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I Drove Across the Country With My 2 Young Kids — This Is the Road Trip Gear That Kept Us Happiest
On an epic road trip from California to Connecticut with our two kids last August, my husband and I found ourselves totally winging it after a mudslide on I-70 in Colorado wiped out our plans to mountain bike near the town of Carbondale. It wasn’t the first snag we encountered in the past year, during which we made three major road trips in our Ford Transit camper van. But, knowing we had tons of reliable gear on board, my husband and I didn’t need to fret over the unplanned detour. Instead, we huddled over Google Maps with our five-year-old son and 21-month-old daughter to cook up an alternate plan. Soon…
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Rekindling a Love of Adventure in the Sailing Capital of America
I’m in the sailing capital of America on a 22-foot J/70 called the “Danger Mouse” when I learn that helming a boat going 11 knots will blow you right out of your comfort zone. “Everyone ready to jibe?” I manage to squeak. “Ready!” says the newbie crew, before moving across the boat. I stand up and do the tiller tango: glide sideways, duck under the boom, steer towards the next mark on the horizon, don’t hit the deck. At one point, the sail catches a puff of wind and some salty words like “Holy Helly Hansen!” fly out as I steady the tiller, which I surprisingly love operating. As the…
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The Best RV Campgrounds in the U.S.
In this golden age of RV travel, with ownership at an all-time high and myriad new ways to book a getaway, exploring RV campgrounds is as exciting as embarking on the journey itself. Spectacular RV-only destinations are bookable through membership programs like Harvest Hosts, boon docking on public land is easier than ever via Campendium, and national park campgrounds can now be reserved with the Recreation.gov app.
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How to (Finally!) Take That Kid-Free Vacation
For our first kid-free vacation in three years, my husband and I planned a weekend in Cape Cod. Just the two of us, our neglected road bikes, and maybe some cold lobster rolls in our jersey pockets. When we actually pulled it off last spring, it felt like a second honeymoon. No responsibilities, no cheddar bunnies. We could finally catch our breath.
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How to Plan a Family Camping Trip
One of life’s guaranteed adventures, besides having kids, is a family camping trip. Because when we’re talking about that trusted recipe for fun—dirt, fire, stars, and wild places—it’s nearly impossible for kids not to have a good time. But if you’re intimidated by the idea of planning your first family camping adventure, we have good news: there’s no one right way to do it. Read the full story at cntraveler.com.
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How to Build a Green Van
My family and I bought a Ford Transit last spring, and it felt like a dirty secret. Despite being a relatively svelte RV, the typical Class B camper gets 16 to 20 miles per gallon and emits far more greenhouse-gas emissions than my Prius or bike, both my long-preferred modes of transit. Vans are traditionally converted using toxic materials, such as foam insulation, chemically treated plywood, vinyl, and various other plastic parts. Surprising, right? Scrolling through thousands of #vanlife photos, one might have the impression that it’s a vehicle for woke nature enthusiasts and families raising the next generation of Greta Thunbergs.
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How We Pulled Off Our #Vanlife Adventure
Our first day in the van didn’t go the way we’d hoped. My husband and I got a late start, and we only made it an hour from home before we had to pull over for burgers and to put our kids to bed. We were parked just off I-95, and our four-year-old, cramped in his new bunk bed, kept waking up his one-year-old sister. Then we realized we’d forgotten the sawdust for the composting toilet. (Whoops.) Still, after eight months of isolation in Connecticut, this late-fall family vacation to coastal Maine already felt like a major victory — one my husband and I celebrated by popping a bottle of…
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7 Black-Owned Culinary Destinations in Upstate New York
On a recent trip upstate, we checked in with a few of our favorite Black-owned bakeries and restaurants that are as resilient as they are travel-worthy. In the Catskills and Hudson Valley, amidst spectacular waterfall hikes, artsy small towns, and the vast expanse of open land, these inspiring places and people remind us why we should be celebrating and supporting Black-owned businesses far more than just one month or one trip out of the year. One business owner we spoke to, Tamika Dunkley, cited the recent New York Federal Reserve report, which showed roughly 41% of Black-owned businesses closed in the first few months of the pandemic as compared to…
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The Ultimate Guide to Car Camping Essentials
Car camping has come a long way since the “dry-land yachts” of the early 20th century, when new Model T’s and a back-to-nature movement sent urban travelers packing with 42-pound stoves, ice boxes, and circus-style tents. Nowadays, there is no limit to the diverse range of adventures a well-rigged car can provide: Sleep in a tent next to your car at a drive-up campground in the Rocky Mountains or watch goats climb trees from your car’s rooftop tent at an artisan cheese farm.
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How to Pick a Green Hotel
Finding a hotel with environmental initiatives has never been easier, but knowing which hotels are truly worthy of your eco-conscious buck isn’t quite so simple. ‘Travelers should feel empowered’ says Alexa Poortier, co-founder of NOW, a new initiative calling for accountability around sustainability in travel. ‘After all, as consumers they are voting with their wallets.’ And she’s right – all you need to know is what to look for. Here are five reliable ways you can lighten your carbon footprint while traveling around the world.
