Have slower, more fun family trips
From summer vacations to round-the-world digital nomad life, family travel fills many purposes in our lives. We might travel to relax, have new experiences, or recharge from our busy lives. Our family travel tips can help you have better trips with your kids!
Family travel can go deeper and more long-term too, with worldschooling, digital nomad living, gap years, and more.
However we travel, we can make it a fun and meaningful time for the entire family. Plus, travel builds memories and stories we can cherish for life, and it can teach our kids valuable lessons that prepare them for their own lives as adults.
About our traveling family
Whether regular vacations, Disney trips, multi-state popup camper road trips, RVing across the USA, or traveling the world full time as a family of four, our travels with kids help you get more out of your own trips with your children.
How we pack: travel backpacks for kids and adults
Carryon travel backpack recommendation guides
Kid & teen packs
Guide for adults
Digital nomad pack
Family travel tips and guides
Longest visa-free stays with a US passport
When you stop restricting yourself to a week or two, the world opens up One of the most illuminating things about being a US citizen is when you realize you…
Best types of accommodation for families: what works, what doesn’t, and how to choose
Family-friendly places to stay don’t have to be bottom dollar or top dollar There are no single best types of accommodation for families. The family that understands what each option…
Beyond the deer: Is Nara worth visiting with kids?
Skip Kyoto. 6 reasons to go to Nara instead
Kyoto isn’t right for every trip to Japan. Here’s a nearby alternative Skip Kyoto? I know, right? Saying that lobs a big ole bunch of pearl-clutching shock at anyone considering…
Nara day trip from Osaka or Kyoto: Your top 2 priorities with kids
Japan’s first permanent capital is beautiful, compact, approachable, and an easy day trip A Nara day trip from Osaka or Kyoto deserves a spot on your Japan itinerary, especially when…
How to pack for a family trip with kids?
Pack 1 bag per person That’s right. Here’s how to pack for a family trip: Pack 1 bag per person + 1 optional family bag + any necessary situational bags…
How to plan a family vacation on a budget without cheaping out
Budget family travel doesn’t have to mean bottom-dollar or overspending on unnecessary luxury Budget family travel doesn’t have to mean bottom-dollar skimping or overspending on unnecessary luxury. Here’s a practical…
The Serenity Prayer for Packing
A Serenity Prayer for Packing? That’s right. Here’s why. You might be familiar with the Serenity Prayer. It has various forms, but it goes more or less along these lines:…
6 tips for long flights with kids + VIDEO
Long-haul flight anxiety? It’s going to be okay. If you’re worried about an upcoming long flights with kids, or if anxieties about big travel days has kept you from taking…
10 apps for Japan trips
Our family has visited Japan multiple times and use these apps on every trip Here are the essential apps we use for safety, convenience, and communication Whether it’s your first…
19 things that just make sense in our Japanese apartment
After 20 different stays over 4 visits to Japan since 2013, so many Japanese innovations surprise and delight our American family From the sunny, cozy comfort on our Japanese apartment,…
The dining secret: family guide to eating in Japan with kids
Restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets and more: In Japan, you’ll never go hungry, and it’s all tasty Whether restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets, food stalls, festivals, and more, when you visit Japan…