National Parks with kids
The last time we went to Acadia National Park, my youngest child was seven weeks old. Yep, seven WEEKS. (I’ll spare you the picture of me pumping in the front seat of the car). Sure, maybe it was crazy—but it was also a magical time for all five of us. And really, that’s the beauty of each and every National Park; you can choose to hike 20 miles if that’s your thing, or you can choose to sit or bike or drive and look out over beautiful vistas, snack in hand (ok, maybe leave the snack for a break if you’re on a bike). A trip to a National Park can work for you and your family no matter your travel style.
Of course, like all travel with children, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a walk in the…park…errr….easy. But if you keep these pointers in mind, we know your experience will be one you won’t soon forget.
Involve your kids in the planning
My boys never saw a puddle of water they didn’t want to try and fish in, so you better believe on each and every trip they’re begging us to find a place for them to plop down their poles. Is hours spent fishing how I want to spend my days when I’m in a beautiful setting? No, not really. But it brings them so. much. joy. that I’ve learned it’s worth it, if even for part of one day. I’ve also learned that involving them in the planning helps keep them excited through the parts that they find less interesting (cough hiking cough) and gives them ownership in the whole experience. It might mean doing things that I’m not particularly excited to do, but I firmly believe it’s their vacation, too, and so they should get to do things they love.
Learn how to handle crowds
If you’re traveling to one of the most well-known National Parks—especially in the summer—chances are good it’s going to be crowded, particularly at the main entry point. How to manage all the people? We’ve found the usual “avoid crowds” tips apply for the National Parks, too. Arrive early. Travel in shoulder season or the offseason. Book anything you can far in advance. Plan to hit the big attractions either early in the morning or later in the afternoon. But did you also know that some parks have multiple entrances? It might mean doubling back to hit up the Visitor’s Center or that one site you really want to see, but often secondary (or tertiary) entrances are much less crowded and, in my mind, much less stressful. So pull out that map and see what you can find.
Junior Ranger programs
“Explore. Learn. Protect.” Many of the National Parks have a fabulous activity-based Junior Ranger program, appropriate for children 5-13. The program includes various activity books that are both site and topic specific (yep, my kids are eyeing the “Junior Ranger Angler”) and can be done either at the park (for a badge!) or beforehand (print-at-home badge) to help get kiddos excited for the trip.
Snacks
You knew it was going to be on the list, didn’t you? We all know what it’s like to be hangry, and if your kids are like my kids, hangry is a feeling you want to avoid AT ALL COSTS. We’ve found that keeping multiple high-protein snacks in our backpacks (or whatever we are planning to have with us for the day) go a long way in tiding kids over until they can have a proper meal, be that in a restaurant or on a big picnic blanket. And a special treat- in Maine we always stop for whoopie pies- can usually help produce at least a few more smiles.
And finally…keep expectations low (you might be surprised)
I know it might be hard to hear, but I think we’re setting ourselves up for disaster when we push and push and push to accomplish all. the. things. on a trip. That’s why I caution our clients to be reasonable about what they can see or do in a day: chances are good that if your child needs a two hour nap to not have a meltdown by 5pm, they’ll need the same on vacation. And that means either building in that rest time or being ok with the meltdown (and I have chosen both paths). When it comes to trips that might require more physical activity, this is especially true. So keep those expectations low- give yourself and your kids the space to sit and enjoy and look and explore, without having to rush on to the next thing. And here’s the good news: as Juliet wrote last week, it’s often these unexpected highlights that make the whole trip.
