
When the temperature creeps up into the 50s during this sort of winter, it is almost impossible to decide what to do with the sunny respite. One feels a certain responsibility to enjoy every single second of pleasant weather. It is no wonder we ended up at the Manasquan Reservoir, knowing that us grownups could enjoy a refreshing walk and the boys would be happy with the playground at the end. It is a wonder it did not occur to us that melting snow pack on dirt paths might not be the perfect date for our jogging strollers. Not to worry. Max... Read More
03 Feb
For Sun and Mud, Thank You Island Beach State Park
It was messy and it was fabulous. We were lucky enough to get some off-season inspiration from a reader, who urged us to head down to the nature center at Island Beach State Park the next time we were hit with some winter wanderlust. This morning, citing a 45 degree forecast as sufficient reason for playing hooky from church, we went to the place that we love in the summer but have never explored in the winter. It is always the simple things that grab the fancy of the young, and the boys could have played... Read More
11 Jan
