8 Tips for Hiking with Kids in El Yunque Rainforest

February 22, 2017

Before hiking with our children in the El Yunque Rainforest during our trip to Puerto Rico (did you see the photos?), some good friends of ours gave us a few tips that helped us be better prepared for our adventure. We thought that we’d share those, as well as our own from our experience.

Tips for Hiking the El Yunque Rainforest with Kids:

1. Wear good grippy shoes: As the name indicates, the rain forest can be rainy, which also means that it can be wet and slippery. Especially on some of the paths. While many of the paths have a narrow pavement on them, the path or the mud around it can be a little tricky if really wet. Some of the paths end at waterfalls, like the La Mina trail which many people come for. The area can get a bit more slick around the waterfall. The neat thing is that you can actually brave the rocks and hop in for a swim (it’s brisk!) but that’s a tougher activity for smaller kids since the rocks can be sharp and unstable. If you want to give it a try, see if you can do the walk in secure shoes that you can also swim in to protect your feet coming in and out of the water.

2. Good bug repellant is key: We didn’t find huge insects or anything like that in Puerto Rico, but mosquitos, especially small ones that are hard to see, can be a little annoying, especially in some of the wetter foliage areas. Puerto Rico has been a Zika area this past year, so take that into consideration as necessary, but we covered up in both layers and repellant and didn’t have any issues.

3. Aim for an early start: Yes, it’s harder to roll out of bed earlier and get on the road, but in this case, we found an early start was worth it. The park actually opens at 7:30 am, while we weren’t first in, we were pretty early. The earlier hour helps to beat the heat, but also the crowds, since people tend to congregate on some of the most popular trails and parking at the trails can run short.

4. You’ll need a car: When we arrived in Puerto Rico, we didn’t plan on renting a car since we weren’t there for that long and were mostly hotel based. We thought we could just order a taxi for El Yunque as it didn’t look far on the map, but it didn’t quite work out that way. Taxis can only drop you off at the gates and there is a fair amount of road uphill to get around, and it’s not too conducive to pedestrians. Our hotel was able to rent us a car for the day, which ran us about $100. Expensive, but it gave us a lot of flexibility throughout that day to explore different parts of the park and then we took advantage of exploring more around the island. Also, we looked into day trips which were another option, organized through providers but they were running nearly that cost per person so the car was the most cost-effective route for all four of us. The car was a classic Jeep (which they outfitted with car seats) so it just added to the fun adventure feel.

5. Bring cash: By the time we wrapped up our hike, the park had opened up one of their approved lemonade stands. After our couple of hours, it was a good time for a refreshment and a snack. While we packed a few or our own treats, the fresh lemonade was the best. It was a cash-only operation, so bring a bit to have on hand. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on these lemonades.

6. Pack an ergo for toddlers: The walks aren’t long at all but they will feel long to the littlest of feet. While many parts are narrowly paved, it’s not quite terrain for a stroller, as there are parts with stairs, no pavement or broken pavement. We saw quite a few families with strollers, which they then had to carry by hand with the child in it in the trickier parts. Again, most paths are really mild hikes, but even a mild hike can feel impossible with thirty pounds of toddler plus thirty pounds of stroller.

7. Get excited: While this isn’t a jungle safari, there is still lots to observe with smaller wildlife and foliage and birds. We knew the chances of seeing a hummingbird were high, so we allowed our daughter to watch the hummingbird episode of the Wild Kratts on airplane ride over on her iPad. It just helps build a bit of anticipation for the children and they love teaching you something back.

8. Take your time: One of the things I was most impressed with was the signage around the trails so that you could learn about the animals and the park and the rain forest. Our daughter really enjoyed hearing about all the information so that added considerable time to our hike. Similarly, the visitor center is well done and can teach a lot as well. Leave the center for the end if you want to take advantage of the cooler hours and smaller crowds to get the walks done first. It’s a good place to take refuge once its gets hot during the middle of the day. All in all, we had other activities planned that day as well and it all worked out, but don’t rush through this beautiful park. You made it all the way out there, now enjoy the day!

PS – did you catch the full post on the El Yunque Rainforest Hike?

Toddler Travels: El Yunque Rainforest

February 21, 2017

A few weeks ago, we took advantage of some great air tickets and a few days off from work and school to go on a little adventure to Puerto Rico. Sunshine and the ocean were on the docket, but the thing is that once you have a forest schooler in your midst, then finding outdoor adventures becomes a standard part of the order as well. We were lucky in Puerto Rico as we discovered there was a rainforest – the only one in the United States actually – just about half an hour from our hotel.

The outing to El Yunque ended up being a wonderful half day trip, just about right for hiking with a kindergartener and toddler in a backpack. In all honestly, the terrain is pretty mild, with a variety of hikes, most of which have a large parts of paved paths that meander through the woods.

But the greenery is gorgeous, and the fascination with rain forests, along with lots of posted signage throughout about history and animals, gave us plenty to chat about while we were walking through this different kind of forest.

This isn’t the kind of rainforest with jaguars and anacondas…actually one of the great things about hiking with small kids here is that there are relatively no dangers at all. Because it’s a forest on an island, any animals had to travel here in some way over water, so there are no real predators. Mostly birds (and a lot of those, especially if you take the time to listen), insects, a few harmless snakes…But the foliage you will see is impressive. Palm fronds taller than you! It’s a bit of an up and down stroll through a really verdant garden of some sort.

I’ll write up a few tips in the following post since there are a few things to know about making the most of the trip. Between our friends from Puerto Rico and our hotel concierge, we had a good sense of what to expect going in, but one of the best surprises was the lemonade stand that opened up at the end of the hike. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had real, fresh lemonade, and this was by far and away one of the best I’ve had. Made truly only with lemon juice, a bit of sugar, water and ice. I get the impression that lemonade stands in general are a thing in Puerto Rico, since most people seemed to be very particular in their orders. Kind of wishing we had more of these in DC during the summer months too…

The viewpoints at certain points are spectacular with the rolling mounts, and on a clear day you can see all three islands of Puerto Rico and even all the way out to the BVI. Afterwards, we stopped by the beach huts at Luquillo, just about 15-20 minutes drive, for a bit of a seafood lunch (grouper off the grill, yum!) After all, part of a good hiking is earning your refuel!

Puerto Rico Week…

February 20, 2017

I was thinking we could use a little sunshine on the blog. Last month we traveled for a long weekend break to Puerto Rico, the first time for our family and a bit of a different take on our usual forests and trees. So this week, we’ll make it a theme as we share a few tips and stories from our travel – get ready for a few palm trees!

9 Tips for Visiting Yayoi Kusama with Kids

February 16, 2017

Washington, DC is about to fall in to full-out Yayoi Kusama mania! In fact, if the Hirshhorn Museum website crash earlier this week is any indication, they already have. And we should know, we already went through this in Copenhagen last year when the Kusama exhibit was at the Louisiana Museum. The exhibit was spectacular, and there are many things about it that are just perfect for kids. So as we prepare for the Kusama frenzy here, I thought I’d share a few learnings about enjoying Yayoi Kusama installations with children.

Yayoi Kusama is a contemporary artist – sometimes called pop artist – who is most well-known for her use of polka dots in surreal contexts in various types of media. The imagination can really run wild, which is part of what makes it so great for kids. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to make the most of your time, and your children’s time, at the exhibits:

Consider becoming a museum member

When Kusama was at the Louisiana, literally I think every person that came through Denmark came to the exhibit. Meaning, it gets crowded – and that was in Copenhagen so I can only imagine the volume that we’ll have in DC. Here in DC, we are getting the benefit of seeing it for free, although you will need a timed pass for entry (available on the Hirshhorn Museum website, and released in tranches). When the first batch of passes was released the whole website crashed, just to give you a sense of how much this is anticipated. In Copenhagen, we were members of the Louisiana museum which allowed our family to go see the exhibit multiple times, and we could go at times when we knew it wouldn’t be too crowded. The Hirshhorn is even offering special Kusama membership passes that allow access to the exhibit, but at a fraction of the cost of normal contributions for a full membership. Getting exhibits of this caliber are major efforts for museums, and there is no time like right now to show additional support for arts institutions and the work that they do on behalf of all of us.

Make an effort towards off-peak times

If you want to absorb art with kids, doing so with thousands of other people on a Saturday morning is tough. If you can, try to aim for a late afternoon in the middle of the week (an excuse to leave work early ?!?) rather during the peak hours of the weekend. It’s a much better experience for your children, and also for your sanity. Although we saw Kusama in Copenhagen multiple times, my favorite by far was when I picked up my daughter from school one day and we went just the two of us, on a random mid-week evening. We literally had nearly the whole exhibit to ourselves. The Louisiana had a great cafe overlooking the water where we had dinner and paired it with a treat from the museum shop. To date, it remains something we both talk about as a memorable time.

Prepare for wonder…

The beauty of Kusama’s work is that it is so approachable for children. I don’t know all of the pieces that will be here in DC, but in Copenhagen, between the polka dots and the mannequins and the balloon installations and the pop art and the mirrors and everything, I could literally see her mind spinning. It was a joy to watch…At one point, my daughter turned to me and said, “Mommy, it’s like all the things in my imagination!”.

..but also prepare for limits

Kusama’s pieces are so close to various aspects of a child’s imagination, and some are even interactive, like the polka dot room, that they can appear very approachable and tactile, like colossal toys blown out of proportion. There is a lot of temptation to touch things that aren’t allowed to be touched. It helps to set expectations around the fact that you’re visiting to look and talk, and not to touch in advance to avoid disappointment. You might have to remind kids throughout the exhibit but do so with patience. Try to see things from their perspective and how tempting it must be to reach out and try to capture some of the magic before them.

Compliment with the opportunity to create

Although children can’t touch at the actual exhibit, they can certainly be inspired to create based on what they see. At the Louisiana, we were lucky in that the museum itself had a lot of activities on hand based the art in the children’s zone. I don’t know that they will have that here. But one of the things we had done after seeing the exhibit is that we went out and bought a lot of dot stickers in various sizes at the office supply store. My daughter was free to create her own pieces on paper and on empty boxes which she enjoyed. Welcome the artistic responses you might get as a result of the exhibit.

Be on the lookout for when they’ve had enough

The color and scale and impressions can be overwhelming for kids, especially if you’re also fighting crowds a long the way. It’s better to see a little bit and be inspired, then see absolutely everything and end in meltdown. Look for cues for when the kids have had enough. Plus, if you took the advice in the first tip and became a member, then you can always come back for whatever you didn’t get to see.

Pocket a few energy bribes

When there is a lot going on, for example, waiting in line to get into some of the mirrored rooms, sometimes a secretly passed gummy bear or two can help give a little sweet reward. Similarly, if you’re making a big day of your visit, then a well-timed snack break in a quieter break space can help avoid hunger debacles.

Don’t make it a photo parade

Kusama’s work photographs well, really well. Or at least it’s tempting to try to photograph well since it’s such a wonderland. In Copenhagen, I read that her exhibit ended up being the most “selfied” thing in the city that year. The thing is, a ton of photos and selfies aren’t all that fun for kids. Take a few select pictures, but don’t feel like you have to get every single thing. Let your kids try to take a few of the pictures too, and then call it a day with the photographs. Again, you can always come back. Kids get tired of pictures fast, and they’ll much appreciate the attention you give them, and not your screens, instead.

Have fun

This exhibit is joy and wonder, and just flat-out fun. When it stops being fun, either because there are crowds, or because it is late, or because your kids are hungry, or because it just turns out not to be a great arts day for them, don’t force it. Quit while you’re ahead, declare victory and go home. Or better yet, if it’s nice out, head out to the mall lawns and let the kids run free for a bit. They will deserve a bit of fresh air, and their imaginations will take off even more.