Tag: international

Summer Portugal Adventures with Kids- Lisbon and Algarve Itinerary and Logistics

Trip motivation In summer of 2025, our family took a trip to Portugal! We loved spending a few days in Lisbon with some history and museums and then took the train down to Lagos and the Algarve area where we soaked in the sun and beach vibes. We love European travel as it always has family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our flights, itinerary, planning process, and international logistics such as using the subway, getting a phone card, and finding budget restaurants. For more on our Portugal Adventure, see our posts here Summer Portugal Adventures with Kids- Lisbon and Algarve Itinerary and Logistics 3 day Lisbon Itinerary for Families 4 day Algarve Itinerary for Families Planning our Itinerary I love planning trips, especially through well-traveled places where there’s a ton of information to read through and make plans for. Many online blogs were really helpful! We were in each home-base for around 4 days and read numerous blogs and books (Rick Steves is always a must-read for Europe trips). One tip for traveling with kids is take a 3-day best of guide and cut out half of it to make it actually realistic to manage in those same 3 days. Mix in some kid-focused/less touristy options like malls, playgrounds, hotel pool. We did a lot of bus and train travel on this trip and our kids loved reading their new kindles on the trains and this was a great time for just chatting and reconnecting with gorgeous views. Several months before, I sketched out our plan in excel and on google maps with a balance of activities, rest time, food, rest, and fun. We made sure to research how far areas were and tried to schedule several anchor points with a few optional activities so we didn’t overstuff our schedule. Overview Day 0: Layover in Ireland Day 1: Lisbon city walks and Belem sights Day 2: Parque das Nações Science Museum Day 3: Side trip to Sintra sights with evening ferry to Cacilhas Day 4: Train to Algarve and beach walk Day 5: Benagil kayaking and town exploring Day 6: Lagos walk and Meia Praia beach bike ride Day 7: Train to Faro and ferry to beach hangs Day 8: Return home Flying to Portugal We used American express points transferred to Aer Lingus for our flights (Nashville to Dublin, Dublin to Lisbon) and United Miles for our flight from Faro (Layover in New York) Chase Sapphire Preferred Apply Here Chase Sapphire Reserve Apply Here Chase Hyatt Apply Here Tips for Long Plane Rides Sleeping on planes West to East: Plan to sleep! For the overnight red-eye flight to Europe, we emphasized that after dinner service, everyone was going to try and get some sleep. I gave each kid a dose of melatonin and they passed out pretty immediately. We packed these cheap pillows from Amazon (They came with eye masks!). On arrival, get outside and try to limit naps so you can readjust. Activities for long flights East to West On the long flight, the kids were happy playing with the personal screen and alternating between coloring, reading, tv, games, and snacks. Ellie has been loving the Magic Treehouse books and when they were little, they used to love activities in the Magic Ink and small play pack coloring books (Amazon links). We have one Nintendo Switch that the kids love. For more on our favorite activities and tips for flying, see our post here. Transportation in Europe Train travel and public transportation is one of our favorite things about Europe. Everything is pretty straightforward and inexpensive. We did learn that the trains are not always on time and to make sure you’re on the right stop when you stop! In Lisbon, we did a combo of walking, bolt/uber rides and public transportation. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. We took trains between Lisbon and Lagos and between Lagos and Faro. We should have purchased tickets ahead of time as prices went up closer to departure. We also got a little “lost” on our way to Lagos as the train was delayed and the number of stops and timing made us get off at the wrong stop. We ended up calling a taxi found through rome2rio In both cities, we stayed at apartments found on booking.com/recommended by friends. These were bot in the old town section and very convenient to walking. If we had a slightly younger kid, it would probably be more important to stay close to a main train line. We didn’t have a car for either portion of our trip. I love how easy train travel is in Europe. We mapped destinations using google maps and compared the time/cost/effort to use a taxi, train, bus, or walk. We used bolt/uber or the train depending on where/how far we were going. If you have little ones, it might be harder to use a taxi due to the car seat. If you plan on using a stroller on the subway, many have elevators, but be prepared to fold it and carry up stairs. Eating in Portugal We stopped by grocery stores for breakfast meals to start our day and snacks for the hotel room. LIDL and Pingo Doce bakery items are amazing and so cheap. During the day, we tried to balance quick meals with sit-down meals. We did do a few fancy meals like a waterfront seafood restaurant in Cacilhas and a Brazillian steakhouse. We also did sandwiches and quick meals. A few restaurants had kids menus or we would get entrees to share. We always say trips are for eating. We ate a wide variety of yummy foods (Yum Pastel de Nata!)There are

4 day Algarve Itinerary for Families

Background In summer of 2025, our family took a trip to Portugal! We loved spending a few days in Lisbon with some history and museums and then took the train down to Lagos and the Algarve area where we soaked in the sun and beach vibes. We love European travel as it always has family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our days in the Algarve area with a base in Lagos and Faro. For more on our Portugal Adventure, see our posts here Summer Portugal Adventures with Kids- Lisbon and Algarve Itinerary and Logistics 3 day Lisbon Itinerary for Families 4 day Algarve Itinerary for Families Arrival in Lagos After a blast in Lisbon, we hopped a train to Lagos for four days, ready to explore Portugal’s gorgeous southern shores. We love European train travel, so no rental car for us! But, word to the wise: not all train rides are created equal. Our journey began smoothly enough: a cab from our Lisbon apartment to the Entrecampos train station, then a train heading for Faro with a transfer in Tunes. Except, I totally messed up and we ended up in Santa Clara, a town with literally nothing. Seriously, nothing! But we survived! Ben went for a run, the kids got creative, and we all laughed about how it was just like The Amazing Race where contestants get lost. The station was super remote. We eventually split a cab with some other lost souls and finally made it to Lagos by late afternoon. Transportation in Algarve We used Lagos as our home base for 3 evenings. We could walk everywhere, exploring the town or to the nearby beach. This was a big “pro” for us in skipping a rental car. A car gives you more flexibility, but for our trip, the costs for transport were reasonable, and we absolutely loved the walkability in both Lagos and later, Faro. For bigger adventures, like our trip to Benagil, we called Bolt ( like Uber, but cheaper). About $30 each way. We also rented bikes from Coast Bike Shop right near our place and had a blast cycling to a close-by beach. Getting around was never an issue; there’s a few buses and Bolts were always super easy to find. To wrap up our Lagos leg, we bought our train tickets for Faro, our final quick stopover. This train station was a little far walk so we again called a bolt. The train to Faro was a little older but it was fine. (Carry toilet paper though :-P) When we arrived at the Faro station, we used Bolt to take us to our apartment. From there, it was a pleasant walk to get a ferry (hourly?) to a gorgeous beach. Also accessible by taxi/bolt. On our last morning, it was an easy 10-minute ride from town to the airport. Hotel While we’re usually total hotel people (Hyatt, almost always!), there just weren’t any in this part of Portugal. We took a recommendation and booked an apartment called Henri’s Apartment (Available on Booking.com). It was wonderful! It had three large rooms, which meant the kids could really spread out. The manager even left us some snacks and wine, which was such a lovely touch! Something we might remember to look for next time is a pool, but honestly, all that beach time was more than enough. Our location was fantastic too. We were right next to some amazing, delicious restaurants and, conveniently, the bike shop where we rented bikes for a big beach adventure. Our 3 day itinerary in Algarve Day 1: Arrival and Praia da Batata Beach After our late afternoon arrival, the summer daylight allowed us to keep adventuring (Late May)! We immediately purchased a $5 shovel and bucket and headed straight for Praia da Batata. This beach is beautiful, with incredible natural bridges and rock formations. The kids loved playing in the sand and ocean. We went back to our apartment for a quick change, and then just a short stroll around the corner to a fantastic spot for some delicious seafood. A perfect introduction to the southern Portugal vibes! Day 2: Benagil kayking and more 45 minute drive to Benagil We kicked off our big adventure day with some delicious pastel de nata pastries from a nearby shop! Then, it was a quick Bolt ride to the small town of Benagil, home to the famous sea caves. This is a super popular spot, and there’s tons of boats and people buzzing about. Some opt for skippered boat tours, zipping past, while others even make the longer journey all the way from Lagos. But for us, kayaking was the clear winner to truly experience the magic. It allows you to get right inside the caves and explore at your own pace, unlike larger boat tours that often just pass by the entrance or don’t allow disembarkation. Kayak Algarve: Secret Algarve We booked our adventure with Kayak Algarve: Secret Algarve. Prices were reasonable ($35 per person)and our two guides were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, making the whole experience seamless and safe. We took out double kayaks, one adult and one kid per kayak. Our two-hour journey was exhausting but so, so much fun! We paddled into the famous Benagil Cave with its iconic “eye” to the sky, but our guides also led us to nearby dark grottos, under incredible natural bridges, and even let us disembark at a secluded beach to play and snap some selfies. It’s truly a unique way to see the Algarve’s incredible geology up close. We refueled with lunch at Restaurant Litoral, a short walk up from the meet-up spot Evening relaxing and Italian for dinner Back in Lagos, we lounged at the apartment with kids on Switches, and adults doing some light email catch-up

3 day Lisbon Itinerary for Families

Background In summer of 2025, our family took a trip to Portugal! We loved spending a few days in Lisbon with some history and museums and then took the train down to Lagos and the Algarve area where we soaked in the sun and beach vibes. We love European travel as it always has family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our days in Lisbon. For more on our Portugal Adventure, see our posts here Summer Portugal Adventures with Kids- Lisbon and Algarve Itinerary and Logistics 3 day Lisbon Itinerary for Families 4 day Algarve Itinerary for Families Arrival in Lisbon from Airport We flew from Nashville to Lisbon with a long layover in Dublin, Ireland. There is a new non-stop and award tickets were really cheap. Usually arrivals from the US would be earlier in the morning, but we spent part of the day in Ireland and arrived to Lisbon late in the evening around 10p. We took an uber to our apartment. Transportation in Lisbon In Lisbon, we mostly did a lot of walking with a few uber trips. (Later in the trip, we learned that Bolt was a better option) We also took a few bus and train rides. We tapped our cards on the buses and at train turnstiles. We also took a longer train to Sintra and a ferry ride that both required tickets. At the end of our trip, we pre-purchased train tickets to Lagos, our next stop. Hotel While we generally are hotel people (yay Hyatt), the location and cost didn’t make sense for this visit. We found on airbnb an inexpensive apartment in Amalfa that allowed us to spread out a little. The kids had their own (small) room and we had ours as well. It was fine and met our needs but I wouldn’t recommend due to the small size and lack of air conditioning Our 3 day itinerary in Lisbon Day 1: Lisbon city walks and Belem sights We slept in a little (like 9a) and then head out for adventure. We were staying in Amalfa and it was an easy walk on cobblestone paths to the coolest views Miradouro de Santa Luzia Viewpoints and Castelo de Sao Jorge We started our day with a short walk past some cool viewpoints and headed our way to the castle. We didn’t pre-buy tickets but they were reasonable priced (check for family prices) and we enjoyed climbing and exploring. The views were incredible and it was fun imagining how it would feel to be an archer or cannonballer. There were peacocks wandering and a very small museum and gift shop. While it was fun to explore, I wouldn’t count this as a must-do especially if you have the monastery or other palaces in your itinerary. Midday Market and Lunch We then walked towards the Feira da ladra flea market. This was a really quirky market with treasure and odd junk. It was fun to explore but I wouldn’t necessarily force it into your itinerary. It is only open on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Nearby, we had a wonderful authentic Portuguese lunch at Tabernita. The prices were very reasonable and the food was delicious. After lunch, we stopped at a grocery store for some snacks and drinks and headed back to the apartment for some down time. This is one of the biggest tips I have for traveling with kids. A midday break is perfect for kids to read or play video games, adults to do a short run (or play candy crush and watch a soul crushing kdrama-shoutout to when life gives you tangerines) Praca do Comercio and Belem When we visited there was a UEFA women’s fan festival tied to the big Arsenal Barcelona soccer match. The festival watch party had some cool little activities and food trucks but we just passed by for the vibes. We walked along the waterfront (and told the kids 700 times we weren’t buying a pineapple pina colada) and went to the train station to hop a tram to Belem. The tram was air conditioned, not one of the older ones. About 30 minutes away, we enjoyed seeing the exteriors of the Jeronimos Monastery and Belem Tower. We were too late to tour any sights and would have likely prioritized this higher. Definitely worth a full afternoon. We ate some pizza and pasta nearby on the waterfront and took the tram back. A long and fun day Day 2: Parque das Nações Science Musem Morning Pastries and trains to the Parque das Nações We started our day the Lisbon way – with pastel de nata and coffee. This is an absolute must do. A delicious broiled custard tart, they are best fresh and go perfect with a small takeaway coffee. We took the train north to the riverside nacoes park area which is home to both the Aquarium and the Science museum. We loved and explored every inch of the Pavilhão do Conhecimento, and it absolutely delivered for both kids. Highlights included: The explore room had some of the typical STEM learning hands-on module but with an artistic twist. Every section had a English translation and there was lots of cool things dealing with light and perception and how things work. A younger kids’ carnival-style play area with climbing, games, and soft play. We spent a good amount of time here just playing. So fun. A temporary (and amazing) Pixar animation exhibit downstairs with behind-the-scenes movie magic. Brazilian BBQ break We took a break at the Vasco da Gama Shopping Center, just a few minutes’ walk away, for a Brazilian steakhouse lunch. Endless grilled meat and a salad bar? Big hit. Ellie’s favorite part of the whole trip. LOL. We actually planned on going to the food court but got distracted by AYCE steak.

3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our 2 This post covers our 3 days in London. For more on our United Kingdom, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Arrival in London from Railway Station We began our journey aboard a train from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross, a scenic route that takes around 4.5 hours. We should have purchased tickets ahead of time to save money but weren’t sure if we were going to need a late departure or not. We purchased tickets the evening before for 300 pounds for the family to go from Edinburgh to London. Still a very reasonable price and cheaper and more eco-friendly than a plane ride. The train ride was lovely and offered a comfortable and picturesque experience, with views of rolling countryside, coastal cliffs, and charming villages along the way. The highlight? Glimpses of the North Sea coastline just south of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Transportation in London In London, we took the underground everywhere. Kids are free and entre through the wheelchair gates. We took one long train ride to the Warner Bros studio and these tickets were a little pricey ($30 for all round-trip) but overall bus and subway travel went really smoothly excited!) Hotel In London, we stayed at the Hyatt Place London East near the Tower of London area. It was a little bit of a trip to the main parts of the city near Westminster (15 minute subway) but it was very affordable and its pretty rare for hotels to have spots for 4 people. We paid 150 per night for 3 nights and had a pull-out sofa in a family suite. We have status with Hyatt and received a free breakfast and some gifted chocolates along with some drinks from the bar. I know many families prefer AirBnBs or house stays but we’ve always generally leaned towards hotel stays and we generally use the room and hotel just for sleeping so we don’t need the kitchen or space to spread out that younger families may need. Our 3 day itinerary in London Day 1: Train to London, View Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Evening Boat Tour, Hyde Park Winter Festival After our afternoon arrival, we checked into the hotel and found a restaurant nearby to eat lunch. When we arrived at King’s Cross, I suggested we eat there with the large number of restaurants but we had our suitcases and were ready to unload everything. We were able to find a little fast casual noodle chain to give us energy for a busy evening. Subway to Tower of London and Tower Bridge From our hotel, we hopped onto the London Underground one stop to the Tower Hill area. Navigating the Tube was easy and efficient, and also part of the fun part of being in a new city. We walked right past the large Tower of London on our walk to the river. We didn’t take a a tour on this trip but the outside was really cool to look at and we told the kids a little bit of why it was important. In the area, there was a small Christmas village that we meant to return to and never did. We walked across the Tower Bridge and Ellie immediately asked why we couldn’t go to the top. (Because we adults did it on our last trip without kids and we didn’t feel like it was a worthwhile cost when the cool part of the bridge is looking at it, not looking out from it.) The design on the bridge is really intricate and beautiful and definitely feels like one of the iconic picture spots in the area. River Tour Next, we took a boat tour heading west along the River Thames. We left right after sunset and were able to see a lot of the cool buildings lit up. This was also an easy way to get some guide context to all the landmarks around the city. We passed famous landmarks like The Shard, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and The London Eye. The narrative on board was a little dry and the kids didn’t care much but I enjoyed it and it was a cool way to get our first glimpse of Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower. Seeing these iconic structures from the water was definitely a wow moment. Hyde Park Wonderland We still had some energy in us and hopped on a double-decker red bus to the Hyde Park area. Instagram had been advertising the Winter Wonderland festival and it looked like a really fun Christmas market/amusement park vibe. We were there on a Thursday night (Thanksgiving) and it was popping. The park was frenetic and there were people everywhere. In retrospect, I wanted to go for the lights and food but the kids were immediately disappointed that we weren’t doing carnival games and rides. Something to keep in mind. We explored the Beer hall area and had some churros and food stand dinners. It was a really magical time and area and would have been fun to explore if it wasn’t so crowded and we had been prepared to spend money for activities. After the park, we took a subway back to our hotel and crashed for the night Day 2: St James Park, Buckingham Palace, View Big Ben, Harry Potter Studio Tour St James Park and Buckingham Palace We got a late start to our morning and

Our Family’s 3 day Tour of the Scottish Highlands

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our experience with Hairy Coo’s 3-day Isle of Skye, Inverness and Highlands Tour For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Benefits of a Bus Tour We did not feel comfortable driving in the Scottish Highlands, but knew we wanted to visit the area. A bus tour of the Scottish Highlands offers numerous benefits, making it an excellent option for travelers. We chose to take a multi-day tour so we could see as much as possible without backtracking. Our bus was a 16 passenger bus and filled with several other couples and solo travelers. Here are some benefits of a bus tour through the highlands: No Driving Required: Navigating the narrow, winding roads of the Highlands can be challenging, especially for those unfamiliar with driving on the left. Knowledgeable tour guide Our guide shared great context and history of the area we were exploring. Reasonable prices: When adding in the cost of the car rental, and insurance, it was reasonable. And there’s also the benefit of having a pre-determined itinerary of highlights Reduced Carbon Footprint: Shared transportation is more eco-friendly compared to individual car travel. Uninterrupted Views: Without the stress of trying to direct us, we could enjoy the views and point things out as we were driving. Hotel in Inverness Our tour required us to make our own accommodations in Inverness. We found a cheap family suite apartment above a bar and it was perfect for our needs as it had a separate kids room with bunk beds! We actually didn’t spend a lot of time in Inverness but the main city area was very small and all very walkable. Our 3 day itinerary in the Highlands Day 1: Kelpies, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Inverness Of course, because we were on a guided tour, we didn’t get a say in our stops but I believe we hit a lot of great highlights in a quick trip. Many other tours make very similar stops along the way. We always saw other small busses at the parking lots where we stopped. Our tour met in Edinburgh at 8am and we drove in hour to 2 hour blocks over the next 3 days to see lots of great sights. Our first stop was in Falkirk, where we visited a giant art horse sculpture. The Kelpies are 30-meter-tall steel sculptures of two horse heads. They are the largest equine sculptures in the world and are named after “kelpies,” shape-shifting water spirits from Scottish folklore. Carter actually had encountered them in several YA fantasy books including The Menagerie. The visitor center also had some cute Highlands items and a little cafe. We always took advantage of every potty break. Our youngest was 7 and we were a little worried about being on a group tour with her little bladder but we ran into no issues as stops were never more than 2 hours apart. We continued our drive and stopped for a quick lunch in the town of Callendar. This was a very little (20 shops) main street that I’m sure is busier in the high season. We also had the chance to take some pics with some cutie Hairy Coos. (A hairy coo is a nickname for the Highland cow.) Our next section was a lot of driving, but with some beautiful scenery and our guide sharing some history of the Clan history of the areas We were also excited that the tour included a stop to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct area. This area is in the Harry Potter 2 movie and I’ve read that sometimes tours can actually see the train go across! The views were a little foggy but still really gorgeous! There was a also a cafe and informational visitor center here. After this stop we did one more potty break at a little souvenir shop area before arriving in Inverness. We actually didn’t get to spend much time in the city during daylight hours. We found a pizza and brewery spot to enjoy dinner and then went to bed early. Day 2: Isle of Skye Tour: Portee, Kilt Rock, Quiraing Isle of Skye It was important that we visit the Isle of Skye on our Highlands tour, even though we only hit some of the highlights. This area would be great to explore in warmer months with tons of amazing dramatic landscapes and scenic hikes. This was definitely a highlight of our trip We made several short picture stops along the way including of Eilean Donan Castle, and gorgeous lakes and mountain landscapes. We stopped for a grocery/bathroom break right before the Isle of Skye bridge and found some of our favorite snacks, millionaire shortbread (caramel chocolate sweetness), and 60 pence pancakes! Portee and the Trotternish Peninsula We had lunch in the cute seaside town of Portree. As we visited in November, many of the spots were closed. There were ads for boat tours and nature adventures. I definitely think if we visited in the warmer months, it would be great to base ourselves in Portree for a longer stay. There was so much beauty to see in the area with gorgeous backgrounds and amazing views of cliffs, waterfalls, and rivers. The tour made sure to make several stops at picture perfect spots along the way, The Quiraing stop was definitely my favorite. We stayed here for a longer period of time and

2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our 2 days in Edinburgh For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Arrival in Edinburgh We flew from Nashville to London connecting to Edinburgh on British Airways. We were team carry-on for this trip as carrying suitcases up and down subway stairs can sometimes be difficult. Our usual routine is to take an uber from the airport to our hotel on the first day and get the hang of public transport and other options throughout the trip. However, on this trip we found it very straightforward way to take a 30 minute tram with a 10 minute walk to our hotel. The cost of taking the tram from the Edinburgh Airport to the city center for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) was less than 20 pounds. Tickets can be purchased at the tram stop ticket machines before boarding. For more details, you can visit Edinburgh Trams. Transportation in Edinburgh In Edinburgh, we walked to most destinations and took a few buses that were easy to tap pay at the front. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. Hotel In Edinburgh, we stayed at the Hilton Double Tree City Centre . The hotel is located a 5 minute walk of the castle, and very convenient to the rest of the city. Views were absolutely gorgeous and the hotel was fantastic with a great breakfast and bar and super kind staff. We used points to stay for free and were even gifted some drinks and small chocolates for our status. For breakfast, there was a buffet along with the ability to order pancakes, omelets, and other small add-ons. If you’re interested in an AMEX Hilton card, the sign-up bonus points are usually pretty high. We were in a small 2 double bed room which was a little snuggly but we didn’t spend a lot of time in the room (except for sleeping and minecraft world building) Our 2 day itinerary in Edingburgh: Day 1: Late Arrival, National Museum of Scotland, Christmas Festival After our afternoon arrival, we checked into the hotel and then walked towards the main area of town. It was a little snowy but the city was so cute with all the lovely buildings and cobbled streets. Our first stop was Greyfriars Kirkyard with is a historic cemetery famous for inspiring many names in Harry Potter. Tom Riddle, Crookshanks, McGonagall. If you’re interested, search online for a map. We wandered a little bit, saw Tom Riddle’s grave and then moved on. Our next stop was right next door at the Museum of Scotland. The only thing I knew going in was that Dolly the cloned sheep was housed here! We spent about 2 hours at the museum. It was great! There was a technology area that the kids loved. It was very hands-on like a science museum. We also took an elevator to the roof and caught a brief cloudy view of the city from the rooftop. If we had more time, I definitely would have loved to come back and seen more of the history or art sections of the museum as well. After our visit to the museum, we walked to the city’s winter festival. We stopped here on several nights, it was so cute. The old monuments and shiny bright carnival lights made for a really fun backdrop to our exploring. There were also several bagpipers playing Christmas music. So fun! Last year, we did Christmas markets in Germany and Austria and it felt like a mini-version of some of those markets. We had some yummy food and explored. We didn’t do any rides much to the dismay of the kids. In this area near West Princes street, there are a few standard favorite shopping spots like H&M and Uniqlo. We also had to grab a power converter that we forgot to pack at a shop near the railway station. Everyone did a great job fighting off jetlag and we went to bed at a totally reasonable 8p. Day 2: City walks, Harry Potter-themed tea and escape room, Royal mile, Christmas Festival Magic Mile We had a little bit of a late start. After a quick hotel breakfast, we headed out for our day. The sun was shining and it was a lot less gloomy than the evening before. We walked past the gorgeous large castle, and for a little bit of the main High street. I read a little bit of context from Rick Steve’s tour book but we were mostly interested in just soaking in the vibes <3 We decided on this trip to skip some of the castle and palace tours because the middle part of the trip would be very history heavy. I think the kids would have enjoyed it but we’ll just have to come back again another time. Department of Magic I highly recommend making time in your Edinburgh trip to visit Department of Magic. This cute cafe/experience is so great if you have kids into Harry Potter (or if you are a fan). We did an escape room with different puzzles to solve and prophecies to find. Everything was cutely themed and the kids were really into it. We tried our best to let them take the lead

England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics

Trip motivation For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. European travel is quickly becoming one of my favorite things with family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our flights, itinerary, planning process, and international logistics such as using the subway, getting a phone card, and finding budget restaurants. For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Planning our Itinerary I love planning trips, especially through well-traveled places where there’s a ton of information to read through and make plans for. Many online blogs were really helpful! We were in each home-base for around 4 days and read numerous blogs and books (Rick Steves is always a must-read for Europe trips). One tip for traveling with kids is take a 3-day best of guide and cut out half of it to make it actually realistic to manage in those same 3 days. Mix in some kid-focused/less touristy options like malls, playgrounds, hotel pool. We did a lot of bus and train travel on this trip and our kids loved reading their new kindles on the trains and this was a great time for just chatting and reconnecting with gorgeous views. Several months before, I sketched out our plan in excel and on google maps with a balance of activities, rest time, food, rest, and fun. We made sure to research how far areas were and tried to schedule several anchor points with a few optional activities so we didn’t overstuff our schedule. Overview Day 1: Late Arrival, National Museum of Scotland, Christmas Festival Day 2: City walks, Harry Potter-themed tea and escape room, Royal mile, Christmas Festival Day 3: Highlands Tour: Kelpies, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Inverness Day 4: Isle of Skye Tour: Portee, Kilt Rock, Quiraing Day 5: Loch Ness Boat Tour, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield, Pitlochry Day 6: Train to London, View Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Evening Boat Tour, Hyde Park Winter Festival Day 7: St James Park, Buckingham Palace, View Big Ben, Harry Potter Studio Tour Day 8: British Museum, Kensington Park, Science Museum, West End Matilda Show Day 9: Fly Home! Flying to Scotland and London We used the Chase Portal and Chase Points to fly to Edinburgh (stop in London) and non-stop from London on the way back Chase Sapphire Preferred Apply Here Chase Sapphire Reserve Apply Here Chase Hyatt Apply Here Tips for Long Plane Rides Sleeping on planes West to East: Plan to sleep! For the overnight red-eye flight to Europe, we emphasized that after dinner service, everyone was going to try and get some sleep. I gave each kid a dose of melatonin and they passed out pretty immediately. We packed these cheap pillows from Amazon (They came with eye masks!). On arrival, get outside and try to limit naps so you can readjust. Activities for long flights East to West On the long flight, the kids were happy playing with the personal screen and alternating between coloring, reading, tv, games, and snacks. Ellie has been loving the Magic Treehouse books and when they were little, they used to love activities in the Magic Ink and small play pack coloring books (Amazon links). We have one Nintendo Switch that the kids love. For more on our favorite activities and tips for flying, see our post here. Transportation in Europe Train travel and public transportation is one of our favorite things about Europe. Everything is pretty straightforward and inexpensive. In Edinburgh, we walked to most destinations and took a few buses that were easy to tap pay at the front. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. We took the LNER train from Scotland to London. We should have purchased tickets ahead of time as prices went up closer to departure. For our family of 4, it was still very cheap and only $300 for everyone. In London, we took the underground subway and double decker buses everywhere. Kids are free and enter through the wheelchair gates. We took one long train ride to the Warner Bros studio and these tickets were a little pricey ($30 for all round-trip) but overall bus and subway travel went really smoothly excited!) I love how easy train travel is in Europe. We mapped destinations using google maps and compared the time/cost/effort to use a taxi, train, bus, or walk. We used uber or the train depending on where/how far we were going. If you have little ones, it might be harder to use a taxi due to the car seat. If you plan on using a stroller on the subway, many have elevators, but be prepared to fold it and carry up stairs. Eating in Scotland and London Several of our hotels came with free breakfast, and we also stopped by grocery stores for easy cheap meals to start our day and snacks for the hotel room. Tesco pancakes for 60 pence was our favorite snack. During the day, we tried to balance quick meals with sit-down meals. We did do a few fancy meals like a Sunday Roast in Edinburgh and a Brazillian steakhouse. And a lot of fish and chips. In London, we did a few market type set-ups

Favorite Things to do In Merida, Mexico with Kids

In summer 2024, our family spent two weeks in Merida, Mexico, exploring its vibrant neighborhoods, cultural events, and nearby beaches and cenotes with our kids (ages 6 and 9). We combined remote work and kids’ Spanish camp with visits to local attractions like Plaza Grande, Paseo de Montejo, and Parque de La Plancha. We found Merida a safe, family-friendly city brimming with culture and welcoming locals.

Family trip to Merida, Mexico: Logistics for a 2 week Visit with Kids

Our family visited Merida, Mexico, in summer 2024 for a two-week trip, combining remote work with a half-day Spanish camp for our kids, and city exploration with a nearby family. To balance the kids’ activities, we incorporated a realistic itinerary with half-day excursions to cenotes, beaches, and playgrounds while exploring Merida’s cultural sites and neighborhoods. This visit was enriched by the welcoming locals, affordable dining, and the ease of local transport, creating a relaxed and immersive travel experience.

Day trips from Merida, Mexico: Ruins, Cenotes, Beaches, and more fun!

In summer 2024, our family returned to Mérida, Mexico for a two-week adventure, balancing remote work with our kids’ Spanish camp and exciting day trips. Highlights included exploring the ruins of Uxmal, swimming in Cenote Mucuyche, and relaxing at beach clubs like Silcer Club De Playa, all of which made for an unforgettable family trip filled with fun and cultural immersion

Traveling Little Morsels

Sharing memories and tips for enjoying travels with littles. Always looking forward to our next adventure!

❤ Jenn Morse ❤

TRAVELING LITTLE MORSELS