Hello, August! Soak in the last rays of the school-free summer sun with your #WellTraveledFamily by checking out our A-Z Challenge, O-R edition. Whether you’re headed across the Atlantic or just driving down the Pacific, there’s no reason you can’t make the most of the rest of your summer!
O IS FOR OREGON COAST
Coastal towns are the perfect setting for a day of fun or a weekend getaway with your family! We love the Oregon Coast; it’s a short drive from Seattle and offers great activities like surfing, hiking, and fun shopping. One of our favorite coastal towns, Cannon Beach, is taking a tour through time and giving an inside look at coastal living featuring 12 dream homes, vintage cottages, iconic lodging, and unique coastal gardens at the 10th Annual Cottage and Garden Tour. For more information, visit CBHistory.org.
You can also visit Newport for the 4th Annual Newport Wild Seafood Weekend and celebrate the Northwest’s vital wild-caught seafood industry with a seafood cook off and a seafood market where you can purchase seafood directly from fisherman. For more information, visit newportfishermanswives.com.
P IS FOR PARIS
We’re headed to Paris this Fall as a family, and I was thrilled at the number of great resources available to families planning a European vacation. You can live like a Parisian with two great places to find apartments in Paris: HaveninParis.com and Rueamadine.com. The best way to experience Paris is as a local, so plan city walks and take adventures with your #WellTraveledFamily!
The New York Times recently published a great guide to traveling to Paris with children, which you can find here!
Q IS FOR BBQ
There are tons of great BBQ stops in the Seattle area! Catch Stan’s BBQ in Issaquah, especially during football season as they screen every NFL game–even on Sunday mornings at 10 AM! If you’re in Seattle, Pecos Pit BBQ in SoDo offers one of the best BBQ sandwiches in the Northwest!
R IS FOR ROAD TRIP
We just got back from a California Road Trip, and it’s a great way to spend time with your family and experience the unique towns of the US. A fun way to enjoy a road trip is to book all of your lodging last minute, and go where the road takes you! If you’re planning a road trip for Labor Day, our best advice would be to leave early on Wednesday or Thursday and stay late if you can to avoid the vacationers traffic.
Bonus Tip: Alaska Airlines is offering great Labor Day travel sales. To check out the awesome deals, visit AlaskaAir.com.
Photos compliments of The Oregon Coast and Matt Northam & The Parisian Tourism Board.
What is your family planning for O-R? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook!
Ready to start the A-Z #WellTraveledFamily Summer Challenge?
What is the A-Z #WellTraveledFamily Summer Challenge and how do you play? There are roughly 13 weeks to summer, so each week, we’ll be back sharing inspiration with you to get out and travel with your family, sharing great destinations, trying new things, and finding a bit of magic along the way–each corresponding to one of the letters of the week.
Here’s how to join in on the fun using social media and blogs for inspiration this summer:
1. Develop your own A-Z #WellTraveledFamily Summer Travel Plan: You don’t have to travel far this summer to play – the A-Z #WellTraveledFamily challenge is all about getting creative this summer and exploring and reconnecting as a family. Sit down with your family and plan out your own A-Z Summer Travel Challenge. Where do you want to go? Get the kids involved and make this fun. Consider food, activities and destinations by letter of the alphabet.
2. Share your A-Z ideas and trip photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: Have an idea for an A-Z travel experience or destination or need ideas? Share your own A-Z Summer Travel ideas and trips on Facebook and with @HipTravelMama on Twitter, Instagram your photos using the #welltraveledfamily hashtag. We’ll have some great prizes throughout the summer, so make sure you “like” us and “follow us” to play! Make sure you send them a link to this blog post so your friends know how to play too!
Most of all – HAVE FUN WITH THIS and get out and explore with your family this summer.