Line Up at Ecola State Park, Oregon
Sitting in line is not one of my favorite pass times. I actually loathe having to wait. Make me sit in my car and I go crazy. Yes, I am the woman who changes lanes in a traffic jam hoping yours will...
View ArticleWhat to do with a baby at the beach
I’d never taken an 8 month old to the beach before. Certainly not one that had just started sitting up and was starting to think about crawling. Dek was 5 months old on his first trip to Hawaii. He...
View ArticleGet Back to Nature on Coronado Island with Wild Loreto Tours
It’s not often that I find the perfect beach excursion for babies and toddlers. I hunt for them whenever we travel. While we were in Loreto in March, I tried out 3 tours that I felt were a good bet-...
View ArticleNorthwest Florida Gulf Coast for Families
Still dreaming of a little sun and surf? Jennifer from Two Kids and a Map reflects on her favorite beach towns in Florida. SPF 50 may be required when reading. After nearly sixteen years of perfecting...
View Article5 Ingredients for the Perfect Baby Beach
Any parent that knows anything knows that big waves and babies do not mix. Strong undercurrents are a no-no when it comes to toddler swimming. Jellyfish are a danger to everyone. Finding the perfect...
View ArticleFamily Fun on Virginia Beach
Summer vacation is at its end here in the U.S. but that doesn’t mean beach trips have to be put on hold. Virginia Beach has activities to keep you entertained even after school starts, not to mention a...
View ArticleCreating the perfect family summer bucket list: Beach Edition
Summer has arrived for parts of the country, and it will soon be showing up in the north. Until then, it is time to dream about our summer travel bucket lists. In my household of growing boys, who’s...
View ArticleFriday Postcards from the crustaceans of Punta Cana
Scroll through for more images above Warm water lapped over my toes. But wait. What is that scuttling across the rock? Run away! Run away! Phew! Just a crab. I don’t know about you, but when I am in...
View ArticleKeepin up with the Keweenaw
On occasion, we enjoy disconnecting from our smart phone and wifi tethers, packing up some s’mores fixins and settling in for a week of campfires, skipping rocks and chasing fireflies. This year, we...
View ArticleRiding your first wave with the Tony Silvagni Surf School
Pure joy, a smidge of terror and a whole lot of laughter and smiles—that is how you sum up your son’s first surf lesson with legendary board man Tony Silvagni. Now I’ve met a few surfers in my travels....
View ArticleBlack Crab Camo
Rocks are inanimate objects, as we all know. They can’t move on their own. So why, when we were at Wawaloli Beach did a rock do just that? The beach was full of black rocks. A wave would crash and the...
View ArticleAlmost Lost the Toddler at Kua Bay
Manini’owali, better known (and easier to say) by the locals as Kua Bay is home to one of the most beautiful white sand beaches on the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii. The water is a clear...
View ArticleSometimes You Just Don’t Need A Swimsuit
Water can be a wonderful thing. It can be an exciting thing, but above all, it is a very wet thing. No matter how many times it happens, I may never learn to just automatically put a swimsuit on Dek....
View ArticleFive Favorite Places for Kids in Seattle
This past summer, after I left my job, I decided Dek and I needed to get active. I had never made time to truly explore Seattle and the surrounding areas. This was my chance. I had unlimited time, but...
View ArticleDreaming of Summer Sun on Vashon Island
It’s a dreary Seattle day. Hang with me as I do a little sun, sand and surf dreaming and reminisce about a day trip we took last summer to a tranquil little island just west of Seattle. When you live...
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One Black Sand Beach in a Sea of Lava
The Big Island of Hawaii consists of a whole lot of lava. And what color is lava? It’s black. With so much lava lying around it is bound to make some sand. So what was all the fuss about? Why did...
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Breath in Fresh Air on the Big Island
This may sound weird, but there is a spot on the Big Island of Hawaii that is the measure for clean air around the globe. I know I was shocked when I heard it too. But seriously, on the eastern most...
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Vancouver with Kids
As we settle into life as a family of four with baby Ty I’ve invited a few fellow travelers to share some of their stories. Up first was Nancy from Family on Bikes sharing her tale of traveling to...
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Best Way to Wear Yourself Out While Hiking in St. Edward State Park
It was such a simple plan. It always is. Head to the park, let Dek run around a bit, take a walk by the water, and get home by lunch. Ah, yes. The simplest plans. My parents were in town over Memorial...
View ArticleFriday Photo Memories – Passed Out On the North Shore of Kauai
I have a lot of photos. That is putting it mildly. I’ve taken tens of thousands of photos since my dad first handed me a camera when I was 8 years old. For the rest of the summer, and maybe beyond, I’m...
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