This post is sponsored by Chevrolet Traverse.
It’s hard for me to believe that my son has been in school for almost two months. This goes to show that time flies when you’re having fun! My family and I were so caught up in a whirlwind of summer activities that summer break came to a close within a blink of an eye. School may be back in session for my son, but this hasn’t deterred us from enjoying the rest of the season. The weather is still unseasonably warm, giving us the perfect reason to enjoy the weekends with some of the activities that we did during summer vacation.
Back-to-School Weekend Family Activities
Bird Watching
Birding is one of many activities that have been enjoyed for centuries. It’s not hard to understand why, since birds are some of the most majestic creatures! Some enjoy bird watching alone, while others enjoy it in the company of others. I fall into the latter category because I enjoy bird watching with my family. Not only is it a wonderful way to learn about birds, but birding has inspired us to relax, live in the moment, embrace it, and marvel at all that nature has to offer.
Hiking
Hiking is one of my all-time favorite activities that I love to do with family. I deem it nature’s therapy because we’re always at the most serene and peaceful state of mind when hiking. It has been proven that hiking can reduce stress and foster creativity, which can be helpful at the beginning of a new school year for a child. Personally, I’ve found that nothing clears my mind more than when I’m surrounded by the beauty of nature.
Having a clear mind helps me find inspiration within nature for some of my favorite creative outlets, such as writing, photography, and painting. Hiking is one of the most pleasant ways to connect with nature, bond with family, and enjoy the world around you. As the adage goes, “Sometimes the best things in life are free.” This is a worthy sentiment for every adventurer to keep in mind.
Cave Exploring
My family and I love going on guided cave tours! I wouldn’t go as far as to say that we’re spelunkers or cavers, but we enjoy cave exploration. We’re always in awe of all of these geological wonders (i.e. caves) that nature has to offer, everything from the elusive creatures (e.g., bristly cave crayfish) and rock formations to the background history and the adventure of exploring.
Going to the Zoo
Going to the zoo is something that my family and I partake in throughout the year. My children love seeing and learning about the animals. Knowing that not all zoos are the same, we also like to venture outside of familiar territory and visit other zoos, too!
Weekend Getaway
My love for traveling stemmed from my childhood. It gave me experiences that I’ll cherish for a lifetime. It taught me lessons that couldn’t be seen from a different person’s perspective in a classroom, only my own. It helped foster a love for history, as well as an appreciation for architecture, landscape, culture, food, and art. Traveling has also helped me broaden my perspective, value the things that are often taken for granted, overcome shyness, and generally taught me what textbooks could not. That’s why I instilled a love for traveling in my own children, and I’m happy to say that they take delight in it as much as I do!
It may not be feasible for us to board a plane and visit somewhere like the West Coast at this given moment, considering that my son is back in school, but once the last school bell rings on Friday, we still manage to hit the road for a weekend getaway. It helps us to temporarily take a break amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life, while giving us the taste of adventure that we yearn. It’s also the perfect excuse to enjoy the warm weather as much as we can!
It’s not a secret that a car has a lot to handle, especially if a family goes on road trips as much as my family does. Ho-hum minivans and station wagons are a thing of the past! Vehicles like the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse can handle it all without sacrificing style and adventure! It also has available built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi®1 that enables passengers to connect up to 7 smart devices, making it the ideal family-friendly vehicle.
The 4G LTE Wi-Fi® signal is even more powerful than a smartphone connection! You can get seating for up to eight people2 and spacious cargo space. The Chevrolet Traverse lets you take it all with you!
With spacious seating, ample cargo space and available safety and entertainment technologies, there’s no better vehicle to bring the family together than the Chevrolet Traverse.
– Requires a compatible mobile device, active OnStar service and data plan. 4G LTE service available in select markets. Visit onstar.com for coverage map, details and system limitations.
– Standard on LS and 1LT. Available on 2LT. LTZ seats 7. Not available in Ebony/Saddle Up interior color.
We always keep busy on the weekends. This time of year there are all sorts of local things like fairs going on, so we do a lot of those.
We try to do something every weekend together. I love spending time with my family! These are some great ideas that we need to try as soon as it cools off here.
Jeanette recently posted..How to Plan the Perfect Fall Adventure
I love these ideas, because we already do so many of them. We live in Georgia, so hiking and observing nature is the most natural thing in the world to do. They’re great ways to bond as a family.
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You’re very lucky to be living around such beautiful scenery! I live here in AZ and there isn’t much to do since it’s so hot. I love how outdoorsy you are, though!
My family is all about the car trips! They are cheaper and so much fun!! WE are actually headed away to do a family vacation this weekend!! I can’t wait!
Jenn recently posted..Wordless Wednesday ~ Enjoying the zen of a setting sun!
Cave exploring! Thats something I totally want to do more of! I used to love that as a kid!
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Cave exploring would be so fun, I wish this is something I could do in my area! But there is nothing better than a fall hike!
We love to do some outdoor activities during the weekend. Going to the park and hiking are our favorite activities.
Ourfamilyworld recently posted..Must-Haves for Your Lice Prevention Tool Kit
This looks like a fun and beautiful place to go. I love places that look like that.
Kristin recently posted..Get Those Favorite Credit Card Rewards For Paying Bills Now With Plastiq
Car trips are always fun! I live in Florida, so we have lots of weekend getaway options throughout the state, and great parks too.
It is a good idea to take the kids on weekend trips once in a while. It relaxes their minds and relieves any stress or tension that my have built up over the week at school.
Annemarie LeBlanc recently posted..5 Vital Travel Tips for Parents – Family Trips Made Easy
We always take our kids on weekend trips. Visit new places and try new things ! So fun
rika recently posted..Spinach Corn Soup with Ginger Broth
We have been on several road trips over the Summer, none quite a spacious as yours in a Chevy sadly. I look forward to continuing our road trip travels, especially now since you have planted the seed of hiking in my head. Thank you.
Great list here. We love to go hiking too!
On weekends my husband is working but we do try to do as much as a family as we can afterwards! We love trips to the zoo. I want to get there before winter hits!
Cave exploring is a lot of fun. We did that before going back to school and the kids stil talks about it.
Chubskulit Rose recently posted..Monorail Ride at Hershey Park
There’s a lot of different birds in our area so we don’t only bird watch during the weekends, but almost everyday. I haven’t tried hiking here, but I’ve heard there’s a lot of great hiking trails here in WNC.
We love keeping our weekends busy, always on the go. Sounds like a fun vehicle to be in.
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Weekend getaways are a nice treat sometimes during the school year. A great way to break up routine too.
I love bird watching! Love all these pictures. Thanks for sharing.
I love these ideas. We usually try to make the weekends fun and add activities. This weekend it’s rainy and yucky so we are stuck at home but still I’m planning some activity.
Hiking is my new favorite outdoor activity. Gotta love being outdoors and getting a good workout in the process!
Thanks for the ideas. My daughter loves animals so going to the Zoo would be fun for her. Reading your article convinced me that I should schedule a trip soon.