Would you take three kids—all kindergarten-age or younger—on a 286-mile journey involving more than six hours of driving and a boat ride, with no other adult to help?

Loral did. Twice. 

The destination was Seldovia, a tiny Alaskan beach town beyond the road system, reachable only by boat or plane.

It sounds like the kind of adventure only a wildly capable outdoor mom would attempt–and since Loral is technically an outdoor influencer (check out Loral Goes Outside), it would be easy to assume she has some magical gift.

But Loral’s story didn’t begin with 286 miles. It started with a walk close to home.

If getting outside with kids feels overwhelming, Loral’s story offers a doable place to begin: start small enough that everyone wants to do it again, pack only what your family will actually use, and let confidence grow one outing at a time.

Outside became the reset they needed

Loral's a self-described Type A mom of three. Her husband works away from home for half the year, and her house still feels chaotic 99% of the time.

All of her adventures started when she realized going outside was the key to sanity - for both her and the kids.

“We get out the door and then everyone’s levelheaded, clear, and happy.” — Loral

Research suggests Loral may be onto something: time in nature may support children’s attention and emotional well-being.

That’s Loral’s Wildhaven. 

A Wildhaven is any place outside where your family can breathe, reconnect, and let your imaginations run wild.

And the great news: your Wildhaven doesn’t have to be a far-off destination.

Start small enough to want to do it again

“Our adventures have slowly gotten bigger and bigger.” — Loral

The Seldovia trip was a bucket-list adventure, but it isn’t where Loral started.

Before Seldovia, there were lots of short walks, blueberry picking, and local trails where everyone could reach the end and feel accomplished. Each doable outing built the kids’ confidence and skills, and made the next one feel a little more possible. Loral’s confidence grew with theirs.

That was the goal—not to make every outing epic, but to finish while everyone still wanted to do it again. Over time, short walks became longer trails, cabin trips, boat rides, and bigger adventures.

If getting outside with your own kids feels overwhelming, start there: choose something your family can finish, stop while it’s still fun, and let one good experience lead to the next.

Pack what they’ll actually use

Packing less is one way Loral keeps family outings manageable.

When you adventure with kids, you quickly become an ultralight-packing obsessive. Loral lets her kids help pack—but 15 Slinkys, 12 hardcover books, every stuffed animal they own, and the Toniebox stay home.

The goal isn’t perfect minimalist packing. It’s carrying fewer things no one will use.

“I will not carry 5 million layers that nobody’s wearing. I just refuse.”  — Loral

That includes snacks her kids won’t eat (not today, celery!) and clothes they won’t wear.

All three of Loral’s kids are sensitive to how clothing feels. Scratchy fabric, bothersome seams, or a collar brushing the chin can derail an outing before it begins. But Loral says their wool layers keep getting softer with wear, and all three kids genuinely love wearing them.

“All three of my kids are pretty sensory sensitive when it comes to clothing, but they all love wearing their wools.”  — Loral

Over time, Loral has built a small, high-quality outdoor kit, buying secondhand from brands she trusts and choosing fewer pieces her family will use again and again.

When you’re trying to get three kids out the door, one less battle makes a big difference.

Find your own Wildhaven (and BYO cupcakes)

Family adventures aren’t the only way Loral finds what she needs outside.

When she can, she takes a solo hike. Her method is both very specific and very excellent: bring a Kindle, pack her favorite grocery-store cupcakes, hike somewhere quiet, and finally finish a thought.

“I go for a hike and I’m able to process my own thoughts and my own feelings and come back a calmer, kinder mother.”— Loral

Sometimes Loral’s Wildhaven is a boat ride and cabin stay with three kids.

Sometimes it is a quiet trail, a good book, and a cupcake.

(We fully support both.)

Inspired to find your Wildhaven?

Start with the version of outside that feels possible today—not the version that looks impressive on someone else’s feed.

It might be a five-minute nature walk around the neighborhood. It might be blueberry picking, a night in a cabin, or a camping trip deep in the woods.

Your Wildhaven doesn’t have to be big. It may never take you 286 miles—and that isn’t the point. It just has to give your family enough room to recharge, reconnect, and let your imaginations run wild.

Start small enough to want to do it again. Then see where it takes you.