Another school season is upon us, and you're probably anxiously guarding your calendar's white space in the hopes that some "free time" will remain sandwiched between school events, sports, recitals, plays, parties and college football.

All those different schedules can pull us so far apart that we tend to run in place next to each other, enjoying riveting conversations such as, "When are you going to get out of the bathroom?" Or "What's for dinner?"

Georgia Department of Natural Resources (ENLARGE)

Cloudland Canyon State Park has great hiking trails and caves to explore.

Callaway Gardens (ENLARGE)

Hawks, owls, eagles and peregrine falcons entertain visitors at the Birds of Prey show at Callaway Gardens.

Georgia travel stories Town is artisan-friendly  Five romantic spots for the newly wed  Art, music and scenery  Your pick: Pottery, berries  Charleston graciously gives Savannah 'Most Mannerly' title  Photos: Travel / Southeast Galleries Latest deals! Back to: Travel | Southeast destinations Travel Guide Powered by Georgia beach stories Sea Island offers all the coastal comforts  Readers sound-off about their favorite beaches  Photos: Travel / Beach Galleries Latest deals! Back to: Travel | Beaches Tennessee travel stories History, nature at caverns  Smoky Mountains Park marks 75th anniversary  Critters to see, a river to ride  4-day jam an eclectic mix  One-tank trip: Rugby, Tenn.  Photos: Travel / Southeast Galleries Latest deals! Back to: Travel | Southeast destinations

As the mother of my own loosely organized posse, I feel compelled to get creative when it comes to adventurous family time. Here's a recent year's worth of excursions to inspire other over-scheduled families to set aside time to do something together.

Horseback riding on the sand

We set sail (and I mean that) for Daufuskie Island Resort to enjoy a beach riding experience. You park your car on Hilton Head Island, S.C., and take the ferry over to the unspoiled, sparsely populated Daufuskie Island.

Given the tactical maneuvering to get to this beach, it makes sense to stay for the evening at the resort's Melrose Inn and set up your trail ride for the following morning.

The horse population is from quality stock and expertly trained; nary an equine wandered away to graze or take advantage of our less- skilled riders. The ride begins with a short trek through the maritime forest and stands of live oak.

Once the ocean is in sight, even the horses pick up the pace. We trot along, keeping time with the surf, grinning from ear to ear. We cluster together for some pictures and reluctantly make our way back. This sure beats yard work and baseball practice.

What you'll need: Closed-toe shoes, preferably boots, sunscreen, bug spray and a camera.

Contact: Melrose Inn rates for oceanfront rooms start at $179 per night; two-bedroom ocean breeze cottages (facing the golf course) start at $229 per night. For trail ride information, e-mail equestrian.center@daufuskieresort.com or call 843-341-4894. Island Trail Ride, $85 per person (ages 8 and up). 1-800-648-6778, www.daufuskieresort.com.

Blueberry heaven

When I told my kids we were going to "pick our own," naturally they fell apart picturing a weekend of individual nose picking. These are often the juvenile conditions my husband and I deal with when planning excursions. Of course, we meant pick your own berries.

The berry we prize above all else is the blueberry. Early July is when we steer our car toward Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farms in Walnut Grove. This working farm comes complete with roosters, goats, chickens and an assortment of odd scarecrows.

We grab our buckets and stroll out to the bushes, which must be at least 6 feet tall. My kids have more fun hiding under them and gorging on berries than actually picking. In order to keep Team Bell focused, we have a contest for the largest berry picked. It sure beats fast food at the soccer field.

What you'll need: Bug spray (the chiggers are terrible), hat and sunscreen.

Contact: 678-625-3272, e-mail: whippoorwillholf@bellsouth.net; www.whippoorwillhollowfarm.com

Camping, hiking

Cloudland Canyon State Park near Lookout Mountain is a favorite because of the private walk-in campsites. The stunning vistas and waterfall also make it appealing, and best of all, the park is usually quiet. In fact, in midsummer it is the one place we can swing a campsite at the last minute.

The standard campsites buttress right up against the parking lot and share space with campers. If you prefer more quiet and woods, the walk-ins are best. How far you walk in is up to you. Some sites are utterly private and more than 100 yards deep into the woods. Other are nearer to the parking lot and public restrooms.

A picnic table and fire ring round out the amenities, but we are more enamored of the evening lightning bug and cricket show. Our pace slackens, and the focus is on s'mores and chitchat. A deer wanders by and we all quietly observe.

The walk-in sites are clustered with blueberry bushes, as is the entire west rim hiking trail. My middle child shot out of bed the next morning and began gathering berries for his breakfast snack.

The best hike for families is from the ranger station to the waterfall (more of a drought-plagued trickle these days). It's a quick trip down with many stairs and some cool caves to explore along the way. Weekend events often feature snake presentations, catfish rodeos and other kid-centric activities. It sure beats yard work.

What you'll need: Camping gear, bug spray, hiking boots and camera

Contact: 706-657-4050, www.gastateparks.org

Kayaking at Kiawah

The most exciting thing about this adventure is the dolphin potential. We've kayaked at Pawley's Island off the coast of South Carolina for years and my children love how the sea grass towers over our heads as we paddle along. It's magical, filled with uncommon quiet interrupted only by bird calls.

However, Kiawah Island has the added bonus of unplanned dolphin sightings. Our guide assembled us into several two-man kayaks and provided a cursory lesson on steering. Some kayaks are equipped with foot rudders for easier maneuverability.

Low tide offers amazing bird-watching and views of the enormous exposed oyster beds. Nature goes about its business while you drift along, seamlessly involved in the landscape.

We witness a fin surface and suddenly there they are, dolphin mommies and babies, swimming in perfect unison just an oar's length from our boat. This must be what it's like to be a fly on the wall in the ocean. They play, frolic and blow water into the air, oblivious to our gaping stares. We drift along with them for a bit, then as quickly as that, they are gone. We paddle back exclaiming, "Did you see that? I mean they were this close!" I feel compelled to point out that this sure beats piano lessons.

What you'll need: Waterproof shoes (the oyster beds are notoriously sharp), sunscreen, hat and camera and a windbreaker might be a good call if the temperature is moderate.

Contact: Kiawah Resort's Heron Park Nature Center, 843-768-6001. Rates: $55 per person, $30 for ages 8-11. Children must be 8 years old to participate, and those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Birds of Prey show

We struggle with how to best spend our time at Callaway Gardens — boating, cycling or swimming? But what we really came to see is the Birds of Prey show.

In the Discovery Amphitheater near the Virginia Hand Callaway Discovery Center, this show is a free-flight experience that pulls from about a dozen birds, with three to five birds presented at each show. All are raptors such as hawks, owls, eagles and peregrine falcons.

Guests are invited to sit on the benches as a trainer escorts a bird out to the "stage." After an introduction, the trainer lets a gorgeous red-tailed hawk take off. We instinctively hunker down as the really fast bird swoops and dives over our heads.

It returns to its perch for a treat and then sails across the lake to a distant tree. Then it dives in full throttle to grab the stuffed mouse the trainer has placed on the ground. After a collective intake of breath, the audience relaxes a bit. A few owls and a vulture make an appearance.

Callaway takes time to note that all the birds in the show have been injured in some way and hence would never survive in the wild. Sure beats ... well, you get the idea by now.

What you'll need: Sunscreen; hats are not suggested for this show.

Contact: Show is included in admission price. Adults, $13; ages 6-12, $6.50; ages 5 and younger, free. 1-800-225-5292, www.callawaygardens.com.