Before I talk about family day trip ideas, I just want to say, “I get it”. You are sick of being stuck at home. A home that has been your family’s own personal office, school, restaurant, gym, and playground ever since you began sheltering in place due to COVID-19. Now, to compound matters, it is winter and you feel even more trapped than before. You desperately need a change of scenery. Yet you are acutely aware that, even though vaccines are slowly being rolled out, there are also new strains of the coronavirus running rampant across parts of the U.S.
All is not lost. Travel does not mean getting on a plane and going to an exotic location. Sure, you may have wistful pangs of regret for the Hawaiian vacation that had to be cancelled last year. But there is still new land to explore. You just have to get more creative and think local.
A family day trip is a great way to follow the rules of engagement outlined by your state, county, and the CDC. It can also provide your brood with the distraction they desperately covet. The simple act of being in a car, driving someplace new, can be enough to recharge the soul. However, before you close your eyes and randomly select a place on your local map, it is a good idea to have some kind of activity planned. This is especially true because some activities require pre-registration during the current public health emergency.
Below are some of my tried and tested family day trip excursions. I hope they provide inspiration as you research activities for your own family.
Visit Local Historic Sites
Do you know the history of your town or city, or even your neighboring town or city? In an earlier blog I talked about how easy it is to not notice things in your own neighborhood. The truth is, when you are caught up in the minutiae of daily activities, you are primarily focused on getting from point A to B. Yet many places in the U.S. have pre-defined walking tours that take you past local points of interest. Most are even available to print or download. Try typing “historic walking tours near me” in your search bar and see what pops up. If it sounds interesting, gather up the family and take a walk down memory lane.
There are also plenty of outdoor historic sites that are currently open around the U.S. Try searching for “State Historic Parks near me,” or broadening your search to the state where you are located. If you reside in California, I highly recommend Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, as well as Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, and Old Sacramento State Historic Park.
Travel Around the World with Food
A couple of years ago, my kids received a monthly gift subscription to Raddish. It is designed to introduce kids, age 4-14, to food from around the world, while also teaching them how to cook and learn about other cultures. My kids LOVED it! When the subscription ended, I even bought a few other Raddish kits to help supplement evening meals.
During COVID, I’ve taken the same concept and applied it to help support local restaurants that specialize in culinary fare from other countries. Sure, it can sometimes mean a bit of a drive, but it is definitely a conversation starter. Plus, it helps broaden my kids’ palette. Over the last 10 months, my children have consumed everything from Thai, Chinese, and Indian, to Greek, French and Italian. If you like the idea of doing something similar, make it even more fun by challenging family members to share a fact about the country where their dish is from.
You can also make a family day trip out of food. For instance, one of my friend’s recently drove her kids 60 miles so that they could taste fresh crab!
Imitate the Movies
One of my guilty pleasures during quarantine is to watch a little reality TV. Typically, my tastes veer toward travel and adventure (think Amazing Race, Survivor, Alone, Naked and Afraid, 100 Days Wild etc.). I’m also an avid watcher of The Challenge and, dare I admit, Southern Charm. I was watching an episode of the latter this week when one of the images on screen inspired me. A cast member was boating on an idyllic lake with his girlfriend. The landscape around him looked kind of familiar. This was verified when he disclosed it was the same lake that was in the movie The Notebook.
I’m not a stranger to visiting outdoor movie set locations. A couple of years ago I took my kids to Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii, for an off-road “Jungle Expedition Tour” that, among other things, took us to where scenes from movies like Jurassic Park and Jumanji were filmed. But, the Southern Charm episode, did get me thinking. What other outdoor movie set locations are open to visit right now? A quick search for San Francisco, pulled up a lot of results. Knowing how much my kids loved Kualoa Ranch, I’m now determined to have them re-watch movies like “Mrs. Doubtfire” so that we can do a family day trip to see some new movie locations within driving distance.
Do Drive Throughs
While we are on the subject of movies, another activity during this pandemic has been to take my kids to outdoor movie theatres. As much as we love Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services, it is nice to watch a movie on an actual big screen. (Versus the television in our living room). The good news is, now that movies are finally being released again, outdoor movie theatre experiences don’t have to involve re-watching old classics.
Also keep your eye out for nearby drive through events. Since the pandemic started, my family has gone to a drive through haunted house, a holiday in the park drive through, and a drive through dinosaur exhibit!
Star Gazing
One of the unlikely advantages of winter, is it gets dark early. That means it can be the perfect time to load the kids up in the car and take a little star gazing trip. Too cold? Don’t worry, when it comes to looking at stars, the colder the better. Cold, windless nights, typically offer the best viewing conditions because there is less motion in the atmosphere, so the light of the stars is less distorted. Just remember to pack blankets and hot chocolate, as well as jackets, hats, and gloves, to help stay warm.
You don’t need a telescope either. Major constellations, shooting stars, and the International Space Station should all be visible with the naked eye. However, if you do have a telescope – or even binoculars – lying around, be sure to take it with you for a closer look at the wonders above. Also consider downloading an app like Stellarium, which helps identify the planets and constellations in the sky.
Lastly, remember to set up “camp” as far away from man-made lights as possible. This includes your car headlights. And make sure you give yourself enough time for your eyes to adjust to the dark. For more tips and tricks, check out EarthSky’s top 10 tips for super stargazers.
Visit a National or State Park
Now is the perfect time to explore nearby parks. National parks are a great activity for a family day trip. They are particularly impressive because they enjoy protected status due to scenic or historical importance. Each national park offers a truly unique experience. Whether it is the towering redwoods of Muir Woods and the sculpted granite of Yosemite in California, or the volcanoes and lava fields of Hawaii, the Teton Range in Wyoming, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the glacier fields of Denali in Alaska, the Acadia coastline in Maine, or the bison of Yellowstone.
Bottom line, if you are fortunate to live within driving distance of any natural wonders, you absolutely must pay them a visit! Not sure what parks are near you? Go to the National Park Service website.
State parks also offer some wonderful recreation. Not only are kids guaranteed to witness the beauty of nature, but they can also experience it in many ways – not just through hiking. For instance, many state parks allow for horse riding, fishing and biking. There are also opportunities to camp out in tents or an RV.
Try a New Recreational Sport
Just because some competitive sports programs are on hold, doesn’t mean you can’t try something new. There are plenty of outdoor recreational activities that you can try as a family. Why not play golf on a 9-hole executive course? If golf isn’t your thing, look for public courses that offer Frisbee Golf, or Foot Golf instead. And, if you want something more adventurous, how about challenging your family to a game of paintball? You could even take them on a trip to an outdoor archery range.
Geocache in Your Neighborhood
A family day trip can also be super localized. Have you ever heard of geocaching? It became “a thing” a few years ago. My boys loved it and, while they are older now, I’ve found it is still a good activity to pull out during the pandemic.
The idea is simple. Download the geocaching app and use GPS to find (and hide) secret containers, called “caches”. These containers can be anything, and hidden anywhere: a hydro flask put in a tree; a small metal tin hidden underneath a restaurant sign; a wooden box by a fence etc. The idea is that, once you’ve found a cache, you sign the log and take one of the small items inside. You then reciprocate by leaving something of your own. My kids have collected everything from little toys, to poker chips, stickers, and cool gemstones. Still not sure what it’s all about? Check out this verywellfamily blog. Just be sure to take hand sanitizer with you. Happy hunting!
Head to the Lake
Just because it is winter, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a nearby lake. Depending on where you live, it is still possible to partake in boating activities like water skiing and wakeboarding. You just have to make a few minor adjustments, like wearing a hooded winter wetsuit, surf booties and waterski gloves. Although you may also want to bring plenty of towels, hot drinks and some warm clothes. The same is true for fishing. While the spring and summer are typically favored, it is still possible to fish during the winter. Check out this Mossy Oak blog post for 5 tips for successful fishing in cold weather.
If all else fails, why not simply take a family stroll around the lake, or enjoy a little rock skipping?
Head to the Mountains
When I think of winter, I think of snow-capped mountains. But that may have something to do with the fact that my family has considered Lake Tahoe a second home, from December through April, for the last 15 years.
If you are fortunate to live only a car drive away from snow, consider a family day trip to play in the fluffy stuff. You don’t have to be a skier or snowboarder to enjoy the mountains. Build a snowman, make a snow angel, have a snowball fight, or see if you can figure out how to engineer an igloo. There are also plenty of sledding hills and ice-skating rinks that are open right now. Just plan ahead in case they need a pre-purchased ticket. You can also hit up a trail and snowshoe or cross-country ski. If you have cash to burn, perhaps try your hand at snowmobiling, dog sledding, or ice climbing?
Head to the Beach
Sure, the beach is normally a summer destination. But, in milder climates, like Florida and California, it is still possible to enjoy sand during the winter months. There is nothing stopping you from letting your kids build a sandcastle or fly a kite, even if it’s cold outside. Heck, I did it for years as a kid in England! You can also encourage your kids to try something more adventurous like dune buggies or sand surfing.
Happy Travels!
