My husband, my son, and myself are all Los Angeles natives. Although it's a big thriving city with endless things to do, at the end of the day, it is such a big city that it can be very isolating. It's easy to forget there is so much more beyond the county lines. As I've been more driven to learn about the earth and all of the natural beauty it has to offer, I committed myself to sharing this love and respect for the planet with my child in hopes that he will learn to appreciate it just as I do. Sometimes, that can start off with something as easy as apple picking.
Just about an hour and a half outside of the city is a town perfectly made for this fall tradition - Oak Glen. Multiple apple orchards line the roads, and each place has great food and fun family activities. Wifi is sparse, which means everyone can disconnect for a bit and really soak in all of the autumn goodness!
Although food and activities are fun, the main purpose of the trip was to go apple picking. The moment I made him stand in front of apple trees made the drive completely worth it. It was his first time seeing apples growing on a tree. He loves eating apples, so he was very familiar with it, yelling, "APPLE!" He grabbed one and immediately bit into it (which I had to take back and clean a bit, but it was adorable nonetheless).
Watching him connect the concept of the apple growing on a tree was pretty special. Although I've only been a parent for about two years, I can honestly say that he is the most alive when we adventure outdoors.
Exposing him to fun and nature-driven activities like this has been such a joy. We definitely want to make this an annual tradition, and I hope that each year he learns something new, whether it's how plants grow or how they find their way to the city's local markets. There so much he can learn, absorb, and appreciate that can't be fully grasped by staying in the city.
During this trip, we also picked some raspberries, which was a brand new experience to me! I have a much better understanding as to why they tend to be pricey. You have to be pretty sensitive when picking them. Even I am learning something new each trip.
Sometimes people find it stressful to take their kids out for new adventures, but my son's looks of amazement and curiosity make every minute of travel worth it. I hope to keep that going as long as I can.
