Posts Tagged ‘outdoors’

One highlight of my family’s vacation in California over Christmas last year was our day trip to Joshua Tree National Park. I honestly didn’t know much about the national park (less than an hour’s drive from Palm Springs), except that the desert locale is a popular place for hard-core rock climbers to scale the otherworldly rock piles that were formed more than 100 million years ago. On our visit, we figured at the least we’d drive through the national park, admire the funky shaped trees (so named because their limbs mimic Biblical Joshua raising his hands in prayer), and get some semblance of exercise along a kid-friendly hiking trail.

But when the incredibly amiable and knowledgeable rangers at the West Entrance Station recommended a three-mile trail hike and assured us our 7- and 9-year-old kids could handle it, we knew we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to journey deeper into the park. Indeed, we found the “moderately strenuous” 49 Palms Oasis hiking trail perfect for our entire family — including spry, 66-year-old Grammie. Inclines weren’t too steep; there were plenty of cacti to look at along the way; and the reward half-way through the out-and-back trail: several stands of picturesque fan palms amid pools of water and stacked rocks.

Yes, the return trip back to the parking lot featured a little more whining than we heard on the way in (namely from my 7-year-old), but frankly, we were pleased he made it without too much complaining on the three-mile round-trip hike that took us an 70 minutes on the way in and 60 minutes on the way out. We tried to break up the journey by letting the kids (and their fearless dad) climb to the top of huge boulders. My daughter took the time to fill out her Junior Ranger booklet, answering questions about the flora and fauna she saw along the way. (She’s collected six Junior Ranger badges at national parks we’ve visited in recent years; I highly recommend this educational activity — fun for kids and adults.)

The 49 Palms Oasis is a great, kid-friendly hike for semi-athletic families who are accustomed to exploring the outdoors. It’s not a flat-path nature walk, so if you’re not used to hiking and you want to sample this particular trail, I suggest you do some incline walking at home before you make your way to the pretty palm oasis in this national park.

We barely scratched the surface of 800,000-acre Joshua Tree National Park on our short visit to the area. We look forward to returning to sample more family-friendly hiking trails or perhaps overnighting at one of its popular campgrounds. Here are just a few snapshots from our happy day at Joshua Tree:

My studious daughter working on her Junior Ranger booklet.

My goofy son mugging for the camera.

The kids (and Dad) liked scrambling up rock piles.

Cool cactus.

Fan palms at the oasis.

Kauai is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands, and in many senses the wildest. Of the islands most popular with tourists, it’s the least developed – and while Maui and Oahu appeal to those with high-end shopping travel desires, there really are no upscale chain shops (like Coach or Tiffany’s) on this westernmost of the well-traveled Hawaiian islands. What Kauai has, though, is lush old rainforests, stunning canyon hikes, and coastal cliffs to boggle the mind. For the family that likes some adventure in their travels, Kauai is the Hawaiian vacation island of choice.

Last year my family and I hiked in Waimea Canyon during our vacation in Hawaii, and were treated to views second only to the Grand Canyon. This year, we had the Wailua River in mind. Now, Wailua Falls is a very popular end point for many people seeking a nice vacation photo, likely because it’s very easy to get to; we saw this 80-foot waterfall along with a bunch of other tourists who basically got out of their cars and crossed the street. Some adventure! If adventure travel is the name of the game in Kauai, we could do better than that.

There are several kayak outfitters that operate on the Wailua River, some stopping at the Fern Grotto, others going all the way up to where the tributaries become too impenetrable. Wailua Kayak Adventures described its kayak and hike along the Wailua River to the Secret Falls as a pleasurable 5-hour easy adventure…Sounds pretty good. But guess what? That 2-mile kayak trip up Wailua River was against the current, and with one adult/one kid in our kayaks, it ended up being more effort (for the adults) than we’d expected. Following this leg of the journey, our guide led us on a hike up, up, up muddy paths along the river. He discussed some of the native plants and some species considered invasive: These latter had been brought over by Polynesian settlers in the 1400’s as food plants. He showed us a couple of ruins, mossy and overgrown, from the royal Alli’i circa 1450. And all along, there was mud, mud, mud. My kids LOVED the muddiness of this hike, and we all enjoyed the cold, cleansing water of a couple of river crossings,

Then, finally there it was, the Secret Falls — exhilarating! We all cheered. This waterfall is so hard to get to, that there were no piles of photo-taking tourists: You know, the type that jump out of their cars, snap a few photos, then drive off to the next vantage point (or Starbucks). Instead, we and other hearty travelers jumped, hooting and hollering, into the waterfall’s pool to clean off. We splashed around and ducked under the waterfall; at 120 feet, it dwarfs the more easily accessible Wailua Falls. It was a wonderful, rewarding experience.

The other hikers happily chatted on the way back down the muddy hike – yes, a few ended up slipping, but it’s a soft landing – and kayaked back together.  While the Secret Falls is not literally a secret, it takes around 2 1/2 hours of active work to get there.  That level of difficulty makes it feel like a truly special experience for a Hawaii vacation. It’s some adventure! We got what we were looking for, and more.

For travelers who want to explore two off-the-beaten-path sites in the Yucatan Peninsula, far from the development in high-rise Cancun, I highly recommend a tour to visit Ek Balam, a small Maya archaeological site that opened to the public in 2002, and Ria Lagartos, a biosphere reserve that is home to the largest natural habitat of pink flamingos in North America — and perhaps a crocodile or two.

During a press trip to Club Med Yucatan Cancun earlier this month, I had the privilege of spending time at both of these sites on a day-long (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.!) tour offered by Club Med’s on-site excursion company, Ancila Tours. This company’s trips are exclusive to Club Med Yucatan guests, so unless you’re staying at this all-inclusive resort, you can’t take the particular multi-site excursion I describe below. However, other local tour operators do offer the combination — a quick Google search turned up a couple. And you can also inquire about trips to these eco-cultural sites resort hotel’s activity desk once you’re in Cancun. If you have a rental car you can naturally seek these spots out on your own, as well.

View of Ek Balam buildings from the top of the largest structure, the Acropolis.

Ek Balam Archaeological Site

From Club Med Cancun, it’s a two-hour drive to Ek Balam, which is 30 miles north of the city of Valladolid in the state of Yucatan. Ek Balam, which means “black jaguar” in the Maya language, is northeast of Chichen-Itza and northwest of Coba (see this map of Yucatan Peninsula Maya sites for reference). Archaeologists believe a Maya community here thrived between 700 and 900 A.D.

The most important structures are in a walled enclosure about a kilometer square. Renovation of the buildings has taken place since 1997, and experts have literally uncovered the temples, archways, platforms and sculptures after low-lying jungle had engulfed them for hundreds of years. Some of the structures are still buried; with foliage covering them, you might walk by a giant “hill” and not even know what’s underneath. Archaeologists have also identified two now-grassy plazas and roads leading to the site.

You've got to climb these steep steps for the stellar views from the top of the Acropolis at Ek Balam.

What’s incredibly cool about Ek Balam is that you can climb some of the ancient structures (unlike Chichen-Itza and Tulum where it’s “look with your eyes” only). A highlight is the imposing Acropolis, nearly 100 feet tall, with steep steps leading to the top (not for the vertigo-challenged). Most striking to me was the incredibly detailed carvings found in the Acropolis that are now uncovered and protected from the elements with a thatched roof. One sculpture is of a giant open mouth of a scary, monster-like creature. There are also angels, animals and various designs that are in excellent condition. Walking to the top of the Acropolis, where a small temple once stood, affords stellar views of the surrounding, undeveloped countryside and the other buildings on the entire site.

Our tour guide, Anja, was super  knowledgeable about the history and culture of the Maya people who lived here and elsewhere in the Yucatan Peninsula. While there are a few informative signs about  the temples and the carved tablets on the grounds, I highly recommend you visit Ek Balam with a tour guide, who can bring the site to life with descriptions of what life was like for the Mayas 1400 years ago. Entrance to Ek Balam is 31 pesos (at time of writing about $2.50 USD).

Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

After Ek Balam we motored for 30 minutes to the bustling town of Tizimin. We relaxed in a second-floor restaurant, with a wrap-around balcony affording views of the town square, and we refueled with pastries, bread, coffee and fruit. Then it was another 45 minutes or so by van to Ria Largartos Biosphere Reserve on the Gulf of Mexico, where we boarded a 6-seater boats (with minimal shade cover) to explore the vine-covered mangroves and murky channels teeming with wildlife.

Within a couple minutes our boat guide pulled in close to some vegetation so we could get a close-up view of a perched pelican. After that, we spotted different types of heron along the way to where the flamingos typically hang out. Of course, when we boated too close to the pink birds, they took off in flight. Still, it was pretty neat to see the flamingos in their natural habitat.

Next up, nature’s “Maya spa.” We anchored near a lagoon dense with salt. Here, we buoyantly bobbed in the water as if it were the Dead Sea. After just a couple of minutes of allowing all the good minerals into our skin, we hopped out of the salty lagoon to the fresh(er) water we were boating in. Our boat guide dug his hand deep into the grey, squishy clay — and promptly started rubbing it on the journalist closest too him. Indeed, the Mayas used the clay as sunscreen and as a skin protectant.

Our fearless Ancila Tours guide Anja, covered in mud and holding a horseshoe crab on the boat.

The good sports we are, we kept the clay smeared on our bodies (and faces — some more covered than others) for the boat ride to the town of Rio Lagartos. Along the way is where our boat guide spotted a crocodile; to the chagrin of some of my boatmates, he motored as close as possible to it. Nearing town, we rinsed off in clean water, and then further got the clay out of nooks and crannies (sort of) via an outdoor shower. Indeed, my skin felt soft and smooth to the touch — and did even more so after taking a proper shower back at our resort!

Our tour ended with a set-menu lunch at Isla Contoy, right on the boat docks. Appetizers included sting ray flautas and stewed shark — yep, the marine life I’d just swum with in Belize! My entree of fish grilled in plenty of garlic, plus rice and beans and a cold glass of white wine, filled my belly up so well after our day’s adventures — but I couldn’t resist a small dish of coconut ice cream! I’d recommend this eatery to anyone passing through the area on their own; it’s owned by the same family that runs boat tours in the reserve, so it’s a great place to get the inside scoop.

This tour from Club Med costs $130 per person, with a continental brunch, filling lunch (with alcohol) and plenty of cold water included; all ages are welcome, but I’d recommend it for children over six.  I very much appreciated the opportunity to see some parts of  the Yucatan that are untouched by Cancun commercialism. Most tourists take the combo tour of the Xel-Ha “ecological-styled” man-made attraction and Tulum, with it ancient Maya fortifications perched right on an oceanside cliff. I think these sites are absolutely worth a visit — if you’re a first timer to the Yucatan and you don’t mind crowds. But if you’re looking for an experience that’s slightly more authentic and where you won’t find many tourists, make the trips to Ek Balam and Ria Lagartos.

Pelicans about to take flight in Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

I love it when my travel-blogging friends write my posts for me. In this instance, it’s Christine Gilbert of Almost Fearless, whom I need to thank. Or more specifically, her talented husband Drew, who created this nifty video montage of our blogging group in Belize earlier this month. Here’s the kicker: Christine is six months pregnant and couldn’t do the fun zipline tour at Jungle Paw Resort. Her husband creatively edited together provided footage (thanks, Kate!) just cuz he’s a nice guy.

The video shows us sailing through lush foliage, rapelling from a tree platform and making goofy faces (okay, maybe it was just me with the silly face). Plus, for your viewing pleasure, scenes from parasailing above Ambergris Caye. And a few shots of the van ride along a pothole-dotted Belizean “highway.” Almost makes it feel like you were right there with us, right? (Fine, not really. I’m just trying to make you feel like you were a part of this amazing trip.)

Enjoy the show!

Hiking at Colorado National Monument.

For this Colorado family, summer vacation is just around the corner, and we intend to spend as much as possible of it outside — whether that’s camping with our pop-up, taking local hikes, swimming, kayaking or biking in our beloved Colorado mountains. Even though Colorado is repeatedly named one of the healthiest in the nation, I know that many parents in the state may not have the resources or time to introduce their kids to outdoor adventures.

That’s why I’m thrilled to help spread the word about National Get Outdoors Day taking place in Denver, at City Park, on Saturday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A coalition of public land management agencies, outdoor recreation and education groups have banded together to provide a ton of free activities and hands-on education to visiting families and local residents on this one day.

Kids will have the chance to actually ski (in the summer!), fish, canoe, rock climb and mountain bike — all for free — during this event. Then there’s a low-ropes obstacle course, Jr. Ranger camp, 5k or 10k walk, plus Native American dancing and geocaching. While the U.S. Forest Service and the American Recreation Coalition are co-sponsors the event, more than 80 entities — such as Vail Resorts, REI, Girl Scouts of Colorado and Leave No Trace — are involved in pulling this great day together.

If you’re in Denver with your family on June 13, I hope you’ll check it out! Otherwise, there will be more than 50 events happening simultaneously throughout the country, from Alabama to Wyoming — see if there’s one near you at the official National Get Outdoors Day site.

Outdoor activities abound in the wilderness surrounding Santa Fe, New Mexico. Rather than “do it yourselves” and book experiences, such as fly fishing, whitewater rafting and horseback riding, through a number of different outfitters, I suggest you have Santa Fe Mountain Adventures make all the arrangements for you.

This “adventure concierge” typically books various vacation experiences for families over a number of days. Mornings are typically reserved for outdoor excursions, such as the signature “Mountain Treasure Hunt,” a guided hike and geo-caching, where families use GPS devices to search for hidden shoeboxes (see photo) filled with trinkets for the kids. My family did this last year, and we are still talking about it!

Afternoon activities usually have an arts or cultural bent, such as cooking classes and historical walking tours. Then there’s family yoga, guided llama treks and nighttime star gazing with an expert astronomer. We chose to paint pottery together, and brought home two hand-painted wine glasses, a jet bank and a star jewelry box.

All the transportation, gratuities, snacks and guides are included in a day’s program with Santa Fe Mountain Adventures (plus nice perks like water bottles and a subscription to Outside). A one-day enrollment in the program with two activities is $135 per adult; $115 per child age 6 to 12. But rates decrease the more activity days you book. And if you’re staying at a downtown partner hotel — La Posada or the Inn and Spa at Loretto — you get preferential pricing as well.

This is why I do not plan outdoor parties for my daughter’s early May birthday. Here’s the view from my front porch this morning:

Spring weather in the Colorado Rockies is absolutely unpredictable — and nearly unforecastable. (Is that a word?) The Weather Channel is calling for 2 to 4 inches of snow today; FoxNews says some parts of Colorado might get 8 to 16!

My poor daffodils — after being munched on by the local deer population, the overnight snow has just done them in:

Moral to the story? If you’re planning a spring vacation practically anywhere in the U.S. Mountain West, pack clothing for all sorts of conditions! If you’re driving, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stock your car with appropriate emergency gear, such as a spare tire and jack, warm blankets, snacks and water, gloves, pocket knife, cell-phone charger, and a flashlight.

Having the travel bug, yet living in a tourist destination, can be a weird phenomenon. For example, a few weeks ago my family and I took a road trip north of Los Angeles, and stayed at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito (well, its mailing address is Santa Barbara, but it’s really just south of that town, in Montecito – nothing to be ashamed of). I love hiking in the region, and on one of several hikes there, I noticed my spouse was cracking up. What? What’d I do this time?

He explained that I was amusing him because all the flowers and plants (and lizards) I was carefully photographing – as if they were rare specimens, rarely seen – were exactly the same types of flowers and plants that live back home in our neighborhood. It was only the act of being on vacation that made them seem special. And you know? He was right.

I just came back from a morning hike with two other moms, good friends of mine, and this hike is practically in our own backyard. It’s a solid trail called the Temescal Canyon loop trail, in Los Angeles, and it is a pretty scenic route through part of the Santa Monica Mountain Range. I drive right by the entranceway almost daily, seeing tourists and travelers with their maps and cameras, but my friends and I have hardly ever availed of it personally…I guess that this is because it’s just part of the background scenery of our lives. It’s an easy, child-friendly hike with only moderate climbs and a well-defined path with trail markers. I recommend it for any able-bodied person ages 6 and up.

The trail head is in Temescal Canyon: Take the Pacific Coast Highway to Temescal Canyon Road, or Sunset Blvd. to where Sunset intersects with Temescal. Parking is free on Temescal Canyon Road, or five dollars in the state park. The Temescal Canyon ranger station of Topanga State Park provides trail maps. While the Temescal Canyon loop hike is not a special challenge, there are some other trails for experienced hikers who want a workout. After a slow climb, the views start to get pretty fantastic; mountain range on one side, Pacific Ocean on the other. Not to mention all the flowers, plants, and lizards that seemed so fascinating up in Montecito! We cut out early on this loop hike because a smaller, scrubby and underused trail (Rivas Canon) leads almost directly to our homes, but hikers who continue on the main path will loop around and end up back in Temescal Canyon. An well-defined alternate on your map will be to continue on to the Will Rogers State Park; this is a 2.8 mile hike, start to finish.

When people think of Los Angeles geography, they usually get images of smog, miles of ugly strip miles, and untrammeled urban sprawl. Well, those things are here. But wide open spaces, state parks and mountain ranges are right here too; it’s nice to be reminded of that once in a while. A well-rounded family vacation in LA, California would be enhanced by a morning of easy hiking in this part of the Topanga State Park.

I went skydiving! Can you believe it? When I was in Hawaii last year, I made the Jungle Trek zipline guy push me off the ledge because I just couldn’t take that first step into oblivion. I really wasn’t sure I’d have the guts to JUMP OUT OF A PLANE!

But I did, thanks to the incredible tandem-jumping staff at Skydive Deland. (Ray, you rock.) They’re calm, cool and collected. They were ultra-patient with my questions, even when I asked my 80th one in 5 minutes. “Ray, how long have you been skydiving? How many tandem jumps have you done? Have you ever broken any bones? Has anyone ever thrown up in air? Has anyone ever fainted?”

In the prop plane, as we were sandwiched in together in rows, me in front of Ray Pope, sitting on the floor between his legs, and Marat Leiras, the photographer and videographer (whose shots you see here), sitting between my legs (you’re all family once you strap on a parachute), I was asking, “Who packed your chute? How high are we now? How much longer is the flight?”

And the clincher: As we’re seconds from jumping, the door is open on the plane, the toes of my sneakers are hanging over the ledge, I ask, “I am strapped to you, right?”

Thanks Georgia Turner, Daytona Beach CVB and all the guys at Skydive Deland for making this truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. MAYBE, just maybe, I’ll jump again. When my kids are old enough to do it with me!

This week I helped chaperone my daughter’s field trip to Aspen Mountain for some snowshoeing in the backcountry. It was so much fun! The weather was glorious–we had some low-hanging, wispy clouds in the morning, but the sky cleared to a beautiful robin’s-egg blue by lunchtime. It had snowed the night before, so the ground cover was all sparkly. And the kids and grownups were all happy to be playing hooky from school and work all day!

That’s not to say the kids didn’t learn. Knowledgeable staffers from the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies talked to the 7- and 8-year-olds about animal tracks and their winter habitats. A representative from the mountain’s ski patrol discussed skiing and avalanche safety. We all watched as a trained rescue dog sniffed out four kids hiding in snow caves in a giant snow pile. I was impressed!

Visitors to the Aspen area can go snowshoeing on the same off-piste trails we did through ACES’ Naturalist Snowshoe Tours. Two-hour tours take place daily through April 11 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cost is $52 for adults, $41 for youth and seniors, $31 for children ages 7 to 12. The fee includes a gondola ride to the top of the mountain, snowshoe rental, snack and warm drink, and a knowledgeable guide. Learn about wildlife in winter, tracking, mountain ecology, history of Aspen, avalanches and winter habitats on this leisurely paced excursion over gentle terrain.

On the tour, if you’re blessed with the same weather we were, you’ll enjoy pretty scenes like these: