My dad and my in-laws are hardcore ski bums. You know, the type of avid skiers that get up at the crack of dawn in frigid weather to make sure their day at the slopes is as long and value-packed as possible, and they do not under any circumstance hang out in the lodge partaking in any apres-ski activities…
Author Archives: Tournesol Adventures
6 Great West Coast Campgrounds for Families to Visit in 2021
Winter may seem like an odd time to plan a summer camping trip, but with many of the most popular campsites booking out six months or more in advance, the time is right to reserve your family camping trip for 2021…
A Hands-on Hazelnut Weekend in Oregon’s Willamette Valley
If you’ve ever taken a drive through the Oregon countryside, odds are, you’ve happened upon a hazelnut orchard. Recently, though, it has felt like hazelnut trees are everywhere…
12 Reasons Why a Horse Should Be Your Child’s First True Love
In our new pandemic life, I have been searching high and low for safe ways to get my kids outside and off screens, and horse riding lessons felt like a viable option. I recounted the many positive ways that working with horses impacted my life as a youth…
Glamping in a Historic One-Room Schoolhouse on Whidbey Island
The pandemic has caused many families to think creatively about how to gather and vacation safely this summer. After five months close to home, exploring new trails in our community and even taking on a COVID-19 camping trip, we simply had to head…
COVID-19 Camping in the Pacific Northwest: Planning and Safety Tips
One by one, I reluctantly canceled all our trips this summer, from a coastal resort weekend to a San Francisco road trip to a flight to Southeast Alaska. There was one that I kept on the calendar, though, a car camping trip in…
Favorite Whidbey Island Excursions in a Day or Longer Stay
Charming Whidbey Island is located just a short drive from Seattle in the Puget Sound, and it makes a wonderful day trip or a longer getaway for the entire family. With miles of public beaches, bucolic farm and forest land, and…
Tourte de Blettes: An Unusual Sweet-Savory Dessert From the South of France
One day, as we were wandering the lovely open-air market and back alleys of Antibes, France, we popped into a little boulangerie to grab a quick casual lunch. I spotted something that looked like it might fit the bill, a pastry stuffed with greens, so I thought it must be…
An Escape To Remember in Beautiful Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
The French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur, is the picturesque stretch of coastline along the Mediterranean Sea in the South of France, creating the perfect playground for the glitterati during the summer months. We were looking for a peaceful seaside escape…
When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade, During COVID-19
A few weeks ago, during a heatwave, my son told me he wanted to have a lemonade stand to raise money for a new LEGO set. Easy, right, just a simple activity that most of us participated in as children. Yet, times are not normal, and…
Tournesol Adventures 