10 Family Adventures for Those Last Two Weeks of Summer
The clock feels like it’s ticking with summer winding down and preparing for a new school year to begin again. But not all is lost! You still have a couple of weeks. Here are some ideas for summertime, close-to-home things to do to soak up that last bit of summer together.
Gear That Just Fits: Sensory-Friendly Outdoor Clothing for Kids and Adults
Helping outdoor adventures feel accessible to everyone starts with making sure they can comfortably join us! While some adventures are as simple as neighborhood park visits or walking in the backyard, others take more preparation and that’s when clothing and gear begins to make a huge difference on the overall experience.
Sensory-friendly clothing and gear exists more than ever - this article covers what to keep in mind while shopping for sport-specific activities and sensory needs. Happy adventuring!
Self-Care In Small Spaces (Part 2)
The sensory side of small-space self-care — simple ways to soothe sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch when you’re living close, so you can refill your own pitcher and enjoy the journey. Part 2 of 2.
Self-Care in Small Spaces (Part 1)
Five ways to protect your peace when you’re living close in an RV, boat, or tiny home — refreshing your space, social connection, moving outdoors, journaling the “monkey mind,” and simple meditation. Part 1 of 2.
Review: Garmin inReach Devices
Our years-long take on the Garmin inReach satellite communicators — the Mini, Montana series, and marine/aviation options — for staying safely in touch (and adding real peace of mind) far off the grid.
Common Threads: The Strings that Make Life Valuable
A quiet reflection on the “common threads” — the values that stay steady across decades — and how a beach full of plastic bottles turned into a lifelong personal calling.
(Recipe) Campfire Stew: Simple, Quick Comfort Food
A super-simple, one-pot camp meal (green beans, new potatoes, smoked sausage, a little Cavender’s) that warms you up after a long day out — plus why we keep hot cocoa in our kayak kit for cold-water days.
8 Places to Save Money on Outdoor Gear
Our favorite reliable places to find deep discounts on outdoor clothing and gear — from Steep and Cheap and REI Outlet to consignment shops, Patagonia Worn Wear, and gear rentals — so more of your budget goes to the adventure.
When to Go GoreTex
Is GORE-TEX necessary for your next adventure? Maybe! Let’s talk about what it is, when it’s best used, and the benefits of having GORE-TEX in your kit for foul weather adventuring.
8 Steps to Make Time for More Adventures
Our eight-step system for actually getting outside during the busy work-and-school year — activity-based gear grab-bags, checklists, staging the week before, meal and pet planning — so a family weekend adventure comes together without the last-minute scramble.
A First Hike on Good Terms: A Quick Guide for Sensory-Sensitive Beginners
Heading out on a hike for the first time can feel like a lot for people who have sensory sensitivities or anxiety. Here are some ways to help your child or family member set up for success on their first hike.
Everybody on the Trail: A Guide to Adaptive Outdoor Gear by Activity
Adaptive equipment is available for more people across more outdoor sports than ever. Here’s a quick overview of different ways people with disabilities are getting outside with the adaptive gear that helps make it happen. Nature and the outdoors is everyone’s adventure playground!
Leave No Trace Principles for Your Family
Leave No Trace is a set of 7 principles of outdoor stewardship and ethics for your enjoyment in nature and for future generations’ continued appreciation of natural places. Here’s a quick overview for your family to learn the basics!
Outdoor Electronics: Take It or Leave It?
What to carry and what to leave behind: the phone, apps, lights, watch, and satellite communicator we bring to stay responsibly connected while still truly disconnecting on the trail.
Review: Mad Rock Mountain Mama Maternity Climbing Harness (UPDATED)
A throwback review of Mad Rock’s Mountain Mama maternity climbing harness — real-world comfort, fit, and adjustment tips for climbing through pregnancy, plus a 2026 update on alternatives.
Alternative Schooling: The What and Why
A family’s plain-language guide to alternative education — homeschooling, unschooling, roadschooling, and worldschooling — drawn from years of finding what fits our son, who learns differently, and our nontraditional lifestyle.
Riding Johnson Canyon Road (Utah) on a Gravel Bike
A solo dawn ride up Glendale Bench and Johnson Canyon Road near Kanab, Utah — a brutal 1,500-foot gravel climb rewarded with the backside of Bryce, Grand Staircase-Escalante, white canyon bluffs, and a Gunsmoke ghost town.
Overcoming Challenges to Getting Outdoors
The mindset and gear that get you past the “what ifs” — planning and navigation backups, dressing for a 20-degree swing, why quality synthetics and merino beat cotton, and how to fuel (and bribe) the whole crew.
How to Help a Necessary Road Trip Not Suck
A road warrior’s take on making a long, necessary drive genuinely enjoyable — the coffee, snacks, water, and fuel basics that cut pit stops and fatigue — wrapped around a 13-hour day helping a friend pick up a car.
Why Leave No Trace Matters
Why small choices outdoors add up — a plain-language walk through the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace and how they double as smart adventure prep, so the places we love stay healthy for the next generation.