kid friendly travel

The Most Tremendous Adventure: A Family Trip to South Africa

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If you are looking for one of the most tremendous family adventures out there, consider a family trip to South Africa. Our South Africa family holiday for 12 glorious days to celebrate my 10th birthday (yes, I am a leap day baby!) was everything I dreamed it would be, but also proved to be one … Read more

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Yosemite with Kids

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A family trip to Yosemite National Park is the quintessential American summer holiday. Exploring Yosemite with kids while camping (or glamping as it is for us!), splashing through rivers, and spying out some of the best natural scenes in the US is one of the best trips you can do with your family.

If you are planning a visit to California’s most iconic park, we have laid out all you need to know in order to have the best trip ever in Yosemite with kids. Below are our top picks for things to do in Yosemite National Park with kids as well as options on where to stay and eat. Trust me, seeing this national treasure through your little one’s eyes is a truly magical experience that you will not want to miss.

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The Most Epic Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary (SF to LA)

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Are you researching for an epic Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary? If so, you have come to the right place. This is one of our favorite road trips in the world, especially between California’s most vibrant cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles. When we first moved to California we planned to slowly work … Read more

3 Amazing Things to Do in San Juan Capistrano with Kids

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Looking for a great day trip in Southern California? There are so many things to do in San Juan Capistrano, that it makes the perfect day trip from most anywhere in the southland. A few weeks ago we finally had the opportunity to head down to see what it’s all about. Read on to see what we thought about this famed Southern California day trip destination.

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5 Super Fun Things to Do in Buena Park CA: A Kid’s Dream Destination

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Are you heading to Southern California? While there is so much to do in the region one of the best places to visit with kids is Buena Park. There are so many things to do in Buena Park CA that it should be on every Southern California itinerary. From visiting cool dinner theaters, theme parks and eating delicious food, there is something for everyone.

 There isn’t always time or money to take elaborate vacations out of town, but that’s where staycations come in handy.  Buena Park is a great place for a staycation for those of us living in Southern California. It offers family centered fun that is easily accessible to all members of the family. 

I don’t often plan trips that are solely centered on what my child would like, but a visit to Buena Park is what most kids would plan if they had the opportunity to plan their own dream vacation. Read on to find out more about the super fun things to do in Buena Park CA.

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10 Magical Things to Do in Joshua Tree (+ 1 Day Itinerary)

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Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Joshua Tree for me symbolized music, not a National Park.  But because of the music, the park has always held a certain allure. Once I discovered how close it was to LA, it moved to the top of my local travel list. But, even then, it took me almost a year of living here before I made it out. Now after several trips, it continues to be one of my favorite places in Southern California.

If you are like me and can’t ever find a weekend to go, dump the excuses and head out for a day trip! It is such a magical place that it’s worth the drive even for just the day. It will be a long day for sure, but if you have kids who will nap in the car, then go for it. Even my non-car napper managed to take a quick after lunch snooze and slept the entire way home. You will not regret exploring Joshua Tree with kids – and they will thank you!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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Where to Stay in Mumbai: An Insider’s Guide to the Best Hotels in Mumbai

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Heading to India and wondering where to stay in Mumbai? We have you covered with our insiders guide to the best places to stay in Mumbai from hotels near the Mumbai airport to hotels in Bandra and beyond. Some of the best hotels in the city are not located in the main tourist areas, but … Read more

Tips for Flying with a Baby: Carry-on Essentials

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Flying with a baby is daunting for most parents. Preparing and packing carry-on essentials is one of the most important aspects for your baby’s first flight. In my son’s first 2 years of life we traveled from India to Ireland to the US and back racking up platinum status with Delta! After so many flights … Read more

Is the Blue Lagoon Reykjavik really worth it?

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Heading to Iceland? And the Blue Lagoon? But you are wondering, is the Blue Lagoon Reykjavik really worth it? Read on for our pros and cons of visiting this iconic Iceland landmark.

If you read my post on flying to Europe with WOW Air, you know that we took that flight to check out the popular budget airline, but also for the ability to have a quick stopover in Iceland en route to Ireland.  Knowing we had very little time, I had only one thing on my to do list – go to the Blue Lagoon.

Yes, I know it’s touristy, but sometimes tourist attractions are that way because they are awesome. And I’m not one to be scared away from something just because it might be crowded or disappointing. My motto  – it’s better to have tried something and regret it than regret not doing it!

With that in mind, we decided to use our 1 day layover wisely with a quick stop to Reykjavik to pick up Icelandic wool, chocolate and local coins before heading to the Blue Lagoon for our scheduled entry time.

The Blue Lagoon, with its majestic blue water contrasting with the surrounding volcanic rock is one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions. But due to the immense popularity, it leaves some to wonder is it all hype or is it worth it? Below are our pros and cons to help you decide if it’s worth it for you.

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Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle

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Chihuly Garden and GlassFor most visitors to Seattle, a stop at the Space Needle is a must. Now you have something else to add to the ‘must do’ list- the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit.

Located at the base of the Space Needle, there is little reason to not see it. This turned out to be one of our favorite activities while in Seattle. If you plan to see a few popular tourist spots in Seattle, check out getting the CityPASS which provides access to both of these and more at a fraction of the cost.

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Inspire Your Inner Artist at Watts Towers

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Watts Towers, Los AngelesLooking for something new to do? A micro-adventure? Or perhaps you need some artistic inspiration? Head down to one of LA’s finest cultural gems, Watts Towers, for a visual treat. From the massive spiral towers resembling Sagrada Familia in Barcelona to the garden and adorable turtle pond out back, Watts Towers in South Los Angeles is a unique and fascinating outing with much to interest everyone in the family.

What is Watts Towers? It is a beautiful piece of folk art that is the result of one man’s imagination and his persistence of realizing his vision. Watts Towers, designed and built by Simon Rodia (an Italian immigrant), are a collection of 17 interconnected structures made out of rebar, glass bottles, seashells, concrete and broken ceramic tiles. Over a period of 33 years, Rodia designed and built this magnificent structure on his own without machine equipment, scaffolding or drawing board designs. One day, Rodia handed over the deed to his property and walked away, leaving all of his work behind. Neighbors fought the city to save it from being demolished. After 16 years of taking care of it themselves, the neighborhood group donated the towers and art center to the City of Los Angeles.

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Family Fun at Xcaret in the Riviera Maya

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Xcaret, Riviera MayaOne of our most memorable days during our visit to the Riviera Maya region of Mexico was our last minute trip to Xcaret (ish-car-et). Skeptical, but lured in by the advertisements, we weren’t sure how we felt about spending our last day at a cheesy Disneyeque theme park, but we were game to check it out.

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How to Fly with Spirit Airlines

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I have survived my first Spirit flight! And you know what, it wasn’t so bad. Flying Spirit is not for everyone, but for the budget conscious it is fantastic option. Without the low fares available on Spirit Airlines, it would not have been possible for our family to go away for a quick Mother’s Day weekend. I … Read more

Insider’s Guide: Best Shopping in Mumbai

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The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more

The Most Beautiful Hotel in Udaipur – Devi Garh Palace

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Devi Garh Palace (Udaipur, India) The difficult part of living abroad is that eventually you have to leave. When our time was almost up in India, I knew I had to fit in a few more places from my never ending (India) bucket list. One of these was the beautiful (and expensive!) RASS Devi Garh Palace … Read more

5 Easy Hikes for Toddlers Los Angeles

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Hiking is the thing to do in LA. Before moving here I didn’t think that hiking with kids was even possible, especially once they were too big to carry and no longer interested in the stroller. As a baby you can carry them and older kids can walk, but what do you do during those few years where your … Read more

What are kid friendly destinations?

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One of my fellow family travel bloggers posted a question on their Facebook page a while back asking where people thought of when they thought of kid friendly destinations. My initial response was Costa Rica, mostly because we were in the midst of planning a trip there. But then I realized that every place is kid friendly … Read more

Things To Do in LA over Winter Break (Updated 2015)

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This upcoming winter break is the first break at my son’s school in over a year that we do not have travel plans. After our India trip and a very busy fall, we have decided to stay put and spend our break exploring areas of LA that we never have time for. Although I would venture to … Read more

Sand Sledding: Winter fun for the whole family

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It is almost that time of year again — sand sledding!  This is my favorite part of winter in LA. What isn’t awesome about sledding in warm weather not having to worry about gloves and hats and frostbite. And showing off sand sledding photos to all of our east coast friends bundled up is sort of … Read more

10 Top Tips on Travelling to India with Kids

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  Travel to India without children seems daunting to most people, much less with small kids in tow. However, traveling to India with kids can be a rich and rewarding experience for the entire family. Yes, it can be difficult, but I have to say that it is not that much harder than a trip … Read more