I’m always amazed at the healing power of nature. It doesn’t matter what kind of day I’m having, or what mood I’m in — nature can pull me out of any funk. I suppose that’s why I’ve gravitated to hiking so much. To walk amongst so much life and beauty one can’t help but feel grateful. To me, it’s the simplest way to restore my mind, body and soul. I love the feeling of the ground beneath my feet, breathing the fresh air and marveling at the world around me. Spending time daily in nature reminds me that there are still good things in this life. We’re living in a…
Zion National Park: 8 Awesome Trails You Need to Hike
Editor’s Note: Hey gang! I’m so excited to introduce a new contributor to NeverSaySomedayFamily.com. Meet Jocelyn Lewis from LewisFamCoast2Coast! This mama of two and her family have visited 22 out of 50 states, and love sharing their destinations, tips and favorite products on Instagram. (Go follow them!) When our family had explored Utah earlier this year, Zion National Park was still closed due to the pandemic. Fortunately, Jocelyn and her hubby Troy had visited this popular park a few years ago — and she’s put together this awesome resource for you! Known as the most visited of Utah’s national parks, it’s easy to see why this red rock desert oasis…
Visiting Utah’s Best Kept Secret: The High-Elevation Town of Monticello
We’ve seen some beautiful spots on our Great Big Adventure, but this might top our list as one of the prettiest! After camping in Devils Canyon for a couple nights, we stopped in Monticello, Utah to hike around Lloyd Lake. I hadn’t done any homework — just happened to see that this place had an easy, relatively short hike. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we got here!
You’ll Love This Delicious Pad Thai Recipe for Camping, Backpacking or Van Life
The other night I was dying for some comfort food. Because a majority of our cooking happens outdoors, we wanted something super easy and fast so that we could eat and spend the rest of the evening cozied up in the van. I had totally forgotten about this recipe until Steven fired up the stove!
Free Admission to ALL National Parks on National Public Lands Day!
Did you know that the fourth Saturday of September is Public Lands Day? This is the nation’s biggest annual celebration of the great outdoors, and to honor it, the National Park Service is providing FREE ADMISSION to ALL national parks. Score! Established by the National Environmental Foundation in 1994, this day is designed to encourage environmental stewardship and the use of public lands for recreation, education, inspiration and general health and wellness. We could all use a bit of that these days! There are a few ways to participate in National Public Lands Day. Whatever you choose to do, please be sure to #RecreateResponsibly. Visit a national park for free.…
Welcome Fall By Cozying Up with These Good Books
It's so hard for me to believe that Fall is here! I'm ready for all things Autumn -- the changing colors of the leaves, warm soups, the occasional PSL, beanies, warm sweaters and curling up with a fantastic book. Because it's also the beginning of school season, I'll admit that I haven't been reading as much as I have in the past year. But -- what I have read, has been absolutely stellar! Here are my three book recommendations to cozy up to this Fall.
9 Reasons Why Your Family Will Love Dinosaur National Monument
One of the best aspects of winging our full-time travels is the fact that we can spend as long or as little as we desire in one place. One of those surprisingly stand-out stops for us was Dinosaur National Monument!
The Best Hiking Gear for Families
Given how much we're on the trails, I wanted to share some of our family's favorite hiking gear. Each of the items listed below have been worn by us this past year. As you know, we're living in a van... which only allows for a handful of key items given our space limitations. That's all to say that we're wearing this stuff a LOT!
Exploring Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park: Best Things to Do with Limited Time
If you ask most people about which national park to visit in Utah, you'll probably hear about Zion, Arches or Bryce Canyon National Parks. To be honest, Capitol Reef National Park wasn't even on our radar when we set out on our Great Big Adventure. So when we had a few traveling families recommend Capitol Reef -- emphasizing that it was Utah's most underrated national park -- we knew we just had to see it for ourselves!
Everything You Need to Know About Dispersed Camping
As more and more Americans are choosing to get outside and camp, first-come, first-serve sites at established campgrounds have become harder to come by. Personally, we tend to prefer camping in the wild -- better known as dispersed camping -- versus staying at RV parks and established campgrounds. While campgrounds definitely have perks, we enjoy the solitude and primitive experience that comes with camping off the grid.
