Hello and welcome to our website! 🙂
Who is behind Grazy Goat
Iryna and Leonid, currently residing in Washington state, where we moved with a crazy idea to “explore the West Coast for only 1 year”. We totally fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and are now enjoying our sixth year here.
We began exploring the United State as a newlywed couple. Since then, we expanded to a family of 5 with the addition of Artem (12), Erika (7), and Andrew (4). I would also love to mention our tuxedo cat, whose only (but pretty significant) trips were from Ukraine to the US and from East to West Coast:
We moved to the United States in our early 20s. With a work contract (and a growing baby bump), full of enthusiasm to explore a new country and culture.
Road trips with a bunch of friends up and down the East Coast were our favorite pastime. With a baby (and then kids) in tow, it surely changed but also became something more – our happy habit.
Our family motto? “Getting out the house”
Our family motto isn’t about globetrotting but rather about getting out of the house, and comfort zone. Life is too short to keep waiting for “that perfect moment”, that does not even exist, or when there would be more time/money/kids will be older/etc.
Getting outside and being active helps us more than anything else to stay sane content, and close as a family.
The secret of raising happy children is finding the secret to your own happiness.
My everyday mantra for the past 10 years.
About Grazy Goat: Our experience
From over 12 years of traveling, we gathered a collection of amazing places and things to do from Canada to Hawaii and from Florida to Alaska. Some were discovered accidentally, some are pretty popular and worth seeing at least once in a lifetime. Dozens of cities, beaches, mountains, and activities for families, couples, or solo travelers. We want to share them not only with a close circle of friends but with you too 🙂
As young parents, we realized that the key to successful travel is good planning and there are not that many practical and honest resources about trips, especially for families with little children. We felt like pioneers traveling with a 4-month-old to Iceland in winter or on our month-long trip to Alaska with a 2-year-old.
We are not a child-centered family. We plan our trips based on our interests and dreams, but including places kids would be excited about.
“If you can’t find a book you really need, then you should write one”.
That is how Grazy Goat started.
We are in the press
We were mentioned as a local Seattle, WA expert on the Redfin blog! Check out the article we were featured in: Uncover the Best of Seattle: The Ultimate Seattle Bucket List.
How to say thanks
There are dozens of guides and photo diaries in this blog. If you liked our content, leave us a comment – we’d love to hear the feedback!
You can also buy us a coffee (virtually). Look for the button in the bottom right corner.
Thanks for stopping by!
– The Grazy Goat Family
More about our life in Washington:
The big difference: Western vs Eastern WA;
Water wonders in WA: islands, lakes, and beaches for swimming, SUP, etc.
Island life and island camping experience: YMCA family sleepaway camp
Skiing with children in Washington: costs, beloved spots, etc;
Camping in Washington: yurts, cabins, and the Pacific Ocean;
Road trips to Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, and Canada.