Today’s guest post was written by Debi Huang. Debi is a Los Angeles-based wife, mom and adventure guide for two young boys. Her blog, GoExploreNature.com, is all about getting kids and families outdoors and connected to nature. She’s fortunate enough to have a family cabin in Yosemite National Park, her family’s favorite national park and one they visit every year. You can follow her on Twitter at @goexplorenature .
I’ve visited Yosemite National Park every summer since I was a kid, so friends often ask me what one thing you absolutely must do while you’re there. The answer is easy: Take a hike! I don’t think there’s a better way to explore the park than on foot. Hikes offer free entertainment for kids and pack in plenty of opportunities to slow down and enjoy the great outdoors. The good news is there are plenty of trails to choose from in Yosemite but the trick is deciding which is best for your family. Here are some of my favorite hikes to take with my own two boys, ages five and two.
Best for beginning hikers: Lower Yosemite Falls
There’s a reason this is one of the most popular hikes in Yosemite Valley. The half-mile stroll to Lower Yosemite Falls is almost entirely flat, paved and perfect for little legs just discovering the fun of hiking. And the payoff is huge – an up-close view of one of the most well known waterfalls in Yosemite National Park (and mist from the falls if it’s full enough).
Although this walk can be done in half an hour, I recommend you take it easy, enjoying the scenery along the way. My oldest especially enjoys “rock climbing” on all the big boulders beside the trail.
Best off-the-beaten-path hike: Chilnualna Falls
I’ve been on all the more popular (and more congested) hikes in the Valley, yet the Chilnualna Falls Trail in nearby Wawona remains one of my favorites. No crowds, stunning scenery and plenty of serene spots to enjoy a lunch make this a hike we take every year.
This is a moderately difficult trail with a consistent incline for much of the way, although there are enough stretches of flatness to give little legs a rest. The complete hike is 8.2 miles roundtrip, but you can easily accommodate your kids’ skill levels by creating your own endpoint. One of our favorite spots to stop is at either of the two waterfall cascades about a quarter of a mile up. If your kids are older, continue up the trail about 1 ½ mile until you connect with the river, a wonderful spot to stop for lunch.
Best hike among the trees: Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, located just two miles from the South Entrance to the park, is home to some 500 of the largest living things on the planet. We first took my oldest son to the “big trees” when he was two and he was completely awe-struck.
The best way to see these beauties is to walk among them. The 1.6-mile roundtrip hike to the Grizzly Giant is a good option for kids and will take you right past the California Tunnel Tree, so named because visitors used to be able to drive their cars right through it! Not only did my then 2 year old love all the trees, but he found plenty of bugs to check out on the ground, too!
Best nature walk: Wawona Meadow Loop
The Wawona Meadow Loop trail is my favorite place to take a nature walk because there are plenty of things to discover right along the trail. And because this 3.5-mile hike is a giant loop, you only have to go as far as your little ones enjoy, then turn back around.
Along the trail, there are wildflowers aplenty, streams begging to be explored, sticks for gathering, animal tracks to identify and more. You might even bump into a few of Wawona’s horses – they share this path with hikers during the summer. Beware: This is an unpaved fire road and can get quite dusty (read: dirty), especially during the summer.
Best hike when you’re short on time: Bridalveil Falls
This ½-mile roundtrip hike makes the list because the trailhead is easy to reach by car and the hike itself is one of the shortest around. An added bonus for kids is that during the hot, summer months you’re bound to be rewarded with a little shower when you reach the base of Bridalveil Falls. (That’s because unlike other falls in the Valley, the water here flows pretty much year round.) The trail is paved and stroller-friendly.
No matter what hike you choose during your visit to Yosemite National Park, you won’t be disappointed. And you just might be surprised to see how much your kids enjoy it, too.
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Did this post get you itching for a trip to Yosemite? Than check out more activities for kids in Yosemite.
Want advice for places to stay in Yosemite from parents in the know? Be sure to read about kid-friendly lodging in Yosemite
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Related:
- American’s National Parks with Kids
- American’s National Monuments with Kids
- Trekaroo Families’ Favorite Things to Do with Kids in Yosemite National Park
- Best Hikes for Tykes in Yosemite National Park
- 15 Family Friendly National Park Adventures
- National Park Junior Ranger Program
- 5 National Monuments Your Family Should Visit
Today’s guest post on Philadelphia was written by Debi Bouffard. She is a homeschooling mother of nine (yes, you read that right) children living in Pennsylvania. Debi and the kids frequently travel all over the East Coast and are about to embark on a cross country road trip to Utah. We are hoping that if she returns with a shred of her sanity, she will come back and tell Trekaroo all about it. You can follow Debi and her adventures with all nine kids on her blog, Who Says 8 is Enough?
Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved to travel. It’s probably because growing up with eleven siblings, vacations were the one thing my parents always managed to save up for. When we did have the opportunity to hit the road, it was always a HUGE deal for our family. I have passed that same desire of traveling on to my children, although with a twist. I homeschool my nine kids, so we do a bit more traveling these days than my family did when I was young. However, the one thing I have kept constant is that I am certain to make every trip we take into an educational experience, just like my parents did when I was little. There is no better place to start on an educational trip than in the city of Philadelphia, which is so rich in history. We have been fortunate to have lived within an hour of Philadelphia for my childrens’ entire lives, so we have been able to completely appreciate and absorb the City of Brotherly Love. If you are not fortunate enough to live near Philly and only have a day or two to really see the city for yourself, you might want to map out some fascinating places of interest. I asked my kids to give you their top 5 favorite places to visit, and in no particular order, here they are:
Checking out the animals at the Philadelphia Zoo
While The Philadelphia Zoo is not the largest in the country, it does hold the distinction of being the oldest. Nestled on 42 (hard to find in a city) acres, the zoo houses over 1300 different animals. While my favorite part of a zoo has always been where the babies are (go figure), my kids’ favorite part is the Children’s Zoo, where they get to pet and sometimes feed the animals. Of course, they are also thrilled to watch the lions and tigers up close, or spend hours with their faces pressed up to glass, looking at giant snakes {shudder}.
Giant Heart (photo courtesy of the Franklin Institute)
Ok, so if I could be truly honest, this would be my first choice of places to visit in Philly. I simply love the idea of history meeting science (we’re talking about Ben Franklin here!)! This place is just full of inventions, both old and new, and they are always hosting interesting events and exhibits (and sleep-overs for boy scouts & girl scouts!!!). I can remember walking through the Giant Human heart as a little girl and being absolutely amazed. The day I watched my own kids walk through and saw the same looks on their faces that I am sure mine once reflected, was priceless. The Franklin Institute is FULL of wonderful learning experiences just waiting to be explored in some of the most fun and imaginitive ways possible.
Boathouse Row
This is not just your average park. In fact, there is nothing run-of-the-mill here. Fairmount Park is gorgeous and I can’t even beging to tell you how much it thrills me to see that my kids love it as much as I do. While there are no big bells and whistles, there is simply stunning landscape as far as the eye can see. The kids and I love to walk the trails and take in the scenery. It is especially beautiful during the spring when the flowers are in bloom, or in the fall when the foliage is changing colors. Of course, if you’re feeling fancy, you can take a trolley ride around the park and enjoy the views of Boathouse Row, The Philadelphia Museum of Art (you know, the one where Rocky famously ran up the stairs…), or watch the crew teams practice rowing which is our personal favorite. My boys like to chant “row, row, row” as the teams go by. I am sure the crew just loves that!
4. & 5. Liberty Bell & Independence Hall
Indpendence Hall
Of course, you can not, and should not, go to Philadelphia 
without seeing the true history of the city and our country. Independence Hall houses the Liberty Bell, the Declaration of Independence & the Constitution. Just walking through the doors you get a sense and a feeling of history, and for myself and my children who are all major US history buffs, there is no place where that feeling is more powerful. The photos on the walls and surroundings which are depicted give us a sense of what it was to be a Founding Father back in 1776. Just seeing the Liberty Bell up close and reading the words “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” is enough to take my breath away.
Philadelphia truly is a city that should be explored.
For it’s beauty.
For it’s attractions.
And, most definitely for it’s rich history.
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