We Go With Kids!

Author: Nancy Canter

Things to Do in Kauai with Kids

Kauai has long been high on my list of destinations to visit. Having just moved from the East Coast to the West Coast last summer, a trip to Kauai suddenly became much more feasible for our family of four when it was no longer a 12+ hour journey. When time came to plan our spring break, I did some quick research and within hours had my family of four booked (flights + hotel) for a week long stay in Kauai for next to zero dollars out of pocket. A busy work schedule coupled with two kids in different schools prevented me from doing as much research as I would have liked, prior to our trip to Kauai. Thus, we ended up embarking on a relatively unscheduled and unplanned week in Kauai, with just broad notions as to what we would like to do, but not actually having activities scheduled in prior to departure. We ended up having a ast in Kauai and I would say it is one of my Top 5 Family Vacations – perhaps even Top 3! Here’s my list of things to do in Kauai with kids!

1. Shaka Guide North Shore Kauai Driving Tour

Shaka Guide offers guided GPS tours on four Hawaiian Islands: Oahu, Big Island, Maui, and Kauai. In 2013, my family visited Maui with our then 4 year old and did purchase a guided CD tour of the Road to Hana. I don’t believe Shaka Guide was available at the time, but given the rave reviews online, I decided to download the Shaka Guide prior to our trip to Kauai and it turned out to be a great decision. The Shaka Guide North Shore Kauai Driving Tour provides three hours of audio guidance and although my husband was skeptical at first, it ended up introducing us to some of the highlights of our trip, including the “Gilligan’s Island” Beach and our hike down to “Secret Beach,” all of which we likely would not have found had it not been for the Shaka Guide.

Gilligan’s Island Beach; likely my favorite beach on the planet.

The walk down to Secret Beach; we followed a woman carrying a surfboard on her head because, of course we did.

Secret Beach

The beaches we experienced as part of the Shaka Guide were so great that we ended up planning a whole day around a return trip to one of the featured beaches, Gilligan’s Island Beach. Our Shaka Guide tour ended up being approximately 3.5 hours, including numerous stops and hikes down to various places, like Secret Beach, so for $10, it was money well spent. Our kids enjoyed it as we were definitely off the beaten path in Kauai.

2. Kayak Hanalei Bay

One of the fun memories I have of my pre-college years is kayaking with my brothers. When I was in high school, we had some crazy kayaking adventures in Catalina Island and San Diego. Suffice it to say, kayaking is high on my list of things to do, anywhere we are, and my husband and kids have become accustomed to my building in kayaking time wherever we are.

Kayaking Hanalei Bay was one of the kayaking adventures I was really hoping to experience in Kauai. Although my four year old has kayaked with us before (usually as the middle person on a two person kayak), I didn’t know if he’d be able to go the distance as part of a larger kayaking excursion. Kayak Hanalei offer double kayak rentals at $60/day for pre-1pm rentals and at a reduced price of $45 for post-1pm rentals. After a morning spent exploring the North Shore, I decided that we might as well see how my four year old would do on the kayak. Given that it was after 1pm, we paid $90 for two, double kayak rentals, which came complete with wet bags.

He was so comfy, he fell asleep on the ride down to the confluence and had to be shaken awake

To my surprise, we had a fabulous time! We barely made it back by closing time, 5pm, as we decided to extend our little kayaking excursion from the bay to the confluence; but long story short, we saw sea turtles, disembarked to enjoy a snack (and beer for the adults), and just overall enjoyed being out on the water. I highly recommend this adventure with kids.

3. Spend the Day at the Beach

My husband and I are busy people who like to be on the go when we are on vacation. Our kids, however, can happily spend the day at the beach. We made sure to build in plenty of beach time and Kauai’s unspoiled beaches were the perfect backdrop.

To get the most of our beach days, we actually spent a few dedicated beach days going from beach to beach. Some beaches offered protected areas for snorkeling and others were just good for general lounging. We simply packed a picnic lunch, stocked up on towels from the hotel, and took off for the day. Apply sunscreen as I definitely got a bit singed one day!

4. Coffee Plantation

Lyndgate Farms chocolate farm on Kauai offers a three hour “branch to bar” tour and tasting. Knowing full well that tour wouldn’t hold my kids’ attention, we skipped right to the important part: the chocolate tasting. Lyndgate Farms offers free tasting of all its chocolates and my kids each got to pick their favorite. We purchased a number of bars and I was glad to see they came with complimentary cooler bags to keep them from melting. My kids also enjoyed swinging on the giant swing in the parking lot, before getting back in the car.

5. Attend a Luau

Although I’ve been to Hawaii a handful of times, I never attended a luau until this trip. Although hokey and probably not worth the money to experience again, I’m glad we did it this time. As an added bonus, my kids loved the fire dance.

6. Take a hike!

There are a number of great hiking opportunities in Kauai and we took full advantage of these great adventures. On a rainy morning, we took a short hike near our hotel in Kapaa, and the boys not only managed the whole thing on their own two legs, but had a great time as well.

Anyone else hearing the Jurassic Park theme song here?

7. Hawaii Shave Ice

No trip to Hawaii is complete without Hawaii Shave Ice. We happened to stumble across Jo Jo’s, a Kauai classic, after a long hike up Waimea Canyon, and were happy to partake.

8. Miniature Golf

Mini-golfing at Kauai Mini Golf, located at Anaina Hou Park is a wonderful way to spend a few hours with kids. Not only is the course littered with native plants, but my kids really enjoy mini golfing, something that we rarely get to do in the hustle and bustle of daily life.

9. Visit Waimea Canyon

We spent a full day hiking Waimea Canyon and absolutely loved the experience even with our four year old in tow. But, for those who aren’t up for the day long hike, know that there are plenty of ways to experience Waimea by car. There’s not only a great lookout near the main parking area, but we took a tour down a road (that ended up leading to a restricted military base) and climbed a random hill (yes! all four of us) where we were treated to some amazing views. Do it. You won’t regret it.

10. Sunset Cruise of the Napali Coast

Experiencing the Napali Coast was a non-negotiable item on my list of things to do in Kauai. I’m glad we were able to find a vehicle in which to do it — Captain Andy’s Na Pali Sunset Cruise. Click here for my review of Captain Andy’s Na Pali Sunset Cruise.

Our family trip to Kauai was such an amazing experience that I really think I’ll be hard pressed to ever be persuaded to go on a beach vacation somewhere else. I hope our list of things to do in Kauai with kids will help inform your trip to Kauai!

June 21, 2019
Review of Captain Andy’s Na Pali Coast

Spanning 17 miles along the North Shore of Kauai, the Napali Coast of Kauai was high on my list of things to experience. There are many ways to experience the Napali Coast, but simply driving up to it is not one of them. There are air and sea options, of course, as well as the Kalalau Trail hike, which runs along the Napali Coast and is a rough 11 mile hike. In April 2018, a massive flash flood incident resulted in the closure of many roads on the North Shore of Kauai. The roads were just beginning to open up during our visit in April 2019, but I was glad that hiking the Kalalau Trail was not an option due to road closures as the thought of even attempting an 11 mile hike with young children is not something I’m eager to do. Having done a bit of internet research, however, I quickly decided that our best bet for experiencing the Napali Coast was to book a sunset cruise. Given that one member of our party of four is not only four years old but also prone to sea sickness, I did quite a bit of internet sleuthing before deciding on Captain Andy’s. Here is my review of Captain Andy’s Na Pali Coast Sunset Cruise!

Booking:

Online booking is the easiest option and as an added bonus, the website show very clearly the number of spots left on any given day so even though I was a bit worried things would book up if I delayed too long in booking, I just simply logged in every day or so and checked to make sure there were ample tickets. I was mostly concerned about weather/rain, but about a week prior to our trip, the forecast looked clear for our first full day in Kauai so I decided to go ahead and book the trip. At $135/adult and $105/child, tickets are not cheap, but given that our hotel and flights were essentially free, I felt like we could splurge a bit on this boating excursion, despite having my concerns about how my four year old would respond to being contained on a boat for hours.

The Experience:

We arrived at the harbor at 2pm on the day of our excursion and were able to quickly check in. Each group was given a card upon check in with their boat information written on it. It turns out that Captain Andy’s has the ability to run multiple boats each evening (I believe there were four going out that evening), so we all sat around waiting for our boarding assignment to be called.

As our Captain introduced himself and walked us down to the dock, we were reminded that shoes are not permitted on board. We all took off our shoes and loaded them onto a wheeled shoe rack, before walking onto the boat. After the basic instructions were given (where to stand, where to sit, bathrooms, no picking children up, etc), the boat took off and, well, my four year old loved it.

The boat ride out to the Napali Coast took a while and we mostly just enjoyed the sea water. Once we got close to the Coast, however, the water was definitely choppy and people got wet. It’s no surprise then that alcohol and dinner is not served until the ride back to shore.

My nine year old absolutely loved the experience and stayed out front nearly the entire time. He got sprayed by water on numerous occasions, but thoroughly enjoyed being able to wander around himself. My four year old, husband, and I mostly hung out near the back of the boat as it was much calmer there, and although I did experience some motion sickness myself, my four year old was fine the entire time.

The Napali Coast itself is gorgeous and we ooohed and aaahed the entire time.

The Captain did a fantastic job of explaining various features along the coast, including where old fishing villages had been located and pointing out small waterfalls that we likely would not have noticed on our own. Once we reached the end of the coastline, we turned back for the smooth ride home.

Dinner was served buffet style and the drinks flowed readily. The crew was really top notch and my notoriously picky eater of a husband even said that the food was “not bad,” which is high praise coming from him. The crew was really great about bringing out more food when the supply got low, and they also came around and made sure to refill drinks. All in all, it was a pleasant experience and despite my concerns, we had a great time.

Final Thoughts?

I am definitely glad we experienced the Napali Coast and Captain Andy’s Na Pali Sunset Dinner Cruise was a great way to do it, given our kids. Had they been older, I likely would have explored a snorkeling or kayaking day long adventure, but there was simply no way of guaranteeing that we would be able to be on board for that long a time with our four year old (not to mention many activities have age limits that he would not have qualified for). The Sunset Dinner Cruise is advertised to last four hours and indeed, it lasted every minute of the four hours. I felt bad for one woman who had a horrible case of motion sickness and spent three of the four hours with her head in a bucket. My four year old definitely got tired and the waves helped lull him to sleep after dinner. In fact, I even found myself lying down to enjoy a little bit of shut eye on the ride back, having gotten up at 4am for conference call that morning!

June 20, 2019
Review of Courtyard Coconut Beach in Kauai
With two young children, my husband and I typically opt against staying at a hotel when planning a week long vacation. Earlier this year, we found ourselves in possession of two seven night stay certificates at a Category 1 – 4 Marriott hotel that were set to expire in mid-July. After a few hours of online searching, we were happy to secure a seven night stay at the Courtyard Kauai at Coconut Beach during our kids’ vacation. My review of Courtyard Coconut Beach in Kauai, however, is decidedly mixed. On the one hand, we paid zero dollars out of pocket for our stay (there was a $20/night resort fee that was waived for our stay) that would have otherwise cost just over $4,000; however, the level of construction the hotel was undergoing was well beyond what had been disclosed. While we found the initial appearance of the hotel and the noise to be jarring, at least we had some inkling of the construction. Many other vacationers had no idea that the hotel was under construction, much less that the hotel’s pool and dining facilities were largely nonexistent. While I heartily recommend the Courtyard Kauai Coconut Beach for its location and the amazing staff that did everything they could to accommodate its guests, Marriott’s handling of the situation was subpart and has me re-thinking brand loyalty going forward.

The resort’s “entrance” during our stay.

The Courtyard Kauai at Coconut Beach is located approximately 30 minutes from the Lihue Airport. There is a large parking lot and it is easy to walk right into the resort. Given the construction, however, the main lobby was not open and thus, the makeshift lobby was all that was available during our one week stay. Upon checking in, I was somewhat dismayed that there were just folding tables set up for check in and that there were extra staff on hand to help guide guests. During the check in process, I also received no explanation of the amenities, which I guess should not have surprised me given that well, there were none available during our stay due to construction; I was not provided with a map of the “resort,” nor was I given a map to the nearby hotel with the reciprocal pool access. I was simply told “construction, 7 days a week from 9-5pm and the pool down the road at the — hotel is available for use.” This was definitely a sign of poor things to come in terms of both the level of construction, as well as the staff’s ability to manage disappointed guests.

My four year old has extremely sensitive ears and the jackhammering was too much for him.

After checking in, we went up to our room, which was located on the top (4th) floor.

As described, it was a two bedroom, ocean view room. While surprisingly small (even my 9 year old commented on the small size and he’s not one to notice these things), it was newly renovated and as described. The view of the pool from directly from our balcony, however, left much to be desired.

Particularly when, during our stay, the hotel’s website and app still boasted about the “pool” features as one of its available amenities.

Admittedly, we did not spend much time at the hotel, opting to leave early every morning after breakfast to explore the island. However, it would have been nice to have had the option to sit by the beach/pool and order drinks or even evening snacks. A few evenings, we simply picked up pizza before returning to the hotel and ate in our hotel room, since there was no suitable outdoor seating.

Another aspect in which we were disappointed was that while the website/app advertised its “dining” options as “HIGHLIGHTS,” there was, in fact, only one very limited option for dining.

Indeed, the main dining room was completely boarded up during our stay and the only option was this banquet/conference room that had been converted into a makeshift dining area.

That said, my Titanium Elite Status provided us with a complimentary credit of $20/day to use towards food and beverages and kids under 5 eat free so we ate breakfast every single day before departing for our days’ adventures and the food, and the service, were both quite excellent in the dining department.

Papaya/Granola bowl we requested one morning “to go.”

The children’s menu offerings.

During our stay, I briefly peeked into the gym, but it was small and not enticing in the least. I chose to spend my days kayaking and hiking instead, which I also encourage you to do if you find yourself in Kauai. Of course, the option of a treadmill or elliptical is always nice to have and at least this portion of the hotel was not under construction and available for use.

As advertised, the hotel does have access to a beach which is a very short and easy walk from the rooms. We enjoyed the beach tremendously and it was the first place we went after dropping off our bags.

Path down to the beach. Note the heavy construction.

That said, the hotel did not have any feet washing stations or towels available at or near the beach. Instead, towels had to be picked up at reception and dropped back off at reception, so that was a tremendous hassle in terms of using the resort’s beach. Because we could not clean off our feat easily, we didn’t end up spending anytime with the kids at the beach.

I would have loved the option of sitting in one of these chairs, ordering drinks, while watching the kids play in the sand, but alas! Not this time.

At bottom, the hotel’s lack of amenities did not have any significant impact on our vacation, given that we were using a certificate for a free stay. A few nights into our stay, a group of new guests arrived and were clearly incredibly dismayed by the level of construction. There were angry words at reception and lots of disgruntled guests wandering around. One group approached me and asked if we had been aware of the construction, in particular the pool closure, and it was clear that they had no idea prior to their trip and that the lack of amenities was going to significantly impact their stay. At that point, I spoke with the hospitality manager who was entirely sympathetic to our claims (and waived our $20/day resort fee without us even asking), but she noted, sadly that there was nothing she could do. My only guess is that there is some issue between the hotel being unable to finance construction while closing the hotel down for operation and that it is staying open during construction because it has to. Although I don’t know where the blame rests (Marriott or the hotel itself), and I imagine it to be some combination of both, I think the negative impact will be mostly felt by Marriott as anyone who stayed during this massive upheaval will likely negatively reflect about the Marriott experience. The hotel’s central location on Kauai’s eastern shore and it’s gorgeous beach access means that it will always have a steady supply of visitors, but I know that this stay definitely has me questioning the benefits of maintaining Marriott status.

Final Thoughts?

There are a number of things that the hotel did poorly, in particularly, failure to disclose the level of construction. But it would be unfair not to point out the things the hotel did well:
- excellent food at the operating dining room, including incredibly patient servers, despite the fact that they were clearly understaffed and operating in sub optimal conditions;
- availability of beach towels for use on and off property; and
- availability of beach chairs and bicycles for use on and off property.
The only ways we were truly impacted by the construction was that we couldn’t really enjoy the hotel’s beach as much as we likely would have had it been operating. That said, we also probably saved money by not ordering expensive drinks at the resort and had there been a pool option, we likely would have had to negotiate with the children about spending a day hiking and kayaking and generally out and about as they would have definitely advocated for staying put and just swimming the day away. In the future, I would definitely stay at the hotel again, on a return trip to Kauai, but I suspect this construction will bump the hotel from a Category 4 to a Category 5 hotel, thus raising significantly the redemption costs. And that is a real shame.
June 1, 2019
Costa Rica Rental Car Insurance and Vamos Review

Last year, my family traveled to Costa Rica for spring break. We scored some awesomely inexpensive tickets from DC to Liberia, but I was completely stumped when trying to figure out an affordable rental car. Rental car prices for our one week stay varied from extremely cheap ($80) to cost prohibitive ($900+) and the insurance requirements were indecipherable. Even more troubling were the numerous reviews from unsuspecting vacationers who booked a seemingly affordable rental car, only to be hit with excessive fees upon arrival. After a few hours of research, I was able to figure out a way to ins and outs of Costa Rica rental car insurance and after reaching out directly to a number of rental car agencies, decided to book with Vamos. Here’s what I learned about Costa Rica rental car insurance and my review of our experience with Vamos.

Costa Rica Rental Car Insurance:

Rental car insurance is a government monopoly in Costa Rica and thus, every rental must have liability insurance from the INS (Instituto Nacional de Seguros). The mandatory insurance costs anywhere from $10-$20/day, depending on the vehicle you rent and provides only minimal coverage (it does not cover your rental car at all, only damage to other people, their cars, or property). Thus, if you want coverage for any damages to your rental car, you must purchase supplemental collision ($15-40/day, depending on rental car company and vehicle) or, if you have it, rely on your credit card’s rental car coverage.

My husband and I both carry the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which offers primary collision as an included benefit. Primary insurance means that the Chase’s rental car insurance benefit kicks in before our regular car insurance and, for those who might not have a vehicle and thus, do not carry car insurance, the Chase benefit serves as your insurance policy when renting a car on travel. Prior to travel, I called the phone number on the back of my Chase Sapphire Reserve card and inquired about the rental car benefit. I was transferred to Card Benefit Services and, upon confirming my personal details, was emailed a letter verifying my CSR insurance benefit and the terms of coverage. A redacted copy of the letter can be found here.

Choosing Vamos Rent-A-Car:

When researching Costa Rica rental car options, Priceline.com and various independent car rental websites were willing to rent me a car for the entire week for as little as $100, without any insurance. Reading numerous online reviews, however, I feared that we would suffer the same experience as many: showing up and being held hostage at the rental car line and being told we needed to add on hundreds of extra dollars of coverage to our car. Of all the car rental companies I researched, Vamos Rent-A-Car was the only one that allowed me to: (1) select the mandatory liability insurance and (2) waive the collision insurance during our reservation. As an added bonus, Vamos also included one free child car seat rental and a free cooler. Although the quoted price was just over $300 and thus $200 over the least expensive option I could find online, I valued Vamos’ transparent booking process (and the numerous positive online reviews didn’t hurt either). Moreover, after reserving our vehicle, I emailed Vamos to confirm that our credit card collision coverage would be sufficient. I attached a copy of the letter from Chase’s Card Benefit Services and within hours, received a reply that it was fine and would be accepted. My husband reports that he had no issues when picking up the vehicle and that the final estimated price was the quoted price online.

Why book a rental car?

I’m sure you’re asking — why book a rental car? The honest truth is that we are not resort people. My husband and I (and our kids) get antsy if we are in one place for an extended period of time and, traveling with young kids means that we have very little desire to be stuck on hotel shuttles and guided tours.

Moreover, although our resort offered shuttle services to and from the airport and to other nearby locations, utilizing the cheapest transport option of a private shuttle for our family of four to travel from the airport to the hotel would have cost $280 round trip. Thus, the cost of the rental car was essentially the same as taking a shuttle to/from the airport… but we would also have a rental car available for us to use for the duration of our stay. Note: it ended up costing us $338 to rent the car for the duration of our trip.

Car Seats in Costa Rica:

It may come as a surprise to many, but car seat laws in Costa Rica are significantly more stringent than laws in the United States. Indeed, all children under 12 must be secured in an appropriate car seat when traveling by car in Costa Rica. Vamos graciously offers one car seat or booster free of charge for the duration of your rental, which was one of the immediate benefits to renting from Vamos as both our kids would require car seats. I’m a bit of a car seat junkie and almost always insist on bringing our own car seat on trips. For this trip, my intent was to utilize the IMMI GO Child Car Harness. Unfortunately, when my husband arrived at Vamos, he learned quickly that the IMMI GO’s LATCH attachments would not work with our Costa Rican rental car. This being our first international rental car experience with a car seat that wasn’t just a simple booster, we had neglected to consider that international cars may have different attachments. Luckily, Vamos was great and provided us with a rental car seat for my not quite four year old. Although Vamos’ original quote included only one free rental car seat and I had selected a booster seat for my nine year old as our “free seat,” the attendant noticed that my husband was unable to get the IMMI GO to install properly in our rental vehicle and supplied us with a convertible car seat at no extra charge. The convertible car seat was in excellent and clean condition and I was immensely grateful. Had I been aware of the issue, I would have likely packed the RideSafer Travel Vest, or just brought a booster for my older kid and used the free car seat option on a convertible car seat, which is more cumbersome to travel with.

Snug as a bug in his Vamos car seat.

Getting Gas in Costa Rica:

Our rental car came with a full tank of gas and we only ended up having to fill up once, immediately prior to returning the vehicle. I’m no expert in getting gas in Costa Rica, but our experience was that all of the gas stations are full service – meaning you cannot pump your own gas. While getting gas, we were approached by an individual offering to clean our windshield. I have on idea whether that was a complimentary service, but we declined by waving the individual away. We were able to pay our bill via credit card and I was thankful that we had change from our trip to Rincon, so I could tip the individual who pumped our gas.

March 6, 2019
How to Book a Family Trip to Hawaii on Points

A few weeks ago, my husband and I found ourselves slightly glum as it has been raining pretty much nonstop for the past few weeks. The adults, the kids, and even the dog were getting a little house crazy and I decided it was time to really start thinking about where we wanted to spend the kids’ spring break this year. Last year, we went to Costa Rica and and stayed at the Andaz Papagayo entirely on points. This year, having just moved across country and purchased a home, we had no desire to spend beaucoup bucks (or really, any bucks) on an expensive vacation. Instead, I decided to take an inventory of our miles and points situation and quickly realized that it was possible to book a family trip to Hawaii on points!

Booking a Family Trip to Hawaii on Points

Our first order of business was to decide which island to visit. My husband and I honeymooned on Oahu and the Big Island, and we traveled to Maui with our oldest son in September 2013, when he was four. We had our eyes on Kauai and so with that in mind, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to try and use one of our seven night Marriott stay certificates.

Last fall, prior to the merger of SPG and Marriott, I redeemed a bunch of Marriott points that I’d been sitting on for two Marriott Flight and Hotel Travel Packages. The goal at the time was to acquire as many Alaska Airlines miles as possible with our eyes towards a future redemption to Asia, and the seven night stay packages were just an added bonus to the redemption. We certainly did not plan to redeem them, as online travel experts had cautioned that the certificates were extremely hard to use in the United States due to availability, but I decided to call Marriott reservations and see if they had anything available on Kauai that we could use our certificate for.

Lo and behold, I was delighted to find that there were seven available nights at the Courtyard Kauai at Coconut Beach during our kids’ spring break week. I quickly confirmed that there was a room with two queen beds available and was thrilled when the booking agent asked if I would like an ocean view room with balcony — yes please! Total out of pocket cost for seven nights? $140. The resort fee of $20/day is not waived for award redemptions but it includes two daily cocktails and parking so I am happy to pay it!

The price without points? Over $4000 (and a garden view room to boot).

After confirming our hotel reservations, my next order of business was to book round trip flights for four from LAX to Kauai. After poking around a bit online, our preference was to fly American Airlines nonstop from LAX to LIH. However, tickets for four would have cost over $2000, so I wasn’t quite willing to pull the trigger, despite the major hotel coup.

The easiest option, of course, would’ve been to use Alaska Airlines or American Airlines points to book four round trip tickets. However, a quick search indicates that each round trip ticket in economy would cost 40,000 or 50,000 miles, depending on date/time availability. Luckily, I remember that British Airways is an American Airlines partner and that British Airways charges award redemptions based on miles traveled. Thus, a trip from the West Coast to Hawaii is only 25,000 British Airways Avios points. I don’t happen to have any Avios points, but I do have Chase Ultimate Rewards points in abundance and after confirming: 1) award availability on my desired dates/times of travel and 2) that points transfers happen instantly, I transferred 100,000 points from my Chase Ultimate Rewards account to my Avios account. 100,000 miles and $44.49 later in taxes and fees, I found myself with four confirmed, economy, round trip tickets from LAX to LIH.

Conclusion?

I’ve posted previously about how my family uses miles and points to travel around the world. Typically, we use our miles and points to help defray some of the cost of a large trip OR to travel business class or take a trip that we otherwise would not have been able to afford, such as our trip round-the-world. While I certainly did not plan to book a trip to Hawaii entirely on miles and points when I first started planning, that’s where we ended up and I am counting down the days until my family of four travels to Hawaii for a total out of pocket cost of $184.49 for airfare and accommodations which otherwise would have cost $6,105.46.

February 10, 2019
RideSafer Travel Vest Review

One of the top questions on every parent of a young child’s mind prior to travel is always: what should we do about carseats? Having traveled around the world with my two kids (ages 4 and 9), I can say without a doubt that one item we have loved having in our bag of travel tricks is the RideSafer Travel Vest.

Review of RideSafer Travel Vest

Crash tested down to 3 years old and 30+ pounds, the RideSafer Travel Vest does not take the place of a convertible car seat for kids who have outgrown their infant bucket seats, but who haven’t met the age and weight threshold for the RideSafer Travel Vest. However, once your child reaches the 3 and 30+ pounds threshold, definitely consider adding the RideSafer Travel Vest to your travel arsenal.

On a recent trip to/from the airport, I decided to strap my nearly four year old into the RideSafer Travel Vest for the ride from our home to the airport. Unlike most car seats which are designed to lift the child up so that the straps fall across their body at the appropriate spots (hence the term “booster”), the RideSafer Travel Vest brings the strap down to the child and secures it in the appropriate spots. Although the number of straps and clips may appear daunting at first, it is a very quick and easy process, having done it many times before.

Although this was my guy’s first time in the RideSafer vest, he took to it easily. About halfway through our journey, however, he did start to complain that he was hot. I should have known better and had him take off his hoodie before strapping him into the vest. Aside from that, the travel vest was comfortable enough that he even fell asleep in it on the way home (sans hoodie, which I did remember to take off before strapping him in).

One of my favorite things about the RideSafer Travel Vest is that it travels in its own little carry on pack and fits easily in your luggage or swung across your shoulder.

Our family ended up loving the RideSafer Travel Vest so much that we have it in both small (pictured above) and large, which is typically for children over 5 and 50+ pounds. Indeed, when my oldest son was in first grade but my youngest was still in a convertible, I used the RideSafer Travel Vest for when we needed to carpool and bring another child along with us. Three kids can easily fit in the backseat if using the RideSafer Travel Vest, even if one of those car seats is a convertible and the other is a high back booster! We have also used the RideSafer for any number of taxi rides in large cities where we otherwise would not need a car seat and it’s a convenient item to just keep in my trunk, in the event we want to safely transport another child.

For more car seat reviews, check out our full write up on car seats: Travel Tips: Traveling with Kids and Car Seats

February 3, 2019
Spotlight: Discovery Cube With Kids! (Orange County)

The Discovery Science Foundation is a Southern California based organization dedicated to hands-on science education for kids. With three campuses located in Southern California, the Foundation has four core initiatives: STEM proficiency, early childhood education, healthy living, and environmental stewardship. On a recent visit to the Foundation’s original center in Orange County, California (Discovery Cube OC), my three year old and I had the opportunity to see first hand the real world implementation of the Foundation’s four core initiatives.

Our visit happened to coincide with “Dino Summer” – a large exhibit dedicated to huge animatronic dinosaurs.

It was a truly impressive display, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to fully peruse as my three year old decided that the dinosaur noises were too scary! I should have prepared him for the noises and large scale dinosaurs prior to entry, evidently!

Luckily, there was plenty to explore aside from the Dino Summer exhibit. My little one particular loved the full scale grocery store replica, where he could walk around with a shopping cart and ring up items for “purchase.”

He also loved the recycling/environmental hazards center, which prompted him through specific tasks.

Being a rambunctious toddler, however, his absolute favorite section was the downstairs level which was comprised of various STEM activities that he could either observe and/or engage with his hands.

We ended up spending a full two hours at the museum before lunch and nap time forced us to leave. My son loved the museum, but honestly, I think that children ages 5+ would likely benefit from it more as my son, at only 3.5, did not quite fully grasp the concept of many of the things he was engaging with. Nonetheless, Discovery Cube was a great way to spend a few hours on an exceptionally hot day, and I would absolutely encourage anyone to visit Discovery Cube with kids – particularly on hot and/or rainy days! Finally, the Orange County location is close to Disneyland and would be a fantastic “break” from Disneyland, if you find yourself in need of one! We could have easily spent more time there and, an added bonus, Discovery Cube is a ASTC Passport Program participant, so you can take advantage of the reciprocal benefits program if you happen to be a member of another ASTC facility and are traveling outside of your home area.

Discovery Cube OC is located at 2500 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA and is open daily from 10am-5pm (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Los Angeles, California with kids and check out other ASTC centers we’ve visited!

Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fun locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!

August 21, 2018
Old Town Alexandria With Kids: Five Fun Family Activities

Old Town Alexandria is a historic neighborhood located just a few miles south of Washington, DC. Having called Old Town Alexandria home for six years, I can say, without a doubt, that it is not only an amazing place to live, but also a fabulous place to visit. Over the years, I have encouraged many friends/family visiting from out of town to spend a few hours exploring Old Town with kids! Not only is it an incredibly family friendly place, but it is literally dripping in history and architectural design AND also incredibly dog friendly. Old Town is home to the only coffee shop I’ve ever heard of that freely allows dogs into its establishment. So, even on a crummy day, Old Town is a great place to bring your kids and furry pups for some window shopping and good eats.

How to Get to Old Town Alexandria:

Getting to Old Town Alexandria is not difficult. It’s a short drive down the GW Parkway from Washington, DC and if you’re flying into Reagan National Airport (DCA) and planning on using public transportation, the King Street Metro station is just two stops south of the DCA stop. Once at or near King Street (the “main drag”), you can easily take the free King Street Trolley, which travels along King Street from the metro station to the waterfront every 10-15 minutes throughout the day. There is absolutely no charge to ride the Trolley, you don’t even need to be in possession of any passes, you can simply keep an eye out for Trolley stops along King Street and hop on and off as you see fit! The Trolley also carries free copies of the Alexandria’s Visitor’s Guide as well as a map of the main business area, so it really is a great starting point for learning your way around Old Town Alexandria.

The King Street Trolley!

If you find yourself driving to Old Town, the cheapest parking option is simply to park 2-3 blocks north of King Street. On or in the immediate vicinity of King Street, the parking spots are metered and/or you can look for lots that provide day parking. But, if you’re looking for free parking options, just park a few blocks north of King Street and take the short stroll down. Pro Tip: If you park close to the Potomac, you can simply walk due east until you hit the waterfront and then enjoy the gorgeous scenery on your way down.

Top Five Things to Do:

#1: Explore the Waterfront

Situated on the banks of the Potomac River, Old Town Alexandria is the perfect spot to enjoy the serene waters of the Potomac River. There are so many ways to enjoy the water, including water taxis and boat cruises, but my personal favorite way to experience the waterfront is to visit one of the many waterfront parks located along the Potomac and throughout Old Town.

View of the Potomac from the north end of Founders Park

My personal favorite waterfront park is Founders Park, which is located just three blocks north of King Street. Not only does it provide an amazing, shaded opportunity to enjoy the Potomac’s serene waters, but it also has an unleashed dog park for my four legged child AND a beach volleyball court.

Beach volleyball at Founders Park

On any nice day, you can find the park filled with local residents simply enjoying the outdoors. And, if you happen to be in town during Alexandria’s annual birthday celebration and firework spectacular, which always happens the weekend after the Fourth of July, it’s a perfect spot to lay down a blanket or towel and enjoy the show.

There are a number of fenced in walk ways that are perfect for young duck feeders!

#2: Visit Artists’ Galleries at the Torpedo Factory

The Torpedo Factory is presently home to the nation’s largest collection of working-artists’ open studios under one roof. On the day after Armistice Day, the official end of WWI, the US Navy began construction on the Torpedo Factory which was truly intended to be responsible for the manufacture and maintenance of torpedoes for the Navy. For five years, the factory was fully operational until work stopped during and the building became a munitions storage area. During WWII, production picked up again, but eventually, the factory’s production came to a grinding halt due to the end of WWII and the United States continued to use the building for storage. For years, the factory held congressional documents, dinosaur bones, art objects, and other records.

During a tour of the Torpedo Factory, I learned that the building really became something of a liability for the United States government and so it was “sold” to the City of Alexandria for the hefty sum of $1 in 1969. It took a few years for the city to develop a plan, but eventually the Torpedo Factory opened to the public as a working studio for artists.

The Torpedo Factory is presently home to a large number of open artist studios and, on any given, day, its a great spot to enjoy a reprieve from the elements. Whether it’s summer or winter, the Torpedo Factory’s central location directly at the intersection of King Street and the Potomac River is a great place to seek some shade or air conditioning and to use the facilities. Pro Tip: Free, clean bathrooms available!

My personal favorite part about the visiting the Torpedo Factory (aside from the free, clean bathrooms and air conditioning) is the local “water musician,” who can be found nearly every weekend playing his tunes just outside of the factory’s main entrance.

If you happen to visit the Torpedo Factory, be sure to stop by and say hi to my friend Katy who runs EatsPlace Cafe & Market, a great place to grab a sandwich and cold drink (including beer)!

#3: Experience History

I cannot begin to do justice to the City of Alexandria’s history without turning this post into a thesis. The short story is that Native American artifacts dating to 13,200 years ago and as late as 1,600 AD have been found in Alexandria. The city has served as a tobacco trading post, one of the ten busiest ports in America, a part of the District of Columbia, the hometown of Robert E. Lee, George Washington, and a Civil War supply center for Union Troops, among others.

In my opinion, the city has done a wonderful thing of honoring the past by preserving it for the future. There are a number of historical sites and attractions available for visiting and the city runs most of them, with available tours and special exhibits and attractions. While by no means an exhaustive list, some of my favorite sites are:

Carlyle House Historic Park:

This 18th century home is located one block north of King Street and is a beautiful example of Georgian residential architecture. John Carlyle was a wealthy merchant and a founder of Alexandria and the home has served as not only a private residence, but as a hospital during the Civil War and is now a museum.

Lee Fendall House:

The Lee Fendall House was constructed in 1985 and has housed 37 members of the Lee family, served as a convalescent home for Union soldiers during the Civil War, and has also been the price residence of many wealthy Alexandrians during its 200 year history. The home is located on the National Register of Historical Places and is a wonderful place to visit. Tours run regularly throughout the week and the museum also offers a number of special events. The home also runs an annual “candy free” Easter egg hunt, which we visited one year with our young son. I totally got a kick out of knowing that my four year old was freaking out over the Easter bunny at home that Robert E. Lee likely visited and stayed at while in command of the Confederate Army.

The Churches:

This may come as a surprise to many, but Alexandria is home to a surprising number of “first churches.” The historic Christ Church is located in the center of Old Town and George Washington was a founding member and rented a family pew and Robert E. Lee was a later member of the church as well.

In addition to Christ Church, Alexandria is also home to the Basilica of Saint Mary, the first Catholic parish in Virginia/West Virginia. Legend has it that George Washington made the first contribution for the creation of the parish in the late 1700s. The Basilica is also the first to have been designated as such in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the first in the Diocese of Arlington, and the 84th in the United States.

Last but not least, Alexandria is home to St. Joseph’s Church, the oldest black Catholic church in Virginia. Located only two blocks from our home, we frequently attended St. Joseph’s and found it to be a vibrant and welcoming parish. My husband attended an African Methodist Episcopal Church throughout college and loved the choir and worship at St. Joseph’s, which definitely had a lot more to it than our typical mass.

Gadsby’s Tavern:

Built in 1785, Gadsby’s Tavern was an essential part of the fiber of the City of Alexandria. George Washington visited the Tavern frequently and other prominent guests include Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and yours truly, of course.

Although the food is truly nothing to write home about, the experience of dining at Gadsby’s Tavern is a real treat. Workers still dress in period clothing and the food is designed to be “authentic” – including some of Virginia’s famous peanut soup.

Even if you don’t have time to dine at Gadsby’s, be sure to stop by and visit the recently renovated Icehouse, which can be viewed for free from the outside rain or shine.

The Farmer’s Market:

The Old Town Farmers’ Market is the oldest continuously held farmers’ market in the country. Any Saturday morning, rain, sleet, or shine, you can find local farmers and artisans with their booths. Not only is it a great place to purchase fresh produce, but there are a number of local bakeries, eateries, and artisans also out selling their products.

There are truly few things better in life than eating your way through the Farmer’s Market on a beautiful spring or fall day!

#4: Walk the King Street Mile

King Street is a walkable mile of over 160 independent shops and boutiques. As you may have gathered by now, King Street is the heart of Old Town and no visit to Old Town is complete without popping into at least some of the shops that make up the Old Town Boutique District.

source: Old Town Boutique District

Some of my favorite stores are:

The Hour: a shop dedicated entirely to cocktail hour! Although many of the items sold here are way outside of our budget, it’s a great little place to get ideas for hosting your next cocktail hour or dinner party.

Red Barn Mercantile: my favorite home goods store, hands down. Not only does the shop offer an great collection of candles, pillows, and other assorted home decor, but it’s a fabulous place to get Alexandria inspired items for home or gifting. I’ve purchased many candles, mugs, and other related items to give as housewarming gifts.

Handmade and DIY Shops: Alexandria happens to be home to a number of do-it-yourself shops. My favorite store in this category is fibre space, which is hands down the best local yarn shop I have ever visited. Owner Danielle has the most amazing vision and all of the employees are not only seasoned knitters and crocheters, but are also fabulous people to boot. If yarn isn’t your cup of tea, you can opt for a sewing lesson, painting lesson, jewelry making and design course, or just a good old fashioned pottery painting session. Be sure to check out the handmade and DIY shop offerings for your next visit to Old Town!

Pro Tip: I’ve affectionately renamed Old Town “Dog Town USA” and it’s no surprise as Alexandia is incredibly dog friendly. If you’re also traveling with your four legged child, The Alexandria is an ideal place to stay. Not only is it located in the heart of Old Town, but it offers a weekly “Yappy Hour” that we have visited with both our two legged and four legged children. Many of the shops in Old Town are pet friendly, just keep your eyes peeled for this blue sign indicating that even Fido is welcome! The dog friendly aspect of Old Town really makes this an ideal family vacation destination as there’s no need to leave your furry friend behind.

source

#5: Eat, Eat, and Eat some more!

Old Town Alexandria is filled with amazing restaurants and eateries. As a rule, the further from the waterfront you get, the better the quality of the food is. That said, if you’re only in town for a short time, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a meal at Vola’s Dockside Grill or The Chart House. I wouldn’t say that either are particularly kid friendly, though. The Chart House is definitely pricey and Vola’s is hard to manage with young children simply because it is always swamped. If you’re looking for tried and true kid-friendly dining options, our favorites:

Eamonn’s: Amazing fish and chips. Be sure to add some extra sauces to your order.

Pizza Paradiso: Great pizza and beer selection. I’ve maneuvered a double stroller through this place, so don’t hesitate to bring your kids!

Virtue Feed & Grain: One of our favorite places for brunch!

Hank’s Oyster Bar: We love the seafood, there’s a great kids menu, and my kids love that every meal starts with goldfish crackers and ends with dark chocolate chunks.

Red Rocks Pizza: If you find yourself further away from the water when it’s chow time, Red Rocks offers great pizza and we even prefer it slightly to Pizza Paradiso.

Bread & Chocolate: A great place for breakfast or a light lunch.

La Madeleine: A french bakery & cafe that is also a great option for a causal breakfast or light lunch. Also a great place to pick up pastries to enjoy at home later!

And, of course, it is nearly impossible to go to Old Town without enjoying some of the amazing desserts the town has to offer. There’s the Ben & Jerry’s just by the water, but also a number of mom & pop ice cream shops. If liquid nitrogen ice cream is your thing, be sure to check out one of the more recent additions to the Old Town dessert scene: Nicecream. There are also quite a few cupcake and chocolatiers littered throughout town, so definitely save room for dessert.

We are so lucky to have called Old Town Alexandria home for six years and we hope you consider popping in for a visit on your next trip to Washington, DC. Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC with kids and make sure to visit Old Town Alexandria with kids!

August 21, 2018
Spotlight: California Science Center with Kids! (Los Angeles)

The California Science Center located in the heart of Los Angeles is an amazing facility for people of all ages to learn by doing! With over 400,000 square feet of space, the facility has over four major exhibit areas, including a Discovery Room, which is designed for scientists age 7 and under. My favorite thing about the center is that admission is free for all permanent exhibits!

On a recent sweltering day, we ventured to the California Science Center to check out the King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh special exhibit. As it is not part of the permanent exhibit, admission was not free, however, our party of six (immediate family + in laws) loved the exhibit – including my 3.5 year old who was riveted and engaged the whole time.

The King Tut exhibit is separated into two parts – the first part begins on the third floor and you are required to show your ticket in order to enter. The exhibit begins with a short movie, introducing King Tut and the exhibit.

Of the 150 artifacts on display at the exhibit, 66 had never before traveled outside of Egypt. Those artifacts were clearly marked with a “first time out of Egypt” label.

As we made our way through the exhibit, we were blown away by not only the quality of the artifacts which were all in pristine condition. The artifacts were also incredibly intricate and I can only imagine the skilled craftsmanship that went into creating each individual item.

My nine year old was able to really dig into the exhibit – he wandered around and read the signs and descriptions on his own, commenting as he went along. My 3.5 year old spent his time in the exhibit largely on his grandfather’s shoulders, but even he was engaged as his grandpa read him the descriptions and explained to him what we were seeing.

After making our way through the first part of the exhibit, we were given a card that would serve as our admission to Part II – located on the first floor. Before leaving the third floor, however, my nine year old decided he wanted to take a ride on the high-wire bicycle. For $3, he was strapped in and completed two back and forth journeys on the high-wire. He reports that it was great fun and wished that we had the time for him to do it again!

After finding our way down to the first floor, we handed over our cards and were granted admission into Part II – which focuses on the actual work of discovering and excavating the tomb.

Howard Carter is credited as the British archeologist who discovered the tomb, but I was tickled to learn, for the first time, that it was water boy, Hussein Abdel-Rassoul who first laid eyes on the tomb and reported the discovery to Carter and his crew of men.

The end of the exhibit featured a short film which introduced some levity into the whole King Tut fascination. My boys loved dancing to Steve Martin’s King Tut parody, which was playing in the background, as they watched the film.

Our exploration of the King Tut exhibit occupied us for over two hours, so by the time we made our way out of Part II, it was time to leave downtown to get home in time for a certain little one’s nap. Having caught a glimpse of the other exhibits at the California Science Center on our way in and out of the King Tut exhibit, I know that we will be visiting the museum frequently on hot days, as well as the rare rainy day in Southern California.

The California Science Center is located at 700 Exposition Park Drive in Los Angeles and is open to the public seven days a week, 362 days a year, with free general admission to its permanent exhibits. The King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh is a limited time engagement and I strongly encourage those who are able to visit! Note that once you leave the exhibit, re-entry is not permitted.

Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Los Angeles, California with kids! And, be sure to visit the California Science Center with kids!

Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fun locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!

July 17, 2018
Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: Family Budget for Iceland

Traveling to Iceland with kids? With airfares as low as $99 one way from many cities to KEF, a trip to Iceland sounds like a bargain… until you factor in the price of accommodations, food, and attractions. Although Iceland is filled with natural beauty and waterfalls that are free to view from the Ring Road, other costs and expenses can come as a surprise to those who were expecting a “cheap” getaway. One of the most common questions I’ve been asked is “just how expensive” Iceland is and “how much should a family budget” for Iceland. With that in mind, I’d like to share with you the cost of my recent trip to Iceland over Memorial Day Weekend with my nine year old son.

Airfare + Transportation + Gas = $1053.54

Wow Airlines round trip airfare for two + one checked bag for each leg of the flight (added at the time of booking for $49.99 each way) = $567.06

Route1.IS four day rental car = $359.36 (booked via holiday autos)

Gas = $127.12 (1.25 tanks diesel gas used)

Accommodations = $700.99

Cottage at Reynisfjara Beach (two nights) = $515.99

Nina’s Guest House (one night) = $185

Excursions = $253.50

The Blue Lagoon (admission for one adult, children under 13 free) = $70

The Lava Tunnel (admission for one adult, children under 12 free) = $64

Hallsgrimskirkja (admission for one adult and one child) = $10.50

Jokulsarlon Glacial Boat Ride (admission for one adult and one child) = $77

The Viking Museum (admission for one adult and one child, including buffet breakfast) = $32

Food: $298.01

Food was a surprisingly expensive part of our trip. I don’t mind spending money on food and we love dining out and do so frequently, but I was a bit taken aback by a simple pizza that cost about $30. Nevertheless, we didn’t end up spending all that much on food because we had access to a grocery store and a kitchen at both locations. We only ended up eating out on a few occasions. On the first day, we had a large, late lunch of burgers and fries for lunch and then opted to just snack on cheese and crackers for dinner. Our second day, we spent a grand total of $19.89 at the Glacier Lagoon cafe but otherwise, ate items that we picked up at the grocery store and made spaghetti for dinner. On our third day, we shared a small snack at the Reykjavik Fish Market and then splurged on our most expensive meal – pizzas and wine at Endofninn. Our final morning, we enjoyed coffee and baked goods at a bakery in Reykjavik and then, due to timing, did not eat again until we found ourselves at the airport (although we did enjoy some refreshments at the Blue Lagoon). At the end of the day, we saved quite a bit of money because we were able to purchase and store groceries at our accommodations. Our dining expenses are as follows:

Smidgen brugghus (one kid’s meal, one adult burger, one beer) = $42.42

Kronan (local grocery store chain where we purchased light snacks, breakfast supplies and spaghetti materials for dinner) = $45.54

A small jar of pasta sauce that was just enough for the two of us costs nearly $4.

A $3 baguette at the Kronan in Vik.

Sandwich and soup at the Glacier Lagoon = $19.89

Endofninn (two pizzas, one soft drink, two glasses of wine) = $62.59

Reykjavik Fish Market (one entree of fish and chips) = $28.03

Breakfast coffee and pastries = $16

Blue Lagoon Cafe (one beer, one slushy) = $16.44

Bonus (local grocery store where we picked up food souvenirs to bring home) = $21.27

Nord (our pre-departure dinner of one pizza, one soup, and one beer at KEF airport) = $45.83

To be honest, I wish I had the opportunity to spend more on food. I happen to love dining out and my husband and I are very adventurous eaters. My nine year old, while a wonderful traveling companion, isn’t one to enjoy fish or lobster stew and he can also be particular about his meat. That said, I glanced at many menus and simply decided that it wasn’t worth trying to eat a nice dinner with my son as there was very little, if anything, that he would enjoy on the menu. This ended up saving us quite a bit of money, even if it left me a bit disappointed that I did not get the opportunity to explore the Reykjavik dining scene or the local cuisine. I guess I’ll just have to wait for my next trip to experience the hot dog and fish soup!

As for grocery store prices, I found grocery items to be more expensive than in the US, but not astronomically so. A $3 baguette costs more than the $1.50 baguette at my neighborhood grocer and one kg of oranges cost $3.50 (so ~$1.65/lb), but it was still such a significant cost savings over dining out.

Grand Total = $2,306.04

Our grand total for flights, transportation, accommodations, food, and gas was just over $2300. Yes, we spent a bit more than that on incidentals, such as the $12 travel adapter I had to purchase when I realized I had neglected to pack one from home and the $70 vase I purchased as a souvenir for my mother-in-law, who was graciously babysitting my three year old back home. But, for non-negotiable items, we managed to stay within a reasonable budget. Of course, your own travel patterns and practices will dictate what your trip ends up costing. I was fortunate that we found a nice balance between free activities and paid experiences and that my son was more than content to eat items we picked up at the grocery store for a number of meals.

I hope you enjoyed reading about our trip to Iceland! Planning your own Icelandic adventure with kids? Be sure to check out our listing of all Iceland posts or join our Facebook group We Go To Iceland With Kids, a forum to ask questions and share ideas about family travel to Iceland

July 12, 2018