The Best Family Ski Trip Packing List For Cold Weather

January 27, 2019 Amy Ragsdale

If you live in a locale that doesn’t experience true winter weather, meaning bitterly cold temps, wind, and big powder like you see at ski resorts in the western United States, this packing list is for you. Having planned our annual ski trip to Big Sky Resort, Montana for eight years now, we’ve managed to create a packing list that ensures everyone will be warm and comfortable while enjoying the snowy winter wonderland.

2 Easy Hikes in Iceland’s Skaftafell National Park That Everyone Should Do

January 19, 2019 Amy Ragsdale

Turf-roofed homes on the Svartifoss-Sjónarsker-Sel Loop Hike

Many visitors traveling along the southern coast of Iceland are so intent and excited to see Iceland’s iconic Jökulsárlón Lagoon that they blow by one of Iceland’s other nearby national treasures, Skaftafell National Park. We found two of the easiest and most spectacular hikes of our trip here. You’ll take one Instagram-worthy photo after another!

9 Gift Ideas That Will Make Your Kids Want To Go Outside

December 10, 2018 Amanda Luhn

If you are like many of us, you spend more time than you would like nagging your kids to go outside more and text their friends less. I am not sure exactly when I became my parents but it definitely happened. Sometimes a cool new toy can be just the thing to get them excited about the great outdoors, whether on a camping trip or just fun in your backyard. Here are some of our best ideas.

8 Gift Ideas for the Traveling Kid

December 1, 2018 Amanda Luhn

Phelps Lake in Grand Tetons National Park

I am forever on the lookout for gifts that are practical and needed but also fun. That's a hard combo to find. We travel a great deal and the kids always look forward to their next trip so I often focus my gifts on something they can use on their next adventure. These are a few things that have been winners for us.

Kids Fire Tablet or I-Pad? It's an easy answer.

November 21, 2018 Amy Ragsdale

In this day and age, it’s almost inevitable that you will buy an electronic device for your child. It’s also been our experience that a portable media device can make long hours of travel much easier for the entire family. But what is the best option?

Camping Pack List For Camping With Kids (Campground, Not Backcountry)

November 4, 2018 Amanda Luhn

Packing lists are some of my most useful travel hacks and have been honed after years of forgetting things big and small. After you pack up everybody, drive to the mountains, pass the last gas station. get all set- up at the campsite, and then realize you have no propane for your camp stove, you will see the appeal as well. My camp packing list includes everything we might need- sleeping, cooking, food, other so we don’t have anymore of those mishaps and just an awesome time instead!

9/11 Museum With Children: To Go Or Not To Go?

September 26, 2018 Amanda Luhn

The 9/11 Memorial next to the Museum. The two waterfalls encapsulate the original footprints of the Twin Towers and each victim’s name is inscribed on the surrounding walls.

The 9/11 Museum is absolutely a place I would visit at least once in your life, to learn more about this devastating event and its place in American history, as well as to remember those who died. But it is an emotionally taxing place and obviously brings up some very hard questions from your kids. Ones that I am not sure I will ever know how to answer. But just because an event is hard or unpleasant doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Here is everything I learned from my visit and my thoughts on what you should think about before deciding to take your own family.

10 Tips For Taking Kids To Tikal

August 5, 2018 Amanda Luhn

Sunset from the top of Temple IV. Star Wars people will recognize this as the rebel base Yavin 4 at the end of A New Hope. — Sunset from the top of Temple IV. Star Wars people will recognize this as the rebel base Yavin 4 at the end of *A New Hope*.

Tikal is bucket list kind of destination and deservedly so. The Mayans built something truly impressive here. Just walking through the paths between the structures is an experience as well because of the diverse wildlife you can see and the dense foliage of the jungle. This summer marked my 3rd trip to Tikal and on each trip I have figured out how to do things a bit better. Many times that has been the hard way. Don't repeat my mistakes.

Yes, You Can Hike The Narrows In Zion With Kids: Everything You Need to Know

July 8, 2018 Amanda Luhn

The Narrows is one of my favorite hikes. Ever.

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.

10 Reasons To Visit Iceland

June 4, 2018 Amy Ragsdale

Iceland may not be the obvious family vacation choice, but it should be. Known as the "land of fire and ice,” Iceland's breathtaking scenery is largely due to the fact that it is one of the most volcanically active areas on earth. You will see this activity first-hand as you drive along its southern coastline which showcases a constantly changing geography of flat farmlands, mountains, fields of moss-covered lava rocks, black sand beaches, and steaming geothermal pools.

Science And Fun? Yes Please. Both Can Be Found At The Tellus Science Museum In North Georgia

April 22, 2018 Amanda Luhn

This is a great museum- with a wonderful planetarium, interesting exhibits, and a fun kids section. If you are looking for a enjoyable and easy day trip for you and your kids from Atlanta or Chattanooga, you should definitely check out the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia.

Greenville, SC- A Weekend Of Food And Outdoors

March 8, 2018 Amanda Luhn

Overlooking the Reedy River from Main St in downtown Greenville.

I have been reading about Greenville for awhile, its food scene and the 20 mile Swamp Rabbit Trail, a rails to trails project that goes right through town. After 3 days there, I can say all its recent buzz is well deserved. We hiked, we biked, and we ate our way through town, having a great time the whole way. If you are looking for a weekend getaway spot, Greenville should be at the top of your list.

Looking For Educational And Fun Things To Do In Atlanta With Kids? Visit The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park

March 7, 2018 Amanda Luhn

Outside the Visitor Center of 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.

Never Used Airbnb? It Will Change The Way You Travel

February 18, 2018 Amanda Luhn

View from the huge deck of our Sydney Airbnb. One of my best finds ever.

If you are new to the world of Airbnb, let me just say it will open your mind to what can happen with travel accommodations. No more tiny hotel rooms, tip- toeing around as soon as the kids go to bed. Cook full breakfasts in your own kitchen and do laundry mid-trip. So grab a glass of wine, a comfy spot on the couch, and follow these steps below to find your amazing Airbnb.

Zion National Park Without the Crowds (and the Heat!)

December 18, 2017 Amanda Luhn

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.

What Makes Our Itineraries Unique?

December 8, 2017 Amy Ragsdale

Asheville, NC

Big Sky, MT

Big Sur, CA

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Paris

Sedona, AZ

Yellowstone National Park

Bozeman, MT

Bryson City, NC

Where to stay, eat, and play. Find out with one click. You will have all the info you need to plan the perfect vacation. Destinations range from mountain getaways to national park explorations to international journeys, all delivered to your email as a PDF file for easy printing or viewing on any mobile device.

A pre-planned trip itinerary will save you hours of groundwork and provides great tips for your family, allowing you more time to enjoy the fun. Many itineraries are free, others are priced from $5- $15. Money-back guarantee. Get inspired for your next vacation!

7 Gift Ideas for the Traveling Kid

November 28, 2017 Amanda Luhn

I am forever on the lookout for gifts that are practical and needed but also fun. That's a hard combo to find. We travel a great deal and the kids always look forward to their next trip so I often focus my gifts on something they can use on their next adventure. Here are a few things that have worked out really well for us in the past.

Kid's Fire Tablet or I-Pad? It's an easy answer.

November 21, 2017 Amy Ragsdale

In this day and age, it’s almost inevitable that you will buy an electronic device for your child. But what is the best option?

For my first daughter, now 11 years old but age 5 at the time, I splurged and bought her an iPad mini after growing tired of loaning her my own. I happily welcomed back my Ipad, now free of sticky finger prints and botched control settings, but I had misgivings about her now owning a device that could be easily broken and provided open access to its settings and the internet. In short, the iPad was parent intensive. Between loading appropriate content, monitoring screen time, and limiting what she could see and access, it required a lot of my time.

Thinking About Visiting the Great Barrier Reef? Look at Staying on Hamilton Island.

November 16, 2017 Amanda Luhn

By Toby Hudson - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11137678

If you are traveling to Australia, there is a good chance the Great Barrier Reef is on your list of things to see. If it is not on your list, then maybe you need to reconsider. If one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World doesn't do it for you, then consider that it may not be around much longer as it is under tremendous stress from warming ocean temperatures. That fact moved it from the "I would like to someday..." to the "Need to do this now..." list for me. (And yes, I get the irony of using huge amounts of fossil fuels to get somewhere to see something that is disappearing because of huge amounts of fossil fuel use.)

Once you decide that the Great Barrier Reef is on your to do list, there a few ways to see it. Most fly to the city of Cairns in northern Queensland as it is very close to the reef, has hundreds of hotels, and a huge tourist industry devoted to Great Barrier Reef excursions. We decided to try something different though and flew to Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday Islands.

My new favorite island of Hydra- Why I dragged 9 of my family members onto a ferry to visit this car-free oasis.

October 18, 2017 Amanda Luhn

View of Hydra, Greece from the ferry — The largest town on Hydra, also called Hydra. Or Hydra port or Hydra town. It is not as confusing as it sounds, I promise.

I was excited about visiting Hydra as soon as I came across a description of it in a guidebook- small, no cars, beautiful, no cars, easily accessible from the mainland, historic architecture, no cars..... I was desperate to go to this non- motorized paradise and made the rest of the family go with me. It did not disappoint. We loved this island.

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— Simply Awesome Trips