We originally had planned just to hike the white trail up and back down which was about 4.5 miles, but along the way we met some people who told us to take the white to yellow to red to blue and we would go in a huge circle and see some cool ruins along the way. Even though it added another ~3 miles to our hike, we went for it. The trails were not too difficult to walk on and there was not a whole lot of rock climbing like some other trails that we have done, but they are steep at times.

The weather was perfect for hiking, but too hot with a nice breeze. The only think I wished for was more sun, but either way it was a great way to spend a Sunday.

Hopefully we can get in another hike or two before it gets too cold.

Do you go hiking? What is your favorite spot to hike?

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The weekend started in Pennsylvania. It was Tommy’s dad’s birthday weekend, so we decided to take him out for a hike on the Delaware Water Gap. We followed the Red Dot Trail, which was supposed to be the easiest, but it was still a bit tough with a bunch of rocky portions that were pretty difficult to climb, especially with Alex. We made it to the top, and the views were amazing!

We all agreed that we have to take the hike up there once the leaves start to change colors. I can only imagine how gorgeous it will look then.

We woke up bright and early Monday morning to head out to the beach in Point Pleasant, NJ. It was the perfect relaxing day at the beach followed with some evening boardwalk fun. Alex loved the arcade and won himself a cool giraffe in a dart throwing game.

On Tuesday, we once again got up bright and early and drove out to Riverhead, LI to meet with a potential wedding photographer. We were done with out appointment by noon and drove out to the North Fork for some relaxation. We started at Raphael Winery. We got three wines each to taste and enjoyed them on the back patio while taking in views of the vineyards.

We headed out farther east and stopped in Jamesport for some lunch and to ride the carousel.

There were many gorgeous yachts docked in Jamesport, but one in particular caught my eye – Lady Sylvia. Tommy and Alex joked that they planned the whole day out so that they could give me the yacht as my early birthday present. I wish!

After lunch, we headed out even farther east and settled in at the beach at Orient Point for another relaxing afternoon. The beach here was amazing. The water was so clean that you could see the rocks and shells all over the sea floor. The beach also had a great children’s area that Alex had a lot of fun on.

We all agreed that even though it was over a two hour drive to get there, the beach is totally worth the trip and we will be coming back.

Our three whirlwind days were the perfect way to end off the summer. I still can’t believe I have to go back to work on Monday! This summer really flew by and I hope the weather stays on the warm side for a while longer, so we can enjoy the afternoons.

What’s your favorite quick getaway spot?

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This year, we headed up to the Finger Lakes Region of New York. The Finger Lakes is known for it’s gorges, waterfalls and wine. Gorgeous scenery and delicious wine, what more could I ask for?

After a five hour drive, we arrived at our hotel, quickly changed and headed to Ithaca for some dinner. Our first stop was the Ithaca Brewery. Of all of the breweries that we have visited so far, this was my absolute fav. There was a beautiful backyard set up with picnic tables and Adirondack chairs, where you could lounge to your hearts content. We grabbed some beers and enjoyed the warmth of the setting sun. I got a seasonal flight and loved all of the beer, especially the pumpkin. Tommy got their Peach Wheat, which was delicious.

We hit the hay pretty early on the first night because we had to be up by 6 the next morning to hike the Gorges at Watkins Glen Park. We read online that if you get to the park around 7, you will have the place to yourself and can take some gorgeous pictures. When we got to the park around 7:15, there were only two other cars in the lot, and on our hike up, only two pairs passed us.

The hike was breathtaking. The calm and quiet really made it even more beautiful. We were alone with nature and were really able to enjoy and take it all in. We took the Gorge Trail all the way up and the Indian Trail back down. By the time we got back down, the place was filled with other hikers. I was so happy that we got our butts up early because the trail is pretty narrow and got crowded really fast.

We also visited Six Mile Winery. We got to have our wine tasting with the winery owner, and he was a total sweetheart. As much as I like wine, I don’t know much about it. He took the time to explain pairing, the proper way to taste wine and basically let us try every wine the winery produces for only $3 each. The Finger Lakes are famous for their Riesling, which just happens to be my favorite wine. We left with four bottles of wine – two red and two white!

Overall, my birthday weekend was an absolute blast. I fell in love with the Finger Lakes, and I know we will be going back, hopefully next fall. The area is absolutely beautiful and if you add the changing leaves, it will be even more breathtaking, if that is possible. The wineglass half is starting to look pretty good for next year!

What was the last weekend getaway you took? Favorite hiking spot? Favorite wine?

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We decided on Big Pocono State Park, which has 8.5 miles of trails and is located just past Camelback Ski Resort. Since this was the little man’s first hike, we chose the shortest trail, the Indian Trail. The trail itself is a 2km loop, but we ended up doing more than that with our hike to and from the parking lot.

The trail started off pretty easy looking, but as we got deeper, the trail got a bit more difficult with steep slopes and lots of rocks to climb up.

Even though I was scared for him, Alex didn’t have a worry in the world. He kept moving forward, asking for a sip of water when he got thirsty, and not letting the rocks or scratchy branches intimidate him. About halfway, we stopped on a rock to rest for a few minutes. Check out that smile!

After some more walking, we came to an opening in the trees where we got to see take in a gorgeous view of the Poconos.

When we were done, Alex told me he had a lot of fun and wanted to come back soon. As soon as I got him clipped into his car seat, he was out cold.

I wasn’t sure if we would be able to complete the whole hike, but I went for it and was pleasantly surprised by my little guy’s strength. If you want to start hiking with children, I highly recommend it. It is a great way to get a workout in and spend time together.

Do you go hiking? Have you ever gone with children? Share your experiences!

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