USA TRAVEL — emily krause

Featured

Tips for Visiting Disney World with a Baby

Feb 6, 2019

destinations, travel tips, Disney, theme parks

Feb 6, 2019

destinations, travel tips, Disney, theme parks

Feb 6, 2019

destinations, travel tips, Disney, theme parks

13 Easy Day Trips from Orlando to Enhance your Disney Vacation

Jan 30, 2019

Disney, Florida, road trip, destinations

Jan 30, 2019

Disney, Florida, road trip, destinations

Jan 30, 2019

Disney, Florida, road trip, destinations

Key West Family Travel Guide

Dec 4, 2018

Florida Keys, Key West, Florida, destinations, travel guide

Dec 4, 2018

Florida Keys, Key West, Florida, destinations, travel guide

Dec 4, 2018

Florida Keys, Key West, Florida, destinations, travel guide

Miami Family Travel Guide

Nov 14, 2018

Miami, Florida, destinations

Nov 14, 2018

Miami, Florida, destinations

Nov 14, 2018

Miami, Florida, destinations

Florida Spring Break Destinations for Families

Nov 12, 2018

Florida, destinations, family vacation, travel tips, spring break

Nov 12, 2018

Florida, destinations, family vacation, travel tips, spring break

Nov 12, 2018

Florida, destinations, family vacation, travel tips, spring break

Tips for Visiting Sequoia National Park with Little Kids

Nov 11, 2018

national parks, California, Sequoia National Park, destinations, USA Travel

Nov 11, 2018

national parks, California, Sequoia National Park, destinations, USA Travel

Nov 11, 2018

national parks, California, Sequoia National Park, destinations, USA Travel

What to Do in Santa Barbara with Kids

Oct 15, 2018

California, Santa Barbara, destinations, travel guide, spring break

Oct 15, 2018

California, Santa Barbara, destinations, travel guide, spring break

Oct 15, 2018

California, Santa Barbara, destinations, travel guide, spring break

Travel to Brazil: What to Know About Visas, Vaccines, and What to Pack

Sep 12, 2018

travel tips, Brazil, destinations

Sep 12, 2018

travel tips, Brazil, destinations

Sep 12, 2018

travel tips, Brazil, destinations

What to Do in Atlanta with Kids

Aug 9, 2018

travel guide, Atlanta, destinations

Aug 9, 2018

travel guide, Atlanta, destinations

Aug 9, 2018

travel guide, Atlanta, destinations

Family Travel Guide to Gatlinburg

Jul 30, 2018

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, travel guide, destinations

Jul 30, 2018

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, travel guide, destinations

Jul 30, 2018

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, travel guide, destinations

things to do in sarasota with kids

Jun 29, 2018

destinations, travel guide, Florida

Jun 29, 2018

destinations, travel guide, Florida

Jun 29, 2018

destinations, travel guide, Florida

texas road trip with chevy

May 7, 2018

travel tips, destinations

May 7, 2018

travel tips, destinations

May 7, 2018

travel tips, destinations

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel Experience and Review

Apr 18, 2018

destinations, Disney, hotel review

Apr 18, 2018

destinations, Disney, hotel review

Apr 18, 2018

destinations, Disney, hotel review

What to Do in Cocoa Beach, Florida with Kids: A Budget Day Trip from Orlando

Mar 9, 2018

destinations, Florida, travel guide

Mar 9, 2018

destinations, Florida, travel guide

Mar 9, 2018

destinations, Florida, travel guide

a day trip guide to Savannah, GA with kids

Jan 24, 2018

travel, destinations

Jan 24, 2018

travel, destinations

Jan 24, 2018

travel, destinations

our visit to the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens

Dec 6, 2017

travel, destinations

Dec 6, 2017

travel, destinations

Dec 6, 2017

travel, destinations

st. augustine, florida - st. george street

Apr 25, 2017

travel, destinations

Apr 25, 2017

travel, destinations

Apr 25, 2017

travel, destinations

emily krause

Hola! I'm Emily Krause, a mom of three who won’t let having little ones stop her from exploring the world! I’m here to help you make travel easier & more accessible for moms!

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Planning a trip to Disney World is one of the most exciting and stressful events in a parent’s life. Your whole family is thrilled about seeing Mickey and Co, but the bulk of planning naturally falls on one person (often Mom). I’ve picked up so many little tips and tricks for making your Disney trip easier, cheaper, and more magical, and I wanted to share them with you!

Buy Disney gift cards at Target. Because they’re considered entertainment cards instead of gift cards, you can use your Red Card to buy them and get 5% off.

Research photo spots ahead of time. I ALWAYS find that once I’m inside the park it feels like too much of a hassle to stop and figure something out, or even stop and take a picture, unless I’ve planned it out ahead of time. You do NOT want to get home from your trip that you spent hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars on, and find that the only tangible memories you have are some shaky videos on your phone. Get the nice family pictures.

Buy the souvenir popcorn buckets. It’s only $2 to refill them each time, and they are the perfect snack for waiting in line, waiting for a parade to start, or for the kids to munch on in the stroller while you’re walking.

47 more amazing tips on the blog. Link in bio!

Planning a trip to Disney World is one of the most exciting and stressful events in a parent’s life. Your whole family is thrilled about seeing Mickey and Co, but the bulk of planning naturally falls on one person (often Mom). I’ve picked up so many little tips and tricks for making your Disney trip easier, cheaper, and more magical, and I wanted to share them with you! Buy Disney gift cards at Target. Because they’re considered entertainment cards instead of gift cards, you can use your Red Card to buy them and get 5% off. Research photo spots ahead of time. I ALWAYS find that once I’m inside the park it feels like too much of a hassle to stop and figure something out, or even stop and take a picture, unless I’ve planned it out ahead of time. You do NOT want to get home from your trip that you spent hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars on, and find that the only tangible memories you have are some shaky videos on your phone. Get the nice family pictures. Buy the souvenir popcorn buckets. It’s only $2 to refill them each time, and they are the perfect snack for waiting in line, waiting for a parade to start, or for the kids to munch on in the stroller while you’re walking. 47 more amazing tips on the blog. Link in bio!

Are you going on a road trip for the long Easter break weekend? 🖍 Grab some Crayola Color Wonder books and markers for the kids. The markers only color on the special paper and won’t make a mess. 📚 Pick up some audiobooks from the library to play during your drive. 📱 Use the Google Trips app to help you find local restaurants and parks when you stop. iExit app will help you find rest stops, gas stations, coffee, or fast food. The Food Tripping app helps you find healthy food options along your route. 📦 Use large clear plastic bins to pack food and/or miscellaneous items. They stack well and you can easily see what’s in each one. 🚗 Use a 3 drawer storage tower to store snacks, toys, and books for the kids in back. 🛣 Make a stop along the way to play at a park, visit a roadside attraction, or quickly tour a new city. It will help break up the trip.

Check my blog for more road trip tips! (Packing, entertaining kids, apps, and snack ideas). Link in bio! Where are you road tripping next?

Are you going on a road trip for the long Easter break weekend? 🖍 Grab some Crayola Color Wonder books and markers for the kids. The markers only color on the special paper and won’t make a mess. 📚 Pick up some audiobooks from the library to play during your drive. 📱 Use the Google Trips app to help you find local restaurants and parks when you stop. iExit app will help you find rest stops, gas stations, coffee, or fast food. The Food Tripping app helps you find healthy food options along your route. 📦 Use large clear plastic bins to pack food and/or miscellaneous items. They stack well and you can easily see what’s in each one. 🚗 Use a 3 drawer storage tower to store snacks, toys, and books for the kids in back. 🛣 Make a stop along the way to play at a park, visit a roadside attraction, or quickly tour a new city. It will help break up the trip. Check my blog for more road trip tips! (Packing, entertaining kids, apps, and snack ideas). Link in bio! Where are you road tripping next?

Hint: kids are much more likely to cooperate for a family photo if you let them hold the remote starter and press the button. ...aaaand the boys still look incredibly disinterested. 😂😂😂

Hint: kids are much more likely to cooperate for a family photo if you let them hold the remote starter and press the button. ...aaaand the boys still look incredibly disinterested. 😂😂😂

Friday Adventures! It’s a little tradition I instituted as a stay-at-home mom. Today it was wandering around our local beach town. Sometimes it’s just going through the drive through at Dunkin. Sometimes it’s trying a new park.

The days and weeks can get long and monotonous when you stay at home and work from home. Your kids can get on your nerves and a sense of ennui sets in.

Friday Adventures are my cure for that creeping dissatisfaction. We discover something new or revisit something we love in our hometown. We break the routine. We remember to have fun!

Do you do something like this? What traditions do you have that break the monotony of staying home?

Friday Adventures! It’s a little tradition I instituted as a stay-at-home mom. Today it was wandering around our local beach town. Sometimes it’s just going through the drive through at Dunkin. Sometimes it’s trying a new park. The days and weeks can get long and monotonous when you stay at home and work from home. Your kids can get on your nerves and a sense of ennui sets in. Friday Adventures are my cure for that creeping dissatisfaction. We discover something new or revisit something we love in our hometown. We break the routine. We remember to have fun! Do you do something like this? What traditions do you have that break the monotony of staying home?

How do you prefer to preserve memories of your travels? I’m a picture and video maniac (if you hadn’t noticed) and keep albums on Google Photos and an external hard drive, then write blog posts, and Instagram the heck out of each trip.

We don’t buy many souvenirs. I let the kids pick out a postcard from each place we visit, and we write about what we did on the back. (I still need to put them into albums). If we do buy something, it’s either consumable (CANDY) or an accessory like scarves, bracelets, or earrings.

What’s the best souvenir you’ve ever purchased? Do you have a cool way to remember your trips? Share below!

How do you prefer to preserve memories of your travels? I’m a picture and video maniac (if you hadn’t noticed) and keep albums on Google Photos and an external hard drive, then write blog posts, and Instagram the heck out of each trip. We don’t buy many souvenirs. I let the kids pick out a postcard from each place we visit, and we write about what we did on the back. (I still need to put them into albums). If we do buy something, it’s either consumable (CANDY) or an accessory like scarves, bracelets, or earrings. What’s the best souvenir you’ve ever purchased? Do you have a cool way to remember your trips? Share below!

You’re not a boring mom because you don’t go to exotic destinations.

You’re no less of a person because you only take a real vacation every 2 years.

I know you dreamed of traveling the world. I know you fantasized about living that boho life, wandering down foreign city streets, maybe even while wearing your baby . It seemed so attainable before you had kids.

And it is attainable, but maybe not right now. Maybe you’re still paying hospital bills from your last baby while trying for another one. Maybe you can barely get through one day with babies and toddlers and preschoolers much less plan and save for a trip to another country.

Don’t worry, though. Your day is coming. This season won’t last forever. Start saving your pennies in a mason jar. Start a sinking fund for travel. Bookmark places you want to go on Pinterest or Instagram. Soon you’ll emerge from the fog of parenting small children and your urge to GO and DO and EXPLORE will be stronger than your overwhelm.

In the meantime, check out the local donut shop with your kids. Drive a half hour to that state park. Tour the nearest museum or visit the next city over. I promise there’s so much to discover right where you are. Paris and Machu Picchu and Madagascar will still be there in a few years.

Double tap if you’ve got big dreams of traveling with your kids (or future kids)!

You’re not a boring mom because you don’t go to exotic destinations. You’re no less of a person because you only take a real vacation every 2 years. I know you dreamed of traveling the world. I know you fantasized about living that boho life, wandering down foreign city streets, maybe even while wearing your baby . It seemed so attainable before you had kids. And it is attainable, but maybe not right now. Maybe you’re still paying hospital bills from your last baby while trying for another one. Maybe you can barely get through one day with babies and toddlers and preschoolers much less plan and save for a trip to another country. Don’t worry, though. Your day is coming. This season won’t last forever. Start saving your pennies in a mason jar. Start a sinking fund for travel. Bookmark places you want to go on Pinterest or Instagram. Soon you’ll emerge from the fog of parenting small children and your urge to GO and DO and EXPLORE will be stronger than your overwhelm. In the meantime, check out the local donut shop with your kids. Drive a half hour to that state park. Tour the nearest museum or visit the next city over. I promise there’s so much to discover right where you are. Paris and Machu Picchu and Madagascar will still be there in a few years. Double tap if you’ve got big dreams of traveling with your kids (or future kids)!

How can you make travel a regular part of your life if you’re pressed for time or money?

We’ve been loving local day trips and quick weekend getaways. We rely on road trips, visiting friends, Airbnb’s, and the occasional hotel stay.

Our “local” road trip radius for a weekend is about 5 hours, and we’ve been able to discover lots of cool cities this way. What’s a nearby city you’ve explored that surprised you?

How can you make travel a regular part of your life if you’re pressed for time or money? We’ve been loving local day trips and quick weekend getaways. We rely on road trips, visiting friends, Airbnb’s, and the occasional hotel stay. Our “local” road trip radius for a weekend is about 5 hours, and we’ve been able to discover lots of cool cities this way. What’s a nearby city you’ve explored that surprised you?

We didn’t quit our jobs to travel the world. We aren’t on the road full time. Sometimes weeks go by where we don’t leave our hometown.

I just want other families to know that travel is about curiosity, not how many countries you check off your list. It’s about exploring the place you call home just as much as it is about discovering other cultures and customs.

I’ve got all kinds of tips for exploring more with young children on the blog. Grab an afternoon cup of coffee and check out the link in my bio for lots of travel inspiration!

We didn’t quit our jobs to travel the world. We aren’t on the road full time. Sometimes weeks go by where we don’t leave our hometown. I just want other families to know that travel is about curiosity, not how many countries you check off your list. It’s about exploring the place you call home just as much as it is about discovering other cultures and customs. I’ve got all kinds of tips for exploring more with young children on the blog. Grab an afternoon cup of coffee and check out the link in my bio for lots of travel inspiration!

5 FUN THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME... 😎 I’m a rebel, baby. According to Gretchen Rubin’s 4 tendencies that is. Basically that means I don’t like being told what to do or when, and I feel VERY constricted when anything is on the schedule. Complete freedom all the time, plz. ✋🏼 I have 5 sisters and no brothers. This was always my go-to “name a fun fact about yourself” for ice breakers. Yes, we are very close. Yes, we make fun of each other all the time. Yes, we fight then never apologize and act like nothing happened after an undetermined amount of time. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I don’t really get the appeal of parades, condiments, college sports (like when people are v fanatical about them), wearing costumes, or watching golf on tv. 🤓 I am, however, a HUGE Harry Potter nerd, and am just now getting into Game of Thrones. I actually really dig the fantasy genre. And magical realism. 🥄If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it would for sure be cereal. I will never get sick of it. Top rankings: CTC, Cocoa Krispies, Golden Grahams. Don’t come at me with your healthy cereals. They’re garbage! If I wanted something healthy I wouldn’t be eating cereal.

Plz share a fun fact about yourself or a rebuttal to one of my fun facts! 👇🏼

5 FUN THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME... 😎 I’m a rebel, baby. According to Gretchen Rubin’s 4 tendencies that is. Basically that means I don’t like being told what to do or when, and I feel VERY constricted when anything is on the schedule. Complete freedom all the time, plz. ✋🏼 I have 5 sisters and no brothers. This was always my go-to “name a fun fact about yourself” for ice breakers. Yes, we are very close. Yes, we make fun of each other all the time. Yes, we fight then never apologize and act like nothing happened after an undetermined amount of time. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I don’t really get the appeal of parades, condiments, college sports (like when people are v fanatical about them), wearing costumes, or watching golf on tv. 🤓 I am, however, a HUGE Harry Potter nerd, and am just now getting into Game of Thrones. I actually really dig the fantasy genre. And magical realism. 🥄If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it would for sure be cereal. I will never get sick of it. Top rankings: CTC, Cocoa Krispies, Golden Grahams. Don’t come at me with your healthy cereals. They’re garbage! If I wanted something healthy I wouldn’t be eating cereal. Plz share a fun fact about yourself or a rebuttal to one of my fun facts! 👇🏼

Took away their Cars toys and tv for a week because I was sick of the fighting and whining. They played so well for about 90% of the day using their imagination. Around 5 pm they turned into feral wild animals. It’s going to be a long week.

Took away their Cars toys and tv for a week because I was sick of the fighting and whining. They played so well for about 90% of the day using their imagination. Around 5 pm they turned into feral wild animals. It’s going to be a long week.

It’s hard to make a big splash when you only have a vertical of about 1/2 an inch.

Considered letting the boys watch movies all day thanks to this rainy weather, but decided to at least spend a few minutes splashing in the puddles with them.

I actually don’t mind a cozy day inside when it’s raining, but definitely prefer the weather when it’s sunny and HOT. What’s your ideal weather day?

It’s hard to make a big splash when you only have a vertical of about 1/2 an inch. Considered letting the boys watch movies all day thanks to this rainy weather, but decided to at least spend a few minutes splashing in the puddles with them. I actually don’t mind a cozy day inside when it’s raining, but definitely prefer the weather when it’s sunny and HOT. What’s your ideal weather day?

When we’re not traveling, my ideal weekend includes nowhere to go and leisurely coffee (as leisurely as it can get with kids), some work time, playing outside, grilling out, church, and family time. I’d say this was just about the perfect weekend! What are you up to this weekend?

When we’re not traveling, my ideal weekend includes nowhere to go and leisurely coffee (as leisurely as it can get with kids), some work time, playing outside, grilling out, church, and family time. I’d say this was just about the perfect weekend! What are you up to this weekend?

Fellow parent, travel with kids is EXHAUSTING. It's hard, and it will TEST your marriage. It will possibly bring you to tears, and it will make you want to lock yourself in your house the moment you get back and never leave again.

So why do people do it? Why do we keep subjecting ourselves to the trials and tribulations of air travel and long road trips with our tiny dictators who leave destruction and lots of crumbs in their wake? Why do we open ourselves up to disrupting routines and sleep schedules?
It's because the reward is so great. The return on our investment is huge. Yes, travel with kids is tough, but the growth you will see in your children and in yourself makes every sleepless night and transportation nightmare totally worth it.

And moments like this, when your world is calm and quiet for only a moment, and you hear tiny giggles coming from a sun-soaked hammock holding 2 of your 3 most precious treasures in life. Those moments make it worth it. What inspires you to keep traveling with your kids, even when it’s a pain?

Fellow parent, travel with kids is EXHAUSTING. It's hard, and it will TEST your marriage. It will possibly bring you to tears, and it will make you want to lock yourself in your house the moment you get back and never leave again. So why do people do it? Why do we keep subjecting ourselves to the trials and tribulations of air travel and long road trips with our tiny dictators who leave destruction and lots of crumbs in their wake? Why do we open ourselves up to disrupting routines and sleep schedules? It's because the reward is so great. The return on our investment is huge. Yes, travel with kids is tough, but the growth you will see in your children and in yourself makes every sleepless night and transportation nightmare totally worth it. And moments like this, when your world is calm and quiet for only a moment, and you hear tiny giggles coming from a sun-soaked hammock holding 2 of your 3 most precious treasures in life. Those moments make it worth it. What inspires you to keep traveling with your kids, even when it’s a pain?

I love that living in Florida has given our family tons of opportunities to visit Disney World. Our first time visiting with our kids felt incredibly overwhelming, but each visit got easier as we learned tips and hacks for having a better Disney experience. I’m putting together a post of my favorite Disney World hacks, and I’d love to hear yours! What’s a tip that has made your Disney trip cheaper, easier, or more magical?

I love that living in Florida has given our family tons of opportunities to visit Disney World. Our first time visiting with our kids felt incredibly overwhelming, but each visit got easier as we learned tips and hacks for having a better Disney experience. I’m putting together a post of my favorite Disney World hacks, and I’d love to hear yours! What’s a tip that has made your Disney trip cheaper, easier, or more magical?

Favorite thing about staying in hotels? Definitely splashing around in the pool with the kids. We took this pic with our @gopro at @omni_aip over spring break. What’s your favorite thing about hotels with kids?

Favorite thing about staying in hotels? Definitely splashing around in the pool with the kids. We took this pic with our @gopro at @omni_aip over spring break. What’s your favorite thing about hotels with kids?

So thankful my college age sister was at Disney with us so we had someone who understood the need to take all the awesome Disney wall photos ✨

So thankful my college age sister was at Disney with us so we had someone who understood the need to take all the awesome Disney wall photos ✨

Planning a trip to Disney World is one of the most exciting and stressful events in a parent’s life. Your whole family is thrilled about seeing Mickey and Co, but the bulk of planning naturally falls on one person (often Mom). I’ve picked up so many little tips and tricks for making your Disney trip easier, cheaper, and more magical, and I wanted to share them with you!

Buy Disney gift cards at Target. Because they’re considered entertainment cards instead of gift cards, you can use your Red Card to buy them and get 5% off.

Research photo spots ahead of time. I ALWAYS find that once I’m inside the park it feels like too much of a hassle to stop and figure something out, or even stop and take a picture, unless I’ve planned it out ahead of time. You do NOT want to get home from your trip that you spent hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars on, and find that the only tangible memories you have are some shaky videos on your phone. Get the nice family pictures.

Buy the souvenir popcorn buckets. It’s only $2 to refill them each time, and they are the perfect snack for waiting in line, waiting for a parade to start, or for the kids to munch on in the stroller while you’re walking.

47 more amazing tips on the blog. Link in bio!

Are you going on a road trip for the long Easter break weekend? 🖍 Grab some Crayola Color Wonder books and markers for the kids. The markers only color on the special paper and won’t make a mess. 📚 Pick up some audiobooks from the library to play during your drive. 📱 Use the Google Trips app to help you find local restaurants and parks when you stop. iExit app will help you find rest stops, gas stations, coffee, or fast food. The Food Tripping app helps you find healthy food options along your route. 📦 Use large clear plastic bins to pack food and/or miscellaneous items. They stack well and you can easily see what’s in each one. 🚗 Use a 3 drawer storage tower to store snacks, toys, and books for the kids in back. 🛣 Make a stop along the way to play at a park, visit a roadside attraction, or quickly tour a new city. It will help break up the trip.

Check my blog for more road trip tips! (Packing, entertaining kids, apps, and snack ideas). Link in bio! Where are you road tripping next?

Hint: kids are much more likely to cooperate for a family photo if you let them hold the remote starter and press the button. ...aaaand the boys still look incredibly disinterested. 😂😂😂

Friday Adventures! It’s a little tradition I instituted as a stay-at-home mom. Today it was wandering around our local beach town. Sometimes it’s just going through the drive through at Dunkin. Sometimes it’s trying a new park.

The days and weeks can get long and monotonous when you stay at home and work from home. Your kids can get on your nerves and a sense of ennui sets in.

Friday Adventures are my cure for that creeping dissatisfaction. We discover something new or revisit something we love in our hometown. We break the routine. We remember to have fun!

Do you do something like this? What traditions do you have that break the monotony of staying home?

How do you prefer to preserve memories of your travels? I’m a picture and video maniac (if you hadn’t noticed) and keep albums on Google Photos and an external hard drive, then write blog posts, and Instagram the heck out of each trip.

We don’t buy many souvenirs. I let the kids pick out a postcard from each place we visit, and we write about what we did on the back. (I still need to put them into albums). If we do buy something, it’s either consumable (CANDY) or an accessory like scarves, bracelets, or earrings.

What’s the best souvenir you’ve ever purchased? Do you have a cool way to remember your trips? Share below!

You’re not a boring mom because you don’t go to exotic destinations.

You’re no less of a person because you only take a real vacation every 2 years.

I know you dreamed of traveling the world. I know you fantasized about living that boho life, wandering down foreign city streets, maybe even while wearing your baby . It seemed so attainable before you had kids.

And it is attainable, but maybe not right now. Maybe you’re still paying hospital bills from your last baby while trying for another one. Maybe you can barely get through one day with babies and toddlers and preschoolers much less plan and save for a trip to another country.

Don’t worry, though. Your day is coming. This season won’t last forever. Start saving your pennies in a mason jar. Start a sinking fund for travel. Bookmark places you want to go on Pinterest or Instagram. Soon you’ll emerge from the fog of parenting small children and your urge to GO and DO and EXPLORE will be stronger than your overwhelm.

In the meantime, check out the local donut shop with your kids. Drive a half hour to that state park. Tour the nearest museum or visit the next city over. I promise there’s so much to discover right where you are. Paris and Machu Picchu and Madagascar will still be there in a few years.

Double tap if you’ve got big dreams of traveling with your kids (or future kids)!

How can you make travel a regular part of your life if you’re pressed for time or money?

We’ve been loving local day trips and quick weekend getaways. We rely on road trips, visiting friends, Airbnb’s, and the occasional hotel stay.

Our “local” road trip radius for a weekend is about 5 hours, and we’ve been able to discover lots of cool cities this way. What’s a nearby city you’ve explored that surprised you?

We didn’t quit our jobs to travel the world. We aren’t on the road full time. Sometimes weeks go by where we don’t leave our hometown.

I just want other families to know that travel is about curiosity, not how many countries you check off your list. It’s about exploring the place you call home just as much as it is about discovering other cultures and customs.

I’ve got all kinds of tips for exploring more with young children on the blog. Grab an afternoon cup of coffee and check out the link in my bio for lots of travel inspiration!

5 FUN THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME... 😎 I’m a rebel, baby. According to Gretchen Rubin’s 4 tendencies that is. Basically that means I don’t like being told what to do or when, and I feel VERY constricted when anything is on the schedule. Complete freedom all the time, plz. ✋🏼 I have 5 sisters and no brothers. This was always my go-to “name a fun fact about yourself” for ice breakers. Yes, we are very close. Yes, we make fun of each other all the time. Yes, we fight then never apologize and act like nothing happened after an undetermined amount of time. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I don’t really get the appeal of parades, condiments, college sports (like when people are v fanatical about them), wearing costumes, or watching golf on tv. 🤓 I am, however, a HUGE Harry Potter nerd, and am just now getting into Game of Thrones. I actually really dig the fantasy genre. And magical realism. 🥄If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it would for sure be cereal. I will never get sick of it. Top rankings: CTC, Cocoa Krispies, Golden Grahams. Don’t come at me with your healthy cereals. They’re garbage! If I wanted something healthy I wouldn’t be eating cereal.

Plz share a fun fact about yourself or a rebuttal to one of my fun facts! 👇🏼

Took away their Cars toys and tv for a week because I was sick of the fighting and whining. They played so well for about 90% of the day using their imagination. Around 5 pm they turned into feral wild animals. It’s going to be a long week.

It’s hard to make a big splash when you only have a vertical of about 1/2 an inch.

Considered letting the boys watch movies all day thanks to this rainy weather, but decided to at least spend a few minutes splashing in the puddles with them.

I actually don’t mind a cozy day inside when it’s raining, but definitely prefer the weather when it’s sunny and HOT. What’s your ideal weather day?

When we’re not traveling, my ideal weekend includes nowhere to go and leisurely coffee (as leisurely as it can get with kids), some work time, playing outside, grilling out, church, and family time. I’d say this was just about the perfect weekend! What are you up to this weekend?

Fellow parent, travel with kids is EXHAUSTING. It's hard, and it will TEST your marriage. It will possibly bring you to tears, and it will make you want to lock yourself in your house the moment you get back and never leave again.

So why do people do it? Why do we keep subjecting ourselves to the trials and tribulations of air travel and long road trips with our tiny dictators who leave destruction and lots of crumbs in their wake? Why do we open ourselves up to disrupting routines and sleep schedules?
It's because the reward is so great. The return on our investment is huge. Yes, travel with kids is tough, but the growth you will see in your children and in yourself makes every sleepless night and transportation nightmare totally worth it.

And moments like this, when your world is calm and quiet for only a moment, and you hear tiny giggles coming from a sun-soaked hammock holding 2 of your 3 most precious treasures in life. Those moments make it worth it. What inspires you to keep traveling with your kids, even when it’s a pain?

I love that living in Florida has given our family tons of opportunities to visit Disney World. Our first time visiting with our kids felt incredibly overwhelming, but each visit got easier as we learned tips and hacks for having a better Disney experience. I’m putting together a post of my favorite Disney World hacks, and I’d love to hear yours! What’s a tip that has made your Disney trip cheaper, easier, or more magical?

Favorite thing about staying in hotels? Definitely splashing around in the pool with the kids. We took this pic with our @gopro at @omni_aip over spring break. What’s your favorite thing about hotels with kids?

So thankful my college age sister was at Disney with us so we had someone who understood the need to take all the awesome Disney wall photos ✨

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