
Search This Blog
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Machimoodus State Park - Moodus, CT

Saturday, November 11, 2023
Windsor Meadows State Park - Windsor

Windsor Meadows State Park is a small stretch of park bordering the Connecticut River in the town of Windsor. The entire park consists of 155 acres of woodlands along the river, bounded to the west by railroad tracks. The south section of the park contains the large parking lot, start of the Windsor River Trail (paved trail great for a variety of trail users), the Bissell Bridge Walkway Trail, and the Bissell Bridge Boat Launch. The Walkway connects Windsor to the large system of multi-use trails in Manchester and East Hartford. While the area is most popular among boaters using the launch, there are several picnic tables, and a small handicapped accessible pavilion.
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Farm River State Park, East Haven

Friday, October 27, 2023
Horse Guard State Park - Avon

Friday, October 20, 2023
Hedgehog Trail - West Simsbury, Connecticut

And so, on a beautiful fall day while Whitney was in school when I should have been finishing up work or completing 47 other tasks on my to do list, I took Piper on a fun solo adventure, very similar to the one I did with Whitney almost exactly two years ago.
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Sherwood Island State Park - Westport

Sherwood Island State Park is one of the popular beachfront state parks in Coastal Connecticut and it also gets the ranking of Connecticut's first park. The Connecticut State Park Commission was born in 1913 and their first purchase was five acres of salt marsh in Westport, the beginning of Sherwood Island State Park (currently 238 acres).
While there are 110 state parks in eight counties in Connecticut, Fairfield County has six parks, four of which are off the coast and to the north. As my Connecticut State Park guidebook "A Shared Land" points out, "the population here is so dense and the land so expensive that it's hard to acquire parkland and economically impractical to create forests". The shortage of public places in this dense and expensive county makes this state park an important resource to those who live there.
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Flume Gorge - Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire

There's a little saying that I have to repeat to myself as we head to some of the busier attractions that tend to be a bit more beginner (and in my case kid) friendly. When the crowds start to assemble and I have to use a bit more patience and a few more forced smiles I remind myself of this:
"Popular places are popular for a reason". I also remind myself there are ways to get around the busiest times and that usually involves weekdays and early mornings, something my flexible schedule and early risers typically allow.
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Millers Pond State Park - Durham
This is a story about another tucked away lesser known Connecticut State Park. It's also a story about how I genuinely think people are good, but there are some less than great ones too, and one of those less than great humans was also at Miller Pond State Park.
Harsh start to today's state park guide, I know, I know, but hear me out. It was a gorgeous fall day here in Connecticut. It was a Sunday, the first day of October, and temperatures were creeping into the upper 70s. My parents know about my State Park scheme and love spending time with their grandkids so they suggested we tackle a park in the afternoon. I love that my little plan is inspiring others and I was excited to set out on another adventure with the kids.
I looked at my map and my google doc of localish parks with varying hiking trails and mileage. Miller Pond State Park (another one I've never heard of) in Durham was about 25-30 minutes away and had a short 1.5-mile loop around the park - toddler and grandparent friendly. I loaded the kids and the dogs in their car seats, loaded up enough snacks and the kids hiking packs, and picked up my parents before heading to the State Park.
Monday, October 2, 2023
Dinosaur State Park - Rocky Hill

![]() |
Outdoor area at the Dinosaur State Park |
Friday, September 29, 2023
Day Pond State Park - Colchester

Thursday, September 28, 2023
Harkness Memorial State Park - Waterford

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Rocky Neck State Park - East Lyme

![]() |
Hiking Trails |

History
![]() |
The Pavilion Balcony |
![]() |
Rocky Neck State Park Signage |
Environment
![]() |
View of the sound along the trails |
Activities
Dogs are allowed on the hiking trails and north of the railroad. Dogs are not allowed in the campground and south of the train tracks which includes on the beach, boardwalk or pavilion.
![]() |
Rocky Neck State Park Pavilion |
![]() |
Picnic Area |
![]() |
Hiking trails at Rocky Neck State Park |
![]() |
Bridge over the marsh |
Saturday, September 9, 2023
North South Lake Campground and Day Use Area - Camper Trip 2023

August marked our second time camping at the beautiful North South Lake Campground at in the Catskills of New York. I've lost track of how many time we've been up to the Catskills to date, but this part of the northeast is one of my favorites places to visit over and over again. I've written a Weekender's Guide for a summer in the Catskills which is perfect for any first timer or frequent visitor like myself.
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
3 Days along the Costa Brava in Spain

After talking to our tour guides in Barcelona who were born and raised in the area, it was clear that we had to rent a car and travel up the coast along the Costa Brava. They told us of crystal clear water, quiet fishing villages, beautiful towns, and glorious beaches where we could soak up the Spanish sunshine. That was all I needed to hear and we quickly headed to the rental counter and eventually north along the Catalan Coast.
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
A Week in Spain: Part 1 - Three days in Barcelona

Thursday, August 10, 2023
Summer weekend in Southern Maine
When I think of Maine, I think of rocky coasts, national parks, puffin and lighthouse tours, lobster everything, epic restaurants in Portland, so many craft breweries, foggy islands, whale watching tours, and moose sightings on the lake. I’ve been up to Maine a handful of times to hike Acadia, stroll through Bar Harbor, get married on a lake, cruise around Bar Harbor, and hike the Katahdin, Maine’s tallest peak
What I never really associated Maine with, was beach towns and boardwalks, amusement parks and family vacations. Of all my trips to Maine, this was the first time we made a point to stop at the beach, and do some of the touristy things like dinner in Ogunquit, a day at Wells Beach, and an overcast morning at the Old Orchard Beach boardwalk. After a few beach days on the southern seacoast of Maine, I can officially say I GET IT. Loud and clear. I get why families flock to the beach, why kids crowd the arcade and couples walk the boardwalk. It’s sort of like the Jersey Shore without Jersey: i.e. less people, more lobster.
Friday, July 28, 2023
Summer Weekend in Stratton, Vermont
Thursday, June 15, 2023
Visiting the Bronx Zoo - New York City

When you hear "The Bronx" of New York, you probably aren't thinking world class zoo". This big New York City borough is densely populated and typically doesn't make the cut compared the the famously popular Brooklyn and Manhattan boroughs. The Bronx is home to some famous attractions including Yankee Stadium, the Botanical Gardens, and the Bronx Zoo.

Monday, May 15, 2023
New York City - with Babies and Toddlers!

Friday, April 28, 2023
The Dinosaur Place - Oakdale, Connecticut

Friday, March 31, 2023
Connecticut Science Center - visiting with a toddler

![]() |
Water Table at KidSpace |
First Impressions
Sunday, January 22, 2023
Potty Training at 22 months with the "Oh Crap" method

Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Weekly Meal Prep and Freezer Stash 101

Why Meal Prep?
I don't think I need to go into it here but in case you need the reminder, going out to breakfast/lunch/dinner or even grabbing those premade meals from your local bistro to bring home typically means that meal is an unhealthier options. They taste so good because they use a whole lot more butter, oil, sugar, salt etc than you typically would at home. The food is richer and you have zero control about the ingredients, where they are sourced, and what preservatives are used. And that convenience factor? It comes at a high cost. A recent study concluded that Americans go out for a meal (sit down dinner or lunch on the go) 5.9 times a week at the cost of about $3,000 a year. It's a lot but I personally think that number is much higher for most of us. There is also a significant value in sitting down as a family for a meal at the end of the day and meal prep makes that possible on the busiest of weeks. The other big piece of the puzzle no one really talks about is the dishes. If you do your meal prep at once, you make one "big" mess (but far less of a mess than you would making dinner each day). By meal prepping, you can reuse bowls, cutting boards, pans and what not which really lets you cruise through the week.Monday, January 2, 2023
Year in Review: 2022
