Hiking, Biking & Rafting

We’ve created a list of five fun, family-friendly day trips from Minneapolis-St. Paul, the twin cities metro area. Take advantage of your respective backyards or come explore ours!

Our family loves a visit to Vermont. We love the fresh air, the friendly people, and the fabulous food. Burlington is as close to a family mecca as one might find in Vermont. This small city and the immediate area offers so much for families to do together all centered around the beautiful Lake Champlain and the zesty city center that is Church Street Marketplace.

Brain Head is the best little mountain town for families that most folks have never even heard of. Located at the doorstep of Cedar Breaks National Monument, this sleepy mountain town is sure to steal the hearts of visiting families no matter the season. My husband and I visited Brian Head with our kids as part of our Spring Break tour of Utah. Truth be told, I had never heard of the resort and initially looked at it as more of a stopping off point in between the National Parks of Southern Utah and skiing in Park City. What I didn’t know was that Brian Head would turn out to be a destination unto itself.

I recently went on a family getaway to one of the most beautiful places in all of Wisconsin. Door County is a peninsula approximately 70 miles long and lies in the northeast part of the state bordering Lake Michigan. With 11 lighthouses, 5 state parks, 11 golf courses, 100 art galleries, museums and performing arts venues, 2500 acres of cherry orchards, 6.5 miles of sandy shoreline, and more than 23,000 acres of public and preserved land to explore, there is always a new adventure in Door County.

New England natives are pleasantly aware of the change in seasons from summer to autumn. Crisp, cool weather replaces the warm, summer season. Ripe pumpkins fill the gardens where strawberries and beans once resided. The most obvious change, however, is the transition of the lush, green foliage to its vibrant fall colors!

Is an O.A.R.S whitewater rafting trip worth the investment? Click through to find out.

Within an one-hour drive of historic Girona lie pretty Mediterranean villages offering quiet sandy coves, family activities, excellent seafood, and a wealth of seafaring history. I was surprised by unspoilt nature of the coastline and how well the medieval villages had been restored. I had imagined coastal Spain to be full of overbuilt beaches and tacky towns but this trip was a revelation. Here’s a taste of what Costa Brava offers.

Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge, a historic ranch is located on the east shore of the largest lake west of the Mississippi, Flathead Lake, exudes Big Sky Country relaxation. For over 60 years, the Lodge has been host to guests coming for a great family vacation filled with horseback riding, water sports, and relaxing, Montana-style.

In winter, Breckenridge CO is a skier’s paradise. However, during the summer in Breckenridge, this historic mining town transforms into a family vacation destination, especially for those who enjoy an active lifestyle.

Alas, it’s time to store away the ski and snowboarding gear for the season. Coincidentally, it’s also time to plan the perfect ski resort SUMMER vacation. Yes, summer is the ideal season to vacation with kids at ski resorts, where outdoor recreation abounds, and luxury on a budget exists.

Taking a summer trip to Alaska has been one of my family’s greatest memories.  My kids remind me often of the times we spent picking wild strawberries and raspberries, taking …

Off-season national park visits provide two huge benefits: (1) crowd avoidance, and (2) discounted lodging prices. But of course, there are many cons to the off-season. These cons include unpredictable weather, transportation issues, closed trails, limited camping and dining options, kids’ school schedules and missing out on high-season sites or activities.