Yosemite National Park is a land of iconic giants. Names like Half-Dome, John Muir, and Ansel Adams are cemented into our national heritage. Planning a family-centered vacation to such a venerated place was daunting even to park-visiting veterans like ourselves! We wondered if our kids would care about the historical value of the park. What if seeing the iconic sites wasn't enough to pique the interest of our kids? How would we create lasting memories and good times together in this busy place?
After all our planning, we ended up visiting the park 3 different times and discovering the answers to those questions. We found trails that were less traveled, places that captured our kid's imaginations, we made lasting memories and formed a special place in our hearts for this place that manages to stay wild and stunning, despite the sheer number of visitors. We share what we learned in our newest guidebook, to be released in April 2019, in hopes that your family will carve out time to revel in all that is Yosemite National Park. |
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Too often as adults, we have a vast list of sites to see and we believe the best way to visit the park is to do a drive-by of them. We tell ourselves we can see more this way, and after all, we can't go home and tell our friends we only saw a small bit of the park, can we? Well, if you want your kids to enjoy the trip you must change your thinking. Kids need to experience nature on a very personal level. They need to engage as many of their senses as possible. In order for your children to build lasting memories, you must get them out of the car. As parents of 8 kids, we know this isn't easy but it is imperative. Your children need to walk the trail through the cedar forest. They need to smell the soil and hear the wind and the birds. Our book can help you plan the details. It will be worth it. Believe us.
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Keeping kids warm, dry and well fed is most of the battle towards having a great time. There are lots of affordable options for clothing for kids that will help with the warm and dry part. Do not feel you must buy all their gear at an expensive name-brand company. Thrift stores carry much of what you may need if money is an issue. We cover suggested items in our book but the main thing is to dress in layers and be aware of the weather and elevation.
As for keeping little tykes (and teens...) well fed, we recommend packing plenty of yummy and exciting snack items that can be used as motivation if necessary. We've had to bribe our kids to finish the hike many a time and we aren't ashamed to say it. When you are outdoors on an adventure, you need to use all the tools at your disposal sometimes! |
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