It seems like our family’s got treasure hunting on the brain these days. From our numerous outdoor scavenger hunts to our first geocaching adventure last weekend, we’ve been enjoying quite a few seek-and-find nature games these past couple of months.The big explorer’s mostly to blame for it. He’s always up for outdoor nature fun if a hunt and treasure are involved! Take for … [Read more...]

One of my favorite ways to explore when I travel is on foot. Hiking that is. Now that I’ve got kids, I look for hikes that aren’t too long or too steep and yet still offer a big payoff. While visiting Oahu last month, I figured a trek to Diamond Head would be just the thing. Especially since the big explorer was dying to see a real live volcano (albeit long ago inactive). … [Read more...]

I’m not big on doing “touristy” things when I travel, preferring instead to experience the local culture as best I can. Our recent visit to Hawaii was no exception. One of the items that topped my list of things to do was to make a lei, an activity I figured would be readily available. Turns out, not so much. Five days into our trip, I had all but given up my hopes of … [Read more...]

If you’re lucky when you travel, you just might have one of those moments when you realize you’re doing something you would never even consider trying back home. Case in point: Taking the kids to swim with the fishes at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. You see, the big explorer isn’t a big fan of the ocean. And the little guy isn’t even 2 years old! So the prospect of heading … [Read more...]

I can count on one hand the moments I’ve had while traveling when I was left completely awestruck. Being sniffed by a polar bear in Canada. Seeing a pack of wolves howl in Alaska. Those kinds of moments. I'm lucky enough to have had another one recently at Lyon Arboretum in Hawaii. As if spending an hour wandering a tropical rainforest with my oldest son weren’t cool … [Read more...]