Places to Go - Spring Family Hikes at Potmac Overlook Park (Arlington, VA) & Riverbend Park (Great Falls, VA)

Can we all admit that it was a LONG, COLD winter? Usually in VA we'll have a few days of freezing cold, followed by a 60 or 70 degree "break" period. But not this year. This year the cold came and stayed, reminding me of Michigan winters. Luckily spring has arrived, so we've spent the past two weekends hiking as a family. Turns out my children NEEDED to run.















1. Hike Number One - Donaldson Run Potomac Overlook Park - My kids love this hike because it involves multiple stream crossing (hence, multiple opportunities to become wet and dirty). Last week's hike was a little trickier than usual because T slid and FULLY IMMERSED himself in the stream, so we had to cobble together various scarfs and sweatshirts to keep him warm. Still, this is a favorite hike, especially in spring, where an overlook gives you full views of the Potomac (you can actually hike to the Potomac as the path merges with the Potomac Heritage Trail, but with a soaking wet child, we decided to turn around). I have no idea what the total mileage is. And this IS NOT stroller friendly.

Directions - I found this map online. We take the Brown Creeper Connector Trail down to the stream. At the bottom of the hill, the Brown Creeper connects with the Donaldson Run Trail - if you follow the trail to the right, you'll eventually hook up with the Potomac River. If you opt for the trail on your left, you'll loop back to the parking lot. We usually hike to the Potomac then turn around and follow the Donaldson Run trail through the woods and back to our car.

















2. Hike Number 2 - Riverbend Park to Great Falls, VA - This is more of a walk than a hike, as the trail stays flat and there are no stream crossings. But the views are gorgeous, especially in early spring/late winter when the trees are still bare. We even saw a swan. Plus, if you hike into Great Falls you don't have to pay admission (score!!) and my kids love climbing on all the boulders on the sides of the path.

Directions - We learned about this hike from Kidfriendly DC, click here to read her wonderful directions. The total hike is around 3.5 to 4 miles. And, while I've seen people with strollers navigate the path, it does not look like an easy thing to do (esp. through the "boulder field").

Places to Go (Vacation) - Beach Hiking at Torrey Pines (San Diego, CA)

Last week, one of my best friends from law school was in San Diego, CA for business, so I decided to fly in and visit her for a girls' weekend. The flight east proved somewhat cumbersome (due to a missed connection they rerouted me through San Francisco) but eventually I arrived. I always feel so virtuous when visiting the west coast, as I'm up three hours early and asleep by 11.

Anyways, we had a fabulous time - Octoberfesting and beach-going, along with a blissful spa day (thank you, Therapie, for making our weekend that much better). On Friday, we spent our morning/afternoon hiking through Torrey Pines State Reserve and admiring the amazing scenery.

During law school I applied for west coast jobs and Dan applied for east coast jobs. Once we started seriously dating, he (obviously) won the "where should we live?" debate. But still, whenever I fly past the Mississippi river, I feel a twinge of sadness for our "almost" life on the Pacific coast.



I meant to take more photos of C and me, but I'm not very good at remembering to turn the camera inward (I still have not mastered the selfie). So here we are looking sweaty and (somewhat) tired, not exactly the best photo. But still, it was so good to see one of my best friends again!

Places to Go - Winter Hiking at Turkey Run (McLean, VA)

It still sort of amazes me that I can now take all three kids "hiking", this just seems like such an event in itself. A few weekends ago, before the crazy cold wind hit, the kids and I decided to log some time on the trails. Every time we drive towards Maryland on the GW Parkway we pass a sign for Turkey Run Park, but this was our first time ever venturing there, primarily because I knew so little about it. Luckily, KidFriendly DC posted on the trailhead at parking lot C, so we followed her advice (though I think we took another trail when we reached the bottom of the hill).

On the upside, the kids had a fantastic time - checking out the river, picking up numerous sticks and stones, chasing our dog, and generally enjoying winter in the great outdoors. Then we hit our first stream crossing - stones throughout the shallow river made it more than "doable", but my kids still expressed lots of fear. Which all would have been fine in a "such an adventure" sense, until we encountered another stream crossing about 0.2 miles down the path, then another. I'm not sure who found them more stressful, the kids or the dog, but eventually we decided to turn around (sopping wet feet made this decision easier), so we never completed the turkey run loop. Hopefully, next time. And there will be a next time, as this place is too beautiful to not return. Though I'd definitely bring a cell phone, we met some fantastic and kind people along the trail, but a few sketchy guys kept circling the parking lot.



I love when they all get along.



Wish I had more pictures of the treacherous stream crossings, but I was too busy carrying T while trying to keep my feet dry.