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:
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:
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:
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
We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.
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.
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.
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 think that Quebec City with kids is an AMAZING choice for North American families looking for European charm on a budget! We visited Quebec City at the tail end of an amazing summer RVing through Maritime Canada. I’m so glad we added it to the itinerary! It’s one of our favorite destinations, even after almost four years of full time travel.
We only had a handful of work-free days to play in QC, but I feel like we packed in SO much culture and sightseeing. I feel like Americans miss out on this totally underrated (and nearby!) destination. So I’m excited to share what we did and hopefully convince you to visit Quebec City with kids someday 😉
If you’re looking for recommendations for travel with kids gear, I have an Amazon list with some of our faves. And I can’t recommend our Yoto players enough for screen-free entertainment on travel days.
Now let’s talk about Quebec City!
Quebec City with Kids: Old Quebec
Walk Old Quebec
The old city charm that everyone comes to Quebec for is in Old Quebec. You obviously can’t miss simply strolling around! There’s delicious food, cute shops, and photo opps with adorable cobblestone streets galore. Some spots you might want to bookmark that are especially cute are Place Royale, Rue des Pains Benits, Rue du Petit Champlain, Rue du Cul-de-Sac, and the Old City Center Swing. You could walk most of it in a (very long) day, but I’d recommend leaving at least two so you can wander and take your time seeing everything. Mix it up with some of the other sights in this post!
Funiculaire Ride
This is a must with kids in my opinion. It’s only a few dollars a person to ride this cool elevator type thing from the lower old city up to by the Fairmont. It saves a lot of stairs, and my kids thought it was super fun. It only takes like 60 seconds and we waited just 5 minutes for the next one, so an easy commitment, too.
Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac
The Fairmont hotel is the gorgeous castle dominating the city skyline from the water. You can’t miss it. It’s worth admiring up close, especially with the pretty summer gardens outside. There’s an afternoon tea if your kids are the type to be into that, but book it way in advance!
Fountains at Quebec City Hall
There’s a fountain show at the city hall (just past the Fairmont) that was a surprise hit. We sat and ate lunch there, and my kids played in the fountains with some other local kids for a loooong time. It was the perfect midday stop on a sunny day with kids.
Quebec City with Kids: Museums
Museum of Civilization
This museum is conveniently located in Old Quebec, and they have fascinating rotating exhibits. We learned about Pompeii and bugs. My kids’ favorite was a special exhibit about poop. Because of course.
Aquarium of Quebec
This is a sweet little aquarium that we really enjoyed. The jellyfish room and the multi-story fish tank were particular favorites. It’s a drive from the center of town, but worth it if you have a car!
Musee National des Beaux-Arts
This art museum is definitely geared towards adults, and my kids were the only ones there the day we went. BUT they had a fun little kid program run by a docent where we got to carve foam shapes to do printmaking. They also have fascinating rotating exhibits and a permanent section of Inuit art that we loved upstairs.
Site Traditionnel Huron
We always like to prioritize learning about Indigenous peoples as we travel. This immersive site is a very cool look at the traditional lifeways of the people Indigenous to the area before the French and English arrived. Highly recommend!
And if you love taking your kids to museums and are looking for insider knowledge on which North American museums are amazing and kids-friendly, we’ve got you! Click to download our totally free list of favorite museums here:
Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids
We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.
Quebec City with Kids: Miscellaneous
Cafe Felins Chats-Nous
Quebec City has its own cat cafe, and knowing how much our kids loved the one in Brooklyn meant we had to try this one. They offer drinks and light food, and you get to visit with an array of adorable kitties while you’re there. I will say that this place was not overtly kid friendly, and I would only bring chill kids here. Still worth it for us, but I’m guessing they won’t tolerate kids being rowdy in here.
Ferry to Levis
The ferry across the river to Levis is way cheap and the best bang for your buck in the city! It’s a commuter ferry, so it’s affordable, but the views are outrageous. On a beautiful day at sunset, you can’t beat it.
Benjo Toy Store
If you love adorable toy stores, you can’t miss Benjo. The displays are so fun, and they have a wide selection of all the super fun toys. Don’t go in here if you’re not wanting to spend money haha.
Eat Some Crepes
You can’t visit Quebec City without eating crepes, and you don’t want to miss the ones at Le Billig. It was one of my kids’ favorite parts of the trip! Make a reservation.
Chocolats Favoris
If chocolate dipped ice cream cones sound delicious, you should definitely make time for a stop at Chocolats Favoris. There are several in the city, and the chocolate is so.good. We went twice, and I still dream about it!
Plains of Abraham Park
This is an enormous and beautiful park near the art museum where local families stroll and play. Definitely check it out if you’re in the area!
I hope this post was helpful as you plan our trip to Quebec City with kids! Let me know if you visit 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 of our favorite family destinations, check out these posts:
We just spent a couple of weeks in Tucson, Arizona, and we love it there. It’s actually our second time visiting this artistic desert city, so we’re full of ideas for things to do in Tucson with kids! As a full time travel family, it’s rare that we re-visit cities, so you know this one has to be fun.
If you happen to be traveling in an RV and are looking for a place to stay, here are our favorite Arizona boondocking spots. And if you’re planning an Arizona road trip, you might want to check out Sedona with kids, too!
Things to do in Tucson with Kids: Hiking
We loved Valley View Overlook trail in Saguaro National Park enough to visit it in both 2021 and 2024!
Saguaro National Park
If you’re into being outdoors in any way, it would be a crime to miss visiting Saguaro National Park. We’ve visited twice now, and I would happily go back again and again. Even if you’ve seen saguaro elsewhere, the sheer density of them in the park is pretty amazing. If you can, check out a ranger talk for some context about these magnificent cacti. I really enjoyed the one we attended because it gave me several different ways of observing what’s going on with the saguaro we see.
If you’re short on time, the Western part of the park is where it’s at. Our favorite hikes with kids include the Desert Discovery Nature trail, which is really just a short walk, but has gorgeous desert plants. And my absolute favorite is the Valley View Overlook trail, which is breathtaking at sunset and just before. Don’t miss the Signal Hill petroglyphs if you’re into those and doing the Junior Ranger program at the Visitors Center.
Sabino Canyon Hikes
Sabino Canyon has several options for gorgeous hikes, depending on how hard you want to hike. The parking areas fill up on weekends, so look into the shuttle service if you’re going at peak times. There’s a great Visitor Center here that you should check out if you have time!
Things to do in Tucson with Kids: Museums
Pima Air & Space Museum
Pima Air & Space Museum
The Pima Air & Space Museum is an absolute must if you have plane lovers in the family (maybe even if you don’t!). It’s the largest air and space museum I’ve ever been to, including around 300 planes on display. My plane lover was enthralled, and I even found some of the unique planes (like a vintage Air Force One) interesting. Because most of it is outside, it’s really little kid friendly.
Biosphere 2
Biosphere 2 is absolutely fascinating because it houses multiple biomes you can visit. Actual scientific research into the impact of climate change on these biomes is ongoing there, so you know they’re incredibly authentic. Visitors will be amazed at being immersed in these varied places. This museum isn’t cheap, but it is very cool.
Ignite Sign Art Museum
I absolutely love neon signs, and my kids think the bright colors are fun, too! This small museum is perfect for short attention spans and pretty pictures. Plus, they offer neon bending demonstrations on select days, which is an extra cool perk!
Flandrau Science Center
This science museum is small, but mighty! And we got in for free with our ASTC reciprocal membership, so definitely use that if you have it. There are some fun and interactive exhibits designed by ASU grad students, plus a tiny tide pool touch tank and an IMAX theater. If you’re only visiting one museum, I might not choose this one. But it’s a great activity for inclement weather days!
Children’s Museum Tucson
The Tucson children’s museum is an adorable and hands-on way to spend a cold (or super hot!) day. It’s interactive and fun for toddlers through elementary school, plus they often have free events so check their calendar! It can get crowded on weekend days, so perhaps best for a weekday if possible.
If you love museums with your kids, you might want to check out our list of U.S. favorites right here:
Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids
We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.
Things to do in Tucson with Kids: Downtown & Nearby
Historic Pima County courthouse
El Presidio Plaza & Visitor’s Center
El Presidio Plaza is absolutely gorgeous and worth a stroll. There was even live music while we were there! Plus, our kids loved splashing their hands in the fountain. The historic courthouse building houses the city’s delightful visitor center. There is an interactive map of the area and several large displays about the city’s history and culture. The visitor center is definitely worth a short stop!
Downtown Street Art (Goddess of Agave)
Tucson has a surprising amount of street art downtown, and it’s worth a wander. There are a few beautiful pieces near El Presidio Plaza, but our favorites were the Goddess of Agave (North 7th avenue) and the pieces near it.
Ride the Streetcar
If you have kiddos who love riding trains or even just tired legs, consider a ride on the Tucson streetcar. The Sun Link streetcar is currently free, and riding is a great way to get an overview of downtown. Maybe you’ll even catch some street art from the windows!
A Splash Pad
It’s not surprising that a city this hot would specialize in splash pads to cool off, but these splash pads are amazing! Tucson has dozens of splash pads, but some family favorites are Heritage River Park and Brandi Fenton.
San Xavier del Bac Mission
The San Xavier del Bac Mission is a gorgeous church with beautiful grounds on the Tohono O’odham reservation. It’s free to enter and walk around, and it’s absolutely beautiful. Bonus: try some fry bread being sold in the parking lot! If you’re looking for how to talk to your kids about Indigenous people, you might be interested in this post.
Reid Park Zoo
Reid Park Zoo is a small zoo, with a ticket price that’s just right! Adult tickets are only $10.50, which is a fabulous admission price for a zoo. We didn’t visit this zoo ourselves, but I can’t possibly write about things to do in Tucson with kids and ignore the fact that there’s a perfectly kid-sized zoo there.
Tucson Botanical Gardens
If you or your kids love beautiful desert plants, this is the place for you! It’s large enough to be fascinating, but small enough to be accessible for families with small children.
Things to do in Tucson with Kids: Day Trips
Kitt Peak Observatory Tour
Kitt Peak Observatory Tour
This was a surprisingly cool detour for us! It’s about an hour from where we were staying, but totally worth the drive. Not only was it free with our ASTC membership, but the tour of the telescope was really fascinating. The views from Kitt Peak were worth the trip, too! Be aware that toddlers might find it dull, but the adults sure didn’t! Our big kids were into it, too.
Mount Lemmon
Driving up to the top of Mount Lemmon takes some time, but the views are worth it! There are lots of hiking opportunities, but there are plenty of views straight from the overlooks. And snow-loving kiddos will be excited to play in the snow at the top in the winter! There’s also skiing for the winter sports inclined. Check out these web cams for snow updates.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is another desert preserve where you can appreciate the beauty of the Sonoran desert. Lots of hiking opportunities exist there, or you can just enjoy the cacti from a scenic drive.
Nogales, Mexico
For families looking to day trip south of the border, Nogales, Mexico is an easy option for those with passports. Stroll the market and experience Restaurant Bar La Roca before heading home for the night. The easiest way to visit (paperwork wise!) is to park your car here and walk across the border.
I hope this post has been helpful in discovering things to do in Tucson with kids! If you’re taking a road trip with kids, I HIGHLY recommend a Yoto player for the journey. And if you’re wanting your kids to journal about your trip, consider this instant download from our store:
If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…
It’s Black History Month 2024, and learning about Black History is an important aspect of our homeschooling studies. One of my favorite things to write and share about is how we integrate our full time travel life with ideas about justice and helping to co-create a better future for everyone. I have several Black History Month ideas I’d love to share for allies who love to travel, families who are educating non-Black children (either homeschooled or supplementing a school education!), or anyone seeking to learn and expand their own ideas about equity.
Please note that I am not Black, I’m not an “expert,” and I will always defer to the Black community for how the non-Black community should observe Black History Month and what Black History Month resources are appropriate for us to use. I have spent about a decade (not long enough!) on my intentional anti-racist journey, and my hope in writing this is to share what I’ve learned and how I integrate it with those who are newer on their journeys and eager to learn.
Black History Month Ideas for Traveling Allies:
Shop Black Owned Businesses
One way we strive to “vote with our dollars” is by supporting Black-owned businesses as we travel (also note: we capitalize the word Black! Here’s why if you’re curious). There are some ways we look to find these businesses in new places, an easy one is to simply google something like “Black owned restaurants in Phoenix,” for example. Here are some other strategies I use:
Use Yelp to search for “Black owned” and look for the app’s badge that notes where businesses have self-reported as being Black owned
Try an app like Blapp that lists only Black owned businesses in the area
Follow travel influencers and news outlets and save Black owned businesses to try later (they’re often especially recommended during Black History Month!)
When presented with similar options for things like Airbnbs or RV parks, choose to spend money at the one with a Black entrepreneur at the heart
Ultimately, it may take a few more minutes to investigate what the options are for a Black owned business in the area you live in or are traveling to (and it’s more complicated because of…you guessed it…systemic racism!). But it’s absolutely the right thing to do to put in the extra effort to support these businesses as a non-Black family, and I think committing to supporting more Black owned businesses is one of my most important Black History Month ideas. Also, it’s no sacrifice because these businesses are totally rad. I mean, just check out these birthday cupcakes I got in North Carolina:
Black-owned bakery cupcakes in North Carolina
Take a Black History Themed Trip
I honestly don’t see enough non-Black families doing this in my opinion. We did a long weekend civil rights trip to Montgomery, Alabama with my homeschooling bestie, and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience. I plan to write about that trip in more detail soon, but in the meantime, here are some Black History trips I’d recommend:
Selma, Montgomery, and Tuskegee, Alabama
Nashville, Tennessee
Topeka, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri
Washington D.C.
Harlem, New York
The Civil Rights Trail website has more ideas for locations to visit and even some suggested itineraries by state that are highly worth checking out! I wonder if more families don’t take trips like this because it seems boring or a “downer.” I’m here to tell you that you can be reverent, engaged, and respectful, and your family can still really enjoy themselves on a trip like this:
Civil rights trip to Montgomery
Experiencing the places where landmark civil rights struggles took place was at times serious and heartbreaking, but it was also so moving and profound that I would recommend it to any family who approaches it with a thoughtful heart. As someone who probably loves who travel (since you’re on my blog!), I hope a Black History trip gets added to your Black History Month ideas list.
Visit a Black History Museum on Other Trips
Perhaps a Black History trip isn’t in the cards this year (although you’ve saved it for next year!). The good news is that there are incredible hands-on Black History Month ideas for learning basically anywhere. A quick google search for the museums in your area might turn up some surprising local results. And if there aren’t any “Black History” specific museums, consider searching for “famous Black people from [your state]” and visiting their historical homes or places honoring their lives and contributions.
We had a fantastic time learning about legendary athlete Jesse Owens in his Alabama hometown. It was a quick day trip from where we were staying in Huntsville to renovate our RV. Any vacation or road trip you already have planned is an excellent opportunity to investigate and prioritize a stop to learn some new-to-you Black history. Either in your destination or as a quick stop along the way, taking the time will be a worthwhile endeavor, especially this month. I challenge you to find some Black History Month ideas in person near you in February!
Jesse Owens’ childhood home
Follow Black Travel Influencers on Social Media
The algorithm intentionally shows you people who are just like you, and that includes racially (ugh!). It takes intentionality to have a multicultural Instagram feed, but I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. If you love to follow travel influencers, consider replacing some of your lesser faves with some amazing Black travel influencers instead. Some of my faves are The Mom Trotter, Black Adventure Mom, The Traveling Child, Black Adventure Crew, and Mr Crim (who’s not strictly a “travel” influencer, but I found him because he taught me about St. Louis before we visited!).
Mitigate the Impact of Your Travel on Black Communities
This one is heavy and difficult, and there are no simple answers. But let’s take a deep breath and walk through it together for a moment. Just as we consider the impact we have on natural resources as we travel, we should be considering the impact our travel has on Black communities, as well. There are so many ways we can talk about this, but a few of the main ones that come to mind are gentrification, police violence, and climate impact.
Gentrification, where a neighborhood’s current residents are displaced by wealthier (and likely whiter) residents, is a real problem in Black neighborhoods. Airbnb and other short term rentals definitely exacerbated the problem, as well. That’s one of the many reasons why I sought to rent from Black owned Airbnbs when we used them, because at least the wealth was staying within the community more frequently that way. There’s no simple answer to the question “how do we stop gentrification?” but it’s a problem we should be aware of and talk about within the traveling community to avoid contributing more than we have to.
The other big elephant in the room when it comes to white folks traveling in historically Black neighborhoods is police violence. Nice white people (I’m including myself here!) were raised to think of police officers as community helpers and to call 911 in any emergency. And while I’m not saying to *never* call the police, I am advocating for white folks to be extremely, extremely careful about calling the police in any instance where non-white folks are present. Having lived in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, I can say that calling the police is a serious decision that many white people take way too lightly.
Finally, one of the most shocking statistics I read recently is that, because of the legacy of racist redlining, Black communities on average tend to be a full degree hotter than white communities. As we consider how to reduce our climate impact as travelers, we should keep in mind that the communities that suffer the most from climate change will not be the white ones. This section is definitely not the easiest on the Black History Month ideas list, but I feel it’s important enough to be worth saying in this post.
Black History Month Ideas for All Families
Listen, Watch & Read Black History Resources with Your Kids
Whether your children are homeschooled or not, it’s almost certain that their curriculum could use more Black History. Here are some Black History Month ideas to watch, listen to, and read.
John Lewis is a family hero after watching Good Trouble
Here are some resources we’ve loved watching together:
Good Trouble documentary about the Civil Rights Movement and John Lewis (**We watched together and paused about 20 minutes in for a brief discussion of the N word**)
There are just too many amazing books for me to list, but I’ve started a Black History Month ideas book list here with some of our favorites. Don’t forget to check out your local library for book recs, too! And I highly recommend following Stories of Color on Instagram for amazing kid book recommendations all year long.
Black History Month Ideas for Anyone
Pay Community Level Reparations
What are reparations? The NAACP calls for “a race-centered economic empowerment package for African Americans that builds generational wealth and accounts for not only slavery but the decades upon decades of economic pillaging.” So basically, money to pay back hundreds of years of stolen labor and subsequent racism that Black Americans have endured and which continue to set Black families behind.
So far, the political will isn’t there for nationwide reparations, but as individuals, we can do our own part. Consider a Black-led organization in your community to donate to or fundraise for this month. And remember that this isn’t charity, it’s owed.
A somber moment in Selma
Remember That Every Month is Black History Month.
Implement these ideas all year long, whether it’s February or not. Much like our family prioritizes learning Indigenous People’s history and culture whether it’s November or not, we also prioritize learning about the historical and current Black community all year, as well. We hope you do, too.
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 and learn thoughtfully, check out these posts:
So far, we’ve been to over half of the country’s 63 national parks! So I wanted to share our thoughts on the best national parks for kids. But you know who knows more about the best national parks for kids than one full time travel family? Multiple full time travel families. No one knows more than a group of families who collectively have decades and decades of full time travel under their belts.
So today we’re sharing picks for the best national parks for kids from some of our favorite full time travel families! We’re so grateful to these families for sharing their wisdom with us today!
Before we get to the national parks we’re highlighting today — for those of you planning a bucket list adventure with your families, might I suggest checking out our travel journal worksheets for kids? It’ll give kids a place to record their favorite memories, what they learned, and to reflect on what is so different and interesting about the places you visit:
If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…
Let’s jump in to the best national parks for kids now, shall we? There are some amazing gems, some excellent insider tips, and some gorgeous photos as a bonus!
Best National Parks for Kids: Glacier National Park
Julia of Roaming Nomads (@roaming.nomads) chose Glacier National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Our favorite National Park with kids is hands-down Glacier. We’ve been there at least 6 times now, with babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers, and the last time with pre-teens and every single time it’s a visit we all keep talking about. It’s accessible enough to enjoy while breastfeeding or managing toddler naps, but interesting enough to keep the older kids engaged and fascinated.
Our favorite memories are: • Swimming in and paddle boarding on Lake McDonald (don’t forget your watercraft launch permit!). It’s cold but worth it! • Watching a Grizzly Mom try to manage her three cubs at the side of the road (my most relatable animal interaction to date) on the East side of the park • Biking up the Going to the Sun Road when it was open still closed for cars in the spring. They open it up just for bikes for two or three weeks each year, depending on how fast their plowing is going. It was absolutely peaceful once you were past the day hikers, and great with the kids because we didn’t have to watch out for cars. • Eating Bear Claws in Polebridge in a surprise snow storm. Polebridge is always worth the detour, both for the scenery and the bakery. • Spontaneously deciding on a car camping trip out to Bowman Lake. It’s a long dirt road to get there, which means less people, more animals to watch and a peaceful sunrise on the lake.
And some tips on making the best out of your visit: Stock up before you go, because there’s not a lot of food to be found. Especially fresh stuff and especially if you’re headed to the east side of the park. If you’re driving up and down the Going to the Sun Road, get up early (to avoid the crowds and see the sunrise, and maybe even don’t require a vehicle permit), and going West to East is easier to drive. And don’t forget that your 4th-grader gets a free parks pass, even the homeschooled ones.”
Best National Parks for Kids: Yellowstone National Park
Ali Enerson of A Family Adventures (@a.family.adventures) chose Yellowstone National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Yellowstone National Park was high on our bucket list when we set out to RV full-time. Our goal is to make memories and spend more time with our kids while we’re traveling, so knowing there was this colorful, unique, smelly, other-worldly place not all that terribly far from where we lived in Wisconsin brought it toward the top. It’s a massive park, which can in some ways make it not super young kid friendly but we tackled it head on with a 8, 5 and 3 year old.
We were able to break it up into 5 days, our car was loaded with sticker puzzle books, car games, notebooks & pencils, mess free coloring pages, lunches and extra snacks in case the bison jam lasted hours. We looked at the map, broke the park into sections & prioritized. Then we chose the key features we wanted to visit in that section, knowing full well it’s impossible to see it all. We had a goal to hit our top 2-3 things for the day & considered anything else a bonus.
Some of our favorite things were the abundant wildlife viewing, making lunch along the river and just playing and relaxing away from crowded spots, our boondocking site, the boiling mud pots and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. We think even if you only had 1 day in Yellowstone, it would be worth it! Don’t discount the popular and busy parks, they’re usually busy for a reason and with a little pre-planning and preparation it can work for your family!”
Best National Parks for Kids: Olympic National Park
Ryane Smith of Roaming with the Smiths (@roamingwiththesmiths) chose Olympic National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Our favorite national park for kids is Olympic National Park! Nestled in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, this park offers a captivating blend of diverse ecosystems that make it an ideal playground for kids. The highlights for our little explorers were the abundance of banana slugs and hidden creatures in the tide pools! The park’s combination of lush rainforests, towering mountains, and breathtaking coastline offer very unique terrains with a wide variety of species all in one place! Olympic National Park isn’t just a place; it’s a natural classroom, a playground, a wonderland, a place where kids roam, learn, play, and develop a deep connection with the incredible diversity of the environment around them!
‘In Olympic National Park, nature unfolds its grand story, and each tree, mountain, and tide pool narrates a chapter of wonder.’”
Best National Parks for Kids: Joshua Tree National Park
Heather Metcalf of The Wandering Herd chose Joshua Tree National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Joshua Tree National Park provides plenty of opportunities for a memorable experience when traveling with kids! Two favorite activities we did were: the mesmerizing sunrise at Cholla Cactus Gardens, and the enchanting Hidden Valley Trail. Consider starting your day off venturing to Cholla Cactus Gardens for a breathtaking sunrise show. The soft glow of the rising sun illuminates the desert landscape, casting a warm glow over the sea of cholla cacti. It’s a serene and awe-inspiring moment that will create lasting memories against the backdrop of this otherworldly desert environment. The Hidden Valley Trail offers a short, 1 mile flat, family-friendly loop hike. It allows kids to explore the landscape, climb boulders, and discover the unique Joshua Trees. Together, these offer a perfect blend of adventure and natural beauty for families to enjoy in a half day excursion to this must-see national park, just in time for an afternoon nap!”
Best National Parks for Kids: Acadia National Park
Jamie Schumacher of Letters From the Road Podcast chose Acadia National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Our family loved Acadia for its accessibility, variety of activities, and stunning views. While you can drive up Cadillac Mountain with reservations and a small-enough vehicle, we found the hike up the South Ridge Trail to be a beautiful use of a day. It’s about 7 miles round trip and easy enough for little hikers if you take plenty of snack breaks. We also enjoyed the Jordan Pond House for popovers and bike rides on the carriage trails. We stayed at Narrows Too with our Thousand Trails camping pass and enjoyed that we could use the bus system to get into the park and Bar Harbor. As an added bonus, Acadia is a more dog-friendly park, with dogs allowed on many of the hiking trails. This is one we can’t wait to get back to.”
Best National Parks for Kids: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Mel Lahrs of Lahrs With Latitude (@lahrs.with.latitude) chose Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks stand out as one of our families top memories while traveling to the National Parks. These two parks are practically one as they are connected and you should definitely see both when you visit.
The parks are renowned for their towering sequoia trees, including the iconic General Sherman Tree, the largest living tree on Earth, providing children with a sense of awe and amazement as they marvel at these ancient giants.
One of my best memories is of our kids running through the downed trees on the trails in Grant Grove and identifying pine cones to find out that the smaller ones actually come from the largest trees. We were also very surprised by the beautiful Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. To learn more details about our adventures and plan your own trip, head to our blog here.”
Best National Parks for Kids: White Sands National Park
Leanna Kreifels of Simply Scenic (@simply.scenic) chose White Sands National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“White Sands National Park is an absolute gem when it comes to family-friendly destinations. One of the highlights of our visit was watching our kids sled down the pristine white sand dunes, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Additionally, our daughter Kaylee participated in the Junior Ranger program as she does at every National Park we visit. This program not only sparked her curiosity but also taught our entire family about the unique ecosystem and history of the area. The park offers a variety of trails to explore, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the stunning landscapes and endless hills of sand. It truly is a place of unmatched beauty, making White Sands National Park an ideal destination for families seeking adventure and educational experiences all in one.”
Best National Parks for Kids: Saguaro National Park
Aimée Gading of Going with the Gadings (@goingwiththegadings) chose Saguaro National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“As lovers of trees & lush forests, we weren’t sure what to expect when visiting the desert (kids and giant sharp plants with venomous/poisonous creatures don’t seem like they’d mix, right?) but we quickly fell in love with Saguaro National Park and the varied plants and animals that call it home. There are a few shorter trails we frequented with kids aged 3 and 6, such as the Valley View Overlook Trail & Desert Discovery Nature Trail, both in the Tucson Mountain District, and loved the evening ranger-led hike we did in the Rincon Mountain District.
We felt confident and safe in our knowledge of what to do should certain situations arise with wild life in the area after reviewing information on the NPS website & speaking to rangers. There is a majestic quality to the saguaro cacti we didn’t quite understand until basking in their presence & watching their shadows dance across the land as the sun set against the explosion of color that is a desert sunset. While Saguaro National Park is still in Tucson, a considerably large city, you’d be mistaken to think you can’t find quiet, one-on-one time to make priceless family memories there.”
Best National Parks for Kids: Capitol Reef National Park
Clarie Hamm of Rollin with the Handleys (@_rollinwiththehandleys) chose Capitol Reef National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Capitol Reef National Park was a park that wasn’t on our radar on “must visit NP’s” but once there, it quickly became one of our favorites! We were there in October and the park seemed empty. The weather was perfect, the trees were a gorgeous yellow color and there was still fruit on the trees. We had Mule Deer walk right up to us for a snack while we were picking pears and it was the highlight of our trip. Capitol Reef is known to be a desert oasis with the Fremont River running directly through it. If you follow the river in the park, you can pretty much always find a secluded spot away from everyone for the kids to play. We explored for the day and ended up at the river each afternoon for lunch and water time. “
Best National Parks for Kids: Kenai Fjords National Park
I couldn’t leave this post without a little input from the O’Phalen family, right? My pick for one of the best national parks for kids is Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. I found Kenai Fjords to be much more exciting than Denali National Park. This is a bit of a controversial opinion, but one I stand by. If you’re planning a trip to Alaska, don’t miss our post with everything I’ve written about our RV trip to Alaska.
Besides an adorable visitor center in downtown Seward, Alaska, Kenai Fjords National Park has two main offerings: glacier hiking and water adventures. You can find more information about the glacier hiking in our post about the best hikes in Alaska with kids. But the climb to the Harding Icefields was one of my favorite (if challenging!) days in Alaska. Teens and adults might love an ice climbing tour that looks difficult and magical. The photo above is from a kayaking tour I took to Bear Glacier Lagoon that was also absolutely breathtaking. Younger kids may be more wowed by a wildlife boat tour out in the ocean, where sea lions, otters, puffins, whales, and more are readily available to marvel at. I’m not sure how you beat a park that has glacier hikes, ice climbing, glacial lagoons, and abundant sea life.
Thank you SO much to all of our full time travel family friends who contributed to this post! Your wisdom and generosity is so much appreciated.
For more about how we travel with kids, check out these posts:
We’ve been to 49 states and love a good museum. We’ve been to dozens of museums as a family! Some of those are museums that are geared towards adults and some that are specifially targeted towards kids and families. Today I’m sharing what I think are the best museums for kids in the United States (plus a few bonus museums abroad!). If you’re planning a family NYC trip, check out my post with the best NYC museums for kids.
What makes the best museums for kids?
Okay, so first off — what do I think makes a museum qualify as “the best”? We’ve taken our kids to so many different types of museums: some have been extremely high brow, while some are kitschy or silly. Some are so big you could never finish them in one day, while some you can read every display and only take two hours. Some are very well-known, while some are tiny holes in the wall.
Here’s what I think all of the best have in common:
If not targeted towards kids and families, at the very least accepting of our presence
Interactive and engaging, not just signs to read
Interesting for the adults as well
Affordable for a family to visit (or a bucket list experience)
Extra points given for experiences that are totally unique and can’t be found anywhere else
Tips for enjoying museums for kids
I truly believe that a museum experience can be fun for the whole family at most museums. That said, we’ve got a few tips for making the most of a museum experience with kids:
Choose museums that have something that will appeal to your particular kids
Pre-game any museum subjects that will get your kids more excited by watching documentaries, reading books, listening to podcasts, etc. (check our our kid podcasts post!)
Go at whatever time of day your kids are at their best selves
Bring snacks, water, and appropriate clothing so everyone is set up for success
Hit the highlights first so you’re not disappointed if your visit is cut short by cranky kids
Be prepared to bail if the kids aren’t up for a long day, and consider any time spent at the museum a great success
Check the museum schedule when you arrive for special events
Look for homeschool or reciprocal discounts on museum admission
Avoid visiting during school holidays if your time is flexible
Chat with your kids before entering about museum behavior expectations, especially for adult-centric museums
I’m of the mind that kids and families deserve to be in public spaces, and that includes museums. It’s okay if your kids aren’t “perfectly” quiet, and it’s okay if it takes practice for everyone to enjoy a museum day together. I think it’s worth it for all of the things you’ll learn and experience together!
So without further ado, here’s the promised list of our favorite museums for kids!
Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids
We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.
If you do take a trip to a new museum or place, consider downloading our travel journal for kids so they can write about it!
If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…
We’ve been roadschooling for almost four years now, and it has been the most beautiful experience for our family. I know we’ve built learning foundations that will last our children’s whole lives! With all of the questions that I get about homeschooling on the road, I thought it was time for a Roadschooling 101 post!
I’ll share what we’ve learned about roadschooling, how the legalities of roadschooling work, why roadschooling is so wonderful for our family, and all of the roadschooling resources I can! Let’s dig in.
What Is Roadschooling?
So first things first in roadschooling 101: what even is roadschooling? Well, it looks different for every family. But the fundamental idea is just learning while traveling. For some families, this might mean having kids in public school and taking advantage of road trips for hands-on learning throughout the year. For other families, it looks like following a set of very structured homeschooling curriculum while traveling around the country and supplementing with museum visits, etc.
For our family, it means that we really focus our learning around what we’re seeing and experiencing as we travel. We do use some limited curriculum throughout the year, but our primary learning is hands-on, tailored to the places we’re visiting, and experiential. I’ll share some more examples of what I mean by that further down.
Is Roadschooling Legal?
Yes!*
Roadschooling legality is extremely similar to regular homeschooling legality. In general, roadschooling families will follow the laws of whatever state they are domiciled in.
Traveling families have more flexibility in choosing their domicile state. That means that homeschooling laws will probably be a big part of which state you choose to domicile in. To check your home state’s homeschooling laws, here here for this great map from the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HLDSA). Pay attention to state laws with requirements that will force you to travel back to your domicile state, like annual testing.
Where roadschooling legality gets a little gray is when you stay in another state for 30 days or more during the school year. The HLDSA recommends following the homeschool laws of any state where you do so. That isn’t a challenge for states with no legal notice required, but can be complicated for highly regulated states. One way many traveling families avoid this is by simply not staying in any one (highly regulated homeschool) state for 30 days.
*I am not a lawyer and am not qualified to give legal advice, but if you need some the HLDSA is!
Why Is Roadschooling Amazing?
Now that we’ve gotten the paperwork part out of the way, we can talk about why roadschooling is such an amazing way to learn.
Roadschooling gives an absolutely unparalleled opportunity for grownups and kids alike to experience hands-on, unforgettable learning. There’s such a big difference between reading about the lifecycle of a sockeye salmon and spending the summer in Alaska watching other wildlife feast on a salmon buffet, catching your own silver salmon to fry and eat, and observing how different the river seems after the salmon have spawned and died. There’s a huge difference between memorizing that Wilbur and Orville Wright were the first in flight and standing on the hill with a replica of their design and walking the physical distances of their four first successful flights.
Roadschooling in Kitty Hawk, NC
There is absolutely no shame in book learning and we recognize the privilege involved in being able to learn this way. But we also believe that there’s no substitute for the depth of your learning and the way it will be retained.
What Does Your Roadschooling Look Like?
Okay, so you’re loving this roadschooling idea, but you want to know what it actually looks like for a family who’s doing it. I’m happy to share!
First, I’d love to offer up the state worksheet / travel journal for roadschooling kids that I designed. I created this worksheet because my roadschooling kids aren’t that interested in the state flags or state flowers of places as we travel. Honestly, are adults even interested in that stuff? We spent all summer in Alaska and didn’t even see a forget-me-not. But our kids do remember all of the fireweed that we saw and how we turned it into fireweed syrup for their pancakes. That’s the kind of stuff I want them journaling about, so I created this resource for other families who feel the same:
If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…
That worksheet is a great example of how we roadschool because it takes actual experiences we have and uses them to do things like practice writing!
We are a secular family and we definitely lean towards unschooling in our homeschool, which means that we aren’t strict about a curriculum. BUT we do use a select few curricula (especially for things like math). Here are a few of our favorites:
The Good & The Beautiful math (I’m not linking them here because their company values do not align with my own. I only use their free downloads that I have printed through The Homeschool Printing Company)
Curiosity Chronicles for world history (they are consistently recommended as the most inclusive, least euro-centric history program)
We also do a lot of interest and project-based learning. Here are a few examples of what that’s looked like:
Wrote, printed, and bound a book of original poems
Studied mythology and created different types of art based on the stories we learned (and visited the Parthenon in Nashville that’s in the main pic for this post!)
Created a business plan and sold handcrafted comic books
Made art outside inspired by the places that we camp
Experimented with science projects and Home Depot building kits
Learned about music history and listened to musicians from each era
Maintain a “WonderWall” in our house with questions the kids want to research as we have time (I learned about this idea from my friend Fran)
Read books set in real locations and then visited those places (Anne of Green Gables in PEI, for example!)
Project-based learning is one of my favorite ways to teach and my kids’ favorite way to learn. Roadschooling makes it so easy and fun to think of and execute interesting and creative learning ideas.
One of the ways that roadschooling differs from a vacation is that we prioritize learning in the stops and experiences that we choose. Here are some of the regular ways we learn as we travel:
National Park and State Park Junior Ranger programs
Books on YouTube (when we can’t access physical library books, we look up read alouds on Youtube!)
How Do I Start Roadschooling?
If you’re already homeschooling, then roadschooling won’t be much of a change! The best part about being a roadschooling family is that coming up with interesting and unique things to learn about is an absolute breeze as you travel. The trickiest part is that regular activities and lessons involve more research to find. But it’s not impossible!
If you’re new to homeschooling in general, my first recommendation would be to start with what’s called deschooling. Deschooling is just a fancy way of saying “take some time off from schoolwork and learn about how homeschooling isn’t about re-creating public school at home.” Things that can be a surprise to new homeschoolers as they deschool include:
Schoolwork takes way less time than it does in public school, so you don’t need to spend all day sitting down to “do school”
Kids who have been public schooled may struggle with entertaining themselves all day, but they’ll get so creative with practice
Parents have grown up with really rigid ideas about what constitutes “learning” and may need to teach themselves to see learning happening in other ways
Kids tend to retain things they care about and not what’s “on grade level”
And a whole lot of other things 😉
My other advice is to find your community of roadschooling parents who are past the roadschooling 101 stage for guidance and inspiration. Join some Facebook groups (I LOVE this Secular and Decolonized group). Follow some other parents (find me on Instagram where I’m always sharing roadschooling ideas!).
Ultimately, I think the most important thing you can do is whatever you need to do to reassure yourself this this way of learning is enough. Because you’re the one who needs to feel confident!
And come find me on Instagram so I can cheer you on <3
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.
To learn more about who we are, head here. For more posts about how we homeschool our kids, try these posts:
Sedona doesn’t normally top the list of family destinations, but there are so many things to do in Sedona with kids! Our family of five has been full-time traveling for over three years now, and Arizona is a place we keep coming back to. It has such diverse and amazing landscapes, and the weather from Fall to Spring is pretty lovely, too.
This was our first time in Sedona, though, and we enjoyed our time here a lot. The obvious downside to Sedona is that it’s crowded because everyone else enjoys it, too! But the worst of the crowds can be avoided or mitigated with some planning and utilizing off-peak hours. Plus, although I wasn’t a big fan of the shuttle system to some of the hikes (mostly because they don’t run often enough IMO), our middle child loved the shuttle ride more than the hikes. So if you have a bus-loving kid, there’s that!
Let’s talk about all of the wonderful things to do in Sedona with kids though!
Things to do in Sedona with Kids: Hiking
Most visitors to Sedona are probably here to experience the absolutely epic hiking. I’ve shared some hikes here that range from “not really hiking” to “moderately challenging even for our experienced hiking family.” If you’re new to hiking as a family, check out my 10 best tips for hiking with kids to get started!
Raven Caves
Raven Caves is a perfect very short hike for families that want to do some cave exploring. The caves are so amazing for kids to climb in and around, and they’re so close to where you park. It’s also way less crowded than the more popular Sedona hikes. Just be sure to hold onto little ones’ hands! And bring a headlamp.
Airport Mesa Vortex
You can hike a moderately challenging loop around Airport Mesa, or you can just watch the sun set at Airport Mesa Vortex. For the vortex, park at the lot on Airport Road and walk a few minutes to a perfect sunset view. Get there early because the lot is small and it’s a popular sunset spot.
Bell Rock
Bell Rock is another relatively short and easy hike that’s perfect for children and grandparents alike! The views are gorgeous, and the hike is less than a mile long. Do this one early or later in the day because the sun is relentless here.
Subway Cave
Now we’re on to the more challenging hikes! Subway Cave was probably the hardest hike we did for two reasons. One, it was just long at over six miles. Two, the scramble into the cave was the trickiest we’ve done so far as a family. We made it, though! Definitely wear toddlers. The view in the cave is unbelievable, but you’ll want to hold kiddo hands tightly. The cave is reached via Boynton Canyon Trail; use the map so you don’t miss the Cave Spur (turnoff)! Parking is challenging here, but there’s more parking on Boynton Pass Road. Your America the Beautiful Pass on your dashboard counts as paying for parking!
Devil’s Bridge
Devil’s Bridge
The Devil’s Bridge hike is one of the easier “iconic” Sedona hikes in my opinion. It’s 4 miles round-trip, and you can shave off half that with a 4×4 vehicle that you’re brave enough to drive on Dry Creek Road to the trailhead. We saw people doing it in older SUVs and trucks, but we also saw someone rip their truck’s step off. I wouldn’t take our F350, but I would definitely drive it in a rented Jeep! We just hiked to the official trailhead from Dry Creek Vista Parking, which is very small. There is more parking on Boynton Pass Road, or you can take the free shuttle. Just pay attention to when that last shuttle arrives!
Soldier Pass
Soldier Pass is another iconic Sedona hike (and the main picture for this post is from there!), and it’s one of the shorter ones. The round-trip hike to the cave is under 4 miles. You can also hike just 15 minutes to the stunning Seven Sacred Pools if you’re not up for a longer hike. This hike was probably the most scenic we did on the actual hike itself and not just the end destination. The parking lot is tiny, and it’s completely closed Thursday-Sunday when you have to take the shuttle.
Cathedral Rock
Cathedral Rock is one of the most famous Sedona hikes, and one of the more challenging vertical climbs on this list. It’s a short 1.5 mile hike, but it gains more than 700 feet of elevation and involves lots of scrambling. We turned around about 2/3 of the way through because I wasn’t comfortable with the kids, but it’s doable for the adventurous family with kids 7+! And the views are amazing. This parking lot is also tiny, and it’s completely closed Thursday-Sunday when you have to take the shuttle.
West Fork of Oak Creek
Oak Creek is just north of Sedona, and it’s different from the rest of these hikes for a few reasons. One, it’s not a “red rocks” hike, but the canyon is still pretty. Two, it would be a great hike for really hot days because it’s shaded and you follow the creek to splash in. And three, you can do less than the whole hike and still find enjoyable views. Similar to the other hikes though, the parking lot is busy. Go early because it only opens to allow new cars in a few times a day once it’s full. Parking is $12. I’ll be candid and say that this was by far not my favorite hike we did, but I did include it here because I think it’s a good option for hot days.
Things to do in Sedona with Kids: Sightseeing & Exploring
For those who don’t want to or can’t hike, there are still beautiful options for things to do in Sedona with kids. Here are some of my suggestions!
Chapel of the Holy Cross
The Chapel of the Holy Cross at sunset is not to be missed, in my opinion. We are not a religious family, but the sunlight streaming through these glass windows and the architecture of the building are both breathtaking. Respectful reverence is appropriate when entering, as with most places of worship. But it’s otherwise totally kid-friendly to walk in and sit for a few minutes. My kids enjoyed taking turns standing in the place where it appears the Jesus statue is looking at you.
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Jeep Tour
If hiking is too challenging or not your family’s thing, there are many Jeep tours in the area that can get you out to similar red rocks views. We didn’t take any to recommend, but the Pink Jeep Tours looked fun!
Grasshopper Point Swimming Hole
There are a few places around Sedona with fun swimming holes for hot days, and Grasshopper Point is one of the most accessible. A short walk takes you to a fun swimming hole, where you’ll probably want water shoes if you have them! This is also the perfect place for a picnic. $12 for parking.
Sedona’s Rainbow Trout Farm
The Rainbow Trout Farm is a fun excursion for kids who’d love to catch a fish! You pay by the fish you catch (and $1.50 per person to fish). You can grill them yourselves, or you can take them home. There is no catch and release.
Tlaquepaque Stroll Arts & Shopping Village
This is a charming upscale arts and shopping area that might be fun for families to walk around. They have really unique stores, art galleries, and outdoor sculptures, and the Spanish-inspired architecture is gorgeous. There are also really special outdoor events for things like Dia de los Muertos and a December lantern walk. Check for events during your visit!
Watch sunset from Javelina Cantina or Molé Sedona
These two Mexican restaurants are casual enough for families and boast incredible red rocks sunset views. Enjoy the view after a busy day and get some delicious food to go with it.
Oak Creek Native Goods Stalls
On your way back from the Oak Creek hike, stop in this parking lot and browse authentic Native arts and crafts for sale. My kids were enamored by the beautiful beadwork and immediately wanted hair clips and bracelets.
Oak Creek
Sedona Public Library
You know we love a library when we travel (have you read my library cards for non-residents post yet?). I’ve included the library on this list because it would be a great option to cool off or stay out of a stormy day!
Harkins Theatres Movie Theatre
There is a small movie theatre in Sedona that would also be a great option for inclement weather days. Or if your legs are too tired from all that hiking!
Things to do in Sedona with Kids: State Parks & National Monuments
Slide Rock State Park
Slide Rock State Park should top the list of things to do in Sedona with kids if 1. It’s warm enough to be in chilly water and 2. Your kids are big enough to swim. You can absolutely visit with smaller kids, but the rock water slides are the best part. Wear water shoes for traction, and be prepared for it to be busy in the summer. $20 for a car to enter.
Red Rock State Park
Red Rock State Park is one of the most beautiful state parks ever. There is a small visitor center, cool guided ranger programs, and lots of family-friendly trails with stunning red rocks views. Entrance fees are $7/adult, $4 for 7-13, and free for 6 and under.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Montezuma Castle is a neat national monument site in Camp Verde, not too far from Sedona. Check out the massive cave dwellings of the Sinagua People and an educational visitor center with a Junior Ranger program. $10/person or free with an America the Beautiful Pass.
Tuzigoot National Monument
Tuzigoot National Monument is another Sinagua pueblo dwelling in Cottonwood, and it makes for a quick, uncrowded stop. Really interesting museum with the indigenous history of the area, and a pretty view of Jerome in the mountains. $10/person 16+ or free with an America the Beautiful Pass.
Palatki Heritage Site
Palatki Heritage Site is another cliff dwelling that also features petroglyphs. You will need a reservation to visit, and it’s down a rough 6 mile dirt road. But it is stunning! Tours are free.
Camping on the road to Palatki
Things to do in Sedona with Kids: Day Trips
If you want to stay in Sedona on your Sedona trip, I wouldn’t blame you. But since we stayed in the area for months, I feel it would be irresponsible of me not to mention the other fun family activities around here! Here are some things to do within 90 minutes of Sedona if you’ve exhausted all of the things to do in Sedona with kids.
Jerome
Jerome is such an adorable little ex-mining town in the mountains. You can visit Jerome State Historic Park, stroll the artsy downtown, and take in the breathtaking views. For more Jerome ideas, check out my friend Mel’s post on one day in Jerome.
Verde Canyon Railroad
For your train lovers, the Verde Canyon Railroad in Cottonwood is not cheap, but it is a fun (and scenic!) excursion. Some say it’s more scenic than the Grand Canyon railroad, and there is a December holiday train.
The Science Vortex
The small but fun Science Vortex is an affordable outing for families who love science or need an indoor break. It’s only open on Thursdays and the weekend, but if you can catch it, it’s a blast. Family admission is only $15, or free with an ASTC reciprocal membership.
Out of Africa Wildlife Park
The Out of Africa Wildlife Park is not a cheap experience, but may be worth it for animal lovers. It’s a walking or driving safari style zoo in Camp Verde that also features a zip line for older kids and adults. Tickets start at $28.
Flagstaff Snow Park
If you’re visiting in winter months, Flagstaff Snow Park looks like a blast. Tubing starts at $25 a person for a half day.
Meteor Crater
Meteor Crater
This amazing Meteor Crater is northeast of Sedona, and it really is an impressive natural wonder. Tickets are $27 for teens and adults, $18 for kids, free for 5 and under.
I hope this post helps you plan by giving you lots of ideas for things to do in Sedona with kids! If you visit, let me know in the comments 🙂
For more about how we travel with kids, check out these posts:
We may be a nomadic family now, but we launched from Brooklyn! We lived in New York City for over ten years. So who better to share a list of best museums for kids NYC?
There’s a common misconception that NYC isn’t a great destination for families, but I think that couldn’t be further from the truth. True, there are certain transportation and crowd logistics to overcome. But it’s so worth it for the vast array of cultural experiences NYC has to offer!
This list encompasses my absolute favorite museums in New York City that I think are great choices for families. Some are children-oriented, but most are just amazing choices for anyone that happen to be interactive and kid-friendly. Those are the museums that are always my favorite anywhere — welcoming to children, but still fascinating for adults!
If you’re taking a vacation to NYC, consider printing out this kid travel journal to fill out as a record of your trip!
If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…
The American Museum of Natural History is world-famous for a reason: it is amazing. It’s also massive! There are dinosaur bones, a planetarium and butterfly garden, rare gems, all the animals your heart could desire, and even an entire blue whale sculpture hanging from the ceiling. This museum is the quintessential big-city museum for animal lovers (like most kids!). Bonus points for watching A Night at the Museum before your visit to get the family extra excited.
Admission starts at $28 for adults, $16 for kids (suggested admission for Tri-State area residents!). Advanced ticket reservations required. This museum is right off Central Park, which makes it perfect for before or after a park picnic.
Museum of the Moving Image
The Museum of the Moving Image is one of those museums that I would recommend to almost anyone visiting NYC. It’s the only museum in the country dedicated to the art, science, and technology of movies. They have Star Wars memorabilia and a hands-on Jim Henson exhibit, plus a bunch of programming for families. There are exhibits like a booth where you can practice recording your own voiceover. It’s a super fun place! Plus, tickets are more affordable than some of the more famous museums.
Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for children. If you head to Astoria for this museum, get some Greek food in the neighborhood while you’re there!
New York Transit Museum
New York Transit Museum
The New York Transit Museum is the *ultimate* destination for kids who love things that go! The basement of this museum is a decommissioned subway station filled with vintage subway train cars. You can walk through all of them and observe how subway technology and comfort evolved. It is fascinating! There are also interactive kid-friendly exhibits upstairs like a nearly life-sized play bus. This museum is a can’t-miss if you have a train loving kid (or grownup!) in your group.
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children. FREE if you have a museum membership with ASTC reciprocity! This would be a great museum to combine with a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Of all of the many children’s museums in NYC, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is the best in my opinion. The Manhattan one is fun, but always absolutely packed. In Brooklyn, there are some small animals to observe, a giant bus to play on, a grocery store to pretend shop in, and rotating exhibits upstairs. My kids’ favorite part was always the water play section, though, where we have spent so SO many happy hours. Bonus is that parking is easy right outside this museum if you’re driving in.
Admission is $15 a person, free hours on Thursday afternoons. Consider adding on time in Prospect Park or at the Prospect Park Zoo to your day here.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Tenement Museum
The Tenement Museum is another super unique-to-NYC experience. It offers guided tours through historic tenement buildings to illustrate the history of immigrants in NYC. It’s a really interesting experience with paid actors leading the way. I would take mid-elementary kids and up, only because standing still and quiet might be challenging for the younger kids.
Admission is $30 per person. If you make it downtown to this museum, I highly recommend adding on time in Little Italy or Chinatown. Wo Hop is our favorite Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood.
The Morgan Library & Museum
The Morgan Library & Museum varies in its exhibits widely, but I’ve included it on the best museums for kids NYC list mostly because of the library. It took my breath away the first time I saw it because it truly resembles the library from Beauty & the Beast. If you have book lovers or Belle wannabes in your family, this museum is worth a stop. It’s also so conveniently situated near other outings you’ve probably planned in Midtown, unless the other museums on this list.
Admission is $22 for adults, free for 12 and under. This museum is right near the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, and 5th Avenue shopping you might already be planning.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is another one of those iconic NYC museums. It’s massive (you could never see it all in one visit or ten!), so there really is something for everyone. Some of the special exhibits are absolutely mind-blowing if you love art. Our kids always especially enjoyed the Egyptian rooms, where you can walk inside a whole temple. To help get your kids even more excited about visiting The Met, read The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The kids in that story live in the museum for a week!
Admission is $30, free for under 12 (suggested admission for Tri-State residents!). Afternoon tea at Alice’s Tea Cup would be the perfect combination with a visit to The Met.
The Cloisters
The Cloisters is an homage to all things medieval. Medieval art set in a building incorporating medieval architecture. Plus gorgeous gardens! What kid wouldn’t want to explore a castle and then stretch legs outside in a beautiful garden? This museum is a fun excursion way uptown where it’s a more relaxed vibe for anyone feeling overwhelmed by urban life.
Admission is $30, free for under 12 (suggested admission for Tri-State residents!). Explore Fort Tryon Park afterwards or hop across the river into the Bronx to tour Yankee stadium.
Queens County Farm Museum
The Queens County Farm Museum is a working farm that has been producing food for New Yorkers for over 300 years. There are livestock, seasonal events like hay rides, and an interactive children’s farm. This is the perfect outing for anyone looking to connect with local agriculture within the city limits.
Admission is free, except on certain ticketed days. Out of towners might consider combining a trip here with the New York Hall of Science or a delicious meal in Queens’ Koreatown.
New York Hall of Science
The New York Hall of Science is a fun and interactive science center for all ages. It’s packed full of hands-on exhibits that range from complex science to toddler play. My kids always adored the interactive bubble exhibit. This is the perfect way to end a trip through the best museums for kids NYC.
Admission starts at $22 for adults, $19 for children. FREE if you have a museum membership with ASTC or ACM reciprocity! Out of towners might consider combining a trip here with the Queens County Farm Museum or a delicious meal in Queens’ Koreatown.
Bookmark this post with the best museums for kids NYC from someone who lived there with kids for a long time! I hope it helps you as you plan your NYC visit. And let me know if you have any questions in the comments. If you’re interested in museums in other places, check out our best museums for kids list!
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.
