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Category: national park

Fall Getaway: Visiting Shenandoah National Park With Kids

Guest Blogger: Sandra Kozera is a Pittsburgh native who backpacked around Europe with Catherine ages ago. She is a lawyer and member of the North Hills School Board.

Almost every fall, our family travels to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with some family friends. It’s a beautiful area all year round, but it’s especially amazing when the leaves are changing. Now, obviously a National-Park-destination trip has the capacity to be a pretty fun outdoorsy sort of adventure for the right sort of people (such as my friend who went on her honeymoon there last year). However, we are not very outdoorsy, and our children are still relatively young (currently 8 and 5), but we’ve still enjoyed going almost annually since before the eight year old was born. Because we’ve done this trip so many times, we have some pretty good hacks for how to enjoy the park and enjoy nature without needing to even consider whether we should tie our food up in a tree so that bears don’t get it. We love visiting Shenandoah National Park with kids.

On the Way to Shenandoah National Park

We live in Pittsburgh, and we drive to the park – it’s about a five hour trip for us. Because car travel with small children can often be fraught with disaster, one year I decided to see if there was a farm where we could stop on the way, and we discovered Orr’s Farm Market in Martinsburg, West Virginia. This is now my favorite farmer’s market. What I look for in a good farmer’s market: interesting things to do, minimal crowds, lots of produce. There are hayrides, animals, tons of apples, tons of pumpkins, and a whole area where kids can play, which is super important after hours of driving. I’ve definitely thought about going to Orr’s just on a random Saturday even though it’s a three hour drive.

We also always stop at Buffalo Wild Wings while we are in Martinsburg. I like to take small children to loud restaurants, and this one definitely fits the bill.

Visiting the Shenandoah National Park Area

Shenandoah National Park is located entirely in Virginia, and it is long, stretching from near Front Royal to Staunton. We typically stay in the Harrisonburg/Luray area, which is about at the midway point. There are lodges and campsites in the park, but we usually stay outside the park. We really enjoy the Mountainside Villas at Massanutten, which is practically a destination itself – there is a pool, a golf course, miniature golf, hiking trails, and a variety of other seasonal activities.

We have also stayed at the Shenandoah Valley KOA Kampground, which is lovely if you want to be slightly more outdoorsy but don’t want to deal with staying in the actual park. KOA has cabins as well as tent camping, so we could enjoy a campfire and s’mores when we stayed here.

Harrisonburg is home to James Madison University, and it is a great, walkable little town. Bella Luna Wood-Fired Pizza has a delightful pizza menu and thorough beer selection, and nearby Bella Gelato & Pastries features inventive ice cream selections. There are also a number of chain restaurants, big-box stores, various grocery stores – so you can basically replace everything you accidentally left at home all within a short drive of where you are staying. And there’s a large Barnes & Noble in case you need a book.

Visiting the Shenandoah National Park – Skyline Drive

In order to see the park, you’re going to need to spend some time in your car. Driving at least part of the 105-mile-long Skyline Drive is an amazingly beautiful journey. There are a number of scenic overlooks. Some are spectacular, so definitely be prepared to pull over at a moment’s notice to take in the view.

Shenandoah National Park Best Hikes

There are a ton of hiking trails, but it’s hard (for me, anyway) to tell from maps which ones will be appropriate or interesting for children. I recommend two – the Limberlost Trail, which is an easy, flat hike of about 1.3 miles, and the Dark Hollow Falls Trail, which is an out-and-back waterfall destination hike. Dark Hollow is hilly and may not be appropriate for the littlest legs, but the waterfall views are amazing. There are some flat trails in the Skyland area, but the scenery in that area is somewhat stark – still, it’s a nice easy place to stretch your legs.

Shenandoah National Park Restaurants

Food is available at Big Meadows and at Skyland. Skyland’s Pollock Dining Room has a nice sit-down restaurant with lovely views, but they open at 12 for lunch, and there is often a line, so plan for that accordingly. There’s also a gas station in Big Meadows if you happen to blow out your tire and need someone to help you put on your spare (just theoretically).

Visiting Shenandoah National Park in Fall

The temperature in the park is usually 5-10 degrees colder than it is outside the park in the fall, and in Skyland, it can be even colder. We go in mid to late October, and the park temperature has been everything from 80 degrees to 40 degrees, depending on the year. Basically pack all your clothes.

We are not going to Shenandoah this year, and we are going to miss it, but we will definitely be back. This is a great family trip.

October 5, 2018
White House Tour for Kids
Having lived in Washington, DC for over a decade, a tour of the White House is something that has always been “on the list” of things to do, but not something we have actually gotten around to doing. I decided earlier this year that it was an opportunity we should not pass up and decided to look into the process of arranging a tour of the White House. Even though there was a lot of waiting up front, I highly recommend a White House tour for kids visiting Washington DC.

White House Tour Tickets

The President’s Park, or The White House, is generally available for public touring Tuesdays through Saturdays, excluding holidays. Tours are self-guided, and although the White House is maintained by the National Park Service, the National Park Service does not operate tours. For US citizens and legal residents, tours can be requested via your member of Congress. Citizens of foreign countries can request tours via their embassy in Washington, DC. Tours are pre-scheduled, and the NPS website warns that visitors should request tickets well in advance of their scheduled trip to Washington, DC.

I requested our tickets for a White House tour through Senator Mark Warner’s website. Although the procedure may vary depending on which member of Congress you’re requesting tickets from, Mark Warner’s website was easy to understand and very thorough. Individuals are permitted to submit three different dates that fall between three weeks and three months of the date of request and instructions were clearly spelled out on the website. Almost immediately after I submitted my request (group size, email address, tour dates), I received a confirmation email stating that my request had been received and that I would receive further correspondence from the White House.

My request for a White House tour was submitted to Mark Warner’s website on January 26 and three days later, on January 29, I received an email from the White House indicating that my request had been received. The email requested additional information, including the full names, dates of birth, and social security numbers for all individuals seeking to participate in the tour. The deadline to submit the information was February 2, one week from the date of the email and the email clearly indicated that the tour was not yet confirmed and that any confirmation of a tour would come 2-3 weeks prior to the requested tour date.

Now, I actually managed to completely forget about the White House tour and that we had requested a tour on certain dates. I had originally put down three dates and neglected to mark them on my calendar. On March 2, one month after the registration deadline for submitting names and background security check information, I received an email from the White House Visitor’s office saying our tour was confirmed! We were given a date and time and instructions regarding what was permitted and what was not permitted.

White House Tour Rules

On the day of the tour, we arrived early and simply found street parking. We walked over to the White House, passing by the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is occupied by the Executive Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President, on our way over. The EEOB is a beautiful building and I always find it to be impressive.

As per the email instructions, we found our way to the entrance located at the intersection of 15th Street NW and Alexander Hamilton Place NW but we were dismayed to find an extremely long line. We waited at the back of the line for a little bit, before rumors indicated that visitors who had a 12:30 tour (which we did), were able to enter the complex. We decided to walk up to the front of the line and check and yes! Lo and behold, those with a 12:30 tour time were permitted to enter (it was 12:30 when we got into the outside line), so we quickly entered the complex where we found… another line.

As I looked in dismay at the line(s) in front of us, my preschooler happily proceeded to run off and jump up and down the steps to this statue.

I won’t lie, the lines were long and onerous…. but, they weren’t as long and onerous as I thought they would be. From the time we entered the complex to when we entered the actual White House, we waited in three lines for a total time of about one hour. Although my three year old did not love waiting in line, at least the weather, although chilly, was relatively warm for winter in DC.

Multiple signs indicating working canines and yes, we saw many in action!

Once we were inside the White House, wee were a bit surprised to find that it was truly a self-guided tour. We were free to walk and browse at our own pace, and there were Secret Service members littered about, ready to engage and answer questions. They were surprisingly friendly and full of information. One member, when asked about the rolled back carpets, said that the carpets are rolled up for tours but that otherwise, the carpets are unfurled, the ropes (closing off entry to the rooms) are open, and people are free to enter and use the rooms as they see fit. She also mentioned that just a few days prior, the entire hall of rooms had been open for a St. Patrick’s Day party and that there were upwards of 300+ guests milling about the White House.

The White House Rooms

Upon entry, we walked the halls of the downstairs, where we saw photo montages from past and present. The view of the back yard was spectacular.

It was St. Patrick’s Day after all!

I was amused to find even a White House gift shop!

The truly beautiful rooms, however, were upstairs… I absolutely loved seeing the State dining room, which was much smaller than I expected, and the character of each individual room was lovely to admire.

I loved seeing the State dining room, which was MUCH SMALLER than I expected!

Per the guards, the rooms that are available for touring change, depending on the needs of the building. Presumably, returning visitors might see something different each time. Although, I’m almost certain the tour begins downstairs, and all visitors get to see the photo montages and the view of the yard.

Walking through the White House took us at most 30 minutes and we never felt rushed or crowded. Although sometimes there would be a group gathered at one particular spot, we simply moved away and looked at something else, then returned when space opened up. It really was a much more enjoyable experience than I expected, especially given that I was wrangling my three year old during his customary nap time.

As we exited the building, I turned around to admire the exterior architectural details, which were much more intricate than I expected. I also noticed that we walked past the Treasury Building, which, along with the EEOB, flanks the White House.

Final Thoughts:
- I would absolutely visit the White House if given the opportunity and if you know you’re coming to DC, you should put in a tour request well in advance.
- Don’t worry about what you’re wearing – there were people there in ties and people in yoga pants and/or sweats. No one blinked an eye.
- I was there with my rather rambunctious three year old and none of the guards blinked an eye. I’m pretty sure they’ve seen it all, so don’t worry about bringing kids provided you can keep them from truly running amok.
- As I’ve mentioned before, the White House is conveniently located nearly right across the street from the Renwick Gallery, so this is a great opportunity to double up on DC activities without having to travel too far.
Walking past the Renwick on our way back to the car.

Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC with kids! We are so lucky to call this place home and hope that our tips and tricks come in handy as you plan your own adventure in Washington, DC!
March 22, 2018
Visiting Yosemite With Kids
Yosemite National Park is known for its stunning granite cliffs popularized by Ansel Adams, its waterfalls, giant sequoia trees and mountains. Yosemite is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains about four hours from San Francisco and easily one of the country’s most impressive national parks. We traveled to Yosemite when our boys were two and four, and really loved Yosemite with a toddler and a preschooler. Our family loved visiting Yosemite with kids.

A print of one of Ansel Adams’ Yosemite photographs hung in my dorm room as a college student, and Yosemite was high on my bucket list. I first visited in 2002 during my cross-country road trip. My college roommate and I made a long day excursion from San Francisco and were not able to spend nearly enough time at Yosemite. Our focus was hiking the 600 step trail to Vernal Fall. When we planned a family trip to San Francisco in 2012, I was so excited to get the opportunity to more fully explore Yosemite.

Two Days at Yosemite National Park With Kids

Accommodations Near Yosemite With Children

We booked too nights at Tenaya Lodge, which is a cozy resort near Yosemite’s South Entrance and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the area. Yosemite National Park is quite large, and the driving distances within the Park are unusually long, but the scenery is extraordinary.

Tenaya Lodge

We had one and a half days to explore Yosemite and found more than enough to do with our two and four year old boys. Here is our top five list:

Things to Do in Yosemite With Kids

#1: El Capitan and Half Dome With Kids

El Capitan, a granite monolith, and Half Dome, a granite dome, are the most recognizable symbols of Yosemite. There are some phenomenal views of El Capitan and Half Dome on the drive to Yosemite Village from the South Entrance, and these formations are visible throughout the Park. The Tunnel View viewpoint just passed the Wawona Tunnel provided the most exquisite panorama.

El Capitan is on the left, and Half Dome is on the right

El Capitan is a 3,000 foot monolith that is a favorite of daring rock climbers. We even spotted one scaling the rock face.

El Capitan

Half Dome is a granite dome with sheer and rounded faces. The 14-mile hike up Half Dome is also not family-friendly. It is extremely strenuous and requires advance permits.

Half Dome
- Half Dome Facts: When Apple released their OS X Yosemite in 2014, Half Dome was the default wallpaper.
#2: Visiting Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley created in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The scenic 30 mile drive from the South Entrance to Yosemite Valley takes about an hour. We were all glad to be able to stretch our legs once we finally arrived at the visitor’s center in Yosemite Village. We parked our car and used the shuttles to explore the area.

We enjoyed a short stroller-accessible hike to Bridalveil Fall. Spring is peak season for waterfalls, which are created mostly as the snow melts. During our October visit, many of the falls were dry. The 620 foot Bridalveil Fall was really just a trickle, but still beautiful.

Bridalveil Fall

We also enjoyed an easy hike to Mirror Lake, which reflects Yosemite’s peaks when it is full in the Spring and early Summer. Even without the full mirror effect, we enjoyed a wonderful view and some time to check out the ducks.

Watching ducks at Mirror Lake

While the hike with 600 steps to Vernal Fall was not in the cards on this trip, we loved that we were able to find several trails that were doable with two young boys. Our two year old even did quite a bit of walking on his own.

Hiking in Yosemite
- Yosemite Valley Facts: While most visitors to Yosemite spend their time in Yosemite Valley, it is actually only 1% of the area of the Park.
#3: Junior Ranger Program With Kids

Like most National Parks, Yosemite offers a Junior Ranger program for young visitors. Our boys earned their first Junior Ranger badges by attending a guided program that we joined at the Happy Isles Nature Center. Our boys were the only kids at this program and received much attention from the ranger and other attendees. The program culminated with the two of them taking the Junior Ranger pledge and earning their badges.

Junior Ranger Pledge

Yosemite’s Junior Ranger program has changed slightly in the last few years. There is now a Little Cub program for children aged 3-6 and Junior Ranger program for children aged 7-13. To participate, you now need to purchase a booklet at the Park.
- Junior Ranger Program Facts: The Junior Ranger motto is “Explore, Learn, and Protect!” The Junior Ranger Pledge is, “As a Junior Ranger, I promise to teach others about what I learned today, explore other parks and historic sites, and help preserve and protect those places so future generations can enjoy them.”
#4: Sunset at Glacier Point

Glacier Point is a one hour drive from Yosemite Valley up Glacier Point Road but worth the trip for unmatched views of the Yosemite Valley. Glacier Point provides an eye-level vantage point for Half Dome. We traveled to Glacier Point for sunset over the Valley. The overlook is just a short, stroller-accessible walk from the parking area, and we loved watching the colors change as the sun disappeared over the horizon.

The drive back to the South Entrance after sunset also took about an hour. After a day of adventuring, both boys fell asleep quickly in the car. We were not able to stay but hear that it is a phenomenal location for stargazing.
- Glacier Point Facts: The historical Glacier Point Hotel operated here from its opening in 1918 until it was severally by heavy snowfall 1968. It was unoccupied when it was destroyed by a fire in 1969.
#5: Visiting Mariposa Grove

Giant sequoia trees are located in Mariposa Grove near Yosemite’s South Entrance. Massive does not begin to describe these trees, and it’s not hard to see why John Muir nicknamed them “big trees” and called them “nature’s forest masterpiece.” Giant sequoias can reach over 300 feet tall and 25 feet in diameter.

The Grizzly Giant and California Tunnel Tree are the two most famous trees in Mariposa. The hike to these two landmarks is two miles round trip and easily doable with young kids. The Grizzly Giant is the 25th largest living giant sequoia tree.

Grizzly Giant

The California Tunnel Tree was cut in 1895 so that people and carriages could pass through – possibly as a marketing scheme to draw visitors to the area. This tree is now the only living giant sequoia with a tunnel.

Mariposa Grove has been closed since July 2015 due to a major restoration project that includes even more accessible trails. If you visit after the Spring 2018 reopening, please let us know about the restored facilities.
- Mariposa Grove Facts: The giant sequoias (Sequioadendron gigantem) are the largest living things in terms of volume.
Why We Loved Visiting Yosemite National Park With Young Kids

Yosemite National Park is definitely one of my favorite National Parks. With its scenic cliffs, waterfalls and sequoias, its no surprise that Yosemite was one of the country’s first national parks. We avoided crowds by visiting in Fall and lucked out with great weather. I’m so glad that I got to share Yosemite with our young kids years after my first visit. We recommend Yosemite for kids! Thinking about planning a family trip to Northern California, check out our posts on San Francisco, Napa Valley and Monterey.
January 9, 2018