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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
We love the Kanab, Utah area for its adorable downtown and amazing outdoorsy adventures in every direction! Since we were stayed here for a few weeks, I thought I’d check out the Kanab RV Parks options and give you detailed reviews. I hope this helps make your decision of where to stay in Kanab with your RV easier!
If you’re new here, we’re a fulltime RV family that’s been living the nomadic lifestyle for almost four years now. If you’re just getting into RV life, feel free to take a look at our list of RV essentials that we recommend.
Now let’s chat about Kanab RV parks so you can get your stay booked!
Kanab RV Parks
Hitch-N-Post RV Park
If you’re looking for the most budget-friendly and most centrally located Kanab RV parks option, Hitch-N-Post RV Park is it. This park is small and tight (check carefully if you’ve got a big rig!), but clean and comfortable. Reviews also mention how friendly the host is, which is always a big plus. This RV park is walkable to just about anything in Kanab and the price is right for full hookups. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here for a week or weekend of exploring in and around Kanab!
Fenced in dog area, communal fire pit and games area
Really reasonable monthly rates
Clean, level, gravel sites
Street noise from both sides
Dark Sky RV Campground
If you’re after views and budget isn’t an issue, Dark Sky RV Campground is your best Kanab RV parks choice. The sites are the largest of these three parks (we saw a fifth wheel and semi truck fit in one!), plus they have cute picnic tables with shade and a fire pit at each site. The red rocks views are the reason to stay here, though. Plus the whole place has a fresh and hip vibe. This is the perfect stay for a campground where you might want to simply relax at your site for a bit and take in the gorgeous surroundings. They were even recently voted one of the top small campgrounds on Campspot!
Some other quick facts about Dark Sky RV Campground:
Guests rave about the showers, which are indoor and outdoor and have heated floors
Many reviews note that this is their favorite park they’ve ever stayed in
Zip line, tetherball, and dig pit for kids
Offers e-bikes and off-road vehicles to rent (free e-bike rentals if you stay 3 months!)
On-site dog care for an extra fee
30 amp hookups, pay attention to the cancellation policy
Kanab RV Corral
Kanab RV Corral is sort of the middle ground between the other two parks. It’s not quite as inexpensive as Hitch-N-Post or as centrally located, but it does have better spaced sites and a more homey feel. Only about half of the park is big rig friendly, so pay attention to which site you’re choosing. This is a great budget-conscious but lovely Kanab RV parks option.
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 our RV life, check out these posts:
We just can’t get enough of Utah! As a full time travel family heading into our 5th year of travel, we rarely visit a place twice. But we’re in our third time through Utah, and I’m excited to share some of our favorite dispersed camping Utah spots with you!
In our opinion, dispersed camping is the best way to experience the outdoor adventure hotspot that is Utah. Hotels and RV parks are great, but boondocking in Utah really allows you to get closer to the amazing hiking here. If you’re interested in reading more about our take on the pros and cons of RV parks versus boondocking, I’ve written about that here!
If you’re wanting to learn how to camp off-grid for extended periods, let us teach you! We’ve lived off-grid in our RV for most of the past year, and we know how intimidating it can be to start. We answer all of your Boondocking 101 questions for just $7!
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.
This spot is the perfect launchpad for Capitol Reef National Park adventures, it couldn’t be closer to the entrance to the park. Big rigs should stick to the upper road, and be aware that there is no cell reception out here. Find it as Capitol Reef East Dispersed on Campendium. This is such a great location for some of the more remote hiking in southcentral Utah.
Lone Rock Beach (near Page)
Lone Rock Beach is an iconic boondocking in Utah location, and for good reason. It’s gorgeous beach camping in the middle of the desert! This spot is near the Utah/Arizona border and is a great location for exploring all that Page has to offer and also some adventurous hiking in southern Utah. Big rigs can access this spot, but beware of deep, loose sand the further in you get. Definitely walk it on foot first! It’s $14 a night (no reservation needed), which includes toilets and a dump station.
Moab (Near Arches & Canyonlands)
We stayed in two different Moab locations, and there were benefits to each. Lone Mesa Dispersed was further from Moab, but absolutely gorgeous. It was also a great launching point for visiting Canyonlands National Park. The road in was long and pretty bumpy, and there was zero cell service. Klondike Bluffs Dispersed was easier access from the highway and therefore faster to get to Arches National Park. There was cell service, but it was less pretty. Both spots are big rig accessible if you’re used to bumpy BLM roads.
Mount Carmel Junction (Near Zion & Bryce)
This spot right between Zion National Park and Bryce National Park is a real gem. Not only is it conveniently located between two parks, but it’s also close to Kanab for supplies and there’s a dump station half a mile up the road. The most lovely part is that there are riverside spots where you can hear babbling water as you sleep. Super easy access from the highway for big rigs, just watch for deep sand in some of the pulloffs. We had full AT&T reception here.
Spanish Fork (near Provo)
Sheep Creek Dispersed is a great dispersed camping Utah spot if you’re wanting to visit the Provo area. It’s pretty and easy to access from the highway for any size rig. Be aware that you may share space with a herd of cattle! We had cell service here and enjoyed spending the week resting up after quickly heading south from Canada. Don’t miss the Fifth Water Hot Springs trail if you like a good soak!
Valley of the Gods (near Monument Valley)
Valley of the Gods is one of our all-time favorite boondocking spots (and the cover of my boondocking book!)! If your dispersed camping Utah trip goes anywhere near this part of Utah, I highly recommend stopping here. We stopped at the first pullout that was available, and there was one big dip that was a little hairy, but nothing we couldn’t handle. Views are 10/10, but come prepared with supplies because it is isolated!
We think dispersed camping Utah makes the most sense, and I promise to continue adding boondocking in Utah spots as we find them! Here are the boondocking apps we use if none of these spots work for you, and everything I’ve written about boondocking (including spots in other states!) here.
For more about our life in an RV, check out these posts:
Our family spent a magical four months RVing Alaska last summer, and I loved it so much that I want everyone else to experience it, too! It’s one of our favorite places we’ve been in four years of fulltime travel. We even collaborated with the Skagway, Alaska tourism board to promote what a fun place it is to visit! So I’m thrilled to share our favorite things to do in Skagway Alaska with you today.
If you’re planning an Alaska trip, I’ve written an e-book about everything we learned from living there for an entire summer! There are sample itineraries, ideas for every major town, and the best places to camp:
If you’re looking for Alaska vacation ideas, you’ve come to the right place! This guide features 20+ pages of what we learned throughout a summer RVing Alaska with Kids.
If you do nothing else in Skagway, simply walking around the adorable little downtown area is a real experience. It’s gold rush era kitschy with a splash of Alaska glacial mountain range charm. The buildings are all adorably painted, and there are fun shops like the bookstore with the historic spelling of “Skaguay” painted on the front. Duck in and out of the stores and enjoy imagining that you showed up as one of the ambitious (and foolhardy?) gold rushers. Consider a meal at the Red Onion Saloon, a restaurant with a brothel museum that shares the building’s storied past upstairs.
National Park site
Speaking of gold rushers, Skagway has a wonderful little National Historical Park Visitor’s Center that you absolutely should check out. Read the displays and watch the short film to get context about why the town even exists. I can almost guarantee that you’ll be absolutely blown away by how many gold rushers descended upon the Yukon and what harsh conditions they survived.
White Pass & Yukon Railway
This historic train ride takes you through absolutely breathtaking views of the mountain pass that gold rushes had to climb (carrying a year’s worth of supplies!). It’s a pricey trip, but absolutely worth the money if you love vintage trains or gorgeous views. It’s definitely one of the iconic things to do in Skagway.
Take a hike
There are several hiking options around Skagway that range from a casual walk to a more strenuous option. You can walk from downtown to the Lower Reid Falls, which is a pretty walk and also nearby the Gold Rush Cemetary. For more of a challenge, consider the Dewey Lake Trails that lead to beautiful alpine lakes and have lovely views of the harbor from above. Experienced hikers might consider the Chilkoot Trail outside of town, which requires overnighting and a permit. But for an easier option, simply start the trail and turn back when you’re ready to head back to your comfy bed that night!
Dyea trip
History buffs might enjoy a day trip out to the historic Dyea town site. It’s the town that existed before Skagway was founded, and though there isn’t much left of it now, the setting is gorgeous. It’s a lovely place to camp or simply play on the rocky beach, plus the Chilkoot Trail starts out here. If you’ve followed my advice and watched the video at the National Park visitor center, you’ll have an appreciation for why this spot is important.
Stop in for a donut or a brew
Consider checking out the local brewery or donut shop for a special Skagway Alaska treat. Klondike Doughboy serves “doughboys” or sweet fried bread that’s delicious on a cold or rainy day. Skagway Brewing Company is another must-try local stop and an excellent place to warm up from the drizzle.
Sled dog mushing
If it’s in the budget and on the bucket list, I would highly recommend trying one of the local sled dog mushing tours. It really is a fun time to be pulled along by a team of happy dogs, and the scenery is amazing.
Carcross day trip
Carcross is just a brief jaunt into Canada from Skagway, and it’s absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. If you have the time (and a rental car, train ticket, or guided tour!), please add Carcross to your sightseeing list. The drive alone is worth it, plus Carcross offers a summertime outdoor shopping center with locally made crafts, amazing Indigenous artwork, the Carcross desert, and the oldest general store in the Yukon. We drove through Carcross rather quickly and wished we’d had more time to stay!
Ferry to Haines
If Haines, Alaska isn’t already on your list, it’s worth a ferry ride over for the day! The ferry takes just 45 minutes and you’ll be in Skagway’s less touristy sister city with lots of opportunities for bear and bald eagle sightings. If you’re interested in visiting Haines, check out my post about what to do there!
I hope this post was useful to you in planning your time in Skagway! There are so many fun things to do in Skagway, Alaska.
If you need help packing for your trip, be sure to check out my Alaska packing list and take a look at the other posts I’ve written about our time in Alaska:
We’ve spent a chunk of this winter in Southern California and have been loving the sunshine and bucket list sights! So today I’m sharing a few of our favorite boondocking in California spots from this winter. If you’re looking for boondocking locations in other states, I’ve got those, too!
As a fulltime RV family, we often disperse camp off-grid to save money, park in amazing places, and give our kids room to play freely. If you’re interested in learning more about the pros and cons of boondocking versus RV parks, I’ve written more about that here. And I’ve got a list of some of our favorite boondocking supplies if you’re needing some more gear to be comfortable without hookups.
If you’re new to boondocking and wanting to learn how, check out our instant download e-book with everything we’ve learned to be able to camp off-grid indefinitely for just $7! It’ll pay for itself if you skip just one night at an overpriced campground. Plus I promise you’ll see the most AMAZING sights once you get started!
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.
Camping in the Alabama Hills Scenic Recreational Area is a bucket list move for any RVer. There simply is no more gorgeous place to park in my humble opinion. The downsides are that, much like Sedona boondocking, dispersed camping in Alabama Hills has recently become much more restricted. This means that there are only a handful of sites where big rigs can fit and you’re allowed to camp. So you might struggle to find a place on a weekend (consider Tuttle Creek Campground as a backup!). The place we parked was the easiest to access for our giant truck and trailer and is called Movie Flat Designated Dispersed on Campendium. There are a bunch more spots for vans and truck campers.
There’s a parking lot at the corner of Movie Road and Whitney Portal road where you can unhitch and scout if you’re nervous about finding a spot. Be sure to take Lubken Canyon Road to access the area with anything larger than a truck. Whitney Portal Road is washed out and closed as of Spring 2024. Tuttle Creek Road was windy even with just our truck alone.
Be aware that, unlike many dispersed camping areas, Alabama Hills has a 7 day stay limit and 14 day a year maximum. We saw several rangers during our stay and they are enforcing the rules. You might also want to pay attention to the wind forecast and face your rig accordingly. It was very windy every single day the entire week we were there.
That said, this spot is absolutely breathtaking and worth the trouble. Take a sunrise hike from your front door. Thank me later.
Joshua Tree South Dispersed
This is a fabulous spot if you’re visiting Joshua Tree National Park or Palm Springs (looking for Palm Springs ideas?). It’s pretty with nice sunsets, although not the most beautiful spot we’ve ever seen. Its best perks are the national park you can walk into, the large amount of space so everyone can spread out, and the super easy access from a major highway without being noisy. The downside is that it’s on the southern end of the national park so the major highlights are a bit of a drive. But the boondocking on the other side of the park is a bit sketch, so families especially seem to prefer this side.
Plus there’s a nearby dump and fill in the national park campground. This is a great boondocking in California spot for those who are newer to dispersed camping and looking to get their feet wet. Our friends came to camp with us here and shortly afterwards added more solar to their roof so they can boondock more often!
Trona Pinnacles
Trona Pinnacles is another bucket list boondocking in California spot. There’s tons of space for rigs of any size, and the views are absolutely incredible. Especially of nighttime stars and springtime flowers (blooming the first week of April in 2024!). There’s a main parking lot with a maintained pit toilet where we parked because we didn’t want to risk driving further back. But you can simply park here and scout further back; we did see a few larger spots back there for the brave.
Be aware that the road in is very bad. Like one of the worst we’ve done, including mud, sharp rocks, ditches, deep sand, and a big hill. Don’t come for several days after rain and leave if rain is forecasted. We saw a lot of wham I’m deeming “cautionary tale” mud tracks on the way in from vehicles who came when it was too wet and got stuck.
Reviews note that it’s busy on weekends with ATVs, but we had a really peaceful and beautiful mid-week stay. The sunsets are incredible, and there’s no shortage of Mars-like views in every direction.
Other Boondocking in California Spots
These are some other boondocking in California spots you might consider. I researched them for us, but didn’t end up using them (except O’Neill):
Corvina Beach Campground on the Salton Sea (be aware that the Salton is toxic)
Hot Springs near Mammoth Lake (there are a bunch of spots out there on iOverlander)
Casinos near Palm Springs like Spotlight 29 & Morongo
O’Neill Regional Park (dry camping near LA, the road in is very curvy!)
I hope this list has given you some amazing boondocking in California ideas! If you have any amazing spots in Northern California where we haven’t boondocked yet, please email them to kateophalen@gmail.com so I can share. And if you’re looking for boondocking gear recs, I’ve got a list of some of our favorite stuff.
For more about our fulltime RV life and RV adventures, check out these posts:
If you’re new here, we’re a fulltime travel family of five, and we recently had the absolute pleasure of spending a month in the Palm Springs area. So today I’m going to share some of our favorite things to do in Palm Springs with kids!
Truthfully, Palm Springs with kids hadn’t really been on my radar, and we only ended up there because we were hoping to meet a bunch of other fulltime RV families. Which we did! The Thousand Trails RV park in Palm Springs is a fulltime travel family hot spot in winter. Mission accomplished!
But we actually thoroughly enjoyed Palm Springs as a family destination in itself! There are so many things to do in Palm Springs with kids that we didn’t even finish our whole list after a month. If you’re planning a family road trip, I can’t recommend our Yoto players enough as a family travel lifesaver. Now let’s get to the Palm Springs ideas!
Things to do in Palm Springs: Cultural Experiences
Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Springs Art Museum is small, but mighty! It’s got a bunch of fun modern art and works by local artists. They even offer free admission on Thursday nights! Just be sure to register in advance.
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is a brand, new museum dedicated to the area’s original inhabitants. We always prioritize learning about the Indigenous people of the areas we visit, and this museum is really great opportunity to do so. It’s a small museum that will take just a couple of hours max. Keep an eye on the calendar for special events and family days.
Moorten Botanical Garden
The Moorten Botanical Garden is an adorable, family-run garden that costs just $5 to get in. The indoor cacti are particularly amazing, dubbed “the world’s first cactarium.” Go early in the day if you want cactarium pictures without other people in them.
Robolights
Robolights is an amazing outdoor art exhibit created by local homeowner Kenny Irwin. You can see the giant sculptures from outside the fence, or you can text Kenny in advance for an appointment to come inside. Be aware that Kenny expects a purchase or donation at the end of the tour. These sculptures are amazing, though!
Palm Springs Air Museum
The Palm Springs Air Museum is a fun stop for any kiddos who love things that go. Adult admission isn’t super cheap, but kids 12 and under are free!
Rent Bikes to Explore the Colorful Sights
Downtown Palm Springs is SO colorful and retro that just admiring the fun and funky colors is an outing in itself! Rent bikes (or bring your own) and jaunt around town checking out the street art, the famous Saguaro Palm Springs hotel, and the residents’ colorful doors. Here are a few brightly colored doors to mark on your list (be sure to be respectful and stay off of their lawns and walkways!):
2396 S Sierra Madre
2439 E Via Lazo
2455 E Via Lazo
2297 S Camino Real
1099 E Sierra Way
2344 S Yosemite
2063 Madrona Drive
1500 Lobo Way
1947 Cadiz Circle
To make it even more fun for the kids, consider printing out a rainbow scavenger hunt so the kids can check off door colors as you find them! My kids find any “adult” activity more fun if there’s a scavenger hunt involved.
Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids
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Things to do in Palm Springs: Hiking
Palm Canyon
Palm Springs has a surprising amount of gorgeous hiking nearby, and this hike was our favorite! The hike in Palm Canyon is as long or as short a hike as you want to make it, and it’s relatively flat once you walk down into the canyon. It’s on the Agua Caliente reservation so you do have to pay to enter, but I promise that it’s worth it!
Willis Palm Oasis
Willis Palm Oasis is right outside of Palm Springs and is a super easy hike in the Coachella Valley Preserve. If you’re looking for even easier and free-er than Palm Canyon, this hike is a good one. We did not complete the whole loop because we were with friends; we just walked to the second oasis and back.
Ladder Canyon
Ladder Canyon is about an hour from Palm Springs, but totally worth the drive! It’s by far the hardest hike on this list; my phone clocked us as walking almost 7 miles. There are also multiple tall ladders involved, so it’s not for toddlers unless you’re wearing them. The drive out is bumpy and we appreciated having 4 wheel drive for it, although we did see sedans parked at the trailhead. All that said, the slot canyons are amazing and super fun if you’re up for a challenge! As always with slot canyons, don’t go if it’s raining anywhere nearby. Flash floods are dangerous!
Ladder Canyon
Things to do in Palm Springs: Food Experiences
San Marcos Date Farm
San Marcos Date Farm is just outside Palm Desert and a super fun stop for families interested in where our food comes from. You can purchase local dates and take a guided tour of the farm for a nominal fee. City kids will especially love seeing the animals on the farm.
Canyon Creek Mushrooms
Canyon Creek Mushrooms is a less rural stop, but in the same vein of learning how food is grown! You can take a tour of the facility and then purchase fresh mushrooms to take with you.
Great Shakes
Great Shakes is right on the main drag in Palm Springs and has super fun milkshakes that kids of all ages will love! It’s a must-stop while in town with a family.
Cafe La Jefa
This adorable coffee shop is less for the kids and more for the grown-ups who need to refuel to take care of said kids. The adorable interior is super instagrammable, and the coffee is yum! Stop in for a coffee break here, you deserve it.
Palm Canyon
Things to do in Palm Springs: Day Trips
Joshua Tree National Park
If you’re headed to Palm Springs and you haven’t yet been to Joshua Tree National Park, it’s a must! You could spend days just in this park admiring the joshua trees (did you know they inspired Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax?) and climbing fun boulders. If you’re short on time, we recommend the following stops:
Rock climbing at Skull Rock
Walk the short Hidden Valley Nature Trail and hope to spot some wildlife
Check out Arch Rock and Heart Rock for fun photo opps
Stroll the magical Cholla Cactus Garden at sunset
Don’t forget to stop at a visitor’s center so you can get your kiddos their junior ranger badges!
Salvation Mountain
Salvation Mountain is a fun art installation about 90 minutes from Palm Springs that’s worth the drive if you like funky outdoor art. It’s a SoCal icon, and it makes for super bright and bold pictures.
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I hope this guide to things to do in Palm Springs with kids was helpful as you plan your trip! If you need ideas for how we keep our kids entertained and busy on long road trips, check out our roadschooling list. For more of our adventures, check out these posts:
We spent an amazing summer living in Alaska in our RV, and there’s a lot about an Alaska trip that is intimidating to first timers! I’m hoping this Alaska 101 post clears up some of the most common questions and concerns that we get about a trip there. Alaska is an absolutely AMAZING destination, and I’m always encouraging others to visit. If you’re planning an RV trip there, I wrote a whole e-book about RVing Alaska that I absolutely promise will save you planning time and money.
Let’s get into the Alaska 101 basics!
Alaska 101: How to Get There
First things first: how do you even get to Alaska? Most visitors arrive by plane to Anchorage or on a cruise ship. We learned that only 5% of visitors drive there like we did. And that’s because it’s a long, long drive. It took us 3 days to get from Calgary to the start of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek. Then it’s 1200 (long, slow) miles to the end of the Alcan from there! You basically only have two options for how to drive there: the Alcan or the Cassiar. The Alcan is more popular and has more services, the Cassiar is more remote and more direct from the West Coast. I expected the drive to be long, but I didn’t expect how absolutely magical it would be all in itself. Highly recommended if you have the time.
If you’ve flown in, you’re probably starting in a convenient central location in Anchorage (although we recommend staying nearby in Palmer!). If you’re cruising, you’re likely visiting only Southeast Alaska, which is gorgeous, but almost like it’s own experience separate from the rest of the state!
Alaska 101: How Long Does It Take to Get Around
Part of Alaska 101 is recognizing just how enormous Alaska is. Alaska is a big state. The biggest in the country in fact! It has its own time zone, and it is the size of a time zone, if that gives you any indication of how large it is. Most of the cities and towns are 3-5 hours of driving apart from each other, so you’ll want to plan out where you’re going carefully so you don’t spend your whole trip driving. If you’re only visiting Alaska for a week, for example, you probably won’t have time to do both the Kenai peninsula AND Valdez. But don’t worry — I’ve got you covered with some banging sample itineraries coming up! Keep on reading.
Alaska 101: Where to Go
There are so many amazing places in Alaska that even 4 months of living there wasn’t nearly enough to see everything. Have I mentioned that it’s a big place? If you’re short on time, though, you’re in luck! I’ve condensed my favorite experiences of an entire summer into one sample 7 day itinerary for first time visitors. I’ve also written about our favorite hikes in Alaska, and I highly recommend you check out Hatcher Pass at least once.
If you have longer in Alaska, I’ve written about exactly how I would spend more time in my RV Alaska travel guide. I’ve got a two week itinerary, one month itinerary, and whole summer itinerary that learns from our mistakes and our wins. And even if you’re not planning to RV Alaska, this guide is still packed with what to do in each city and how I’d spend my time in the state.
I really believe that this travel guide will save you hundreds of hours of research when planning your Alaska trip. I also know from talking to other RV friends that it has insider activities that many tourists miss!
If you’re looking for Alaska vacation ideas, you’ve come to the right place! This guide features 20+ pages of what we learned throughout a summer RVing Alaska with Kids.
Okay, this is a big topic, but for first time visitors I think the obvious answer is: when it’s warm. While there are amazing winter activities in Alaska, I think first timers are best served by a late spring to early fall trip. That means from June to September. For those interested in fishing and bear sightings, July and August will be peak. Keep in mind that the Aurora Borealis is quite visible starting in late August, if that’s on your bucket list. It was on ours!
Alaska 101: National Parks in Alaska
If you’re a National Park lover, Alaska is an amazing place to visit. Alaska boasts eight national parks, and they are all so different and amazing. The National Parks in Alaska are:
Denali National Park
Gates of the Arctic National Park*
Glacier Bay National Park
Katmai National Park*
Kenai Fjords National Park
Kobuk Valley National Park*
Lake Clark National Park*
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
I’ve asterisked (*) the Alaska national parks that require a plane ride to access. Visiting all of the parks is an expensive endeavor! Even just visiting the ones you can drive to is amazing, though. Kenai Fjords was my favorite.
Alaska 101: Bucket List Activities
A common Alaska 101 question is: what are the best things to do in Alaska? Everyone has different things that they’re interested in, but here are our favorites from our time there:
The most important thing to pack in our opinion is layers! It’s chillier than you expect in Alaska, even in the summer. We wore our fleeces and rain jackets all summer! We also think hiking boots and bear spray belong on any packing list. For more specifics about what to pack for an Alaska vacation, check out my Alaska packing list.
Alaska 101: Wildlife Safety
Speaking of bear spray, wildlife safety precautions are necessary in Alaska. If you do any amount of hiking in Alaska, you will encounter a bear at some point. We saw two on the trails that summer! The Alaska DF&G has a detailed post about bear safety that you should read, but the basics are:
Don’t feed or approach bears
Always make noise so you don’t surprise a bear
Never run from a bear, back away slowly as you talk to it
Have bear deterrents like bear spray
Alaska 101: Where to Camp
Whether you have an RV or a tent, Alaska has amazing camping opportunities. There are a bunch of wonderful RV parks around the state. I’ve shared my favorite one here. It’s also one of the best places we’ve ever been for boondocking. Here are our favorite Alaska boondocking locations. Don’t know what boondocking is or how to do it? I’ve got a guide for that, too!
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 this Alaska 101 post has given you some ideas and the confidence to plan your adventure in Alaska! If you need more help, check out my RV Alaska e-book or book a call with me for personalized planning support.
For more about our adventure in Alaska, check out these posts:
I’m excited to share our picks for the best rides at Legoland California today!
We’ve been traveling full time as a family of five for almost four years now! Amazingly though, this was our kids’ first theme park experience. They were 3/6/8 years old when we visited, and these ages were absolutely perfect for a trip to Legoland California. The big kids could ride everything, and there were only a few rides my toddler was too short for. Legoland does an amazing job of having really fun rides for the toddlers to do, too!
If you do need to skip a few big kid rides because of a tiny family member, be sure to take advantage of Legoland’s parent rider swap policy! The whole family can wait in line together, then one parent and the too-short kid wait at the end of the line. Once the other parent and big kids are done riding, the parents can switch! That way, there never has to be a parent stuck carrying bags and missing all the fun all day.
There’s so much to see and do at Legoland that there’s no way you could see it in one day. We opened and closed the park and probably only hit 2/3 of the available attractions. So if you’re interested in maximizing your time, I’ve got the best rides at Legoland California broken down by category. If you want more Legoland tips for your first visit, I’ve got a reel for that!
Best rides at Legoland California if your kids love coasters
There are three roller coasters at Legoland California, and they’re all really fun. The Technic Coaster is the most “intense” just because it has a drop. I’d recommend hitting as many of these as you can as close to park opening as possible. They definitely get busier as the day goes on.
Technic Coaster
The Dragon
Coastersaurus
Best rides at Legoland California for vehicle lovers
If your kiddo loves vehicles like mine, these rides will be your biggest hits. Driving School was my vehicle-loving kiddo’s favorite of the day. Even though Ferrari Build & Race isn’t technically a “ride,” I’ve included it here because it’s also super fun for vehicle lovers. You can build and scan a race car to race!
Driving School
Fun Town Police & Fire Academy
DUPLO Little Dino Trail
LEGO Ferrari Build & Race
Best rides at Legoland California for toddlers
Little kids are definitely included at Legoland, which I love. There are so many fun rides for the littles! These are the ones we loved the best, with Cargo Ace and Junior Driving School being the top favorites.
Cargo Ace
Junior Driving School
Pharaoh’s Revenge
Queen Whatevra’s Carousel
Sky Patrol
DUPLO Little Dino Trail
Best rides at Legoland California to cool off
These are the rides I’d pick for cooling off, either on a hot summer day or with a family that just needs a break. The water park is an obvious pick, but even outside of the water park are a couple of water play spots in Pirate Shores. You won’t get wet on the Deep Sea Adventure or Emmet’s Flying Adventure, but they are indoors and cool.
Splash Battle
Swabbies Deck
LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure
Emmet’s Flying Adventure
Legoland Water Park rides
Best rides at Legoland California for the grown ups
These are the rides that are relaxing for grownups or super fun. The first two are a chill break, and the second two are our picks for best grown-up fun. Enjoy!
LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure
Coast Cruise
Technic Coaster
LEGO NINJAGO The Ride
I hope this post with our family’s picks for the best rides at Legoland California is helpful to you as you’re planning your adventure!
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For more of our favorite travel destinations, check out these posts:
