Colorado in the summer is perfection. Crisp, cool air, mountain vistas, playing outside without sweating… what’s not to love? We visited Vail, Colorado, with our family when the Bear was just a toddler and today I’m sharing our favorite things to do in the area with kids. Vail is famous for winter ski slopes and luxury vacations. We managed to have a frugal vacation in the area during the summer and it was awesome. Here are our favorite things about visiting Vail in the summer with kids.
Every time we tell friends about our family travel plans with two kids under three, they look at us like we are crazy. We may very well be, but we love to travel and are almost done with our first adventure of the summer and preparing for our next one. Today I’m sharing 20 tips for entertaining preschool kids while traveling, and I hope they will be as useful to you as they have been to us. We love to travel and to take our kids along, so keeping them entertained is a must for our sanity.
We’ve been living and working at Camp Buckner, a beautiful camp in the Texas Hill Country for the last 2 1/2 weeks serving with Young Life. Traveling to and living at camp is challenging, but we are using it as a test run for our big 4 week road trip coming up later this summer. In July we will head out to Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook so you don’t miss our adventures.
We attempted to get a photo of all five grandbabies, but it proved above our pay grade. Luke was NOT having it. At all. Note to self: next time have the baby entertainers stand directly behind me so the kids are not looking to the side.
Then it was time for everybody’s {least} favorite part of the whole week, the group photo. I always end up organizing it because I’m the oldest child and it’s just what I do. My mom bought matching outfits for the kids and the rest of us wore any shade of blue, brown, or white.
We traded photo shoots with our neighbors because I forgot my tripod. This was WAY easier than running back and forth after setting the timer. I need a remote.
We all survived and had a blast. We are pretty low key when we go to the beach, and spend most of our time just enjoying the sand and water rather than tourist activities. We eat fresh seafood we cook ourselves every night and do a lot of laughing and playing. Best week ever.
This one is my favorite because we are all laughing. Caroline’s face (in the middle) is the best.
Isn’t this front porch the dreamiest? I could just live there.
How do you keep you sanity when traveling with kids? Tell me in the comments section.
I apologize for the crappy pictures. Hopefully you can still get the idea. You will need a Pack ‘n Play 
with our older child so the dark isn’t scary. It may take a few tries to get your child used to the Hotel Tent, but it will be well worth it when you aren’t trapped with your spouse on a bathroom floor. Your child gets the sleep they need to enjoy the trip and you don’t have to watch a movie in the bathtub. Everybody wins.
Hey BFOTD readers! My name is Nicole and I blog at Three 31 — connect with me on social media too! I am a sweet tea drinking, Jesus loving, country girl from Kentucky married to a Texan named Husband. (Well, that’s not really his name but that’s what I call him.) We live near Fort Worth on a small spread with a white horse named Blue. While I have never given birth to another human, I consider my eighth grade students (129 in all) to be my precious, annoying, and hormonal angel babies. When I’m not blogging or teaching language arts, I enjoy photography, cooking, target shooting, reading, mission and volunteer work, reality TV, and traveling. My most recent travel experience and passport stamp came from Israel where I toured the Holy Land. 
If you have plans to visit the Holy Land, may I offer the following suggestions:
In regards to expectations, it is important to remember that the Holy Land has endured battles, uproars, disagreements, wars, and power struggles for thousands of years. Modern ideals (i.e. religious law, gender roles, clothing, food, etc.) must respectfully take a backseat during your visit. I also suggest you dust off your history books and religious texts. According to tradition, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (also called the Church of the Resurrection) sits atop Golgotha (Calvary). Visitors can kneel at an elaborate altar and touch the stone believed to have held Jesus’ cross. There is also a large stone slab in the Rotunda where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial, the Anointed Stone. 
Once the tour group left the airport in Tel Aviv, we went to the coastal city of Jaffa, the oldest port in the world. According to the Bible, Jonah set sail from Jaffa before encountering the whale (or was it a fish?), and it was in Jaffa where Peter raised Tabitha from the dead. 
Inside most temples, cathedrals, and churches were the most beautiful tile mosaics I have ever seen. Along the Via Dolorosa, I saw this incredible mosaic (about 8-feet tall and 20-feet-wide) of Jesus carrying his cross. Every tile had to have been cut and polished by hand, then very carefully arranged to create this beautiful image. I’m still in awe. 
The hill of Mount Zion, the highest point in Old Jerusalem, is dominated by the Church of the Dormition (left photo, below). According to Christian tradition, it is the place where the Virgin Mary died. Nearby is The Upper Room, where Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and served The Last Supper before being crucified, and King David’s Tomb. The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu (right photo, below) is a stone’s throw from The Upper Room, located on the lower east side of Mount Zion. This Roman Catholic Church takes its name from Peter’s triple rejection of Jesus. The church has been rebuilt several times, the latest construction in 1931, and further connects Peter with the golden rooster on the roof. Inside are multiple underground caves and crypts. Some believe Jesus was imprisoned here. On the north side of the church is an ancient staircase that leads to the Kidron Valley and many Christians believe Jesus followed this path down to the Garden of Gethsemane. 
There were so many wonderful, magical moments on this trip. I had a blast following the footsteps of Jesus and visiting places important to his ministry. However, walking along the stone streets of Old Jerusalem put so much into context. I don’t know if it was the conglomeration of three major religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) or the sense of old world charm in a bustling metropolis, but I loved every minute of it. Luckily, my tour group spent the last day of our pilgrimage in Jerusalem. We even shared Holy Communion in the Garden of the Empty Tomb. Even though the final day focused on the Via Dolorosa, I intentionally stayed at the back of the pack (like I normally do in large group settings) to capture lifestyle shots. Anybody can Google the places I’ve seen, but I wanted photos that captured the essence of the people who live and thrive inside the ancient city’s walls. There were open-air markets and street vendors selling shawarma (meat prepared on a rotating spit), brightly colored scarves blowing in the breeze, a variety of candies and sweet treats displayed on tables, and more fresh produce than this country girl could ever imagine! It was truly a magical day, an unforgetable experience. 
More highlights of my Holy Land trip came from experiences with water. Where there is water, I usually find a way in … literally! I swamfloated in the Dead Sea (which was so cool and made my skin feel AMAZING!) and another day I ate Saint Peter’s fish (similar to tilapia) beside the Sea of Galilee (which is really a big lake and fresh water, not saltwater). After lunch, I snuck away from the group to dip my toes in the very chilly water. The large rocks provided perfect coverage for my secret mission. I was eventually discovered and joined the tour group on-board a cruising vessel. The skies were a perfect shade of blue, the water was calm, and the captain turned off the engines to play a soft melody of It Is Well With My Soul over the speakers. 
If you get the opportunity to sit atop a camel, just do it already! There were 54 adults standing and gawking, talking about how cool it would be to ride a camel, but nobody was willing to get on the furry animal until Yours Truly demonstrated it was perfectly safe. And no, Mister Camel did not spit or bite me. 
I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe you learned a few things too. I’d love to visit Jerusalem and the Holy Land again sometime. Have you traveled to the Holy Land? The Middle East? What were your favorite spots? What other destinations are on your dream list? Someday, I want to travel to Africa and Asia. 
Thanks so much for sharing your adventure with us, Nicole! I long to visit the Holy Land and see all the places I’ve read about since childhood.
Hey BFOTD readers! My name is Nicole and I blog at Three 31 — connect with me on social media too! I am a sweet tea drinking, Jesus loving, country girl from Kentucky married to a Texan named Husband. (Well, that’s not really his name but that’s what I call him.) We live near Fort Worth on a small spread with a white horse named Blue. While I have never given birth to another human, I consider my eighth grade students (130 in all) to be my precious, annoying, and hormonal angel babies. When I’m not blogging or teaching language arts, I enjoy photography, cooking, target shooting, reading, mission and volunteer work, reality TV, and traveling. Last summer, Husband had to go to Washington D.C. for work purposes, but I made sure there was a way for me to go for fun purposes! This was my first time in the nation’s capital and I absolutely LOVED it. For security purposes, I cannot disclose information about our accommodations but that’s okay because my part of the trip was all about visiting national monuments and museums and eating really great food!
If the pictures don’t do the trick, perhaps these travel tips will convince you to start planning your trip and pack your bags. 
1. Check (and double-check) that you’ve got a memory card in your camera. If I had checked my camera, you’d see pictures of perfectly steamed shrimp seasoned with Old Bay and lemon zest, fried cod, crispy potato wedges, cole slaw, and corn-on-the-cob. Husband said this particular meal was “really tasty.” He never, ever compliments food. Ever.
2. Spend at least a half-day at Mount Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia. I arrived before the estate opened, but I entertained myself by taking pictures with my camera’s self-timer. It was ridiculous and silly. But a lot of fun. I also recommend a ride on the Spirit of Mount Vernon and cruise along the Potomac River. The view of George Washington’s mansion from the water is incredible.
3. Remember the fallen at Arlington National Cemetery and observe the daily ritual of The Changing of The Guard. This is a must-see. I have goosebumps remembering this experience. You can’t NOT go to Arlington and visit The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier.
4. Wear sunglasses, sunscreen + comfy shoes. But not new shoes. I purchased a pair of athletic/walking shoes the day before we left and had blisters on my feet within the first hour of walking around the National Mall. Fortunately, I had a pair of really comfortable sandals.
5. Use public transportation + ride the METRO trains.I cannot promote METRO transit system enough. For a mere $9, I had an unlimited daily pass and I zippy-do-daa’d all over the D.C. area. Transitioning from one train to another is super easy and really quick. Honest-to-goodness, I never waited more than 5 minutes to board. An added bonus: the “facility” where Husband and I stayed provided a personal driver who drove me to the train station every morning and picked me up later in the afternoon.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Being in a metro area during the week has its advantages. People who live and work in the area are out-and-about and, usually, eager to help. I can’t tell you the number of people I approached to ask, “Can you point me in the direction of ___?” and they answered my question with a smile on their face. I paid attention to those around me, looking for people carrying a to-go lunch. Those were the folks on their lunch break; they know the area!
7. Eat at local specialty restaurants. No offense to restaurant chains, but I avoid them when I’m in a new place. In fact, I spent several hours researching local eateries found only in the D.C. area. Taking into consideration my food allergy, every meal was incredible. Husband and I ate at Steamer’s and Woodmont Grill (Bethesda, Maryland) and Copper Canyon (Gaithersburg, Maryland). During the day, while I was by myself. I ate at Mount Vernon Inn (Alexandria, Virginia), Old Ebbitt Grill and Ping Pong (Washington, D.C.). If you love crab cakes, you must try this recipe for Old Ebbitt Grill Crab Cakes.
8. Keep a street map in your tote bag. I’ll be honest, the navigation signs on roadways in the D.C. area are somewhat confusing. I got turned around and made several U-turns, but I always found my destination. However, the day I wanted to visit the National Geographic Museum, I turned right when I should have gone left. After a delicious lunch at Ping Pong, I headed towards the museum but found myself in the middle of Embassy Row. I waved to people walking by with their dog or watering the flowers in the yard … hey, I’m a nice tourist! I turned my misfortune into a learning experience and passed more than 100 properties belonging to dignitaries and secretaries of foreign countries along Massachusetts Avenue. I saw the sculpture of Mahatma Ghandi in front of India’s embassy and took a deep, cleansing breath ( Namaste, y’all). A few hours later, plus a refreshment from Smoothie King, I boarded the METRO train en route to Bethesda. The afternoon was not wasted, but I sure wish I had found the NatGeo Museum!
9. Visit the National Archives … but arrive extra early. If you’re in Washington, D.C., you have to see the documents that created this country. The original Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights are on display inside the dimly lit rotunda of the National Archives. I got goosebumps seeing John Hancock’s signature! Let this be fair warning, however, access to the gallery is limited. I arrived 30 minutes before the building opened and the line was clear around the block. Luckily, I was included in the first group of people (approximately 40) into the sacred space. An hour later, when I left the building, the line stretched three city blocks!
10. Watch an IMAX movie at the Smithsonian Museum. Sure, I can watch IMAX films at my local movie theater, but watching an IMAX inside the Smithsonian Museum is much more exciting! I saw a film on coral reefs in the South Pacific and told Husband we really need to go on a vacation that includes a tropical destination!
11. Try a new cuisine. I know I’ve mentioned food a gazillion times already, but I tried dim sum (steamed parcels of deliciousness) for the first time and fell in love.
12. Make friends. The facility where Husband and I stayed had incredible staff. Miss V was like a grandmother and Mister S was my personal driver to the METRO train station each morning and afternoon. Mister S told me about growing up in Nepal and traveling the world before becoming a security consultant for the United States. I could have talked to him for hours. At restaurants, I made some type of connection with the staff. They were extremely attentive with my food allergy and I met the executive chef and manager before every meal. The waiter at Ping Pong is originally from Fort Worth and he attends George Washington University studying international commerce. I also met a family at Mount Vernon from Louisville, Kentucky. It’s a small world, you never know who you’re going to meet next!
13. Because 13 is a lucky number, remember these tips:
Have you been to Washington D.C.? What was your favorite attraction? Leave a comment!
Thanks so much for sharing your adventures with us, Nicole. I’ve been to D.C. several times, but there is so much to do and see there I can’t wait to go again. Jed has never been and he is as much a history nerd as I am, so I know we will make it back soon.
Hiking is one of my favorite things in life. Walking around in beautiful places makes my heart so happy.
We were so blessed to travel for 2 months this past year and experience so much beauty. While we were staying and working at Trail West in Buena Vista, Colorado, we hiked Cottonwood Pass three times with our whole camp group. It is a super easy hike for families.
We hiked with babies and kids of all ages as well as adults with all kinds of health problems and an 84 year old grandmother. She loved it.
The hike doesn’t take long but you get a fantastic payout at the top. There is a 360 degree view of the Collegiate Peaks and Taylor Reservoir. The pass is open in the summer, and you can find more about closings and see tons of pictures and videos here. The trailhead is about 19 miles west of Buena Vista and the pass is used as a route from BV to Crested Butte. The pass was used in the USA Procycling Challenge, so Jed felt like Andy Schleck when he rode his bike down the mountain.
No matter how warm it is at the bottom of the mountain, bring lots of layers for yourself and your kiddos. We learned that lesson the hard way on another hike with the Bear. I did not win Mom of the Year in 2012, and I blame that hike among many, many other things. You can read more about our adventures hiking with a toddler here.
Have you taken your whole family hiking? Share any tips or what holds you back in the comments section below.
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One of the activities at Trail West Lodge is a 4×4 Jeep tour up to St. Elmo, a real Old West ghost town. We jumped on board. St. Elmo used to be famous for mining, now it is famous for chipmunks. Oh, how time changes us all. 🙂
Let me just recommend Jeep tours to anyone with a kid who needs a good nap. We did a lot of off road driving in Colorado and New Mexico, and it was the Bear’s kryptonite. He couldn’t fight it. Out like a light every time.
The Bear, on the other hand, was a bit suspicious of the little critters. He really liked them, laughed and pointed, but wanted no part of them touching him. It was probably better that way.
Jed even fed the little buggers. This is a huge deal for a non animal lover.
The second most popular thing about St. Elmo is the scenery. It is serene and so beautiful. A lovely mountain stream flows through the middle of town, and mountains surround you on all sides.
Even the one room schoolhouse has an alpine view. How did teachers educate a room full of kids of all ages? This mystifies and amazes me. My grandmother taught in a schoolhouse much like this in El Paso, Arkansas.
The pioneer cemetary is on your way in to town, if you come up the jeep route. The graves reside among lovely trees in an aspen grove, and date back to the mid 1800s.
This is a replica of what the inside of the courthouse and jail looked like around the time of the town’s boom (late 1800s).
The original Miners’ Exchange building is now home to the St. Elmo General Store. There you can buy a snack for you or for the chipmunks, books about the town and Colorado history, postcards, and lots of souvenirs.
There are so many of the original buildings still standing. We really got a glimpse into mining life during the gold rush. As we walked the dirt streets we pictured miners and their families grinding out an existence high atop a mountain in rugged Colorado.
On our second trip up to St. Elmo, my parents joined us. I inherited my history nerd gene from both of them, so they thought it was awesome. My dad was a big fan of the cable series Deadwood, and we could picture that kind of action happening on the main street. It was a great little outing for the whole family.
