Great report. I can't wait until my grandkids get old enough to do stuff like this. The beach is perfect for kids and hiking. There is enough stuff to keep them entertained.

What about just using day-packs for the kids? Or have you tried kid's external frame packs? I do sew and am planning on making or altering some packs in a few years when my grandkids get old enough. Thanks for the heads-up on the narrow shoulder issue. In the next year or so I am going to sew each a sleeping bag (there are 6 grandkids under the age of 3 so far!) My goal is to give each a sleeping bag on thier 3rd or 4th birthday.

This weekend I watched Isaac, 20 months old, and we did a 1-mile hike down at the river. He did great! I only had to carry him up the last few hundred feet of hill. Keeping him going down the trail and not getting into the brush was the main problem (we have poison oak here). He is really into birds right now and was thrilled with the ducks, hawks and shore birds.