Growing up in a world of adventure.
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!
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.
We’re one week into the New Year! Are you worried that you haven’t started making resolutions, goals, or intentions? Or maybe, you just need to add some spark into your plans this year? I have a printable guide to help.
A year full of travel and adventure sounds appealing. At the same time though, the task of making plans might just feel daunting and overwhelming. How do you get started?
I mentioned in my New Year’s goal post that I wanted to complete more nature-based projects with Bergen in 2017. I’m happy to report that we dove right into that “resolution”, and he just finished his very own Alphabet Book!
Creating Alphabet Books can be fun for a wide range of ages and can easily be differentiated for varied ability levels. However, they are particularly valuable for kids at the very beginning stages of literacy. The inspiration to create one came from the book, Playful Learning by Mariah Bruehl. I actually purchased this book during my last year of teaching (before Bergen was born) back in 2011, and I’m just digging into it now with intention to work with Bergen as he prepares for Kindergarten.
There are so many ways to make books. We opted for the twig book since it went with our nature project theme. They are easier than I thought to make! Here’s a quick video illustrating our method:
First things first. Let’s define staycation for our purposes. To some a staycation is when you stay at home, but enjoy leisure and recreational activities within your city, town, or region. That’s all well, and good, and it’s actually how we live our regular life! But today, I’m going with the staycation definition where you stay at a hotel or other accommodation within your immediate city, town or region. As a general rule, the travel must be within an hour’s drive.
Happy New Year! Believe it or not, 2017 is here, ready and waiting for us to dive in. How are you feeling? I have such a huge feeling of excitement, hope, and anticipation. If I can stay focused, active, and intentional, I know 2017 will be an amazing year for our family. Sure there will be bumpy parts, there always are, but we’ll persevere and rely on the good to get us through. I’m looking forward to all that 2017 has to offer.
Find Your Park! It Might Be Closer Than You Think.
Lassoing the Sun: Book Review+Video
Visiting Pearl Harbor with Young Children: 5 Helpful Tips
Celebrating National Park Week with Pinnacles
Seattle Area Kid Hikes: Lund’s Gulch/Meadowdale Beach Park
Late Summer Fun: Highlights from Washington’s Evergreen State Fair
Staycations: 4 Reasons to Plan a Trip Close to Home featuring Snohomish County, WA
Wenatchee, WA’s Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery: 5 Reasons to Visit
Happy 2023! How to Start Being More Adventurous
Happy 2019: Plan Your New Year & New Adventures!
More Heart, Less Stress: My 2018 Moment of Yes
Happy 2018 from Wild Tales of…: Plan Your New Year and New Adventures
DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts for Kids | Easy Nature Crafts
How to Make a Terrarium | Nature Based Projects with Kids
Nature-Based Projects: Twig Crafts with Kids
North Carolina Family Road Trip to Raleigh, Kinston & Outer Banks: 11-Day Itinerary
Washington State Winter Destinations for Families
Snohomish County, Washington: Travel and Adventure Guide for Families
Lake Chelan, Washington: Things to do with Kids