Hobbies & Sports As Means to Enhance Travel

Since having kids, both Mr. Cain Travel and I have definitely had less time for the hobbies and side interests we used to enjoy.  Much like we initially cut back drastically on traveling after having kids, the same thing happened to those other time suckers as our focus shifted to them. However, we’ve noticed that through traveling, we’ve actually reawakened some of these old hobbies, and even sparked new interests, finding that they can enhance the travel experience and in some cases  provide much-needed introverted alone time to truly breathe in and experience a location.  Mr. Cain Travel did a lot of hiking and backpacking as a kid/teen, and visiting Denali National Park inspired him to rejuvenate that hobby, with the goal of backpacking in Denali in years to come.  He has since been exploring trails and planning the summits of various peaks in the Southern California area, and taken our seven-year old on day hikes during some of our recent travels. He’s even taken on an assistant leader role with the Cub Scout troop to try to expand into those travels – backpacking and hiking is a unique opportunity where you can literally step where none have gone before! It’s a great way to experience new places – those far away, and even those right in your own backyard!

In Denali National Park, there’s no trails – you can literally walk where no human has been before. And yes, that’s a moose 🙂 

While I’m not a big camper, I’ve always loved water sports – swimming, water skiing, rafting, etc.  I am most at peace when I’m next to the water.  Hence, in Kona this summer I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try Stand Up Paddleboarding, a newer sport that one of my good friend’s is a big fan of and encouraged me to try.  It was a blast coasting over smooth, warm water in Hawaii, looking down through the clear blue at beautiful tropical fish and getting out closer to things that I could from the shore. I’ve since gone out a few times in So Cal, amongst the kelp, harbor seals, and even dolphins right in front of me!  This is a great activity I plan to do at any water travel destination, and it’s a great relaxation technique for mommy time as well.  Both Mr. Cain Travel and I have scuba certification on our bucket list, as friends tell me this takes any tropical travel to a whole new level.

A morning SUP outing starts any weekend or travel excursion off right

On that note, we wanted to give a shout out to the great classes at REI – my husband has really enjoyed all the wilderness and survival courses, while I’ve found the SUP ones super helpful. The instructors are nice and really know their stuff! Plus, it’s a great place to shop for your more outdoorsy travel needs as well.  So we not only Cain Travel, we Cain try new things and explore – and you “Cain” too! 😉

While I certainly love to SUP solo, the kids can actually join and look off the side or use snorkel masks!