Erica Velander

Erica Velander is a freelance writer specializing in travel and parenting. She lives on the Philadelphia Main Line with her husband and two-year-old daredevil, Oliver James. When she's not out exploring the city, you can find her in the mountains snowboarding, reading, or eating green curry.

You can follow Erica's adventures on Instagram @footloosefoodie and Medium at https://erica-velander.medium.com/.

Latest posts by Erica

The Best Zip Lines and Adventure Courses for Philly Kids

Submitted by Erica Velander on Fri, 08/08/2025 - 7:30am

Test your courage at Treetop Adventures. Photo courtesy of Elmwood Park Zoo

Do you have a daredevil in the family, or perhaps a few? Adventure courses are open for the season, providing an opportunity for the ultimate outdoor adventure, freely soaring through the forest canopy. The Philadelphia region abounds with towering zip lines and challenging ropes courses for explorers of all ages.

We’ve rounded up the ultimate zip lines and ropes courses in or near Philadelphia and some additional options in New Jersey, Delaware, and the Pocono Mountains.

So get outside and make unforgettable summer memories with your family. Looking for more seasonal fun before summer ends? Check out our End of Summer Bucket List or our Summer Activity Guide.

20 Beautiful Spring Day Trips from Philadelphia for Families

Submitted by Erica Velander on Sun, 03/16/2025 - 9:56am

Longwood Gardens feels more like Buckingham Palace at times. Photo by Kelly Giarrocco

With the bulk of the cold weather behind us, we're ready to get out of the house and get out of town with these kid-friendly spring day trips from Philadelphia. From just outside the city, to the Philadelphia countryside and across state lines, this list of 20 spring getaways near Philly has awesome activities for kids of all ages. From breathtaking gardens and off-the-radar museums to train rides and nationally renowned attractions, there are so many places to explore right in our backyard.

Read on for family-friendly day trips within a few hours of Philadelphia, and find more inspiration in our Spring Fun Guide. Prepare for your next mini vacay with our Philly Family Day Trips and Weekend Getaways Guide.

Best Sunflower Farms Near Philly for Family Fun

Submitted by Erica Velander on Sun, 07/16/2023 - 8:00am

Lose yourself in a patch of sunflowers at Johnson's Locust Hall Farm. Photo by Cody Conk

Sunflower picking season is almost upon us! There's something magical about frolicking in a sea of sunflowers on a summer day that delights children of all ages and adults. From August and into September, there are countless sunflower farms and sunflower field activities in the Philadelphia area to choose from, including picking your own flowers, taking professional photos, or making your way through a sunflower maze. Read on to learn about the best sunflower farms near Philly for the whole family to enjoy.

If you're looking for more pick-your-own activities, check out our Guide to Farm and U-Pick Fun. For more summer fun, don't miss our Summer Activity Guide.

18 Awesome Things that Opened in Philly in 2021 for Kids

Submitted by Erica Velander on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 10:56am

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is a way to experience art like never before. Photo by Maureen Wilkey.

The pandemic still slowed things down in 2021, but it didn’t stop our city from getting some incredible new additions like playground upgrades, art exhibitions, and entries to the ice cream scene. With an emphasis on safety and outdoor activities, Philly families have been able to enjoy new play spaces, culture, and of course, some sweet treats over the past year. So in the spirit of year-end list-making, we're running down the best kid-friendly destinations that opened in Philly in 2021.

Yellowstone National Park with Kids: A Year-Round Guide

Submitted by Erica Velander on Sat, 12/04/2021 - 12:00pm

Visit beautiful and family-friendly Yellowstone National Park all year long. Photo courtesy of NPS

Yellowstone National Park (the world's first national park) encompasses 2.2 million acres of wild and unrivaled natural beauty. With canyons, gushing geysers, hot springs, lush forests, and a plethora of wildlife, there is no better place for children to learn about nature and watch the buffalo roam.

As a parent, it can be daunting to plan a trip that's "out in the wild." To help you, we've created this handy guide to visiting Yellowstone National Park with kids in any season. No matter when you visit, you'll see breathtaking natural wonders and plenty of animals, so don't forget your camera and binoculars, as well as sturdy shoes for hiking.

If your family's been bitten by the national park bug, see our guide to visiting Acadia National Park with kids. And be sure to visit our Family Travel Guide for more family vacation ideas.

12 Family-Friendly Tree House Rentals to Delight Their Imaginations

Submitted by Erica Velander on Sat, 09/04/2021 - 1:05pm

A zip line and more await at Portland's Eagle's Nest Treehouse. Photo courtesy of julian@hipcamp

It might just be every child’s dream to sleep in a tree house, and honestly, it sounds downright magical to us as parents, too. Besides, after the year we all just had, couldn't we all use a little getaway to the woods?

We found a dozen tree house rentals to help make those dreams of sleeping in the trees come true! From Maine to California, consider these kid-friendly tree house rentals for your next family vacation.