Soft Adventure Travel with Kids

Just because you have children doesn’t mean your wild adventure travel days are over. Sure, bungee jumping and sky diving might be out. There are many wonderful family adventure travel choices out there.

Not only are there many adventure choices that are safe, but they also provide great chances to bond as a family, learn new things on your vacation and experience the great outdoors as an adventurous family. There are plenty of soft adventure vacations suitable for children.

When you plan a family adventure travel vacation, just keep a few things in mind. Be sure the activities will be age-appropriate for the entire family. Be sure there is no minimum age for the activities that will leave a family member out. Talk to your children, and see if they are excited or scared of the activities first. A family adventure vacation is no time to traumatize your child by pushing a scary activity.

Here are some family friendly adventure travel ideas:

Farm Stay

A wonderful adventure travel vacation for the whole family is a farm stay, where visitors get to experience life on the farm hands-on. There are various levels of farm stays and of visitor's duties. Children are sure to love feeding animals, and parents will love the farm-fresh homemade meals. There are farm stays throughout the world, and some of the better organizations for getting information on family farm stays include the Pennsylvania Farm Stay Association, Farm Stay U.K. and the French government-sanctioned Bienvenue a la Ferme (Welcome to the Farm) program.

Dude Ranch

Want to play cowboy, for real? Dude ranches appeal to the child in all of us. There are many dude ranches that have programs catering to children. (Just be sure to check ahead, as some programs do not). Dude ranch vacations can serve as wonderful family adventure travel vacations. They usually feature horseback riding, fishing, pack riding, wildlife hikes, nature studies and crafts. A good way to find dude ranches that specifically cater to families and children is through the Dude Ranch Association, which features a ranch search for children's programs.

Geocaching

The newly-emerging adventure activity of geocaching (with caching rhyming with cashing) combines math and the great outdoors. It has various levels of difficulty that can appeal to families seeking out adventure travels. You can practice it close to home, or anywhere around the globe. You will need a GPS unit (handhelds can be found for as little as $100). Given coordinates, geocachers hunt down treasures, attractions or sites that have been planted by another geocacher. The best way to find out more about this sport, including a list of caches, is to consult the official Geocaching site. Geocaching pairs very well with camping vacations or roadtrips.

Ecotourism

Experience nature and teach your children valuable lessons about the environment through ecotourism. This genre of travel is constantly growing, and the options are vast. Whether you want to scuba dive a couple hours' drive from home or experience life in a lobster village in Belize, there is sure to be an ecotourism option that appeals to your family and is within your budget. Search for ecotourism travel agents, accommodations or other travel services at the International Ecotourism Society.

Family Adventure Travel Philosophy

Don't limit your ideas of adventure travel to something you've seen on the X-games. There are lots of other activities that are fabulous for family adventures, while still remaining safe. Take the children hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing. They are sure to cherish their memories of family adventure travels for years to come.

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