Family Adventure Travel Experience: Father-Daughter Desert Trip with Mazda
Adventure Close to Home: A Father-Daughter Desert Experience That Reminded Us Why We Travel
If you follow our travels, you know our family spends a lot of time exploring the world together, walking historic streets across Europe, attending unforgettable soccer matches abroad, and introducing our kids to many new cultures along the way.
Travel has become part of how we grow as a family. But sometimes the most meaningful adventures happen much closer to home.
When Mazda invited us to collaborate on an experience focused on exploration and reconnecting with nature, it felt different from the trips we usually plan, but in line with local trips we’d take in California. The goal was simple: slow down and spend intentional time together.
As parents balancing school schedules, youth sports, and everyday responsibilities, that idea felt incredibly refreshing.
Full Story and Mazda Feature, Click Here: Mazda CX-50: Fuel your passion for nature (Images Aaron Brimhall)
Family Travel Has Never Been About Distance
One thing we’ve learned over the years is that adventure isn’t defined by how far you go. Some of our favorite travel memories haven’t come from bucket-list attractions. They’ve come from unexpected moments, long conversations during walks, shared laughs on train rides, or quiet evenings when everyone finally disconnects from routine. This experience offered exactly that.
My daughter and I packed camping gear and headed toward the wide-open landscapes of Johnson Valley in Southern California. There was no strict itinerary waiting for us, just open space and the freedom to explore.
As kids grow older, those opportunities feel more important than ever. Between school, sports, and growing independence, uninterrupted time together becomes harder to find. Trips like this remind me why we started traveling as a family in the first place.
When a Collaboration Feels Natural
The best partnerships don’t feel like promotions. They feel authentic. Mazda’s focus on exploration and connection with the outdoors aligned naturally with how we already approach travel. And when Mazda reached out with this opportunity to experience their all-new Mazda CX-50, we knew this would be a perfect fit for us. Whether we’re exploring cities overseas or discovering somewhere closer to home, our goal has always been to create experiences that encourage curiosity and connection. Heading into the desert meant leaving distractions behind almost immediately. Cell service faded, conversations slowed, and the pace of everyday life disappeared.
Seeing Adventure Through a Child’s Eyes
Traveling with kids constantly reminds me how differently they see the world. Adults often look for highlights. Kids find wonder anywhere and everywhere.
The desert quickly became an open playground for imagination. Rock formations turned into imaginary worlds and stories waiting to be explored. Later, during one evening my daughter started sketching characters and worlds inspired by the landscape around us. Watching that creativity unfold was a reminder that kids don’t always need structured activities. Sometimes they just need space and time.
The Moment I’ll Remember Most
The highlight of the trip came after sunset. Far from city lights, the desert sky slowly filled with stars. We set up a telescope and spent time exploring galaxies together, talking, asking questions, and simply enjoying the quiet. No distractions. No rushing to the next activity. Just conversation and curiosity.
Whether we’re halfway around the world or a few hours from home, travel keeps teaching the same lesson. The best memories usually come when you slow down.
How Experiences Like This Shape the Way We Travel
Later this year we’ll explore Japan together, followed by family adventures in Europe, in cities we have yet to explore, Copenhagen and Dublin. Those trips will bring incredible experiences in completely different ways. But this collaboration reinforced something important. Meaningful travel isn’t measured by miles flown or stamps in a passport. It’s measured by moments shared. Sometimes adventure means navigating a new country. Other times it means saying yes to something closer to home. Both matter.
Why Authentic Partnerships Matter
Experiences like this also highlight why the right collaborations work. Families today aren’t looking for perfection or polished marketing moments. They’re looking for real experiences that feel attainable and meaningful. When brands understand that travel is ultimately about connection, between parents and kids and between people and places, partnerships become something more than content creation. They become shared storytelling.
For us, this experience wasn’t about showcasing a destination. It was about capturing time together during a season of life that moves quickly. That’s the story we’ve always hoped to tell.
Final Thoughts: Adventure Is Closer Than You Think
After our week in Johnson Valley exploring everything the Mazda CX-50 is capable of and meeting some amazing people along the way, driving back home, I kept thinking about how easy it is to overlook what’s nearby.
We spend so much time planning the next big trip or dreaming about somewhere far away, but sometimes the adventure just beyond your city limits becomes the one your kids remember most. This experience reminded us that exploration doesn’t always require going far. Sometimes it just requires saying yes.
Special thanks to from Mazda, Redwood BBDO, photographers (Aaron Brimhall, Spencer Kofoed), onsite school teachers and entertainment industry representatives for making our week together in Johnson Valley that much more enjoyable.