We’ve been crisscrossing the nation, ticking off as many national parks as possible, and Crater Lake National Park in Oregon has always been on the list. Unfortunately, a park named for a massive, deep blue lake isn’t always about lakeside strolls, especially in early spring! We spent a day at Crater Lake, and what a day it was. When we pulled in, the roads were clear, but the snow was
In the spring of ’25, we decided to travel north along the Pacific Coast along the 101. Not only was this a beautiful drive, but it also gave us a chance to tour Redwood National and State Parks in California. Redwood National and State Parks are very unique in that they’re not one park surrounding a feature, like Black Canyon of the Gunnison or Hot Springs. Redwood NP and SP
While we by far prefer to boondock, we’ve stayed in a couple of RV parks and resorts on our travels. Rivers Edge RV Resort in Winterhaven, California, is one of the latter. We stayed here for about a week during the Fulltime Families West Coast Family Reunion in the spring of ’25. What to Expect at River’s Edge RV Resort River’s Edge RV Resort is unique (to us) for an
We’re always looking for a good STEM museum and have been to more than a couple across the nation. While staying in a favorite boondocking spot outside of Phoenix, Arizona, and thanks to our student EAA membership, we had the opportunity to visit the Arizona Science Center. What to do and Learn at the Arizona Science Center The Arizona Science Center is a sprawling 3-level campus with exhibits ranging from
Living on the road is a study in minimalism. As we covered in preparing your rig for boondocking, weight is the enemy, and storage is at a premium. Because of this, we’ve really gotten away from “stuff” as gifts for birthdays and instead, we’ve gone almost exclusively to experiences. We’ve chronicled a couple of these, from a pirate cruise to a horseback ride, and today is no exception. When we
Of the many routes to experiencing Balloon Fiesta, our favorite has to be volunteering for the event. It opens many doors not available to the public, and significantly lowers the financial bar for participation! How Do I Become a Volunteer? Volunteering for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is as simple as navigating to the festival’s web page and selecting the volunteering menu. From there, you can apply for any available position.
We’ve been lifetime members of the Fulltime Families RV group since we launched in the summer of 2022. It’s opened up many doors and experiences for us that we normally wouldn’t be open to. One such experience was the Fulltime Families Balloon Fiesta Experience. This RV rally was centered around the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta! Fulltime Families, or FTF, have hosted Balloon Fiesta events for several years and have reserved
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the most popular ballooning event in the world. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city of Albuquerque each year. With such numbers come congestion, logistical conundrums, and stress. Let us try to clear some of that stress by outlining several ways you and your family can attend this often-bucket-listed event! Staying at the Balloon Fiesta Grounds There are several ways to
In the Fall of 2024, we got to participate in one of the most beautiful, amazing, life-changing, and bucket-listed events ever: the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta! Epic is an inadequate word to describe the event, but we’ll do our best to break it down for you. What to Expect at Balloon Fiesta Each day at the Balloon Fiesta is split into 2 sessions; a morning session and an evening session.
Coming out of the mountains in the fall of ‘24, we needed to stop in Farmington, New Mexico. Tad Cooper needed a checkup. One of the places we stayed, and a contender for the short list of “places we want to go back to,” would be the Bisti Badlands Wilderness Area. While managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Bisti Badlands doesn’t have dispersed camping options. It’s accessed by