-
Who’s Petrified Now? Washington’s Gingko Forest
The forest wasn’t petrified. I was petrified. You know you’re not in Western Washington any more when you see this sign like this one… Today (March 19, 2010), the Gingko Petrified Forest State Park in Vantage, Washington reopens after a winter hiatus. In contrast to Western Washington’s rainy, temperate climate, Vantage’s climate reflects its Central Washington location, just east of the towering Cascade Mountain Range. It’s darn dry here. Millions of years ago, this area was lush and damp, a swamp-filled rainforest dripping with tropical-looking plants and giant gingko trees. Then volcanic eruptions and massive floods tore through the region, burying artifacts in soil and stone. Today, the Gingko Petrified Forest’s…
-
Family Travel Blogroll
Ceilydh Sets Sail: We bought a boat, quit our jobs and headed out to sea Ciao Bambino: Inspiring families to travel the world DeliciousBaby: Making travel with kids fun Family Rambling: Tips and destinations from a traveling family Frisco Kids: Your guide to kid-friendly events and trips around the San Francisco Bay Area…and beyond The Globetrotter Parent: Expat life in Madagascar Have Baby Will Travel: Eating, sleeping, playing & getting around with baby Have Kids Still Travel: Because you can’t leave ’em home alone Kids Go West: Tales of family travel in the Western U.S. Lollipop Road: A family friendly travel blog Mom Most Traveled: Travel, giveaways, reviews and more Mother of…
-
10 Tips for Enjoying Farmers Markets with Kids
Wherever our family travels in Washington, Oregon and BC, we always visit a produce market. Almost every destination offers a farmers’ market, whether the big-city Pike Place Market or the tiny, thriving Cannon Beach Farmers’ Market. In fact, we find farmers’ markets so fun that we sought them out in Paris (mmm, stanky cheese!), Provence (chickpea crepes) and Italy (fresh tomatoes). Here are my tips for enjoying farmers’ markets with kids: Check the market’s website before you head out the door. Use the site to pull together a scavenger hunt for in-season produce, print out maps, look for coupons or find out when a children’s performer will be on the…
-
Four Family-Friendly Markets in the NW & BC
We have markets by the bushelful here in Casadia and traveling families are always welcome. Bring the kids, $30 and a sense of adventure to these farmers’ markets. It’s a cheap vacation solution and a memorable excursion, all rolled into one afternoon. Here are my favorite four markets — indoor and outdoor, large and small. Don’t miss them when you’re visiting! Portland Farmers Market, Portland. This weekend, the Saturday Portland Farmers Market reopens for the growing (and grazing) season. The outdoor, downtown market features dozens of local-vendor booths, great food trucks (I like Pine State Biscuits) and musical performers. Chefs put on cooking demos, and children’s cooking classes take center…
-
Families Travel! Sarah Goes on a Quadra Island Farm Stay
In August 2009, Sarah Pugh, her husband Stirling and 3-year-old daughter Rowan rented a kitchen-equipped cottage from Bold Point Farmstay for six nights. Their hosts, Rod and Geraldine, run the farmstay on the secluded and rustic Quadra Island, BC. Quadra Island is located about three hours north of Victoria (and involves a quick 10-minute ferry ride). Here’s why Sarah thought her family’s stay on a functioning farm was so fantastic: Q: What did you do at the family-friendly farm? Sarah: We went for long rambles in the woods, picked berries and fruit, went swimming in the lakes, and fishing and paddling in the ocean. We went to the market, popped over…
