Great adventures don’t have to take you far from home. You and your family can create enduring memories just by taking a short drive and looking for the extraordinary in the ordinary. If you start to imagine yourself as a tourist in your own region, you’ll suddenly see it with fresh eyes and realize how much it has to offer.
Mr. Humphreys has been on major adventures throughout the world—such as walking across India and paddling the Atlantic—but that doesn’t stop him from marveling at things in his own backyard. In my own experience, I find that a short road trip or even just a walk down my lane can stir up wonder and excitement if you approach it with the right attitude.
Over to the Orchard
While we often associate orchards with autumn, many of them are open during the summer months, too, offering a range of activities situated in a beautiful setting. There’s an orchard near my house that features food, beverages, a corn maze, a bouncy house, a corn pit (like a giant sandbox), a playground, a play mining area, a petting zoo, a haunted house, and orchard tours. Not every orchard will be this elaborate, but even just a stroll through the rows of trees and a game of bean bag toss can be a delightful outing.Head to the Hatchery
State natural resources workers harvest millions of fish eggs every year, raise them, and then restock the adult fish into ponds, lakes, and streams. It’s an impressive, high-tech operation that brings together biology, conservation, lab work, and industrial machinery. Touring such a facility is an inexpensive way to learn more about your state’s natural habitats and will appeal especially to kids and adults who love fish and fishing.Peruse the Park
There are more than 6,000 state parks in the United States. There’s probably one near you worth checking out. Any given park offers dozens of opportunities for activities that will appeal to energetic kids: hiking, playgrounds, sports, lawn games, geocaching, and picnicking. If the park includes a body of water, then your options are even more extensive with swimming, boating, and fishing.Notice a New Town
Again, think like a tourist and ask yourself what the most eccentric, colorful, scenic, or charming town in your area is. Try to find one you haven’t spent time in before, at least not extensively. Spend the day browsing shops, taking a walking tour, learning the town’s history, and hitting up its best restaurants. You may be surprised by what you discover.Carve Out Time for a Cave
A cave tour is a relatively inexpensive way to add mystery and wonder to a day trip. The glistening caverns, limpid underground lakes, and towering stalagmites will awe young visitors, especially if they’ve never been inside a cave before. For myself, even though I’ve been on several cave tours, they never fail to stir my curiosity and amazement. There’s a whole new, largely unknown world under our feet, ready for exploration.Find the County Fair
Borrow a Bike
There are more than 18,000 miles of designated bike trails in the United States. Taking a bike ride allows you to cover more ground than you can on foot, seeing a wider range of scenery, but it slows you considerably when compared to driving; this allows you to notice more details of the landscape. A town near me features bike trails along a picturesque river and the option to rent a range of cycles, including a bicycle car where everyone pedals to propel the four wheels. I vividly remember riding in it as a child.Zip Over to the Zoo
Zoos can be expensive, but they aren’t always. There are free and inexpensive zoos to be found, such as the Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota. It’s an almost universal fact that children love animals, and there’s plenty for the naturalist-inclined adult to enjoy at a zoo as well.Hunt Down a Historic or Religious Site
Religious and historic sites help you connect with your local culture and history, making you more aware of what it means to live in the place that you do, which has a story and a heritage totally unique to itself.A few weeks ago, my wife and I visited the church where we got married. We sat on some benches outside and had a picnic, listening to the hum of summer sounds in the peaceful, rural valley where the church is located. Then we strolled up the cemetery hill, adorned with headstones and ancient pines, reading the names of those who lie buried there (mostly Polish names). I couldn’t help wondering about the stories of all these families and the history of this little valley.
The key ingredients in quality time are the ability to enjoy the moment, approach things with appreciation, and bask in the presence of loved ones. If you do those things, almost any activity will be fun and rewarding.
