If you love France and you love Germany but can’t choose between them, then Alsace is the perfect choice for you! Having been passed back and forth between French and German hands over the centuries, Alsace is a little mix of both countries. The architecture is German, the language is French and the food is mixed. The added bonus that we recently discovered is that it is just one big playground for kids!
Being based in the UK, we are lucky to have access to a huge variety of shorthaul flights with budget airlines. When we saw super cheap flights to Basel which is the closest airport to Alsace, we booked without hesitation. Did you know that Basel airport is located half in France and half in Switzerland? Neither did we! This is important to know if you are booking a car rental as you need to turn left out of immigration if you booked a car on the French side and right if you booked a car on the Swiss side.
Once we had the car hire situation all figured out, we set off to our first destination. Alsace is full of beautiful little medieval towns and they all have a kind of fairy tale feel about them. The buildings are predominantly timber-framed in many beautiful and striking colours. It’s no wonder really that the inspiration for the Beauty and the Beast was taken from this area. Most of them are classified as a Plus Beaux Villages de France (literally translated as most beautiful villages in France).
During the weekend we visited Eguisheim, Kayersberg, Riquewihr, and Colmar. We couldn’t pick a favourite as each of them has their own charm.
Eguisheim has a possibly the most photographed spot in all of Alsace (at the crossing of rue du rampart-Sud and rue du rampart-nord) and a lovely town square (Place du Chateau de Saint Leon) which is a beautiful spot for lunch. Our tip would be to choose La Taverne du Chateau over Restaurant Edel as you will have better views from the terrace back over the Chateau.
Kayersberg has the River Weiss running through it and a small ruined castle sitting up on a hill above the town. There are also lots of little bakeries selling delicious regional specialities. If you are heading to Riquewihr after Kayersberg, try taking the very back roads through the vines for some amazing views.
Riquewihr was surrounded by beautiful lush green hills covered in vines and had possibly the most colourful of all the buildings we saw. It is famous for its wines here so if you are into wine, it is definitely worth stopping for a little degustation.
Colmar has an area called Little Venice where you can take boat trips or just wander around and enjoy the beautiful buildings. There are also some amazing restaurants if you are into your food. We ate at Epicurean which was amazing – but book ahead as it is tiny and very popular!
You may be thinking that wandering around towns doesn’t sound very child-friendly, but our kids really felt like they were in one big colourful playground. There were little alleyways and tiny doorways for them to explore. You will really only see something like it in a Disney theme park – except that these towns are truly authentic. Some of the towns also have guided tours on little trains if your children are into trains. It can be a good way to save little legs!
The thing that the kids really loved, however, was visiting the enormous Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg, perched high up in the Vosges. We had never heard of it before this trip, but it is one of the most visited monuments in France with over 600,00 visitors a year. Guided tours are only available in French, but that didn’t stop the kids exploring every nook and cranny and climbing up to the highest towers for some spectacular views. The entrance is EUR 9 for adults and free for children under 6.
On the way back to the airport on Sunday we quickly popped into Germany. Popping over the borders in Europe is really quick and easy and the boys loved that they could then say they had visited Germany. It was a whirlwind, 3 countries in 2 days – but we had an amazing time and highly recommend it as a family destination.
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The Flashpacking FamilyWe are Ed, Jacs, Ernie (6) and George (4). We are just an ordinary family of 4 travelling part-time now that the kids are in school. We’ve visited 85 countries between us, and plan to visit a whole lot more amazing and thought-provoking places until we can travel no more. We discovered when the kids were very young that our travels and associated family time had a positive effect on their development and that we became stronger through travel. We have not looked back and hope that by documenting our travels here, we can inspire other families to try something similar
A healthy lifestyle is very important to our family and we found it’s a little trickier on the road where there are unfamiliar foods and not always accessible grocery stores. Here are 5 tips that helped keep us on track:
This included packing snacks in our suitcases. A box or two of protein bars can work wonders as a meal replacement while exploring. Kids are always hungry, so we loaded up on crackers, popcorn, dried fruits, nut free granola bars, applesauce, and other portable snacks. At various destinations, we would go to local corner stores (mainly 7-elevens in Asia) and look for things like raw nuts, cheeses, bananas, and apples. This made a huge difference in keeping us full and not craving for sweets.
Bring water bottles instead of having to buy sugary drinks while out and about. We brought our insulated bottles that kept our water cool. In SE Asia, you will have to purchase bottled water but buy big ones and refill your bottles to reduce plastic consumption.
We shopped for groceries and prepared as many of our meals as we could instead of eating out. This way we controlled our portions and ingredients. We book Airbnbs fairly often so we can make use of a kitchen. We saved big bucks too as eating out gets expensive.
Just like in restaurants back home, portions tend to be huge at restaurants so we would often order a few dishes and share them. This way, you get to try local foods but not overeat and regret it. It’s easier on the budget too!
You have to be realistic. You are on a vacation so occasional sweets are okay and they are fun to try in foreign countries. We tried Mango sticky rice and coconut ice cream in Thailand, Balinese pancakes in Bali, Gelato in Italy, Rainbow cotton candy in Japan and Acaii bowls in Hawaii’s North Shore. Ummm….how could we not?
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If you have ever flown on an airport with children, you know that airport security can sometimes be one of the worst parts of travel for a family with young kids. Trying to keep track of all the children and everyone's suitcases and belongings and still get everyone the right boarding pass that has their name on it, can get seriously overwhelming!
Travel is one of the most amazing gifts you can give your children. Opening up their eyes to this magnificent world that we live in is something that no classroom can teach. Children develop a sense of independence and security as they travel with their family. Those incredible memories and lasting relationships curated through travel are worth every penny and stressful situation.
While we all agree that traveling is amazing, not all of the steps along the way are that amazing. Let's go back to the topic of airport security. Yes, it's obviously necessary, and we are supportive of the process to keep everyone safe, but it can be one of the most stressful situations for a family with children. Sometimes you are greeted by eager to help TSA agents that admire your desire to travel with your children and are so nice to help. Other times you are greeted with impatient travelers who continue to huff and puff behind you while you pile your 12 bins and bags and children through the line. The spectrum can vary greatly on what kind of experience you will have when you approach the security line at any given airport. While it is a relatively small part of a trip if handled wrong it can really create un-necessary stress for any traveling family.
As the adult or parent that is traveling with children, it is up to you to make this process as stress-free and smooth as possible. We all know that travel day with children is already long and exhausting for both the parent and the child, but it's the parent's job to set the tone for the trip. If you end up with one uptight or stressed out Mama from a crazy airport security experience, it's going to set an unpleasant tone for the whole day. Relieving the stress of passing through airport security is just one small thing that we can do to make the entire day go a little more smooth.
There are several little things you can do before approaching that airport security line to make the process go seamlessly. Here's our list of things we do before we get there to make it all a little easier.
Talk with your kids about what's going to happen and what your expectations are for them and their behavior. Let them know that you need to be able to take care of things without having to watch them closely, so you need them to be alert and stay close to you. Let them know that they will need to respond quickly to any requests that you make of them since you will have your hands full. Whatever it is you need of them, let them know. Recently we took a long trip and we only packed carry on's. That meant that every child ages 8,7,7, & 5 was in charge of pushing their own carry on suitcase and their personal backpack. You will be amazed at what kids can do when a little responsibility is placed on them.
You will have nice, helpful people around, and you will find rude people as well. Stay calm and expect it to go terribly so when it's great, you are pleasantly surprised. Don't worry about how long it takes you to get everything up there on that conveyer belt, or how long it takes your little one to retrieve their jacket from the bin afterward. Don't pay attention to anyone else besides your family. We find that it is easier to keep track of everything if you do it yourself rather than have a bunch of people helping alongside you. Have one person in charge of making sure everything gets put through and retrieved after. Show your children you are calm, relaxed and confident and they will follow suit.
If you travel, you know that all airport security stations have regulations on what can come into the airport. There are also regulations on what things have to be inside and outside of your bags to go through security. Know these regulations beforehand and have your bags packed accordingly. Make sure you have your ID and boarding pass or any other travel documents readily accessible so you aren't holding the line up by having to search your purse for it. Make sure you have laptops easily accessible and put them in their own bin. Then make sure tablets and i-pads are out and together in a single layer in a bin. Grab a bin for jackets and shoes, (kids can leave shoes on), wallets and keys or anything else from your pockets.
If you are traveling with food (which we highly recommend bringing lot's of snacks to avoid the cost of airport food), make sure it's all together in one spot so when they have to search your bags, they only have to go through one of them. Put everything that you think might need to be searched in that same place. Food, liquids, toiletries, electronics, etc. all should be together. Make sure your liquids are under the 3.5 oz limit for carry-on's and empty any reusable water bottles you are bringing. Just be prepared ahead of time and have a plan as to what needs to happen first when you reach the line.
Lastly, after you finally make it through the scanners and all your bags have been through the x-ray machine and searched if needed, grab everything and take it to the benches close by to re-situate everything. Nothing irritates other passengers or airport staff more than the belt having to stop and wait for a long line of bags and belongings left on the belt. Just get everything of yours and head out of the way to reload it so that everyone else can proceed as normal.
Ta-Da there you have it! Now you have successfully made it through airport security without a hitch and everyone is excited about their upcoming flight. You took a situation that had the potential to be crazy and made it a positive experience by being prepared. Much like every situation with kids, a little preparation goes a long way. By simply helping our children to be aware and at east through these small travel steps along the way, we can help foster a positive travel experience. Your children will learn from your example as they watch you handle these somewhat stressful situations like a pro and will be better travelers for it!
What other tips do you fellow travelers have for making airport security easier?
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Indeed, everyone knows that Oahu is a vacation hotspot. It is undeniably true that it is flooded with tourists. However, this should not be the reason to deter you from choosing this as your next family vacation destination. There is so much to do with kids in O’ahu, which you can choose to avoid the crowd.
Road trips add a sense of independence to the travel experience. You will not be bound by the typical tourist attractions as you can experience the place according to your own timetable.
O’ahu is not a big island. In fact, it only takes a day for you to drive around the coastline. There are a number of attractions along the way to the East Coast that are worth checking out, including the Lanai Lookout and Makapu’u Lookout, which can allow kids to understand how volcanic activity took part in forming the landscape.
For those who are up for spending a day with the kids at a beach with soft powdery sand and pristine water, this is probably the right direction to head. Unlike the overcrowded Hanauma Bay, Kailua Beach offers the spaciousness that most prefer. It is an extremely family friendly beach.
This is a MUST DO in Hawaii. There are many local tour operators in the area that offer dolphin watching all year round, and even whale watching during the winter months. Most operators guarantee a dolphin/whale sighting, failing which a complimentary second tour is offered. Not only do you get to encounter dolphins and whales, but if you are lucky you may also bump into seals and sea turtles. We were lucky enough to encounter all of the mentioned sea creatures and even saw a few humpback whales breach at close distance! It is definitely a worthwhile experience for both the children and adults to go on a marine expedition. Our son still imagines going on a boat trip to watch whales breach again up to this day!
This is not the average history museum experience that you expect. The Pearl Harbour Museum is such an interactive experience that makes the kids not wanting to leave the site. There are four monuments within the museum. We highly recommend visiting one only as it already takes at least half a day to explore. The Battleship Missouri Memorial was the one we chose to see. Firstly, the “Mighty Mo” was where the Japanese signed the Instrument of Surrender to end the WW2. The whole memorial is dedicated to illustrating the wars, which this famous battleship has gone through.
Not only are visitors free to roam around the deck, from the deck you can access two lower levels of the ship and all upper levels. Both you and your children will get to time travel and experience what it is like to be in the navy.
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Many people are put off by the thought of particular types of holidays with children. But kids are actually very versatile and will cope with many different cultures and environments.
There are many ways to holiday with children, depending on budget and travel opportunities.
Who doesn’t love a good all-inclusive break, with unlimited snacks, drinks, and poolside fun? Most resorts abroad have kids’ clubs that the children will enjoy, while the adults can have some quality time alone. Other choices include half board, where breakfast and dinner are included, and self-catering for flexible eating opportunities. If you can find a hotel with a water park or pool activities, you can guarantee a fun holiday for all the family.
Camping is growing in popularity, taking the home comforts to outdoors and beyond. Kids will love the adventure in pitching a tent and sleeping under the stars. Campsites are a cheaper option for a holiday, and even though the initial outlay can be pricey, items can be used over and over again. Campsites can be accessed all over the world, and with fantastic companies like Eurocamp, holidays abroad can be cheap and cheerful.
Again, a cheaper option and generally situated next to a beach or a nature reserve, a static caravan holiday can be a cost-effective way of getting away with the kids. Chalets tend to have a community vibe, as families are situated in rows next to each other. There are plenty of opportunities to meet new people and make some friends along the way.
Camping without the hassle! No need to take every piece of cutlery you own; glamping pods are equipped with everything you need for a weekend away from reality. For those who aren’t too keen on lying on the floor, glamping pods have raised beds and if you’re lucky enough to get a nice company, they will even provide heating. We stayed in a safari tent, and they provided marshmallows, a small barbecue and hot water bottles for the colder nights.
For a more extravagant choice, a cruise can please everybody. Large cruise ships have everything you need on board, from shopping centers to water parks, kids’ clubs and dinner parties. Plus, being able to wake up on a new coastline every morning, invites your kids to learn a different culture every day.
Sling the tent on your back, take some pre-prepared food and pitch up in the middle of nowhere for an all-out wild adventure. Pack light and plan your route to get closer with nature and to bond as a family together. I would only recommend this for a night or 2, depending on your location. Great for short breaks and to explore closer to home.
There are many ways to incorporate travel and adventure into a child's life. A child will learn so much from travelling, no matter how often you do it or in what capacity. Show them, the world is for exploring, and give them the means to access it all.
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Perhaps one of the questions we most often get asked as a travelling family, is “why” do you chose to do this? “Why” do you brave the long flights, the red eyes, the airport delays, the sleepless nights, the toddler tantrums and the unpredictability that comes with travelling with little ones? Since our identical twins were born we have travelled seven countries with our boys. We swam with sea turtles in the Bahamas, travelled to the west coast of Canada, watched in awe the thundering of Niagara Falls and hiked the mountains of British Columbia. We have chased iguanas in Mexico, hunted for sea stars in the Cayman Islands and sailed the Atlantic Ocean. Not all of it has been easy, but each experience has brought us closer together as a family and helped our three-year-olds grow into the compassionate, sensitive and caring citizens of the world they are today. Through our adventures, we have found our “why”. We have discovered the countless benefits of family travel and compiled our own reasons why travelling with children is so incredible. Here are some of the reasons why we continue to make travel a priority for our family and why you might want to consider travelling with your children too.
Travel exposes children to different cultures and ways of life around the world. It allows them the opportunity to experience the diversity of nature and exposes them to different languages, foods, and lifestyles. It develops their respect and understanding of others different from themselves and teaches them that the world is a bigger place than their own backyard.
Through world travel, children experience opportunities that could never be replicated in a classroom. They learn through hands-on experiences fed by their own curiosity and this sparks a passion for lifelong learning.
There is no doubt that travelling with children comes with its own set of challenges. This presents the perfect opportunity to build patience, flexibility, and adaptability. It allows children the chance to problem-solve, manage their emotions and experience life outside of their comfort zone.
Travel encourages children to ask questions and explore new environments. It ignites their imagination and allows them to experience the world around them through inquiry. Without the rigid schedule of our everyday life, children are provided the freedom to follow their own interests and be spontaneous in their play, creativity, and learning.
There really is nothing better than seeing the world through the eyes of children. Their excitement, passion, enthusiasm, and wonder are contagious and will most definitely enrich the travel experience of parents as well!
Regardless of your own travel experiences, know that there are lots of great reasons to travel with children. So get out there, see the world, make memories and find your “why!”
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Since starting my family travel blog, East Coast Westerners, in September of 2017, I have had a lot of people ask, “Why do you guys travel so often?”
I always want to respond with, “Because, why not?!” But, most are asking for more of an explanation than that.
So, why DO we travel so often??
Well, it really started when our young family moved from Idaho to South Carolina in May of 2017. An amazing job, that required us to move over 2,100 miles across the country and to a state we had never been to, opened us up to an awesome opportunity to see a part of the country we never had never considered before! We were excited, nervous, anxious, and a little oblivious to just what to expect upon arrival in our new state, but we quickly realized this was the beginning of an incredible journey for our family.
Being far away from extended family, the comforts of familiarity, and experiencing some culture shock, we found ourselves in an area rich with history. This convinced us that we needed to get out there and explore anything and everything we possibly could. It helped us settle in, get a lay of the land, and learn about our new home area. We started with little day, or even weekend, trips to places nearby, like state parks and historic sites, but those turned into week-long road trips, then into getaways to the beach, a magical vacation at Disney World, and eventually venturing further from home on a tour of the Nation’s capitol in Washington D.C. and surrounding areas. Each trip fueling our desires to see the next place, do the next thing, and experience the next adventure!
The kids started asking us where we were going every weekend, and we realized they were enthusiastic to get out there and explore. Our travels had become learning experiences for them, where they could grow in their knowledge of history, geography, physical endurance, social skills, imagination, and so much more. They started wanting to know everything about the next destination we were visiting, like the major attractions, monuments and buildings, special facts or history about that place, and what new things they could try there.
We were making amazing family memories together from each destination we toured, but my husband and I realized, we were, giving our children more than just family vacations and beautiful keepsakes. We are giving them the opportunity to expand their understanding, to broaden their horizons, and the ability to gain the confidence they need to venture out into the world and discover new places, people, and to try new experiences.
Quill writing at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, VA
Like all parent’s, we want our children to be happy, healthy, and enthusiastic about life. We want them to learn and grow while being kind, helpful, and supportive to themselves, each other and others. We have personally found that through travel, our children have become more eager to study, more willing to serve, and more thoughtful towards those around them. They cherish and appreciate the experiences we have taken and given them, and we have become closer as a family as well.
Our current family travel goals are; to visit each of the 50 United States, and hopefully soon, advance our travels to include international destinations! Our journey may have begun with that gutsy move across the country, but now we realize the world is at our fingertips, beckoning to us, and we are longing to explore it. We want to learn. We want to grow. We want to experience it.
This is why we travel.
]]>As I thought of places to go with my family, Morocco just intrigued me. I longed to experience the exotic allure of the souks, the desert, and the architecture. It’s not typically the first thing that comes to mind for a family trip. In fact, we were often asked: “Are you sure you want to bring your daughter to Morocco?” Well, my answer was “Why not?” My purpose here is not to say that you must bring your kids, as everyone may have a different experience there. But I will share how incredible our journey there was in hopes to show that stepping outside of your comfort zone can have a memorable result.
Did I have my doubts? Of course. My biggest concern was sick from food or water. And admittedly, I also slightly worried about the sales aggression in the souks. But other than that I was ready to bring my family along for an adventure. And to this day, it remains one of our most special trips together.
Our ten-day journey took us through the entire country, including a three-day desert tour. This usually isn’t the easiest itinerary for little ones, but we did it. I wanted to make sure we saw as much as possible, including unseen parts of the country. Having a private driver for a lot of road travel was so helpful. It definitely made the packed schedule much more manageable.
We started our adventure in Casablanca, then moved onto Fez for a few days. While in Fez we took a day trip to Chefchaouen, also known as “The Blue City.” I also booked a three-day desert tour which would bring us from Fez to Marrakech. This included a camel trek and overnight camp in the Sahara. We also stayed in the Dades Valley atop a tall mountain with the most memorable sunset. The drive through the landscapes included stops along some main sites in between. We saw mountains, valleys, deserts, beaches, villages, forests, orchards, and so much more. Our trip ended in Marrakech, with a brief escape to Essaouira for a day. It was a perfectly planned trip, and we saw so many different places!
Throughout our time in Morocco, I realized what a kid-friendly country it actually is. The people were incredibly kind to us, the locals adored our daughter, and she learned so much about a culture so different from ours. Here are some reasons why we thought Morocco was great for traveling with kids.
The streets are filled with cats, donkeys, and sadly, street performing monkeys. But our daughter loved seeing them and even had a blast chasing the cats through the little alleyways. If you head to Essaouira you may even get lucky and see the tree-climbing goats. What kid isn’t intrigued by animals?
I really didn’t know what to expect with the local culture. But I found them to be very welcoming and accommodating to us as a family. Locals just went crazy over our daughter, showering her with attention. She got free gifts from a lot of the shopkeepers. It was very heartwarming to receive such kindness from strangers.
This is definitely the most simple reason, but the plentitude of delicious orange juice will make your kid so happy. Our daughter got so excited anytime we came upon an orange juice stand. It’s just perfectly sweet, refreshing, and healthy too! Enjoying a fresh-squeezed glass of orange juice was the perfect break for all of us.
There are two gardens of significance that we visited; Le Jardin Secret and Jardin Majorelle. These are the perfect places to escape to with kids. Beautiful scenery, lots of space to run around and explore, and most importantly cafes to eat and take a break. They also had koi fish, and turtles to entertain your little ones.
While in Morocco, you must not miss out on camping in the desert. It was our daughter's favorite part of the trip. She loved the idea of sleeping in a tent, seeing the stars and the moon so bright in the sky, and dancing on the dunes. There was Berber music in the camp, which made it so entertaining for her. Our camel guide just adored playing with her! And best of all, she loved riding the camel!
This may sound odd since the souks are known to be quite chaotic, but they were such a great experience. I’m all about immersing our daughter into the culture as much as possible. There are so many cool trinkets to see in the shops, and the sensory journey through the winding alleyways is quite memorable.
I’d like to share some helpful tips that we learned through our time there:
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Hi, we are the family behind @kidsgoplaces. The four of us love travelling whether it’s a road trip a few hours away or trekking across the globe! Whatever it is, we just love seeing new places & having new experiences together. I feel it bonds & unites us more than anything else & will be remembered long into adulthood for the kids.
Pic was taken in Hokkaido, Japan
Luckily, we are based on the Gold Coast, Australia, a holiday destination in itself. So this helps with any post-holiday blues! But we take any opportunity we can to travel within Australia & overseas.
Pic was taken at Kingscliff, Australia
While we may have started late in the travel game compared to other travel families who travel with babies & toddlers, we didn’t feel ready until the kids were 4 & 6 years old. We started small with a month-long visit to New Zealand. We loved the adventure, the scenery, the experience together & the kids impressed us so much we returned again the next year! While travel has always been in my blood, this started our family’s journey into the travel world & reignited a passion for adventure my husband & I experienced on our honeymoon through Hawaii, New York, Canada & the Whitsundays, Australia. Now we always have some sort of travel plans in the pipeline.
Pic was taken at Mt Cook, New Zealand
We followed up NZ with epic trips to America, Japan & Singapore as well as travel around our wonderful country of Australia. I had hardly seen much of my own country growing up as we were always moving around overseas! So I vowed to see more with my own kids & have been amazed at the diversity & beauty of the green & gold country.
Pic was taken at Moonbah, Australia
We have made some of our most amazing family memories together while travelling, from epic hikes to frozen lakes & glaciers in New Zealand to driving through a blizzard to see a snowy beach in Hokkaido, walking down the road Forrest Gump walked at Monument Valley, seeing the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fran, having a reindeer ride at Niseko and swimming in the most epic pool in the world at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
Pic was taken at Monument Valley, USA
So if you are hesitant about travelling with your kids, I recommend starting small & see what you can handle. Be flexible & have realistic expectations. I admit, I often expect more of the kids then have to remind myself how old they are & they are just being kids & realistically they are amazing little travel troopers!! But I love experiencing things through their eyes & seeing their excitement, it makes our experiences as adults even better!
So either way, I say, go for it. You could experience something so wonderful & magical!
Pic was taken in Niseko, Japan
We love travelling with our kids, to see the world through their eyes is magical and inspiring, and family travel has provided so many special experiences for our family, but it certainly doesn’t come without its fair share of growing pains. We have been travelling full time for six months now, and we have learned so much since that cold morning when raced to the airport at 4 am for our first big fight of the trip.
First off, we no longer book flights 4am, but that isn’t the only thing we’ve learned. Here are our DO’s and DON’Ts of family travel, hopefully you can learn from our experience and save yourself from a few of your own “travel pains”.
DO pack in as few suitcases as possible. You know that expression goes big or go home? Pack a big suitcase or you may find yourself wanting to. The internet is full of cute pint-size luggage that I’m sure your littles would love but beware, it’s going to be your arms holding those Paw Patrol bags as you try to clear customs, hail a cab or make the trek from the subway station to your hotel.
DON’T pack the kitchen sink in your carry on. I used to pack up half the toy room and the whole pantry anytime we travelled, I would board the plane, toddler, and baby in tow and begin the 15-minute process of setting up our travel station. I thought I needed to have every possible thing that they could have wanted at arms reach, but let's be honest on the best of days toddlers don’t really know what they want, they've easily guided in the direction of the least messy snack and the tidiest toys, so only pack those. My carry-on bags have decreased in size significantly throughout the years, and my boarding routine has gone from 15 minutes of setting up, down to the 30 seconds it takes to slide the backpack under the seat in front of me and pull out a couple of suckers for taking off. We don’t even pre-board any more. gasp.
DO book larger accommodations whenever possible. You’re looking for function over luxury when you travel as a family. The flexibility of being able to put a toddler down for a nap in a separate bedroom, or to give an older child some much needed alone time to read or draw is a life saver, not to mention mom and dad getting to keep the lights on past 7:30 pm. Airbnb is a great resource for families, the range of accommodations available is vast and they are worldwide, (I am currently writing this sitting in an Airbnb on a little island off the coast of Korea, so they really are everywhere).
DON’T expect your child to want to travel like an adult. Your kids don’t want to spend 8 hours in a car driving to all the local sights, and they probably thought the first temple was cool, but ancient cultures have a lot of temples they don’t want to see them all. But with that being said, it’s not “kid travel” it’s “family travel”, and if those activities are important to mom and dad than I think it’s important that kids be a part of them, just prepare them for it and have realistic expectations. Pack lots of snacks, download a new movie on the iPad and balance those days out with the pool days that your kids want.
DO give your kids opportunities to experience local cuisine. Feeding children can be stressful, especially travelling, but I promise your children won’t starve. They may not love every dish, but that’s okay, food is an integral part of the culture. If you are really concerned, we have yet to come across a restaurant that didn’t have white rice or plain noodles for a picky toddler.
DON’T walk past the information booth. EVER. Even if you think you know exactly where you are going or what your plan is. There is so much valuable information available, on so many things you may not have considered. Some of our favourite memories were had, following the suggestions of the great people who work in info centers.
DO buy a sim card before you leave the airport. International data sim cards are very reasonably priced and even if your accommodation has wifi, it is so convenient to have internet when your plans change on the fly. Most convenience stores sell them, but in a couple of countries, we have found that they were more competitively priced at the airport.
And last, but probably most important, DON’T STRESS! You’ve got this, your kids are way more accommodating than you give you them credit for. Your days may not go quite the way you planned, your baby might wake up at night, your toddler may even throw a tantrum in a public place, wait, that sounds a lot like the same things you worry about at home, so if you’re going to worry about them anyway, why not experience the world with your family at the same time, and make memories that are way bigger than the worries.
]]>If someone would have asked our newlywed selves about our future travel plans, we would have said that we would travel without our child until around the age of ten. It seemed logical. Traveling can be expensive, and who wants to spend that kind of money on trips that the kid(s) will not even remember. Then our daughter was born, and our thoughts changed. We were not willing to leave her at home nor were we willing to give up traveling.
Shortly before our daughter was born, a friend casually mentioned that our child would be the only child at her school starting kindergarten having visited all fifty states. We thought that statement was absolutely crazy. There was no way, no how that she would be that well-traveled at such a young age. After all, it definitely did not mesh with our pre-child thoughts.
It took eight months before we decided to take our first domestic trip with her. Her first international trip was at just over one year old. We have not looked back since.
Even though we did not realize it at the time, we jumped right on into traveling to all fifty states with her. The first two years of our United States travels with her kept us in the eastern half of the country. We found when she was young it was beneficial to keep her as close to her normal schedule of meals, naps, and bedtime as we could. Thus, time changes far from our own time zone were not preferable. The next year we ventured into the mountain west then on to the west coast the following year. The first four years of travel had us all over the United States. There were fifty states to choose from, and we often chose based on cost and convenience. Many of those trips were road trips or a combination of flying to a city then road tripping from there.
Then this thing called school popped up, and oh my, was that an adjustment! Our daughter is in a public school Montessori program. We found that school certainly impacted our trip planning as we now were forced into smaller windows of time to travel. Still, she started four-year-old kindergarten with thirty-two states visited. By the end of the school year, visited states increased to forty-two thanks to a New England fly and road trip during the last week of school. During the entire summer, we only managed to visit one new state. Kindergarten started at forty-three and ended at forty-eight with zero new states during summer break. Our daughter made it about three weeks into first grade before Labor Day weekend brought a road trip to state forty-nine. That was state fifty (Michigan) for us parents. We sometimes laugh that our fiftieth state is in our own time zone. Spring Break will bring state fifty (Hawaii) for our daughter which will mean all fifty states before the end of first grade.
One of our family rules is that we all must learn something during our travels. We incorporate many National Park Service sites into our itineraries. If available, we always take part in the Junior Ranger programs. To be honest, generally speaking, we believe that we have learned more during our travels than we ever did about the same subjects in school. Perhaps because when one is standing in Lexington or Concord, Massachusetts it is actually a real place versus something mentioned in a classroom setting. No amount of stories read or told could have ever prepared any of us for experiencing the thunderous sound of glaciers calving in Alaska.
To be real, we had to have a “mean parents” moment in Glacier Bay because a certain five-year-old wanted to watch The Lion King instead of looking at the glaciers. We have definitely learned that as well traveled as she may be, she is still a kid and sometimes wants to do kid things. We have visited more parks and zoos around the country than we can count. We have had meltdowns over (the lack of) Cheetos on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Sometimes we have eaten at the same restaurant multiple times on trips because she eats well there. Travel with kids is sometimes difficult. However, fostering her love for travel and learning far outweighs the tough times.
Our first travel goal of visiting all fifty states is soon to be complete. We are still deciding on what may be next, though Canadian Provinces (five down, already) or continents are both considerations. We know for certain what two constant themes will be – never stop learning and never stop exploring!
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Traveling with and without a baby are two very different types of travel. When you travel with your friends, partner or solo, you have the freedom to adapt your itinerary with your mood, choose destinations that require more of an adventurous or athletic spirit, and best of all, you selfishly only have to worry about your own needs. But when traveling with a little one, most of what you used to do tends to go out the window, so to speak. Luckily, travelling with a baby can still be just as fun and exciting if you follow my simple tried and true tips below.
I have always enjoyed making lists to keep me organized but since traveling with this tiny human who requires so much more than I do, lists have become lifesavers.
I like to keep running lists either in the notes app on my smartphone or in a notebook that I usually carry in my bag. Either way, I add to it as things come to mind and cross them off once I have either added them to the suitcase or bought them if needed.
I recommend list making being at the top of your list when it comes to how to make traveling with a baby easier.
Before having my son, my husband and I would visit one city for two days and cram as much as we could into the time we had. Surviving on little to no sleep, espressos, and the excitement of our youth, we would go to museums, restaurants, do walking tours, and anything else that we wanted to do in a relatively short amount of time. All of that changed when we started to travel with our infant.
Traveling with a baby can be just as enjoyable as traveling without one but the key is to set realistic expectations for what you can and cannot do. A once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience at a Michelin Star restaurant is probably not in the cards for you if you bring your little one to Paris but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy amazing gastronomy during your visit. Maybe a morning walking tour, followed by a quick lunch, and then on to a 4 or 5 hour museum visit isn’t a good idea when you consider your baby will need a nap or proper diaper changes throughout the day (and let’s not forget the possibility of a full-on tantrum that might stop you dead in your tracks).
Once you have the logistics of your list and packing down, the fun comes when planning your itinerary. Being honest with yourself minimizes disappointment and lets you enjoy your company: your family.
Don’t forget to have an amazing time, enjoy yourself, and most of all, enjoy your baby. I have utilized all of these tips when traveling both internationally and domestically with my now one-year-old son. These simple tips have allowed me to leave worry behind because I know I have everything I need, I’m not lugging a ton of baggage around the world just waiting to forget something and I’ve left breathing room in my plans for when hiccups happen (because trust me, they will happen).
This allowed me to watch my young son’s face light up at his first sight of snow in Amsterdam and laugh at how surprisingly uninterested he was in churros and chocolate in Madrid. Because I wasn’t worried about forgetting anything or missing out on some must-see tourist spot, we were able to have a laid back breakfast in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where a wonderful family joked that they were going to keep my son with them! (the mother couldn’t convince her two oldest kids that they indeed wanted a baby sibling). And who can forget the smiles my then 6-month old gave to strangers as we boarded the plane.
You go this, mamas. Happy travels!
Family travel is great!! You make memories, spend quality time together, and experience different cultures. At the same time, it can be a nerve-wreaking, stressful, chaotic experience with little ones! The airport part is always the most anxiety-filled part of the trip for me. My husband is the one who is more laid back in this department! So we put a few tips together that help
make the traveling experience more comfortable for toddlers and us.
The Lugabug, which is a travel seat that you attach right to your luggage. A child can weight up to 60Ibs.
A tablet loaded with games and movies, which can be played offline. Don’t forget your headphones! Some airlines require you to wear them if you are listening to music or videos.
Lots and lots of snacks! We take cereal, granola bars, crackers, and fruit.
Their favorite figurines, window clings, water wow color pads, play-doh, etc.
Blankets and pillows to take a nap: Crossing fingers this happens:
Bring their lunch. It’s always great to bring your own food because some flights only offer snacks. We usually make sandwiches or bring Uncrustables for the kids to eat.
Bring enough milk for the baby. You can bring milk through security, but they will test it, as well as water.
A small backpack/Diaper bag with a change of clothes for the kids and enough diapers in case of a delay. There are changing tables in the lavatory. Please do not change your baby on the tray table; it’s just not right. Those trays do not get clean as often as you think! Ewww
And don’t forget to just enjoy it while you can. Our kids might not want to travel with us the older they get, so we will soak it all up while we can! Travel on purpose as a family.
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Although I cannot deny that there are valuable lessons that children are taught at school, the life lessons I have witnessed my children experience while travelling has been priceless! Here are five of these nuggets of wisdom.
Diversity in The World
Seeing with their own eyes, people who look different, dress differently and speak differently, will educate children on the diversity of the human race more than any movie or book ever will.
When kids witness first-hand what a less privileged lifestyle looks like, they have far more appreciation for the material things and quality of life that they have.
And then when they see children with so much less than them, living and playing so happily, the point really starts to hit home.
We love taking our children off the beaten track, to third world countries and away from the big resorts! We believe that this is where real life lessons are waiting to be learned.
When you are travelling with limited luggage space, entertainment and toy options from home are minimal. As you have exciting and unusual experiences while travelling, children start to realise that adventures and quality time with their family is actually so much more fun than a room full of toys!
And when they return home and remember those experiences for months and years to come, you will know that you have given them the best gift!
Travel plans never go quite according to plan, do they? Flight delays, lost luggage, traffic... These annoyances are all part and parcel of the travel experience! Children have to learn to be patient and resilient in these circumstances. And they do!
Keeping still and entertained during travel and transfer time is something our busy little boys got so good at during our travels. These are valuable skills that can be used in any situation, such as Doctor's rooms, restaurants, and car drives.
Children who are given surroundings and experiences out of their ordinary, along with encouragement from their parents, will start to buzz with wonder and excitement!
Seeing your kids explore, discover and seek knowledge about new things, is infinitely more rewarding than watching them play video games or watch TV. A sense of adventure is a mind-expanding life skill!
There is a mighty big world out there waiting to be explored. Take them travelling! They will love, learn and grow.
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Choosing somewhere to take a vacation isn’t easy when you’ve got children to cater for. Picking a destination that is both safe and convenient, as well as packed with things to do that all the family will enjoy, is a tricky thing. In this article, we’ll outline why Japan is a great place to consider when traveling with children.
Kumamoto Castle
In terms of crime Japan has very low levels, and in 2017 crime hit an all-time low. Also, despite the country being prone to natural disasters (such as earthquakes and typhoons) the country is used to such tragedies and is prepared for all eventualities, so risk of serious danger is actually very low.
It’s a rare sight to see litter on the streets of Japan, and they’re really big on recycling there (despite being a bit too enthusiastic about wrapping things in plastic and giving out plastic bags at every shop.)
Park around Kumamoto Castle - clean as a whistle!
The busses and trains run on time, shops have generous opening hours, and there are numerous systems in place to make your time in Japan run smoothly.
While few people speak good English in Japan, most will go out of their way to help a foreigner in need. People will happily lend you their phones to make emergency calls or stop what they’re doing to personally direct you to your destination.
Shika Deer in Nara Park
If you’re in Tokyo, head to KidZania – this is the attraction built specifically for kids, and it’s epic. Not only that – Disneyland, parks, zoos, museums with ‘hands-on’ kid sections, beautiful beaches, castles, themed train rides (Pikachu!), cute mascots (yuru kyara) wherever you go… you won’t run out of ways to entertain the kids here!
Mixed sandwiches shaped like sushi
Fussy eaters? In Japan, you’ll find things for all to enjoy. It’s not all raw fish sushi and horse meat hot pot – in every convenience store you can find sandwiches, pasta salads, cakes, cheese snacks… everyone is catered for.
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