Post includes ways to do these things at home, too! For months, I looked forward to a December trip to Dallas, Texas and the warm, sunny temperatures sure to greet me. As luck (bad luck is luck too) would have it, the Dallas area got walloped by a fierce ice storm that shut down the […]
Ice hiking the Ricketts Glen Falls Trail
Last summer, I saw the Ricketts Glen State Park waterfalls for the first time and absolutely fell in love! This 7.2 mile loop trail is the most beautiful waterfall trail I have ever seen. So, when the tourism board and Valley to Summit Guided Wilderness Adventures invited me to ice hike the Ricketts Glen Falls […]
Festival of Art: Spring break fun in Orange Beach
Every March, in Orange Beach, Alabama, the Festival of Art celebrates the arts, including visual and fine arts, crafts, glass art, pottery, painting, sculpting, textile art, wood art and more. The 2020 festival will be on March 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, at Orange Beach Waterfront Park. At the Festival of […]
Family Vacation Ideas with Teenagers: The Wharf at Orange Beach!
Spring break family vacation ideas with teenagers can be a challenge. Where can a family go to make everyone happy? You know, where do go so teens get time to sleep in, plenty to do, and lots of food options? How do you balance a teen’s need for independence with family time? When considering family […]
Spring Break with teens: 10 reasons to visit Alabama’s beaches!
When you consider where to go for spring break, especially spring break with teens, my top pick is Alabama’s beaches! Alabama sits on the Gulf of Mexico, offering calm waters, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets and wide, white sandy beaches that rival those of neighboring Florida. But, for this mom of teens, Alabama’s family friendly policies […]
Visiting the National Museum of the Marine Corps: A DC Must See!
Y’all, I finally got to visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps — something I have long wanted to do. The Marine Corps Museum, Quantico, Virginia sits right next to I-95, just south of Washington, D.C. If you’ve ever driven I-95 through the area, you’ve seen the building with its steel beam jutting out […]
Prince William Forest Park: Spies, FDR and so much more!
Prince William Park in Northern Virginia might be one of the best kept secrets in the Washington, DC area. I drive through that area often and had no idea the park is right there, just a stone’s throw from I-95 at Exit 152B. This happens to be the same exit you take for the National […]
Golfing: File under “Cool Skills to Learn”
Here I am at 53 years old, realizing that I’ve still got lots of cool skills to learn in life! Sure…. I’ve done some awesome things like indoor skydiving, snow tubing and overcoming a fear of heights by parasailing in Illinois! But, I wasn’t always adventurous. For a very long time, I kept my feet […]
Ultimate Girls’ Getaway: Why weekend cruises are perfect for BFFs
When life at home gets crazy, a girls’ getaway is the cure! And what’s better than a cruise, where all the planning, cooking and cleaning is done for you? My husband knows this and sent me on a fabulous girls’ getaway cruise with a dear friend. You know the kind of friend who you can […]
14 kid friendly hikes in the US for active families to explore
When looking for active family vacations, kid friendly hikes are a great option. Whether planning full-on hiking vacations or adding day hikes on kid friendly hiking trails, family hiking trips are a great way to get outdoors and be active. Even better, most family hiking trails are free or low cost, making hiking with kids […]