Planning Big Outdoor Adventure Trips with Kids

Exploring the great outdoors can be a thrilling experience for families. With the promise of fresh air, beautiful landscapes, and bonding moments, embarking on an outdoor adventure with your children can create memories that last a lifetime. However, planning such a trip, especially with kids in tow, requires special considerations.

I’ve been taking my kids on outdoor adventures since they were weeks old. My first daughter who was born on February 11th, spent the first weeks of her life wrapped inside my coat snowshoeing on windswept Wisconsin lakes and woods. It’s never too early to start. Most people shy away when thinking about taking on big mountain adventures with kids. Not us. We embrace it.

Here’s a guide to ensure that your adventure is both enjoyable and safe.

Choose the Right Destination

When thinking about taking an Outdoor Adventure vacation as a family with young kids, location is key. You can’t simply pick any old spot, you have to be strategic about it. There are outdoor spots … and then there are outdoor spots. You have to pick something that is on the “edge” of civilization. It doesn’t take much to keep kids entertained, but it takes something.

When picking a location:

**Consider your children’s ages and stamina.**

Younger kids might enjoy shorter hikes and lakeside camping, while older kids can tackle longer trails and more challenging terrains.

**Look for family-friendly spots.**

National parks and State Parks, for instance, often have well-marked trails, ranger-led programs, and facilities that cater to families. Also, there are typically other amenities built up around these bigger parks. Also, you should pick someplace that has towns that are somewhat close or within driving distance of your outdoor adventure spot. Why?

Because taking kids out for pizza, or stopping by some tourist trap to get a $5 piece of junk toy can buy you a days worth of your kids going “along for the ride,” on your adventure.

For example, this October we have a 5-day trip planned to Colorado and Utah. Flying into Denver, driving through the Rockies to Grand Junction, CO then onto the Moab area to explore.

Here’s the thing, you have to set expectations. My wife and I love the outdoors, we want to see the West … and bring our kids along. So we are tempering our expectations for the trip. We will only schedule short and doable hikes, probably in the mornings when the kids are fresh.

We will make sure to find a pool to take them to. We will keep bouncing around checking out the big sights like Arches National Park, making sure to plan no more than a few hours here and there, plenty of stops and spots, including plain old city parks. Take your kids to the park for an hour or two, then they won’t complain when you take them to “some place boring.”

**Prepare and Pack Wisely**

Packing for an outdoor trip with kids requires more than just the essentials. Food, water, first aid, snacks, maybe a game or toy. Extra cloths. Better to be prepared.

**Gear up:**

Ensure you have the right equipment such as tents, sleeping bags, and cooking tools. For hiking, invest in good-quality, comfortable footwear for everyone.

**First Aid:**

A comprehensive first aid kit is a must. Include child-specific medications, insect repellent, and sunscreen.

**Snacks and Hydration:**

Pack enough water and easy-to-carry snacks. Kids can get hungry quickly, especially with all the physical activity. Keep ahead of the game, keep them full of food and well-watered, like a cow, and they will behave.

Plan Activities but Stay Flexible

While having a plan is essential, flexibility is equally critical:

**Have a loose itinerary:**

This allows room for spontaneous activities or simply resting if someone gets tired. If you’re not camping and staying in an AirBnB (which we recommend), plan for downtime and naps, maybe a movie, it will make a huge difference. Preparing yourself to know that not every single day will be a 10-hour day in the great outdoors, that simply isn’t a reasonable expectation.

– **Incorporate child-friendly activities:**

Think scavenger hunts, bird watching, or stargazing. Find a local park. Get ice cream somewhere, maybe some pizza. Stuff like this will go a long way with the kids

**Embrace the Unexpected**

While planning is crucial, the real adventure often lies in the unexpected:

An outdoor adventure with kids can be an enriching experience for the entire family. By making safety a priority, planning ahead, but also embracing the unpredictability of nature, you ensure that these trips offer a perfect blend of learning, bonding, and pure fun. Here’s to many family adventures and stories to share in the years to come!