Category: Kid-Friendly Trips
An Alaska Travel Roundup
November 5, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · Leave a Comment
Denali National Park/Melissa Trainer I was very fortunate last week because the State of Alaska invited me to attend the Alaska Media Road Show. Held at the luxurious Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara, this annual event brings together top travel writers and key players in Alaska’s tourism industry. As many of you know, I write quite a bit about Alaska. I lived there with my family and we traveled extensively throughout the state while we were there. We covered a lot of territory and ventured to many amazing remote locations during that time. We knew that we could be self sufficient with our travel trailer and we utilized our trailer to the max. We knew that amenities were few and far between on many of the remote roads, so we learned to pack accordingly. Our trailer was an absolutely priceless tool for navigating the region. Even though our three children were all under the age of 11 at the time, we were all willing to take the road less traveled.... [Read more...]
Touring “the City Different”
September 4, 2011 by Diane Berry · Leave a Comment
In a recent post, I talked about the wonderful shopping opportunities available at the old Governor’s Palace in Santa Fe, NM. After we had finished perusing the large variety of wares available at the Governor’s Palace during our recent impromptu visit to “the City Different” (Santa Fe, NM), we took a turn about the plaza to see what was happening. In New Mexico, and many Spanish communities, the center of the city or the town square is referred to as a plaza. (Don’t call it the square or they will know you are a tourist and not “in the know.”) Generally a central shopping area, plazas have much to offer in terms of things to see and do. In strolling through the Santa Fe Plaza, we come upon the marker commemorating the end of the famous Santa Fe Trail, the road or route followed by many of the earliest settlers to the area between the years of 1822 and 1879. Erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Territory of New Mexico in 1910, ... [Read more...]
Viva Las Fiestas de Taos!
August 21, 2011 by Diane Berry · Leave a Comment
In my last post, I explored the New Mexico and Spanish tradition of cities and towns celebrating patron saints’ feast days with a weekend of celebration. We had the opportunity to enjoy such an event, known as the Fiestas, while visiting Taos a few weeks ago celebrating their patron saints of St. James and St. Anne (Fiestas de Santiago y Santa Ana). While the event lasts an entire weekend, from noon on Friday, to Sunday at 7 pm, the actual preparation begins long before. Jewelry Vendor, Fiesta Weekend The town has a Fiesta Council which is at work for much of the year making plans for the big event. In June, the young women who are vying for the coveted role of La Reina, Queen of the Fiestas, participate in the Taos Royal Pageant at which she is chosen. Remaining contestants make up her court, La Princesas. La Reina and her escort The pageant begins with an introductory speech by each contestant in which she discusses the importance of the fiestas to her and personal recollections of... [Read more...]
Viva Las Fiestas!
August 17, 2011 by Diane Berry · 2 Comments
One of the last weekends each July, the large Spanish community in the small town of Taos, NM engages in a weekend long celebration of the Feasts of Santiago and Santa Anna (St. James and St. Anne to you and me). As it is more eloquently put in their Fiesta publication each year: Fiestas de Santiago y Santa Ana. They are a tradition passed from generation to generation, a way of preserving the rich cultures that have developed in Taos over the last four centuries. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary to do during your RV trip to New Mexico, schedule a stop at the Fiestas. The traditional Catholic feast days of St. James and St. Anne, the patron saints of Taos, July 25 and 26, respectively, are celebrated in over the weekend nearest those days every year. The Fiestas have evolved over the years as a way for the Spanish to honor their faith and these representations of it. The first day of the fiestas weekend honors Santiago; the second, St. Anne. St. James, patron saint... [Read more...]
Clamming on The Oregon Coast with Kids
August 17, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · Leave a Comment
Have you taken your children clamming, fishing, or foraging lately? If not, seriously consider it on your next camping trip. It can be delightfully and deliciously rewarding. Ever since our children were little, we have taken them fishing, foraging, and exploring. They still love poking through tide pools at low tide. And, the thrill of catching a wild salmon never seems to subside. Last spring, my husband took our two sons down to the Oregon Coast for spring break. While staying with friends at a beachfront cottage, it occurred to the boys that clams might lurk on the beach below. Indeed, there were lots of clams. Hence, a spontaneous clamming adventure evolved that week. I reaped the rewards when my husband brought home some clam chowder, cooked clam meat, and a baggie full of empty clam shells. I was so excited by their adventure that I wrote an article about it for The Oregonian’s FOODday section. Published in May, it is a comprehensive article that gives links, tips,... [Read more...]
Grant Kohrs Ranch, Deer Lodge, MT…
August 4, 2011 by Dana T. · Leave a Comment
We have found a fun, relaxing National Park, that is much different than any others that we have been to. Fortunately for us, it is located in Deer Lodge, MT, which is a little known town only about an hour from where we currently spend our summers. The National Park is called the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, and is approx. 60 miles from the capital city of Helena. Each summer, the ranch has what they affectionately call ‘Ranch Days’, which is a weekend where the park offers lots of activities in addition to the many ranger programs that they already offer. We were able to go last weekend, and we all enjoyed our visit very much. During Ranch Days, it’s important to pick up a schedule of activities for the weekend as you won’t want to miss any of the special programs, like period music around the campfire, chuck wagon demonstrations, wagon rides, haying demonstrations using a beaverslide, and even an old fashioned cattle drive culminating in branding of the calves. ... [Read more...]
CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE – Home of one of North Carolina’s Historic Lighthouses
July 28, 2011 by Professor95 · 3 Comments
Monday was not a good beach day. The wind was blowing between 20 and 25 knots. Umbrellas were flying like kites and the fine, dry sand unaffected by the ocean’s waters cut into your body like thousands of little razors. We decided to hang around inside the camper. I finished my book by James Patterson, 4th of July, and started a second by Glenn Beck, The Overton Window. The first was an excellent paperback thriller with a surprise ending. The Overton Window is getting interesting but is more political than mysterious – both are great beach books. Tuesday was not much better weather wise. The wind had died down but the sky’s were overcast and numerous thunderboomers rolled overhead. We decided to hit an afternoon movie at the local cinema. We have not watched the first part of the current Harry Potter movie, so felt we should wait on viewing the second. The entire series has become way too complicated as it is. Zookeeper seemed like a good alternative. Boy was I ever... [Read more...]
On the road with kids in tow…
July 27, 2011 by Dana T. · 1 Comment
I LOVE to travel with elementary aged kids – they are so involved, and are great travel companions! Since they are also generally quite opinionated at this age, and making certain decisions for themselves, we will skip the ‘dress’ and ‘food’ ideas , and get straight to the ‘things to do in the car’ ideas! I’m going to steer clear of electronic gadgets (specifically gaming stuff) because either you have them and allow them, or you don’t (we don’t). One of the best things that you can do on any trip, with any children, is to get them involved! For this age, it is a great time to have them be involved starting in the planning stages. Let them help look through state planners, camping idea books/mags, or destination brochures (if you help them, the internet can be a great place to find site specific destination ideas also). The kids will be more invested in the trip if they feel that they have a part... [Read more...]
Camping On Alaska’s Resurrection Bay in Seward!
July 11, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · Leave a Comment
I had the wonderful opportunity to return to Alaska last week. I traveled to the remote and isolated Bristol Bay region with my husband and three children. After renting a wonderful log cabin in Dillingham for four nights, we headed to Anchorage and toured around for two days. I didn’t camp in Alaska on this trip because it simply wasn’t feasible to bring our travel trailer up there. (Bristol Bay is inaccessible by road, so it wasn’t an option to bring our travel trailer up there!) While we were in Anchorage, we had fabulous clear blue skies so we decided to take a road trip out to Seward. I love Seward and we have camped there many times. On this trip. we only had a few hours so I had to content myself with touring around, taking photos, and checking out the town’s waterfront campground. Known as the Resurrection Campground, the sites sit right there on the water and offer fabulous views of the scenery at hand. When we were there last Thursday, the campground... [Read more...]
On the road with a preschooler…
June 29, 2011 by Dana T. · Leave a Comment
I LOVE the preschool stage!!! Kids this age tend to be gung-ho for just about anything! And a road trip is right up their alley (at least it was until they had been in the car for 15 minutes!). There are so many things that preschoolers can do (I’m thinking mainly of ages 2 to 5ish): Clothing: Choose outfits based on comfort. Dressing up the princess in frilly, scratchy finery for the usual ‘tourist’ photos along the way may just backfire if you can’t get anything but a pout out of her because she’s had a long, uncomfortable ride. One thing that my younger kids LOVE to do while we are traveling, is to wear clothing that signifies where we are going (or have been); but, I’m way too cheap to buy them in the overpriced gift stores once we get there (unless they have a great clearance rack!). We let others pay the high prices, their kids wear them once, and then we get a practically new memento for a fraction of the cost with a... [Read more...]
