Summer Roadtrip — Visiting Farms and Beaches

This summer my family and I embarked on a different type of vacation. I wanted to learn about sustainable ways to grow food and my kids wanted to have fun at the beach. We charted a course that allowed us to do both.

To ensure that my kids did not get bored during farm visits, I created a “field journal” with questions — such as what problem is the farmer trying to solve? what would you ask the farmer? — which required them to carefully observe things and even consider talking to the people on the farm. The journal gave them a purpose — like a scavenger hunt focusing their attention and enticing them to discover new things.

Some farms also had hands-on activities for kids, including milking a cow, making bracelets from lamb’s wool, etc.

In Vermont, we found a community farm that welcomed us to volunteer for one morning. We harvested several bunches of kale. This was a great way to chat with the locals and give my 8-year the satisfaction of knowing that the kale we harvested would benefit 300 needy families.

The beach visits involved the typical playing with sand, but we also got in some kayaking and, in one instance, sailing lesson. Visiting many beaches — by Lake Champlain in Vermont, Newport in Rhode Island, and Cape May in New Jersey — allowed the collection of different types of shells. My 13-year old was inspired to create a shell collage, which is beautiful work of art and a great way to capture what they gleaned from different sites.

Next, I share our itinerary and highlights things that were especially kid friendly and fun. Take inspiration and tips where you can. Ours was truly memorable roadtrip!