This 6 day itinerary includes a complete itinerary for 6 days in South Dakota visiting Wind Cave National Park, hiking Black Elk Peak in Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, biking the Mickelson Trail, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, and of course Badlands National Park.
Read moreYou Go Sister! My Family's Favorite Historic Site Hike in the Smokies
The Walker Sister Cabin is my family's favorite historic site in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It makes for a perfect afternoon outing for the family, and the kids (and you) will love walking through the cabin and imagining the lives lived here by the Walker sisters during the early 1900's.
Read moreWhich Campground To Choose In Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Should you choose Elkmont Campground or Cades Cove Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Having camped at both as children and as adults, we give you the breakdown of the pros and cons of each.
Read more3 Short Hikes In Badlands National Park Great For Kids
Looking for something short and sweet to do in Badlands National Park? These 3 hikes- Door, Window, and Notch Trails- share one parking lot just 10 minutes from Interstate 90. All 3 trails are scenic and fairly easy trails that give a great taste of what makes the Badlands so special. Our kids really liked exploring them, especially climbing the fun ladder on Notch Trail.
Read moreSaddle Pass - Medicine Root - Castle Trail Loop Hike in Badlands National Park
Saddle Pass to Medicine Root Trail to Castle Trail is a nice day hike of about 4.8 miles that combines rock scrambling, strolling through the prairie, plus fantastic views out over the classic rock formations of the Badlands all in this one hike. Our family really enjoyed this hike - interesting and varied enough for the kids (but not too long) while the adults got to take lots of pretty photosand feel like they stretched their legs.
Read moreOur Review Of Cedar Pass Lodge And Campground In Badlands National Park
I loved Badlands National Park and part of the reason why I liked it so much is because we stayed one night at Cedar Pass Lodge. Being able to enjoy the breathtaking sunset and sunrise, not to mention the awesome starry nights, made this trip special in a way I don’t think visiting the park just for the day would have. If you can swing it, definitely try to make an overnight in the cozy cabins at Cedar Pass a priority. You won’t regret it.
Read moreA Frozen Wonderland in the Smokies
The Middle Prong Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of our favorite hikes in the winter. If you’re lucky, you may even witness a frozen wonderland of icicles and cascades frozen in their tracks along the tributaries of the Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. No matter the season, the Middle Prong Trail is an easy and pleasant hike in the Smokies.
Read moreVisiting The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site In South Dakota With Kids
On your way to Badlands National Park and looking for something nearby to do besides visiting Wall Drug? Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is a great stop on I90, whether you only have 30 minutes to just see the missile silo or you have a couple of hours to see everything plus take a ranger guided tour of the underground Launch Control Center. The kids were pretty fascinated to see a nuclear missile up close and we all learned a lot about this part of Cold War history.
Read moreOur Family's Four Fun Hikes In Shenandoah National Park
Looking for 360 views from the shortest hikes ever? Look no further than Shenandoah National Park. We loved our day and half here, hiking and rock scrambling and exploring the awesome and appropriately named Skyline Drive. It is easy to get to Shenandoah from Interstate 81, has lots of hikes for all ages, 5 campgrounds or 2 historic lodges to choose from, and some of the best sunset views I have ever seen. Don’t drive past the signs for Shenandoah on I-81. Stop for half a day (or several days) and get to know this fabulous national park.
Read moreA Simply Awesome Day In Shenandoah National Park With Kids: Spectacular Vistas, Waterfalls, And Several Easy And Fun Hikes
Looking for 360 views from the shortest hikes ever? Look no further than Shenandoah National Park. We loved our day in the park, hiking and rock scrambling and exploring the awesome and appropriately named Skyline Drive. It is easy to get Shenandoah from interstate 81, has lots of hikes for all ages, 5 campgrounds or 2 historic lodges to stay in, and some of the best sunset views from a park I have ever seen. Don’t drive past the signs for Shenandoah on I-81, stop for half a day (or several days) and get to know this fabulous national park.
Read moreWind Cave National Park- An Absolute Must Do Addition To Your Black Hills Vacation Itinerary
Wind Cave is a fantastic national park that often gets overlooked in comparison to its more famous neighbors in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We are here to tell you—you should definitely add Wind Cave to your Black Hills vacation itinerary as it is not to be missed! Touring one of the most unique cave systems in the world was a lot of fun for our entire family. Afterwards, take a lovely hike through the prairie where the kids can now say they have walked over and under the same part of the Earth. Not something you can say too often! And to make it all even better, the wildlife watching was some of the best in the Black Hills.
Read moreSedona and the Grand Canyon National Park Can Be Combined For A Terrific Road Trip- Easy Hikes, Great Lodging, and Terrific Restaurants!
Here is everything you need to know about where to sleep, eat, and hike in Sedona, Arizona and nearby Grand Canyon National Park. All of the hikes described here are rated easy and provide an enjoyable short walk to experience the best vistas in Sedona.
Bonus! Just a short drive from Sedona, you’ll also be able to check the Grand Canyon off your bucket list. We let you know the best road stops along the way as well as in-park lodging recommendations and activities during your stay at Grand Canyon National Park.
Read moreYes, You Can Hike The Narrows In Zion With Kids: Everything You Need to Know
The Narrows is one of the most iconic hiking trails in the world because of its spectacular scenery, easy access, and the uniqueness of hiking in a river. It has been on my bucket list for years and even though I crossed it off with the day trip section, I have now added the two-day hike to my to-do list. It was a fantastic hike that the kids thoroughly enjoyed and still talk about. It totally lived up to our expectations.
Read moreLooking For Educational And Fun Things To Do In Atlanta With Kids? Visit The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park was an excellent adventure, full of interesting immersive experiences, thought-provoking displays, and beautiful grounds for the kids to run a little bit. I would highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Atlanta with kids of any age, as there was something for everyone to enjoy.
Read moreA Simply Awesome Day in Southwest Utah
Welcome to our series “A Simply Awesome Day in...” where we share a full day’s excerpt from one of our family vacation destinations. Today, we offer a fun day from our 7 day Southwest Utah Itinerary. Day 4 details a sunrise hike in Bryce Canyon, followed by a scenic drive and some more short, kid-friendly hikes.
Read moreZion National Park Without the Crowds (and the Heat!)
Heading to Zion National Park in the summer is a family vacation to remember for sure but unfortunately, part of the memory will be waiting in line for shuttle buses and wilting in afternoon highs of 100℉. Because the canyon is so fantastic, the other memories easily outweigh these irritations but you can also skip them by detouring to Kolob Canyons, the unheralded northwest corner of the park. Here you can take scenic hikes, and drive through a beautiful canyon and actually stand a chance of finding some solitude on the trail. The higher elevation (700ft versus 4000ft) means that Kolob Canyons is great alternative when the heat is too much for hiking in the main canyon.
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