Montieth's Question:

I'm taking my children, ages 8 (boy) and 12 (girl) to Arizona this August. We're going to start in Phoenix and then do a road trip via Flagstaff into the NE corner to tour Hopi and Navajo sites. Is it really too hot there at that time of year for kids?

Montieth Illingworth
New York City

	Alice Cary Alice introduced her oldest child, Will, to the outdoors at a very early age by climbing New Hampshire's Mt. Washington—in winter—while pregnant. And she and her family haven't stopped experiencing the joys of outdoor adventure, even with newborn twins. Meet Alice Answer Archive Family Forums

Alice's Answer:

Certainly August is not the ideal time to visit the Southwest, but people have lived there for years and tourists visit the area every month of the year. For some, like yourself, school, camp and other schedules make August the only viable time to schedule such a vacation.

Two years ago, in fact, we took a similar Arizona vacation in September, with our then-four-year-old son. Yes, the weather was plenty hot, but we were careful not to overdo and had a great time.

So the answer is, of course you can vacation there, but as with any desert area or place of extreme heat, you need to make sure your kids are always well hydrated, as well as protected from the sun and heat exhaustion. For a quick how-to on these subjects, check out my GORP articles:

		Wet Their Whistles
		Sun Smarts for Small Fries

You should also plan your days strategically to try to keep cool. Get up and hike or tour early in the morning, before the worst heat of the day. Use the afternoon to rest, swim, or drive, and then venture out again in the evening, as the weather starts to cool down.

The biggest message is not to push anyone to overdo in the heat, and to have everyone drink, drink, drink.

Have a great trip!

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