THEIR EYES combed the lush jungle landscape as we stood waiting at the gated entrance to 907 Whitehead Street. With a quiet gasp from my travel companions, the first orange splash of cat appeared, a bold stroke sauntering on four legs before the chartreuse shutters of the porch. It paused for a moment, gazing toward us as if daring the children to skip the queue, then turned to walk through the open door as if it owned the place.

“Do you think it has six toes?” my son whispered.

I held up crossed fingers where he could see and whispered back, “I hope so.”

As the official travel planner for our family, I often walk a fine line. Drag everyone to an activity too esoteric and risk mutiny, but build a trip around too many child-themed activities and at some point I may feel compelled to jab something sharp into my eye. For the most part, we’ve kept a good balance in our family’s travels. Though I wasn’t so sure how our visit to The Hemingway Home Museum in Key West was going to play out. After all, what did my three young children know of Ernest Hemingway?

(Note: This post may contain affiliate links, which help support this independent site.)

Still, I vowed I would not travel all the way from San Francisco to Key West and miss my chance to stroll along Mr. Hemingway’s bookshelves, peer into his private chambers, and possibly gaze into the very bathroom mirror where he’d examined his beard on so many mornings, including the one after a favorite poet of mine purportedly broke his fist against it.

It would be a literary pilgrimage for the parents, and—I secretly hoped—a possible antidote to the plague of the blank page I’d been battling of late.

But what would it be for the kids?

I imagined myself giving a parental preface upon arrival, something like, “A famous American writer lived here. He wrote novels, short stories, and nonfiction books, and some of his best and most important works were created here—right in this room in fact. And on THAT (we assume) typewriter.” But I already knew better. It doesn’t matter how many times you tell a child a place “is important because it’s important.” That’s not what will make it important to them.

There was only one thing I could think of that final day in Key West, one card to play that would get my young entourage to walk without grudge through the sweltering blocks of Old Town to visit the Hemingway Home Museum. It was the prospect of seeing cats there, “And quite possibly…” I widened my eyes for effect, “the legendary six-toed grandcats of Mr. Ernest Hemingway.”

“SIX toes?” cried the littlest.

“Wait a minute,” challenged the biggest. “How many toes do cats usually have?”

Cat research was quickly underway, and there was definite interest in visiting Hemingway’s cats at least, if not his home. Even better? Polydactyl—the scientific term for cats born with more than the standard set of five toes on the front or four toes on the back—could also be, the kids were quick to point out, the scientific term for their grandmother were she a dinosaur.

At last, we strode up the path toward the stunning Spanish Colonial that had stood abandoned and a shambles in 1931, the year that Ernest and Pauline moved in (his second wife of four). As the guide preparing to lead the next tour greeted us on the steps, the kids darted past her without salutation. On the far end of the porch, they’d spied a snoozing patchwork calico draped across the stonework corner.

I overheard a quiet counting followed by a very loud confirmation: “SIX TOES!!!”

I cringed, but the cat simply yawned in response and continued its siesta as if it were used to such invasions by small, paw-prodding visitors.

One of many polydactyls (sometimes called mitten cats or Hemingway cats) at the Hemingway Home Museum.

The guide called us to join our group in the dining room, with its many portraits of Hemingway, African sculpture, and photos of the famed second family that called the house home, but the room was packed. I did my best to listen from the doorway as my husband wandered down the hall taking in the rooms of the lower level on his own, and I wondered if we shouldn’t follow his lead and see all we could before the kids lost patience. Though I hated to miss the storied details of the place I now stood after imagining it for so long.

I’d at least hear the introduction.

When the Hemingways arrived in Key West in 1928, planning only to stay long enough to retrieve a Ford Roadster that Pauline’s wealthy uncle had purchased for them, the town was nearly bankrupt. It hit upon hard times well before the Great Depression owing to the end of the shipwreck salvaging era that had built the community and the recent demise of the local sponging industry which had, for a time, sustained it.

Since the car had not yet arrived in Key West, the couple stayed on. And in the three weeks they waited for the Roadster, an inspired Hemingway managed to finish the manuscript for A Farewell to Arms while he simultaneously fell in love with America’s southernmost city. When the Roadster finally arrived, it remained in Key West along with the Hemingways.

Kids splashing in what some believe is the “World’s Most Expensive Cat Drinking Fountain,” in the gardens of the Hemingway Home Museum.

As we listened on, a sociable tabby padded down the hallway toward certain inspection. “Only five toes,” the kids confirmed.

Three years later, Pauline’s Uncle Gus purchased the two-story villa as a gift for the couple—along with two other houses on the same property—from the City of Key West for a mere $8,000 in back taxes. The Hemingway’s home itself had been built in 1851 for Mr. Asa Tift, owner of one of the most prosperous salvaging operations in Key West history, with no expenses of architectural detail, marble fireplace, or carved wooden baluster spared.

Just days before, we’d seen Tift portrayed by a costumed interpreter at the Key West Shipwreck Museum, but when I turned to remind the kids, they were nowhere to be seen. I politely sped through the first level of the house—and checked the status of the calico sleeping on the front porch—but didn’t see a one. Up the narrow staircase I went.

I found my stray children, along with two others, quietly gathered at the end of a long display case filled with odds and ends from Hemingway’s life: war service medals, a signed baseball, old snapshots, and tax receipts for the property. The kids were not admiring the treasures within the case, however, but the tabby sprawled comfortably atop its glass lid. Beside the bold feline on display was a sign reading: “Please do not lean on the glass.”

“I guess they should have written it in Cat,” my daughter grinned, giving him a gentle scratch between the ears.

Hemingway artifacts–and cats–on display in the Hemingway Home Museum.

Seeing that kids, cat, and museum artifacts appeared safe for the moment, I stepped into the neighboring room to see what I could learn from another tour in progress. It was the master bedroom, and the guide explained that the carved headboard had long ago served as a garden gate on the property. Ernest and Pauline had discovered it during their renovations to the house and both liked the look of it. When they discovered it was exactly the width of their bed, up the narrow staircase it went.

Above the bed hung an oil painting of the home with wide-footed cats in the foreground. And on the bed itself—which was chained off to prevent any person from presuming they could sit on it—was a cat. With an exaggerated stretch, it rolled over to its other side, the black of its tuxedo fur commingling with chenille nubs of coverlet. The humans in the room, including the guide, looked on with affection.

Though this painting of the Hemingway Home in Key West looks right at home here, it wasn’t painted until 1975 by artist and poet Henry Faulkner.

How these cats, numbering somewhere between 40 and 50, came to be at the Hemingway Home is a subject of much debate. While some argue they couldn’t possibly be related to any cat or cats the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winning author kept here in the 1930s, others insist they are indeed the direct descendants of the original six-toed kitten young Gregory and Patrick Hemingway named Snow White.

What is widely agreed upon is that Snow White was the polydactyl progeny of a six-toed seafaring cat named Snowball, whom Hemingway had often admired on the docks of Key West. Snowball belonged to Captain Harold Stanley Dexter who had sailed down to the Keys with her from Massachusetts, where polydactyls are not only more common but have been traditionally thought to bring good luck to sailors. Knowing how fond Hemingway was of Snowball, Dexter gave him Snowball’s kitten as a gift.

As we ventured out to the patio between the Hemingway home and the carriage house, a full five cats quickly came into view. Our original guide stood surrounded by the stripes, patches, and black tie get-up of the resident Hemingway cats. As they snacked on treats delivered with a casual toss of the hand, I overheard her quote a letter from Hemingway: “One cat just leads to another.” Indeed, the cats appeared to multiply in the laughter as more crept in from the nearby shrubs to pursue her offering.

Hemingway made a tradition of naming his own cats’ six-toed offspring after famed celebrities, a tradition which the caretakers of the estate continue to this day. In the  shaded cat cemetery beside us, we quickly paid respects to the generations of four-legged stars laid to rest on the property—Willard Scott, Joan Crawford, Kim Novak, and Ezra Pound among others—before moving along with the tour.

The cat cemetery, filled with celebrities (or at least their names) at the Hemingway Home Museum.

At last, it was my chance to see Hemingway’s writing studio, which was the upper story of the adjacent carriage house. In Hemingway’s time here, there was an upper story walkway between the master bedroom of the main house and the entrance of the studio. But all that remained now was a narrow iron stair case labeled “UP” on the left and “DOWN” to the right, with tourists in transit on each.

For just a moment, I felt the fleeting pangs of envy for the stark separation of space “Papa Hemingway” kept between his writing world and that of his young family. The kids, quite engaged with the cats on the ground, might not miss this, I thought. “I’ll be right back—I’m going up to have a quick look in the writing studio,” I said, gesturing up toward the pinnacle of steep steps beside us.

With cocked heads and curious eyebrows raised, I could see my daughters read more into the statement than I’d imagined they would. My eldest daughter stood, her gaze suddenly level with my collar bones. Her younger sister crossed arms, and furrowed oddly familiar eyebrows.

“Do you want to come with me?”

Heads nodded quickly. They did.

So, slowly, together, we made way up the crowded steps toward the entrance of the room where Hemingway spent his early morning writing hours during what most agree was his most prolific period, toward the room where celebrated short stories like “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,” the nonfiction book The Green Hills of Africa, the novel To Have and Have Not, and many other well-known works were penned, punctuated, and percussively typed.

Yet when we reached the top of the stairs, instead of entering a writing room we stepped into a holding cell. It was just a small entryway from which visitors could view the studio between decorative iron bars. So there we stood, pressed against the bars, as more and more visitors insinuated with shoulders and elbows that we should hurry up and snap our photo, genuflect, and exit the sacred space so that they might have a quick turn, too.

But I refused to be rushed.

If there is such a thing as “good writing vibes,” this room had to have plenty of it, and I would absorb every bit I could before I exited the staircase “Down.” If I couldn’t actually walk through Hemingway’s studio, I would at least take a moment to explore what I could of it with my eyes. And if I couldn’t stand next to his writing table, I would at least take in the air, deeply as I could, as it breezed from an open window over the keys of his typewriter to me.

Ernest Hemingway’s writing table and typewriter in Key West, Florida.

“Look!” my daughter pointed her slender finger through the bars.

At the far end of the studio, in an open window slept a cat, the long stripe of its tail hanging down from the sill like a limp exclamation point.

I inserted the lens of my camera between the bars that the cats could easily transgress, accepting that it was as close as I might ever get to Hemingway’s typewriter.

“If you just showed up and didn’t know better, you’d think this writing studio belonged to the cats,” my daughter laughed.

“Maybe it does,” I shrugged, adjusting my focus on the typewriter.

Both daughters laughed in spite of the throat clearing behind us.

“People: Do not enter,” my big girl warned.

“Cats only!” the middle sister cried.

With a giggle, I snapped the shot.

“Imagine what stories they might write…” I dared, and of course they did.

We descended the stairs with visions of polydactyls pouncing on typewriters and running their own small publishing empire from a writing studio that once, long ago, was used by a man called Hemingway.

In the nearby shade of a banana tree, we found my son crouched down in quiet observation of an enormous orange tabby. “Look at his toes,” he whispered. He gently lifted a forepaw as we all leaned in for the count. “SEVEN TOES!” he squealed.

A seven-toed spectacle snoozes at the Hemingway Home Museum in Key West.

The kids could have happily spent another hour hunting polydactyls in the shade of the African tulips, plumeria, and palm trees that surround the Hemingway home, but eventually it was time to leave and begin packing up for the long trip home.

—

Post script: A poem

Among the many souvenirs we brought back with us from Key West, I discovered something so small and nearly invisible I hadn’t even realized I’d acquired at the time. I only noticed it when I was suddenly compelled to pick up a pen—and write.

What if, like a six-toed seafaring cat,

I could slip between the iron bars

that separate His hallowed hall

from the daily deluge of onlookers?

If I could pad over to His typewriter

in the hours when no one can see?

If I could type one sentence upon it—

what would mine be?

If you go:

The Hemingway Home Museum in Key West is open 365 days a year, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission includes a 30-minute guided tour, and kids 5 and younger visit free of charge. Please note: The museum accepts cash only at this time.

For more information about the museum, visit www.hemingwayhome.com or call  (305) 294-1136. For more help planning your trip to the Florida Keys and Key West, take advantage of the many free resources at www.fla-keys.com.

Where to stay? For the best Key West hotel offers for your dates, check here. And to see family-friendly Key West vacation rentals, check here. And don’t miss our other recommended Key West and Florida activities for families below (with more great family destination ideas).

Reader’s note: This travel narrative was originally published June 6, 2015 on FamilyTravel41.com. It received the Lowell Thomas Award Honorable Mention for North American Travel Stories and the Silver Award in Animal Encounters from the Solas Awards for Best Travel Writing from Traveler’s Tales Publishing. 

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The post If Cats Could Type in Key West: A Visit to the Hemingway Home Museum appeared first on Family Travel 411.

While the scenery is hard to top and dock-to-dish dining options abound, Morro Bay also registers high on my family-friendliness-ometer for some very practical reasons. Among them: free parking, abundant public restrooms, and great walkability. All of which makes it a good alternative to bustling Pismo Beach (30 minutes to the north), especially for families with little ones.

All together, it’s what a great California coast family destination should be. When you get there, here are my top recommended things to do in Morro Bay with kids, along with recommendations for 1 great place to eat and 1 great place to stay while you are there.

1. Get Your Bearings at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History

Morro Bay has the only California state park with a Museum of Natural History. Better still, it happens to be FREE for kids up to 17 years old and is only $3 for adults, which might lead you to believe there’s not a whole lot there to see.

To the contrary, I was quite surprised to find room after room of interactive exhibits and viewing areas that gave a fantastic overview of the natural forces shaping the landscape of the area and the marvelous creatures that call it home.

It’s a great place to start your vacation in Morro Bay (or even without) and will especially help you identify many of the bird species you are bound to see and get the lay of the land.

There is also excellent viewing of the bay from the museum’s lofty vantage point–keep an eye out as you never know what kinds of critters you might spot. Find out more: www.facebook.com/MBMuseum.of.Natural.History

2. Visit Morro Rock — and sea otters, and hermit crabs…

A surprising number of visitors to Morro Bay are satisfied to enjoy Morro Rock as the photogenic landmark that it is as viewed from throughout the town. I encourage you to not be one of them. A visit out to the rock itself is easy enough and free—and may just prove to be your kids’ favorite highlight of your trip to Morro Bay.

Forged as a “volcanic plug” twenty million years ago, Morro Rock is now an ecological reserve and home to numerous nesting birds as you’ll see when you walk the short trail from the parking area out to its south-facing side (stay left), where weather-worn pocks … and of the 200 peregrine falcon nesting sites in California, Morro Rock is home to two.

But don’t stop there. As you can see in the video, the beach below Morro Rock’s south side has foot-friendly sand and enormous boulders that make the perfect setting for some serious hide-and-seek (or hide-and-ambush, as my kids prefer).

As you get closer to the beach’s end, the rocky jetty that juts to the left helps shelter this part of the beach from ocean wind. And there you’ll find more rocks and smaller pools that form between them when the tide is low—leaving many hermit crabs to be found.

However, one of the best reasons to venture out to the rock is for your best chances of viewing (and photographing) the adorable sea otters that favor this part of Morro Bay. They often spend their midday slumber “rafting” in this area (the otters’ way of latching on to each other for safety while resting).

Make sure to tell the kids you need to keep your distance and use very soft voices when observing these protected creatures.

Tip: For an even more memorable family visit out to Morro Rock, go by Surrey Bike! We picked up a four-pedal surrey (seated 5 of us just fine) from nearby Farmer’s Kites & Surreys and laughed our whole way there. We pedaled out along the bike path toward the rock—and giggled fantastically as we parked our “surrey with the fringe on top” right alongside the other cars in the area nearest the resting sea otters. Regular bike rentals are available, too. Find out more: Farmer’s Kites & Surryes

3. Kayak Morro Bay

More than 250 species of birds frequent the Morro Bay Estuary Natural Preserve and its 800-acre wetland. Paddle along quietly in your kayaks, and watch closely. You’ll have some of the best bird-watching opportunities right from the water. Herons, cormorants, egrets, kingfishers, and other feathered residents are regularly spotted in this protected region.

A guided kayak tour with Central Coast Outdoors will take you to the best viewing locations on the water and at the shore’s edge, and teach you all about their lifestyles and life cycles. Keep your eyes peeled for harbor seals as well along the way. If conditions are right, you may also have the chance to paddle the “back bay” with your guide.

We had the good fortune to paddle by several harbor seals snoozing on a sleepy “haul out” they favor in this quieter part of the bay. Central Coast Outdoors’ paddling tours include 1.5- to 2-hour family-friendly short paddles.

Want more time on the water? Book a half-day tour, sunset paddle, or private tour options (great for families and those with wee travelers). Find out more: www.centralcoastoutdoors.com

Morro Bay photos from my stock photo gallery (click here for more info).

4. Hike Black Hill

As you drive up and up through the Morro Bay Golf Course toward the Black Hill trailhead, you might wonder just how much of a hike will be left once you reach it. And the view from the staging area is impressive already.

Yet the 3-mile round trip hike up through coastal pines, brush, and wildflowers gains you another 600+ feet in elevation. Suffice to say you’ll earn yourselves the spectacular 360-degree view once you reach the top.

It was the perfect way to end our visit to Morro Bay, looking out at the places we had played, kayaked, bicycled, and dined during our visit. Not to mention, our legs got well-stretched before the drive to Los Angeles. Find out more:  http://morrobay.org/things-to-do/outdoors/black-hill

For more great hiking trails in and around San Luis Obispo County, check out the Central Coast section of my new Hiking with Kids Southern California guidebook from Falcon Guides (shown here). More Morro Bay family tips follow below.

1 Great Place to Eat in Morro Bay with Kids: Tognazzini’s Dockside

Do you like extremely fresh seafood that’s sustainably harvested by small fleets? Whose boats dock within a mere block or two from where you sit as you dine? If so, you will love dining in Morro Bay. And Tognazzini’s Dockside restaurant, as it happens, is owned by a commercial fisherman. Need proof? Stroll past his fishing operation and fresh fish market right next to the restaurant.

The casual atmosphere at “Dockside” puts families at ease — as do the prices. And the kids menu options ensure everyone will be happy here. Even as mom rolls her eyes back in ecstasy over one of the day’s specials: halibut cheeks piccata. Clam chowder fans should also note they serve what my husband remains convinced is the BEST New England-style clam chowder on earth.

But don’t kid yourself–no matter how full you think you are after dinner, you will find room for dessert. Particularly when you first lay eyes on that strawberry-banana chimichanga, and I say go for it. You’ll need something to occupy you while the kids enjoy making at-table s’mores anyway. Find out more:  www.morrobaydockside.com

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1 Great Place to Stay in Morro Bay with Kids: Inn at Morro Bay

Bird lover’s will especially delight in The Inn at Morro Bay’s location–adjacent to the heron and egret rookery. (For optimal viewing, go down to the inn’s large waterside deck that ends right at the edge of the rookery. Bring your binoculars!)

Our king room with queen sofa bed was plenty spacious to also fit a rollaway (extra fee). Even then, we still had room for the five of us to stretch.

Family-friendly extras:

Flipping on the fireplace in the evenings was also a special treat. Though we first had the challenge of once getting the kids out of the courtyard swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

Note that the rooms have mini refrigerators and coffeemakers, but just showers and no bath tubs. I leave it up to you whether or not to reveal the flat screen TV concealed behind the panels above the fireplace.

Hotel dining:

The Inn at Morro Bay’s on-site restaurant, 60 State Restaurant, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with extraordinary views of the bay.  In fact, I snapped the lead photo from their dining patio before breakfast one morning. While they don’t offer a children’s menu, there are plenty of breakfast items so suit.

Just be warned that an order of “pancakes” turned out to be three fluffy plate-sized pancakes that could have easily fed all three kids. But I heard no complaints from my crew as I myself delighted in the spinach eggs Benedict (menu on website). Find out more: www.innatmorrobay.com

For more help planning your visit to Morro Bay with kids, visit www.MorroBay.org. For more California family travel recommendations click here.

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The post Morro Bay with Kids? Your Must-See California Family Vacation Guide appeared first on Family Travel 411.

As you’ll quickly learn on a visit to the kid-friendly Key West Shipwreck Museum, even those aboard the afflicted vessel could at least be grateful that there was a bustling island economy close at hand with their misfortune literally in its sights. And better still, that the new law of the land ensured that all passengers must be rescued before whatever cargo might be aboard.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

With “wreckers” watching from shore day and night, and some optimistically patrolling the waters, help was usually quick to come. The first to arrive at a fresh shipwreck got to lead the salvage operation and would receive the biggest share of the profits when auction day rolled around.

Of course, the highly motivated passengers were probably the easiest of a ship’s contents to salvage. Removing loot from a sinking vessel wrecked on a reef is not for the faint of heart, and under no circumstances should transporting valuables enough to weigh your pockets down to the bottom of the sea be taken lightly.

If your kids doubt this for a moment, let them get their own hands on this 64 lb. bar of silver which lay at the bottom of the sea for nearly three centuries—and try to lift it for themselves.

Be it gold, silver, emeralds, Italian marble, or an occasional shipload of pianos, reclaiming maritime treasure is almost always a heavy subject it seems. In this display at the Key West Shipwreck Museum, you can see rare illustrations from the 17th century showing some of the old-fangled methods used to locate and access sunken Spanish galleons laden with treasure.

And for the pre-neoprene and oxygen tankless nineteenth century divers of Key West, saving sinking cargo was even more perilous as they often battled the same treacherous seas and weather that wrecked the ships in the first place. Methods had to be fast and effective. Though not too effective.

To the left of these bottles found in the waters around Key West, you’ll see a large earthenware vessel, which was apparently packed with black powder and detonated against the hull of the sunken Isaac Allerton in 1856.

The explosion was so great that it shattered much of the Italian marble remaining inside the ship, leaving worthless fragments of it all around the wreck site to this day.  Remnants of the explosive vessel-device itself were found by modern divers over the course of three years–and over an area spanning hundreds of yards.

Still, what wreckers were able to salvage from the Isaac Allerton before it finally sank to a depth of 30 feet was enough to bring $50,000 at auction–making it the most profitable shipwreck in Key West history.

With news of such fortunes to be made, it’s no wonder that Key West’s population grew from a mere 688 residents in 1840 to 2,645 in 1850. By 1870, the population had doubled again.

Many artifacts from the Isaac Allerton, which was rediscovered by divers in 1986, are on display at the Key West Shipwreck Museum, which stands like a time capsule at the center of town, offering a glimpse of that bustling era of master wreckers and major players for whom many of Key West’s streets are named.

As your visit concludes, don’t miss your chance to climb the 65-foot lookout tower that offers the best views of Key West and your children’s chance to watch for shipwrecks off the historic shoreline. Chances are, the next time you hear someone shout, “Wreck ashore!” it won’t sound like disaster either–just your kids enthusiastically embracing the history of Key West.

If you go:

The Key West Shipwreck Museum is open 365 days a year, from 9:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the last show beginning at 4:40. For location and directions click here. Want to purchase discounted tickets online? Click here.

For the best Key West hotel offers for your dates, check here. And to see family-friendly Key West vacation rentals, check here. And don’t miss our other recommended Key West and Florida activities for families below (with more great family destination ideas).

Traveling with a child under 5 years? Don’t miss “How to Travel with a Car Seat (Without Losing Your Mind)” and my ultimate index to Flying with a Baby or Toddler advice at TravelswithBaby.com.

Reader’s Note: An earlier version of this post first appeared here on FamilyTravel411.com on April 29, 2015. It has since been updated and revised.

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The post History on the Rocks: Diving into the Key West Shipwreck Museum appeared first on Family Travel 411.

Its pristine lakes and waterways call to fly-fishing and kayaking enthusiasts from around the globe. Our favorite season to visit is summer when we can hike, paddle, go horseback riding, swim, bike, and savor the sweet sage in the air.

Want to experience Bend with your own family this summer? This beautiful Central Oregon destination can be reached by car in 3.5 hours from Portland, or in 9 hours on a road trip north from San Francisco Bay (we recommend the Highway 97 route).

The Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) is also just 20 minutes from Bend and now has daily direct flights from Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco (click here for more info).

However you plan to get to there, here’s what we recommend you put at the top of your list for your family vacation in Bend, Oregon.

1. Visit the High Desert Museum

The High Desert Museum is not only TripAdvisor’s #1 rated “Thing to Do” in Bend, it is also a great place to get an overview of the history and nature surrounding you in this part of the Pacific Northwest. But if you plan to visit the High Desert Museum with kids, you’d better plan to visit for a good, long while (3 hours minimum).

There is far more to see here than you might expect, and once you do make it through all of the indoor exhibits, (visit the wild west and a fur trappers’ camp, follow the journey of the Plains Indian Nation, and see the Desertarium, in addition to six or seven changing exhibits usually on display), there will still be much more to explore outside.

Make a stop at the Birds of Prey Center and then head to the Otter Exhibit. But you might want to take a lunch break before you head over to the Miller Ranch, and you can do so either dining in the Rimrock Cafe or enjoying your own picnic at the shaded tables by the parking lot.

At the Miller Ranch, you’ll find several buildings including real log cabins and a functioning sawmill where costumed characters from 1904 await, all ready to share details and answer questions about the frontier lifestyle in this region in the late 1800s and beginning of the 20th century. Kids can join in popular pioneer games, learn to card wool, and operate the hand-powered tools of the time among other activities. Find out more: https://www.highdesertmuseum.org/

Tips: The High Desert Museum offers special activities and events seven days a week (except when closed for the major holidays), so be sure to check the schedule in advance to make sure you don’t miss something you’ll regret. Kids 4 years and younger visit free and the museum provides complimentary strollers and wheelchairs as well.

2.  Conquer the “Misery” at Smith Rock State Park

The Misery Ridge Trail at Smith Rock State Park is not for everyone. Particularly not for those with a paralyzing fear of heights, bad knees, or a heart condition. But for those who welcome the challenge of the near-vertical climb with almost 1000-foot elevation gain (from that lovely flowing Crooked River you see below to the trail’s top up to the summit still a ways above this photo) it’s a spectacular hiking opportunity.

Bring a picnic to eat at the top while you continue taking in the hard-earned view. Then stroll on over where the path continues to alternative views–which may include some extremely accomplished rock climbers and the bizarre stone column called “Monkey Face.”

When you’ve had enough, simply return the way you came but slowly–and take special care in a couple areas where you might encounter slippery scree. The trail is recommended for kids 8 years and older, and is obviously a better match for kids who can be calm and cautious (ours did the hike at 7 years, but was willing to stick to the inside and hold on to Dad’s hand whenever we said to).

For the workout, it’s hard to believe that the round trip from the bridge to the top of the summit is only 1.5 miles, though if you continue over to the Monkey Face viewpoint the round trip is 3.8 miles. Those who want to do and see more can continue on the Smith Rock Loop Trail (5.8 miles total). Smith Rock State Park is just outside of Bend, Oregon, in the tiny town of Terrebonne. Find out more: http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Misery_Ridge_Loop_Hike

Tips: There is a $5 Oregon State Parks fee to visit and dogs are welcome on leash. In hot summer weather, you’ll want to avoid hiking during peak temps as there is almost no shade and the monolith itself radiates the heat.

3. Stretch Your Legs in a Lava Tube

As you travel around and through Bend with kids, watch for the geologic clues its volcano-forged history–and future! Right in town, you’ll see the cinder cone of Pilot Butte rising up (you can drive to the top to take in the view). This landmark once helped guide wagon trains crossing the Central Oregon Plateau. And to the south of town you’ll see the 7,000-year-old cinder cone called Lava Butte.

That’s where the official–and still-active–Newberry National Volcanic Monument begins, stretching on for 55,500 acres (225 sq. kms). Among its marvels, you’ll find the 700-acre Big Obsidian Flow, the Lava Cast Forest, Newberry Caldera, and more. Want a truly memorable way to teach your kids about the geology of Central Oregon? Take them for a hike inside an actual lava tube–the only un-collapsed lava tube you’ll find in Oregon.

A visit to the one-mile-long Lava River Cave makes for a thrilling adventure illuminated only by the flashlights you carry yourself. With the curves and unexpected jags of rock below, beside, and sometimes above you, you’ll want a light for each member in your party (there are some for rent at the entrance, but the prices are steep). Everyone should wear closed-toe shoes.

Note: It gets very tight toward the end–claustrophobic members of your party might not want to go the entire way. Also, Lava River Cave is a steady 42 degrees Fahrenheit year round and you will all want to have your jackets inside, no matter how hot it may be above in the parking area. What’s more, remember there are roughly 150 steps down just to access the cave–which means another 150 steps to climb back up at the end of your hike (have snacks waiting in the car).

Lava River Cave is only open to the public May through September. Check the official site for exact hours on the day of your visit. Find out more: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=38396

4. Float through Bend on the Deschutes River

While much of what calls one to visit Bend is in what surrounds the central Oregon city, there is one special attraction that actually flows right through it. The Deschutes River is a designated “Wild and Scenic River” right up to the Bend urban growth boundary. But if you ask me, it’s still quite attractive where it runs right on through town, beckoning rafters, kayakers, paddle boarders, and tubers to take to the water throughout the warm season.

The most popular float route starts at Riverbend Park in the Old Mill District and concludes at Drake Park in downtown Bend. Owing to the urban waterway’s popularity, a whitewater channel has been added roughly halfway through this route. Experts can opt for the challenging course, while soft-adventurers can opt for the small whitewater route (stay right). And those who want to skip any white stuff can hop out and carry their tubes around this part of the course on a riverside walkway (this will help you get the picture).

Tube rentals are available from Sun Country Tours at Riverbend park (look for their rental trailer). All rentals include life jackets at no extra cost.  Whether you opt to rent your river tubes or bring your own, a municipal shuttle will haul your troupe and its tubes back from Drake Park to Riverbend Park for $3 per person. You can purchase your shuttle wristbands from the Sun Country Tours kiosk at Riverbend Park.

1 Great Place to Stay with Your Family in Bend: Sunriver Resort

About 15 miles south of Bend, Sunriver Resort is like a village unto itself. In fact the shopping and dining center is called “the Village.”  Nearly 300 different vacation rental properties pepper pockets of the property. More than 40 miles of biking, walking, and jogging trails meander between them and on through the forest and alongside some of the most picturesque stretches of the Deschutes River.

Did I mention the horseback riding with Sunriver Stables? Or the bicycle rentals? Or in the case of many Sunriver vacation rentals, the complimentary cruiser bikes may be waiting for you in the garage? And if you’re really lucky (or clever), your vacation rental may even include member passes to SHARC. Set your JAWS flashbacks aside. That’s the Sunriver Homeowner’s Association Recreation Center, with a lazy river, two big water slides, and a zero-entry splash pool area for toddlers and the littlest kids.

If you don’t have other access to SHARC, day passes are available for an extra fee. Click here to search for Sunriver vacation rentals at VRBO.com (Vacation Rentals by Owner – affiliate link helps support this site).

1 Great Place to Eat in Bend with Kids: Deschutes Brewery & Public House

If there’s one thing Bend is known for besides it’s amazing year round recreation and gorgeous natural setting, it would have to be its beer. One of its earliest craft brewing companies also happens to have a family-friendly pub right in downtown Bend: The Deschutes Brewery & Public House.

Its food alone may be worth your visit. Tempt your palate with Pacific Northwest-inspired, sustainable fare. Notables include Juniper Elk Burger, Brie Bird (pan-roasted turkey), Fried Chicken Schnitzel Club Sandwich, and kid-friendly Pub Mac ‘n Cheese. You’ll also find multiple vegan mains and a few gluten-free.  I can whole-heartedly recommend the Sourdough Pastrami Sandwich: house-smoked pastrami served sourdough bread with gruyere cheese, apple-onion sauerkraut and 1000 Island.

But you’ll also find many of their signature brews on tap, some named for the Bend & Deschutes area itself like Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, and Nitro Obsidian Stout, plus an offering of specialty pub-releases. And don’t worry, kids are welcome in the dining area (even if they just came off the river).

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California with Kids: Ten Unforgettable Family Vacation Ideas

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On Safari in Sonoma: Our jeep tour of Safari West Wildlife Preserve

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Ten Things to Pack for a Road Trip with Kids

A Family Horseback Riding Vacation at the Alisal Guest Ranch

Review of The Greenhorn | California Dude Ranch Family Vacation

The post Bend with Kids | Central Oregon Family Vacation Guide appeared first on Family Travel 411.

Not to worry. These five featured parks provide an ideal combination of outdoor activities and exploration for a multi-day adventure with kids. See one that sparks your ultimate interest–or a few?

Each recommended park below links to our complete family vacation guide for that national park. You’ll see kid-friendly recommendations of what to do, where to stay, and where to eat during your visit.

And don’t forget! If you’ve got a fourth grader in the house, you can visit the National Parks free! Find out more about the Every Kid Outdoors Pass in this post (and see more related stories below this post).

1. Zion National Park for Families

UTAH, Zion National Park – This 229-square mile park is a dream for hiking families and outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking trails range from easy to extreme and the diversity of activities will appeal to everyone in the group if nothing else for the bragging rights that come from trekking the most popular trails.

Even better for families, Zion is easily accessible from Las Vegas (just a two-hour drive) and although the elevation definitely is higher than sea level – it is unlikely that you’ll feel the effects of altitude or need time to acclimatize. – Elena Sonnino  See the Zion National Park with Kids Family Vacation Guide.

2. Sequoia National Park Family Vacation

CALIFORNIA, Sequoia National Park – If you want to show your kids some seriously big trees, pack your bags and make way for Sequoia National Park in southern California. Sequoia is not simply home to some of the largest living organisms on earth; it’s also home to “the world’s largest tree” based on volume.

Yet Sequoia has more to offer than just spectacular trees. From a hike up to a 360-view vista over California to a sparkling underground cave tour, this guide will help you plan for your best possible visit. See the Sequoia National Park with Kids Family Vacation Guide.

3. Glacier National Park with Kids

MONTANA, Glacier National Park – Sitting atop the contiguous United States like a crown, its mountain peaks rising above the fir trees, snow and glaciers sparkling like jewels, Glacier National Park has been a bucket-list destination from the moment it became a National Park in 1910.

However, one does not arrive at Glacier National Park by chance, a side trip on the way to another destination. For most visitors the park is a multi-day drive or rail trip. Or at the minimum, a few hours’ flight followed by a few more hours of driving from all but the very closest airport.

The most important factor to your vacation success is to begin planning early (6 months to a year depending on your lodging preferences). As well, have a general itinerary to get you started. Here’s how I recommend you begin… . – Jody Halsted  See the Glacier National Park with Kids Family Vacation Guide.

4. Yosemite National Park Family Vacation

CALIFORNIA, Yosemite National Park with Kids – Granite domes, sheer cliffs, waterfalls, ancient and enormous trees, alpine meadows, and a lush river valley all come together in one of America’s most famous and beloved national parks.

Better still, Yosemite is just a few hours’ drive from the Bay Area, so it may be tempting to add a few days to your San Francisco itinerary to go visit the park (or make a side trip to San Francisco if you’re already planning a Yosemite family vacation). – Shelly Rivoli  See the Yosemite National Park with Kids Family Vacation Guide.

5. Mount Rushmore & The Black Hills Vacation

SOUTH DAKOTA, Black Hills and Mount Rushmore – Southwestern South Dakota is known primarily for one thing, and while you won’t want to miss your chance to see that massive monument carved into the side of a mountain, you may be wondering what else there is to do in the area–especially if you’ll be visiting Mount Rushmore with kids?

With over 5 million acres of hiking and cycling trails, rock climbing, caves, and paleontology sites, you won’t run out of options as you explore nature’s playground on your South Dakota family vacation. – Jody Halsted  See the Mount Rushmore & The Black Hills with Kids Family Vacation Guide.

Additional National Parks Posts to Inspire You:

Bryce Canyon National Park with Kids: Hiking the Navajo Loop

Dinosaur National Monument with Kids: Our Jurassic Pilgrimage

Tips for Your Day Trip to Dry Tortugas National Park from Key West

Swamp Buggy: A Tale of Family Adventure in Big Cypress National Preserve

Fourth Graders FREE in National Parks with Every Kid Outdoors Pass

More Outdoor Family Vacation Recommendations:

Ten Unforgettable California Family Vacation Ideas

Adirondack Park with Kids – New York Family Vacation Guide

Anza-Borrego’s best hikes for kids

The Berkshires with Kids – Massachusetts Family Vacation Guide

St. John and St. Thomas with Kids – USVI Family Vacation Guide

A Few Things You Might Want to Pack:

Ten Things You Should Bring on a Road Trip with Kids

Six Great Travel Games & Toys for Tots to Teens

Tips for Buying Sunglasses for Kids

Anatomy of a Great Travel Hat for Kids

Screen-Free, Battery-Free Travel Games and Toys

Review of the Merrell Siren Sport 2 Women’s Hiking Shoes

DEET-Free Ways to Help Prevent Mosquito Bites

Review of the Lumix TS-25 Waterproof Digital Camera

Better than Screen Time: Three Alternatives for Family Road Trips

You Might Also Like:

California with Kids: Ten Unforgettable Family Vacation Ideas

Adirondack Park with Kids – New York Family Vacation Guide

St. John and St. Tomas with Kids – USVI Family Vacation Guide

Six Great Mexico Family Vacation Destinations

How to Build a Budget-Friendly Maui Family Vacation

The post Five Great National Park Vacations for Families appeared first on Family Travel 411.

Your daughter can nearly look you in the eye. Your son begins to ask details about the next trip you never had to explain before (or defend) as Chief Family Travel Officer.

But time is flying. Before you know it, they’ll be out the door on adventures without you–or perhaps, your high-school student is preparing to study abroad?

In any case, if there’s a new passport application or renewal on the horizon for your teen, here are some important details you may want to consider.

Tweens and early teens getting U.S. Passports:

What a difference 5 years makes – for a passport

Kids and teens applying for new U.S. passports through 15 years of age still receive child passports. Though $30 cheaper than adult passports, as you may know, child passports are only valid for five years (ugh!).

And when you consider that most countries don’t allow entry with fewer than 6 months’ validity on your current passport, you’re child’s passport may technically only work for international travel for 4.5 years . (Remember this when booking your next trip abroad!)

Proof of parental awareness and consent for the child passport

Also, in the children’s passport application process, both parents or guardians must authorize the issuance of the child’s passport. Generally this means both parents must appear in person at the passport acceptance facility with the child.

What if both parents or legal guardians cannot appear together at the passport acceptance facility? You must submit a signed and notarized letter of consent from the absent parent or other eligible documents with the child’s passport application (proof of sole legal custody, etc.).

For more information, you can see all requirements for kids under 16 here or follow this link to the official parental consent form.

HOWEVER, all of this changes once the child turns 16 years old.

If you’ve got a 15-year-old in the house, you may want to rethink the timing of your travel plans (especially if they are flexible) and whether or not you can postpone that next passport application until after that 16th birthday.

Teens 15, 16 and 17 years getting U.S. Passports:

Once kids turn 16 years, they receive an adult passport instead. The difference? Just like yours, that grown-up version is valid for 10 years instead of a mere 5. (And at time of writing for only $30 more.)

The process of applying for a passport for kids 16 and 17 years is a bit simpler, too. As long as the teenager has proof that at least one parent is aware of the passport application, both parents—and possibly even either parent—needn’t be present when the teen applies for the passport in person.

The TSA accepts “proof of parental awareness” in this case as either:

• One parent appears with the teen when applying for the passport in person and signs the from DS-11 in front of the agent assisting.
• A signed, notarized statement of consent for the teen to apply for the passport from at least one parent or legal guardian is included with the application. In this case a photocopy of the consenting adult’s photo ID should also be included.

And at 16 and 17 years old, kids receive a full 10-year adult U.S. passport with future passports renewable by mail. For additional information, follow this link to information from Travel.State.gov.

Where you like to travel with your passports?

Get inspired by these vacation guides or SEARCH our site for the destinations that interest you most.

Nine Amazing Family Vacations Abroad + Tips for When You Get There

Six Amazing Mexico Family Vacation Destinations

Six Amazing Ireland Family Vacation Destinations

Kyoto with Kids – Japan Family Vacation Guide

Cordoba with Kids – Spain Family Vacation Guide

Morzine with Kids – France Family Vacation Guide

Jerusalem with Kids – Israel Family Vacation Guide

Puerto Vallarta with Kids – Mexico Family Vacation Guide

More posts to help planning travel with teens:

Ten Things You Should Do When Planning College Visits with Your Teen

Ten Ways to Live Like a Local Family During Travel

Ten Things You Should Always Pack for Travel

Great Travel Toys for Tots to Teens

How to Build a Budget-Friendly Maui Family Vacation

California with Kids: Ten Unforgettable Family Vacation Ideas

The Best Travel Purse for a DSLR Camera I’ve Found

Reader note: An earlier version of this post first appeared September 13, 2018. It has since been revised and updated.

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