I’m Samantha - mother, blogger, citizen of the world. I am your textbook Type A, enneagram six, go-to-planner friend. With a background in wedding planning, and a reputation for having done the research, my friends and family are always reaching out for travel tips and toddler tricks! This blog is my way of sharing both my love for traveling with my family, and my neurotic tendency toward itineraries, lists, and little known secrets. It is my sincere hope that this site helps you on your next adventure - at home or abroad!

I will always be transparent if any link or ad is sponsored by sharing a note directly on the page. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no additional cost passed to you as the customer of these products.

Why Travel with Young Kids?

Have you been told some version of “You won’t be able to travel with a baby” or “Just wait until he is walking; you will want to stay home.” Us too - and we fundamentally disagree. Travel, that is understanding different value systems, checkered histories, and social dynamics of other cultures, is both humbling and life-giving. We need these experiences for our own self-fulfillment, and we hope these experiences help instill a sense of compassion and care - for neighbors, strangers, and this planet we call home - in our children.

We won’t sugarcoat it; traveling with a toddler has its challenges. We are constantly working around nap time and have pockets full of snacks (I know we are not alone). But we also have a new appreciation for slowing down and watching sunrises (toddlers don’t sleep in). Our opinion? Traveling with a toddler is downright fun! Seeing the new and familiar through children’s eyes makes each experience more memorable! As with all things, you get better at it with more practice. Here we will share our tried-and-true travel tricks to help your family take on the world!

A Brief History

Wanderlust. Travel Bug. Restlessness. Whatever you want to call it, I have it. I want to see the world - both locally and abroad (bonus if there is a beach). It all started with a cruise.

When I was 14, my dance team got the chance to perform on a four-night Mexican Riviera cruise. I remember being so excited that my stomach hurt! On embarkation day, my mom reminded me to calm down before I hurled.

Years later, my closest friends and I hatched a plan to backpack in Europe. Having never traveled beyond the US and Mexico (a side-effect of having six siblings), I was shocked when I was given my parent’s permission. I believe my mom said, “Do it while you are young and have no responsibilities.” I spent four weeks and every penny I had saved exploring the cities of London, Paris, Brussels, Heidelberg, Munich, Rome, Bern, and Barcelona. From then on, it was non-stop. Travel became a priority, and the following year, I studied abroad on Semester at Sea with my little sister, visiting Cadiz, Civitavecchia, Athens, Dubrovnik, Varna, Alexandria, and Marrakesh.

While my boyfriend-turned-husband and I pursued higher education degrees, we lived in some of the best US cities - San Diego, Boston, and Chicago. Each was an opportunity to dig deep into the region’s nuances, learn from the locals, and eat as much as our budgets would allow! We regularly traveled to neighboring states and took advantage of our new geographic home base.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to stay put - not much travel or even exploring in our own town. So we did the next most logical thing - we started a family. 

Travel looks a little different now - we have to check luggage for one (a significant change for this strict “if it doesn’t fit in a carry-on, it doesn’t go” couple). We spend more time in one place and schedule ‘family naps’ into the itinerary (10/10 recommend, it is life-changing!). We thoroughly enjoy making new memories as a family of three and don’t plan to stop traveling any time soon.