HALLOWEEN FROM THE HOT SPRINGS

 Destination: Hot Springs, Idaho / Activity: Hot spring soaking / Distance from Boise: 45 minutes

Happy Halloween, everybody! We just had a wonderful day soaking in the hot springs that are appropriately named Hot Springs, just past Horseshoe Bend, Idaho. The view was unbeatable. We were the only people around and had the whole area to ourselves - one of the many reasons we love where we grew up. The van has taken us on many rad roadtrips and adventures!

With the seasons changing and the holidays around the corner, we're always on the lookout for good deals on new gear. One of our lifelong favorite places to shop, PacSun, is offering major coupon sales to score big without breaking the bank over here (you're welcome!) We are so excited for the holiday season, and spending the weekend in the mountains while the trees were all changing colors reminded us that Christmas is coming and FAST! (I know, I know...talking about Christmas ON Halloween...oops!).

VIDEO GUIDE: ROAD TRIP OREGON

Here's a little review for those of you looking to road trip the Oregon Coast! We had such an amazing time, and highly encourage you to do the same! Watch this video to learn more about where to go, what to see, and what to eat when you make your way up the coastline.

VANVENTURE PART 4: CAMP ON THE OREGON COAST

Equipped to rip. Packing tip: get a Thule or cargo box for on top of your car. Keeps the clutter off your floor mats and out of your feet zone to free up space and make sure your drive is much more comfortable!

Traveling on the road can be tricky eating well. A quick easy meal is cheese quesadillas, but if you want more nutrition bring along a bag of sweet peppers and black beans and toss those in. We also always bring avocados (and our much needed salsa!). Another camping fav was roast beef sandwiches cooked over the fire, and tinfoil grilled sweet peppers. Yummy! Food camping tip: pack lots of ice and refresh every other day! Keep things you don't want leaking everywhere sealed in a ziplock bag.

Oregon Coast dress code tip: Always dress in layers! The Oregon Coast can be somewhat unpredictable and surprisingly chilly. When the sun warmed up, it is easy to peel! You never get stuck being too cold or too hot.

Mama tip: Bring a Bumbo! Van bug hung out in the bumbo on the picnic tables at the campsites while we chopped vegetables for dinner or were busy setting up camp. We made sure he was always attended to by someone watching him to keep him safe. He was happy as a clam just chillin' in his Bumbo! Just make sure someone is watching the lil tot while he's in there!

We never bought firewood a single time we were camping. Every time we arrived at a new site, we spent a good amount of time foraging for wood and kindling that was dry enough to start a fire. Camping tip: Moss and pine needles are fantastic firestarters! 

Destination: Oregon Coast / Activity: Roadtripping and Camping / Fees: Vary by location

Camping on the Oregon Coast is a dream. We love the woodsy forests of the Pacific Northwest, the foggy coastlines and cool crisp air. It's beautiful and green year round and the air feels and smells so fresh. Oregon has a special place in our hearts, and we've been going for years. You have to check out the coast if you haven't already! Good luck in your roadtripping camping adventures, and start making plans now! Here's our top three breakdown to get you started.

 Beverly Beach State Park, Newport, OR

$17 per night

 Nehalem Bay State Park, Nehalem, OR

$20 per night

Cape Perpetua Campground, Yachats, OR

$24 per night

VANVENTURE PART 3: SURFING AND HIKING

Destination: Cape Perpetua and Indian Beach / Activity: Hiking and Surfing / Fee: $5 day use

There are a few things you have to see when you go to the Oregon Coast. There are so many beautiful places to see, and the outdoors activities are off the charts. With cool temperatures basically year round, it feels really good during the summer to not be sweating in the heat. We loved the cooler temps and enjoyed a few hikes around Cape Perpetua, which is Oregon's highest point accessible by car! The views are absolutely stunning. It's also a great place for whale watching during migration season.

Indian Beach, as mentioned before here, is the perfect place to park for the day and surf in the Waikiki-like break with your friends. It's a dog-friendly beach too, which is perfect for all you dog owners and lovers! A lot of people just let their dogs chill under a tree and run around freely - everyone's pups seem to be super friendly and safe to be around, too. Indian Beach is good for all levels of surfers, and conveniently close to the Tillamook Head trailhead which is actually the furthest point reached by the Lewis and Clark expedition! Amazing right?! There is a small fee for Indian Beach, but it's worth it for all the activities it provides. Travel Republic Ireland is doing discounted flights to Spain if you're like us and craving even more coastal destinations right about now. 

VANVENTURE PART 2: CAMPING WITH A BABY

I don't know if you remember my "traveling with a baby essentials" post here, but I put it to good use with our last trip to Oregon! Several of these items came in handy to make our camping experience easier including the above items pictured: GoCrib, bumbo, baby wrap (similar), child carrier (similar), oball toy, and Patagonia suit (similar).

I'll be honest, I was afraid of taking a long road trip with my Van man. Too many hours in a car seat can drive everybody mad! Plus, our VW van doesn't have air conditioning. We made sure to pack a hand held spray fan to cool off and gave Van plenty of breaks until we reached our camp site for the night. Van loved being outside!

Here are a few tips I have come up with if you have been wanting to camp with your baby, but are afraid or not sure how. Just make sure the three basic needs are covered. Every baby eats, sleeps, and poops. If you have those things well planned, the rest is just fun!

First and foremost, be prepared! Expect to not get much sleep, especially if your baby is still waking up for night feedings. Expect to have a restless child- not because you weren't prepared, but because he or she is in a new environment far away from home. If you are mentally and physically prepared, your camping experience will likely go much better than you thought. This doesn't go to say that your baby is guaranteed to be a happy camper, but you will still be able to have fun doing what you love with a baby!

1. Eat.
I usually pack a little backpack with Van's baby food. I include a travel bowl and spoon, bib, formula, oatmeal, his solid fruits and vegetables, at least two bottles, and his bottle brush for cleaning. I find it easiest to use hot water and soap when cleaning my baby's feeding items immediately after he eats so it will have plenty of time to air dry. I have seen those awesome camping high chairs like seen here, but can't get myself to spend that much so I use my Bumbo. It is easy to pack around and easy to clean, works great. I am still nursing as well so a hooter hider might be a good idea if you don't want to hide out in your tent for feedings, but then again you're camping so who's gonna see? Hehe.

2. Sleep.
I like to pack warm clothes for camping. Even if it is the summer, night time always is cooler. I pack a sleep sack and onesie for underneath, mittens and beanie. It's comforting to know your little one is warm! If your baby is still swaddled a Swaddleme is a great idea, but Van just sleeps in his sleep sack. When Van was an newborn I used a little doggy bed to lay him in right next to my head in the tent! He slept his longest night ever to this day in that doggy bed camping. Now that he is bigger we use our GoCrib. It can be a tight squeeze in your tent, but it works great in our van so he has space to roll around. We always lay down a blanket underneath to keep him warm and you can use a camping pad for extra comfort. You can also get a big family size sleeping bag and just snuggle your baby all night! I have done this when Van was fussy for sleep nursing or on extra cold nights- just don't roll over!

3. Poop.
Always have a changing station. I make sure to have a travel size changing pad laid somewhere in the tent or van for a clean diaper change. I usually pack the diapers I have left from home and I buy a package along the way when I run out. I have a travel carrier for baby wipes and I buy a package at the store. Keep some hand sanitizer nearby for cleaning your hands before and after diaper changes and a flash light or head lamp for night time changes. It is also nice to have travel size baby powder, diaper rash ointment, soap, shampoo, and baby wash for those times when your baby needs it. Otherwise, a quick wipe down with baby wipes seems to do the trick! If your baby has a blow out, do what ya gotta do to clean it up and rinse out his or her clothes as soon as you can, then lay them out in the sun to dry. Sun is a natural bleach for breastfed baby poop stains- it's amazing!

If you have any more questions or advice about traveling with a baby and camping gear feel free to leave a comment. Happy camping!

VANVENTURE PART 1: SITE SEEING

What is a vanventure? Combine a VW van and adventure, and that's a vanventure. We packed up our 1989 vanagon and hit the road, picked up Kylie and Spencer in Portland, then explored the Oregon coastline together. It was a dream come true. We took turns taking pictures on certain days so I will share some highlights from our week long vanventure!

 Indian Beach

We have a few favorite beaches in Oregon that you have heard about before, and this time we finally made it to Indian Beach. You might remember it from the last scene in Point Break when Patrick Swayze surfs a gigantic wave, which was destined to be his last. (love that movie) Throughout the day there were small mellow waves for longboarding and better shortboard waves on the south side. The beach is huge and easy to access, so pack your picnic because you'll want to stay a while! 

 Cape Perpetua

Cape Perpetua is a forested headland that forms a steep bluff, jutting into the Pacific ocean. You can either hike by trail or stop at a look out point for some breathtaking 360 degree views. On a clear day you can see up to 70 miles of Oregon coastline. It is truly amazing. Definitely a must see if you find yourself traveling U.S. Route 101!

Giant Spruce

Cape Perpetua has several other fun things to offer including hiking trails and camping. The Giant Spruce trail is among one of them. This tree has been around for over 600 years and has a 40 foot base. It is surrounded by gorgeous fern and there's even a cute little tunnel in it that you can walk through. The state of Oregon now protects it because of its exceptional age and size for your viewing pleasure.

 Devil's Churn

 Devil's Churn is a long crack in the coastline that fills with water each time the waves come in, and sometimes it explodes with spouts of water when the waves collide. You can also find the Spouting Horn and Thor's Well nearby. These sites are basically salt water fountains and can be best seen around an hour before or after high tide. The water can get gnarly, so be careful. For more information stop by the visitor center and get a map, the options are endless!

Stay tuned for more posts about our vanventure!

A SMALL ADVENTURE

i've been feeling a little house trapped lately, and i am ready for rays of sunshine! you know the feeling? it's probably a combination of being a new mama and the lack of traveling for a while, but the moment my hub gets home i'm ready to go outside!

i pass baby van over to drew with the diaper bag ready and a plan. this desire for adventure has turned into a need. so we loaded up the vanagon and drove to horse shoe bend with the windows down and the music playing.

remember this surfing spot? warm weather in idaho means river surfing! the water is still a bit too shallow for the wave to be good, but it's getting there. in the meantime, i am happy eating chocolate covered pretzels and grilling up some hot dogs just to feel like i'm on an adventure. turns out, it is.