Recently in DayTrip Recommendations Category

 So you've got one more day with your kids before the school schedule again takes over your life. How will you spend tomorrow - a precious bonus day off?

We just got in from Geocaching - not a bad way to spend a few hours. Click right here to get to the geocaching.com web site, which explains what it's all about. (The photo above was taken during a trip to the Florida Keys.) 

Winter might not seem like the ideal time to hike through the woods, but for those of us who easily get poison ivy, winter hiking is a nice time to explore beyond the trails. Fresh air and exercise will prep us nicely for the onslaught of activities returning this week.

And kids: Don't eat the yellow snow.

Want to get your kids off the couch and away from the video games for a few hours?  Try Letterboxing, aa Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection program designed to get families moving and learning about the environment.

"It's definitely a scavenger hunt," says Helene Hochholzer with the D.E.P.  "It has really taken off."  First, you print directions to one of the state's 32 letterboxes from the computer.  Then, you drive to the location.  Follow the driving instructions and then pick up the treasure hunt by foot.

We explored Meshomasic State Forest in East Hampton, which was the first state forest that Connecticut ever purchased.  Today, it stretches over 9,000 acres through 5 towns.  Believe it or not, Meshomasic is home to some slithering snakes!   "Actually, this area is rattlesnake habitat," says Hochholzer.

We looked for a pond, a yellow gate, a clear running brook and some very tall pine trees.  After we accomplished those goals, we set off on a walk through the woods where we scouted out a ledge outcrop and a hollow log.  When we found the log, we were careful to poke around first, to protect ourselves from those rattling creatures!  The coast was clear and we reached inside to find a plastic bag which contained the actual Letterbox.  Inside, there is a notebook and a stamp.  In time capsule fashion, I left my mark at Meshomasic and then stamped my notebook as proof of my trip there.

Some families make a day of it, and visit several forests in an effort to get as many stamps as possible.  If you get five stamps, the D.E.P. will reward you with  a special patch.  Thirty-two stamps will win you a walking stick.

"What's not to like?" says Hochholzer.  "Most kids I know love it."

Check out this photogallery of Connecticut's State Forests.

And, watch this video from our series on Fox CT, "DayTrippers."

Happy Trails!

Photo by Jack Pelham (taken with his new Canon PowerShot A490 bought his his allowance money)

When I try to remember field trips of my youth I can generally only recall the bus ride or the public bathrooms or stopping at McDonald's for lunch.

Fortunately for our children, things have improved. Schools are getting more creative with their field trip choices and thankfully -- more local. My kids have walked to the Stanley Whitman House and the Hillstead Museum and I've heard about other towns embracing the culture and nature right in their own neighborhoods. Our school's first graders go on a walking tour of a cemetery along the Farmington River, and learn about the spot that Native Americans called "Tunxis Sepus," meaning "at the bend of the little river," where they farmed and fished.

Yesterday I accompanied a group of fifth graders to Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area  in Burlington. Tying in nicely with a study of ecosystems, the half-day visit included a guided hike through the woods and a lesson on tree identification.

Encourage your schools to skip the long bus rides and let your kids explore, learn and discover nature right in our own backyards.

These same attributes of the cave also make it great for hiking to as well. It is comfortable enough once you are inside, and flashlights aren't necessary due to the hole pointing to the sky. The den is accessible from the Metacomet Trail, near Route Six. Wear long pants due to ticks and poison ivy (my cousin later found a tick on him), bring more water than you think you'll need, and if you stick to the trail (marked by blue blazes) then you will not get lost and will most likely find the den. Other highlights of the hike are the scenic overlook -- from which you can see miles of Connecticut's countryside (including the Plainville Lowe's) -- and the daredevil area on top of the cave, accessible via footholds on the back of the den.