One of the things that I feel like often gets forgotten in RV renovation is how the exterior looks. You’ve already seen our exterior paint job, but the other thing we did that made a huge impact was an RV awning replacement. Our old awning was not only hideous, but it was actually crumbling. I started to get worried that one day it was just going to crumble off the RV, so I knew that it was a priority to get it replaced.
I haven’t seen a lot of folks blogging about which awning they chose or how they accomplished the task, so I figured I’d share with you all today. If you want to see our complete RV renovation, head here. We also have an Amazon list of all of the RV renovation products we used, if you’re looking for other ideas. Because we live in our RV (and have for over two years as a fulltime RV family!), we took our renovation project seriously. It paid off, turning our 2007 toyhauler into a comfortable home for our family of five.
So let’s talk about the RV awning replacement!
RV Awning Replacement: The Awning
Okay, so the awning that we chose was a ShadePro Vinyl Awning in Burgundy that measured 20 feet.
I felt like it was affordable at around $200, and it really feels high quality when you get it. The hardest part of ordering was measuring for which size we’d need, but even that was pretty simple. ShadePro recommends that you measure from the center of one awning pole to another. My only complaint is that I wish they’d offer more colors! Burgundy is a pretty purple-ish color that I like, but it doesn’t necessarily coordinate with our paint job.
That said, our slide toppers need replacing soon, and I’ll absolutely be ordering ShadePro slide toppers for that project!
RV Awning Replacement: How to DIY
Considering how intimidating an RV awning replacement felt, it wasn’t a super tricky DIY project. The only part that was really challenging was keeping the spring tension in the awning housing stable while we replaced the fabric. The tool we jammed in to keep it from turning fell out, and then we had to guess how many turns it needed when reassembling. Not ideal, but it worked out fine.
We used this YouTube tutorial to guide us, and it was super helpful:
You’ll definitely want at least two, preferably three people for this project. It requires some extra hands. But it only took a couple of hours from start to finish!
If you’re not the DIY type, most any RV tech should be able to do this in a couple of hours.
RV Awning Replacement: How It’s Holding Up
With any RV renovation project, I always worry about how it’ll hold up and whether the materials will be worth the investment. We did this RV awning replacement almost two years ago, and the new awning is holding up absolutely beautifully. It looks as good as the day we installed it, and I think this was SUCH a big improvement for just $200 and a couple of hours of labor. I would definitely recommend ShadePro awning products.
Check out this before vs. after and let me know if you agree that it was worth the investment!
I hope this post has been helpful to you as you think about your RV awning replacement! Feel free to come find me on Instagram if you have other questions, and don’t forget to check out our complete RV renovation posts.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about how we renovated our 2007 toyhauler into a beautiful home, check out these posts:
Because we’re a fulltime travel family, we were able to spend four months living and traveling in Colorado this summer. We toured a good chunk of the state to bring you our picks for the best mountain towns in Colorado!
Some things to know about how we made our picks:
We were here in summertime. I do think seasonality might play a part in which towns end up being people’s favorites.
We love to hike. That means that amazing outdoor opportunities definitely influenced which areas we loved.
We have small kids. We’re not able to spend a ton of time appreciating nightlife or fine dining.
We don’t ski. Well, at least not on this trip!
We’re not made of money. Places like Aspen are pretty, but my goodness are they bougie.
With all of that said, here are our favorite picks for the best mountain towns in Colorado:
#5 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Durango
Why we loved it: Durango was warm and welcoming, especially during the farmer’s market when we visited. This town is big enough to have amenities like an amazing children’s museum, but still maintains that small town vibe. There are a lot of fun events (like a river rafting festival!), but it’s far enough away from a big city that it doesn’t get packed. We enjoyed this sweet Colorado mountain town!
Why we loved it: Leadville is the highest incorporated town in the United States at 10,119 feet. It’s the smallest town on our list, but its one main historic street is packed full of adorable coffee shops and has artistic flair. It’s also super close to breathtaking Twin Lakes and a gorgeous mountain drive over to Aspen if you’re wanting to visit the iconic Maroon Bells.
Why we loved it: Frisco is exactly the right combination of adorable mountain town and friendly approachableness that bougier places like Breckenridge lack. It’s cheerful and bright, and it’s ideally located right in the middle of all of the amazing outdoor adventures you could want.
Why we loved it: Crested Butte is a wildflower lover’s paradise. The whole town is surrounded by wildflower meadows so that you truly can’t miss them. It’s also a town that’s charming without being pretentious. Cute restaurants and bookstores are still relatively affordable!
Our top picks for what to do: Enjoy the wildflower festival events, eat at Butte Bagels, take a hike at Lupine Trail 2, drive Washington Gulch Road (with 4×4!)
Why we loved it: Ouray is both an adorable town that’s eclipsed by it’s unbelievable mountain setting. Truly, there isn’t a bad view within 30 minutes of this town! The San Juan mountains offer amazing outdoorsy adventures, while in town has shopping and dining that’s sweet and not too crowded. We all agreed that two weeks wasn’t enough here!
Our top picks for what to do: Swim in the hot springs, drive Million Dollar Highway, try the Via Ferrata, take an ATV adventure
I hope our picks for best mountain towns in Colorado helps you plan your Colorado adventure! For everything we’ve written about our time in Colorado, head here. If we’ve left your favorite Colorado mountain town off the list, let me know in the comments!
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more posts about how our family travels, check out these posts:
As a fulltime RV family that boondocks for months at a time, we’ve become experts at getting water while boondocking. In fact, since we make our own power with our solar panels, fresh water and a place to dump are just about the only things we need to outsource.
There are two main ways we handle getting water while boondocking: packing up and taking our rig to get water on the way to our next destination or using our water bladder to refill our tank without moving the RV. I’m going to share how we find places to get fresh water, what safety considerations we keep in mind, and what gear we use to make like easier.
If you want to learn more about how we boondock indefinitely, check out our Boondocking 101 post!
Getting Water While Boondocking: How to Find It
So first off, how do you find places good for getting water while boondocking? Well, there’s an app for that! We’ve talked about how we use multiple apps to find places to boondock before, and one of them is also a real hero for finding fresh water. iOverlander has been so helpful to us in finding places to get water, sharing the details of where the spigot is located and if we can fit our trailer in there, and updating us on whether the water is still available currently (especially in winter when some spigots get turned off!).
Some places that we find ourselves getting water while boondocking mostly frequently are:
Municipal water and dump stations
Gas stations (Maverick is such a winner in our lives!)
Truck stops
State and National parks
Recreation areas
RV parks
We usually spend anywhere from $5-10 on a dump station that will let us dump our tanks and fill with fresh water. Sometimes they’re even free, and that always feels like a win. In expensive touristy areas (like Colorado mountain towns!), we’ve spend as much as $30. About 95% of the time, we are able to find a public and affordable water source using iOverlander. Occasionally, there’s nothing nearby and we call private RV parks and ask if we can pay to fill our tank/water bladder. If we’re low on water, we’ll often fill up our bladder while we’re out sightseeing closer to a better water source. This is particularly convenient near State or National Parks, where it’s easy and often free once you’ve paid to enter the park.
Getting Water While Boondocking: Important Safety Considerations
We’ve been primarily boondocking for over a year now, so that’s a lot of times that we’ve been getting water while boondocking. We’ve never had a safety issue with water, but that’s because we plan ahead for these safety concerns:
Potable vs. Non-Potable Water. Pay attention to whether the water spigot is marked potable or not. If it’s unmarked, it’s always best to ask someone working there to be sure. Potable means it’s clean and safe to use for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, etc. Non-potable water can potentially be contaminated and is usually intended for rinsing any mess at a dump station.
Fitting Into Fill Stations. As I mentioned above, some water refill spots are located in tricky spots to navigate an RV. Whether that’s a tight turn to get in, or low clearance overhangs that could scrape your roof, it’s essential to check before you go. I read reviews on iOverlander and carefully check satellite images before I take our RV anywhere. If I’m not sure we’ll fit, I either pick a different location or take the water bladder without the rig later (more on that below).
Water Weight. Keep in mind that water weighs 8 pounds a gallon, so our fresh water tank filled with 100 gallons of water weighs 800 pounds. If your rig is already quite close to its weight limits, you probably want to fill up your tank as close to your final destination as possible. Not only is it bad for gas mileage, but it could be a safety issue to be overloaded. We have also heard horror stories about tank supports breaking on travel days, so I really try to drive long distances with our tanks as empty as possible. The closer I can arrange getting water while boondocking to our final parking spot, the better.
Getting Water While Boondocking: Useful Gear
When you’re just starting out boondocking, you might not want to invest a lot of money into gear until you know you love it. But if you boondock for more than a week at a time, having a way to refill your fresh water without packing up your whole camp is SUCH a good investment. Here are a few things we’ve purchased to make getting water while boondocking easier:
A Water Bladder. Having a way to fill up a big water bag was a game-changer for us. We use this water bladder in 60 gallon size, but if I could go back, I’d buy the 100 gallon. It folds up small like a small backpack when not in use, and it’s held up beautifully for almost a year now. I put it in the bed of our truck before filling it up because that thing is HEAVY when full.
A Battery-Operated Water Pump. Your water source will be pressurized when putting the water into the bladder, but getting it out of the bladder back at camp is another story. You need a battery-operated water pump to get it from the bag into your fresh water tank. I love our Ryobi pump because it’s compatible with our Ryobi battery that we already owned. It also has alligator clips that can clip to any battery (like your rig battery!). Using this, it takes 10-15 minutes to empty our 60 gallon bladder into our RV’s tank.
A Universal Hose Attachment. Most water sources have regular garden hose threads, but we have come across a few that were weird sizes or not threaded. This water bandit makes it so that you can attach your RV water hose (our favorite here!) to just about any water connection. So worth it for under $10!
I hope this post about getting water while boondocking has been helpful to you as you plan your next dispersed camping adventure!
If you want to learn more about how we boondock for months at a time (including what solar we have and how we find spots!), check out our Boondocking 101 Guide:
This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about what we’ve written on boondocking, check out these posts:
We’re a family that takes matching Halloween costumes seriously. Long before we had kids or became a fulltime travel family, we’ve been spending weeks crafting elaborate matching couples costumes. In fact, we actually became a “thing” during a series of Halloween parties in college!
Today I’m sharing a list of my best ideas for matching Halloween costumes, whether you’re a couple or a group of fun coworkers or a creative family. I’ll pepper in some hilarious photographic evidence, and hopefully you’ll be inspired for this year’s Halloween group costume!
Before we get to the matching Halloween costumes list, let’s talk about how we go about choosing each year. For us, a great group costume idea meets the following criteria:
Meaningful to whoever is participating
Options for costumes for the number of people involved
Achievable without spending huge sums of money or exceeding our crafting abilities
Unique enough so that we won’t see a dozen similar costumes out there
When it comes to actually putting the costumes together, we try to thrift or make as much as possible. No shame in the purchased costume game, but we feel like our costumes look more authentic when they’re created by hand.
My steps towards creating awesome matching Halloween costumes tend to look like this:
Let each person choose who they’re going as in the halloween costume category we’ve chosen
Look for how others have brought those characters to life on Pinterest for inspiration
List out each costume piece I’ll need to source by person (don’t forget coordinating shoes and accessories!)
Start thrifting and crafting pieces (start early like August so you’re not rushed!)
Order things online that are too specific to find in person
Do a test run of costumes the week before so we make sure everything fits and nothing’s missing
Enjoy your Halloween and don’t forget to take pictures of your hard work!
With that in mind, let’s get to the list of matching Halloween costumes ideas!
Matching Halloween Costumes: Favorite Movies & TV
Movies and television always make great inspiration for matching Halloween costumes because they’re usually recognizable and offer multiple characters.
Ghostbusters
The Princess Bride
Star Wars
Back to the Future
Star Trek
The Office
The Avengers
Big Bang Theory
Friends
Sex & The City
Scooby Doo
Schitt’s Creek
The Goonies
Top Gun
Justice League
The Magic Schoolbus
Power Rangers
Harry Potter
Beetlejuice
Hocus Pocus
Bluey
The Addams Family
Men in Black
Disney princesses
Guardians of the Galaxy
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Breaking Bad
Inside Out
A League of Their Own
Nightmare Before Christmas
Stranger Things
Toy Story
The Flintstones
Game of Thrones
Bridgerton
Minions
Rugrats
Pokemon
The Wizard of Oz
Willy Wonka
Mary Poppins
Winnie the Pooh
Grease
Matching Halloween Costumes: Favorite Books
Books also make fun matching Halloween costumes, especially for book club friends or families with young kids. We loved that our book costumes remind us of the books our kids were into at the time! Plus, we never saw anyone else dressed the same way.
Where the Wild Things Are
Lord of the Rings
Pride & Prejudice
Dracula
Outlander
Anne of Green Gables
A Court of Thorns & Roses
Alice in Wonderland
Little Women
Charlotte’s Web
The Great Gatsby
Where’s Waldo
Curious George
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Madeline
Percy Jackson
Narnia
Matching Halloween Costumes: Pop Culture
Super Mario Brothers
Minecraft
Popular sports teams
Legos
A favorite band
Viral youtube videos
Big news stories
Infamous politicians
Ms. Pacman
Current Broadway musicals
Matching Halloween Costumes: Categories
Favorite candies
The four seasons
Favorite takeout
Favorite U.S. state
Cotton candy & popcorn
Fruits & vegetables
The queens in a deck of cards
Favorite ice cream cones
Different sports
Milk & cookies
Various weather types (snowy, rainy, sunny)
Dinosaurs
Greek Gods
Colored crayons
Decades (50’s, 60’s, etc.)
Historical time periods
Favorite board games
I hope this list of matching Halloween costumes has been helpful in your group Halloween costume planning! Let me know what you’re planning to dress up as this year in the comments.
For more fun and creative ideas, check out our other posts:
When we left New York City to become a fulltime travel family, I never would have guessed how much time we’d spend in Huntsville. But we have family there, and it makes for a great “home base” to circle back to, so we’ve spent about a year there altogether. So it’s about time that I share our list of fun things to do in Huntsville AL with you!
Huntsville is a really family-friendly destination, and a mild climate for nine months of the year (it’s really hot in summer!). If you need a place to stay, we like The Westin for a fancier stay or Embassy Suites for a more budget option. For RV parks, check the options on Campspot!
Things to do in Huntsville AL: Museums
Jumping for joy at the Space & Rocket Center
Space & Rocket Center.The Space & Rocket Center is one of the city’s major draws, and it’s popular for a reason! This is our #1 on the list of things to do in Huntsville AL. If you have an ASTC-affiliated membership, you can get in free. If not, it’s worth the price! If you’re planning on hitting up two or more Huntsville area attractions, this North Alabama Multi-Attraction Pass includes the Space & Rocket Center and is a great deal.
Botanical Gardens.The Huntsville Botanical Gardens is a wonderful way to spend half a day. The grounds are gorgeous, and it’s a particularly family-friendly garden. There’s a whole kids section that has interactive play areas — bring a bathing suit and towel in warm weather! The garden is included in the North Alabama Multi-Attraction Pass.
Museum of Art. Huntsville’s Art Museum is small, but worthwhile. They have rotating exhibits that are really interesting and offer Thursday night wine and art nights for $5 a person.
Earlyworks Children’s Museum. This children’s museum isn’t the largest we’ve ever been to, but worth a stop on a rainy or hot day. It’s also included in the North Alabama Multi-Attraction Pass, or you can receive a discount with an ACM-affiliated membership.
Burritt on the Mountain.Burritt on the Mountain is a historic mansion and park with gorgeous views of the city. It’s fascinating, and there are plenty of spots to have a picnic lunch with some of the prettiest views you can get of Huntsville. Admission to Burritt on the Mountain is included in the North Alabama Multi-Attraction Pass.
Cook Museum.The Cook Museum is about 30 minutes from Huntsville, but it’s worth a trip out! It’s another small but mightly museum, and my kids love it. It’s compact enough to not be overwhelming with toddlers, but has enough science information to interest older kids. The museum is included in the North Alabama Multi-Attraction Pass.
Jesse Owens Museum.The Jesse Owens Memorial Park is about 40 minutes from Huntsville, but is also worth the trip. It’s a fascinating stop where you can learn about how amazing Jesse was, walk inside his childhood home, and compare your athletic prowess to his long jump record. This museum is also included in the North Alabama Multi-Attraction Pass.
Ave Maria Grotto.The Ave Maria Grotto is about an hour from Huntsville, but so unique that it’s worth the drive, especially if you’re visiting Smith Lake. It’s a park with miniature reproductions of famous buildings. The grotto is included in the North Alabama Multi-Attraction Pass.
Things to do in Huntsville AL: Outdoorsy
Chasing waterfalls
Monte Sano State Park.Monte Sano State Park has miles and miles of hiking trails, and a campground that’s lovely and peaceful. The North Plateau Loop offers pretty views and an easy two mile stroll for some light exercise.
High Point Climbing. If you love indoor rock climbing, High Point Climbing is an excellent place to do it! It’s affordable, and family-friendly. Check their website for monthly homeschool days, where kids climb for cheap!
Cathedral Caverns State Park. If you love exploring giant caves full of stalagmites and stalactites, Cathedral Caverns is the place to visit! Book cave tours in advance if you have a specific time in mind. Admission is included in the North Alabama Multi-Attraction Pass.
Waterfall Hikes. North Alabama has dozens of gorgeous waterfall hikes, ranging from easy strolls to harder day hikes. One of our favorites is Sougahoagdee Falls, which is a relatively flat three miles with an absolutely gorgeous payoff at the end. You can walk behind the waterfall, too!
Cave Exploration at Neversink. If you’re looking for a more intimate cave adventure, Neversink Cave Preserve is a fun option for the adventurous. Make sure to bring a helmet and a headlamp and reserve your permit in advance!
Things to do in Huntsville AL: Fun Date Nights
Street art in Downtown Huntsville
Street Art Downtown. Downtown Huntsville has a surprising amount of beautiful street art to enjoy, and one of my favorite free activity ideas is to take a walking tour of a city’s street art. Check out this map for where to find some cool pieces!
Rage Room. If you feel the need to get out some pent up anger, how about the Rage Room? Smash a variety of items and leave feeling restored. Always a good time!
Huntsville Havoc or Rocket City Trash Pandas Game. Huntsville has its very own sports teams to root for! Check out Huntsville Havoc or Rocket City Trash Panda tickets for a night night out.
Pints & Pixels. Who doesn’t love an old-fashioned arcade? Add in some great brews, and you’ve got the recipe for a good time at Pints & Pixels.
Walk Bridge Street.Bridge Street is an open air mall with dozens of stores, restuarants, and even a movie theatre. It’s a great place to stroll and window shop on a nice evening, and it offers a little something for everyone.
Campus 805.Campus 805 is a great craft brewery with lots of room to chill inside or relax outdoors. It’s perfect for a date night or a place to take the kids to let them run around on the giant field while you enjoy a nice drink and meal.
Things to do in Huntsville AL: Kid Centric
Roller skating at Insanity
Rollerskating at Insanity Complex.Insanity Complex offers old school rollerskating and arcade games in a fun and casual environment. Our kids love skating there for just $5 on monthly homeschool days.
Trampoline Park. Huntsville has several options for trampoline parks, such as Flow or Altitude. They’re a great way to get kid energy out when the weather is dreary or blazing hot, and they offer monthly memberships for families in town for long enough to enjoy it.
Bricks & Minifigs. Our kids absolutely love Legos, and I love the discounts we get on buying used sets at Bricks & Minifigs. These stores are in many cities around the country, and they all offer discounted used sets, specialty minifigures, and hard-to-find rare pieces. Totally worth a stop!
Things to do in Huntsville AL: Our Fave Places to Eat
Dinner at Mangia
Mangia Italian Restaurant.Mangia is a delicious Italian restaurant that makes up for its lack of ambiance with absolutely delectable food. I’ve never tasted better cheesy bread in my life, and we’ve never had a bad meal here.
Taco Mama.Taco Mama has several locations across the South, and it’s always busy because the casual Tex Mex food is so good. It’s a great option for date night or families, and I highly recommend piling your make-your-own nachos high with as many veggies as you can!
Stanlieo’s Sub Villa.Stanlieo’s is a Huntsville classic that doesn’t look like much, but provides crave-worthy sub sandwiches. Our whole family loves eating there, and I especially appreciate how many vegetarian sub options there are.
Al Shish Palace. Al Shish is delicious Lebanese food in a casual setting. Don’t forget to order some fries with a side of garlic dip — you won’t regret it!
Ol Heidelberg Cafe.Ol Heidelberg is a classic German restaurant that’s very popular in Huntsville. Their food is authentic and delicious, and I highly recommend you try out their famous assortment of cakes for dessert.
The Yard Milkshake Bar. Is it even a restaurant list without an outrageous dessert option? The Yard serves over-the-top milkshakes perfect for a special occasion celebration, even if that special occasion is just Friday night.
Things to do in Huntsville AL: Seasonal
Apple picking at Scott’s Orchard
Hubert Family Tulips.Hubert Family Tulip Farm is a beautiful Spring excursion for families or anyone who loves flowers. You can take photos in the flower fields and cut your own tulip bouquet to take home.
Apple Picking at Scott’s Orchard.Scott’s Orchard is right outside of town and an excellent option for festive apple picking. Don’t miss the slushies inside at the farm store!
Fall Farm Festival at Lyon Family Farms. There are many options for Fall farm fun in and around Huntsville, but we like Lyon Family Farms. There are outdoor games, tractor rides, giant slides, pumpkin picking, and more. Fall festivals are an essential on the list of things to do in Huntsville AL.
Tinsel Trail. If you happen to be visiting Huntsville at the holidays, don’t miss the Downtown Tinsel Trail! Free to the public, it’s a beautiful way to spend an evening walking around a park filled with Christmas trees decorated in all sorts of styles.
Galaxy of Lights. Although the Botanical Garden is listed above, it hosts a special Christmas celebration called the Galaxy of Lights that’s worth noting here. The garden is lit up with twinkly lights and fake snow, and it’s absolutely magical. Early on in the season you can walk the trail, and that would be my recommendation rather than driving it.
I hope this list helps you with ideas for fun things to do in Huntsville AL! Let me know if I’ve missed anything in the comments.
For more of our travel recommendations, check out these posts:
This one is a little outside of my usual travel content, but it was my birthday last week! Being a fulltime travel family has really upped our birthday celebrations, and I’m full of ideas for fun things to do on your birthday.
I’m so excited to share some ideas ranging from totally free to bucket list splurges! There are ideas for outdoorsy types, artistic hearts, and homebodies. Some of these would be perfect to do solo or on a workday lunch break, and some of them require an overnight trip. Any of them would be amazingly fun, though!
So let’s dive in to the birthday ideas 🙂
Fun things to do on your birthday:
Set up a scavenger hunt. This is such a fun way to spend a day, whether you organize it yourself or ask a friend to help. This workplace scavenger hunt kit would be a fun game with coworkers if you have to work that day. You can also search here for organized scavenger hunts near you! Pick a fun birthday-themed surprise for the end!
Get fancy for afternoon tea. A frilly afternoon with tiny desserts and endless tea is one of my favorite luxurious splurges. It’s one of the things I did this year to celebrate my birthday! Most medium or larger cities have a place that will host afternoon or high tea (especially at fancy hotels!). Get dressed up with friends and enjoy being extra fancy! Bonus points for wearing a pretty tea dress.
Plan a DIY food/beverage crawl. Whatever food or drink you love the most would make a great DIY crawl! One year, I picked out all of the fancy and weird desserts I’d been wanting a try, and friends met up with us to do part or all of the day. Maybe you love cheese or bagels or ice cream or tacos. Any of those would make a fun birthday crawl, too! Big cities make outings like this really easy, but even smaller towns probably have enough ice cream places to make a day out of it.
Go whitewater rafting. If you’re the adventurous type (or if you want to push yourself!), whitewater rafting is a fun and memorable way to spend a birthday. There are so many places to go whitewater rafting, just be sure to ask the rafting company for the trip that suits your level of thrill seeking. This would be a fun friends and family trip, but I encourage you to go solo if no one else wants to join!
Spend the day at a beer garden. Beer gardens are the ultimate low-key day drinking hang. They often offer food for those who don’t want to drink, and there’s plenty of space to hang out and chill with your besties. This is the perfect birthday plan for beer lovers who want a low-maintenance day.
Throw a fun themed party. Okay, okay, throwing a birthday party isn’t the most original plan. But hear me out — have a fun theme! One year, I hosted a super fun 90’s party where everyone dressed up and we listened to all 90’s music and ate popular 90’s snacks (photo booth props are a must!). It was a blast. But you could also theme it around your favorite TV show (Bridgerton ball?), a beloved band, a dream travel destination, or anything you can dream up!
Take a kayaking tour. If whitewater rafting is a bit intense for you, consider a kayaking tour. One of my favorite birthdays ever was a bucket list day kayaking with icebergs, but even more local kayak tours can be a blast. Or for similar money, you can buy yourself the inflatable kayak I have and take yourself on a tour. Just don’t forget a life jacket and be sure to research your route first!
Splurge on an expensive dinner date. If you’re anything like me, you’re not taking yourself out for expensive dinners on the regular. Your birthday is the perfect chance to try that place on your list that you usually can’t justify. Consider an overnight to a nearby big city if you want more options. Check Booking.com for hotel deals!
Ride high in a hot air balloon. Speaking of splurges, a hot air balloon ride isn’t the most affordable on the list. But it’s SO breathtaking! If it’s in the budget, check for hot air balloon rides near you for one of those fun things to do on your birthday that you’ll never forget. Sunrise and sunset rides are particularly spectacular.
Take a pottery class. One of my favorite fun things to do on your birthday is to learn a new skill or try a new thing. Learning to throw pottery on a wheel has always been on my list, so that’s one of the things I tried for my birthday this year. Check out pottery classes near you if you’re interested in trying this, too! If there aren’t any, consider some air dry clay and pottery tools for a DIY class.
Set off on a road trip. Road tripping is a fun and affordable way to see a new place that you’ve always wanted to visit! Check Booking.com for hotel deals on your route, and ask a buddy to help you map out all the fun places to stop. Don’t forget to pack the road trip games!
Plan a backpacking trip. Outdoorsy types might like to use their birthday as an opportunity to check off that alpine lake or desert slot canyon they’ve always wanted to visit. You can use your own backpacking gear or find a local outfitter that rents what you need. Keep in mind that overnighting in popular national parks will require months of advance planning to book the appropriate permits. It’s worth the effort, though!
Enjoy a day hike. Maybe backpacking is a little too much planning and gear cost, but you’d still love to get out there and enjoy a hike. Day hiking is for you! Check out our list of recommended hiking gear and enjoy some bucket list views. Pack a cupcake to enjoy at the top!
Larch hiking in Alberta in 2023
Ride a historic train. There are so many historic train rides with unbelievable scenery that would be one of those fun things to do on your birthday. They’re usually a bit pricey, so a birthday treat makes sense! Plus there are often fun themed rides like a wine tour or live music to enjoy on the trip.
Go glamping. A birthday is the perfect opportunity to step up your camping game and go glamping! Check out this list of 55 glamping destinations for places that would be fun to visit. Combine it with a bucket list day hike or a fancy dinner reservation! Glamping is a trendy way to enjoy the outdoors with less sleeping on the ground 😉
Plan a park picnic. Picnicking is always on the list of fun things to do on your birthday, but consider stepping it up by making it extra bougie. Grab some local delicious treats and a fancy picnic set to make the day feel extra special. Invite some friends and bring some compact lawn games for a fun day!
Go plant shopping. Plant lovers will enjoy spending the day finding new plant babies for their home. Turn it into a whole excursion by visiting all of the plant shops within a couple of hours. Buy yourself a plant lady shirt and plant tiara to wear so everyone knows to treat you like botanical royalty on your special day.
Attend a sip ‘n paint. Artistic folks will want this high up on your list of fun things to do on your birthday. Painting and sipping wine with friends is all the rage these days, so there’s sure to be one near you. This option gets bonus points for being super easy to plan and you just have to show up!
Bike a trail. With bike trails growing in popularity, there are options everywhere for gorgeous places to take a bike or electric bike out for the day. You can use your own or rent a bike from a local shop. If you don’t already own a bike, maybe this is the time to consider treating yourself to one as a birthday gift? Electric bikes are a particularly fun way to get around in an eco-friendly way, and this one is so adorable.
Throw a pool party. Everyone loves a pool party, and it can be a really affordable way to have some summer fun. Even if you don’t have your own pool, you can look into a neighborhood pool or hotel pool day pass. Bring some adorable pool floats to up the fun factor, like a balloon animal, a taco, or a cassette tape floatie.
Go horseback riding. Horseback riding is another fun excursion for people who have always wanted to try it, but have been hesitant to spend the money. Splurge on a guided ride somewhere incredibly scenic, and this will quickly become on of your most memorable birthdays yet. Check out these places to take a bucket list horseback riding tour.
Splurge on show or concert tickets. Scan upcoming concert or live theatre schedules for a show you’ve been wanting to see! If it’s not coming to your town, maybe make a weekend out of it with someone you love. Check out Booking.com for hotel deals to make it more affordable.
Hire a private chef. A birthday is the perfect excuse to hire a private chef to create a special occasion meal right in your own home! Invite over some friends and grab some fancy dinner party essentials like placecards and modern candlestick holders.
Plan a museum visit. For the culturally inclined among us, spending the day at a new (or old favorite) museum is a super fun plan. Combine it with a fancy picnic or meal out, and spoil yourself in the museum gift shop. For a new way to experience a familiar museum, some of the big ones offer guided tours with the experts that you can splurge on.
Book a birthday photo shoot. A birthday is the perfect time to document how special our lives are. Many photographers will offer affordable mini sessions, or you could even do a DIY photo shoot with a phone tripod. Wear some bright colors or sequins for that happy birthday vibe.
Cuddle puppies. Volunteering at a local animal shelter is one of the more unexpected ideas on this list of fun things to do for your birthday, but who wouldn’t love spending the day cuddling puppies? Plus it feels good to honor how grateful we are for another trip around the sun by doing good for others.
Take some music lessons. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to play guitar or piano, a birthday is the perfect excuse to book some lessons. Try to schedule it so you start on your birthday, and you’ll remember how far you’ve come by the time the next year rolls around!
Enjoy a thrift store crawl. If you’re anything like me and love thrift store shopping, you could spend all day visiting your favorite thrift stores. Plan a route that involves multiple thrift stores and incorporates birthday cake, and you’ve got a winning day. Check to see if there are any nearby specialty thrift stores like a craft thrift store or used outdoor gear store. It might even feel good to ring in a “new year of you” by cleaning out some closets and dropping off things to donate on your way.
Go go kart racing. It’s always fun to race around a track trying to beat your friends for the glory. Book a multi-race package so you can spend a few hours go kart racing, then head out for beers after with your besties.
Plan a spa day. If, on the other hand, you’re more of a “relaxation” type, a luxurious spa day might be for you. Check local hotels or resorts for their fanciest spa offerings, and make a day out of it with friends or solo. Sometimes Groupon has good spa day options on a budget, too. Or there’s always an at home spa kit!
Rent a limo. Nothing screams special occasion more than a rented limo. Even a night out in your home city feels more fun when you’re being chauffered around town in a fancy stretch limo. This is the perfect way to do a food crawl if it’s in the budget, too.
Take a street art tour. One of my favorite ways to spend an affordable afternoon is to take a walking tour of a city’s street art. Some cities will be big enough to support guided walking tours of the street art, and some smaller cities will offer DIY tours that you can look up and use to plan your own day. Just wear comfy shoes! I have some slip on Nikes similar to these that I have been wearing for 7 years now, and they still look new.
Enjoy a beach day. If you’re near the coast, there’s nothing better than a day at the beach. If it’s summer, you can swim and lounge and picnic to your heart’s content. If it’s cooler, you can look for seaglass or beautiful shells. Ringing in your birthday on the beach is a relaxing way to start a new trip around the sun. Don’t forget the beach shade tent if you’re planning to spend all day there!
Get a tattoo. If this is one of those bucket list items for you, a birthday is the perfect occasion for it! Just consider what tattoo you’re getting carefully, as this is one birthday souvenir that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon! These adult temporary tattoos are an adorable option if you’re not quite ready for a lifetime commitment.
Take a watercolor class. This is another one of those artistic skills I’m trying to hone as I get older, and I would love to take a class with a professional painter one of these birthdays. If there aren’t any classes near you, consider a nice watercolor set and thick watercolor paper. There are so many YouTube tutorials to try! Head outside to do your art, as I find it so much more relaxing to work outdoors.
Tour local wineries. Is there anything more idyllic than sipping wine and looking out at the rolling hills of a vineyard? I love visiting wineries, and I was lucky enjoy to find myself working near one for my 25th birthday. If there aren’t any near you, consider an overnight trip to somewhere like the Hamptons or Sonoma and use Booking.com for a hotel deal.
Host a board game night. If you’re board game lovers like we are, a board game night is a super fun way to celebrate a birthday. Consider how many people each game is intended for and how many people will be attending. Some of our favorite games are Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, and Settlers of Catan.
Plan a casino excursion. Even if you’re not the gambling type, a night out at the casino can be a fun time. Stick to the nickel slots and you’ll never be out too much money, plus free drinks are often served on the floor. Plan an overnight at a casino with a fun live show as an extra bonus.
Escape from an escape room. Escape rooms are a fun way to problem solve with a group of friends, and their growing popularity means that just about every city has one. Some of them even have cool themes like Alice in Wonderland, if that’s your thing!
Take a fancy car on a scenic drive. Rent the fanciest car you can fun and look up scenic drives near you. Take it for a spin, with bonus points for bringing along a fancy picnic to indulge in along the way.
Go zip lining. Zip lining is a fun and safe way to get your kicks and try something new. Check out the zip lining options near you, and be sure to ask about which course is the appropriate thrill level for your preference.
Stroll an arboretum or botanic garden. Look up the nearest garden adventure near you, and ask a friend to meet you there. Check to see if there’s any unique programming or classes you can join while you’re at it!
Find the Milky Way. If gorgeous night skies are your thing and you’re lucky enough to have a birthday on or near the New Moon, you can see the Milky Way for your birthday! Look up your nearest dark sky using a dark sky map. Make sure to check whether the Milky Way is rising during your birthday month. A tripod will help you get the best night sky photo (use 30 second exposure on your phone!).
Rent out a movie theater. You could just go see a movie, no shame in that! But for extra fun, some theaters will rent out the whole movie theater for you and your friends for just a couple of hundred dollars. A private movie showing is a great option for fun things to do on your birthday.
Go skydiving. Talk about a bucket list adventure! If being this bold has always been on your list, a birthday is a great time to knock it off! Indoor skydiving is a great option for city folk if you’re too far from an outdoor skydiving excursion.
Take a theme park trip. There are so many different theme park options that there’s sure to be one for every type of adventurer! Whether you’re a Disney type or a local rollercoaster type or a Legoland type, this is a super fun way to spend your special day.
Laugh at a comedy show. They say there’s no medicine like laughter, so grab some comedy show tickets and stay as healthy as can be! Comedy shows are typically pretty affordable, and they make a great birthday excursion for anyone who loves to laugh.
Go rock climbing. Check out the local rock climbing gym, or book an outdoor rock climbing excursion if there’s one near you! This is a fun thing to try once or to get better and better at if you love to do it.
Play arcade games. Nothing brings out your inner child faster than a trip to the arcade. Grab some quarters and some buddies and make an afternoon of it! Consider wearing a funny vintage gamer tee.
Visit an alpaca farm. If you love animals and petting fluffy ones, then a trip to a llama or alpaca farm is for you! Some farms will even let you feed these adorable creatures, and oftentimes you can buy homespun wool for fiber crafts, too.
Do good deeds. If you love making the world a better place, this one of the fun things to do on your birthday might just be for you. Make a list of “34 good deeds for turning 34” and set out to accomplish them all before the day is done. They can be small like paying for a stranger’s coffee or donating canned goods to a local food pantry. One thing’s for sure — this is a lovely way to celebrate yourself and those around you.
Have a movie marathon. If the idea of cozying up in your bed with snacks sounds right up your alley, then an at-home movie marathon is for you! Watch a whole trilogy like Lord of the Rings or invent a movie marathon theme like “terrible apocalypse flicks.” Grab all of your favorite snacks and enjoy!
Soak in a hot spring. If you love spending time luxuriating in warm water, consider hunting down your nearest hot spring to soak in! They range from free little spots on the side of the road to bougie hotel soaks, so there’s something for everyone. Maybe splurge on some new Turkish towels as part of your birthday gift to yourself?
Rent a boat. Everyone loves a day on the water, and renting a pontoon boat or jet ski sounds like an amazing way to celebrate. Or maybe you have a friend with a boat who will take you out? Don’t forget a cooler full of refreshing drinks!
Go bungee jumping. For the ultimate adventure, how about jumping off a cliff (safely, of course!)? There are some amazing places to bungee jump, and this birthday outing will give you bragging rights forever.
Play a mini golf game. Mini golf is the most retro fun available, and a game or two with friends is sure to bring out the laughs. If there are no great mini golf courses near you, there’s always this at-home bucket golf kit that you can even take to the park or the beach!
Enjoy a bookstore crawl. If you love books as much as our family does, you would love spending the day gallivanting around the various bookstores within a couple hours’ drive. Buy yourself a book at each stop; it’s the birthday gift that keeps on giving. If you love audiobooks, don’t miss checking out Libro.com! We love shopping their audiobook sales and getting books to listen to for just a few dollars.
Take a glass blowing class. Another artistic pursuit you might always have wanted to try is glass blowing. This is the perfect way to spend a birthday, and whatever you create in class will always remind you of your special day.
Ride in a helicopter. Ending the list of fun things to do on your birthday with an incredible bucket list adventure felt appropriate. Look for a scenic helicopter ride near you, and enjoy the view and the endorphins. Happy birthday!
I hope this list gave you some exciting ideas for fun things to do on your birthday! Have a fantastic day celebrating. If you’re a fellow RV family or even just someone who loves the outdoors and travel, check out these gift ideas for adults and kids.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about our fulltime travel life, check out these posts:
If you’re looking for Twin Lakes Colorado Camping ideas, you’ve come to the right spot! Honestly, everyone should camp here at least once, in my opinion. As a fulltime RV family for over four years now, we’ve camped in a lot of places. And Twin Lakes is in the top five for prettiest views!
Getting the best views in Twin Lakes requires some boondocking skill because the hookups are few and far between here, so you might want to check out our e-book before coming:
This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.
Even if you’re tent camping or only passing through for a night, there are some amazing options. Let’s get into it!
Twin Lakes Colorado Camping: Boondocking Spots
In my opinion, Twin Lakes is absolutely the place to boondock. The views are AMAZING, and there are lots of options. That said, big rigs will need to use caution. We found a spot for our fifth wheel on a summer Friday afternoon, but you’ll want to scout first to be sure you’ll fit. The parking lot by the reservoir is a great place to park a big rig and scout.
We found a spot here, but there are rigs all around up here in spots like this, this, and this. If you want to read others’ reviews, check out these areas in the boondocking apps we use!
The road up here (24) is steep and a little bit windy (especially on the Leadville side!), but paved and totally doable with a trailer. We’re parked just 100 feet off the pavement. Just be sure you can turn around before you pull in anywhere! The only dump and fresh water is at the Leadville Sanitation Center, and it’s exhorbitant. But that’s the price you pay for these views!
There are multiple forest service campgrounds with spots for both RVs and tents, but no hookups:
Lakeview Campground
Lakeview Campground is tucked right near all of the boondocking sites, so the views are similar. It’s also directly next to the trailhead for Mount Elbert, if you’re planning to hike it! Several sites will fit big rigs, so this could be a good option if you can’t find a large enough boondocking spot. There are also vault toilets available, but no running water in 2024. Reserve in advance.
Dexter Point Campground
Dexter Point Campground is literally just a big, open parking lot right on the lake. We walked through on a holiday weekend, and only one trailer was there. So this is a great pick for anyone who needs a last-minute spot. Or for an overnight stop with a big rig you want easy access to. No services except toilets. First come, first serve.
White Star Campground
White Star Campground is closer to the tiny town of Twin Lakes, and it’s tucked into beautiful trees. The campground is right by the lake and boat launches. This spot will fit big rigs, but it does seem to book up way in advance. It normally has a dump station, but it’s closed in 2024. Definitely reserve in advance.
Twin Lakes Colorado Camping: RV Parks With Hookups
There aren’t any Twin Lakes Colorado Camping options with hookups, so if you require full hookups, you’ll have to camp a bit closer to town. But Leadville is cute, too!
Sugar Loafin’ Campground
Sugar Loafin’ Campground is about 20 minutes away in Leadville, Colorado. We haven’t stayed there, but it looks like it gets the best reviews in town. Book here.
I hope that this post has helped you plan your Twin Lakes Colorado camping trip! If you’re planning a trip to Twin Lakes, don’t come without a way to get on the water! We love this inflatable kayak for its affordability, durability, and ease of storage. And don’t forget the hiking gear! Twin Lakes in summer is outdoorsy paradise.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about our fulltime RV life, check out these posts:
After four years as a fulltime travel family, we’ve put some serious miles on hiking trails as a family. When we first started out, our kids wore their regular outdoor play shoes to hike. But without a doubt, investing in quality kids hiking boots was the best thing we could have done to uplevel our family hikes! Well, that and simply…practice!
So today I wanted to share our kids hiking boots recommendation with you all because I feel strongly about these boots. We even bought the exact same boots in a size up for this year’s hiking adventures! That’s how much we love them. Before we get into the boots details, here’s some of our favorite family hiking gear and a whole post with hiking with kids tips if you’re looking for more advice. I also have many of our favorite family hikes blogged here.
Without a doubt, we are absolutely obsessed with our kids’ KEEN Targhee hiking boots. We have them in two different colorways, shown here and here!
I’m going to get into some pros and cons down below, but just for context: we hike hundreds of miles every year in these boots. We’ve worn them from Arizona desert treks to climbing glaciers in Alaska. Our kids have worn them starting at 3 years old and up to almost 9 (so far!). We max out at about 8 miles of day hiking currently, and we have never.once.had.a.single.boot.complaint. If you have kids, you know that they can find just about anything to complain about (wrong color bowl! I hate that spoon! too much milk in my granola! not enough milk in my granola!). So the fact that our kids have never once complained about these boots tells you something.
Kids rocking their KEEN Targhee kids hiking boots in Valley of Fire State Park
Kids Hiking Boots: Targhee Pros
Okay, so let’s talk about why we love these kids hiking boots:
They’re extremely comfortable. Like I said above, we’ve hiked for hundreds of miles in these boots with three kids of varying personalities and foot shapes. Not one blister or shoe complaint. This is worth any amount of money to me hahaha.
They have amazing traction. We noticed our kids’ scrambling abilities immediately improve when we switched from regular sneakers to these hiking boots. Our kids never slip in these boots, even on slippery creek crossings or slick rock climbing. We tackled a challenging bouldering hike in Las Vegas, and these boots kept them safe the whole time. I really appreciate the incredible traction on these boots, and our kids do, too. When they first started wearing them, they called them superhero boots!
Ankle support. Many kids hiking boots are shorter and don’t provide enough ankle protection for the types of hikes we do. For rocky terrain and scrambling, we appreciate that these boots are tall and sturdy enough to provide excellent ankle protection.
They’re waterproof/water-resistant. We frequently have stream crossings or deep mud on our hikes, and our kids’ feet stay dry. My old hiking boots are leaky, but the kids’ boots never let them down! True, we don’t completely submerge feet for minutes at a time, so I can’t speak to that level of waterproof. But for normal hiking conditions, these boots are waterproof in our experience.
They’re durable. Like I said, we’ve worn these for hundreds of miles, and they still look new. Our big kids’ boots have been outgrown before showing any signs of wear, and they’ll be handed down to our youngest. We will absolutely get our money’s worth out of these boots wearing them for literal years. I have no doubt that we’ll be able to pass them down to another toddler after we’re done with them, too. Seriously impressive.
No laces. We have a kiddo who doesn’t know how to tie shoelaces yet, and this kid can still get these boots on. So nice that these boots help kids be more independent!
They’re cute. Okay, this isn’t a primary motivator. But they really are cute on our kiddos. I love how outdoorsy and cute they look!
Kids Hiking Boots: Targhee Cons
Okay, so you’ve heard why we love these kids hiking boots. What are the cons?
They’re not cheap. The only major con of these boots is the price, in my opinion. They’re not cheap, and I won’t lie about that. Full price, they cost about $75 each, and that really adds up when you’re multiplying it by several kiddos. But they do usually go on major sale for Black Friday, so consider stocking up at that time of the year. You can also sometimes catch other sales, too. For instance, the gray pair is currently 20% off as of writing this post. Keep an eye out, and you can probably score them for less than full price if you’re not in a hurry. Even if you pay full price though, I think these are more than worth it for how much wear you can get out of them (especially across multiple kids!).
If you’re interested in learning how to camp off-grid and get closer to those incredible trailheads, we have an e-book for that!
This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.
I hope our kids hiking boot breakdown was helpful as you plan your family hiking adventures together! Feel free to let me know in the comments if you’ve tried these boots or are looking for other kids hiking gear recommendations!
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more posts about how we travel with kids, check out these posts:
When we first visited Utah in 2021, my mind was absolutely blown. It didn’t take much Utah hiking for this East Coaster to feel like I’d been dropped on another (gorgeous) planet!
As a full time travel family for four years (this week!), we’ve spent a total of almost six months living and hiking in Utah altogether. And I’m so excited to share some amazing hikes with you today! These are all hikes that we’ve completed with our three young kids, but some of them are more challenging than others. It’s a great list for anyone looking to do some Utah hiking.
There are so many incredible free places to camp in Utah, as well. If you own an RV and want to learn how to camp off-grid, check out our Boondocking 101 Guide:
This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.
Now let’s get into some amazing Utah hiking, shall we?
17 Utah Hiking Trails We Love
Buckskin Gulch
I started with Buckskin Gulch because it’s probably my favorite hike in the Lower 48. I’m a sucker for slot canyons, and this one doesn’t disappoint. You can hike the whole canyon if you’re a hardcore hiker, but families will find it more accessible to start at the Wire Pass trailhead, and you’re at the confluence with Buckskin in under 2 miles. The drive in is bumpy, but 2WD accessible if it isn’t wet. Definitely check the weather to be sure that there’s no rain in the forecast (slot canyons are deadly in flash floods!), and purchase a $6 per person permit online before you go. There’s one easy ladder to climb down; our 3 year old made it. I recommend starting this one in the afternoon so that you’re not hiking out of the wash in the brightest sun of the day.
Lower Calf Creek Falls
The hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls is flat, but long in the warm sun (we went in April and it was already hot!). The payoff is AMAZING, though. We’ve seen a lot of waterfalls, and this was one of the prettiest. Pack suits to swim in the (chilly!) water, and definitely wear sunscreen because there’s a lot of sun exposure on the trail. The parking lot gets crowded, but they’re working to expand parking this summer, so hopefully that gets better soon! If you’re wanting to camp, the campground there is gorgeous and right at the start of the trail. This is one of those Utah hiking trails we’ll never forget!
Zebra Slot
Zebra Slot is not too far from Lower Calf Creek Falls, but is a totally different vibe. A long, but beautiful walk through exposed wash takes you to the narrowest slot canyon we’ve yet attempted. It requires being either very small or very strong, preferably both. I decided I didn’t want to scale the walls of the slow to go any further, so I let my husband and oldest kiddo finish the slot without me. They came back with breathtaking photos! The walls of the slot really are as striped as they look in pictures. I’d recommend this hike if you’re willing to scale walls to see. Keep in mind that the last half a mile to the slot is difficult to navigate and very warm, so watch your AllTrails map to stay on course!
Fifth Water Hot Springs
The Fifth Water Hot Springs trail is the only Utah hiking trail on this list that’s not in Southern Utah. If there’s one hiking trail near Provo to try out, though, I’d highly recommend this one. It’s a moderate hike to the most gorgeous hot springs imaginable, especially in fall with the changing foliage. Seriously storybook pretty. Bring suits to soak in the pools! Don’t be like us and underestimate how long this hike will take, though. It’s only a couple of miles with low total elevation change, but it’s rocky and rolling hills, so it took us a lot longer than we expected. The parking lot is tiny, too, so consider doing this one on a weekday! Check to make sure the road in is open; you can hike this one in winter too, but it involves extra mileage to hike in.
Neilson Wash
The Neilson Wash trail doesn’t appear on Google Maps or AllTrails, so I’ll share the coordinates to the start of the trail here. You just park your car on the side of Factory Butte Road and walk down into an amazing looking wash for as far as you want, then walk back. This is a fabulous short hike if you’re in the Hanksville area, as it’s on the same road that leads to Factory Butte and the Moon Overlook. More about all of that in my Hanksville post!
Cassidy Arch
Cassidy Arch is in Capitol Reef National Park, and would definitely be my pick for the trail to do if you’re only doing one. It’s got a fair amount of elevation change, so definitely on the harder site of moderate in my opinion. It also doesn’t have much shade, so choose your timing wisely! That said, this is one of the coolest arches we’ve seen. It’s sort of like Devil’s Bridge in Sedona, but without the crowds! We had the arch to ourselves for a bit mid-day, which would never happen in Sedona. Bonus points for taking baked goods from the homestead up there with you to eat. Don’t take the road to the trailhead if it looks like it might rain!
Delicate Arch
Speaking of arches, there’s no way you can miss Delicate Arch if you’re a fan of Utah hiking. It’s so famous, it’s on the license plate! This is not a terribly difficult hike, but it is very sun exposed (are you sensing a theme here?). One thing I wasn’t expecting about this hike was how slick the rock up top by the arch would be. Fine for grownups, but a little stressful trying to keep kiddos from sliding down off the cliffs. That said, I’d still do this hike again, and we loved watching sunset there (with 250 of our closest friends haha). Next time, I’d love to take head lamps and wait for the stars to come out before hiking back down!
Corona Arch
Corona Arch is Delicate Arch’s less popular cousin down the road. But don’t let its lesser popularity fool you, Corona Arch is gorgeous in its own right! The arch is less…well…delicate, but absolutely grander. And the hike is way less crowded. It’s a moderate hike that involves a ladder and a short chain section, but our kiddos did it just fine at 5 and 7! Start this one early if you can because it gets warm and sunny! Luckily the arch itself provides a shade break for you.
Mill Creek North Fork
We think that the Mill Creek North Fork trail in Moab is like a mini version of The Narrows in Zion. This hike is a stunner, and you get to walk through water just like in The Narrows (only less deep!). The parking lot at the trailhead is small so be prepared to wait for a spot or circle back. But that means that this trail is very uncrowded! The end of the trail features an amazing waterfall and pool that you can swim in if its warm enough!
White Pocket
There’s no established hiking trail at White Pocket, but you could wander around this gorgeous rock formation all day. This is one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen, but it does require over two hours of off-roading each way. It’s not for the faint of heart! Definitely don’t attempt this adventure alone without 4WD and self-recovery tools. You can take a tour if you don’t feel comfortable driving it yourself! Either way, it’s absolutely bucket list worthy Utah hiking. I’d like to go back and camp overnight there!
Navajo Loop & Queens Garden
The Navajo Loop and Queens Garden combo is one of the most popular options in Bryce Canyon National Park, and for good reason! It’s breathtaking and surreal. We hiked in at Sunrise Point and out at Sunset Point, and that last uphill section was a real slog. Not for hikers unwilling to climb up switchbacks for half an hour! You’ll be rewarded with otherworldly beauty for your effort, though. Our kids even got a special sticker from the Rangers at the Visitor Center for hiking into the canyon.
Arches Trail
If you’re looking for Bryce Canyon type views without all of the crowds, the Arches Trail right outside Bryce is your ticket! It’s an easy trail, and we had it completely to ourselves. Plus the scenery is almost as good as in the National Park! I definitely would recommend this short gem to anyone.
Red Reef Trail
The Red Reef Trail in Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is a stunner, especially considering it’s on the easy side of moderate. You can go as far as you like and then turn back, making it a great option for kids or beginning hikers. Depending on the time of year, there are even gorgeous little waterfalls and pools. There is a fee to enter the conservation area, but this is a great option for Utah hiking near Zion but without the crowds.
Valley of the Goblins
Valley of the Goblins in Goblin Valley State Park is a short, easy hike with a massive payoff in scenery. At just a flat mile, it couldn’t be easier to enjoy the amazing rock formations in Goblin Valley! There is a $20/two days fee to enter, which is a bit steep, but totally worth the views. Parking is easy on weekdays, and still doable on weekends.
Zion Canyon Overlook
Zion Canyon Overlook is a short, but steep trail to an amazing view of Zion National Park. It’s on the east side of the park, so it doesn’t require a shuttle ticket. But like everywhere in Zion, it’s crowded. AllTrails lists this is easy, but it is steep and has giant dropoffs, so keep a close hand on kiddos. The view at the end of gorgeous, though!
Toadstools Trail
The Toadstool Hoodoos Trail is an easy hike with amazing hoodoo views that kids (or the young at heart!) will love. It’s a great stop off on a journey from Southern Utah to Page, Arizona, and you might even have the whole trail to yourself. This otherworldly landscape will take your breath away, particularly at sunrise and sunset! That alone would land it a spot on our Utah hiking list.
Sorry those last two don’t have photos! We hiked them in 2021, back before I was overdocumenting everything haha.
I hope this post helped you as you plan your Utah hiking adventures! If you try one of these hikes, leave a comment and let us know 🙂
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about how we travel with kids, check out these posts:
Whether you’re a brand new RV owner, or a veteran looking to upgrade, I want to recommend the RV water hose we’ve been using and loving!
There’s a whole bunch of mandatory gear you’ll need when getting set up to RV — power cords, wheel chocks, a sewer hose, and an RV water hose are the essentials you can’t do much without. If you need recommendations to get started, I’ve got a whole list!
But today let’s dive into what we use for an RV water hose. We recently celebrated two years of living in our RV, and we’ve been very happy with the Bigfoot RV water hose we selected. I spent a long time researching water hoses when we first moved in, and I’d love to share why I selected this one with you!
Bigfoot RV Water Hose Pros:
Food grade hose with no residual taste. I drink a lot of water, and I’m pretty picky about the taste. So I appreciate that this hose doesn’t leave a lingering taste in our water whatsoever.
Anti-kink. This hose is designed to be anti-kink, which means that it’s easy to coil and uncoil without making a tangled mess. This might sound like a small thing, but when you’re packing and unpacking your hose at least once a week, it is REALLY nice that it’s not getting to be a big mess that messes with the water flow.
Lightweight. This hose is specifically designed to be 30% more lightweight than its competitors, and full-time RVers know that literally every pound counts when keeping your rig within the manufacturer’s safety specs.
Spring on one end. The spring protects from flow restriction, which is another useful feature.
Color. Admittedly, this wouldn’t have made me choose this RV water hose on its own, but it’s a fun benefit. The bright purple hose is unique and pretty cute. We get compliments on it all the time in RV parks!
Don’t mind how dirty the outside is, we’ve been boondocking!
Bigfoot RV Water Hose Cons:
Cost. Admittedly, this hose is slightly more expensive than the cheapest options. But when it comes to a water hose for your RV, I’d highly recommend that this not be the place to skimp on. Not only are you drinking/cooking/bathing from it, but you’re hooking and unhooking it frequently. Skimp elsewhere!
Length. This hose is only 25 feet long, which has been totally sufficient for us in every RV park except one. I wouldn’t want a longer one for everyday use, but just be aware that in some oddly laid out RV parks, you might want some extra length.
If you’re thinking about RV water hose options, you probably also want to be considering the other RV water accessories you’ll need. I would highly recommend you also have an RV water filter to improve water quality and taste, a 90-degree elbow to prevent strain on your RV water valve, and an RV water pressure regulator to protect from high water pressure damage.
I hope this review of our Bigfoot RV water hose was helpful! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments or on Instagram!
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
If you’re interested in more about our RV life, check out these posts:
We recently had the opportunity to spend a week in Hanksville Utah, and we were totally smitten! This tiny town feels like a totally underrated gem in Southern Utah, and we felt like it was every bit as cool as far busier locations like Moab and Kanab. As a fulltime travel family, we love visiting less busy places and thought you might like to know about it, too!
These adorable cabins are 100% where I would stay in Hanksville if I didn’t have an RV. They’re cute and cozy and super conveniently located for all of the Hanksville Utah adventures I’m about to share.
If you’re wanting to stay closer to Capitol Reef, I would choose The Skyview Hotel for the splurge stay or The Days Inn for a slightly more budget option.
RV Park
Duke’s RV Park is a no-frills, but pleasant stay right in Hanksville Utah. The town’s adorable coffee shop in a repurposed abandoned gas station is walking distance right across the street, and the RV park offers $7 showers to guests that are boondocking elsewhere (like we were!).
Boondocking
If you’re wanting a more budget stay and you’re prepared to be off-grid, there are some lovely boondocking spots right outside of town. Want to learn how to RV camp off-grid? We’ve got a guide for that:
This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.
We stayed in one of the pullouts on Gun Range Road, which had pretty views and was just 4 minutes outside of town. If you’re interested in our other favorite Utah boondocking locations, check out this post.
Hanksville Utah Hiking
Goblin Valley State Park
Goblin Valley State Park is one of those underrated state park gems in my opinion. No trip to Hanksville Utah is complete without a stop! There are a variety of amazing trails you can take, or you can view the otherworldly rock structures from overlooks.
Bentonite Hills
The Bentonite Hills are absolutely breathtaking geological rock formations in blues and greens that are particularly amazing just after sunset. The prettiest place to find them is located just after the Mars Desert Research Station here. The road to get there is bumpy, but accessible with 2WD when it’s dry. High clearance would be nice to have, but not necessary. You can hike around the hills or just enjoy them from this roadside pullout. Drones give you a birds eye view that is even more impressive!
Neilson Wash
This short hike is one I just happened to stumble upon a blog post about, and I couldn’t find it on Google maps or AllTrails. It’s a wash trail with really unique rock formations, and we only went about a half mile in. Totally worth it! Park here alongside Factory Butte Road and walk as far as you feel comfortable.
Leprechaun Canyon
Leprechaun Canyon is a fun and short hike in if you’re not experienced and equipped for canyoneering. It’s gorgeous mid-day when the sun is shining down on the canyon walls, highlighting their deep red color. Definitely pack water for this one, as you’ll be exposed hiking into the canyon!
Hanksville Utah Other Attractions
Burpee Dinosaur Quarry
Burpee Dinosaur Quarry is an amazing active dig site that’s further up the road from the Bentonite Hills. In the spring, real paleontologists and volunteers will offer tours of the site (check with the Hanksville BLM office!), but it’s worth the drive out at any time. The dinosaur bones are exposed and in a gorgeous setting. Please treat the site with respect! The road doesn’t require 4WD when it’s dry (and you shouldn’t attempt it with any vehicle if it’s wet!), but high clearance would be helpful.
Moon Overlook Vista
This overlook is breathtaking, particularly at sunset. It looks as though you’re looking out over the surface of the moon. The drive out is fairly easy, I recommend taking Skyline View Road instead of Coal Mine Road.
Rockhounding (selenite & jasper)
It’s unsurprising in such a supernatural feeling landscape that the rockhounding opportunities would be amazing. The Hanksville Utah area is known for its Selenite and Jasper, and you can collect some on local BLM land. Check for the land ownership of the place you’re in, and verify the collection rules. We love using the Rock Identifier app to help us figure out what we’ve found!
Rockin’ Riddle Rock Shop and Carl’s Critter Garden
There is a really neat rock shop in town called Rockin’ Riddle Rock Shop that’s worth a stop when it’s open. Carl’s Critter Garden is a funky and free sculpture garden that’s reminiscent of quirky Route 66 roadside stops.
Stan’s Burger Shak
Stan’s Burger Shak has surprisingly delicious curly fries and milkshakes for a burger place attached to a gas station. Don’t miss the Grasshopper shake, which to me tasted like Thin Mint soft serve.
I hope this post helped you in your Hanksville Utah trip planning! It’s a tiny town with a lot to offer, and a wonderful uncrowded alternative to busier places like Moab.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more of our favorite Utah destinations, check out these posts:
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after spending nearly four years as a fulltime travel family, it’s that there are amazing things to do with kids near me no matter where we are. And as a family that’s always exploring new places, the activities budget can get out of hand fast. We often splurge on an exciting adventure or two, but mostly we spend our time on free or nearly free family activites. So we’ve gotten to be experts on finding things to do with kids near me, even when our front yard changes every week or two!
I’m excited to share some of our ideas in the hopes that they inspire you to get out and adventure together this week.
Things to do with Kids Near Me, Wherever We Are:
Libraries
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you’ll know that we believe libraries are the unsung heros of family life. I even have a post with 200+ library card policies around the continent! But even if we’re not talking about reading books, libraries are an amazing resource when I’m looking for things to do with kids near me. They often have incredible programming at the branches. We’ve met rescued raptors, taken a cartooning class, built lego robotics, painted watercolors, and more all at totally free library classes.
Many communities also offer free museum ticket vouchers for local museums through a culture pass program or similar. And increasingly, libraries are offering resources like free 3D printing (how cool!) or a free seed library so you can start your own garden. I’ll never stop sharing what an incredible place libraries are for families, especially families on a budget.
Free Museum Days
Even if you aren’t able to snag free museum tickets through your local library, most museums have some sort of free or drastically reduced admission program. Check the museums near you to see if they have weekly or monthly free admission days. And consider museums beyond just children’s museums. You might be surprised at how interested your kids are in modern art or your county’s historical society. Kids deserve to be in these spaces, too. More and more traditionally “adult” focused museums have weekend children’s programming, as well. We took a neat printing class at a very stuffy Quèbec art museum. You never know!
Playgrounds & Splash Pads
Okay, admittedly a playground is a little obvious, but hear me out. When looking for things to do with kids near me, I often seek out the most interesting playgrounds because we love visiting unique ones! Even if you’ve lived in a place for a long time, there are probably playgrounds or splash pads you haven’t tried. Make it a game! List all of the playgrounds in driving distance and try to visit all of them. Let your older kids create a ranking system and judge which one is the best!
Hiking
We think hiking as a family is a massively underrated activity. But I understand why! It can feel intimidating to get outdoors with kids, especially when you don’t see others doing it. But our kids have seen massive benefits, from visiting some of the most beautiful places to improving their gross motor skills. If you need tips for hiking with kids or recommendations on our favorite hiking boots, I’ve got you. Start small with a local stroll and work your way up to whatever outdoor adventures excite you!
Biking
Biking is another fun way to spend time together as a family outdoors, and the increase in the popularity of biking trails is so exciting for this! The biking options are truly endless, from simply pulling a kid bike trailer behind your own bike to gearing up for family mountain biking adventures. Even a bike around the neighborhood is a fun way to spend a Saturday morning. Our kids are often willing to bike when they might complain about walking somewhere, so this is always another good option.
Rockhounding
What is it about kids and rocks? Our kids are always thrilled to go out collecting and identifying rocks. It’s easy (and free!) to search for rockhounding locations near us and then spend an afternoon collecting beauties and identifying them. Plus it’s educational! We use a combination of rocks & minerals books and an app called Rock Identifier to figure out what we’ve found. We’ll even stop into local rock shops to share our finds and look at new ones. Our kids’ enthusiasm is always increased by another rock expert nerding out with them over their finds.
Water Sports
With kids (and especially when it’s warm!), you can never go wrong with water sports. Whether that looks like swimming in the local lake or pool, or kayaking down a river together, water sports are a great way to spend time together without spending any money. And almost everyone can find a nearby body of water (yes, even in the desert!). We invested in an inflatable kayak that we love, and I take my kiddos out in it one at a time. I’m hoping to get another one this year so that we can all go out together. Don’t forget the life jackets!
Even if your kiddo is too little for real water sports, you can find a shallow creek and let them splash for hours. These are often my kids’ absolute favorite days, when they just get to play in water that’s at their shins.
Art En Plein Air just means doing art outdoors! Nothing reinvigorates little artists more than taking their artwork outside. For toddlers, this might look like chalk drawings in the driveway or the park, or even coloring pages at your favorite picnic table. Older kids might like to sketch a beautiful view or practice watercoloring the sunset. Snacks and art supplies outside are a glorious way to pass an afternoon when I’m looking for things to do with kids near me. Here are some of our favorite art supplies and art books for inspiration.
Identify Local Flowers & Plants
I never would have considered myself much of an amateur botanist, but spending more time outdoors has us all fascinated by plants. When you take your time on a nature walk or sitting in a beautiful place, it’s so much fun to identify and learn about the local flowers and plants. We use field guide books and the Seek app to figure out what we’re looking at, and sometimes we even sketch what we’ve seen in a sketchbook. We love this book for learning how to nature journal.
Street Art Walking Tour
If you love looking at art, but the idea of an art museum with wiggly little bodies is too intimidating, then a street art walking tour is perfect for you! We love looking up street art locations in the places that we visit and figuring out how to visit them all on foot. We’ll often work in a cool dessert, as well! Everyone gets an amazing cultural experience and a bunch of exercise and some totally gorgeous photos! This is one of our favorite choices when I’m looking for things to do with kids near me.
Thrift Shopping
Thrift shopping with kids?? What a weird idea, you might be thinking. But I think it’s actually genius, and my kids NEVER complain. Thrift shopping is one of the things I like to do, and I’ve found that bringing my kids along actually makes for a pretty fun day for them, too, if I grab them something small. Sometimes it’s a fun shirt or a book, and sometimes it’s a new puzzle or board game. This isn’t totally free of course, but it’s pretty darn cheap. And it’s a great activity for bad weather days or when you really want to do something that you used to love before having kids.
I hope this list of things to do with kids near me that’s applicable to anywhere has given you some new ideas! Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed anything.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about how we travel with kids, check out these posts:
We are a fulltime travel family of five, and I’m going to share why I think our National Park Passport is the very best souvenir option out there! We have visited almost 40 National Parks, and we have collected a lot of beautiful and sentimental items from those parks over the years. But this National Park Passport is the best! And I feel like a lot of folks we meet in the parks don’t know about them, so I’m excited to share this souvenir idea on the blog.
Okay, let’s chat about the National Park Passport now!
National Park Passport: What Is It?
This little National Park Passport (find it here!) functions a lot like a regular passport would. Except obviously it’s not a legal document! But the basic idea is the same. You collect stamps as you travel into National Parks across the country. Here’s a sneak peek inside one of our pages:
National Park Passport: Where to buy it?
You can buy these National Park Passport books inside most of the big National Park visitor’s centers. However, you may want to consider buying them online in advance of your trip for a few reasons. One, those visitor’s centers are often PACKED with long lines and chaos. It might be easier to simply have one shipped to you before trying to hit a visitor’s center that’s busy and closes early.
Two, many of the National Park sites you might want to visit may not have extensive gift stores. You might know that there are 63 “National Parks,” but did you also know that there are actually 429 National Park units in the system? Yes, there are National Historic Sites, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas that most people don’t even know exist. When we lived in NYC, I had NO IDEA how many NPS units were all around us. But those sites count for stamping your National Park Passport, and they’re probably a lot closer to your home than you think! But they probably don’t have an extensive gift shop 😉
National Park Passport: Why is it the best souvenir?
Okay, so why is it the best? A few reasons.
One is that you buy the passport just once and then you can collect souvenir stamps from all of the National Park units for free for the rest of your life! Stickers might cost $4-5 each, ornaments might be $12-15, and shirts range from $25-50 at the parks. Those add up fast! If you want to collect those too, go for it. But this passport and stamp situation is so much more cost effective over the long term! We’re rocking our National Park Passport that we bought back in 2016 still.
Another reason is that most of the stamps you collect in the park have the date you visited attached to them. It’s fun to log when and where you’ve been that way, especially if you revisit a park many years later and can re-stamp with a new year!
I also like the passport because it’s compact and low waste. We live in an RV, so space for collectibles is at a premium. But even if we didn’t, I appreciate that I’m not collecting plastic items that will wear out and get tossed in a few years.
National Park Passport: Where do I get the stamps?
Okay, you’re convinced to get a passport, but you’re wondering how to find the stamps? I’ve got you!
They’re generally in the visitor’s center of the big parks. You can often find them sitting out on the counter near the rangers, but sometimes they have their own stamp table somewhere else in the building.
For parks that are really spread out, the ranger stations will sometimes have the stamps available so you don’t have to drive an hour just to get the stamp. If you’re really struggling to find one, don’t hesitate to ask the rangers!
And there have been a few times when I forgot to pack my National Park Passport. Never fear! There are usually squares of scrap paper next to the stamp, and I’ll just stamp one of those and glue it into my book later.
If you’re wanting to collect National Park stamps, but aren’t sold on the whole passport idea, I have seen people use the stamps in other items. My personal favorite idea besides the National Park Passport was when I saw a grandma buying her grandkids picture books and stamping inside the cover so they would remember when and where the books came from. So cute! If you’re looking for some book ideas, check out our list!
And if you’re planning a big road trip with kids or looking to learn how to camp off-grid near the National Parks, we can help with that! Check out our store with instant digital downloads:
I’m so thrilled to share our favorite picks for hiking Las Vegas with you today! As a fulltime travel family, we’ve spent a few weeks in Vegas on separate trips. There are fun things to do in the city, but it’s also totally surrounded by gorgeous outdoor adventures! These are the four hikes we tried out during our time in Vegas, and honestly it’s hard to choose a favorite. They were all fantastic hikes!
Without further ado, let’s get to the hiking Las Vegas ideas!
Hiking Las Vegas Trail Suggestions
Bowl of Fire
Bowl of Fire
The Bowl of Fire hike is a huge bang for your hiking Las Vegas buck. There’s not much of a designated trail, mostly wander around where you want once you get to the slick rock. We walked 3 mostly flat miles, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful red rock formations, flowering cacti (in the spring), and fun caves for the kids to explore.
There is very little sun on this trail, so keep that in mind when planning when to go. The trailhead is down a wash where 4×4 is recommended, but a friend in her minivan made it just fine. There’s one hill that was the hardest part of the drive.
This hike is also located within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, so you’ll need an America the Beautiful pass (National Parks) to get in free or pay to enter. This is the closest of all of the hikes on this list to downtown Vegas!
Anniversary Narrows
Anniversary Narrows
The Anniversary Narrows hike is a really unique looking slot canyon that’s super fun for the kids and/or photography buffs. It’s also about 3 miles if you start from the furthest trailhead option, which requires a couple of miles of driving down dirt/gravel road.
4×4 is also recommended to access this trailhead, but I don’t think it’s strictly necessary. Use your best judgment and stop and park wherever you feel you should (we parked here). You can simply walk the wash for longer if you don’t feel comfortable driving the whole way, but there’s no shade and that wash section is a bit boring.
Once you get into the slot canyon section, it’s shady and cooler. This hike is also located within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area!
Valley of Fire State Park: Fire Wave, White Dome, Seven Wonders Loops
Valley of Fire State Park
Everyone recommends the hour+ drive out to Valley of Fire State Park, and for good reason! It’s absolutely stunning out there. There are a lot of places to get out and hike in the park, but we chose the Fire Wave, White Dome, Seven Wonders loops.
I highly recommend this hike because it’s also around 3 miles and mostly flat, but it packs a real punch. There are cool geological features throughout the whole hike that kept our whole group in awe. There’s very little shade on this hike, so I recommend visiting early or late in the day. I would choose golden hour if possible!
There is a fee to enter the state park, but if you’re hiking Las Vegas, this is a don’t-miss.
Gold Strike Hot Springs
Gold Strike Hot Springs
The Gold Strike Hot Springs hike is by far the hardest hike on this list. AllTrails has it listed at 5 miles, but my phone clocked it at 7. Regardless, it has tons of bouldering, rope and ladder obstacles, and a fair amount of elevation loss/gain. It closes in the summer because it’s actually dangerous to do when it’s too warm out.
If I haven’t scared you away yet, I do still highly recommend this hike if you’re a strong enough hiker! It’s gorgeous to hike down into the canyon and end up at the base of the Hoover Dam, plus there are fantastic hot springs to soak in at the bottom (don’t submerge your head underwater!).
We loved this hike! We made it with 3/6/8 year olds, although we do hike every week so we’ve been training. Bring sandals and swimsuits!
I hope this list of ideas helps you enjoy your time hiking Las Vegas! The strip is fun, but I’ve been really blown away by how much outdoorsy beauty there is just outside the city, too. For all of these trails (especially Gold Strike!), bring way more water than you think you’ll need. Hiking in the desert is thirsty work! We’ve got the hydration packs our kids use linked here.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about our travel and hiking adventures, check out these posts:
