Growing up in a world of adventure.

April 23, 2017

Hiking with Kids: Arizona’s Cave Creek Regional Park

During our annual visit the Phoenix area, between watching our Mariners in Spring Training, visiting with family, and enjoying the break from gloomy Seattle weather, we always make time for a family hike in the desert. So far, we’ve hiked in the White Tank Mountains, around Lake Pleasant, and explored Glendale’s Thunderbird Park. Each of these hikes have allowed us to connect with natural environment that can often get overshadowed by the flurry and excitement of travel (combined with suburban sprawl).

On our most recent trip this past March, we ventured northeast of Phoenix to Cave Creek Regional Park. In anticipation of visiting the area, I often scope out new (to us) parks by simply pulling up our location (the Peoria area) in google maps. I then pore over the the screen, zooming in and out, looking for green spaces.

When I find one that looks interesting, I find the driving distance and time estimation. Our general rule considering the ages of our kids, and the goal to be back for afternoon nap time, is to choose something within a 45 minute drive. Cave Creek Regional Park definitely fit the bill!

March 27, 2017

Stonz Wear: 3-Season Outdoor Gear for Kids

With winter recently coming to a close, you might not be interested in cold weather gear. However, if you live in a region still experiencing chilly temperatures or want to plan ahead for next fall and winter, you’ll want to consider Stonz Wear.

Stonz Wear is a children’s outerwear brand featuring cold (wet and snowy) weather accessories. They specialize in boots and mittens, and we particularly love the story of their origin. Try as she might, Stonz’ founder Lisa Will, could not keep her young son’s feet warm. She wanted to shoe or boot that would protect those tiny feet from the cold AND stay on, so she got to work designing and creating her own.

March 23, 2017

Mounthaven Resort near Mount Rainier National Park

Imagine waking up and stepping outside your front door onto a covered porch. In front of you, a babbling stream greets you, bringing an overwhelming sense of peace to your day. Surrounding you from above are towering evergreen trees helping you to feel centered even though tasks, responsibilities, and to-do list items try to impose.

Then as your eyes dance from the calming water to the majestic trees, you realize that the entire area is covered in a blanket of fresh white snow. Truly a winter wonderland that, despite the chill in the air, feels like heaven.

Sounds like a dream, right? Well, this is actually what we experienced just a few weeks ago during our stay at Mounthaven Resort near Mount Rainier National Park.

March 9, 2017

First Family Snowshoe Adventure: Mount Rainier National Park

With a toddler not keen on snow and cold weather, and a preschooler who’s never strapped on snowshoes, I wasn’t sure what to expect for our first family snowshoe adventure. Bergen, our 5-year old, loves hiking, and has been climbing mountains with me since he learned to walk. But snowshoeing?

I foresaw him getting frustrated with the plastic clodhoppers and throwing them off in disgust. Then after being relieved of the clumsy feeling, he’d end up sinking in three feet of accumulated snow. All the while, our 2-year old would grow tired of being carried in the backpack. I envisioned her whining, screaming, or worse throwing a complete tantrum no snack, treat, or lollipop could pacify.

No, that’s not exactly how our first family snowshoe adventure transpired. It ended up being a whole lot of fun for most of us, but it wasn’t without a few bumps! To give you an idea of our set-up, here are a few nitty-gritty details: Slaed has his own snowshoes, I borrowed a pair from a friend, and we rented a pair from REI for Bergen. Georgia was carried in our Deuter Kid Comfort 3 for the 3-mile trek. We chose to hike along the Wonderland Trail (Longmire to Cougar Rock Campground) for it’s easy terrain, pretty views along the Nisqually River, and easy accessibility from Mount Rainier National Park’s south entrance.

January 17, 2017

US National Park Fee Free Days in 2017

Do you have any National Parks on your travel and adventure list this year? Our National Parks are an amazing resource allowing us to dig into the nature and history of many of our country’s most important locations.

Every year the U.S. National Parks service selects several days or weekends that are FEE FREE. This provides a great opportunity to explore a park you’ve been meaning to see!

2017 National Park Fee Free Days

January 11, 2017

Snohomish County, Washington: Travel and Adventure Guide for Families

Due to it’s close proximity to our home in Seattle, we usually explore Snohomish County, Washington via weekend day trips. Less than an hour, depending on our specific destination, north of us, we can enjoy all the culture, recreation, shopping, and outdoor adventure the region has to offer, and still get home for naps or bedtime.

Last fall though, we got to do something a little different. We actually stayed the night! As I mentioned in my recent staycation post, planning a trip close to home has so many benefits. One of those benefits is that you get more time to enjoy the destination. We were able to pack so much fun and adventure into a short weekend in Snohomish County! Today I’m sharing our family friendly recommendations for things to do (indoors and out), places to eat and drink, and where to stay.

A note before we start: Snohomish County, Washington is quite a large area (over 2,000 square miles), so this is by no means an exhausted list of all the area has too offer! We’re just scratching the surface of this rich region.

November 21, 2016

Deuter Kid Comfort 3 Kid Carrier Review

Georgia and I have been busy testing the Deuter Kid Comfort 3 Carrier this past summer and into fall. We’ve loved the opportunity to add some experience with another hiking style carrier to our repertoire. This review is intended to help more families make informed decisions about the product they ultimately decide to purchase. If possible, we always advise to visit an outdoor store, such as REI, to try on the carriers yourself. When you see them in person, you are better able to see each carrier’s features. You can also feel the pack on your very own shoulders, back, and hips. However, hopefully our review will give you some things to think about as you compare and make your decision.

October 24, 2016

Troy Sneakers from M.A.P. Footwear Review: Lightweight Shoes for Active Kids

While our kids are active and spend a lot of time outdoors, they are not always on the hiking trail climbing mountains. Consequently, a hiking shoe is overkill for our everyday adventures, but some sneakers aren’t quite rugged enough for our rough and tough kids.

Thanks to M.A.P footwear though, we’ve found a great in between shoe! Bergen has been testing the Troy sneakers from M.A.P. (Motion. Adventure. Play.) Footwear this past summer and early fall. Overall we are pleased with the fit, support, and durability of the shoes.

To give you an idea of our testing process, here are a few details:

Testing Time: 3 months
Testing Conditions: long urban walks on sidewalks, long bike rides, forest school, flat well worn hiking trails, parks and playgrounds
Other Notes: most of the testing has taken place in warmer weather, often worn without socks

September 21, 2016

Lake Chelan, Washington: Things to do with Kids

When I first moved to Seattle so many of my colleagues and students that I taught (I’m an elementary school teacher currently on “sabbatical” raising my kids), raved about this mysterious place called Lake Chelan. Growing up on the east coast, I’d never heard of the area hosting Washington State’s largest lake, but I quickly learned that it was the place to go to get away from the gloomy and gray of Western Washington. Visitors could swim in the water (in summer) and play on the sandy shores, participate in water sports, and generally just enjoy the lake life taking in views of the surrounding mountains and being treated to the region’s natural bounty. I put Lake Chelan on my already long and growing list of places to see in the Pacific Northwest.

August 30, 2016

Women’s Hiking Boot Review: V-Lite Altitude Pro Lite from Hi-Tec

Bergen and I have been busy on the hiking trails this summer! Not only are we exploring, discovering, and enjoying the great outdoors (per usual), but we’ve also been testing hiking shoes and boots from Hi-Tec. Hi-Tec Sports is a hiking and walking shoe and boot company out of Modesto, California. I’m starting with a review of the women’s V-Lite Altitude Pro Lite hiking boots, but stay tuned for a follow-up review of Bergen’s Aitana Low waterproof hiking shoes (also mentioned in our kid’s summer hiking guide).

August 19, 2016

Hiking with Kids: Seattle Area Hikes with Viewpoints

A nice walk in the woods has it’s place in the hiking world. Tall towering trees, greenery and foliage surrounding you, maybe even a creek or waterfall to gaze at or take a quick dip. Sometimes we want more though. We want an even greater reward for our effort than just the pretty scenery. We long for that light at the end of the tunnel–a gorgeous sweeping view of the landscape giving us more of a perspective of our place here on earth. Viewpoints also often mean you’ve accomplished something big, and that’s extremely satisfying!

This past winter, I set a goal for Bergen (4.5 years at the time) and I (Georgia came along for the ride on my back as well) to hike to the top of Little Si, a smaller neighbor mountain to the larger Mount Si in North Bend, Washington. In order to prep for the journey, we tackled several other trails with viewpoints and similar, but not quite as difficult, terrain and distances, and since then we’ve added a few more hikes with viewpoints to our tally. Consequently, we now have quite a few hikes that we can recommend to other families where your hard work will be rewarded with an amazing view.

August 17, 2016

Summer Hiking Gear for Kids

One of the many reasons I love hiking as an outdoor activity is because of it’s simplicity. If you can put one foot in front of the other, relatively speaking, you can hike! Passing along this love to our kids has come naturally, and it seems to work particularly well because there really isn’t a lot of stuff involved. We can figure out where we want to go, toss a few things into a daypack, and we’re set for a fun adventure in nature.

Each season brings it’s own unique characteristics, and thus changes what we might need to brave the elements, though summer is probably the simplest of all. And since there are still plenty of summer days left this year, here’s our round-up of some of the best, and most useful items for kids to explore the outdoors on these hot, sunny days.

August 11, 2016

4 Ways to Enrich Your Next Hike featuring Central Cascade’s Spada Lake

I’ve mentioned before how much fun it is for us to adventure along side friends and family. They might add another layer of logistics (and we have to be on our best behavior), but getting to hike with companions makes such a difference in our enjoyment and adds some richness to the experience.

We recently had the pleasure of hiking with my cousin who also lives in the Seattle area, and as I was thinking back and processing the time on the trail with her (and Bergen and Georgia), a hiking tip just popped into my mind: Go with an expert!

Rambling all over Washington State (and beyond), my cousin is an avid hiker, and really knows her stuff. As we trekked along the service road to the overlook we had a goal of making it to, she introduced us to delicious edible berries, matched up conifer cones and fallen leaves to their rightful owner towering above us, and helped us identify wildflowers.

August 10, 2016

Ike Kinswa State Park in SW Washington State: Long Weekend Itinerary

For spring break this year, we added one more lovely cabin to our list of favorite Pacific Northwest Cabins & Yurts. Ike Kinswa State Park is located in Southwest Washington State, and is situated between Mount Rainier (to the north) and Mount St. Helens (to the south).

We chose it for it’s close proximity to our home in Seattle and it’s natural appeal of being set along the confluence of two rivers–so much to outdoor beauty to explore! Plus, we knew that even though we were visiting during spring break, we wouldn’t be dealing with the crowds that can tend to form in the busier summer months. One more benefit came along when we arrived–no cell phone coverage (and of course, no wifi)! It was delightfully refreshing to never have to worry about looking at my email or checking-in on social media. And one more benefit! Staying at state park cabins is very friendly on the budget!

August 4, 2016

Hiking with Kids: Chirico Trail to Issaquah, WA’s Poo Poo Point

The hike to Poo Poo Point via the Chirico Trail in Issaquah, Washington can get a bad rap because of its crowds and steep climb. We recently hiked the trail as a family, and while we found both of these things to be true, we also came away with the conclusion that it’s well worth the effort. Even if you might need to let other hikers pass every couple of hundred feet (we were hiking on a sunny Saturday afternoon) and you might huff and puff on the way up, and be sore on the way down, the payoff is huge. Here’s what we loved:

Poo Poo Point–Chirico Trail

August 2, 2016

Summer Scavenger Hunt (with printable) for Kids

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair.

-Susan Polis Schutz

Summer is here, and well underway, so I thought I’d better get cracking with our summer scavenger hunt before this lovely season gets away from us! Here I’ve compiled 12 items that we think are particularly special to or can almost only be found in summer. You won’t necessarily be able to find all 12 in one session unless you did some careful planning, but the idea is appreciate all the season has to offer.

Summer in the Seattle area is the best! We are savoring the warmer temperatures and clear blue skies, and loving that it hasn’t been too terribly hot. I hope you are enjoying yourselves in your neck of the woods, and if not, I hope you are able to travel or adventure somewhere new to get some relief!

Summer Scavenger Hunt for Kids

July 22, 2016

14 Kid Friendly Hikes Near Seattle

Of course we love adventure. Of course we love travel. And of course we love getting out for a hike. With two little kids though, who both still nap, and prefer to do so in their own beds at home, we can’t always venture too far. Since Bergen was a wee toddler, I’ve researched, investigated, and explored kid friendly hikes near Seattle (in or at least with in an hour’s drive of the city).

What’s considered “kid friendly”?

Low mileage: Most of these hikes are 3 miles or less. Some much less, and many with opportunities to add more if little legs allow.
Exciting features: lakes, waterfalls, view points, story boards, bridges, etc. to help peak interest and motivate
Mostly flat: Too many hills and inclines can bring out the whines (at least in my young hiker)!

Here you’ll find 14 of our favorite kid friendly hikes in or near Seattle. It is in no way an exhausted list, and I hope to add to it in the future. Make sure to click on the hike’s title for either a more detailed trip report from our site or another trusted resource like the Washington Trails Association (WTA).

Looking for more?

Grab our Seattle Area Kid Friendly Hiking Guide

with 25 Adventures you and your kids will love!

July 20, 2016

Travel Vlog: Sea to Sky Gondola with Kids

Before settling into our rental condo in Vancouver, BC over the 4th of July weekend, we bypassed the city and continued north to the Sea to Sky Gondola. We worked in Georgia’s (our 18-month old) afternoon nap to occur right after crossing the US-Canada border (luckily she cooperated!) so we needed to continue driving to fill her sleep tank before a big afternoon and evening of exploring.

The Sea to Sky Gondola is located in Squamish, BC, about halfway between Vancouver and Whistler. The gondola opened in 2014, and takes visitors from “sea level” at the Howe Sound to “sky level” at their Summit House in the mountains above.

July 13, 2016

Savoring the Season with a Summer Bucket List

We are well into summer, but Bergen (my 4.5 year old) and I just had a chance to sit down, and come up with a list of things we wanted to accomplish this season. When we create this lists (past lists: end-of-summer, fall, winter, spring), I often think about what we already have planned and on the calendar, and we brainstorm and look through books to come up with ideas that are quintessential to that particular season. Then I consult my husband Slaed, and he fills in the gaps with anything we might have overlooked.

The end product is a list of 10 to 15 items. Some involve travel, some involve the outdoors, we have day trips, city outings, even crafts. I’d like to be able to get to every single item on the list each season, but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes it does, but often we get to most of it!

June 9, 2016

Lake Chelan, Washington with Kids: Stroll, Boat, Hike

Are you able to make spontaneous, unplanned travel work for your family? As a family who plans travel far in advance, you’d think that we wouldn’t be able to swing a last minute trip, but I’ve realized as of late that having young children does have it’s benefits! They are more portable and have fewer scheduled activities, which allows us to pack-up and go when an opportunity comes along!

We recently got to travel back to Lake Chelan, located in central Washington State, thanks to a friend who offered us use of his timeshare condo. We only had a few weeks of advance notice, but we were able to figure out the logistics to where Georgia (17 months) and I even had some “girls only” time before the boys arrived a couple of days later.

April 27, 2016

Savoring the Season with a Spring Bucket List

Now that the real spring weather has returned to Seattle, and we are back to mild temperatures after a bout of hot weather, it’s time for us to get cracking on our spring bucket list! If you aren’t familiar with our seasonal bucket lists, here’s the scoop: Each season, we create a list of about 10 fun adventures or projects that are specific to the season.

We dig through our favorite nature books, think about our favorite happenings of that particular season, and look at our calendars as a way of being more intentional with our time and to take advantage of the best things that nature has for us. To learn more, check out our summer, fall & winter bucket lists.

Here’s our 2016 Spring Bucket List in no particular order!

April 13, 2016

Spring Scavenger Hunt (with Printable) for Kids

“Is the spring coming?” he said. “What is it like?”…
“It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine…”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett

I recently learned that Seattle and Western Washington actually have the longest spring season in the nation. Lucky us! We’ve been celebrating since late February with daffodils blooming, cherry blossoms popping, and warmer temperatures (plus rain of course), and will most likely see spring-like weather into the beginning of July.

With all this time to enjoy what the season has to offer, we’ve been busy compiling a list of things that we feel make it special and unique. Here you’ll find our spring scavenger hunt! We hope it helps you enjoy all the outstanding qualities of spring in your neck of the woods, and if the lovely spring weather hasn’t quite arrived where you live, we hope it gets there soon!

March 21, 2016

Exploring Nature with Kids: Conifer Cone Search

It’s the first day of spring, but Bergen and I just ticked one last thing off of our winter bucket list: A Conifer Cone Search! It ended up being quite spontaneous. We were out on one of our usual walks as a family through the Washington Park Arboretum. Along the way, Bergen was paying particular attention to all the conifer cones (aka: pine cones) on the ground and under trees.

March 5, 2016

Hiking with Kids: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve’s Schooner Cove (Tofino, BC)

During our recent trip to Vancouver Island, BC last month, we really only had one day to explore the Pacific Rim National Park, so we needed to make the most of it! Two of the biggest draws in the park are the beaches and the rain forest, so in selecting the main hike for our morning, Schooner Cove was the clear choice since it would provide us with a little bit of both!

February 12, 2016

Hiking with Kids: Olallie State Park’s Cedar Butte Trail (North Bend, WA)

In order to feel less guilty about all the junk we’d consume at our Super Bowl extravaganza last weekend, I decided to take the kids on a good calorie burning, heart pumping hike. I don’t really need an excuse to go on a hike, but this was a great way to get the kids out of the house while Slaed (born and raised in Colorado & devoted Denver Broncos fan) prepared, stressed and prayed, for the big game ahead.

As you might have read from our Winter Bucket List post, I’m hoping that the three of us (Georgia, the 1-year old on my back in the carrier) can conquer Little Si this season. The mileage, at 4.7 miles round trip, isn’t something that I’m extremely concerned about, but more the mountain climb and elevation gain (1300 feet). So in preparation, we are training with hikes that are a bit easier, but have relatively similar distance and hill climbing.

Olallie State Park’s Cedar Butte trail definitely fit the bill as another good hike to get ready for the more difficult Little Si. It’s also less popular than it’s neighbor, Rattlesnake Ledge, which was bustling with folks and crammed with cars in the parking lot as we drove by.

To give you an idea of our hiking experience, I once again documented the journey with a video!

Olallie State Park’s Cedar Butte Trail