Aside from bringing along extra entertainment, you just can’t beat enjoying the natural world around you. This can be achieved by taking a hike, enjoying a relaxing picnic, locating a fishing hole, or racing down a mountain biking trail. Obviously, several hours in the back of a vehicle crawling over rocks and mud puddles can get a bit monotonous so you must keep in mind that when the family is with you, it’s all about being creative. The easiest item to plan for is the standard picnic; just bring some food, find the perfect spot, and you’ve got fun for everyone. Most places will have either a nearby creek or pond to try some fishing or rock skipping. After the picnic there is always the quick hike.
Most four-wheeling areas are in the vicinity of hiking and biking trails, and nothing stretches the legs better than an hour-long hike. Most children are captivated by hiking and exploring an area with binoculars, butterfly nets, or even a bug box to bring some pets home at the end of the day. Just be sure to spend some time researching the areas that you plan to visit, either at the local outdoor retailer or on the internet, to make sure that your family will have fun and will be safe.
The last idea to keep in mind is to make the trip personal to everyone so that each member of the family goes home at the end of the day with a certain memory that will inspire and encourage them to go again. This will transform a simple day of four-wheeling into a personal adventure of fun with the family. Some ideas to make the trip personal for everyone would be to let each person drive a certain section of the trail (if capable to do so) or to assist in spotting at certain obstacles.
Another idea is to bring a camera just for the kids to use so that they can take photos of certain landmarks or cultural highlights and start a journal of each trip, complete with a specific souvenir such as a rock from the picnic spot or an old lug nut found along the trail. You may also want to teach your family about a certain aspect of conservation of the environment and the resources that you are enjoying to make this not only an enjoyable experience but also a respectful one.
As you see, an ordinary day of four-wheeling can be transformed into a fun adventure for the entire family. Each one of these ideas can help accommodate each member of the family throughout the day, and leave the family anxiously awaiting the next four-wheeling adventure.
Related – It’s the Journey, Not the Destination
* Published by JPFreek Adventure Magazine – The leader in Jeep and adventure enthusiast publications.