How To Travel The World With Kids - A Guide for Young Families
Learn the in's & out's of traveling with kids (from babies, to toddlers, elementary & beyond). Prepare to make your life & vacay - infinitely easier.
As a first-generation immigrant, frequent flier, single mom, & former classroom teacher, I have a lot of tools to help you travel with your kids.
Traveling is the best education period. Working in hella different schools & districts, nothing hits/imprints like a foreign (or domestic) trip!
You’ve got to get out of your regular situation - to experience, appreciate & embrace life. And see your kids grow! They’ll have amazing stories to share in school, feel infinitely more comfortable & confident.
AND you’ll be able to record hella dope family videos (sprinkled throughout this post). Check my How To Go Camping With Your Family if it speaks to you!
Moments like dancing in the kitchen in Rome to “Hold Me Closer” by Brittney Spears & Elton John. Going to a Parisian playground with your friends from high school. Kind strangers helping you make your next flight - make all the rushed, emotional moments worth it!
Key Things To Keep In Mind
Be patient. Breathe, stretch, shake, let it go. Enjoy this family time by giving yourself & your kids as much grace as possible. Traveling can be uncomfortable, take time & car, plane & train schedules can change. The more you can relax, the better! (Me & the boys heading to Chicago).
Be organized. There’s nothing like forgetting an extra onesie when you need it in Central Park 😂. Ask my neighbor who called me a “Rookie.” Guess what, I’m a boss now.
Be open. Trust, unify, work as a team. That’s how you’ll meet hella cool people, get through any hiccups & be invited to insider tings! The hot spots are often only word-of-mouth. And that requires trust.
LIVE LIFE. Life is beautiful. Life is meant to be magical AF, honored & celebrated. “When in Rome.” Make some memories!
Watch this video with my top vacation tips (including incorporating your kid’s Human Design)
Best Places To Travel With Kids
Paris, France - Eiffel Tower, amazing food, arts & vibe (City, Hop-On-Hop Off River Tour + Restaurants & Farmer’s Market + AirBnB)
Rome, Italy - Old ruins, fountains, parks & outdoors (Lake, Site Seeing & AirBnB & City, Trevi Fountain & Friend’s Apartment)
Cancún, Mexico - SUPER family friendly. With a ridiculously easy commute from the airport you have a ton of resorts & options. The airplane is always full of families & this is a GREAT place to start.
New York City - Central Park, fashion, entertainment.
Atlanta, GA - Enjoy the Botanical Garden, outdoor walkway, Ponce City Market (go to the crystal shop & get the Cuban food)
The Bay Area & Wine Country - Enjoy the Discovery Museum, Muir Woods, Ocean Beach, Giant’s Stadium & farm-to-table food. Visit Cozy Plum in Sebastopol, Sol Food in Mill Valley, San Rafael or Petaluma & WildSeed in the Marina, San Francisco.
Best People To Travel With
Former classmates, study abroad friends & neighbors - people you know well or have already traveled with.
Aunties, other parents, folks that are kid-friendly. Sometimes your birth family is not the vibe, and that’s okay. Do you, make sure you have your own space & know that your vacation is up to you!
That’s my mom hanging with our neighbor’s kids in Manhattan, New York!
Places To Stay
Club Med (Cancún, Mexico) - All-inclusive family friendly resort with childcare, excursions & classes all over the world. Includes rides to & from the airport! Watch these summer trips including:
AirBnB’s - Choose a family-friendly flat, home or rental where the kids can have their own room, you get a kitchen & even laundry! Choose a central location and/or one close to public transportation. Bonus points if it has a back yard, terrace or pool!
Hotels - On our way back from Europe, we had 1 night in Paris. We stayed right by the airport for the convenience, space-themed hotel, room service (I was tired after 10 days), affordablity & we even got chauffeured in the morning.
Hostels - When I was single, I stayed here in Ecuador with my sister & homegirl. It was MAGNIFICENT. There are families, but not too many. Just do your research. Thinking communal meals, bikes, lockers, group outings, insider info on tours & excursions!
Side Story - My phone was stolen in Paris. I left it in the Uber & the guy totally played me. HOWEVER, the hotel staff, SLAYED. They spoke to him (in French), told him to meet me in the lobby (with cameras) & made sure I was GOOD. He ended up bring the wrong phone (boy stop) - but regardless, I was incredibly protected & supported.
Best Activities To Do With The Kids
Traveling with kids is different than with your friends. You & your people might want to explore the best restaurants, night-life & museums. But with your babies you can see a whole other side of the city (and get a sitter when you want too)!
Zoo, parks, museums & Botanical Gardens
Bike rides
River cruises, sailing & hop-on hop-off tours/buses (Cancun 2024 & San Diego, 2025)
Beach, hiking & exploring (Italia Beach Day)
Lago Albano - AMAZING super-local, Italian lake town. We went to Le Palme Resort (1.5 hours from Rome).
Beach, Rome
Outdoor markets, shows or festivals
How To Plan Your Trip
Select your destination. Beach? Mountains? International? Domestic?
Decide where you want to stay. AirBnB, Hotel with family or friends?
Look at the map. See what’s nearby. Is there a park? A major landmark? Grocery store? Zoom in, get the lay of the land.
Create a list of all the things you want to do & see. Tourists spots, shops, museums, land marks.
Pro Tip - Me & my family created Shared Notes (iPhone) to add flight info, AirBnB addresses, suggested plans, grocery lists & links! It seriously saved hella back & forth, questions & confusion. We pinned in the group chat
Research with TripAdvisor, Yelp & Google to plan your days & itinerary. If you’re in travel groups (Facebook, IG, etc.) search previous posts, click on some hashtags, check Pinterest, ask your friends & get the insider deets!
Plan 1 main outing per day. With rest, scenery & food.
Pro Tip - The younger the kids, the more space & transition time they need. Also the larger the group, the longer it takes. Think study-abroad, class trips & bachelorette parties.
Be flexible. Sometimes you miss something, you’re late or have to adjust. Breathe & know you have everything you need. Check out my Euro Trip Recap (2022), Once we go to Paris, we decided to go to Rome! And then a lake-trip & a beach-trip!
Start listening to music, watching movies or learning about the language. It’ll pump you up, show the kids what it looks like & give you some room to realign your vision.
Me & the boys in Paris, Summer 2022. I asked the waiter to take a pic!
What To Organize Before You Go
Apply for/renew passports & driver license. Allow 6 weeks time.
Apply for Global Entry & TSA PreCheck here.
Reach out to friends or family in the area! See if you can connect!
Tell the school, other parent or employer.
Get a pet/house sitter.
Call the bank & let them know your plans.
Set-up email vacation responder.
Schedule a day off when you come back - to reset & unpack.
How To Prepare For The Airplane
Talk about the trip often.
Have the kids practice packing (& carrying) their own back pack + suitcase & watch you pack. Ask for help & input on outfits, gathering items & selecting toys/books.
Explain that traveling requires a few different things - car, train & plane + a lot of walking. You’ll be in a new place, carry all your stuff & need to think like a team (cooperation). There will be lines, patience & quiet time required. United Airlines has a cool “Social Story” with a kid-friendly play-by-play.
Check all the bags with young children so you have your hands free. Check your stroller & carseat at the gate & ask for a “Kid’s Kit,” stickers or airline toys. When the kids are older - carry-on only, it’s faster & teaches you all how to travel light.
Once you get through security - fill up all your water bottles & buy some gum. When ears need to pop, snacks, drinks & breastfeeding will do the trick.
Sometimes (in SFO) there is a kid’s area or yoga room. If you got the right credit card - you can get into the lounge. And other times, you just need to walk up & down to settle some energy.
Remember - The flight attendants are literally pros & will help you! I’ve definitely cried a few times doing it all alone, but that’s when the Angels come out.
We ran into some family friends & their kids on our trip home! 👆🏽
Side Story - My BFF (Cailin👇🏽) came to visit me in St. Louis! I purposely planned a trip home so we could all be on the flight together. I was SOOO grateful! Her presence & the experience was 🤌🏽.
What to Pack
Get my complete Family Packing List, including checked & carry on items! Plus my favorite gear to make it super memorable!
✨ For Sporty People - Bring a GoPro (Check out my Italian Beach Video & this photo 👇🏽)
Recommended Travel Apps
Uber & InstaCart
Whatever airline you are taking - Southwest, United, Delta, etc.
Cash App/Venmo/Zelle
Apple Pay - Europe Uses Revolut
✨ Pro Tip - Some old school towns & restaurants still use cash! Make sure you check your bank situation for ATM fees & international charges.
Also, don’t exchange money at the airport, it always cost more. Do it once you get settled - at a reputable bank/ATM. Ask the taxi/Uber driver (they’ll stop for you), hotel or AirBnB host.
Prepping The House
Going on vacation feels much smoother when you prep the house! Check out my Packing Timeline for the days leading up + getting home.
What To Do When You Get There
Pat yourself on the back. 🥳
Ask people to take pictures of you - on your phone & InstaMax.
Get a local babysitter or use the kid’s club.
Play music & add songs to your Kid’s/Family playlist! 🎧
Ride a Lime Bike or Scooter. 🛴
If you’re interested in a float or camping trip while on vacay - check this out:
If you’re interesting in learning how to make money while you’re traveling check this:
How To Build A Business Leveraging Systems & Automation.
If you want some 1:1 coaching or to check out my DJ & health services, I got you! Connect with me here. 🥰🫶🏽.