One of our favorite things to do as a family is to head to Panama City Beach, Florida for vacation. The beach is absolutely gorgeous, the water is nice, and there is always a lot to do there. Being only a 12-hour drive for us, we typically visit the Panama City Beach area at least once a year. We recently had the chance to spend my daughter’s birthday there and found a great little touring shop called Blue Dolphin Tours. [Read more…]
4 Best Zoos in America for Families
Photo by Chuck Dresner/St. Louis Zoo
What makes a zoo great for families? Well, for one thing, the animal exhibits. They inspire awe, wonder, and curiosity among kids of all ages. Another feature of family friendly zoological parks is that they have interactive areas and plenty of space for play and exploration. These zoos are home to hundreds of species and exciting exhibits, and families can explore and make memories in these parks. So, without further ado, here’s our list of the “4 Best Zoos in America for Families.” [Read more…]
Spending the Perfect Day in Sitka, Alaska
Fortress of the Bear (Photo Credit: By Mel)
Located on Baranof Island about 90 miles southeast of Juneau, Sitka is seriously one of the stranger parts of Alaska. Originally a Russian town, their influence still permeates the little downtown area – from the old Orthodox Church to the tons of Russian tchotchkes you can pick up in the numerous souvenir shops.
When I used to work on cruise ships, this was never my favorite stop. That was until a friend came onboard to cruise with me for a week and I realized Sitka was actually the easiest stop to decide what we were going to do for the day!
So, if you’re headed to Sitka for the day, here’s the perfect itinerary for your time there: [Read more…]
Joshua Tree National Park: A Desert Treasure
Photo Credit: nightowl via Pixabay and Creative Commons
Located in southeastern California, Joshua Tree National Park is one of America’s most rugged national treasures. Sections of two separate deserts are included in the park, the Mojave and the Colorado Desert, making it home to many unique plants and animals. These hardy organisms have learned to adapt to the harsh conditions, creating separate ecosystems in both the higher altitudes of the Mojave Desert and the lower altitudes of the Colorado Desert. Named for the Joshua trees which grow natively there, Joshua Tree National Park was declared a U.S. National Park under the California Desert Protection Act of 1994, although it had stood as a U.S. National Monument since 1936.
A Quick History of the Park
Measuring in at 1,235 square miles (790,636 acres), Joshua Tree National Park is the 15th largest national park in the U.S. by size. According to the U.S. National Park Service, over 1.25 million people now visit the park each year, [Read more…]
Kruger National Park – The Big 5 in South Africa
By Kevin Pluck (Flickr: The King.) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Although the size of the park alone is impressive, Kruger National Park’s biggest draw is that it is home to Africa’s “Big 5” – the lion, African elephant, rhinoceros, cape buffalo, and the leopard. The term Big 5 was coined by big game hunters, as these 5 animals are the most difficult to hunt via foot. Rather than hunting these creatures, you can enroll in any number of safari tours and see them from the comfort (and relative safety) of a jeep. If you are a little more adventurous, you also have the option of getting up close and personal with the second largest land mammal in the world by taking a walking rhinocerous tour. [Read more…]