After a hearty lunch at one of my favorite Oregon breweries, Bergen and I (solo mother and son travelers) were looking to explore the town just a bit more before getting back on the road to drive to our ultimate destination of Nehalem Bay State Park on the coast. I was thinking we would just wind up and down the historic streets, giving me a chance to marvel over the many Victorian homes with the hope that my little passenger might nod off, and as well as give me a bit of a break. But then, signs began to appear pointing us toward Coxcomb Hill. I was intrigued. I figured, given the fact that we were winding our way up the steep streets of Astoria, that Coxcomb Hill must be the highest point in town. 
[Read more…]
Keeping Toddlers Safe around Campfires: 4 Helpful Tips
Our toddler (now 2.5 years old) is curious. He also likes to push the limits constantly checking to see where his boundaries lie. In other words, he keeps us on our toes, and in our adventures and travels we must constantly be aware of potential dangers or accidents lurking around the corner.
Enjoying the outdoors with him obviously has so many benefits, but like everything in life there are always things to watch out for. Thinking of our most recent camping trip to the Oregon coast, along with getting enough sleep, planning out meals, and staying dry and warm from the elements, keeping Bergen safe and unharmed from our campfires was at the top of the list.
Like many toddlers, he’s a mini-scientist. He wants to know how things work, but we’re not about to let him test out how a fire might feel and risk potential burns and a visit to the emergency room (especially while on the road). Instead, we’ve done our best to prevent any mishaps.
4 Tips for Keeping Toddlers Safe around Campfires
Wild Fun at the Phoenix Zoo: 5 Highlights for Families
Deciding to visit zoos in the towns and cities that we travel to is a no-brainer. First off, with our membership to our zoo here in Seattle (Woodland Park Zoo), our entry to other zoos is often free or discounted. Secondly, it’s one of those win-win places for kids and adults. Plenty for grown-ups to enjoy without feeling like they are missing out and sitting at the kiddie table all day, but also so engaging for children with exhibits designed just for them. It would be hard to find a kid who wasn’t interested in animals, right?
Hiking Lake Pleasant Regional Park: Typical Arizona with a Few Surprises
We packed a whole lot of Arizona into one excursion during our visit to the state a couple of weeks ago.
A whole lot of typical Arizona was involved. You know…
- Saguaro cactus (among other varieties) towering over us, waving
Western Washington Respites: Padilla Bay’s Breazeale Interpretive Center
I hate to say this after two back to back gloriously sunny spring days, but here in the Pacific Northwest, the weather isn’t always on our side. Sure, we don’t often have to endure the cold-hard bone chilling days like our neighbors to the north, but it rains here. A LOT. And it’s grey and dark.
Even when it’s not raining heavily, it’s misty and damp. Moisture is everywhere and we get wet. I’ll be the first to say none of that matters if we have the proper gear and clothing layers. At times though, we just need a break.
Places like the Padilla Bay’s Breazeale Interpretive Center, located in the tiny town of Bayview, Washington, are perfect for when we want to explore in nature, but need a little respite from the elements.
5 Tips for a Great Visit to Padilla Bay’s Breazeale Interpretive Center:
1. Explore and Take a Hike.
The trails were the first thing we discovered and explored upon arriving at the Interpretive Center. Since our dog, Norman was along for the ride, we wanted to give him a chance to sniff around and get some exercise before had to leave him to go inside the center. Unlike the indoors portion, the trails (as well as the parking lot) are always open to the public.
Travel Snapshots: Poolside at Phoenix’ J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort
Do you ever feel the post-travel blues? You get back from a trip, and just feel down in the dumps, wishing you were back exploring that fantastic place with perfect weather? Yes? What’s more, the feeling doubles when the day after you return home, it’s your birthday!
Instead of having a pity-party though, I’m reminiscing.
My 2.5 year old couldn’t get enough of the water.
Trip Planning with Kids: Building Background Knowledge with Books
What’s your favorite way to plan and research for upcoming travel? Do you involve your kids?
With Bergen (2.5 years old) talking and understanding more and more, I’ve been anxious to get him involved in some of our traveling planning. While I love that two of us (Mom & Dad) can still ultimately do all the deciding, its fun to see what types of things that really peak his interest.
Built into two different books (both reviewed on the blog), one a family travel handbook, one a memoir, is a tip I couldn’t wait to try with Bergen. Both authors suggested visiting the public library with kids before a trip to explore the available books and resources on the locale. Travel guides, non-fiction books about the landscape, fictional stories set in the location, maps…you name it, they all have a place in getting kids excited about travel and loading them up with information.
Kids are explores by nature, and travel gives them permission to dive deep into their curiosity and open their eyes in surprise. -Tsh Oxenreider
Good Eats in Bow-Edison, Washington
What kind of compromises to do you make while traveling?
To make travel with a child more simple and convenient, we’ll stay in a more central location even when we’d really rather stay off the beaten path a bit. At times we splurge on our destination, when just flying to the place is a huge expense, and then stick to a tight budget on food. Other times, when we know the accommodations are going to expensive, we’ll make sure that all of our activities and excursions are free or very low cost.
While we love to experience a locale’s culture through their food, we’d don’t often overdo it in this category of travel. We specifically seek out ways to save on our meals. However our trip to Skagit County Washington’s Bow-Edison was different. This agricultural community that we’d only been able to enjoy in quick passing was calling us to take part in their farm-to-table, slow food, eat local (insert newfangled foodie term here) movement. And by going the budget route of staying in a state park cabin, we had some room for a little indulging!
Central Washington Getaway: Cozy Cabin Retreat in Cle Elum
Sometimes you need a vacation after your vacation, or a vacation after our “staycation“. After choosing to stay in Seattle for Christmas and New Year’s gratefully hosting family and loving the extra time to enjoy the city without rushing away on an airplane, we were ready.
Ready for a quick getaway. We chose Central Washington’s Cle Elum area (just an hour and a half drive) because of it’s proximity to home combined with a complete change of scenery and opportunity to unplug. Our wishes were to be close to some hiking trails and have a comfortable place return to and easily cook a few meals.
With this truly being a budget adventure, our usual desire to be close to town wasn’t an issue. We’d cook all of our meals rather than eating out) and make our own coffee, and all of our recreation and entertainment would be found in our immediate surroundings.
The vacation rental we found in the Teanaway Valley was just right for our needs.
Notes from a Blue Bike: Journey On and Live Life with Intention
Home may be where the heart is, but on the open road lie your five senses, and when you return to your heart, you’ll better see, smell, and hear. -Tsh Oxenreider Notes from a Blue Bike
Validation. We’re doing something right. A family further along, having lived through our current season of life has given me inspiration to journey on. But now, even more, I know that I need to be careful in my choices.
Yes, forge ahead, follow your heart, just go, but also…stop and think, and as the sub-title suggests live intentionally.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Traveling the World in our Own Backyard with Seattle’s 21 International Sister Cities
Did you know that Seattle currently has sister city relationships with 21 cities throughout the world? The establishment of sister cities fosters relationships between two locales thus creating greater understanding of their respective cultures. The exchange program began in 1956 thanks to President Dwight Eisenhower. His intention was essentially one of world peace and less conflict; or at least more peaceful relationships between the United States and other countries of the world.
I have an ongoing goal of honoring and highlighting each of the 21 sister cities of Seattle. The master list of cities appears in my “Travel the World in Your Own Backyard: Seattle’s 21 International Sister Cities” post and will be updated every couple of weeks.
Sister City: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Year Established: 1973
Representation in Seattle:
The Tashkent-Seattle relationship is quite strong, and was actually the very first Soviet-American Sister City connection to be established in the world. A wide variety of exchanges have occurred between Tashkent and Seattle from the arts (cinema, dance, tightrope walking) to professional (dentist, lawyer, chef) to social and civic work, and beyond.
The sister city organization hosts an annual event in the spring to celebrate the Central Asian New Year called Navruz.
Our “travels” took us to the Tashkent Park, which was dedicated, with a visit from the Mayor of Tashkent, in 1974 and is located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. It features the statue, “Semurg” “Bird of Happiness”, given to Seattle from the people of Tashkent in 1989, in addition to an arbor and painted peace tiles created by school children.
The Family Traveler’s Handbook: Be Prepared and Inspired to Travel with Kids
As a mother who travels and adventures frequently with her child, one might think I don’t need anymore inspiration to get out there and explore the world with my little guy in tow. But the truth is, I need to read about and learn from other families in the trenches. I gain perspective, tips and tricks, and can anticipate how travel will change as Bergen (2 years old) grows and develops.
Having just finished one of the most recently published books on family travel, The Family Traveler’s Handbook by Mara Gorman, I feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and filled with so many new ideas on how to get the most out of our getaways as a family.
Urban Hike in Charlotte, NC: Little Sugar Creek Greenway
Wanting to spend time in the city, but still enjoy the outdoors in the beautiful, sunny Charlotte, North Carolina weather, we opted for some urban hiking while visiting family during our Southeast trip last December.
Traveling the World in our own Backyard with Seattle’s 21 International Sister Cities: Beer Sheva, Israel
Did you know that Seattle currently has sister city relationships with 21 cities throughout the world? The establishment of sister cities fosters relationships between two locales thus creating greater understanding of their respective cultures. The exchange program began in 1956 thanks to President Dwight Eisenhower. His intention was essentially one of world peace and less conflict; or at least more peaceful relationships between the United States and other countries of the world.
I have an ongoing goal of honoring and highlighting each of the 21 sister cities of Seattle. The master list of cities appears in my “Travel the World in Your Own Backyard: Seattle’s 21 International Sister Cities” post and will be updated every couple of weeks.
Sister City: Beer Sheva, Israel
Year Established: 1977
Representation in Seattle:
Several education, social work, and business exchanges have occurred between the people of Beer Sheva and Seattle. In order to “travel” to the city, we visited Beer Sheva Park in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood (southeast Seattle).
The park was renamed in honor of the sister city in 1978, and includes a playground, waterfront area along Lake Washington with boat launch, picnic spots, and plenty of green space. A beautifully crafted set of table and benches to honor Dorothy Schroeter who was president of the Seattle-Beer Sheva Sister City Committee from 1989-1997, and Lucille Fuss who was the Vice President from 1989-1999 is also featured.
Washington’s State Park Accommodations: Inside our Bay View State Park Cabin
Yurts, cabins, and rustic accommodations of sorts always excite me. I guess the coziness, proximity to nature, and all around feeling that I am truly “away from it all” is appealing. And on top of all those romantic feelings, the practicality of having all that’s great about camping without actually have to do much work and setup (the downsides of pitching your own tent and hauling all the gear) for a parent makes the whole experience so worthwhile.
Setting up camp on the outside at our Bayview State Park cabin was simple, and even though I was worried about sharing such a tiny space (12×12 feet) with our toddler, we were able to set up an inside space with just as much ease.
Quick and Easy to Make Travel Game for Toddlers: Photo Puzzles
For a while now, I’ve created quick photo books for Bergen (2 years old) to look at, talk about, and flip through when we travel. The photo albums have especially come in handy on the airplane when we need plenty of distractions, but don’t want items that would take up a lot of space.
For our last plane ride across the country to visit family and friends in the Southeast, I decided to take Bergen’s love for photos a step further and make things a little more interactive.
Exploring Art, History and Nature in South Carolina’s Andrew Jackson State Park
Have I written about the fact that I love state parks? During our trip to the Southeast (Georgia and the Carolinas) in early December my mom mentioned a state park not far from her house. You can guess that we, along with sister and 7-year old nephew jumped on board!
Andrew Jackson State Park is located in Lancaster, South Carolina, which is an hour or so south of Charlotte. According to the South Carolina state park system, the site of the park is where Andrew Jackson, our 7th presdient, actually grew up.
We first spent some time exploring the main grounds, which includes a museum, old school house, meeting house, and an immense statue of young Andrew atop a horse.
Later we hit the woods and hiked the mile nature trail loop, also called the Crawford Trail. It was an easy walk and nice way to take in some of South Carolina’s natural beauty as the path (actually crossed the Old Church Road twice) took us through a forest filled with pines, cedars, and oak trees.
At the end of the loop while I hung back snapping photos, Slaed got to experience an owl swoop by overhead. He was the only lucky viewer as Bergen was too busy climbing on rocks and the rest of the clan was checking out the meeting house.
With the intention of rewarding the boys with some fun at the playground, we walked over to the fishing lake passing by the amphitheater on our way over. We ended up having so much fun playing in the boats, running up and down the dock, and throwing rocks into the lake that we ran out of time and steam!
What state (or region, province, etc) do you live in? Have you visited any state parks recently? Tell us about your experience!
Info to Know:
- Andrew Jackson State Park is located in Lancaster, South Carolina (1 hour south of Charlotte, NC)
- 196 Andrew Jackson Road Lancaster, SC 29720
- 803-285-3344
- Hours: 8am-6pm Daily from Nov. 1-March 31, 9am-9pm Daily from April 1-Oct.31
- Features include museum, old school house, 2 short hiking trails (1 mile each), meeting house, amphitheater, lake, fishing, boating (no motors), playground, and camping.
- $2 for adults, Free for Youth 15 & Under, $1.25 for SC seniors
- Strollers not recommended for trails.
- Looking for lunch or dinner near by? Head North on US-521 just past Sun City Carolina Lakes to 521 BBQ & Grill. Delicious Carolina BBQ served by the nicest people you’ll meet. Be sure to get some hush puppies too.
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
More State Park Adventures:
- Year of Washington State Parks
- Northern California’s Henry W. Coe State Park
- Peshastin Pinnacles State Park (Central Washington)
Cle Elum, WA’s Teanaway Valley: The Search for an Iceless Hike
Here in Washington State our skiers, snowboarders and all around winter enthusiasts are a little bummed with the lack of snow. Ski resorts are closed. Festivals are being cancelled.
As we drove past Snoqualmie Pass last weekend en route to a quick getaway in Cle Elum, Washington, instead of the usual winter scene of clean white powder, we saw rocky mountains and hills mixed with whitish-brownish slush. Though we did see a few kids tubing down one hill, thanks to some artificial snow, the rest of the area looked more like Seattle when we get a little dusting: Thin layer of white with lots of green grass poking through.
On the bright side, we were blessed with very little traffic and we anticipated some nice hiking conditions. Yes, aside from worrying about the ski resorts losing money and the small towns suffering from lack of ski commerce, we were okay with the scene since we really weren’t after any ski-related activity. Just looking to enjoy a quiet, unplugged day or so in the mountains.
After getting situated in our cabin rental, we set off to explore the Teanaway Valley and find a suitable hike. First we headed west just a mile or so from the cabin. When the paved road turned to dirt and gravel, we were met with a clean sheet of ice suitable for skating, not driving and certainly not hiking.
We continued on anyway, and thought we’d found a great spot when I saw a sign marking the national forest area and a hiker symbol pointing us toward a trail. We got all geared up, packed Bergen into the carrier on Slaed’s back, and in the time it took me to grab Norman (the dog) and organize my belongings, the boys had taken a spill. The trails here were just as bad as the roadway.
Bergen was fine, protected by the pack, just a little shaken up, while Slaed endured a few scrapes on his knee along with some bruising and soreness. Wonderful dad and husband that he is though, he agreed to continue on to try to find a spot that was a little less icy.
So we ventured back and tried another direction…and another…and then another only to find ice everywhere. It became obvious why we had only seen a handful of people. No snow, you can hike. With snow, you can snowshoe. With ice…that’s a little trickier.
On the way to one of these ventures, we did notice one white minivan parked just outside of a trail entrance, and even though we ignored this spot initially, it gave us hope that we could at least go back and explore it’s hiking possibilities.
You can probably guess that’s exactly what we ended up doing. Thanks to a nice open meadow-valley of an area that receives plentiful sun, we were able to create a hike (of sorts) for ourselves. Now it wasn’t completely iceless. We still had to dodge some slick spots and did our fare share of slipping, but no more falling.
And when we finally didn’t have to worry so much about a skating rink at our feet, we had a chance to enjoy the view. Aside from a bird or two, we curiously saw little wildlife, but for some reason I felt as if a cougar would come around to meet us at any moment! Oh, and we did run into the owner of the minivan. Just a loan hiker out for a nice walk. He was smarter than us though–he had hiking poles!
Have you ever run into less than favorable conditions on an outdoor adventure? What happened?
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
More Hiking Adventures:
New Year, New Adventures: Support Your State Parks
Happy New Year!
A fresh new year definitely has me thinking of things I want to accomplish in 2014, but I also can’t help but think about the goals, aspirations and new ideas that began around this time a year ago. One of the goals we made as a family was to visit more of our Washington State Parks.
We kicked the year off and set the goal in motion with the purchase of the Discover Pass. In fact, it was one of my Christmas gifts to my husband, Slaed, but a state park pass also makes a great new year’s gift for yourself or someone you love. So many goals come to mind that it would help with:
- Fitness
- Health
- Travel
- Exploring the outdoors
- Beginning a new outdoor sport or activity
- Education
Our Discover Pass brought us to places all across our Puget Sound region in 2013:
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To be honest, we were surprised to learn we only visited a total of 10 state park units, but we did visit several of the parks more than once with Moran being the most frequented. And besides, 10 (+) is a whole lot more than years past.
A side effect of our interest and enthusiasm for our parks is that we now seek out state parks in our travels outside of Washington. Our trips to California, Wisconsin, South Carolina this year all included visits to at least one state park gem.
With a brand-spanking-new pass for 2014 ready and waiting, we’re anxious to see what the year will bring in terms of state park adventures. Looking back on the year, we really didn’t venture past the Cascades to any of the parks in Central and Eastern Washington. Seems to me that a new goal may be taking shape!
Are you motivated to visit more state parks this year? Why? Tell us about the state parks near you!
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
Christmas in the Southeast: Celebrating through Georgia and the Carolinas
We had quite a travel adventure in the Southeast part of the country to celebrate and visit with our loved ones for Thanksgiving. As with most of the country, Thanksgiving trickles right into Christmas, and this was evident even more so this year. Not only are Thanksgiving and Christmas closer together on the calendar, but it was also our only chance to celebrate the holiday with our east coast family and friends.
That’s a lot of festivities to squeeze in, but the region certainly helped out by getting all dressed up for us! Allow us to take you along on our journey, and at the same time, we’ll show you how the Southeast shows off their Yuletide spirit.
After landing in Atlanta, we traveled just north of the city to the little town of Lawrenceville. This was to be just a stopover hotel stay before making our way to the Charlotte area to visit with family. We drove into town in search of dinner; however it turned into much more!
We noticed streets closed down and residents running toward the town square, so we quickly found a parking spot and followed the crowd. To our surprise a Christmas celebration was happening complete with a tree lighting, caroling, parade, and visit from Santa. And to top it all off, the three of us got to try boiled peanuts for the first time. Bergen was a huge fan, but Slaed and I are pretty sure we will stick to the roasted variety.
Next up on our tour of the southeast takes us to North Carolina and the adorable small town of Waxhaw. Waxhaw is just south of Charlotte, and very close to the South Carolina border. My sister and her family will soon call this community home as they are building a house here, so naturally we decided to take time to play, shop, eat, and just explore!
During our visit, we hit up the playground, with remnants of Santa’s visit (in the form of artificial snow) left behind from the previous night, and then started to make our way over their local coffeehouse to warm up. The railroad runs through the center of town and our timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Just as we were ready to cross over the foot bridge, the train payed us a visit! You can probably guess that Bergen (2 years old) was the most excited.
Making our way back down to Georgia, to breakup the mini road trip, we stopped in Columbia, South Carolina. We knew the Riverbanks Zoo would be the perfect spot for Bergen to burn off a little steam. We also did our homework and knew that our admission would be free thanks to the zoo’s reciprocal relationship with our Woodland Park Zoo back home in Seattle.
We were very impressed with everything this small zoo had to offer, and felt that the exhibits were well designed and made for easy viewing. Needless to say, they are decked out for Christmas and we can only imagine how pretty it must look at night with all the lights twinkling, bonfire going, and all their other cheery festivities. We just happened to be walking by when one of the staff members was testing out the snow machine. Made for some fun memories of dancing around; with Bergen wondering why his parents were so giddy!
Our last stop on the Southeast tour was Augusta, Georgia to visit our dear friends who have recently relocated there. Though my hair wasn’t thrilled with the 100% humidity, we were happy to put our coats and hats aside and enjoy balmy temperatures. Augusta has so much natural beauty with pine trees everywhere and hanging moss adorning the oaks. We especially loved visiting the Augusta Canal and learning all about their lock system along the Savannah River.
What really got us into the Christmas spirit though was stopping by the Surrey Center not far from where all the Masters (annual golf tournament) action occurs. The chic women’s clothing store, Soho not only had a Christmas tree made of coke bottles, which we kept Bergen at least 10 feet away from at all times, but the owner also fashioned a tree using just deer antlers. Such a fun way to show off the uniqueness of the town and surrounding area.
Where are you celebrating the season this year? Have you discovered any new towns, cities or communities? We’d love to hear from you!
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
Passports with Purpose: Win an Osprey Packs Child Carrier!
To kick off this upcoming season on thankfulness, giving, happiness and cheer, I’m joining my fellow travel bloggers in the annual Passports with Purpose fundraiser. I’m super excited to be participating this year because as a mom and educator the cause is very close to my heart.
The Passports with Purpose team has set a goal of raising $115,000 for the organization, buildOn. With the money donated, buildOn and Passports with Purpose will construct 3 Primary Schools and fund 3 Adult Literacy Programs in the Sikasso region of Mali Africa. BuildOn has been around for more than 2 decades, and in that time have built more than 500 schools, 200 of those schools being int he Sikasso region.
Photo courtesy of buildOn.org
What is Passports with Purpose?
Passports with Purpose is an annual fundraiser where travel bloggers unite to give back to the the world they explore and adventure through. Every year (since 2008) a different charity or nonprofit organization is the beneficiary of the fundraising efforts. In short, bloggers procure a prize (from hotel stays, to electronics, to travel gear) and readers donate by bidding on those prizes in $10 increments. Every $10 donated earns the reader one chance at winning the prize; like a raffle ticket.
I’ve teamed with the wonderful folks at Osprey Packs to contribute an amazing Child Carrier to the fundraiser. Yes, at first glance it’s a backpack carrier to be used for hiking trails with your little tyke, but this carrier is so much more to our family!
About the Osprey Packs Poco Plus Child Carrier
The Poco Plus Child Carrier starts with an aluminum frame and aluminum hinges. Then that framing is padded and covered with 210D double ripstop nylon and 600D polyester to create a pack that is comfortable and well ventilated for the child and adult. Several adjustment points (waist, back panel & chest strap) allow the pack to easily customize to each individual wearer. Comfortable straps secure the child in the carrier as they sit in a cozy “cockpit” complete with nifty stirrups to rest their feet and legs.
What’s to Love?
- First and foremost we love that our 2-year old Bergen is comfortable and secure in the carrier thus making him a happy companion.
- While it’s a lot more serious and bulky than a soft carrier, Bergen actually prefers the ride because he is able to see so much more of the world from the high vantage point of the Poco.
- We can “wear” Bergen for longer periods of time without a lot of strain and back ache due to the innovative support system.
- The carrier has a large storage compartment at the base that gives us plenty of room for snacks, extra clothes and other supplies, and the side panels are great for storing our water bottles and other smaller items.
- Carrier weighs just under 7 pounds making it lightweight and easy to tote around and travel with. In fact, we are able to store the carrier in with our carseat bag when traveling by plane, and prefer it over a stroller.
- We’re able to utilize the carrier for more than just hiking. Trips to the zoo, walking around the city, concerts, sporting events, parades, and other community events are just a few of the fun activities we get into with Bergen in the Poco!
How to Win!
Visit the Passports with Purpose website where you’ll see a listing of all the prizes that are being given away (including the Poco Plus Carrier–we’re under “travel gear”). For every $10 you donate, you receive one entry toward the prize of your choice.
Don’t need a carrier? You’re still going to want to visit the prize catalogue to see what all my fellow travel bloggers are donating! Hotel stays, electronics, and amazing tours are all available for you to enter to win by donating! Just not interested in prizes at all? Passports with Purpose is also accepting direct donations. THANK YOU!
Details
- 1 Poco Plus Child Carrier from Osprey Packs
- Dollar Value: $259
THANK YOU 2013 Passports with Purpose Sponsors
- Platinum: Expedia
- Gold: DK Witness Travel & Rough Guides
- Silver: Collette Vacations & TBEX
- Copper: Eating London
- Bronze: Home Away, Hostel Bookers & Go with Oh
Disclosure: While we purchased our Osprey Packs Child Carrier (at REI), the carrier being donated for the Passports with Purpose fundraiser is being generously provided by Osprey Packs. All opinions of the carrier are all my own!
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
10 Children’s Books for Junior Adventurers and Wanderlusters
Books are a passion of mine, and if I had to choose one genre that is my absolute favorite, it’s children’s literature. Children’s books can be enjoyed by everyone from the babies and toddlers who drool all over the pages to the grown adults who can gain real life lessons, inspiration, and joy from the story.
As an elementary and special educator with a master’s in literacy, you can probably guess I’ve got quite a collection of picture books, and now that I’m staying at home with Bergen (2 years old), the collecting doesn’t stop, it takes on even more meaning, though our weekly trips to the library help curb this obsession a bit.
Here are my top choices (there are SO many more!), in no particular order, for books to get those adventure juices flowing, get kids excited about travel, and be transported via the wonderful world of literature! I can’t speak for all kids, but I feel pretty safe in saying that all of my choices are quick and fast-paced enough (without a ton of writing on each page) to be enjoyed by all ages.
My Map Book
by Sara Fanelli
Trust me. After you read this you’ll want to create your own maps of all kinds of things, and depending on age, your kids will too! The visual representation each map provides, from the real (my bedroom) to the abstract (my heart), is comforting, fascinating, and just so pleasing to create.
Miss Rumphius
by Barbara Cooney
Everyone should want to live like Miss Rumphius. She had three goals for her life : To travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and to make the world more beautiful. Okay, maybe not everyone wants to live by sea (or do they?), but the other two are for sure.
On the Same Day in March
by Marilyn Singer
Talk about Wanderlust. The book takes the reader through locales all over the world showing just how different the weather and conditions can be “on the same day in March”. Every time I turn the page, I want to jump right in and become a part of the scene. There are so many discussion starters that can come from each page too, from the types of clothing choices, to the plant and animal life, even the buildings and structures (or lack there of).
Where Are You Going, Manyoni?
by Catherine Stock
Follow little Manyoni as she sets off from her home to an unknown place–you’ll have to read to find out! The watercolor illustrations allow the reader to go on the journey right along side the young girl learning about Zimbabwe’s landscape, animals and customs along the way. At the end, the author also gives a glossary of unfamiliar words, and a 2-page key of all the animals shown throughout the book.
All the World
by Liz Garton Scanlan
“Everything you hear, smell, see
All the world is everything
Everything is you and me…”,
The story is actually a poem, and to say I love Marla Frazee’s watercolor illustrations is an understatement. I’m always left with a sense of wonder about the world and our connection to it, but at the same time gain a whole lot of perspective for what’s important.
Me on the Map
by Joan Sweeney
I’m fascinated by maps, and I love how this book strives to teach kids a sense of their place in the world all the way from their room to the entire earth (and back again). I think it also fosters important feelings of pride for where you live, right down to your street! I see that pride leading to stewardship and protecting their special place in the world.
BigMama’s
by Donald Crews
Readers not only get to travel back in time to Donald Crews’ childhood, but they also get to travel by train down to Florida, and experience what summer was like for him as a child.
The Relatives Came
by Cynthia Rylant
Ready to get kids excited for a road trip? Or excited for relatives to come visit? I love Cynthia Rylant’s descriptive language making you feel like you are one of the family!
Owl Moon
by Jane Yolen
Have you even been owling? You’re going to want to go or your love for the pastime will grow even more after reading Owl Moon. A bonus for me is that the book highlights an amazing nighttime outdoor adventure—something that seems rare these days as the parks we visit on our evening walks are deserted even though it’s only 5pm!
The Salamander Room
by Anne Mazer
Has a little one in your life ever requested to bring home a critter? Dive into the fantasy that the little main character creates by imagining what his room would have to become in order to accommodate a salamander. And what do you think kids are going to want to do after reading this? Go outside!
Have you read any of these book choices? What are your favorites for junior adventurers and wanderlusters?
Many of these titles can be found at your local public library. If you are interested in purchasing, all are available through the Wild Tales of…Travel and Adventure Store. Check out our Children’s Book section!
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
Wanna Be Birdwatchers on Skagit Valley, WA’s Padilla Bay Shore Trail
Do you consider yourself a bird expert? Maybe you’re a bird watcher? Interested in trying to spot different species of birds and keep track? Just enjoy looking at birds?
A couple of weeks ago during our quick weekend trip to Skagit Valley, Washington, we learned that in this season of life with our motley crew, we aren’t going to win any awards or even get past the point of just being lucky to encounter a bird.
Wanting to hike, but not wanting to travel far to a trailhead, we decided to take-on the Padilla Bay Shore Trail. The trail runs along the bay (part of the larger Salish Sea) and is just a half mile or so south from our rented cabin at Bayview State Park.
Quick Points about the Trail
- Multi-use (pedestrians, bicyclists, even hunters) 2.25 mile dike-top trail equipped with frequent mile markers to track your progress
- Combines views of the water and San Juan Islands juxtaposed with busy farms (we watched red potatoes being harvested) all the while being watched in the distance by Mount Baker and the Cascades
- Easy, flat trail making it perfect for young hikers (and those carrying young hikers).
Just as we started our hike, we passed a fellow trailmate who asked us if we were out looking for birds. Really that wasn’t our original intention, instead we were just out to enjoy the surroundings and get some exercise, but did we somehow look the part of a bird watcher?
Okay, maybe one of us did have binoculars around our neck, but we never really thought to put ourselves in the “bird watcher” category. Even so, since she brought it up and we realized we were in one of the most popular spots for birding in the state, we thought we’d play the role and give our best effort to see as many winged friends as we could.
We figured we were doing pretty well when we encountered a great blue heron hanging out just on the edge of the adjacent farmland.
Turns out this area is said to have one of the largest groupings of great blue herons in the Western United States.
Later on about halfway down the trail where it skirts to the east, we watched several hawks fly over head, but not really sticking around long enough for us to get any good observations of color or markings. Of course we also saw the usual suspects: tons of seagulls and plenty of ducks, and after that first heron sighting, we saw several more…or who knows maybe it was the same one!
After a while though, I came to the conclusion that while we may be blessed with seeing some birds here and there, especially popular ones, we aren’t really in a place to be expert observers.
Why not? Well, for starters our pooch, Norman isn’t exactly welcoming the flyers to flock toward us. I’m thinking he’s more of deterrent and scaring the birds away even if we do come in contact with them. And then there’s this toddler we’ve got hanging by our side. He’s noisy and makes sudden movements. Probably not behavior tips you’d find in the bird watcher’s handbook.
We’re not going to give up though. For now, we’ll stick with being “wanna-be bird watchers” and just be happy with what comes our way. Maybe when Bergen (now 2 years old) is a little older and better able to stay quiet for a period of time and have more controlled movements we’ll step up our game and become a little more serious. Does this actually happen?
More Info to Know:
- The Padilla Bay Shore Trail is located in Bayview, Washington. Parking is available at the North (lot on 2nd Street) and South end of the trail with porta-potties at each location. Directions here.
- Very stroller friendly
- Access is FREE.
- Trail is multi-use: bicyclists, pedestrians, and even hunters (October-January).
What’s your level of bird watching expertise & interest? We’d love to know!
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!
Just 1 Day: Play and Eat in Door County, Wisconsin
After our pit stop in Algoma, Wisconsin, we were on a mission: No more messing around. We needed to see and experience true Door County, Wisconsin (not just the outskirts).
Play
So torn with what to do with such little time (and an anxious toddler), I furiously scanned the guide book, tourism magazines and ideas we’d printed out from research at home. I was draw to–SURPRISE!–another state park. Like Point Beach, this one is on the shores of Lake Michigan, and while I would have loved to change things up and maybe see the Green Bay side of the peninsula, the beaches of Whitefish Dunes State Park were calling my name.
When we arrived, I felt even better as the ranger told us we were about to experience Wisconsin’s best beach.
Having only visited a handful of Wisconsin beaches, we can’t really claim that Whitefish Dunes is the absolute best (since we haven’t seen so many others), but we can attest to it’s beauty and uniqueness.
I was surprised to learn that a section just inside the entrance to the beach area is prone to rip currents. I suppose its again my naiveness of the midwest and the power of a large lake, but I just always associated this phenomenon with oceans and seas. The section was roped off and easily avoidable.
We defaulted to our usual beach walking routine of dipping our toes into the water and collecting treasures. Thanks to some serious sand bars, we could actually walk quite far out into the lake without the water even getting close to our knees.
The water was crystal clear here without a lot of the seaweed debris we were used to seeing at other Lake Michigan beach spots. In one spot, millions of tiny delicate shells swept up towards the beach.
And there’s so much more that we lacked the time to explore. Over 14 miles of hiking trails, a fishing lake, a nature center, and even a special beach just for dogs.
Eat
As we entered Sturgeon Bay on our way to the state park, we thankfully had our lunch spot all scoped out. The Bluefront Cafe on the west side of town is an adorable little eatery serving brunch, lunch and dinner. To us, they offered fancier and more diverse food options compared to what we had typically seen (and thoroughly enjoyed!) in our Wisconsin trip.
I love the set-up of cute tables and cozy booths, and the fact that it was clearly enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Their selection of Wisconsin micro-brews on tap didn’t hurt either.
Our Picks? The Walleye Sandwich and Fish Tacos
Have you visited Door County, Wisconsin?
Tell us about your experience!
Come join the conversation! If you enjoyed this post, you can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!
More on Wisconsin:
- Madison Eats
- Algoma and Its Murals
- Point Beach State Forest (Two Rivers, WI)
- An Ice Cream Fit for Lunch
Hike Henry W. Coe State Park: A Hoppin’ Good Time!
I know lakes and other natural formations can be named for obvious reasons. The Great Salt Lake is salty. Crater lake exists thanks to…well, a crater. And many lakes are named after the nearby town, state or region.
These names make complete sense, but for some reason, when our visit to Henry W. Coe State Park near San Jose, California involved a hike to Frog Lake, I didn’t believe there would actually be real, live frogs involved.
Coe State Park is huge. With over 87,000 acres it’s the largest state park in northern California (and the 2nd largest in the state), so we barely scratched the surface with our morning visit here. We did spend enough time though to realize that the area is incredibly beautiful. What a treat to exit the suburbs and sprawling towns of the bay area and enter a land of stately oak trees, rolling hills, and mountains in the distance.
We started off improvising a bit meandering around to see the monument dedicated to Henry W. Coe by his daughter in his memory. We also found pine cones that were literally the size of Bergen’s head! Soon we got down to business though. We were so curious. Was Frog Lake shaped like a frog? Would there be enormous bull frogs there greeting us? Would we hear the telltale “ribbit”?
The answer wasn’t clear when we first arrived, but as we made our way around the perimeter of the small lake, Slaed started to notice something. Looking ahead at the water’s edge every time we stepped a little closer, hundreds of tiny frogs would hop back into the water! Yup, there really are little hoppers at Frog Lake. Likely thousands of them. You can bet we had lots of fun with this; testing out how the frogs would react to different approaches and speeds. We unfortunately couldn’t get too close to the shore since the mud acted much like quicksand.
Look carefully. Can you see the little popping out of the water?
It was here where Bergen got to ditch the backpack carrier and do some hiking on his own. He gathered sticks and rocks, threw leaves, and made sure to point out any deposits he noticed on the trail. It might be time to get him a tracking book!
Though we were visiting on a weekday, we were surprised at the lack of people at the park. We only ran into one set of fellow hikers, and it makes me wonder why this amazing resource isn’t used more?
Info To Know:
- Henry W. Coe State Park is located in Morgan Hill, California (near San Jose):
- 9000 East Dunne Avenue Morgan Hill, CA 95037
- 408-779-2728
- Features include plenty of hiking trails, campgrounds, hot springs, mountain biking trails, and fishing.
- Visit in spring for amazing wildflower viewing.
- Day Use Fees vary between $6-8 depending on the entrance used. Annual passes for all California State Parks are also available.
- Strollers not recommended.
Do you visit state parks in your home state or when you travel? Tell us about your favorite spots!
Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!
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