Family travel 5: Earth Day ideas

Make every day Earth Day. Here are five ideas to consider.

Get outside

A young person’s experiences in the natural world can strongly influence their view of the wider world and instill a desire to preserve and protect it. As you explore, hike, bike and paddle, discuss the natural beauty and the environmental changes that might be underway in your location. Share your knowledge and encourage kids to research areas of specific interest on their own.

Explain how small changes can have a big impact when enough people are in the mix. For example, using proper sunscreen can help protect important coral reefs around the world. Skin protection that contains oxybenzone or octinoxate washes off people and has been found to cause bleaching, deformities and potentially death to coral. Palau, Hawaii and other destinations are taking steps to ban these chemicals. Check for products that do not use these harmful substances and consider the use of clothing that blocks harmful rays from the body.

Unplug and engage in the American Prairie, Montana

Using an innovative model, the American Prairie, a Montana-based nonprofit, is in the midst of stitching together a 3 million acre nature and wildlife reserve on the plains of Montana.

Once completed, the reserve will provide a continuous land area, collaboratively managed for wildlife and recreation. It will be the largest of its kind in the lower 48 states. Herds of elk, deer, pronghorn and bison once roamed these grasslands in great numbers. The reserve’s goal is to create a functioning ecosystem within this iconic landscape. 

The current habitat base of more than 527,000 acres stretches north and south of the Missouri River. Camping and a hut system provide access to driving tours with historic stops, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, wildlife watching and night-sky viewing far from city lights.

For more: www.americanprairie.org

Discover the Apostle Islands, Wisconsin

Visitors appreciate the remote and untamed nature of this park in northern Wisconsin and look forward to exploring beaches, sea caves, island camping and snorkeling during the warm weather months. Make your way to the 22 islands via sea kayak or guided boat tours. Scuba divers can reserve with a dive boat or plunge from their own sea kayaks. 

Expect to be amazed by the 19th century lighthouses that provide present day wreck diving possibilities in the clear, cold waters of Lake Superior. Permits are required for diving and island camping. Visitors are also reminded that weather and lake conditions can change rapidly.

For more: www.nps.gov/apis/index.htm

Explore Buck Island Reef National Monument

Head to the warm waters of the Caribbean to investigate an 880-acre reserve that includes a small island, barrier reefs and an interior lagoon. With more than 18,000 acres of submerged land, the resource has been called “one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea” and remains one of few places in the U.S. Virgin Islands where brown pelicans and threatened least terns nest. Snorkelers can follow a marked underwater trail.

The Buck Island Reef is home to more than 250 fish species and a variety of other marine life including green sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, lemon sharks and juvenile reef sharks. Guided tours are possible.

For more: www.nps.gov/buis/index.htm

Conserve to preserve planet Earth

Just as you might at home, while traveling, keep water usage low and avoid unnecessary plastic packaging. Recycle and turn the lights out when departing your hotel room or vacation rental. Reuse towels and other linens. Encourage each member of the family to bring their own reusable water bottle and refill from large containers if the local water is not safe to use. Hop on board local transportation, use bikes or walk whenever possible. Follow “leave no trace” principles to minimize your impact. 

When we all do our part, we stand a better chance of protecting our parks, keeping forests healthy and our wildlife strong.

For more: www.lnt.org

This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 10:32 AM.