A recent article in Outside magazine “We don’t need no education” touted the virtues of unschooling as a growing movement. These parents believe a steady diet of standardized testing and indoor inactivity is choking the creativity right out of our kids. The alternative: set ’em free. Amy Gates and her husband Jody have two kids, […]

For those of you who have been following me for a while, you will know that my favorite word is FREE. One of my most favorite things for free is the admission to all the great museums, zoos and other venues we have right here in Denver. Follow my posts weekly – to see what […]

Spending a long amount of time in the car for a road trip can sometimes be uneventful, but not a road trip through Colorado. The state is home to 25 Scenic and Historic Byways (11 of which are also America’s Byways) celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2014 along with other roads and passes that offer […]

There is something magical about mixing fine art glass in beds of lush flowers. It’s not a combination most people think about, but the pairing creates a whimsical world of beauty and light. Colorado families are lucky to get to explore a fantasy world of fine art and flora at The Denver Botanic Gardens. Internationally-respected […]

In Colorado, age is indeed a state of mind, and for families looking for adventure, the options seem almost endless. From the finest forest rambles nature has to offer to man-made amusements with a high squeal factor, there’s something for everyone. Here are five ways to explore, get some fresh air and exercise, and most […]

Not that I would bag on my ex (who would do that?!??) who often proclaimed me un-athletic. But I do believe this was his deep-seated belief that I might beat him at something that was typically reserved for just him and his buddies – GOLF. Ladies were not included and the day typically was one […]

The title of expert on camping with kids should probably go to Boulder mom Helen Olsson, who authored the aptly titled “Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids” (Roost Books) in 2012. Olsson, an adventurous outdoor enthusiast, spent her childhood camping in upstate New York, and she now spends her summers hitting campsites around […]

Fact: The San Luis Valley is the largest alpine valley in the world, surrounded by mountains in all directions. Fact: Our average growing season is a whopping 90 days. Fact: July and August are generally the only frost-free months out of the entire year. In case I’m being vague here, this place is in a […]

Kids and fishing go together like cake and ice cream. As a general rule, as long as they’re catching fish, kids are happy. It’s during those extended dry spells that those short attention spans begin to flutter. That’s when the mentor needs to remember that this family-friendly pastime is about a lot more than catching […]

My family was recently supposed to camp at Twin Lakes outside of Leadville but an inclement forecast forced us to cancel. Remember last year’s Come Hail or High Water: Our Family’s Shortest (and Worst) Camping Trip?  We did not want a repeat performance. Recreating at Brainard Lake We opted to daytrip later that week to […]