kids

Oregon Coast Camping With Kids – 2TravelDads

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Oregon Coast Camping

We have had our first Kampgrounds of America (KOA) camping experience and are thrilled to share it with you. Before this trip we didn’t really know what to expect at a KOA, even though we’d reviewed the website and seen many campgrounds. You just don’t know what the feel of a place is going to be and how it’ll fit with your travel style until you’re actually there. I’ll tell you it was great. When it comes to Oregon Coast camping, the Astoria / Warrenton / Seaside KOA Resort was perfect for us.

LOCALE OF THE ASTORIA / WARRENTON / SEASIDE KOA

We spend a lot of time in Oregon, and particularly on the Oregon Coast. At least once a year, this year it’s been twice already, we do an Oregon Coast road trip, either from tip to tip or just one part of the Oregon Coast. If you’re coming from Washington State or the Portland area, the practical first stop for you coastal getaway is Astoria, Oregon. About two hours from Portland and 3.5 hours from Eugene or Seattle, WA, Astoria or Seaside are totally doable for an easy weekend escape.

You do have to either drive along the Columbia River for a good portion of the trip or you’ll cross the Coastal Range. Either way, the drive is beautiful and there are plenty of stops you can make along the way, from hiking in the hills to visiting small towns full of wineries. If you’re coming from Washington, you can add a little side trip to Cape Disappointment State Park either on your way to or from the KOA Astoria to get your lighthouse fix, because there are two just off the Columbia River. However you get to your Oregon Coast camping destination, you’ll enjoy the full travel experience.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Northern Oregon Coast | Central Oregon Coast | Southern Oregon Coast

 

Hiking With Kids at Zion National Park – 2TravelDads

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Hiking With Kids at Zion National Park - 2TravelDads

Zion National Park is known for its epic hikes and canyoning routes, but it’s also full of fun hiking trails that are great with kids too! By now you’ve seen that we really love Zion; we found that the scenery paired with the activities make for a perfect family vacation destination. And that’s what we’re talking about here: best kid friendly hiking in Zion National Park.

If you are looking for epic views or easy strolls, there are plenty of kid friendly hiking options in Zion. You truly don’t have to over-exert yourself (or your kids) to experience and appreciate the best of what Zion has to offer. These are our top picks for families and safety tips for some kid friendly hiking in Zion National Park.

HIKING SAFETY IN ZION

We always start here because it’s easy to get right into the hike info. Here’s what you need to know to be prepared for hiking in Zion National Park:

  • Know the details of your hike – distance, elevation gain, estimated time
  • Bring more water than you think you’ll need – we do 1.5 refillable bottles per person
  • Bring enough snacks to equate to a meal
  • Don’t rush kids on rocky trails

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Utah Gay Travel Resources

 

Southern Oregon Road Trip – 2TravelDads

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Southern Oregon - 2TravelDads

We love our road trips, you know that, and living in the Pacific Northwest, we’re at the gateway to some of the best road trips in the United States. Oregon is our neighbor and we visit it a lot, but it’s rare that we really explore the south part of the state. This is our (future) award winning southern Oregon road trip that takes the best of the Cascades and pairs it with the Oregon Coast. This road trip itinerary is ideal in Spring and Summer and is great with kids!

When we found out we were heading to Southern Oregon we knew two things: the Umpqua National Forest and the southern coast are going to be fun and drastically different. The Cascade Mountains run from British Columbia to Northern California. They’re dotted with snowy peaks and dense forests, which when put together make for an epic collection of waterfalls. Doing a road trip with kids, we knew that we needed to pack in some big wow items, and waterfalls always do the trick.

For fun along the coast, we make it a habit to fly kites when possible, but when the weather doesn’t permit we do the next best thing: beach combing. Even in rainy weather the kids love searching for beach glass and interesting shells, so getting some time on the coast is perfect for us. In addition to the beach, there are lots of unique coastal experiences that are great for families. We made time to do fun activities we can’t do at home, including experiencing some of the natural phenomena of the Oregon Coast (see below).

If you’ve done a road trip with small to medium age kids, you know that being in the car is a bummer. We try to break up longer drive times with fun. Here are our top tips for ensuring every part of the road trip experience is awesome.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Southern Oregon Coast Gay Travel Resources

 

Victoria With Kids – 2TravelDads

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Victoria With Kids

Hopefully you followed along as we were exploring Victoria BC with kids… or on our own… or during Christmas or Valentines Day. Yes, we go to Victoria often, but it’s because we love it so much! We were asked by the destination to share our top favorite activities and tips for visiting Victoria with kids and get ready, because we’ve got 18 things for you to do to have an unforgettable trip.

Locale of Victoria BC

Victoria BC is on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, just north of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and just west of Vancouver, BC. It’s a fairly large city and is situated on a harbor, the Inner Harbour, and then stretches out to its suburbs of Saanich, Sidney, and Sooke. Getting there is fairly easy and doable on nearly any budget.

Transportation to Victoria

We have written about Victoria before and have a lot of details around transportation to the city here, in our article highlighting a great 3 Day Victoria itinerary. Here’s a recap though and top tips for getting to Victoria with kids.

By ferry, you can depart for Vancouver Island from either Vancouver (Tsawwassen terminal) or Port Angeles. Both sailings are approximately 1.5 hours so which you choose depends on your starting point, travel schedule and budget. Check out the map to see which makes sense for you. You can also take the passenger-only Victoria Clipper from Seattle, which is a great option for those adding Victoria with kids to their family trip to Washington.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

LOCATION Gay Travel Resources

 

Estes Park with Kids – 2TravelDads

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Estes Park with Kids

Colorado is full of all kinds of wonderful small towns, from old mining towns to ski villages, the prairie and the mountains. Our favorite Colorado mountain town is Estes Park. It’s cute, surrounded by epic landscapes and is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. We escaped the bustle of Denver for four days and have come up with our best activities for families planning to do Estes Park with kids.

If you aren’t into lounging by the pool, Estes Park is going to be your new favorite getaway (and I’m sure there are a few pools to lounge by there too).  Check out our top things to do in Estes Park with kids.

Locale of Estes Park, Colorado

Let’s just say this now, no matter what day you’re heading to Estes Park with kids (or for a grown up getaway) be sure to leave early in the day before rush hour. You’ll no doubt be coming from Denver, and while traffic isn’t half as bad as LA or Seattle, driving on the 25 during peak traffic hours is a lengthy, irritating experience. If you can do the drive against traffic or in off-hours, it should take less than 1.5 hours to get to Estes Park.

Estes Park is set just up into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The Big Thompson River runs through the town as several small forks, converging just east of the city. This makes getting your bearings in town a little tricky at first, but once you’ve driven through a few times you’re good to go.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Estes Park Gay Travel Resources

Oregon Coast Road Trip – 2TravelDads

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Oregon Coast road trip - 2TravelDads

With so many ways to do a road trip you can take almost any approach. We just did it with two kids so we are ready to share exactly how to get the most from the Oregon Coast. Doing an Oregon Coast road trip is really fun and very easy. There are zero chances to get lost and 1000 opportunities to fall in love with the nature and nautical sights along the way.

Have you done the Oregon Coast with kids? Want to see what we did to keep them entertained as well as give us parents things to look forward to with each stop? Here’s how you do an Oregon Coast road trip with kids that’s good for the whole family no matter the season.

The Oregon Coast is gorgeous… even in the foggy rain which you might experience any time of year. When you’re packing for an Oregon Coast road trip be sure to plan for hot sun as well as chilling wet. As a rule when we’re touring around Western Washington or Oregon we always pack equally for rain or sun, erring on the side of the time of year. This includes activities we bring with us.

Like with any itinerary, take this one with a grain of salt and update it for your own family. We like to visit beaches, breweries and lighthouses, so this Oregon Coast road trip itinerary has a healthy mixture of nature and culture. And like any jaunt through small town America, you’ll be tempted to stop in places we don’t mention and to find your own foodie spots. Go for it! Road tripping is all about fun and new experiences and the Oregon Coast is no exception!

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Oregon Gay Travel Resources

Queer Denver With Kids – 2TravelDads

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Queer Colorado With Kids

We love time in the Rocky Mountains, but it’s rare that we get to enjoy it in Colorado. We’re exploring Denver and beyond this week and it’s started with a bang! Planning for the family to visit Colorado was as simple as Googling “Denver + hiking + kids + science”. OMG. Let’s just say that it’s given us the perfect Denver area itinerary for the week.

We’ve partnered up with Visit Colorado, Visit Denver and Visit Estes Park to make sure that we can experience and share our most interesting and totally Colorado sites. If you have some ideas for places for us to visit or any insider tips, please share!

Starting in Denver: Lunch at Steuben’s

We landed in Denver to blue skies and no traffic. Score! After picking up our car and heading into the city, we immediately sought out lunch (even if it was a bit earlier than normal). We headed right to Steuben’s Uptown on the recommendation of a friend and it was ideal for the family. Straight out of the 60s, it was a great taste of Denver with healthy options as a standard for kids and craft beer at the ready for the dads. With roasted chicken, Philly cheese and edamame with cucumbers, we were set. And driving around the neighborhood we saw many more cool foodie spots that we MUST come back to. Just another reason to Visit Colorado more often.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Denver Gay Travel Resources

Keeping Kids Healthy While Traveling – 2TravelDads

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Keeping Kids Healthy - 2TravelDads

We share a lot about staying healthy while traveling and keeping the kids’s learning wherever we are, and that’s because we know how important it is and because we love to give out free advice. Well here’s another helping of advice that’s extremely useful, both for parents and for those who might have to watch over somebody else’s kids at home or on the road. Keeping kids healthy involves everything from ensuring they have proper nutrition to maintaining a clean home environment.

As part of our partnership with Know Your OTCs, we’re sharing our top five tips for keeping kids healthy, particularly when traveling. Also, take note of some of the retro advice that we call out, as it’s nice to check what you know vs what’s actually doctor recommended.

Tip 1: physical activity does a world of good

It doesn’t take much to make your body feel better when you wake up a bit sore or when you think you’ve been sitting too long on an airplane. Physical activity gets the blood moving and helps your body recover by moving vitamins and nutrients where it’s needed. The same goes for kids’ bodies. Keeping kids healthy while traveling starts with keeping them moving.

In addition to the benefit of good circulation, keeping kids physically active teaches them good, healthy habits that will sustain them and keep them physically fit all life long. This doesn’t mean that you take your nephews on a trip with you and then figure out where they can do Cross-fit for Kids, but it’s ensuring that when you’re the adult in charge that you don’t just plop the kids in front of a screen. They’ll have their whole live for that.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Oahu’s Scenic Route – 2TravelDads

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Oahu's Scenic Route

As you know, we get to serve as Chief Travel Guides for Alamo Rent A Car and share our ideas for exploring the Scenic Route. We recently completed a grand tour of the Island of Oahu and came up with the four key ways to experience this incredible island. Here are a few hints about what makes Oahu with kids so much fun, and particularly what makes the Scenic Route around Oahu so unforgettable…

Oahu’s Kid Friendly Beaches

An island full of beach is sure to have lots of great spots to relax, right? Well, yes and no. We’ve made our recommendations for some of Oahu’s kids friendly beaches and what to plan for. Our kids LOVED the beaches of Oahu!

Snorkeling the Scenic Route Around Oahu

Just because there’s a beach doesn’t mean that the snorkeling is going to be amazing. What makes Oahu so great for snorkeling in certain spots are the ancient lava rocks and coral reefs that make for calm, clear waters. Care to know where along the Scenic Route you’ll find some of these great spots?

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Oahu Gay Travel Resources