3 Unique Weekend Getaways for Nature-Loving Families

This is a guest post by Dolores Edwards.

Environmental mindfulness starts at home with simple green living habits like recycling and using homemade natural products. Nature, however, is the best teacher for showing our children Earth’s beauty and why it’s our responsibility to honor and preserve it.

Educational outdoor landmarks provide families with hands-on experiences that can foster a green spirit. The following three unique trips can also engage your little ones with Mother Earth.

Family Field Trips (Moab, Utah)

Discover the majestic sandstone of the Colorado Plateau and sheer cliffs formed in deep canyons while adventuring along the Colorado River. Journey into Labyrinth Canyon as you and your family paddle down the Green River. Your family can experience a memorable white water expedition with Canyonlands Field Institute (CFI), an outdoor non-profit organization that offers wild canyon country getaways and river explorations. During a one-day or private custom trip, learn all about the Colorado River, from its desert soil sediments and native fish to Westwater Canyon and Black Rocks.

The multi-day Green River canoe trip will immerse you and the kids in tranquil canyons as a CFI guide shares river life history and talks on geology and ecology. Learn more about CFI’s educational Moab adventures by visiting cfimoab.org. An educational rafting adventure and canoe camping excursion may just be your family’s field trip of a lifetime.

 

Museum Sleepover (Washington, D.C.)

Take your kids through time as you learn about ocean wonders and the magnificence of the African elephant at an educational slumber party. “Camp out” at the National Museum of Natural History, and go on guided tours of the Hall of Dinosaurs and Mammal Hall exhibits.

The Smithsonian Associates of the Smithsonian Institution offer an educational sleepover program for young families with adventurous spirits and thirst for knowledge. As the lights dim and doors close, your family will engage in an interactive exploration throughout the museum while participating in hands-on exhibit craft projects and other challenging games. You’ll also watch “Born To Be Wild,” an IMAX film that shows the loving bond between humans and animals. The documentary is a heartwarming story about how rescue teams rehabilitate orphaned orangutans and elephants and return the animals to their home in the wild.

Register for a night of adventure by visiting smithsoniansleepovers.org.

River Adventures (Wisconsin Dells)

The Dells is an outdoor adventure spot with sandstone cliffs, fishing and canyon crystal formations waiting to be explored. Teach your kids the value of turning off the video games and electronics to appreciate the beauty of Mother Earth.

At Beaver Springs Fishing Park, spend quality time out on the water while baiting trout or walleye. Soak in the panoramic sights of Wisconsin Dells on a thrilling ziplining tour above the treetops. During your Dells escape into nature, don’t forget to take the kids on a buried treasure hunt at the Cave of the Mounds or a boat tour throughout 15 miles of awe-inspiring rock formations and calm forests.

You might want to treat the kids to a fun day at one of these exciting Wisconsin Dells waterpark resorts, take a jet boat adventure, or go on a WWII-era amphibious army vehicle ride. See what outdoor fun your family can get into at Dells.com.