• Kids,  Missouri,  Popular,  St. Louis

    Visit to the St. Louis Aquarium and the Wheel at Union Station

    Since the kids were off school on Valentine’s Day, Ben decided to take the day off work so we could have a local adventure day as a family. We had been wanting to check out the new St. Louis Aquarium which opened Christmas Day. We decided to combine the aquarium visit with a spin around the St. Louis Observation Wheel since both attractions are located at the stunning and historic Union Station. A combo ticket is available for a discount…

  • Kids,  Michigan,  Popular,  Trips

    Family Fun in South Haven, Michigan: What to See, Do, and Eat with Kids

    If you are in the Midwest, a fantastic beach vacation can be found within a days drive to one of Michigan’s beach towns. We return year after year for a short beach trip to one of these charming destinations along Lake Michigan. I recently posted here about all about the wonderful family activities in St. Joseph, Michigan. Just 30 minutes north of St. Joseph and a 6 hour drive from our home base near St. Louis is the lakeside escape…

  • Hikes,  Kids,  Michigan,  Trips

    Family Fun in St. Joseph, Michigan – What to See, Do, and Eat with Kids

    One of the destinations I get asked about the most is our yearly trip to St. Joseph, Michigan. From St. Louis, it is less than a 5.5 hour drive to this amazing family friendly vacation spot. Since we are already up north in Chicago at least once a year to visit family, it is easy for us to tack on a couple more days for a mini beach getaway. St, Joseph features so many beautiful beaches, great food, and numerous…

  • Hikes,  Hiking,  Kids,  National Parks,  Trips,  Uncategorized,  Utah

    Our Favorite Family Hikes in Arches National Park

    Since we have been to Arches National Park three times now (2010, 2012, and 2019) I figured it would be great to condense all that info in to one post on our top picks of places to hike as a family. Since it is impossible to do everything, I’ve also tried to help you select a trail by adding my own personal rating from 1-5 for how easy the trail is (1 being super easy, 5 being more difficult) as…

  • Hikes,  Hiking,  Kids,  National Parks,  Off Road Trips,  Trips,  Utah

    COLORADO AND UTAH TRIP 2019 – DAY 10

    Day 10 started with a dramatic sunrise view and ended with enjoying our last Utah sunset of the trip. We began our day by leaving the hotel well before sunrise to head out to Dead Horse State Park for some sunrise photos. Dead Horse is well known as a great place to go for sunrise. The sun gradually rises to fill the canyon with golden red light. The wife grabbed some great photos while I entertained the kids on the…