Traditionally, we celebrate Mother’s Day this month, so why not plan a fun outdoor adventure for her? While we may not be able to celebrate how we’d like right now, there’s no harm in planning for the future and giving yourself and your mom something to look forward to! Let’s see what we can find to do in our version of the always fun game of Mother, May I. So, here goes, Mother, May I….
Hike: All that’s really needed here is two able legs (four if you bring Mom), a good sense of direction (aided by a trail map, compass, or GPS), and some trail snacks and water. Consider hiking the more than 120 trails in Acadia National Park in Maine, parts of the Appalachian Trail, which can be found in 14 states on the east coast (www.appalachiantrail.org), Petroglyph Wall Trail in Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon (outside Las Vegas), or the Half Dome Day Hike in Yosemite National Park in California. In the Midwest, there’s Starved Rock State Park in Illinois and Peninsula State Park in Wisconsin’s Door County. Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio has plenty of trails and some come with waterfall views!
Fish: There are plenty of options here. Deep sea, lake, dock of the bay, or from your campsite. If the deep-sea thing interests you, consider a charter in the Florida Keys. Tampa is another great place to find a charter for gulf fishing. Great lake fishing is sure to be found in Texas, considering Lake Texoma is considered the Bass Capital of Texas. Fly fishing can be fun – try it out at Lake Wenatchee in Leavenworth, Washington. Onsite fishing opportunities can be found at campgrounds in Alabama (Hidden Cove), California (Lake Minden and Idyllwild), Florida (Orlando), and Virginia (Chesapeake Bay), to name a few. Check our campground directory at www.thousandtrails.com for specific fishing opportunities on-site.
Bike: See biking piece in this blog! Again, check out www.traillink to find bicycle trails near you. We can’t say it enough – bicycling is such a great exercise. Easy on the body, easy on the eyes, easy way to get fit and enjoy the outdoors. It sounds like a win-win to us!
Spelunk: Exploring caves is a definite possibility in Bend, Oregon, with all the lava caves, Virginia’s Luray Caverns, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, Natural Bridge Caverns in San Antonio, Texas, and California’s Sequoia National Park.
Birdwatch: Some of the best birding can be found in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, but there are plenty more spots around the US to find our feathered friends. In California, more than 470 bird species have been noted in Point Reyes State Marine Reserve (about an hour north of San Francisco). In San Diego, check out what is called the Mile of Birds in downtown San Diego to see osprey, cormorants, and ruddy ducks. Washington’s Skagit Wildlife Area is known for spotting Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, and Peregrine Falcons. On Florida’s Atlantic coast, the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge has a great 7-mile loop drive to help you spot the waterfowl and shorebirds that flock here.