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Growing up in a world of adventure.

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!

Ike Kinswa State Park in SW Washington State: Long Weekend Itinerary | WildTalesof.com [Read more…]

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Good Night Wheedle: Book Review

Do your kids find it fun to make up stories about why things are the way they are? Bergen (our almost 5 year old) is always coming up with grand ideas and reasoning about phenomena in our natural world.  He’s also particularly interested in trolls.  Between the Three Billy Goats Gruff and the enormous troll statue under the Aurora Bridge in Seattle, he’s got plenty of cause to believe that one of these days, he’ll actually manage to catch a real-live troll under one of the many bridges he checks.  It’s rare to cross a bridge (over or under) where he doesn’t crouch down and do his inspection, or at least talk about it.  

Our friends at Sasquatch Books (hey–there’s even another mythical creature!) are fueling the fire the with publication of a new “Wheedle on the Needle” book.  Good Night, Wheedle by Stephen Cosgrove is a sweet little story for the youngest lovers of Seattle and it’s iconic Space Needle.

Good Night Wheedle Book Review | WildTalesof.com [Read more…]

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Unpacking After a Road Trip (with kids): 7 Helpful Tips

Unpacking after a road trip with kids can be overwhelming, and downright dreadful.  Honestly, I think the thought of all the work that goes into unpacking can keep us from traveling in the first place.  Almost.  Looking back on our year so far, we’ve logged a lot of travel miles with our kids, but only one of those numerous trips has been on the plane!

Consequently, I feel a lot better these days because I know exactly how to tackle the best of gear and luggage that ends up in our trusty Subaru. Maybe it’ll all change when we return from camping on Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula (our next trip on the calendar)  but when we got back from our quick trip last weekend to the Methow Valley, I thought we had a pretty good system and wanted to pass along our tips.

Unpacking After a Road Trip with Kids: 7 Helpful Tips | WildTalesof.com [Read more…]

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Zoo Tunes with Kids: Seattle Area Adventure with Steel Pulse and Ziggy Marley

Outdoor concerts are a huge part of summer in Seattle, so we were happy to return to one of our favorite outdoor venues at the Woodland Park Zoo for their Zoo Tunes Summer Concert series.  We’ve enjoyed many concerts, it’s a bit of a family tradition, here on the north meadow, and all the effort to prepare a picnic, fight traffic (we have a few tricks), wait in line, and madly search for the best possible spot when the gates finally open is always worth it!

This year we were able to arrive earlier than usual in order to view two of the zoo’s latest additions: Yola, the baby gorilla, and the Butterfly Garden.  Members of the zoo are allowed to “line-up” early inside the zoo & are admitted first, so thanks to our cooler and chairs, we saved ourselves a spot in line, and went on to explore the new exhibits.

Yola, the Baby Gorilla at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle | WildTalesof.com [Read more…]

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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

Hiking with Kids: Chirico Trail to Issaquah, WA’s Poo Poo Point | WildTalesof.com [Read more…]

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Three Bears of the Pacific Northwest: Book Review

Travel and adventure can get messy (and sticky), so I love that we have the option to bring board books along as we explore the world.  Real books that my kids can hold and flip through without ripping help keep us entertained on the plane, road trips, and then provide a great ending to our day as we go through our bedtime routine.  And if they happen to spill or get jelly all over the pages? I can just wipe them clean! Board books aren’t just for babies! (see more below…)

Thanks to our friends at Sasquatch Books, our local publisher here in Seattle, we’ve been enjoying two new board books this summer.  First we’re sharing the enchanting story of the Three Bears of the Pacific Northwest by Richard Vaughan & Marcia Crews with illustrations by Jeremiah Trammell.

Three Bears of the Pacific Northwest Revew +Video |WildTalesof.com [Read more…]

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