Dean Creek Resort is a hotel and campground located in Redway, California, just north of Garberville and a little south of the Avenue Of The Giants. They offer AAA discounts if you are a member and if you are camping they don't charge for pets. They just ask that you keep them on a leash and clean up after them. This, to me, is very unusual because most campgrounds charge anywhere from one dollar to five dollars a day for pets. Having three dogs, Dean Creek won my approval right there. The campground has access to the Eel River, mini-golf, a pool, a sauna for adults, an arcade, a playground, and horseshoes. They host a horseshoe tournament every year as well. The weather there was beautiful in July. I come from a place that is usually over 100 degrees in July, so I enjoyed the temps in the 80s. Most people go there from Eureka to get out of the cold. In Redway, there is a wonder little restaurant that serves delicious fresh baked pizza, Mateels Cafe. The campground also has a little store with reasonably priced merchandise, and a small laundromat.

Now, the best thing about this place is the people. I have always said that going camping is a great way to make friends. Nowhere is this more true than at dean Creek Resort. By the time we left we had made friends with everyone from the managers to fellow campers. They are an entertaining sort, believe me. Now, don't get me wrong, everyone still has to follow the strictly enforced rules regarding quiet times and behavior, but we all had a great time. This is probably the first time I have ever exchanged e-mail adresses and info with a new friend from camping and we have been e-mailing each other since we got home! So, here is a quick rundown on our new friends, first you have Kathy and Lloyd, they are very friendly people who will be moving back to Crescent City soon to be closer to their grandkids. Then you have Less, aka Uncle Cookie, Uncle Cookie is known as such because he always carries dog cookies in his pockets and gives them to every dog in the campground. Yes, the dogs know him very well and love him! Then there is Dennis and Linda, they are the managers of the park and make a point of checking on everyone through out their stay to make sure there are no problems, and are always willing to help when needed. Then you have Joe and his whole family, they were camping there for a few days and have been camping off and on each year for five years at Dean Creek. I'm sure we will see them again sometime! The craziest one there is Pete. Pete is a proud father of grown boys and is your typical hillbilly. Pete brags about his son who until recently held the record for the most horsepower, 1400, in a street deisel truck. Pete is very entertaining to the kids because he sometimes acts like one himself. We have great video of Pete doing a handstand on a skateboard riding down a hill in the campground. This is the only way he can ride a skateboard and it is hysterical to watch because of his excitement. We had a great time at this campground and on the Avenue of The Giants. If you are heading up that way and want a great place to stay, try Dean Creek Resort, you might make a few new friends yourslef!

Heading out to the campground with friends and family can be loads of fun. You have time to just habg out with out worrying about work, chores, or anything else. Your biggest concern will be, who will light the fire tonight and what's for dinner? Take the horseshoes, the badminton set, and any other out door games you might enjoy. Plan on taking a hike around the area or if you're into it, go rafting or kayaking.

Camping is also a great way to make new friends. It's amazing how many new people you will meet, and how helpful your fellow campers are. So what are you waiting for? Pack the tent and the camping supplies and get out there!

Cachuma Lake Campground

Cachuma Lake Campground is a county owned park in Santa Barbara. It is located on Highway 154 between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley. This is a wonderful campground that has a large number of RV and tent camping sites. The lake offers fishing, boat rentals, and wildlife tours. There is no swimming or skiing in the lake but there is a pool, plenty of bike and hiking trails, as well as a nature center, general store, bait shop, and small restaurant on the docks.

Casini Ranch Family Campground

Camping with friends or family? Prefer to camp alone? No matter, check out Casini Ranch! Stunning views and friendly people await you at this family owned campground nestled on the Russian River in Duncans Mills California. They offer swimming, fishing, paddle boat and kayak rentals, a general store, snack shop, Saturday Night hay rides, ice cream socials, and a great time!

Richardson's Grove State Park

This campground is located near the Avenue Of The Giants along the north western side of the state. Richardson's Grove State Park offers a variety of campsites from shaded in the redwood trees to sunny along the Eel River under oak trees. As a state park there are no hook ups for RV's but they do accommodate them. Check ahead for length limits on your RV before you go.

Giant Redwoods RV and Camp

This is a wonderful campground located along the Avenue Of The Giants in Meyers Flat. If you are looking for a great place to stay that offers you sites along the Eel River and a variety of family activities this is it. Not all sites are along the river and if you are camping in an RV, you would be better off with a partial hook-up site, as the full hook-up sites are rather narrow. The campground offers swimming, horseshoes, a playground for the kids, movies, and is close to all attractions along the Avenue Of The Giants.

Yosemite Pines RV Resort

Heading to Yosemite? Prefer a campground outside the park that offers spacious sites and other amenities? Check out Yosemite Pines. While it is about a 30 minute drive to the park itself, this is a wonderful campground to stay at. They have a pool, gold panning, petting zoo, store, and a game room. While campgrounds inside Yosemite do not offer hook-ups for RV's, you can get them at Yosemite Pines and enjoy the beautiful drive up to the park.

When Subic Naval Base was converted into a Freeport zone by the then Mayor and now Senator Richard Gordon, through an enabling law, the rules on discipline as espoused by the Americans, were not changed and were in fact adapted and continued to be enforced by the local authorities. That is why; one would say that once you enter the gates of Subic Freeport, you are actually in an American territory. Traffic rules and regulations are patterned after the American system and are strictly enforced. Traffic enforcers are strict and cannot be bribed. All existing structures and utilities were made following US standards and specifications.

Subic Bay Freeport Zone is located in Zambales, Philippines. This place was once the home of the largest American Naval base in the world. In 1992, the US abandoned the Naval Base after the eruption of nearby Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the largest volcanic eruption in over 100 years that practically covered the entire naval base with ash fall causing a significant numbers of buildings inside the base to collapse. This American Naval Base was the home of the US 7th Fleet. The last ship, USS Belleau Wood left in November 24, 1992, signaling the end of the American military presence in the Philippines.

Subic Bay today is home to some of the world's blue chip companies including Hanjin Shipbuilders of South Korea, FedEx, Acer, Hitachi, etc. A Taiwanese, Japanese and Korean Industrial Parks were constructed inside the Freeport industrial area and are now home to some of the world's biggest exporters of electronic and other manufactured products to the world.

The Freeport has a complement of topnotch infrastructure and accommodations facilities. The Zone is host to a large Naval facility and a topnotch airport that were originally constructed by the US Armed Forces. Aside from hotels and retirement facilities, the Freeport offers private homes that you can actually own or lease for 50 years for a very reasonable price. These housing facilities were used by the officers of the US military establishment during their tour of duty in the Philippines. Condominiums and Townhouses are likewise available for sale or lease to foreigners.

Among the facilities and amenities inside the Freeport are fine restaurants, movie houses, hospitals, supermarkets, duty-free shops, casinos, hotels and resorts, first class beaches, ocean parks, Island resorts, etc. Outside of the Freeport are new first class villages and self-contained communities.

If you are a foreigner, the easiest way to start life in Subic is for you to avail of a retiree visa that is being offered by the Philippine Retirement Authority. You don't have to be a Senior Citizen to qualify so long as you are at least 39 years old when you apply. You can bring along your family and you can also work if you have an employer. The other way is for you to invest in the country by setting up a business inside the Freeport Zone. If you qualify, you can stay on as Zone investor and be entitled to various tax incentives and exemptions. There are of course other ways of making your stay legal like getting married to a Philippine citizen, obtaining a work permit, etc.

Subic is approximately 130 kilometers from Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. Travel time by car takes a little over one hour via the new toll way that connects Clark Freeport Zone to Subic in Zambales.

Places of interest nearby that are accessible by land and water transport are as follows:

• Hundred Islands, Pangasinan
• Mount Pinatubo, Zambales
• Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga
• Dambana ng Kagitingan, Bataan
• Corrigidor Island, Bataan
• Grande Island, Subic

Domestic and International Airlines serving Subic International Airport are as follows:

• Air Philippines
• Asian Spirit
• Southeast Asian Airline (Seair)
• Tiger Airlines (Singapore)
• Cebu Pacific
• Mandarin Airlines
• CR Airways

Gardens

The park is set in acres of beautifully tended mature gardens and for anyone with green fingers, the quality and variety of plant life is breath taking.

No matter how busy the park gets, you can always find a pretty secluded area in the gardens to eat lunch and enjoy the views.

So even if you have no interest in theme park rides, Alton Towers is still a wonderful place for a visit.

The Tower

The tower (which dates back to the 8 th century) looms impressively in the distance as you enter the park, it remains a semi ruin with the “Hex” ride being located in part of the ruin.

Top 10 Rides

1. Oblivion

   This is the most terrifying ride with a colossal vertical drop. Strapped in, you ascend the track slowly, the car then dangles you face first over the vertical drop before letting you go. I have never managed to keep my eyes open on this ride - the terror is just too great

2. Rita Queen of Speed

   A short ride with a long queue - but worth the wait with an indescribable buzz as the car reaches speeds of 100mph in 2.5 seconds. Tip - check your eye makeup when you get off this ride, it is likely to end up somewhere around your ears.

3. Air

   The most genuinely enjoyable experience - Strapped, and tipped forward to face the ground, the ride glides at high speed around the track - taking you high into the air, giving you the sensation of free flying. You cannot fail to feel exhilarated on this ride.

4. Nemesis

   Just a top class roller coaster - surrounded by imaginative, eye-catching enhancements, as you are swooped over the river of blood.

5. Duel

   Not the fastest of rides, but you are driven through a haunted house, full of creepy creatures, armed with a light gun which keeps score of your hits - enabling you to compete with your family and friends. Top fun.

6. Runaway Mine Train

   Fast, furious and great fun rollercoaster, fabulously adorned to inspire the imagination.

7. Congo River Rapids

   In a round boat, you are sent careering down the river, bashing the sides, spinning beneath waterfalls. Prepare to get wet.

8. Ug Swing

   A great favourite for the children. Individual swings which rotate and rise high into the air.

9. Hex

   This ride takes advantage of the towers history and genuinely spooky décor. Hex relates the tale of the curse of the old oak and you experience a disorientating and stomach churning ride at the end.

10. Submission

    A swinging boat which takes you that little bit further - before you know it, you are dangling upside down. Tip - Women in low cut tops - beware, you may expose more than you want to.

 

I challenge anyone not to enjoy a day out at Alton Towers!

The Colorado Rockies are ideal for such an apparently aimless venture, because their small pockets of wilderness are easy to escape when you need to resupply or want a day or two in town. Usually, though, a little more planning is required. Guidebooks, maps,Web sites,DVDs, CDROMs, and magazine articles can all provide information on where to go. A Web search with Google is a good place to start. Once you've selected an area, you can obtain up-to-date information from the land managers-the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or state forest or park services.

There is no such thing as too much information. The problem is sorting out what is useful from what is irrelevant. Information on water sources may be unnecessary in wet coastal mountains, but it's critical in the desert. The Internet can quickly overwhelm you with masses of information. Start to sift through it though, and you'll find that much is not of value for your hike. Consider whom the site is aimed at; often it's not hikers. Many Web sites are updated regularly, some daily. Up-to-date local knowledge is still important, however. Nothing beats talking to someone who hiked over that ridge last week or drank from that spring yesterday. In really remote areas like the Yukon, local knowledge is invaluable. On my walk through that area, I changed my route several times based on information from locals.

For the initial route planning I use small-scale (1:250,000) maps covering large areas before purchasing the appropriate topographic maps and working out a more detailed line. DeLorme's Atlas and Gazetteer volumes-one for each state of the United States-and similar volumes are excellent for an overview of an area.Mapping software can be used too, though I find it easier to plan routes on a large paper map than on a screen, probably because I've had years of practice.When planning I'm always aware, however, that cross-country routes may be impassable or that a far more obvious way may show itself, so I don't stick rigidly to my prehike plans. It's easy to draw bold lines across a paper map, carried away by the excitement of anticipation, without considering the reality of trying to walk the route.

One of the big problems with planning a hike of more than a few days is resupplying. For popular trails like the Appalachian and the John Muir, there are regularly updated lists of facilities like post offices and grocery stores. There are even companies that will ship food parcels to you.Hikers may be rare or even unheard of in other places, however, so it's always best to write and ask about amenities.

For the hikers we have boulders the size of office buildings at a park called Courthouse Rock in Stanton, or you can hike to Yahoo Falls, which is Kentucky's highest water fall, along the Big South Fork River near Whitley City. Or you can do a short 2 mile walk along the Kentucky River palisades or a 31 mile hike along Kentucky Lake's Trails. Just to name a few.

Many of Kentucky's most scenic areas loop through National Forests and Geologic Areas, most of the most scenic areas are in urban areas such as Bernheim Forest in Louisville or Raven Run Nature Sanctuary in Lexington. Kentucky has plenty to choose from. With its terrain which allows some of the best mountain biking, hiking, or hunting, from the rugged Appalachian Mountains and the Daniel Boone National Forest to trails at Mammoth Cave National Park and Land between the lakes.

Kentucky also has quite a few lakes. With great camping, boating, and fishing opportunities. We have Cumberland Lake, Buckhorn States resort park, and Carr's Creek Lake, just to name a few. Each offers a wide variety of activities for any family outing.

For the hunter there are plenty wildlife management areas that accommodate your hunting needs. There's the Daniel Boone National Forest as well as the Peabody Wildlife Management areas, along with 130 others. There is no shortage of hunting opportunities with seasons including deer, elk, and turkey along with small game.

Kentucky has also been featured on many hunting and other outdoor TV shows, including "Tournament Fishing".

For the music lovers the state has lots of music parks located in Eastern Kentucky with the states broad music heritage. Some of these attractions include the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum at Renfro Valley, As well and historic homes that are open to the public, (Loretta Lynn Home) as well as the Kentucky Artisan Center, the Jenny Wiley State Park and many more features too numerous to mention. Kentucky is native to many well know country and blue Grass singers such as John Michel Montgomery, Loretta Lynn, Ricky Scaggs and Montgomery Gentry among many others.

There is lots of resorts that offer accommodations. Here is a list of a few attraction to check out:

• US 23-Kentucky's Country Music Highway
• Berea
• Boone Tavern
• Kentucky Artisan Center
• Renfro Valley
• Kentucky Museum
• Jenny Wiley State Park and Theater
• Mountain Art Center
• Yates Ville Lake and Resort
• Historic Middlesboro
• Cumberland Gap National Park
• Pine Mountain State Resort Park
• Kentucky Coal Mining Museum
• Kingdom Come State Park
• Fort Boonesborough State Park

The list goes on and on...

Kentucky has lots of activities and plenty of historic places to visit. So the next time you plan a family outing think about Kentucky for your next vacation. Along with the view you'll leave with a memory that will last a life time.

New Jersey Hiking Trail for Kids - Monument Trail

This New Jersey hiking trail is found in High Point State Park in Sussex, NJ. It is named for the large monument to war veterans. The path is nearly five miles long and requires a long climb up many stairs to reach the top. This is a challenging path with several sections of boulders to scramble across. It is best suited for older kids with some hiking experience.

New Jersey Hiking Trail for Kids - Cedar Swamp

The Cedar Swamp trail is in Wawayanda State Park in the Highland Lakes area of north Jersey. This is an easy four-mile hiking trail for kids. It has a small elevation gain that should not cause any trouble.

The main attraction of the Cedar Swamp hiking trail is the long boardwalk that takes you through a real cedar swamp. There are many swamp plants, birds, and frogs in this interesting ecosystem.

New Jersey Hiking Trail for Kids - Lost Brook Preserve

This is another easy hiking trail for kids in New Jersey. It is about four miles and begins at the Tenafly Nature Center where you and your kids can speak to a naturalist and view various animals, insects, and birds from the area.

This hiking trail winds through woods and fields and passes the tiny Pfister's Pond. The area is abundant in wildflowers.

New Jersey Hiking Trail for Kids - Jenny Jump

The Jenny Jump state forest in Hope, New Jersey offers multiple easy to moderate hiking trails for kids and their parents. The main trail is a three mile long loop with a moderate elevation gain.

This hiking trail gives you pleasing vistas of the farmland below and the Kittatiny Mountain ridge.

New Jersey Hiking Trail for Kids - Washington Crossing State Park

Washington Crossing State Park is near the famous site of George Washington crossing the Delaware River. The park actually spans the river with areas in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

There are many hiking trails perfect for kids in this park. There is also a Nature Center crammed with hands-on exhibits, playgrounds, and an open-air theater.

New Jersey Hiking Trail for Kids - Allaire State Park

The main draw of Allaire State Park is Allaire Village, a historic site peopled by reenactors that educate and entertain. Beyond the village, there are almost four miles of hiking trails that are perfect for kids. After hiking, the kids might like a ride on the Pine Creek railroad, a steam train in the park.

1. Proper Clothing and Shoes

All members of the family should wear proper clothing and shoes on a hike. For short hikes, sneakers or cross-trainers will probably suffice. For longer hikes, however, both adults and children will benefit from properly fitting hiking boots.

When hiking with children, it is important to dress them in comfortable, non-binding or chafing clothing. Children will complain readily if their collar is too tight or their waistband rubs their belly. Long pants thick enough to deter thorns and insects are a must for hiking children.

2. Hiking Sticks for Everyone

Hiking sticks can help with balance and support on tricky hiking trails. When hiking with children, provide hiking sticks that are the right size and weight for them. Hiking sticks can either be found wooden branches that are smooth and sturdy, or man made, purchased varieties. The hiking stick for children should be narrow enough for them to grip and not to heavy.

3. Planning the Route

If a hiking trip is too long, children are apt to complain. Be sure to plan the route before you set out. Either plan to hike in a loop that will take you back to the car or campsites, or hike half the distance out and half back. When hiking with children, it is a great idea to map out the route with them beforehand. They will enjoy following the map and knowing how far they still have to go.

4. Drinks and Snacks

Everyone needs some nourishing drinks and snacks while hiking. The most important thing to carry along when hiking with children is plenty of water. You could also bring sports drink. When hiking with children, it is also a great idea to bring fun snacks that can be carried along. GORP (good old raisins and peanuts), or trail mix is the ultimate hiking snack. Dried fruit, peanut butter crackers, and granola bars are other good choices. Hiking with children takes a lot of energy, and healthy carbohydrates give a burst when you need it.

5. First Aid

When hiking with children, be sure to pack a first aid kit. Of course, adults can also be injured, but small children are more susceptible to cuts and scrapes. A small injury may make a child feel as if they cannot go on. An adult ready with the first aid kit will keep the hiking day more pleasant for children.

Hiking with children is important for physical exercise, appreciation of nature, and family together time. If you want a safe and fun experience, there are certain things you must remember. Staying within the bounds of ability and comfort is important when hiking with children.