Camping Kiddos

12/27/2025

The perfect hikes in Acadia National Park when you want something more challenging than Jordan Pond Trail but aren't ready for the Beehive Trail yet!

12/26/2025

Headed to New River Gorge National Park in 2026? Add this great campground in Fayetteville, West Virginia, to your itinerary!

12/23/2025

For less than the cost of a lunch combo at most restaurants, you can camp for a night in one of the prettiest state parks we've discovered so far! The sites at Lake Brantley State Park in New Mexico are spacious with beautiful lake views and several trails nearby.

12/21/2025

This road trip is truly one of the most incredible ones you can take in the United States!

You'll explore three of my favorite national parks in Montana and Wyoming. You'll hike, spot wildlife, bike, take several scenic tours, go waterfall chasing, and so much more.

This epic itinerary has everything you need to plan the perfect trip, and it's truly complete enough that you could book your entire trip tomorrow.

12/17/2025

Hi, outdoorsy friends! I wanted to share some behind the scenes info with you, which isn't something I normally do. (This is long, but I'd appreciate it if you'd read it through.)

Just before Thanksgiving, I got a notification from Facebook that shocked me to my core: my personal and business accounts were immediately and permanently banned. I requested a review, but was notified less than 10 minutes later that the ban stood.

I then poured myself into researching this situation. I hadn't done anything unusual or posted anything that would violate their Community Standards. 99% of what I post on both Facebook and Instagram are directly related to my website, which is, in turn, extremely family friendly.

I discovered that Meta has a BIG problem, and it's been ongoing since this summer: their moderation is now fully directed by AI bots. The reviews of these flags are done by AI bots. The bans are done by AI bots. There is no free help desk, and paying for Meta Verified only gets you lip service from employees who cannot do anything meaningful.

I got caught up in this ban wave when my reel about visiting Woodstock, Vermont, with kids was flagged as "going against Community Standards." You can scroll down this feed to see the reel. There's nothing remotely troublesome about it.

My account was restored without any notification several days later. My husband opened up his Facebook app one day to see my Camping Kiddos posts back on his feed again. I was one of the lucky ones. Many people are having to take Meta to small claims court to get their falsely flagged and banned accounts back.

I work on the Meta platform all of the time for my work as a blogger and social media manager, both for myself and other companies. But that is changing now, as this experience has made me realize I put too much reliance on a platform that doesn't care about protecting its users and providing meaningful responses when they mess up.

I am actively working to get my business off of Meta as much as possible. I've created a subreddit to provide another outlet for my outdoorsy community, and I would love to have you join me there.

Do you love hiking, camping, road tripping, and visiting state and national parks with your kids? If so, you've found the right place! This community is one focused on helping you get your family outside more, whether you're a lifelong adventurer or just learning alongside your kids.

12/16/2025

Acadia National Park has quickly become a new favorite of ours. For a park that only covers 65 square miles, there is SO much here.

From hiking and biking to walking in the footsteps of the park founder, I've put together the ULTIMATE Acadia National Park itinerary. You'll find options for 1, 2, 3, and 4 days in the park, plus ways to extend your trip even further.

Link in comments!

12/08/2025

If you still need to add a few things to your kids' stockings this year, check out some of our favorite camping-themed books, toys, and gear!

Link in comments

11/22/2025

Woodstock, Vermont, and the surrounding area was a highlight of our time in New England! (So much so that we’re going back to Vermont next summer to explore even more!)

While Woodstock proper is incredibly cute, it’s not where you’d run to take your kids at first glance. But there are so many great places to go for a family vacation here!

Quechee Gorge has 2 hiking trails that lead along the river, and a pedestrian bridge if you’d like a less strenuous option.

If you’re hungry, the White Cottage Snack Shop is a relaxed place to eat with classic drive-in vibes. Get one of the swinging picnic tables by the river! For breakfast, take your kids to the King Arthur bakery where you can try croissants, French bread, and so many other delicious pastries and baked goods. Eat outside in the courtyard if the weather is nice.

VINS is worth at least a half day, so your kids can learn about regional wildlife, bird rehabilitation, conservation, and much more. There’s hiking, a live bird show, dress up corners, a treetop walk and tower, and much more.

Head over to Sugarbush Farm to try some yummy cheese and maple syrup samples (all made onsite), then meet the farm’s goats and go on a walk along their maple lines.

Finally, learn about American history at the Calvin Coolidge State Historic site. It’s the only presidential home place to be run by the state, and not the NPS! Coolidge was also the only president sworn in by the dad—and in his childhood home. If your kids can find Rebecca the Racoon, they’ll get a prize at the general store!

11/21/2025

Going on a guided trail ride to an outdoor dinner remains one of my favorite things to do at Yellowstone National Park, even if I did seriously question my life choices leading to that decision! If you can’t tell from this story, I am not a horse girl. I’m not a cowgirl. I’m not even particularly coordinated. But Box Boy and I figured it out and I stayed on his back all of the way to the dinner!

11/21/2025

When I say that we were camping in Jersey City, I don’t mean at a park on the outskirts. No, we were IN Jersey City, so close to Manhattan that we could hear the boats in the harbor!

On our way to Maine last summer, we stopped in New Jersey for 2 nights since our kids really wanted to see New York City for the first time. I had two choices: camp way outside of the city and fight traffic or camp really, really close to the city and be within walking distance of everything.

Even though it was insanely expensive, I chose the latter, and it’s one time that I’m glad I splurged. The Liberty Harbor RV Park is directly on the harbor, and we could see the Statue of Liberty and the NYC skyline from our campsite.

We felt very safe the entire time thanks to the onsite security guard, safety fence, and attentive front desk employees. There is an onsite bath house and laundry, and we had full hookups at our site.

There’s also a tent camping area! This is tucked away by the laundry and bath house area, so it’s pretty quiet, too.

Being within steps of the Liberty Harbor Ferry and 4 blocks of the PATH train made getting around NYC incredibly easy. If you’re willing to brave the tight streets of Jersey City and the NYC traffic, this campground is worth the money.

11/20/2025

I didn’t stop chasing dreams just because I’m chasing kids these days!

I knew that I wanted to travel as much as possible with my kids before I even became a mom. So, you can imagine how disheartening it was to have multiple people tell me that wasn’t feasible or that I would change my mind once I had kids.

Jokes on them, since my family has now traveled to 34 states, 25 national parks, 4 countries, and tens of thousands of miles, and we have no plans to stop. Travel does change when you become a mom, but it definitely doesn’t have to stop!

11/20/2025

I’m more than a little obsessed with our Micro Minnie travel trailer, which has been a constant companion for our family outdoor adventures over the last three years.

We aren’t full time travelers, but take our camper out whenever we can, including on 6-8 week road trips each summer.

If you’re interested in a tour of the camper, let me know! It’s a super cute trailer than has been perfect for our family of 4.