healthykids


people in a family, pet-friendly atmo- sphere. A tent, fire pit, picnic table, water container, camp toilet, queen-size cot, grill, food storage and sun shower are provided. “Compared to other ac- commodations, each night at a Tentrr campsite saves 245 gallons of water and reduces CO2


output by 54 pounds


per campsite,” estimates Michael D’Agostino, Tentrr’s founder and CEO. The secluded Lumberland, New


Be a Kid Again With Your Own Family by Sandra Murphy


Outside This Summer Fun Ways to Get


activities and ideas to spark summer fun with your family.


S


Hike It “Hiking teaches kids respect for the outdoors and animals,” says Branch Whitney, a Mount Charleston, Nevada, author of three books on hiking. “Near Las Vegas, in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, sandstone rock affords a rare sight—year-round running water and lush ferns.” Ralph Stover State Park, in Bucks


County, Pennsylvania, offers easy walking trails and climbing rocks. When water levels are high, Tohickon Creek chal- lenges paddlers and whitewater rafters.


Zip Lines and More Holding the Guinness World Record for the longest and largest continuous eco zip line canopy tour in the world, historic Banning Mills, in Whitesburg, Georgia, will thrill tweens and teens. Enjoy a slower pace on the 12-mile Hike and Bike Trail, with nine suspen- sion bridges, including the longest of its


10 Austin Edition AustinAwakenings.com


ummer is calling and so is the great outdoors. Here are some super vacation sites, inviting


kind in North America. Stay in eco- friendly lodges, cabins and tree houses.


Family Week From July 30 to August 4, the Omega In- stitute, in Rhinebeck, New York, will host Family Week. Grownups attend work- shops while kids participate in specialty camps; everyone convenes for meals, free time and evening entertainment. The campus relies on sustainable energy and local agriculture. Free tours are available at the environmental education center.


Camp in Style If traditional camping isn’t on the table, try Tentrr. Campsites on the privately owned properties sleep four to 16


York, campsite, along the Delaware River, sets its roomy tent on a wooden deck. Attractions include Adirondack chairs for unwinding and a nearby farmers’ market and restaurant. Enjoy hiking, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, swimming and fishing. Tentrr provides required life jackets and a shuttle to meet paddlers at their destina- tion for the return trip to camp. From its original 35 sites, the organization recently expanded to 250 campsites, predominantly from Penn- sylvania to Maine. This fall, they’ll also open sites in the Pacific Northwest from Northern California to Washington state.


Head for the Beach At Natural Bridges State Park, in Califor- nia, visitors relish viewing shorebirds, migrating whales, seals and playful otters. Moore Creek forms freshwater wetlands and a salt marsh. There’s also a Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve. At Kama’ole Beach Park III, in Maui,


Hawaii, the small waves are so clear that fish can be seen from the surface. Snor- keling gear rentals are available. Shaved ice stands keep everyone cool. Lakefront beaches like West Beach at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, on Lake Michigan’s southern tip, at- tract kids. They can earn beachcomber badges in the Junior Ranger program by finding three different-colored rocks or telling what plants they saw most often. In late August, Mayflower Beach, in Dennis, Massachusetts, hosts its an- nual local sand sculpture contest with divisions for kids and families creating the art together.


Go Farming FarmWise, near Alpine Valley, in south- eastern Wisconsin, gives children a per- sonal peek into where their food comes from. They learn about life on a farm by tending livestock and farm pets, prun- ing fruit trees and weeding the garden.


photo by Minhee Cho


goodluz/Shutterstock.com


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