Top 20 Outdoor Dad Blogs 2017
Dads who blog about getting kids outside are a great source of inspiration. Whether they are parents, educators, grandparents, nature advocates or bushcraft masters, they all share one goal–getting kids outside and making it fun. They show how they enjoy quality time with their kids and what others can enjoy too. Yes, pushing a child in a wheelbarrow qualifies as outdoor fun:)
Here’s my Top 20 list of outdoor dad blogs arounds the world. Did I forget your favorite blog? Give it a shout out in the comments.
Well done, dads!
#1 The Big Outside by Michael Lanza
Michael is a reference for anyone who loves the outdoors. He is a writer, outdoor photographer, author, speaker, and for many years was the Northwest Editor of Backpacker Magazine. If you’re looking for serious gear reviews, he’s your guy. Check out his “Family Adventures” posts for adventures with his son and daughter.
#2 The Bushwalking Blog by Neil Fahey
Australian hiker Neil Fahey brings together an amazing amount of varied content on the great outdoors downunder. Covering food, gear, tech, trails and travel inspiration, Neil is also a very cool stepdad and his snippets of Australian life as a nature lover are super entertaining to read. Expect fun posts with all the essentials for an Australian day out.
#3 Moosefish by John Soltys
Moosefish is one of my favorite outdoor blogs, mostly thanks to John’s wicked sense of humor but also because John and his family are total outdoorsy stars. When they’re not camping, they’re hiking. When they’re not hiking, they’re starting a fire in the snow and the rest of the time, John goes the extra 100 miles to convince his kids that yes, being outside all the time whatever the weather is a great idea.
#4 Our Days are Just Filled by Matt
A native of Michigan, Matt grew up in a rural community with nearly 200 acres of field and forest behind his house. He and his wife decided to raise kids with a love and appreciation for the outdoors. His blog features book reports, field reports, ideas for playing outside (they’re big on play, which is very cool), nature notes, crafts and gear for the outdoors. He’s also the author of a brand new book on Michigan wilderness preserves so if you’re headed that way, get hold of Michigan’s Best Nature Centers and Wilderness Preserves
and pack the kids.
#5 Exploring Portland’s Natural Areas by Michael D. Barton
The title says it all–Michael loves exploring Portland’s natural areas (and beyond) and he shares his days out with his 4-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son. On his blog, you will find nature play areas, book reviews, info on nature play groups, upcoming nature events and more. It’s fair to say that he’s a terrific nature play advocate and a fantastic ambassador for taking kids outside in Oregon. He’s also the author of Wild in the City: Exploring the Intertwine: The Portland-Vancouver Region’s Network of Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas
Exploring Portland’s Natural Areas
#6 The Fat Canyoners Club
The tongue-in-cheek Fat Canyoners club is not per se a family blog but it’s written by a collective of guys, some of whom have families. Most of them live around Sydney (Australia) and their canyoning trip reports will definitely inspire you to visit Australia for something else than the Great Barrier Reef (though that’s awesome too). Also. They don’t take themselves seriously. At all.
#7 An Outdoors Family by Keith Wilcox
Based in Scotland, Keith and his wife Stacey take their 6-year-old son on super fun adventures outside. This lucky chap got his first taste of mountains when he was only 6 weeks old. If you’ve always wanted to know about wild camping as a family, their blog is a great resource. They’re also a great travel inspiration if you’re Scotland-bound with young children.
#8 Ellie on the AT by Derrick Quirin
In late March 2017, Derrick, his wife Bekah and their infant daughter Ellie started hiking the Appalachian Trail. Crazy and admirable! Their blog features trip prep as well as trip reports and pictures on this 2,185-mile journey. Let’s wish them all the best for their adventure.
#9 Surfer Dad
Surfer Dad is based in Cornwall, where he enjoys surfing and lives with his sea-loving daughter and girlfriend. His website has an awesome section for surfer parents, with tips, interviews and destinations for all surfing types, whether you’re a Point Break surfer or a landlubber who would very much like to surf. His Twitter feed features gear recs, surfer news and ocean conservation tidbits.
#10 Nathan Beard Ventures by Nathan Beard a.k.a. Bushcraft Dad
Nathan is your go-to bushcraft dad, “bushcraft” meaning wilderness survival skills, from chopping wood to twisting dry grass into rope or making mini-shelters. In his words, “the importance of access to the wild is a key part of helping my children grow up to be daring, resilient, and well rounded characters. I also realised that access to natural spaces where we could light fires, carve wood and explore, was very rare in the UK, without access to private land.”
#11 The Outdoor Dad
Oli, a British first-time father, records his outdoor family adventures with his baby son, from cycling through the woods to bug hunting or mountain summits. It’ll be fun to see Oli journal his experiences as his baby grows into a toddler and an adventurous little boy.
#12 Wandering David by David Capelle
David is based in Belgium and has an amazing eye for photography. You’ll find him on multiday hikes, either with his two boys or other walking companions. His Instagram feed is total eye candy for the nature lover and shows the gorgeous places they explore on foot.
#13 Minipips and his Dad’s Cycling Adventures by Richard Seipp
With his 12-year-old son Tom, Richard explores the UK on wheels and neither is afraid of big slopes or bad weather. If you want to see them biking, this short film shows the pair out and about in gorgeous British landscapes. With them, you can learn a lot about endurance, 24 hour cycling (I’m afraid to even ask) or bikepacking.
#14 AK On the Go
In this collective blog, AK stands for Alaska and AK on the Go celebrates Alaska family travel, including hiking, cycling, floating or flying. The team includes moms and dads and is a great resource for anything Alaska-related if you’re visiting with kids. Their post on “6 Alaska Spring Activities with Kids” is dreamy, featuring gray whale trips, snowshoe football and native heritage days.
#15 Bay Area Families Outside
Brian and his wife are passionate about the outdoors and want to connect local families with the natural wonders of the Bay Area. Featuring local adventures with their 4-year-old, they are out exploring regularly, from Marin county to the Peninsula, the East Bay or the South Bay.
#16 2 Travel Dads by Chris and Rob Taylor
Technically a travel blog, 2 Travel Dads is a fantastic blog by two gay dads who travel the world with their two sons and share a ton of outdoor adventures with them. National Parks are their best friends and nature is their favorite way of exploring places. It doesn’t hurt that they have a great eye for photography or that it looks like they spend half their year in the sea, snorkeling or swimming.
#17 Dadcation by Michael Moebes
An army guy based in Atlanta, Michael Moebes is the proud father of 4 kids and blogs about his family’s adventures. While the blog is not solely outdoor-focused, these guys spend a lot of time outside as well as road-tripping. They’re also eager world travelers so you’ll see way beyond Atlanta featured on the blog.
#18 Idaho Dad by Phil Corless
Phil is a stay-at-home dad who lives in Coeur d’Alene and blogs about family life, homeschooling, kids, fatherhood and more. To find his outdoorsy posts, search for “hiking” or “camping” in his tags.
#19 Out With The Kids by Jeff Bogle
Jeff is a writer, photographer, dad blogger who documents his family adventures on Out With The Kids. I love his Nature Photography series and totally relate to his parenting posts, as the parent of a teenage daughter too.
#20 Currently Wandering by Sam Curren
With his wife and 3 kids, Sam travels around the US in an airstream, stopping by at beautiful nature spots along the way. Since 2013, this Mormon family has traveled 40,000 miles and visited over 350 places. Their 2017 plans are mind-blowing and will take them to Canada, Hawaii (no Airstream) and closer to home in Idaho. Jealous yet? As a person who loves objects and books, I admire their frugal and no-BS way of life. They’re a total inspiration.
More on Fathers (and Father’s Day)
- Reading List: Board Books about Dad from the Jenny Evolution
- Art Project: Father’s Day Handprint Platter from Crafty Mama in ME
- Craft: Creative Crafty Gift Ideas for Father’s Day from Schooling a Monkey
- Craft: Book for Dad from Kid’s from The Moments at Home
- Craft: Father’s Day Card Idea for Kids from the Jenny Evolution
What others are reading
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Thanks for sharing Laure and for including our blog on there too, it’s made our week :) There are some fantastic blogs here so I’m off to follow a few of them!
Hey Laure, I just stumbled across this and wanted to say thanks so much for including me in your roundup. Stoked at being included, but especially under the label ‘Outdoor Dad’. Love what you’re doing here at FrogMom!
Nice Post !! Plan family outdoor tourin Colorado for its amazing snowmobile.