Hey Reader, We are huge Disneyland people. Like, embarrassingly huge. It is basically a second home for us at this point. But every single time we go, the prices have crept up again. Tickets, food, parking, the inevitable moment in the gift shop where your kid finds the one thing that costs $45 and looks you dead in the eyes. It adds up so fast. I have spent years figuring out how to make Disneyland work without coming home feeling like we need to recover financially from our vacation, and I...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, The Paris Catacombs were entirely my kids' idea. I had been to Paris five times and avoided them every single trip. Six million skeletons in a tunnel underground with no easy exit is not exactly my idea of a good afternoon. But my boys had been researching it for months, and eventually I ran out of ways to say no. What I did not know going in: the Catacombs had only reopened three days before our visit, after a five-month closure for a full renovation. New lighting, a completely...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Happy May Reader! I got back from our Spring Break trip to Paris, which was amazing! We did a lot of specialized tours/workshops and you can check them out in my blog post and on Instagram. I'm actually in Peru right now on a girls trip with Into the Wild! They are the company I used for my Norway trip last summer and when I saw that this trip goes to Machu Picchu AND the Amazon, I booked it instantly! As much as I love family vacations, I'm finding womens' group trips are where I can...
11 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader! We've been to London twice now as a family, and I can say pretty confidently that it's one of the best cities in the world to visit with kids. Bucket list level, in my opinion. But it's also one of those places where a little advance knowledge goes a long way. A few things worth knowing before you go: The Tube is your best friend and you should get an Oyster card as soon as you arrive. Don't try to navigate without the Tube app, especially with kids in tow. You will walk more than...
16 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, We just got back from Paris and it reminded me of a few things I always forget to mention when people ask about international travel with kids. Like the time I arrived in Paris and got in a taxi without stopping at the ATM first, and then found out the driver didn't take credit cards. That was a fun start to the trip. Or the passport thing that catches so many families off guard: kids' passports expire every five years, not ten like adults'. If your child got their passport when...
18 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader! A while back I discovered Cloud Nine sweatshirts and bought them for both my boys. They've since worn them on planes, to school, and basically everywhere in between. These sweatshirts are weighted, which sounds simple, but the difference for kids with anxiety or ADHD is real. That gentle pressure is genuinely calming, and for long travel days, that matters a lot. My boys are not always easy travelers. Having something that helps them feel settled without me having to do anything...
23 days ago • 1 min read
Aloha Reader! If Hawaii is even a possibility for your family this summer, I want to make sure you know about everything I have available over at my other site, Hawaii Travel with Kids. I've been writing about Hawaii for years and I also host a podcast called Hawaii Travel Made Easy, where I break down the islands in a way that's actually useful for families. Which island is right for your family, what's worth the splurge, what you can skip, how to handle the logistics with kids. If you have...
25 days ago • 1 min read
Bonjour Reader! I'm in Paris right now, and I have to be honest with you about something. This is my fourth time here. The previous three trips, I booked a Flytographer session every single time. This trip I didn't, and I'm already feeling it. This was on my last trip to Paris! We've had incredible days. Montmartre, the Louvre, crepe classes, wandering Saint-Germain. All of it. And my phone is full of pictures where I'm not in a single one, or someone's eyes are closed, or I'm holding the...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Bonjour Reader! I'm writing this from Paris, which still feels a little surreal to say. We got here Friday and have been going pretty much nonstop since. Day one we did the Paradox Museum (which is basically an illusion museum like they have in major cities across the world). My boys LOVED it. Then we headed to the Champs-Elysees where my 12yo ordered customized Adidas shoes (he picked a Chinese dragon design) that we picked up later that night. And then we spent the afternoon exploring the...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read