Outdoors vacations can be some of the best trips to take your family on, allowing your family to rekindle their love for nature and to spend quality time together. What’s more, booking an outdoorsy trip can help you to have a fantastic time without spending hours queuing for theme park rides or spending a lot of your hard-earned money on activities. Arizona is one of the best states to take your family to as the one-of-a-kind national parks and warm weather create the perfect environment for spending your days out of your tents. Here are some top tips to allow you to get the most out of your time away.
Book Trips to Safe Destinations
When you are traveling with your family, the most important factor behind any outdoor trip is to pick a destination that is safe for you and your family. Factors such as the dangers of the local weather, terrain and environment can be incredibly important if you are considering camping with your family or spending a lot of time performing outdoor activities and sports, such as hiking and skiing. Not only this, but you should make sure that the area which your accommodation is in is also safe for the kids, with little crime and other elements that could leave you spending the whole week worrying rather than enjoying yourself. Some of the best places to take your kids in Arizona include Woods Canyon Lake, Catalina State Park, and the Lost Dutchman state park.
Find Family-Friendly Camping Grounds
It is worth noting, not all accommodation is built equal, and to allow you and your family to get as close as possible to nature, you should find family-friendly camping grounds that can accommodate the needs of you and your kids. When you are traveling with children, it is likely that you will want to find campgrounds that offer key facilities, such as showers and sinks, to help you to look after your children well during the time that you are away. You should also make sure that your campground is suitable for the equipment that you are bringing and your mode of travel. For instance, if you are traveling by RV, you will need to find a campground that can accommodate your vehicle overnight. For instance, if you are looking for Arizona RV parks and campgrounds, its not difficult to find a suitable site in the area that you are vacationing to, from Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon.
Participate at Your Family’s Skill Level
A key part of any active holiday is participating in adventures or trying out new sports that you would be unable to enjoy at home. However, when you are enjoying an active trip to Arizona, it is vital that you both play sports and commit to outdoor activities that align with your family’s skill levels. For instance, toddlers and young children may need help if you are looking to hike for hours at a time, especially if you are planning to hike many of the difficult trials in Arizona, such as those around the Grand Canyon. You should also make sure that you are going at their pace and consider only participating in new activities if you believe that your child will be able to cope with them. If you do not go at your family’s pace, you and your family may become injured after stretching their abilities past their limits. If you are concerned about this, you might consider trialing practice runs at home, such as hiking up a local hill or mountain that is around the same height and altitudes as those in Arizona, such as Camelback mountain.
Consider Bucket List Adventures
If you want to give your kids a trip that they will never forget, you should search around for some of the best outdoor adventures in Arizona and beyond. There are many bucket list adventures that you can find within a short distance of Arizona, and these can include going rafting through the Grand Canyon or even taking a break from camping to experience the sky from a hot air balloon.
Pack Everything That You Need
Although you may be used to traveling light when you are on an outdoor vacation, when you have kids, you need to make sure that you are prepared for every eventuality both when you are heading to the airport and when you are setting out on your big hikes, such as the Bright Angel Trail or Cathedral Rock. For instance, to check that your kids remain happy and content throughout the trip, you should remember to pack essential items such as sunscreen, insect repellent, hats and sunglasses, and a first aid kit, which are all needed for the extremes of Arizona weather. If you are considering booking an active experience for your family in the warm Arizona weather, make sure to consider the best tents for ultralight backpacking so that you’re carrying as little weight as possible. When you are going into the wilderness, you should also check that you have enough snacks for your children along the way to prevent them from falling ill or becoming hungry along the way.
Consider Joining a School or Adventure Camp
If you believe that you are going to struggle to enjoy an outdoor vacation with your kids, you should consider taking them to a sports school or adventure camp during the vacation. You will mostly find these camps in resorts or large sporting and hiking centers, such as those around large monuments, such as the Grand Canyon village. This will allow them to learn from an instructor and develop their outdoor skills while being able to mix with children their own age. While they are at the camp, this will also allow you to experience your own adventures at your own skill level, rather than that of your kids. If this is not possible, you might also consider group tours and organized walks as an alternative, of which the National Park service run many.
Keep the Kids Occupied
You might find adventuring in the wilderness exciting, but this does not mean that your children will. Children often have much shorter attention spans than adults, and they might also become easily tired during your adventures. This may make them start to grow bored or grouchy throughout the day. To prevent this from happening and allow you to continue to enjoy your trip, you should find ways to keep the kids occupied. For instance, you might consider trying travel games, going on an insect or nature hunt, using imaginative play, or simply playing I-spy to keep your kids engaged for the duration of the trip.
