#accessible fun

Planning a Cross Country Road Trip

People have been road tripping across the United States since the days of covered wagons. But ever since Route 66 connected the Atlantic to the Pacific, it’s gotten way easier to hit the open road and see this big beautiful country.

Our family has traveled up the west coast from Southern California to Canada, driven through the Inland Northwest states of Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Utah.…

Free Fun in San Francisco

San Francisco is an expensive place to live, and it’s not cheap to visit either. But like most big cities, there’s always a lot to do, and if you know how to look for deals, there’s free fun to be found.

With more than 50 hills within the city limits(not even kidding!!), San Francisco probably won’t ever make my list of most accessible cities. That doesn’t stop me from visiting, though. It just…

Rafting the Canadian Rockies

The summer after my daughter turned ten, we went on our first rafting trip as a family. Since then, it’s become sort of an annual tradition. So far, we’ve rafted in Montana, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming and Idaho. This summer I asked the kids where they thought we should try for our white water adventure. They chose Canada. Bless them 🙂

Fashionable dry suits keep out icy water

Every river we’ve…

Fifty miles up the 101 freeway from coastal Santa Barbara you’ll find yourself surrounded by ranches, vineyards and equestrian facilities, rolling hills dotted with majestic oak trees. The Santa Ynez Valley has a rich history that spans from the Chumash Indians and early ranchers to the burgeoning wine and tourism industries. Five small towns with distinct personalities make up the Valley and the…

A Haunted Hike to the Witch’s Castle

The Witch’s Castle in Portland’s Forest Park On this All Hallow’s Eve, it seems only appropriate to share a story of murder and ghosts and haunted houses, right? Lower entrance to the stone house. In Portland’s Forest Park, the largest natural urban forest in the United States, you can hike to the crumbling stone house known as Witch’s Castle. According to the legend, back in 1850, a man named…