Trying to buy a gift for someone who spends all of their time outdoors? Look no further, we’ve put together a great list of 10 gift ideas for outdoor enthusiasts. These items range from practical to fun and will make anyone who ❤️s the open-air swoon.
Note: Affiliate links below. If you click on and purchase any item from this list, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. We thank you for supporting us and keeping our website running!
Eddie Bauer Puffin Beverage Jacket – Most of their jackets are designed to keep you warm, but this one is designed to keep your favorite canned beverage cold. With an insulated, aluminized interior and structured arms that give you left-, right-, or two-handed control, this is one piece of equipment you’ll want with you at trail’s end. Bottoms up! https://fave.co/2X9khqE
L.L.Bean Camping Double Hammock – A durable camping hammock that provides a lightweight, packable alternative to a tent. It can be hung quickly with the included hanging straps and carabiners. https://fave.co/3e1NJFS
Leatherman Rebar With Heritage Sheath – 100% super-durable stainless steel and includes a classic leather sheath with “Leatherman” embossed in gold on the front. https://fave.co/2AJhj4y
Bogs Rainboot Mandala – Bogs’ boots will keep you dry because they are 100% waterproof from top to bottom. https://fave.co/2LIV29e
Insulated Backpack, Print – L.L. Bean’s insulated backpack keeps food and drinks cold while offering easy, hands-free carrying. In classic canvas with an exclusive print. https://fave.co/36e6H9n
Eddie Bauer Outdoor Camp Blanket – Soft, plush polyester fleece with a waterproof backing and foam insulation creates an ideal outdoor blanket for picnics, sporting events, and camping. Integrated handle makes transporting easy when folded. https://fave.co/2Tn3Sxz
Eddie Bauer Stowaway Packable 25L Cinch Tote – Great for everyday use and travel, this roomy tote has an adjustable cord-lock closure and packs into its own zippered pocket when not in use. https://fave.co/3bLVGNM
Intex Explorer K2 Kayak – 2-Person Inflatable Kayak Set with Aluminum Oars and High Output Air Pump. Lightweight and compact, this kayak is a snap to assemble, and allows you to take the fun of kayaking wherever you go. Quick inflating or deflating is a breeze with a Boston valve on each side. https://amzn.to/2z56g5k
GCI Outdoor Kickback Rocker – The GCI Outdoor® Kickback Rocker is designed to be the most compact rocker yet. It sits slightly lower than standard size chairs and features Spring-Action Rocking Technology™ for smooth rocking on any terrain you may encounter. It has a built-in carry strap for easy transportation and includes a beverage holder and cell phone pocket. dicks-sporting-goods.ryvx.net/okERe
More reading: gift ideas for outdoor enthusiasts kids
After our Canadian adventure I wrote about a few weeks ago, we drove back to Maine for the second half of our trip. What a beautiful piece of America to experience. We were so lucky to be able to stay with Nanette’s family in her house in Damariscotta during this part of our trip. It saved us a bundle and gave all the cousins a lot of time to spend bonding and making family memories.
There is so much to do in Maine with kids, from beaches, historic museums and lighthouses, to the fresh lobster and Acadia National Park, there really is something for everyone. One of the first items on our list was whale watching. We really wanted to do and see things we couldn’t do here in Illinois. So, we drove to Boothbay Harbor and boarded a boat from CAP’n Fishes Whale Watch in our whale-watching quest. While the boat was definitely rocky, and some in our group had a little bit of queasiness from the motion, we did get to see some incredible ocean wildlife. We saw seals, porpoises and finally whales! Minke and Fin whales to be exact. The kids were all SO excited to see these animals in nature. *Special note: bring a jacket or sweatshirt – it gets cold on the water!Also, binoculars are not a bad idea. Afterwards we couldn’t leave without doing a little souvenir shopping in the cute town around the waterfront area and stopped for a Whoopie Pie at Wicked Whoopies. I can’t resist getting a sweet, local treat when on vacation!
The next day we ventured out to Acadia National Park. All I can say is WOW. This is now my favorite National Park I have ever been to, and we’ve been to quite a few. The views from the top of Cadillac Mountain are incredible as are the natural rock formations along the trail we hiked. There are lots of trails at differing levels of difficulty, but none that we hiked were too hard for our 5 & 7 year old children. The park has a loop with limited parking, so we took their shuttle bus from one location to another. This ended up being perfect as it gave the kids a chance to rest their legs in the air-conditioned bus between stops.
Next up was Pemaquid Point and particularly the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse which is featured on the Maine State Quarter. There is a small entry fee which gives you access to a trip up to the top of the historic lighthouse itself, the light keepers house with a small museum inside, bathroom, and of course the beautiful coastal grounds. A few key notes, our younger daughter was just below the height cut-off for entry into the lighthouse. They did allow her to go up, but with our very careful and diligent supervision. The stairs up the lighthouse are very steep and it could be an issue for unsupervised children or people with limited mobility.
After the lighthouse was a stop at The Contented Sole, a local restaurant, for the quintessential Maine meal – lobster rolls. Fresh and delicious, a trip to Maine is not complete with some lobster! We also took a moment to explore some coastal tidepools while in Pemaquid. We went to the Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve. The kids loved searching for crabs and other small sea creatures during low tide. It was a fun, hands-on experience for them and completely free!
I would not hesitate to go back again, we had a great time, but like most vacations you just can’t see everything. If you want a place to visit with your family, add Coastal Maine to your list of destinations – you won’t be disappointed.
Family vacations – the subject of countless comedies, some nightmares, but most often long-lasting memories of kids and parents alike. I can personally remember long road trips my parents took my siblings and me on during our childhood summers. Stuck in the third row of our Chevy Suburban, a cooler stuffed between my bother and I and no tablets, dvd players or technology to keep our minds busy. It was the best of times and also time for my brothers and sisters to bond over our mutual disinterest in stopping at yet another historic village (which, go figure, I love to do now).
Yes, we drove all over the country from New England to the Dakotas down to New Mexico and back again. The driving seemed endless and of course sticks out in my brain as childhood torture, but I also remember it being amazing – we got to see and experience so much! We hiked in the Rocky Mountains, ate sopapillas in the South West and stepped aboard tall ships off the coast of Boston. We had family adventures that we all still talk about to this day. So when I came across this article on Parents.com about the benefits of family vacation time on kids mental health and brain development, I felt vindicated in my quest to provide those same adventures for my own children. I mean, I knew I wanted to provide some family bonding time in the form of vacation, but after some complaints about the long drive times following our first vacation, I wan’t sure how to plan for the future.
In years past, we drove up the coast of Michigan, stopping at Mackinac Island, continuing through the UP and then down through Wisconsin. It was a great first foray into road tripping with the kids. We kept the daily driving times relatively short due to their young ages and had a blast a little closer to home. Next, we drove to the Smoky Mountains which was an amazing trip where we hiked, rafted and explored caves. So for this years’ trip, when Nanette offered to have us stay at her house in coastal Maine, we jumped at the idea. While we didn’t drive all the way to Maine, we flew, we did rent a car when we got their and drove up to Canada and Quebec City and then spent a few more days in the lovely state of Maine. Below I have outlined what we experienced, where we stayed and what we loved about each area we visited.
Quebec City
This year, we ended up flying for part of our trip. Cost-wise, it almost was the same for us to drive to Maine over 2 – 3 days with hotels, gas and food as it was to fly. Also, the time it takes to drive to Maine from Chicago with small children really would have limited our ability to visit both Maine and Quebec City in one trip. So, we ended up driving to Quebec City from Maine, which was about a 6 hour trip from where we were. (Quick tip, we lost all cell phone service at some points during this drive. We had a caravan with 3 families so we lost touch a few times.)
That being said, our trip to Quebec City was amazing! We weren’t sure where to stay – in the city, historic Old Quebec, or somewhere just outside the city. We decided that due to the amount of children we had on our trip, 7 to be exact, being a little bit outside of the city with a few more amenities for the kids was the right way to go for us. We stayed at a resort about 20 minutes north of Old Quebec.
This turned out to be a great and memorable part of our trip, especially for our kids. Our resort had a private beach on a lake nestled in a hilly, mountainous area. There were lounge chairs, towels, a pool, sand volleyball court, kayaks, stand up paddle boards and a paddle boat that were all available for resort guests. We always had something fun to do at the resort from building sand castles to swimming to sitting by an outdoor fire pit in the evening. The kids loved going back to the hotel after a day of sight-seeing.
Of course, the one day I go to take pictures of the resort it rains.
My dress in this picture can be found here on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZH4532 It is a great dress for travel, was light and airy and had minimal wrinkling after being in my suitcase for 2 days.
First we went to Montmorency Falls, a large waterfall in the area. It was a lot of fun for both the kids and adults in our group. We decided to park and start at the top, walk across the bridge that runs right over the top of the falls which made for great views and then down the stairs to the bottom. We then took the cable car back up to the top, because there were a LOT of stairs going back up. It was a great activity that gave us a sense of the beautiful Canadian scenery.
Then we ventured into Old Quebec during the afternoon. First thing to know if you are driving, like all cities we had to pay to park. Not surprising, but make sure you are budgeting for it. There are parking garages and parking lots near Old Quebec. We ended up using a lot one day and a parking garage another. Both were within walking distance of Old Quebec. Once you get into the old part of the city, it really is like walking into history. The buildings are beautifully adorned with flowers in the window boxes and colorful shutters. The streets are a lovely cobblestone and most of the area is shut off to cars for the day so you can walk without worrying.
My hat in the above picture can be found on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2LiOWwW I love that it kept it’s shape in my suitcase without winkling or creasing!
There is a area to buy art from local artists, lots of souvenir shops and restaurants with outdoor seating. As you can see I stopped at a local bakery for some croissants while there. We had some delicious food and all of the vendors were very nice and accommodating. Once you venture up to the top of the city there are many more things to see and do. We went to Le Château Frontenac, basically a castle at the top of the city that is now a hotel. There were street performers in the area around the Chateau as well as a walkway with a great view of the St. Lawrence River.
While there, we were directed underground to tour the archaeological remains of the 17th Century Forts & Chateau. There were booklets for the kids to complete activities in. The ruins were pretty incredible, the presentation was great. There were plenty of signs telling us what part of the old forts and castle we were looking at as well as some of the artifacts found at this location. At the end, the kids were able to return to the payment kiosk for a free dog-tag style necklace for completing their booklets.
Nanette commenting here: Our family ventured off to the Museum of Civilization. We like to experience at least one local museum on all of our adventures and this one didn’t disappoint. Favorite exhibits included Venenum: A Poisonous World, Observe: More Than Meets the Eye and Once Upon A Time. The last two are perfect for children and offer many hands-on activities. The girls didn’t want to leave at closing time.
Overall, this was a great few days in a beautiful, historic city. We were sad to say goodbye to the resort. The city was very walkable, even with kids. We visited even more historic and interesting sites while in the city, like the Citadel, we just didn’t document it all. The people were so nice and inviting and almost everyone spoke English which was something we were nervous about. I loved every minute of our trip to historic Quebec City and hope to go again! Next up, our trip to Coastal Maine. Details coming soon.
Well, it’s here – the Summer Causebox! I was so excited to get my Summer Causebox and unwrap all the goodies because I loved the Spring box so much, I just knew this one would be a home run. And boy is it. I am in love with all the products this season has to offer. Let’s take a look at what I received! (P.S. – this makes a perfect gift for someone special!)
Summer 2019 Cause Box
There is seriously so much goodness in this box. Just the Caftan and Straw Tote alone would easily add up to $50*, but you get so much more!
* If you purchase the monthly subscription the price is $54.95 per box, if you decide on an annual subscription you save $5 making each box only $49.95 and you get to customize some of the items.
Reduce Insulated Wine Tumbler – Perfect for outdoor parties
Island Aloe Gel – Instant healing for sun-kissed skin (or sunburned)
Straw Tote Bag – Fun summer accessory.
Wet Swim Pouch – Definitely bringing this on my upcoming vacation.
Banded Scrunchies – Everything comes back in style including scrunchies!
This year for Mother’s Day all I wanted to do was go hiking with my family. I love to hike but, as per usual for this spring, the weather was cold and drizzly on Mother’s Day. It just didn’t work out, so a few weeks later when we finally had a bit of sunshine we went for a hike along Lake Michigan. My girls loved every minute at the beach, hunting for fossils and running in the sand. I loved the time together as a family, outside in the fresh air.
Because it was a little cool I ended up wearing my all-time favorite pants. They are joggers from Columbia, the specific style they don’t sell anymore but I found a similar pair here: dicks-sporting-goods.ryvx.net/yxXXG. They are UPF 50+ so you will be protected from the sun and a nylon material for great movement and durability.
The top is also from Columbia and you can buy it at Dick’s Sporting Goods. It is a soft material that has lasted nicely through multiple washings. Find the top here: dicks-sporting-goods.ryvx.net/MYM7n
The shoes are a vented, waterproof shoe I bought last summer for a trip to the Smoky Mountains. We went rafting and hiking through some mountain trails with waterfalls so I wanted a shoe that could get wet and that I didn’t need to wear socks with. While not a serious hiking shoe, these work really well for shorter distances, beach days and water activities. They were perfect for rafting! They do not have major support of any kind so I do not recommend them for any long distances and they do collect rocks in the bottom holes. But for the short hiking I do around home and Lake Michigan they work like a charm. You can get them here on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KpXhyG
Nanette has been a fan of Stitch Fix for a while now and she finally persuaded me to give it a try. I have almost no time to shop anymore and thought this might be a great way to find new pieces, brands and styles. After getting my first box, I don’t know why I was hesitant at first. Overall, I didn’t love everything in this box, but am still willing to go through a few more fixes to get items that work for me. Mainly because feel like it takes more than one questionnaire to really get to know my style and body. Each time I send back items it gives my stylist more insight into styles and sizes that did or didn’t work.
I want to second Nanette’s point from her Stitch Fix post earlier this month that you really need to be as specific as possible about what you are looking for and what you don’t like. Make sure to give as many details as you can to get a more personalized experience. Below I have pictures of what I received along with notes on what I told the stylist I wanted, didn’t want, or forgot to mention. I hope this helps you make your decision on giving Stitch Fix a try. If you use this link, you can get $25 off your first fix!
Anchorage Striped Canvas Tote – Overall I liked this tote, but not enough to keep it. It was a little more than I wanted to spend especially considering I didn’t LOVE it. I didn’t give any notes on bags or accessories. Sent back.
Dayna Skinny Jean – These are Toothpick Skinny Jeans from Kut from the Kloth. I specifically asked for jeans in this box, and more specifically, jeans that would not gap at the waist as I have larger legs. I have been searching and searching for jeans that fit well and unfortunately these just didn’t. I actually really wanted these jeans to work, the fabric had a nice stretch to it and was soft. They felt like good quality jeans that would hold up over time, but they were just too tight in the legs which is a problem I have all the time. You can see them in the picture below and I am wearing them in every picture in this post as well. Sent back.
Mirah Off-The-Shoulder Embroidered Cotton Blend Knit Top – I did not like this top. It was short and boxy, not at all flattering on me. I don’t love the off-the-should aspect as I have small children who still pull at my clothes from time to time making it impractical for me. Also, the top was a bit see-through and didn’t stay on the sides of my arms. While I was trying it on, it rode up twice over my shoulders just while I was taking the picture. Sent back.
Romey Cold Shoulder Knit Top – While comfortable with fabric that was both smooth and light, I thought this top was just ok. I didn’t think it was super-flattering on my shoulder area and I didn’t love the yellow stripes. Overall it was an ok top, but not one I was willing to spend money on. Sent back.
Caley Open Kimono – This is the only item from my box that I kept. In the picture I am wearing it with a tank I already had on. This kimono is light, soft and airy. It is perfect to layer over tank tops in the summer. I loved the length in the back and the way it felt. I really liked this item. Kept.
In summary, I only kept one item but I still enjoyed the process of getting to try on clothes that I might not have chosen for myself, like this kimono. I would have kept the jeans if they fit. I am looking forward to trying it again, this time with items that might be slightly more my style. I did leave some updated notes after this fix to get more specific items in my next shipment. Head on over to StitchFix if you’d like to give it a try, remember this link gives you $25 off your first fix!
Hey all – quick post on some of the great deals Target is offering this week. They have $12 and $15 women’s shorts! Check out this super-cute pair of plaid chinos. You can find them here: plaid chinos
They also have their Cat & Jack line of t-shirts, tanks and shorts on sale for kids ranging from just $3 – $6! Stock up now for the summer! I love this classic eyelet top! Find it here: eyelet top
Ahhh…vacation at the beach. Does it get any better? For all of you planning vacations I wanted to post some pictures of this bathing suit cover up that I recently got at Target. I love this cover up, it is light, breathable and cute. You can almost wear it as a dress like I did over leggings and a tank and then wear it to the beach over a bathing suit. As you can see, it is relatively see-through which for a bathing suit cover up is pretty standard. I love the drawstring around the waist (complete with beads) that makes it fit perfectly and keeps it from billowing in the wind. Below is a pic of the cute embroidered details.
Today I need a... 