Travel and kids in the same lifetime? We say yes, please! For parents determined to keep the adventures coming—even if it means with the kids in tow—we looked to our favorite family travel websites. Each one of our picks that you’ll see below promises to inspire you to take that trip already (even if it’s just to granny’s house and back.). Keep reading to see them all.
This website is dedicated to the kind of travel you thought got put away with your backpack after the kids were born. But ROAM founder, Maryann Jones Thompson, has spent more than 15 years traveling with her own family and wants to share what she's learned with a new generation of parents. With content written by and for parents (that includes the good and the bad!), you'll find advice on how to navigate places as far and wide as Croatia, Peru and even Mount Everest.
Online: roamfamilytravel.com
Mom Catherine has logged over 70,000 miles behind the wheel while exploring North America with her kids. Her blog has detailed info, especially for outdoorsy-type who enjoy skiing, National Parks and road trips. Follow her on IG for more fun!
Online: carfulofkids.com
Don't let the name fool you; this blog is for anyone visiting the Bay Area, but also offers excellent reviews of trips around the world. From hidden gems in Northern California to the arts and culture of Hong Kong, you'll find plenty of practical tips from someone who has done it themselves.
Online: bayareafamilytravel.com
The Bucket List Family
Touting over two million IG followers, this family of five has been traveling the world since 2015. Follow along for good clean fun and breathtaking scenery.
Online: thebucketlistfamily.com
2 Travel Dads
Not only do we love accompanying this adorable family on their adventures via their awesome IG account, but we love their tips for schooling kids on the road and their open-minded approach to travel.
Online: 2traveldads.com
Our Vie
Inspired by the 100th Anniversary of the National Park System, husband and wife duo Cees and Madison decided to hit the road and see every single one. Once "out there" they decided they loved the adventure too much to return to normal life. Their son Theo (named after Theodore Roosevelt!) was born in 2016 and continues to accompany his parents across the country in Vie, the family rig (a Toyota motorhome build).
Online: ourvie.com.
This site is created by moms for moms and their families. Filled with real-life experience and TONS of info on Disney adventures, you can get great content from all over the country, as well as discounts and packing tips.
Online: travelingmom.com
Traveling with little kids can be a little daunting, so be sure to check out this site's helpful information that ranges from how to handle car seats on airplanes to hiking with toddlers, there's plenty of content to inspire and help you take the leap. Plus, this CA-based blog has an incredible archive of information about how to survive Disney with kids!
Online: tripswithtykes.com
The perfect website for Southern California families looking for everything from local adventures, weekend trips, exciting destination travel and everything in between. Don't miss the travel survival trips that parents need to keep packed away for emergencies!
Suitcases and Sippy Cups
There is nothing extraordinary about Jessica Bower, her husband, and four kids. This is why this blog is so special. It's the diary of an ordinary, middle-class family who put their suburban life on hold in order to travel the world—on an average American middle-class budget. From tips on weekend camping trips to roadschooling kids Suitcases and Sippy Cups is filled with awesome resources for families who don't have a travel agent on speed dial.
Online: suitcasesandsippycups.com
La Jolla Mom
Okay, so maybe luxe travel isn't on the itinerary this year (more like road trips to the local lake/beach/watering hole), and that's okay. Get your fix for all things glamorous by checking out La Jolla Mom. Luxury travel writer Kate Dillon provides gorgeous pics and daydream-worthy adventures as well as giveaways, lifestyle trends and insider tips on her home city of San Diego, Ca.
Online: lajollamom.com
Walking on Travels
For parents who don't want life to stop when the kids arrive, Walking on Travels is a bookmark must. From real-life tips on breastfeeding while traveling to the adorable Friday Postcard Series—a digital "postcard" from some cool spot shows up every Friday—it's a go-to resource for parents on the go.
Online: walkingontravels.com
Ciao Bambino!
Discerning travelers take note! With travel portfolios covering Europe, Hawaii, the Caribbean and other popular tourist destinations, this is a great resource for family-focused advice, directions, and accommodation information. It was founded based on the belief that traveling as a family shouldn’t mean lowering your expectations or standards. They will also plan your entire trip for you, check out their travel agent services.
Online: ciaobambino.com
Pitstops for Kids
The title of this site says it all—and boy, are we thankful for this much-needed resource! Pit Stops for Kids is a place to share your reviews of the places you’ve stopped during various road trips (whether you’ve been there once or one hundred times), and to take advantage of the experience and information other parents have to offer. It’s a community of parents who share a goal—finding kid-friendly detours and pit stops—and a philosophy: it’s about the journey and the destination.
Online: pitstopsforkids.com
Gone with the Family
Lisa Goodmurphy has been traveling with her kids since her oldest daughter was four months old. Fast-forward eighteen years—family adventures include playing with sled dogs in Alaska, getting lost (in a good way) in Mykonos, standing on the Prime Meridian and hanging out at Catherine's palace in St. Petersburg. Goodmurphy is a regular contributor to Lonely Planet, Family Travel Magazine, and Travelmamas.com. FYI: If there's a devoted Harry Potter fan at home, be sure to check out the extensive info on Potter-themed travels!
Online: gonewiththefamily.com
Have Baby Will Travel
Yes, babies and traveling can go together … and this online guide for travel with babies, toddlers, and small children proves it. Founder and mother of two Corinne McDermott is a passionate advocate of the value traveling can have for everyone in the family. Her site is a collection of travel advice, trip reports, and helpful tips, tricks, and resources for traveling with small children (Psst …the particularly helpful “Flying with Baby” section even breaks down travel by airline!).
Online: havebabywilltravel.com
Trekaroo
The Trekaroo blog is an offshoot of the Trekaroo website—an invaluable resource for discovering activities, hotels, and restaurants, booking accommodations and flights, and contributing to reviews and discussions. The blog is more of the same great content and can-do attitude: resort reviews, “off the beaten path” guides, museum suggestions, weekly digests, and much more!
Online: blog.trekaroo.com
The Vacation Gals
Jennifer Miner, Kara Williams, and Beth Blair are three professional travel writers—and moms—who share their favorite destinations for family trips, girlfriend getaways, and romantic escapes. They also discuss tried-and-true travel gear, the latest travel news, and helpful travel tips. Their writing typically covers North America, Mexico and the Caribbean, but the sky is the limit for these awesome Vacation Gals—they take at least 45 trips a year! Whew.
Online: thevacationgals.com
Family Travel Magazine
From theme parks to European vacations, Family Travel Magazine has something for everyone. Their goal is to help make travel more accessible to families—readers can find killer packaged deals at affordable prices. There are downloadable packing lists, the very latest on Disney destinations, and of course, founder Jodi Grundig's tips and tricks for heading off into the sunset with the whole family in tow.
Online: familytravelmagazine.com
Travels with Baby
Shelly Rivoli launched Travels with Baby as a modest site with answers to many of the real questions parents ask when planning travel with babies and toddlers. Today, it has evolved into a full-fledged trusted voice among traveling parents. Shelly is also the author of several award-winning travel guidebooks.
Online: travelswithbaby.com
The Educational Tourist
Natalie Tanner is a teacher by trade, so her travels always include learning somewhere along the way (she just can't help herself!) Hit up her site for great ideas on making every trip an educational learning experience, pop by her online shop to purchase one of eight e-books she's written, or, if you want to leave the planning to a pro, engage her services by signing up for the new Concierge Travel.
Online: theeducationaltourist.com
Travel Mamas
This site is for mamas (and daddies and grandparents!) who need a break from their everyday lives, want to see the world, experience new cultures, and maybe even indulge in a spa treatment or margarita while away. Travel Mamas is a community of regular women and men who want to learn and share not only how to survive a trip with children, but also how to love exploring the world with their families.
Online: travelmamas.com
Wanderlust and Lipstick
Here you can find travel stories to whet your appetite for adventures around the globe: join a women-only or co-ed tour to Bhutan, India, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea or Santa Fe; peruse posts from the ever-expanding group of WanderBloggers; read travel tips from experienced globetrotters, and learn about recommended travel gear.
Online: wanderlustandlipstick.com
The Mother of All Trips
This blog is part travelogue, part memoir, part meditation on motherhood, with just a dash of how-to. The mother behind The Mother of All trips is Mara, who emphasizes the potential for learning and fun when it comes to traveling with kids. With each post on her family’s excursions, both big and small, and helpful advice gleaned from real first-hand experience, she “brings the world to your kids and your kids to the world.”
Online: themotherofalltrips.com
Mini Time
This site is dedicated to making family travel planning easier, cheaper, and less stressful with in-depth reviews of kid-friendly accommodations, expert strategies for traveling with kids, insider city guides and advice on where to find money-saving deals on family vacation packages. As if that weren’t enough, the site also has free printables like packing lists and car and travel games for kids and a Trip Planner tool that helps you create an individual itinerary and travel journals.
Online: minitime.com
Suzette Mack Travel
As a Family Travel Advisor, Suzette Mack’s specialty is creating memorable vacations for families with children of all ages. As a blogger, she offers readers her expertise (for example, travel insurance is a must when planning a family cruise) and personal experience (a la if she could do it all again, she’d buy the Paris Museum Pass).
Online: suzettemacktravel.com
FamiliesGo!
How much time do you spend planning your vacation when you should really be enjoying it? FamiliesGo! takes the guesswork out of organizing family trips with one simple site run by a community of savvy travelers (who happen to be parents). They share their personal advice on everything from hotel accommodations to how to pack your suitcases.
Online: familiesgotravel.com
Jet Set Family
Jet Set Mom Nicole Standley cut her teeth on luxury PR, so when Jet Set Tot came along, it only seemed natural to bring her along for the ride. What started as an online diary of one family's travels became a luxury travel/lifestyle with contributors with the same passion for quality travel with kids. We love the Invitation Only series. With glam coverage of LA premieres and Hollywood glitz‚ it's an instant getaway without leaving home.
Online: jetsetfamily.com
This mom has been traveling and backpacking ever since she was in her teens. Now with two kids strapped to her side, she's still insistent on making the world her oyster. From Europe to Asia, Jetlag and Mayhem will make your flying and planning an easier process. Plus, if you're looking for travel and kid-friendly gadgets, mom-blogger Nicola has a list of recommendations just for you.
Online: jetlagandmayhem.com
The Family Adventure Project
If you had to pick between white-water rafting in Costa Rica and checking out the latest art exhibit in Paris and you chose the former, The Family Adventure Project is the travel blog for you. Filled with incredible ideas for kid-friendly adventures at home and abroad, it's kinda crazy how many cool options there are for families. From taking a road trip in Patagonia to a tree-top adventure in Wales, thrill-seekers will find plenty of inspiration here.
Online: thefamilyadventureproject.org
Looking for a practical blog about traveling across America with young kiddos? Toddlin' Across America might be for you. With kid-friendly hiking suggestions, content about campgrounds and RV travel, this blog is perfect for families that just want to keep it simple.
Online: toddlinacrossamerica.com
—Abigail Matsumoto & Gabby Cullen
Feature photo: Josh Willink via Pexels
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