Heading to Lisbon with the kids and looking to hit the ground running with a lineup of cool things to do? You’re in luck! You’ve stumbled upon the ultimate guide to kid-friendly adventures in Lisbon! This city is brimming with unique and exciting activities that the whole family will love.  From hidden gems to the must-see attractions, we’re about to explore them all. So, buckle up and let’s dive into the vibrant heart of Lisbon together! You can also use this 3-day Lisbon itinerary or pair Lisbon with another region for a 1-week Portugal itinerary. But first, read these Portugal trip pla ..read more

Maine’s rocky cliffs and long sandy beaches attract families year after year. During New England’s hot summers, locals and vacationers head north to enjoy the cool ocean breeze. The Southern coast of the Maine Beaches feature wide sandy beaches which are perfect for building sand castles, while the rocky shore further north makes for exciting tide pool adventures. Ride amusement park rides and watch fireworks at Old Orchard Beach, or swim in the gentle waters of Goose Rocks Beach. Here I’ll break down the best beaches in Maine for families.  Maine has always been my family’s favorite summ ..read more

Great beach towns don’t always mean great food, but it is encouraging when you find the exceptions. In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, we found enough tasty options to make us want to go visit again and again. And while seafood, funnel cake and frozen custard may all be expected in a boardwalk beach town, I didn’t expect to find the best carne asada I’ve ever had or Austrian-style Kaiserschmarrn. But I found that and more, so I just had to share my recommendations on where to eat in Rehoboth Beach and the nearby towns in Southern Delaware. And if you want to do more than just eat, be sure to check o ..read more

If you have been reading for a while, you may have picked up on the fact that I’m not a big fan of theme parks or water parks. This is in part because I don’t like crowds, but largely because I’m a chicken that doesn’t enjoy rides, especially ones with big drops. Yet when we headed to Williamsburg for our Virginia road trip, I knew that a visit to either Busch Gardens Williamsburg or Water Country USA would be a nice addition to our busy itinerary touring local historic sites and museums. After looking at the websites for both, we decided that Water Country USA was more up our alley, as a lot ..read more

Back in the day, tourists had to lug around guidebooks and phrasebooks while looking like idiots gawking at outstretched maps and wandering aimlessly trying to find their way or a decent place to eat. While it still may be easy to pick out the tourists, at least you don’t have to haul all that gear. Now all you need is a smartphone and these Rome apps (and perhaps an extra battery pack.) Even if you turn off your voice and data roaming while over seas, your smartphone can still be handy for more than just a camera when traveling. I have a number of mobile apps that I recommend when traveling i ..read more

Trying to squeeze in the highlights of Spain and Portugal into a two-week trip can be tricky. Both are incredible countries with rich culture, varied landscapes, vibrant cities, and architectural wonders. After traveling all over the Iberian Peninsula, I’ve come up with a route that hits every city efficiently and makes the most out of your time. This two-week Portugal and Spain itinerary will cover the must-see landmarks in each city, activity suggestions, restaurant and hotel recommendations, and my personal favorites. As a Portuguese-American woman, I’ve visited these Portuguese cities coun ..read more

The New Hampshire coastline is often overlooked compared to its New England counterparts. But don’t be fooled, this 13-mile stretch of jaw-dropping rocky cliffs and flat sandy beaches is a true natural wonder. Drive along Route 1A, a stunning coastal state highway from the border of Massachusetts up to Portsmouth. Each beach along the way has a unique atmosphere, from enjoying live music to relaxing with a good book. Out of the best beaches in New Hampshire, there is a choice for every type of beachgoer.  Throughout my time growing up in Northern Massachusetts, I have always found New Ham ..read more

Planning for a vacation can feel overwhelming, especially if you are traveling with kids. Luckily travel planning is my superpower and over the years, I’ve gotten my process and timeline down to a science. To help others, I’ve boiled down my 20-plus years of trip planning experience into this trip planning checklist. Since travel planning gives me joy, along with the anticipation of the trip, I tend to start planning as early as possible. Therefore, this vacation planning timeline and checklist is spaced out over a 12 month period, which is ideal for international trips. It also allows you to ..read more

One thing that I have learned after 20 years of family travel is that if the kids aren’t having fun on a trip, no one is having fun. That’s why family travel takes more planning and prep than you may have done for your vacations BK (before kids.) Making sure things go smoothly is half the battle. The other half is getting them excited about the things you are doing and seeing. Preparing your kids for the trip helps them get the most out of the experience. If you are traveling internationally, this takes even more effort. After all, while you may want to take a trip to Europe, your kids are goi ..read more

When I first starting taking my family to Europe, I got a lot of side eye from other parents. You could almost see the thought bubble that says, “you must be rich.” There were also a lot of off-hand comments about how they couldn’t afford to go to Europe (from families that frequently dropped a few thousand dollars on trips to Disney.) TL;DR, we aren’t rich, but we do prioritize spending money on travel. The fact is, there are some misconceptions around how much a trip to Europe costs. There were actually times when we decided to go to Europe because the flight was cheaper than getting to Flor ..read more