Anything related to family travel
We’re on our way to a very special celebration in the wilderness — Camp Denali’s 60th anniversary, which has brought back one of its founders and many who have helped make this small, 18-cabin enclave one of the most iconic National Park lodges anywhere.
Juneau, the state capitol and only accessible by plane or boat, gets over 950,000 tourists annually, the vast number on big cruise ships. They are missing a lot, spending just a few hours here.
Of the more than 12 million kids meals served last year at Disney Parks and Resorts in the U.S., parents stuck with the healthier options six out of 10 times. Now Disney will enhance these efforts by further reducing sodium in kids’ meals and introducing new well-balanced kids’ breakfast meals.
I understand why the Native Tlingits called glaciers “white thunder.” We see harbor seals lounging on chunks of blue ice in the water. The glacier looks like blue cotton candy with chocolate sprinkles.
Mornings like this make you realize why you can’t compare this Alaska cruise with just 60-plus passengers to a giant cruise ship with thousands. Rather than docking in ports, we’ve anchored in a cove here in Southeast Alaska precisely so we can go off for a morning paddle
No waiting for buses, navigating crowded parking lots or walking more than you or your kids can take. Hall whisks you around Walt Disney World in a private car that he parks exactly where you want to be.
“We plan the itinerary so that we can stop like this,” says our captain, Dano Quinn, who has been piloting vessels in Alaska for the last 16 years.
Did I mention this father and child are Bald Eagles and we are listening to their conversation from kayaks in spectacular Saginaw Bay on Kuiu Island in Southeast Alaska?
We are cruising around Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska aboard the InnerSea Discoveries Wilderness Discoverer when we spy humpback whales. So cool! Two are off the bow of the ship!
This morning kayaking near the entrance to the Dry Pass, we see giant red sea stars, anemones and the biggest clams I’ve ever see – Gasper Clams (so-called because they squirt water out of their shells). We learn make these clams make for great bear snacks.
As any parent knows, when kids are involved, unforeseen circumstances can materialize at the drop of a hat. Illness can sideline the entire family, resulting in financial losses such as costs for airfare, tickets to attractions and other non-refundable deposits.
Migis Lodge in Maine is a small resort too—just 35 cottages—at most, 150 guests.We could all use a place like that this summer to get unplugged with the kids, if only for a few days. There’s no glitz or glam, just old-fashioned family time.
What people also don’t realize is that hiking here is far different than hiking in Yosemite or Yellowstone or most other places. There are no defined trails, and no trail signs. You either need to be experienced in the backcountry and know how to use a compass and map or be fortunate enough to be hiking with someone like Brian McCormick who has been guiding visitors for years.
Wood showed us a film after dinner of the building of “Camp” as they call it—hauling logs with a World War II surplus jeep, sawing huge trees with hand saws, giving climbers who successfully summited the largest mountain in North America (20,320 feet!) a free spaghetti dinner.
Maybe this July 4th you’ll be home marching or watching a local parade. Maybe you’ll be visiting the relatives and cheering on nieces and nephews as they march. Maybe you’ll be celebrating some place new, joining in special and unique celebrations.
They said the views from the ridge at the top of the Tiga Trail are spectacular. We ask can we do a “moderate-slash-strenuous” hike (translation: slower). Everyone laughs and the six of us in our family—three nursing bad knees—head off with the naturalists
We’ve already seen a huge Grizzly munching on a ground squirrel, four Dall sheep, Caribou, a moose and two recently born calves, a red fox …and we’d only been in Denali National Park a few hours.
That trip was three summers ago and since Mel left for college, we’ve shared adventures but she’s gone off much more often on her own—as it should be. I’m glad we made it to paradise when we did.
If the kids balk when you get to the front of the line, walk away. Tell your child there’s always next year.
In my new book The Kid’s Guide to New York City, I do my best to make sightseeing in the Big Apple fun for kids as well as parents, with plenty of tips from local (play soccer in the park!) and visiting kids (try roasted nuts from a vendor! )