outdoor family

7 Great Things to Do in Carson Valley with Kids

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On our recent road trip up Highway 395, we extended our normal trip right out of California and on into Northern Nevada. This area north of the border and south of the state capital is known as Carson Valley. It’s tagline says it’s “Rugged, Relaxing and Reachable” which we found to be totally true. In addition to stunning snow-capped mountains and majestic horses roaming wild and free, there was an amazing array of restaurants serving up delicious, modern food that would hold its own in any big city in America.  

Read on for our favorite things to do in Carson Valley as well as the best places to eat during your visit.

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Kings Canyon Camping Advice You Need To Know

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Camping in Kings Canyon is one of the best ways to really experience the magic of the Giant Sequoia trees and the rushing rivers found deep within the park.  Kings Canyon National Park is truly one of the most underrated parks in the national park system, with visitors often just skimming the surface, rushing ahead to Yosemite to the north or Sequoia National Park to the south. However for those of you in the know, this is the place to beat the crowds and to experience towering trees, cold snow melt rivers and spy a few bears along the way too.

Below we share all you need to know for planning the best Kings Canyon camping experience- with information on the best sites, which campgrounds to choose and how to book it all.

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6 Epic Natural Hot Springs Near Mammoth

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Are you looking for the best natural hot springs near Mammoth? If so, come right on in!

If there is one thing that everyone in our family can agree on, it’s our love for hot pools of water! It can be a jacuzzi or a natural hot spring, just as long as it’s hot. On our recent road trip to the Mammoth Lake area, we decided to take some time to hop around to the different hot springs in the area. I knew of a few, but we found so many more – some of which we couldn’t even venture out to see due to the roads being a mess after winter.

I guess we will have to go back in the fall when the leaves are changing colors and the air is getting cooler to check those out. For now, here are some of the favorite hot springs in California near Mammoth mountain that we found.

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Best Resort for Beginner Skiing Near Los Angeles

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Are you looking for the best place to begin skiing near Los Angeles? If so, look no further than Mountain High. Located just an hour drive outside of Los Angeles, Mt High is the perfect beginner resort for adults and kids alike. While there are plenty of other ski resorts in California, and even many … Read more

Hiking with Kids: Tips to Keep Them Moving

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Hiking with Kids: Tips to Keep them movingBefore moving to Los Angeles, hiking wasn’t on our regular rotation of things to do. However, we quickly learned that it was *the* thing to do in LA. With limited funds and a desire to explore as much of this massive city as we could, hiking turned into a regular family outing. Being total novices, we made our share of mistakes, but over time we learned some tricks to keep the little legs moving without the moaning! At 4.5 years old, my son completed his first 5 mile hike. The last 1/2 mile had a bit of moaning, but it wasn’t just coming from him, so I can’t fault him too much! Read on for more on how we keep our little one going while hiking.

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7 Things to Know Before You Go to Alaska

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Are you planning a visit to Alaska? If yes, you must keep reading to find out all you need to know before you go to Alaska! While it is a dream trip for many, there is a lot to know about America’s last frontier! Even though we have all been exposed to Alaska from various TV shows, books and stories, there really is so much more to know about America’s 49th state that you don’t often see on TV.  After our recent visit, I put together a list of a few things we wished we had known more of in advance to help with planning our trip.

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England’s Outdoor Secret – Adventure Play Forests

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Adventure Play Forests - England's Outdoor SecretIt’s all over my Facebook feed these days about how children do not get enough outdoor time. One article even said “The average American child spends four to seven minutes a day playing outdoors and up to seven hours a day staring at a screen.” That seems totally crazy to me. But then I look around and realize so many of our friends rarely go outdoors, even in Southern California where we have beautiful weather year round. For many families, it is not a priority to go outside, or perhaps they don’t feel they have the time or are just not inspired by the options for outdoor play.

During our summer trip to England, we found the answer to this family dilemma with the Forest Department’s Adventure play trails located in forests across the country. During our visit, we were lucky enough to visit two of these play forests. I am obsessed and would love to find out how to get one in the US. It is exactly what children need – safe places to push their boundaries, explore and learn while using nature as their playscape.

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Where To Go in Nicaragua

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Where to go in NicaraguaNicaragua is high on my travel to do list (well what isn’t really?). When a friend took off with her husband and 20 month old son for a 2 week trip, I was captivated by their adventures! I loved following their journey on Facebook and Instagram, so I asked them to share their trip with us. Selfishly it’s partly so I will know exactly where to go when we finally make it down, but also I thought others might enjoy learning more about an up and coming family destination that is easily accessibly from Los Angeles. Thank you Misti for your contribution![hr]

Nicaragua is a geographically diverse country, filled with volcanoes, lakes, beaches, jungles, mountains, coffee plantations, islands, wildlife, cities, villages, markets, lovely people and endless options for a travel itinerary. Deciding where to visit was difficult and involved loads of pouring over our Lonely Planet and various sites on the internet. We chose four varied destinations, deciding to spend a few days in each; a colorful colonial city, a peaceful volcanic island in Lake Nicaragua, a tiny and secluded Caribbean island and a hip but relaxing surf village on the Pacific coast.

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