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November 8, 2013

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.

Just One Day: Play and Eat in Door County, Wisconsin | WildTalesof.com

Our Picks? The Walleye Sandwich and Fish Tacos

Have you visited Door County, Wisconsin?

Tell us about your experience!

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More on Wisconsin:

November 5, 2013

Travel Tips: Pre-Vacation Checklist to Ensure a Safe and Pleasant Return Home

I’ll admit that I can get so wrapped up in the excitement and busyness of planning and preparing for a trip or vacation that I rarely give the house a second thought. Lucky for me though, I have a husband who thinks about and is much more aware of such important matters.

In the days and hours before we go out of town, he goes through a checklist of sorts (though it’s just in his head) and makes sure our house is not only a safe place to return to, but also a pleasant one. While on a road trip recently, I picked his brain, and we came up with a list of 10 important things we do to not only ensure our house safe, but also a nice place to come back to!

Sure, I don’t want my basement flooded, the pipes to freeze, or any other unspeakable disaster, but I also want to be happy and relieved when I return home. The post-vacation blues are hard enough. I don’t want to be overwhelmed walking into another “to-do list” and feeling like I want to walk right out!

1. Blinds/Window Coverings.

We have vertical wood blinds and strategically close them ever them ever so slightly. Light can come through, but it’s actually hard to see into the house. Keeping the blinds open slightly allows light to come in and prevents condensation and mold, something us Pacific Northwesterners take very seriously.

2. Lights.

If it’s just a night or two away, we just leave the porch light on. For a more long term vacation or trip, we leave another light in the house on (in addition to the porch light).

3. Lock Doors.

Yes, it seems simple and a no-brainer, but with the frenzy of getting to the airport or getting the car packed, it can be overlooked. Also, don’t forget to think about ALL of your exterior doors: back porch, walkout basement, side doors, etc. And while you’re at it, check to make sure your gates are properly latched.

4. Windows Locked.

When we are fixing the blinds, we also do a quick check to ensure all the windows are actually locked. Even windows that you think are high and unreachable. This is especially important to check on post-summer. We were astounded to recently find that we had 2 or 3 windows that were not only unlocked, but cracked open a bit—not good for the heating bill either!

5. Clean.

I know, I know the last thing you want to do while you are trying to prepare for time away is clean the house, but it feels SO good to return to a home that’s inviting you back in. But like I said earlier, coming home after vacation can be a depressing downer, and it’s even worse when you come home to a mess. Confession: In my former life (my family can attest to this) I was what some might consider pig-like, but I’ve come to the other side, and it’s so much nicer!

You don’t have to do a deep clean. Just de-clutter, make the bed, sweep, wipe down the counters, put away toys, laundry etc.

6. Dishes.

Clean all the dishes in the sink and make sure the dishwasher has been run. Dirty dishes are not fun to return home to and they also attract unwanted pests. Also, those dishes left sitting will get even harder to clean once the food has a chance to settle and crust, not to mention the smell!

It’s not a good idea to run the dishwasher and then leave the house as you never know if accidental leakage will occur, so we always take care of that well before we leave. Also while we’re busy with the dishes, we always run the disposal to clear the drain.

7. Refrigerator.

We plan ahead and grocery shop accordingly. Since we know we’re going away, on the days leading up to the trip we try to use up everything we already have on hand. If there is anything left that we know would spoil during the course of our time away, we pitch it.

8. Garbage.

It’s hard to remember everything that gets tossed in the garbage and whether or not it will end up making the house stink, so as a general rule, we just empty out all the trash cans throughout the house before we leave, including the diaper bin. If it’s close to our trash, yard waste & recycling pick-up day, we also put the bins out on the curb and ask a friend or neighbor to put them back for us.

9. Mail and Newspaper.

Depending on the length of our trip, we either call ahead to have the mail and newspaper stopped or ask a friend or neighbor to collect or take them in for us. If it’s just a night or even two, if one of days is a Sunday, the mail is really not a big deal, but any longer than that, it’s important for it not to pile up in your mailbox.

10. Heat and Air-conditioning.

During the times when we would need heat, we turn the thermostat down to 55 degrees F. Like most Seattleites, we don’t have air-conditioning, but if we did, we’d simply turn it off!

What’s on your pre-vacation checklist? Share how you ensure your house is safe and pleasant to return to!

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!

Here’s a handy printable version: Pre-Vacation House Checklist

More tips can be found on our travel tips page or simply type “travel tips” into our search box!

November 4, 2013

Exploring UW’s Husky Stadium and Surviving a Rainy Day Football Game

University of Washington home football games are usually saved for Slaed (dad & husband) to have time away with his buddies. While we don’t have season tickets, he does get to go to a handful of games each season and looks forward to the fun all year.

This season though with Bergen being a little older, and the stadium being newly updated, we wanted to make a point to go as a family. We live fairly close, within just a few miles, so why not take the time to cheer on our Purple and Gold Huskies.

It figures though that when the big day of the game arrived (we strategically chose a 4pm starting game) it was raining. Not just a nice, normal, misty Seattle rain. No. We couldn’t be that lucky. It was raining buckets. Cats and Dogs. Huskies & Wildcats really, since we were playing Arizona. Just pouring.

Of course we had grand ideas of actually walking all the way from our house to the stadium. We didn’t completely abandon that plan though, and instead drove as close as we could get before the no-parking-on-game-day rules were enforced. Then with Bergen in the backpack carrier and umbrellas in hand (and to think we thought we might not need them!) we made the trek, which turned out to be a little less than 2 miles.

Despite the down right miserable conditions, we managed to stay relatively warm and dry and thus have nothing but happy memories of attending Bergen’s first college football game.

We had to be prepared though and I think we made some smart choices, even if you think we might be crazy (or foolish?) to subject ourselves and our toddler to such an experience.

1. Dress Appropriately. Unfortunately we had to take team spirit (and fashion) completely out of the equation, and just dress to stay warm and protected from the rain. Lucky Bergen got to wear his Oakiwear rainsuit, which many adults coveted, with fleece layers underneath and rain boots. Slaed and I both wore rain pants and rain jackets layered with long underwear.

Shoes are also super important to consider because once your feet start to get wet, no matter how prepared you are with your clothing, you’ll be uncomfortable (and unhappy) in no time. With all the walking we had to do this took some extra thought, but Slaed’s goretex hiking shoes and my Bog rainboots worked well.

Specific Gear Recommendations:

Children’s rain suits from Oakiwear
MyMayu Boots, Bogs, and Oakiwear boots for kids
Precip Rain Pants from Marmot
Bog Insulated Rain boots
Goretex Hiking/Trail Shoes from the North Face

2. Don’t Push It. I’m glad we didn’t just abandon our seats all together because getting to watch the marching band and opening excitement of the players running on to the field was thrilling However, since our seats were not covered, we took in the experience of being close to the action for a quarter or so, but then took a break.

3. Warm Food and Drinks. What a difference a nice, hot cup of coffee makes after enduring the rain for a couple of hours. If you’re not into caffeine, there’s bound to be decaf, and if you’re not into coffee, there’s gotta be hot chocolate! We also got to warm up with some pre-game gumbo at our friend’s tailgate. What a treat. Even better, pack your own thermos of warm goodness! We’re never that prepared, but I love the idea.

4. Enjoy the Stadium Away from Your Seats. I love exploring stadiums, ballparks, arenas, etc. The designers put a lot of work into creating these sporting complexes. There’s often art, history, and just fun little touches that make the place unique. Checking out these aspects of the stadium is a great thing to do while you get some respite from the rain.

5. Retreat to the Nosebleeds. Once we warmed up and explored the stadium for a bit, we were ready to continue watching the game we came to see. Luckily, many of our fellow attendees decided not to stick around, and there were plenty of open seats way up high. Though the nosebleeds often get a bad rap, I loved this option. It game us a bird’s eye view of the football action, a view of Lake Washington, and plenty of room to spread out. Oh yeah, and the seats were covered and protected from the rain!

Who are you cheering on this fall? Do you dare attend a game in the rain?

*Affiliate links used to direct you toward some of our favorite rainy weather clothing and gear options. If you purchase through our links, we receive a small commission. Thanks for taking a look!

More Sports Fun:

October 31, 2013

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.

Henry W. Coe State Park: Near San Jose, California | WildTalesof.com

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!

October 29, 2013

High Flying Success Part 2: More Tricks for Flying with a Busy Toddler

Another couple of round trip flights for Bergen (2 years old) have come and gone, and we continue to add tricks and diversions for keeping him busy on the plane.

Given the fact that the little guy earned an “A” on each leg of a recent trip down to California, I thought I’d share what kept him from going bananas. Yes, Slaed (dad) gives Bergen a grade at the end of each flight. Something that Bergen of course pays no attention to and isn’t yet aware of, but it’s fun for us to together assess how he’s performed.

Even for a quick hour and a half flight to San Jose, CA from Seattle we have to stay prepared and pack plenty to keep Bergen occupied while in flight. I like to think his high scores might have to do with some experience with flying as well as some of the toys and entertainment items we packed along for him to keep safely content in his seat.

Many of the standby, tried and true items from Busy Toddler’s Plane Ride Part 1 remain. He still loves to flip through photo albums so for this flight I printed a new batch of recent photos for us to look at and talk through. The stickers, matchbox cars, slow (and frequent) snack time, and courtesy airplane items (like ice, in-flight magazines, brochures) continue to work. However, in order to keep things new and fresh, it’s important to throw even more fun into the mix:

A Toddler-sized Carry-on

We’ve made one big new discovery. We recently purchased a toddler-sized backpack for Bergen, thanks to a birthday gift certificate he received from REI. I thought it would be good for him to start getting used to wearing a backpack for some of our short hikes; giving him a little ownership of his water bottle, snack, maybe a tiny toy or two. When I started preparing for this plane ride, I realized the backpack would now be the perfect place for him to house all his plane goodies.

Bergen loves to wear his backpack. He marched around the airport with it strapped to his back, and would in fact get upset if we tried to take it off! I think he’s very proud that he’s able to carry his own supplies, and it makes the items inside even more special and precious to him (and thus more entertaining). It was also great for the rest of the trip. Since we were attending a family wedding, it was nice to have around as we towed him from event to event.

Plane-Friendly Art Supplies

Much of Bergen’s fun on the plane centered around keeping his little hands busy, and it makes sense that creative art supplies were involved. You can’t exactly craft a full blown work of art in the confines of an airplane, so some more compact (and less messy) items would have to do:

Wikki Stix-Several restaurants in our area give small packs of these crafting sticks, so we often save them for later use. They are a mix of yarn and wax, and we have great fun twisting and bending them into shapes, creatures, and things you can wear! You can of course buy entire packs, and I know from my teaching days, these will stay fun and entertaining for years to come.
Play Dough-All it took was a super-small container of play dough to keep Bergen busy for at least 20 minutes (that’s a long time for him). He loved to pull the dough out, squish it back in, and make snakes and balls on his tray table. It’s also really easy to clean-up as it all just sticks together so nicely. I used this super easy dough recipe a while back and our dough is still going strong!
Plastic-covered Crayons-Bergen is not past the stage of putting everything into his mouth. He still uses this as a way to explore, and with regular crayons, it can get tiring to pull bits and pieces out of his mouth as he “taste-tests”. He also isn’t shy about just breaking the crayon in half before he even has a chance to color with it. So even though, the longer “crayons” with plastic covers are made for older kids, they make coloring with Bergen a whole lot easier, and he actually colors!

Miniature Figures

Just the right size for travel, those mini figures that seem to automatically collect in your house once you have a toddler, are fascinating for Bergen. We have animals, army guys, cowboys, even some disney characters have popped into the mix, and they are great for staging little scenes and doing lots of pretend play. I had Bergen choose several to take along before the trip, and we keep them in an old yogurt container.

Traveled with a toddler? What tips and tricks do you have to share?

Come join the conversation! We’d love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! You can also keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. Affiliate links are used in this post to direct readers to resources in our Amazon store.

Bayview State Park: Simple Setup, Spectacular Sunset

We just had one of those weekends where we didn’t travel very far from home, but still felt like we were truly getting away.

Skagit Valley is just an hour and a half or so north of Seattle. Its most famous claim-to-fame is the Tulip Festival that takes place every spring. The rural area is also spotted with adorably charming small towns, pastoral view after pastoral view, and its situated where one can take in the water to the west and Cascades to the east, including Mount Baker, all in one spot.

In need of a fall getaway, we made the quick trip to see what staying in a state park cabin, with a toddler, might be like.

Bayview State Park (also in the town of Bayview) is located on Padilla Bay with views of the larger town of Anacortes as well as the San Juan Islands. It’s a small state park made up of mostly cabins, campgrounds and RV spots, but it’s quiet, and it has an incredible beach.

You’ll hear much more about our trip, from the food we ate to the hikes and other adventures we got into, but I just love how we started off our weekend.

For one, we were relieved to learn it clearly doesn’t take nearly as long to setup “camp” at a cabin as it does when tents are involved. We also had a better plan: One person works while the other gives full attention to Bergen (2 years old). Then switch. No more thinking we can both set things up and “keep an eye on” the little guy. It just doesn’t work and it’s not worth the time we think we would save.

In what felt like no time, our beds were set, chairs and supplies were out, and food was organized (you’ll see we didn’t need much). And then, we were munching on appetizers, enjoying refreshments, and making our way to witness sunset on the bay.

In addition to rocks, Bergen has now added sticks to his collection habits, so you might imagine he was quite pleased at the selection. He was so content here, just wanting to explore and gather treasure after treasure.

Skagit Valley is also known as an incredible place for bird watchers. Here we had our first of many great blue heron sightings throughout the weekend.

Usually after awhile I’m told to quit it with all the picture taking, but this time, Slaed understood because every time we looked out, the sky had changed, and was showing us something a little different.

Where can YOU get away without traveling too far? Share your favorite destination, even if it’s just down the street!

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!

More from Skagit Valley:

Naptime Road Trips: La Conner, WA

Just 1 Day: Play and Eat in Door County, Wisconsin

Play

Eat

Have you visited Door County, Wisconsin?

Tell us about your experience!

Travel Tips: Pre-Vacation Checklist to Ensure a Safe and Pleasant Return Home

What’s on your pre-vacation checklist? Share how you ensure your house is safe and pleasant to return to!

Exploring UW’s Husky Stadium and Surviving a Rainy Day Football Game

Who are you cheering on this fall? Do you dare attend a game in the rain?

Hike Henry W. Coe State Park: A Hoppin’ Good Time!

Do you visit state parks in your home state or when you travel? Tell us about your favorite spots!

High Flying Success Part 2: More Tricks for Flying with a Busy Toddler

A Toddler-sized Carry-on

Plane-Friendly Art Supplies

Miniature Figures

Traveled with a toddler? What tips and tricks do you have to share?

Bayview State Park: Simple Setup, Spectacular Sunset

Where can YOU get away without traveling too far? Share your favorite destination, even if it’s just down the street!

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Play

Eat

Have you visited Door County, Wisconsin?

Tell us about your experience!

Related Posts

What’s on your pre-vacation checklist? Share how you ensure your house is safe and pleasant to return to!

Related Posts

Who are you cheering on this fall? Do you dare attend a game in the rain?

Related Posts

Do you visit state parks in your home state or when you travel? Tell us about your favorite spots!

Related Posts

A Toddler-sized Carry-on

Plane-Friendly Art Supplies

Miniature Figures

Traveled with a toddler? What tips and tricks do you have to share?

Related Posts

Where can YOU get away without traveling too far? Share your favorite destination, even if it’s just down the street!

Related Posts

Pinterest