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The Third Creek Greenway in Knoxville, TN.
Biking Third Creek Greenway makes an outstanding outdoor outing with the family. It is easy to get to, has playgrounds, gardens, and pretty scenery to enjoy as well as nearby restaurants to add in lunch or a frozen treat for everyone. It has everything you need to make this a favorite activity for everyone!
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One of the most picturesque sections of the Maryville/ Alcoa Greenway, near the Alcoa Duck Pond
The Maryville/Alcoa Greenway is a wonderful place to take the family out for a day’s ride. At 9 miles long, you can ride long enough to work up an appetite for some delicious food at one of the many places in either Maryville or Alcoa. Or bring a picnic and hang out in one of the parks along the greenway while the kids explore the fun playgrounds. There is something for everyone and it’s one of our family’s favorite activities!
Read moreSam Adams statue in front of Faneuil Hall, the heart of the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston
Boston has an abundance of tourist attractions but none combine history, fun, and family friendliness as well as the Freedom Trail. Covering 2.5 miles and 16 historic sites, the trail takes you through the heart of downtown Boston and some its most charming streets while also covering a lot of of America’s early history. The kids love the scavenger hunt feel and adults will love the ease and inexpensive nature. Take 2-3 days to really explore the whole trail or take one day and pick your favorite part. It is something you can come back to again and again over the years.
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Old surrounded by new- this is Boston in a nutshell. The Old State House dates from 1713 and the Boston Massacre took place just out front. It is one of many places you will see if you walk the Freedom Trail through downtown Boston.
Boston is a fantastic tourist destination for the whole family any time of year but visiting in winter has some impressive advantages (and a few disadvantages) over other times of year. The biggest advantage- having the biggest tourist attractions almost to yourself. And the weather isn’t that bad, just pull out your winter coats and scarves and go ahead and plan a fun family weekend in this wicked cool town!
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Clouds + canyon = you can see how Cloudland Canyon got its name
Hiking, biking, waterfalls, cabins, tents, and yurts- what’s not to love about Cloudland Canyon State Park. Oh yeah.. it also has some pretty spectacular views too. Find out everything you need to know about this wonderful state park.
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Camping at Big South Fork National River and Recreationl Area.
Camping with kids has been easier in some ways than I thought it would be but it has also had its moments of calamity, mostly hilarious in retrospect and nothing that makes me regret one minute of time spent in a tent.
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View from Gap Park overlooking Watsons Bay and Sydney Harbour
Who doesn’t want to spend a day of vacation letting the kids play in the sand or climb on an awesome playground while you enjoy the breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour? Throw in two gorgeous and accessible coastal walks, a delicious fish n’ chips picnic, cap it off with a night time ferry ride to admire the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House lit up at night, and you have a pretty perfect day right?
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Downtown Greenville
Looking for someplace new to discover but only have a weekend to spend? Look no further than Greenville, South Carolina. Repeatedly making “best of” lists because of its amazing restaurant scene and the fantastic Swamp Rabbit Trail, your family will have a fabulous weekend of fun in this charming small city.
Read moreWant to take a family vacation to Europe but can’t find affordable flights? Try flying into London, spending the night, and then taking the Eurostar out in the morning. You can sometimes score cheap flights, and even better, you can sometimes skip an overnight on a plane. From St. Pancras Station in London, take the Eurostar direclyt to France, Belgium, or the Netherlands. It’s a great alternative to flying direct to Europe and pretty easy to do.
Read moreIt has to be a picture that looks stunning (obviously), but also one that you can see your family in. It should be one that makes you think- “That looks awesome, we could do that!” These are some of our favorites from our travels over the years.
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The pretty and walkable streets of downtown Louisville outside the Louisville Slugger Museum and Kentucky Science Center.
You won’t have any trouble filling your weekend with fun in Louisville, whether you are here in winter or summer, rain or shine, or you have teenagers or toddlers. There is a plethora of activities, from hands-on museums to underground zip lines, and lots of tasty restaurants to try. But maybe the best thing about Louisville is its fairly compact size-- most attractions are within several blocks of each other, making your sight- seeing a breeze. Park the car for the weekend and enjoy yourself in this awesome city!
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Big Sky Resort, Montana
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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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?
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Indian Boundary Campground
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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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