On a weekday morning, a mum is on the rock in Sintra with a small group of adults while her kids are at school. On Saturday her son is back in the water with his surf group. On Sunday her daughter is out on the trails of the Sintra hills. The whole week comes out of one family balance of ROUTES. That is what we mean by an outdoor club for families, and it grew out of what we have been doing outdoors in Cascais since 2014.
In short
An outdoor club for families is one place where kids and parents stay active every week, each in their own sessions, from one shared balance.
In Cascais that is the Routes Club, running since 2014. See the Routes Club
What is an outdoor club for families?
You do not sign a child up for ten surf lessons and then start again from zero in January. You join once, and the sessions keep coming, week after week, across several sports.
The “for families” part is the important bit. In most families the kids have their activity. The parents get whatever is left: a gym they rarely go to, a run when there is time. The children get driven to sport and the adults wait in the car.
An outdoor club for families puts the parents in the club too. Usually on different days from the kids, but in the same community. The same balance pays for everyone.
We think that matters more than any single sport. Children who see their parents come home from a morning on the rock, or back from the water, tend to treat being outdoors as normal. Nobody has to give a speech about it.
How is it different from booking lessons?
Booking lessons is fine for a holiday week. It is harder to live with all year.
Each booking starts from scratch, with a new group and an instructor who has never met your child. In the Routes Club the kids’ weekend clubs run every week, in small groups of 3 to 4 kids per instructor. The coach on the day knows who is nervous on a wave and who is ready for a harder route.
The club runs e-bike, rock climbing, Ginástica Natural, kayak, SUP, surf and mountain biking. A child who has had enough of surf for a while can move to climbing without the family buying anything new.
Members also book through a WhatsApp community and meet at member events during the year. The club is also where families get to know each other.
How the Routes Club works
The club runs on ROUTES, prepaid credits that the whole family shares.
- Buy a pack of ROUTES. There are several sizes on the club page. One pack covers everyone in the family.
- Pick a session. Choose a day and an activity in the club’s WhatsApp community.
- Spend ROUTES. Each programme costs a set number of ROUTES, shown on the club page next to it.
- Show up. Meet your instructor at the meeting point and go.
ROUTES never expire. A busy month or a trip abroad does not waste anything, and the balance is still there when you come back.
The weekly calendar is on the club page, with every session for adults and kids in one image.
Who the Routes Club is for
Kids. The weekend clubs are Rock Climbing, Surfing, Mountain Biking and an Adventure Sports Circuit, which mixes climbing, mountain biking and Ginástica Natural in one morning. They are open from age 4 to 17. A child can start with a trial session before the family commits.
Adults. Weekday mornings are for parents and other grown-ups: e-bike, kayak, SUP, surf, Ginástica Natural, and rock climbing twice a week. While the kids are at school, a small group heads out with an instructor.
The whole family. The same balance of ROUTES pays for a parent on a weekday morning and a child at the weekend. The family ends up outdoors most weeks of the year, even if not always at the same time.
Sometimes parents and kids share a session. A parent and a child can surf the same morning, each at their own level and with their own goal. It is not a family activity where everyone does the same thing. On the rock the groups stay apart, with one focus for the kids and another for the adults. Weekends lean towards the kids, but adults can join in there too.
“Not only on summers but also on weekends entire year”
As a family, we are so happy to be member of Cascais Routers; not only on summers and but also on weekends entire year.
Google review, 5 stars
How to join the Routes Club
You can try the club before paying for a pack.
For kids, book a trial session on the Kids Weekend Trainings page. For adults, send us a message on WhatsApp and we will suggest a first session that suits you. Once you know it fits, buy a pack of ROUTES and book from the community like every other member.
If your children also need something on school days, our After School programme runs during the week. September’s back-to-school guide explains how we think about the weekday routine.
Become a Routes Member
Pick a pack of ROUTES, share it with the family, and book the sessions that fit your week.
We started the club for people who did not want to choose just one sport. Families also wanted a longer morning outdoors for their kids, mixing activities. ROUTES were the simplest way we found to let everyone combine whatever we run, week after week.
Sources: family-based interventions to increase physical activity in children, systematic review, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2016; family-based physical activity interventions and family functioning, systematic review, Family Process, 2020; organised sport participation and wellbeing in children and adolescents, systematic review, 2025; grassroots sports clubs and children’s sense of belonging, University of Bath, 2025.
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Frequently asked questions
Can we try the club before buying a pack of ROUTES?
Yes. Kids can book a trial session through the Kids Weekend Trainings page. Adults can message us on WhatsApp and we will suggest a first session that fits. You only buy a pack once you know it works for you.
Do ROUTES expire?
No. ROUTES never expire, so a busy month, a holiday or a school exam season does not cost you anything. You use them when it suits the family.
Can parents and kids use the same ROUTES?
Yes. One pack of ROUTES is shared by the whole family. A parent can spend ROUTES on a weekday morning session and a child on a weekend club from the same balance.
What ages can join the Routes Club?
The kids' weekend clubs are open from age 4 to 17. The weekday morning sessions are for adults. The club page shows which programme fits which age.
What happens when the weather cancels a session?
We suggest another activity in the club's channels. If you join it, you spend ROUTES as usual. If you would rather skip it, your ROUTES stay in the balance. If we cancel a session for safety, you never lose ROUTES.