It has been a year spent in lockdown with the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, and it feels so amazing to finally book our first family vacation: an amazing farm vacation in New York's Catskill Mountains. As a kid, my parents would take us to a small farm in Pennsylvania where we could help with barnyard chores like milking the cows and feeding the chickens. My siblings and I still talk about our childhood memories visiting that farm and the unforgettable adventures we had exploring the farm property. I’ve been dreaming of finding a similar place for our two boys (age 3 ½ and 2) to help them develop a love for the mountains and outdoors. And I finally found the perfect place: Mountain View Dairy in Bloomville, NY. We rented a three-bedroom home on the 260-acre property for a long weekend. This home was a complete escape and a true taste of farm country, with tractors rolling by and clear night skies for stargazing. The house was very clean and well-kept with a fully equipped kitchen where we cooked all of our own meals. Here’s how we enjoyed our stay at this amazing farm property: Day 1: Arrival / Exploring the Farm Grounds We scheduled our getaway for April ...
hiking
Things to Do & See in Shenandoah National Park
I believe there is nothing more relaxing and restorative than spending time in nature. This was never more true than our road trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and I'm so excited to share my list of things to do and see in Shenandoah National Park. My husband and I love hiking in our beautiful wooded area of New Jersey. We were excited to plan our first ever family vacation as a family of three with our son, Gavin, when he was 10-months old. We want to share our love for the outdoors with him at an early age, and we quickly decided that the Blue Ridge Parkway would be a perfect destination for our first family adventure. We spent the first two days of vacation visiting my cousin in Washington, DC. This is another great East Coast destination for families, and we enjoyed a slow-paced visit walking the National Mall and viewing the monuments. Washington DC is a short 2 ½ hour drive from the North entrance of Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive, so it’s a great stopping point or add-on. Here’s the deal: I did mention we’re traveling with a 10-month-old, right? Well, our darling baby foiled our vacation plans two days in when he woke up with a 104 fever. We ended ...