 As the weather starts to turn colder, many of us begin to think about holiday shopping. Although shopping on-line in the comfort of your own home has become more popular, there is nothing like bundling up and heading outside to a seasonal outdoor market in search of some unique holiday gifts. Here are some of the more popular markets around the country.
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 Camping is truly a great family bonding experience, and each season offers a different opportunity to experience nature. Some people prefer the fall season, with cooler weather, no bugs, and the changing of the leaves. Others like summer, especially when camping near a river or lake. Whatever the season, here are 5 popular campgrounds in Virginia and West Virginia, each with something unique to offer. Some also offer cabins as an option to tent camping. I also share some tips and resources to help find your ideal campsite in locations throughout the US.
This post was updated April, 2021.  My daughters and I are big fans of the movie “Titanic,” so of course when our family ended up renting a cabin in the mountains just outside of Pigeon Forge this summer, we had to visit the Titanic Museum. I ordered tickets by phone, and was able to purchase a family pass, which was a great price deal for a family of 5. Upon arrival at our scheduled “boarding time,” we were handed a boarding pass and took turns sharing our new passenger identities. We varied from 1st and 2nd class passengers to a quartermaster who was behind the wheel when the iceberg was spotted on that fateful night. The museum had over 20 galleries, with many interactive exhibits to help tell the story.
 Who would have guessed that the highlight of my summer was zip lining almost half a mile across a valley about 275 feet above the ground with nothing but air and mountain views around me. This is probably one of the most fun family outings we have taken on vacation, and I would highly recommend adding this to a family bucket list. We were at Wears Valley Zipline Adventures in the mountains of Tennessee not too far from Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains. The original course has 4 lines that run over 3100 feet, and for many people, that is plenty. But it is the last 3 lines they recently added that are the most amazing, with some of the longest and highest in the region. Also, the guides were super friendly and helpful, and always there with encouraging words, especially for those of us who had never zip lined before. You can purchase a combo ticket which also included whitewater rafting, which we also did the day prior to zip lining. Tickets are a bit pricey but it was definitely worth it for creating some wonderful family memories.
 Now is a great time to get the kids outside exploring and back to nature. I found a great website, Kids in Parks Track Trail, which offers tips and suggestions to help your young kids fall in love with nature through hiking! The website itself currently has over 50 Track Trails in the states of California, Iowa, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, plus the District of Columbia, with more updates coming. The TRACK Trails guide you on established trails in a given park, accompanied by a kid-friendly brochure you can download. For example, at Wolf Trap National Park, the brochures have themes such as “Flower-Power, Hide N’ Seek, and Animal Athletes.” It’s a great way to introduce your kids to hiking, or to interest them in going to a place that you want to visit. If you want, you can even track your adventures in an on-line nature journal and earn prizes. If you decide to try one, let us know how it goes!
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