Summer vacations are made for outdoor adventures. Boats, beaches, and bicycles beckon. The long days and lazy nights of summer allow plenty of time for you to enjoy mountain hiking, a seaside sojourn, or that pleasurable pastime, playing outdoors with your grandchildren.
Camp and Camping
One way to enjoy the wonders of nature with the next generation is to go to camp. Yes, some sleepaway camps now schedule special days for grandparents and grandchildren to bunk in the same cabin. Many of us remember our camp friendships from our younger days. Going back to camp with your grandkids lets you share the delight of exploring sports and nature without having to bother about cooking, cleaning up, or renting equipment. To learn more about this special vacation, see Go to Camp With Your Grandchildren.
If you're adventurous, set off on your own enjoyable camping adventure at a commercial campground, a wilderness campsite, or in your own backyard. Just air out the tent that you've stored for 20 years and make sure it's still intact. Roast some hot dogs. Toast some marshmallows. Provide flashlights with fresh batteries for everyone. And tell your favorite ghost story. It's surefire fun. Find out about one family's camping adventure in S'mores Under the Stars.
Parks, Ranches, and Ski Resorts
Touring national parks is a summer tradition for many U.S. families eager to trade their urban lives for a taste of the great outdoors. Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon attract millions of visitors every year. And sometimes, all those people can hinder the wilderness experience. Places where you can enjoy spectacular scenery and close encounters with wildlife without elbowing other tourists are listed on Popular Park Alternatives.
While you tour parks out West, consider having some outdoor fun at a dude ranch. Working ranches have been welcoming guests for more than a century. You can choose a variety of ranch styles, including rustic cabins and luxury resorts. Horseback riding is the common denominator, but you'll also find ranches that offer fishing, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and hot air ballooning. To find out more about ranches, take a look at Creating Memories on Horseback
To reach the summits on this vacation, you might ride a ski lift. Many ski resorts stay open year-round and offer outdoor activities in a setting where wildflowers carpet the peaks, and summer sun melts mountain snowcaps, sending clear, cold runoff to fill high-altitude lakes and streams. Hiking, alpine slides, and concerts under the stars are among the offerings. For more information, see Summer at the Slopes.
Water Sports and Even Llamas
Summer is prime time for water sports. Once the grandchildren have learned to swim, take them out in a canoe or kayak on a local lake or stream. For some water-travel hints turn to Get Started Kayaking With Your Grandchildren. Kayaks come in styles that are wide and stable, perfect for a grandparent and grandchild to paddle together. After you've built up your confidence and paddle skills, you might want to try an overnight trip on a gentle New England river. To find out about a waterway in southern Maine, see Canoeing the Saco.
The mountains of northeast Pennsylvania offer a convenient outdoor play destination that is easily accessible to those on the East Coast. Active or not, you can find ways to spend time outdoors with your grandchildren in the Poconos. There are stroller-friendly paths to waterfalls, family-style rafting on mild water, and fishing lessons for novices. Hotels are able to accommodate those with mobility issues, as well as very active kids. For ideas on what the mountains have to offer, take a look at Playing in the Poconos.
Finally, here's an outdoor vacation idea that is guaranteed to make an impression on your grandchildren. That's what it is: a memorable experience. Outfitters across the country are making llama trekking available. Kids love the furry creatures, who happily carry your pack so you don't have to. Even the smallest child will get a charge out of leading one of the sure-footed creatures over hill and dale. One thing is certain: Your grandkids will never forget the time you introduced them to a llama. Turn to the feature on Llama Trekking.
Related information
The government is waiving the usual entrance fees at the 147 national parks that charge admission for the weekends of July 18 and 19, 2009, and August 15 and 16, 2009.
Cattle ranches in the American West began hosting guests from the urban East around the turn of the last century. Cowboys dubbed the visiting city slickers "dudes."
The Poconos encompass 150 lakes, 19 waterfalls, and 261 miles of hiking trails for outdoor fun.
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