The 3.5-year-old has new a fascination with caves after seeing Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky but with a babe under two I’m having trouble finding an outing that allows young children to tag along (and that won’t cost $50 for the family outing). These are the caves around Chattanooga we can take both children …
Betsy Hibbett
Make Family Time Outdoors More Meaningful
I had to get out of the house—we’d been trapped inside all morning waiting on an appliance technician. The 3.5-year-old wanted to explore and was still on a cave kick after seeing Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. Loaded in the car, we took the 45-minute trip down the road, to the Northeast corner of …
I am the type who can read a list of how to prepare for something fifty times–and make my own list so nothing is forgotten. Do I follow it? No. I end up winging it every time and as a result I always forget something. The “morning milk” that will stop an early morning meltdown? …
Nothing makes me feel more like a camping dilettante than pulling up to the campsite (after driving 30 minutes out of the way) with a big ADA sign in front. A call to the park ranger five minutes in doesn’t say, expert family camper. Things were looking up. I whipped out the hotdogs sans …
Going fishing on the Tennessee River was one of the first dates I had with my husband–I fell in love with him watching him fillet some fish in the backyard. Even still, fishing isn’t my first pick of weekend activities, but it is my husband’s and the boy’s. I’ll bring the snacks and take the …
Stringers Ridge is a 92-acre park in North Chattanooga. All the paths are easy, well-marked, and accessible. I love taking my boys because it’s a simple outing with a quick escape if needed. There’s lots of parking (unlike trailheads en route to Lookout Mountain) and it gives the feel of being far from it all–but …
Long Hunter State Park is along the shore of Percy Priest Lake. You can spend a day doing water activities, like boating, fishing, and swimming, or stay along the shore and hike, bike, and camp. We did the 0.75-mile Inland Trail. It was a beautiful trail in a glade full of huge Shagbark hickory trees, …
According to EarthDay.org, more than 1 billion people come together each April 22 to celebrate Earth Day. For my family, it’s a fun reason to get outside and do something for the environment and the community we live in. Pick up trash while on a walk around your neighborhood. I don’t know about y’all, …
This state park is the former mining site of the Georgia Marble Company, and it has it all. Two stocked lakes to fish, and ducks to feed. Kayaks and pedal boats to rent. Enough to make it impossible to get two boys to head toward the trail entrance. There are five miles of trails to …
My first trip into the wilderness was to a little preserve in North Georgia called the Shirley Miller Wildlife Preserve. Calling it the wilderness is generous, but it was a great reentry back into the outdoors with two toddlers in tow. It was gorgeous in early April with all the wildflowers in full bloom. Most …
Betsy Hibbett 