Watt Family Top Travel Adventures- Part 1: Moab Utah

Posted by on May 31, 2012 · Leave a Comment 

Moab Utah- August 2011

In an effort to document our travels both before the trip, and during it, I’m going to be sharing a series of posts based on our family travels so far, and in no particular order.

Also, I’m testing out a new way to make short videos. {Click on the link and let me know what you think!}

Watts in the World- Moab

Summer break is in full swing starting this week, and I’m sure many of you are thinking about ways to spend your time. I’m scouring the internet myself, looking for adventures that we would like to take.

I have a suggestion for you: Do you want to do something really fun, family friendly, educational and involves being out in nature?

Go to Moab!

The Arches National Park, Zions National Park  and Canyonland are some of the most awe-inspiring places I’ve been.

The red rocks, the unique arch formations, winding canyons and warm weather made this a great weekend for us.

Dino is not a hug lover of camping, hiking, and all things outdoors, so he usually complies out of his abiding love for me and the kids. He’s such a good sport, and has earned many brownie points over the years!

Disclaimer: August is probably not the best month to go. The Utah desert gets very hot, and we had to limit our hiking to the early morning and evening times to avoid full blown melt down from the kids.

The sunsets are a-maz-ing, and if you’re even remotely good with a camera, you’ll get some beautiful photos of some of the prettiest landscape in the U.S.

Note to self: Don’t try to take photos of tired cranky kids in the few minutes you are waiting for the sun to set, or you’ll get caught up in bribing them to smile and miss the sunset entirely!

One way to chose to cool off in from the scorching weather was to go on a 1/2 day river rafting trip. I had been when I was a teenager, but the kids never had. They loved it! Fortunately they are all good swimmers, love the water, and weren’t afraid of the rapids.


 Another tip: If you want higher rapids and a more advanced course, go earlier in the summer or late spring. The water is colder, but the rapids are bigger and faster because of the spring snow melt off.

In August the rapids were lower and slower, but the water was warm enough that the kids could jump out and swim/float along with the boats in between the rapids.

If you have young ones, or are nervous in water, go later in the season.

 

 Besides the large rafts that had a professional guide and the group paddled together, we had the option to travel in a 2 man kayak as well. There were only a few of them, and you had to paddle power it yourself, but they were a fun alternative as well.

One of the best parts of traveling is watching my kids make friends and adapt quickly in just about any situation.

We were initially grouped in a boat with only adults and my 3 kids. The other boat had all the families with teenagers.
Did that stop my girls? No way.
Within 30 minutes of getting their bearings, they jumped out of our boat, swam over to the “kid boat”, introduced themselves and asked if they could climb aboard.
Soon the older teens were showing my girls how to jump off the edge of the boat, do a flip, and land in the water. They were ecstatic!  They jumped, flipped, swam over, climbed back  in, and did it again. They repeated this cycle for at least an hour. They were in heaven.

It was a proud mama moment- watching my kids be outgoing, social, and take the initiative to solve their own problems.

They spent the rest of the day creating an instantaneous friendship with the other family. When we pulled out of the water for a lunch break was pretty much the only time we spent as a whole family. And surprisingly, I was ok with our “family quality time” being hijacked by an organic display of independence. They seized the moment. Spread their wings. And I was giddy just watching it all unfold.

That’s what I love about traveling- exposing my kids to new people, new experiences, and opportunities to grow and stretch themselves.

 

 

 

 

  Our weekend was full of gorgeous natural wonders of the earth, and educational opportunities.
It was full of fun and exercise and family memory making.
 But for me, this trip will hold a place in my heart for a different reason.

For me as a mother, this was the peek of what’s ahead. The beginning of my girls becoming women- independent, strong, courageous ladies who will go out and take on the world. And win.

Want to see more? Click another image!

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YARPP

Filed under 2012, Utah

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