Tag: travel tips

Scott’s Cheap Flights Review
Thank you to Scott’s Cheap Flights for providing complimentary premium membership. All opinions are my own.

I have had a Scott’s Cheap Flights premium membership for about three months. While I was admittedly hesitant that the premium membership would be worth the cost of its $39 annual fee, I am already convinced that Scott’s Cheap Flights premium membership is well worth its annual fee for any traveler who makes at least one trip abroad each year. With three kids, our family needs to purchase five flights anytime we travel. We are constantly in search of discounted airfare to make international travel affordable. We use Google flights and monitor several fare deal websites and have taken advantage of several good deals that we have stumbled upon over the years, including round trip airfare to San Francisco for $130, to New Orleans for $80 and to Reykjavik for $370. However, it’s so time consuming to wade through all the offers that aren’t available from our local airports that I have to admit that I often don’t even open the automated fare deal emails I received. Now that I regularly receive Scott’s Cheap Flights’ ad free and filtered emails about amazing flight deals from only my desired airports, I have unsubscribed from the free services that used to send me automated emails and am certain that we will find better airfares through Scott’s than searching on our own as we’ve done over the past few years.

Review of Scott’s Cheap Flights

Scott’s Cheap Flights History

After Scott Keyes took advantage of a $130 round trip flight deal from New York City to Milan in 2013, he built an email list to let friends and colleagues know about other deals he found. Keyes partnered with co-founder Brian Kidwell in 2015. Now, Scott’s team monitors airfares and notifies its 1.6 million members when they find abnormally low fares on a specific route.

Scott Keyes and Brian Kidwell – Photo credit Scott’s Cheap Flights

Scott’s Cheap Flights Limited Membership Review

Scott’s Cheap Flights offers free limited memberships with impressive benefits. I tried out a limited membership before upgrading and found that limited members receive occasional cheap flight notifications from their geographic area but not filtered to include only the closest airports. When Scott’s Cheap Flights send limited members deal notifications, they delay them about 30+ minutes from the premium members’ notification. The deal alerts include ads, and Scott’s Cheap Flights makes sure to notify limited members of the amazing premium deals that they missed out on due to their limited membership. These alerts could definitely be useful but reminded me of many of the other free flight deal notifications. The emails and a few Scott’s Cheap Flights reviews definitely made me want the premium membership.

Is Scott’s Cheap Flights Premium Worth It?

Scott’s Cheap Flights Premium Review

I upgraded to a premium membership about 10 days after starting my limited membership. The welcome message indicated that premium subscribers receive three times as many deals and are “wayyyy” more likely to book a flight deal than limited members. After becoming a premium members and setting my airport selections, every fare deal I receive includes routes from the airports our family would consider using. Premium members also receive notification on fare deals to Hawaii and Alaska, peak season flights and mistake fares.

Each deal alert includes an introduction, discounted routes, lowest fares available, time frame, airlines, baggage costs, normal costs, special notes, estimate on how long the deal will last and a link to a sample Google search. Scott’s Cheap Flights does not earn a referral fee on flights booked.

Scott Keyes is always searching for low airfare – Photo credit Scott’s Cheap Flights

Scott’s Cheap Flight Deals I Wanted to Book

Due to our kids’ school schedule, our family does not plan to travel internationally until this Summer or Winter, and we don’t have a location nailed down. Most of the flight deals I’ve received through Scott’s Cheap Flights have been for travel through May 2019, so we haven’t been able to take advantage of anything yet. Nonetheless, when I an appealing fare deal shows up in my inbox, I often click on the Google Flights link just to test some dates around my kids’ Spring break. Sometimes, I am not able to find flights as low as advertised, which could mean that they already sold out. Other times, I find deals that are so good that I’ve had to restrain myself from booking trips.

My absolute favorite deal was a $276 round trip flight from Cleveland to Rome on Delta basic economy that included a full size carry-on and was available over our kids’ Spring break. Even though we just spent five days in Rome last July, this deal seemed too good to pass up. Similar flights were well over $1,000 each when I was looking last summer. Rome was such an phenomenal city, and I was desperate to find someone who could take advantage of this amazing fare deal. I didn’t have any luck, but pulling up one of my Scott’s Cheap Flights emails has been a cool party trick on several occasions when discussing bargain airfare. One friend who was booking insanely expensive holiday travel between Memphis and Cleveland was actually annoyed to learn that the Cleveland-Rome flight was a fraction of the cost of her Memphis-Cleveland flights.

The Colosseum in Rome

Here are some other sample fare deals that made me want to book flights:
- $396 flight from Cleveland to Beijing on Air Canada, Delta or United with no baggage fees
- $314 flight from Cleveland to Honolulu on American with carry on
- $372 mistake fare flight from Cleveland to Zagreb on American, British Airways or Croatia Airlines
Is Scott’s Cheap Flights Premium Membership Worth the $39 Annual Fee?

Definitely! Even though we have not booked a Scott’s Cheap flight yet, we hope to travel to Southeast Asia or South America this year. I am certain that we are going to find a flight to Bangkok, Buenos Aires or somewhere else amazing through one of Scott’s Cheap Flights’ alerts at a savings of significantly more than $39. Also, the alert messages make me happy knowing that it is possible to travel internationally without blowing the budget on flights. I may have thousands of unread emails in my inbox, but I open every message from Scott’s. I just wish Scott’s Cheap Flights included more domestic travel. I’m itching to travel to Seattle or Portland and can never find any fare deals on my own.
January 21, 2019
Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: Final Thoughts
Traveling to Iceland with kids is something I would recommend without reservation. I absolutely loved our time in Iceland and it was a perfect destination for our first mother-son international trip. Thanks to Catherine’s extensive write ups on her family’s trip to Iceland last summer, I was likely more prepared for this trip than any international trip I’ve ever taken. That being said, there were still a number of things that came as a surprise that anyone traveling to Iceland with kids should be mindful of.

Our 5AM Arrival to KEF Airport:

Our 5am arrival to KEF Airport was rough. Although I am generally a great sleeper on planes, a number of things conspired to keep me from getting any rest on our red eye flight from BWI to KEF. First, the flight departed BWI at around 9pm, a few hours prior to when I usually go to sleep, and it’s really a rather short flight at just over 5 hours, so there wasn’t a lot of time to get relaxed and tired before we landed at 5am. I did not end up sleeping, at all, on the flight over, and I paid for the lack of sleep dearly as I was exhausted and could barely keep my eyes open on the long drive from KEF to Reynisfjara. I had visited a number of forums online prior to our trip and I knew this was a common problem prior to our trip and one that many people choose to remedy by visiting the Blue Lagoon immediately upon arrival and then staying in Reykjavik that first night just to ease the transition. That said, although the first day was difficult, I was glad that we quickly adjusted to the time change so that we could maximize the rest of our trip. Luckily, my son is a seasoned traveler and at almost nine years of age, he had no problems sleeping in the car and rebounded quickly. Those traveling with younger children will need to plan ahead, depending on their child’s ability to manage the time change and red eye flight. While trolling the online forums prior to our trip, I read that a number of hotels in Reykjavik are extremely accommodating to the flight schedules and will often have rooms available for check in as early as 8am. If you’re staying in Reykjavik, this is definitely something you might want to consider as it would allow you a quick nap and time to freshen up upon arrival.

The Price of Gas, Groceries, and General Dining Out:

I had been told that Iceland was expensive, but I didn’t quite realize how expensive it was until I was eating our $45 lunch of burger and fries our first afternoon in Vik. That said, I didn’t particularly mind how expensive the food was as my nine year old is a relatively picky eater and thus, I didn’t fully expect to be dining out as much as I would have been had I been traveling solo or with my husband. We ended up picking up spaghetti supplies at the local grocery store and making a meal out of it – for a total of less than $10 USD. While grocery store prices were slightly higher than typical in the US (for example, $3 for the smallest bag of spaghetti versus $1.50 or $1.99), this was without a doubt a more economical option than dining out and for a traveling family, this can result in significant cost savings.

Prices a fish and chip restaurant in Reykjavik.

Home to our expensive, but delicious $45 meal of two burgers, fries, and a beer.

While restaurant prices were high, I will note that the quality of the food was very good. My friend, who traveled to Iceland last year as part of a couples trip, reports that while prices at mid-level restaurants were high compared to the US, prices at fine dining establishments were comparable to prices in the US, which may be something to keep in mind for those traveling with older children who can appreciate a fine meal or two.

Note: Airport food is generally more expensive than non airport food and the prices at KEF airport are simply outrageous. We ended up at KEF airport on the day of departure with quite a bit of time. We had spent the day traveling between The Lava Tunnel and The Blue Lagoon and had not eaten much more than a nibble here and there, so I simply decided we would grab something at KEF, which ended up being one of our most expensive meals. And, unlike food quality outside of the airport, the pizza was mediocre and the soup was pre-made and simply sitting in a giant vat.

My $22 bowl of soup and my son’s $18 pizza.

As with food prices, I was surprised by the gas prices. I had been warned previously that most cars are diesel and that prices were high, but I did not expect to pay nearly $100 for a full tank of gas. I also was slightly unprepared none of the three gas stations I visited would accept a credit card – I was required to enter a pin each time I sought to purchase gas and thus, I was glad to have packed my ATM card.

Also, do not underestimate just how remote and far between gas stations can be when driving outside the city. My gas light went on at some point while we were driving around in Reykjavik prior to leaving for the Blue Lagoon, but I just assumed that since it was a relatively heavily traveled route that there would be gas stations along the way. Boy was I wrong. I ended up driving nearly 10km on empty and it was a rather panicked trip the entire time as I feared not only running out of gas with a nine year old, but possibly resulting in some kind of delay that would have us missing our departing flight home.

Get gas and get gas often, even if you think there is surely a gas station along the way!

Tax Refund:

One surprising aspect of our trip to Iceland was how simple the country made obtaining a tax refund for purchases. During our day in Reykjavik, I purchased a vase that cost approximately $70 as a souvenir for my mother-in-law and had been given a tax refund receipt. I did not expect to actually pursue obtaining a refund as past experiences traveling abroad had suggested that it was simply more trouble than it was worth.

After checking in for our return flight home, I spotted the tax refund booth and decided to go ahead and investigate. It turns out that all I needed to do was fill out a form, present my receipt and passport, and the taxes paid would be automatically refunded to my credit card. The whole process took less than 10 minutes and I confirmed that my ~$7USD refund was credited shortly thereafter. If you find yourself purchasing lots of goods to bring home, be sure to save your receipts and check out the Tax Refund booth at KEF!

Note: Cash refunds are an option, but will involve a processing fee that is some portion of the refund.

Currency:

Speaking of money, we had no issues using our credit cards at just about every destination, with the exception of when purchasing gas. I did withdraw approximately $100 USD upon arrival at KEF and although we never needed the cash, I did use it on occasion simply for the novelty of the experience.

At most retailers, the credit card machines were prominently displayed at check out and I was given the choice of selecting whether to charge the amount in my native or local currency.
- Note: Bring a chip enabled credit card (visa or mastercard) and always select native currency rather than local currency when purchasing abroad.
Driving in Iceland:

I had no trouble driving in Iceland and hardly needed a map as the Ring Road is pretty self-explanatory. I brought our Garmin GPS, which was helpful for maneuvering within Reykjavik, but otherwise, simply followed the signs along the major highways to reach our destinations. There are a number of portions along the Ring Road where the highway narrows from two lanes to one, particularly when crossing rivers and streams, so just be aware and pull off to the side in the face of oncoming traffic.

Language:

Everyone, without exception, spoke English. I did not expect to have any language barrier issues and there were none with the exception of our car! Our car was programmed in Icelandic and would frequently ding out warnings at me, which completely freaked me out while attempting to drive. I managed to take some photos of some of the warnings and googled them later when we had arrived at our destination for the evening… turns out, the signs were telling me I had reached the speed limit and should slow down.

Note: Although the car was telling me to slow down, I was frequently blown off the road by passing motorists. This was particularly the case when driving in inclement weather.

Kid-Friendly:

Iceland is a very kid-friendly destination. Granted, I was traveling with my nearly nine year old that has literally traveled the world, but there were kids everywhere and as I have mentioned, kids under 12 were generally free or admitted at a reduced price at many destinations. Although I had some initial apprehensions about visiting The Blue Lagoon with my opposite-sex child, it ended up being a non-issues as there were a number of attendants in the men’s changing facilities that were happy to help him maneuver the facility.

WiFi/Cellular Reception:

As a Verizon Wireless customer, I enabled TravelPass which provides access to my regular data and cellular plan for $10/day when traveling to certain countries, Iceland included. We had WiFi available at our accommodations every evening, but I wanted to add the data coverage given that I was driving solo with my young son in a foreign country. Although we did not need the coverage for directions, it was handy to have while driving on the Ring Road for looking up specific address or dining options. It was also just a great peace of mind, knowing that if we ran out of gas (oops) or ended up with a flat tire, I did actually have a means of contacting someone.

Planning to visit Iceland 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 11, 2018
Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: Logistics and Itinerary
The inspiration for We Go With Kids came last summer, as Catherine and I were busy sharing notes following our respective vacations to Iceland and South Africa. For years, I’ve been intrigued about traveling to Iceland, which numerous friends and family have recommended as an ideal honeymoon or baby moon location from the East Coast. My husband and I never quite made it to Iceland, however, largely due to lack of time and availability of fight options. In 2012, Wow Air, an Icelandic low cost air carrier, began offering incredibly affordable direct flights from Baltimore International Airport to Keflavik. As a serious miles and points junkie, however, I never seriously considered flying Wow Air until after reading about Catherine’s experience. Prior to reading about Catherine’s experiences, I truly did not consider Iceland with kids to be a viable option.

On a whim, last November, I happened to check for flights to/from Baltimore to Keflavik and found round trip flights over Memorial Day weekend for $225/person. Within a matter of hours, I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to jet off for a long weekend with my oldest son, who would be just two weeks shy of his ninth birthday on our trip.

View of Reykjavik from Hallgrimskirkja

Booking Flights:

In November 2017, I booked two round trip tickets on Wow Air from Baltimore to Keflavik for $567.06. The total includes the $99.98 fee for checking a bag to/from, but otherwise, I did not pay for any other up charges or services, including advance seat selections or carry on baggage. The flight was scheduled to depart on Thursday night, arriving at Keflavik at 5am on Friday and departing Keflavik on Monday at 9pm.

Booking Accommodations:

With four full days and three nights to fill, I consulted with Catherine who strongly suggested I make it over to Jökulsárlón Lake. Luckily for me, I was able to take advantage of her Iceland With Kids: Suggested Itineraries post before deciding that we would spend two nights in Vik and one night in Reykjavik. At Catherine’s prodding, I also began looking into accommodations in Vik and Reykjavik around Thanksgiving of last year, which seemed extremely early to me, until I remembered that Catherine’s family experienced difficulty securing accommodations despite beginning their search five months prior to their trip.

Our rental cabin, taken from Reynisfjara beach

After a few hours of poking around online for options, I discovered that Catherine was quite correct and that numerous guest houses were showing up as rented through early May and up to mid-May. Spurred into action, I decided to book two nights at a cottage on Reynisfjara Beach and one night at a guest house in Reykjavik. Having previously had only a less than stellar experience with an Airbnb rental, I had originally hoped to stay at a hotel. But, there aren’t very many hotels and certainly none that were affordable. A basic Hilton in downtown Reykjavik was asking $300/night, whereas our one night stay at Nina’s Guesthouse was a much more affordable $185. Our two night stay at the cottage on Reynisfjara beach $515.99. Since both the cottage and our room at the guest house included a private bath and free parking, I decided they were our best bet and went ahead despite my initial misgivings.

Booking Rental Car:

I knew I wanted to rent a car to get around Iceland, instead of relying on tours or groups. After searching around online, I decided I wanted to rent from a local Icelandic rental car company (versus a national chain) and I ended up on the Holiday Autos website, which provided me with quotes for various local Icelandic rental car companies. I secured a vehicle from Route 1.IS via Holiday Autos. The rental for the four days, three nights cost $359.36, and provided for an automatic transmission, four wheel drive vehicle, which included taxes, airport fee, breakdown assistance, collusion damage waiver, personal accident insurance, third party liability protection, and unlimited mileage. Although there were certainly cheaper options, knowing that I would be traveling solo with my eight year old, I really did not want to have to worry about anything beyond ensuring that we were safe, so this seemed to offer the most security and peace of mind. Unlike most rental car reservations, however, Holiday Autos charged us at the time of booking (November 2017), but the cancellation policy provided for a full refund if the reservation was cancelled 24 hours prior to pick up.

Scheduled Itinerary:

Having booked our flights, accommodations, and rental car, I mapped out the following itinerary:

Day One:
- 5am arrival at Keflavik Airport
- Viking World, located just 15 minutes from the airport and opening at 7am
- Driving to Reynisfjara Beach, visiting Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Eyjafjallajokull, Skogafoss, Solheimasandur Beach, Solheimajokull, Dyrhalaey rocky outcrop, and Reynisfjara sand beach along the way.
- Staying at Reynisfjara cottage
Day Two:
- Making the 2.5 hour drive to Jökulsárlón for the glacial lagoon amphibious boat ride, visiting Eldhraun Lavafield, Fjaðrárgljúfur, and Vatnajökull along the way
- Returning to Reynisfjara beach cottage for the night
Day Three:
- Driving back to Reykjavik and staying at the guest house
Day Four:
- Tour of the Lava Tunnel, located 30 minutes outside Reykjavik
- Blue Lagoon
- 9pm departure from Keflavik Airport
Although I had a long list of things I wanted to and hoped to see on the drive to/from Reynisfjara, I purposely did not over schedule our third day with activities, knowing it was extremely likely that we would not actually be able to see everything we hoped to on our first day. This ended up working out great, because after our red-eye flight, my son slept most of the way from Reykjavik to Reynisfjara on our first day, so we ended up using the third day to make up for what we missed on Day One.

Planning your own trip to Iceland with kids? Continue reading about our Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: Getting to Iceland and the First 18 hours, and 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.
May 29, 2018
Washington, DC Monuments With Kids

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The National Mall is a landscaped park located in downtown Washington, DC. Administered by the National Park Service, the National Mall contains and borders a number of Smithsonian museums, national monuments and statues, and cultural exhibits. Affectionately referred to as “the Mall,” the Mall receives approximately 24 million visitors each year is not a mall in the shopping mall sense. Rather, it is a beautiful expanse of grass and open space in the middle of an otherwise crowded and congested city. I was tickled to learn, earlier this year, that the National Park Service considers the White House to be the President’s Park. Along those lines, the Mall should be regarded as America’s Playground. Here are my top tips for visiting the Washington, DC monuments with kids.

One of the greatest things about the Mall is that it is always open. Sure, the museums and concessions have specific operating hours, but the grounds are accessible 24/7 for walking and many say the best way to view the monuments is at night. Recently, I had the good fortune to spend an afternoon touring the monuments with Catherine’s family, which included our collective five children, ranging in age from 3.5 to 10. Although the Mall is kid friendly, there are a few things every visitor with kids should know when planning a visit to the Mall.

A look at our crew, as we embarked on our Mall adventure.

Five Tips for Visiting the National Mall With Kids

#1: Best Time to Visit the Mall

The best time to visit the Mall is an early morning weekday during the spring or fall. If you’re lucky, temperatures will be seasonally appropriate (instead of oppressively humid or bitterly frigid) and you can avoid the heaviest of crowds, which tend to be on weekends and in the late mornings/afternoons. Personally, if I am visiting the Mall with kids, I prefer to be on the ground, touring the monuments in the early morning (before 9:30am) as crowds tend to be lighter. After walking the monuments, I easily visit a museum of two, as they typically open at 10am, before either heading home or grabbing a bite to eat for lunch.

If planning a spring visit to the Mall, be sure to check out the NPS’s Bloom Watch for updates on when “peak bloom” can be expected. Peak bloom is defined as the day when at least 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open and lucky for us, peak bloom happened to be the day before our planned trip to view the blossoms and the monuments.

Experiencing the Tidal Basin at peak bloom never gets old.

On our recent visit, we had two available days in which we could visit the Mall and chose the day with the warmer weather. It proved to be right decision as the next day, our children were especially cranky during a short hour long outing outdoors.

#2: How to Get to the Mall

Many will recommend DC’s Metro system as the best way to get downtown and the nearest stations are just a few blocks from the Mall. Although children age 5 and under ride free, all other passengers must have their own SmarTrip card, which costs $2 to purchase and then must be loaded with adequate fare for the ride. Passengers can also purchase a SmarTrip card containing a one day unlimited Metrorail access for $14. On the day Catherine and I visited the Mall, we had six passengers in need of SmartTrip cards + adequate fare and two children under 5 traveling for free. Instead of doing the math and purchasing SmarTrip cards for all five fare paying passengers, we decided that the easiest option would be to simply drive downtown and park near the Mall.

The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW was the perfect solution. Located just one block away from the Washington Monument, the Ronald Reagan Building’s parking garage is accessible via ramps off 13th and 14th Street. As it is a federally owned building, don’t be alarmed that a quick search of your vehicle is required prior to entry.

Parking rates are calculated hourly, but for the entire afternoon that we spent parked at the building, we paid $25. Depending on the size of your group, this could be a bargain compared to purchasing individual SmarTrip cards that may never be used again.

The red stop signs reflect Metro’s two nearest Mall stops: Smithsonian and Federal Triangle. The Ronald Reagan International Trade Building is marked by the blue star.

#3: Where to Eat

There’s really no such thing as a quick visit to the Mall when traveling with young children. Although I have taken many a lunch time stroll along the Mall and around the Tidal Basin, every single trip with a child has required some kind of food stop. The Mall itself, however, contains very few concessions, so be sure to either eat ahead of time, pack a picnic, or plan your visit between meals. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer to visit the Mall in the morning. Not only does this avoid heavy crowds, but whether I am taking Metro or parking at the Ronald Reagan Building, I find that by the time I finish viewing the monuments (and the blossoms!), I can head towards the Smithsonian museums which are centrally located to restaurants and dining establishments.

The concessions stand we had lunch at on our recent visit to the Mall.

There are a limited number of concessions available on the Mall and the offerings are slim: hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, and drinks. The concession stands typically feature long waits and no bathrooms (so yes, two separate stops are required). On our recent visit, we were fortunate to have three adults, so we divided and conquered. Catherine and I took the kids to the bathroom at the Lincoln Memorial while Catherine’s husband stood in line at the concession stand located just south of the Lincoln Memorial. I am happy to report that as of April 2018, the hot dogs were very, very good and that the grassy area surrounding the concession stand was a perfect place for the kids to run around.

#4: What to Wear

Be sure to dress for the season and definitely check the weather forecast to determine appropriate clothing. Regardless of season, adequate walking shoes are a must. One visit to the Mall can easily be a 3-5 mile walk and with a relatively newly potty trained preschooler, I found sprinting across the Mall for the nearest bathroom!

#5: What Gear to Bring

When visiting the Mall with young children, you’ll want to provide for some means of carrying or strolling them after they’re done walking. Our respective 3.5 year olds are no strangers to walking and rarely use strollers, but the Mall is a different animal and they both ended up in their strollers for a significant portion of the visit. It came as a huge surprise to both Catherine and myself that they would choose to ride in their strollers as it had quite some time since they’ve needed it. I originally brought the stroller for the sole purpose of strapping my son into the stroller as we made our way around the Tidal Basin. During cherry blossom season, crowds can be intense, and there is no railing along portion of the basin, so I had no trouble imagining him going overboard. I was thrilled to have the stroller as the alternative, carrying a 36 pound preschooler, is less than appealing. As an added bonus, both 3.5 year olds were fast asleep by the time we made it back to the garage.

Although my son is potty trained, I still travel with abundant wipes and hand sanitizer, which came in handy as the kids loved playing in the grass and picking up sticks along our journey, but there was no hand washing available at our lunch spot. Bottom line: there are very few amenities on the Mall so be sure to pack what whatever essentials you might pack for a 3-4 hour long journey in a public park.

Why Visit the Mall?

With little by way of concessions, heavy crowds, and often intolerable weather, why would anyone want to visit the Mall? The Mall is truly a monument to America’s past and should be high on anyone’s list of places to visit. The Mall not only recognizes some of the greatest Americans who have ever lived, but the Mall also honors those who have given their lives in sacrifice.

During our recent visit, our families managed to visit all the major monuments and nearly all the memorials on the Mall. The route we took was as follows.

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We began at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building, where we parked and made our way to the Washington Monument. This 555-foot, 5 inch obelisk was completed in 1885 and is the oldest of the monument we visited. There are elevators that take visitors to the top, but the Monument is constantly under renovation and is currently closed until Spring 2019.

From the Washington Monument, we hopped across the street to the National World War II Memorial. The National World War II Memorial opened in 2004 and includes the Freedom Wall with 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 Americans who died in the war. The unbelievable loss of life is captured with the message “Here we mark the price of freedom.”

Pro-Tip: Senator Bob Dole visits the World War II Memorial nearly every weekend, where he greets visitors. Over the years, he’s met hundreds of groups and thousands of people. In September 2015, we were fortunate to bring my husband’s grandfather, who served in World War II, to see the Memorial and meeting Bob Dole was one of the many highlights of his trip. If you’d like a chance to meet Bob Dole, be sure to make your way towards the Memorial’s Visitor Center, which is where Senator Dole is usually stationed.

From the World War II Memorial, we walked the length of the reflecting pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. The reflecting pool is over a third of a mile in length and was holds over 6.5 million gallons of water. Overlooking the reflecting pool (and the Washington Monument) is the Lincoln Memorial, which was home to many defining moments in American history.

The Memorial, which appears on the back of the $5 bill and the penny, was designed like a Greek temple, and inside holds a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, along with inscriptions of two of his most famous speeches, “The Gettysburg Address” and his “Second Inaugural Address.” The 36 columns represent each of the states in the Union at the time of the Memorial’s dedication in 1922. The Lincoln Memorial is best known as the location where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I have a Dream” speech after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Pro-tip: The Lincoln Memorial is a good place to visit the bathroom.

From the Lincoln Memorial, we cut up north, briefly, to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Memorial, which is commonly known as “The Wall” was completed in 1982, and the 144 panels of the Memorial Wall include the names of 58,272 Americans who were declared dead and missing in action during the Vietnam War. The Three Servicemen is a bronze statute on the side depicting the soldiers solemnly looking at the names of their fallen comrades.

The Three Servicemen

At the Vietnam Memorial, there are stands where you can look for your relative’s name and it gives you the corresponding location on the memorial. We located a distant cousin during a recent visit.

The Vietnam Memorial was designed to be viewed in a specific manner. The bend that forms a corner at the center of the Wall features the year 1959 on the top left of one panel and 1975 on the bottom right of the other panel. Service members are listed in chronological and alphabetical order, with the first appearing just after 1959 and the last appearing just before 1975. For more information, visit Free Tours by Foot, which I consulted prior to our visit for assistance in locating our family member’s name on the Wall.

Our next stop was the Korean War Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in 1995 to honor the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces during the Korean War. Nineteen stainless steel statues represent a platoon on patrol.

From there, we made our way down to the Tidal Basin, where we were able to view the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. This Memorial was dedicated by President Obama in 2011, and our visit was only two days after the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination. The 28-foot granite boulder shows King looking toward the Jefferson Monument on the opposite shore of the Tidal Basin.

View of the Jefferson Memorial from the north end of the Tidal Basin

In an ideal world, we would have walked the circumference of the Tidal Basin, but alas, the two 3.5 year olds in our party were done by that point, and the crowds slowed us down substantially. So, we took the short cut along the north side of the Tidal Basin to view the cherry blossoms, which were simply glorious. In 1912, the mayor of Tokyo gifted 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, DC and that legacy provides DC with about two weeks of beautiful blooms each year. Along the way, we enjoyed the view of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. This neoclassical Monument was completed in 1943, and the bronze statute was added in 1947. We then cut across the Kutz Bridge, stopping briefly at the Floral Library, before heading north back to our vehicle.

Tulips in bloom at the Floral Library.

If you are fortunate and have the time to walk the entire length of the Tidal Basin, you will benefit from fewer crowds on the southern portion of the basin. I also typically find that photographs taken from the south basin tend to have less glare/reflection than those taken from the north basin. And, of course, you’ll be able to visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, which we did not get a chance to visit this time.

If time, weather, and temperament permits, a great activity is to rent paddle boats at the Tidal Basin Boathouse. My kids absolutely love doing this, but it is definitely something that requires all the stars to align – it’s rare that we have the time, good weather, and sufficient parking to make this experience happen.

Final Thoughts?

Walking the National Mall is a wonderful experience that any visit to Washington, DC should include! Many visitors skip the Tidal Basin because it’s a long walk in DC’s temperamental weather, but it is truly something to be relished. In the summer, where the heat prohibits long walks without shade, consider planning a walk around the Mall during the early morning hours or at night. Years ago, when my husband and I were but wee college kids, we spent a few nights in Washington, DC where we enjoyed seeing the lit monuments and memorials in the dark of night and I can’t wait until our kids are old enough to experience the monuments at night!

Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC with kids, including White House Tour With Kids, Renwick Gallery With Kids, and more Smithsonian Museum visits than we can count! We are so lucky to call this place home and hope that our tips and tricks come in handy as you plan your own adventure in Washington, DC!

April 15, 2018
Costa Rica With Kids (Part II): Getting to the Papagayo Peninsula

For Spring Break 2018, my family of four traveled to Costa Rica and spent one full week at the Andaz Papagayo. To read about why we chose Costa Rica with kids and booking logistics, visit Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics.

The Papagayo Peninsula, located on the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica, consists of 15 miles of coastline and 15 separate beaches. The Papagayo Peninsula is home to not only the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica and the Andaz Papagayo, but also the Peninsula Papagayo, a collection of resort homes and Central America’s first environmentally friendly luxury resort and real estate project. Located only 30 minutes from Liberia Airport, the Papagayo Peninsula has become an increasingly popular tourist destination and, despite plans for new development, government mandate provides that 70% of the land in the Papagayo Peninsula must remain natural.

The Papagayo Marina

How to get to the Papagayo Peninsula?

There are a few options to get to the Papagayo Peninsula. Flying into Liberia Airport, which is only 30 minutes away, is the easiest option. But, it’s also possible to fly into San Jose International Airport and board a 40-minute flight hopper to Liberia (driving from San Jose Airport would be a 5+ hour long endeavor).

My own personal journey to the Papagayo Peninsula wasn’t quite as simple as I was traveling solo from Washington, DC with my two children (ages 3.5 and 8). Not only would it be my first time crossing international borders on my own with the children, but I was tasked with a long layover in Houston (4+ hours), some last minute check-in issues, significant luggage to haul and manage, and, most importantly, a 3.5 year old who doesn’t nap on the go (but who still very much needs his nap).

Preparing to Travel (Vaccines, Packing, Travel Insurance, Minor Travel Consent Form):

Months before our scheduled departure, I made an appointment with a travel vaccine clinic to ensure that my children were up to date on their needed vaccines. Luckily, they were both already vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B, but they both needed their typhoid vaccines for our trip (my husband and I were already vaccinated from our trip last year to Africa).

The weekend prior to our scheduled Thursday morning departure from Washington, DC to Liberia, I took a quickly inventory of clothing items and made sure that everything we needed was clean. Utilizing Catherine’s Ultimate Packing List, I was able to quickly identify what items we would need as I tracked down items throughout our house and began compiling them in my staging area: a laundry basket located in the corner of my bedroom.

My biggest concern, whenever traveling to a foreign country, is that I have sufficient minor first aid materials and basic medication in the event of illness. As a mosquito magnet, I’ve also developed my own “outdoor survival pack” that travels with us when appropriate.

Basic first aid items I take on all trips with kids.

My outdoor survival pack with all my essential mosquito survival items.

Although the Nurse Practitioner at the travel clinic recommended that I look into travel insurance, given that we were traveling with young kids, I declined to purchase travel insurance for a few reasons: we would be staying at a resort that caters to international travelers, we have quality health insurance that covers us world wide, and we have premium credit cards that provide different levels of emergency health coverage, including the American Express Platinum Card which provides free medical evacuation coverage. Note: this was a personal decision to not purchase travel insurance for this specific trip. It is by no means a recommendation as to what you should do when faced with your own international trip.

As I was traveling internationally with children on my own, I insisted on having my husband complete a notarized minor travel consent form, identifying him as a parent of our two children and authorizing my travel to Costa Rica with both kids. I also carried with me a copy of his passport and his travel itinerary, indicating that he would be meeting us in Costa Rica for the week. Spoiler alert: I didn’t end up needing any of these documents, but I was happy to have them just in case and I wouldn’t risk traveling without them.

Our Fourteen Hour Long Travel Day:

The night before our scheduled 11am flight out of Reagan Airport, I attempted to check in, but despite entering our passport information, was informed that I could not complete the check in process as I needed to provide proof of our departure from Costa Rica. As you may recall, we had booked two one-way trips on different airlines, so I could not complete check-in until I showed a gate agent our return itinerary. As you can imagine, traveling solo with both kids and knowing that my husband would already be en route and unreachable by the time we were scheduled to depart Washington, I panicked just a little bit and barely got any sleep.

The day of our trip, I found myself packed and ready to go well before we needed to leave for the airport. Nonetheless, despite knowing I would end up with three hours to kill at the airport, I decided to just head to the airport to complete the check in process just in case. One quick 15 minute Uberx+Car Seat ride to the airport later, I found myself standing in front of the United counter. Luckily, there was almost no line and a very helpful agent checked our passports, confirmed my return itinerary, entered her magical override code, and before I knew it, we were checked in and waiting at our gate 2.5 hours prior to our departure time.

Our short three hour flight from Washington to Houston was a breeze, but I knew that I still had two big hurdles to overcome: our extended layover in Houston (4+ hours), and our late arrival to Liberia Airport, well past my three year old’s ordinary bedtime and likely without him having taken any kind of nap.

American Express Centurion Lounge to the rescue! Earlier this year, I decided to add the American Express Platinum card to my arsenal of travel credit cards. Although the card comes with a hefty $550 / year annual fee, the card’s benefits (including complimentary access to Centurion Lounges for the cardholder + 2 guests) were sufficient to outweigh the heavy cost and I was eager to try out a Centurion Lounge for the first time.

The Centurion Lounge was just what we needed. To enter, I just showed the hostess my Platinum card, Driver’s License (as proof of identity), and boarding pass and we were on our way. I quickly deposited my youngest in the empty kids’ room (he’s old enough to play independently, so as long as I can remain visual contact on him, I have no problems leaving him in an empty play room), deposited my oldest on a seat with his iPad, and went off to explore the food and drink offerings.

Kids’ room at Houston’s Centurion Lounge

The cocktail list at the Houston Centurion Lounge

Food offerings

I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the food and drink offerings, but I was disappointed that the food was geared exclusively for adults and there really wasn’t anything for children – not even milk.

We spent a total of three hours in the Centurion Lounge and my kids were happy and safely contained the whole time. Although they didn’t eat anything other than a roll from the buffet, they played and kept themselves occupied and I enjoyed the rare opportunity to have a cocktail and eat a meal in peace. The only out of pocket cost of this visit? The $2 tip I left the bartender.

Discovering my unicorn: a meal on real plates and silverware, while traveling solo with two kids.

With 1.5 hours left before our departure to Liberia Airport, I hauled the kids out of the Centurion Lounge and made our way to the gate. As they hadn’t had anything to eat yet, I simply stopped and grabbed them two slices of pizza, which they happily ate at the gate.

Our flight to Liberia from Houston was uneventful. The only complication was that my preschooler was beyond tired at this point as he had not napped at all. He was absolutely frenetic during our 3.5 hour flight and nothing would appease him, until he discovered the joy of tearing apart the in flight magazine. Although I don’t typically allow destruction just for destruction sake, I ended up letting him tear apart the in flight magazine page by page – I figured it was better than the alternatives – loud shrieking and kicking.

After he completely shredded the magazine, I requested a trash bag from the flight attendant and we burned another hour or so, just picking up each and every single piece of trash from the floor. As I was busy tying up the now completely filled trash bag and shoving it under our seat, I turned around and discovered that my little one had passed out sitting up in his seat. With less than an hour left of flying time, I knew deplaning was going to be rough, but I let him sleep and just hoped for the best.

Clearing Customs in Costa Rica and Arriving at the Andaz Papagayo:

Although I was juggling two rolling suitcases, an eight year old, a carry on backpack, a purse, and a sleeping 40 pound 3.5 year old, clearing customs in Costa Rica was a breeze. Although we were one of the last to get off the plane and arrived at Immigration when there was already a long queue in front of us, an immigration agent quickly came up to us, asked how many were in our party, and brought us to the front of the queue where there was an agent waiting to process families with children or special needs. We, along with two or three other families, were pulled from the long queue and processed very quickly, allowing us to enter Costa Rica and proceed to baggage claim. Note: My little one woke up crying while we were in line, and the immigration agent was very sympathetic. In between sympathetic comments and questions regarding where we were staying and the intent of our trip, she missed stamping my older son’s passport. If you’re a passport stamp hoarder, be sure to double check.

After obtaining our checked bag, we went through baggage inspection, and then exited to the public terminal space. I will admit, I was devastated to enter the public terminal space and not see my husband waiting for us. The fear that something had happened, or that there had been some kind of mix up that would require me to manage the kids and our baggage while attempting to track him down and secure transportation to the resort was almost more than I could handle at that precise moment. Happily, I looked beyond the automatic door and saw that he was just outside the airport’s entrance waiting for us. Whew. I learned later that even though there is plenty of land space around Liberia Airport, that the terminal parking is quite a bit away from the terminal and requires spotty shuttle transport. He decided to just drive to the terminal and park outside the exit door, but of course, he did not want to stray too far from the car.

The drive from the airport to the hotel was approximately 30 minutes. As it was well past 10pm local time at that point, it was dark. Luckily, with our long travel day behind us, our exploration of the Andaz Papagayo and the Papagayo Peninsula could wait until the next day.

Looking for more? Continue reading Costa Rica With Kids (Part III): The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Review (Accommodations, Concierge, Dining, Onda Spa, Cambi)…

April 3, 2018
Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics

For years, I have heard amazing stories of friends traveling to Costa Rica as the ultimate adventure destination but as someone who generally shies away humidity and bugs, I’ve never been particularly interested in traveling to Costa Rica. I’m also not one who loves heights, so zip lining (which seems to be Costa Rica’s number one adventure activity) is not something that would be enticing.

Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua, Panama, and ocean.

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A few years ago, however, reviews started popping up about the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo (or “Andaz Papagayo” for short) as the ultimate couples destination. Instead of touting horseback riding, zip lining and surfing, the reviews of the Andaz suggested stunning views, impeccable service, and relaxation — all of which I can get totally be on board with. Although my husband and I briefly explored the possibility of visiting the Andaz as a babymoon in 2014, the lack of economical flights to Liberia (the airport closest to the Andaz) quickly eliminated it as an option. Over the years however, I’ve read a number of reviews from other travel bloggers who have traveled to the Andaz Papagayo, heartily recommending it not only as a vacation destination, but as a family vacation destination. Suffice it to say, my interest in Costa Rice stemmed almost 95% from my desire to experience the Andaz Papagayo and Costa Rica quickly rose to the top of our “to visit” list.

Booking Flights:

Last August, I received an email alerting me to a flight deal from DC to LIR for less than $400 per person. A quick call to my husband and less than an hour later, I found myself in possession of four roundtrip reservations to the Costa Rica for the Spring of 2018 for under $1,600 for our family of four.

To take advantage of the deal, however, we had to book two separate one way plane tickets: (1) United from Reagan Airport to Liberia and (2) Copa Airlines from Liberia back to Dulles Airport. The flight to Liberia necessitated a four hour layover in Houston, which I wasn’t thrilled about, and I didn’t appreciate that our return flight was to Dulles Airport, which is about an hour away from our house (instead of a quick 15 minutes from our house to Reagan Airport), and that it would land at midnight. Despite the less than ideal flight routing, the affordability of the flights was a definitely plus, so we went ahead and booked.

Unfortunately, circumstances changed and my husband was not able to travel with the rest of the family to Costa Rica! Instead, he would be flying to/from Los Angeles instead. I briefly considered scrapping the entire trip when this complication arose, but over Christmas, we booked him a separate roundtrip flight from LAX to Liberia on United using points.

Pro Tip: My husband’s newly booked flight had him departing the night before our original departure time, arriving in Costa Rica nine hours before our original arrival time. As our four outgoing tickets were originally booked on United, I feared that having two reservations in his name would cause an automatic system cancellation. Knowing that he would be en route by the time the boys and I showed up to begin our trip, I called United and had them bifurcate his ticket from our reservation so that the boys and I would not have to worry about automatic cancellation of our entire reservation. The United agent I spoke with confirmed that this would have been an issue had I not called, and all she had to was split his ticket off our original reservation and then cancel his flight. Although the agent noted that the original fare could be used for a future flight, she also noted that because our original ticket was so inexpensive (less than $125 for a single one-way trip on United from Reagan to Liberia), it was not worthwhile to attempt to use it since it would necessitate a $200 change fee. Regardless, I was happy to have taken care of this in advance as the last thing I wanted was to show up at the airport and find that our entire reservation had been cancelled due to the logistical issues requiring a new ticket for my husband.

Booking Accommodations:

Almost immediately after I booked our flights to Liberia, I went to book our room at the Andaz Papagayo. Our hope was to book a suite using Hyatt points (transferred from Ultimate Rewards points), but even in August 2017, there were no suites available on points for our March/April 2018 trip. Knowing that we would be traveling with a not quite four year old who would still be needing his nap, I knew that a standard room was simply not an option. I quickly hatched the idea to book two standard rooms, assuming that we would just get connecting rooms and all would be fine. At 15,000 Hyatt points / night, the redemption rate for a standard room at the Andaz is a steal. I was only given the option of booking king rooms online using points, so I reserved two king rooms, thinking I would simply request adjoining rooms at some point.

The view from one of our two king rooms.

Unfortunately, when I reached out to the concierge in early December (nearly four months prior to our stay), I learned that there are very few rooms with double beds on the property and because double beds are the only ones with adjoining rooms, there were very few adjoining rooms available. Over the course of the next four months, I conversed with the concierge via email on a number of occasions and was, each time, told that there were no adjoining rooms availability. The concierge was very helpful, however, and had us placed in two king rooms located next door to one another. Ultimately, this set up, although annoying, ended up working out great for us as we used one room for showering and storing our stuff and the other room stayed clean for our evening sleeping. This also worked great when my little one needed his afternoon nap and, in fact, may have worked better than a suite because we could close him off to sleep with one parent while the other parent stayed with my older one in the other room.

Booking the Rental Car:

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 damages 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.

As I’ve written about previously, our Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers primary collision as an included benefit. Prior to our trip, I spent hours reading reviews and researching various options before finally choosing Vamos Rent-A-Car, the rental car company that we selected. 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 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 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.

Our Vamos rental car!

Why book a rental car?

I’m sure you’re asking — why book a rental car? The honest truth is that even though we built an entire vacation around staying at a resort, we are not actually 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.

That being said, the Andaz offers shuttle services from Liberia Airport to the hotel. The prices are:

Private Transportation:

Liberia Airport to Andaz Peninsula Papagayo – $140 one way

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo to Liberia Airport – $140 one way

Shared Transportation: (Minimum 2 Guests)

Liberia Airport to Andaz Peninsula Papagayo – $45 one way – per person

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo to Liberia Airport – $45 one way – per person

Shared transportation will only be shared if there is another guest from Andaz arriving at the same time you do. If you are the only guest requesting shared transportation, the cost will be $90 (as the minimum is 2 guests)

To that end, utilizing the cheapest transport option of a private shuttle for our family of four ($280 round trip) from the airport to the hotel, the cost of the rental car was essentially the same as taking a shuttle to/from the airport… but we would not have a rental car available for us to use for the duration of our stay. Although the hotel does provide free shuttle service to the Marina Papagayo and the Andaz Beach House, it was a no brainer that we should rent a car purely for the flexibility and it would cost only a negligible amount over simply taking a shuttle to the resort. Note: it ended up costing us $338 to rent the car for the duration of our trip.

Finally, if you are staying at the Andaz and would like the option of a rental car, but do not want to rent a car for the duration of your stay, the concierge can arrange for day rentals. The quoted price is $90 to $120 / day, depending on the vehicle.

Pro Tip: 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. Note: Vamos’ original quote included one free rental car seat. We had selected a booster seat for our nine year old as our “free seat,” which was provided, but when the attendant stuck around and noticed that my husband was unable to get the IMMI GO to install properly Vamos quickly supplied us with a convertible car seat and did not charge us extra.

Snug as a bug in his Vamos car seat.

Continue reading Costa Rica With Kids (Part II): Getting to the Papagayo Peninsula…

April 3, 2018
Immi Go Car Seat Review

If you know me, one of the things you’ll probably know is that I’m a bit of a car seat fanatic. Over the years, I’ve purchased and used over a dozen car seats and/or booster seats and it should come as no surprise that I was chomping at the bit to finally try out the IMMI GO on a recent trip to Los Angeles. Here’s my IMMI Go car seat review for those debating whether to add this item to your travel arsenal!

All packed up and ready to go!

Weighing in at 10 lbs and only 16.5 inches at its widest, the IMMI GO car harness was developed when Uber decided they wanted to offer their customers a car seat option. Designed and tested for children 31″ – 52″ and 22 – 55lbs, the IMMI GO is a great alternative to kids who are in between the convertible car seat and backless booster stage. I’ve written previously about car seats and how difficult the harness booster / high back booster seat is to travel by air with because of the way the two pieces tether together (and frequently come apart during transit). The IMMI GO is truly the most amazing substitute and I’m thrilled to have it as part of our arsenal of travel car seats.

The IMMI GO’s small size was easy for me to carry on (and there’s a carry handle on top as well) and I just simply tucked it into the overhead cabin on our flight to LAX. Upon arrival, we opened up the car seat, attached it via LATCH, and hooked the top anchor onto the backseat anchor point. Although the IMMI GO will not work with a car that does not have a top anchor, this was not a problem with any of the cars we own or even any taxis/rentals we have been in, but I did notice that it would not work in my mom’s 1998 Camry because well, it’s a bit outdated.

My three year old was absolutely thrilled to sit in the IMMI GO. He’s still in a convertible car seat at home, so this was a big step up for him – he got to ride in a “BIG SEAT” like his big brother.

I was super thankful to have the IMMI GO because of it’s small size and ease of installation, but I’ll admit, it was hard to watch my little guy slumped over when he fell asleep. The convertible car seat provides more of a cushion and “seat back” for him to comfortably sleep than the IMMI GO, but that can’t be attributed to the IMMI GO’s design – it’s simply a function of the high back booster seat. For comparison purposes, here’s a photo of my son sleeping in a convertible car seat from the day before.

Overall, I give the IMMI GO two thumbs up and highly recommend it to parents looking for a travel car seat for their 3-4 year old, but who aren’t quite ready yet to let their kids ride in a backless booster. The IMMI GO is so much easier to travel with and install than a high back booster seat, and I am thankful that I don’t have to compromise either my son’s safety or my sanity in order to keep him safe on our travels.

March 21, 2018

The Final Frontier Part IV: The Ins and Outs of Traveling via RV to Alaska With Kids!

Of the 50 states, Alaska is the one least traveled. Located in the most northwestern extremity of North America, Alaska is “out of the way” and unlike Hawaii, with its gorgeous beaches, is often relegated to the bucket list of items that never get completed. Those who decide to travel to Alaska, however, typically fall into one of two camps: the cruisers or the road trippers.

In July of 2016, my family of four, along with my in-laws, traveled to Alaska in celebration of my father-in-law’s milestone birthday and to cross off my husband’s 50th state with his parents! The 49th state was Hawaii, which we visited with my in-laws in September 2013. I’ve written previously about our experiences in Seward, Talkeetna/Denali National Park, and Wrangell-St. Elias, but this post is dedicated strictly to the ins and outs of road tripping in a large RV for those of you who have never done it but may be interested in exploring a large RV as an option in the future.

Choice of Vehicle:

The first crucial decision to make is what vehicle to take? There are a number of options beginning with a vehicle you already own, a rental SUV or minivan, or any number of trailer/rv type vehicles that you can pull behind or drive independently. My in-laws strongly considered pulling a fifth wheel camper behind a pick up truck they already owned (the “fifth” wheel is the hitch in the bed of the truck), but my father-in-law had long dreamed or road tripping to Alaska in an RV and a necessary part of this dream involved eating sandwiches and reading a book on the Alaska Highway as my mother-in-law did the driving.

A Fifth Wheel Camper that can be pulled behind a pick up truck.

Source

In researching their RV options, my in-laws visited an RV Show and Camping Expo one full year prior to when they expected to take the trip. They did this knowing that they needed to fully research their options, order the vehicle, have it customized (if necessary), and take it on at least one trip prior to departing for Alaska. Given that they knew my husband and young son would be traveling with them, they wanted a large enough RV that everyone would be comfortable for the long trip and they ended up purchasing an FR3 RV They strongly considered purchasing an Airstream, but ultimately decided that the layout of the FR3 worked out better for them.

my husband in the driver’s seat of the FR3

The FR3 was massive and amazing and my son loved it. My in-laws however, ended up with mixed feelings about the RV. My husband reports that although it was very nice to drive and they had plenty of space, it was an extremely loud vehicle and they could not actually talk while driving because the noise of the vehicle prevented them from hearing one another clearly, even sitting side-by-side. Furthermore, my father-in-law’s dream of leisurely eating a sandwich while my mother-in-law did the driving did not come to fruition as the vehicle was too large for my mother-in-law to feel comfortable driving and, it turns out, they did not feel comfortable being unbuckled while the RV was moving on the road. Although it was nice to have the luxury of the FR3, especially in remote areas in Yukon, my husband’s overall verdict was that if given the opportunity to make this trip again, he would choose instead to drive a large SUV and stay at hotels or camp overnight in the wildness.

Pro-Tip: A key consideration for people with kids who don’t already RV is to do several low stakes nights close to home to learn everything before you are out in the middle of nowhere. Heck, this is a key consideration for anyone, kids or not!

The Itinerary:

During World War II, the Alaska Highway was built, connecting the lower United States to Alaska via Canada. Months prior to their departure, we purchased a copy of The Milepost, the definitive guide to traveling the Alaska Highway. My father-in-law used The Milepost and mapped out a route that would take the four of them from their starting point in Indianapolis, IN to their first destination in Alaska: Tok. Knowing that they would be traveling with a seven year old, my in-laws planned the journey to place over 11 days, with the longest day of just under 600 miles. The goal, of course, was to survive the journey without forever ruining road trips for my young son and so they built in at least one day in which they traveled only 120 miles and made sure to build in enough time for bike rides, tree climbing, and other leg stretching activities.

Climbing a tree after their first day of travel (500 miles down, many many more to go).

Their itinerary, with corresponding mileage, was as follows:

Indianapolis, IN
Unalaska, WI	500
Wall, SD	581
Mt Rushmore, SD	120
Lewistown, MT	463
Calgary, AB (Canada)	423
Grand Prairie, AB	443
Fort Nelson, BC	475
Lake Watson, YU	320
Destruction Bay, YU	432
Tok, AK	225

The Logistics:

One the trip was a go, my in-laws sprung to action in terms of planning the logistics. My father-in-law was in charge of the RV, making advance reservations at RV parks, ensuring that any and all equipment they might need for the RV was packed and ready and my mother-in-law was in charge of the packing of the RV and ensuring that they had the supplies they needed to make it to Alaska and back. With plenty of storage space, my mother-in-law purchased large plastic rubbermaid containers that fit snugly into the containers and began planning the items she would need. Among others, she needed to ensure that she had all the cooking and dining supplies they might need as well as whatever linens and other cleaning supplies they might need. To that end, one item I found and purchased for her was this 14-piece kitchen in a box set that provided her with many necessary kitchen items all packable into one neat little box.

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Pro-tip: Make sure you pack your flatware in napkins or felt so that you aren’t driven crazy by jingling flatware on the road!

The Daily Routine:

Stopped for a light lunch of sandwiches.

The daily routine while on the road was relatively simple. Wake up, pack up, start driving. Stop for lunch somewhere (usually a light lunch of sandwiches or something else that can be easily prepared), drive some more, stop for the night. Once stopped for the night, they would “open” up the RV, which essentially meant opening up the various storage compartments to get out what they needed to make dinner.

The FR3 had so much storage space there was never any concern that they would not be able to bring along something they needed. Indeed, they packed their own portable grill, tables, seats, napkins, wine, flatware and dinnerware… pretty much anything you can think of.

In the evenings after dinner, they liked to play baseball or go for short bike rides around the RV park.

Once in the Yukon, they spent many evenings by the fire, roasting smores and just generally enjoying the midnight sun.

In terms of bedding down, my in-laws had a king bed in the back of the RV, with a sliding door that closed it off from the rest of the RV. The dining table opened up and turned into my son’s full-sized bed. My favorite bed, however, is the one my husband slept in. His bed dropped down from the roof ceiling and was literally suspended over the front driver/passenger seats!

As you can imagine, therein so much to remember to do every morning in terms of tidying up and making sure you secure all belongings. I wasn’t surprised to learn that there’s actually a thing called pre-departure checklists that you can print out and bring (even laminated!) along with you on your trip to ensure that you do everything needed prior to pulling away. Sample lists can be found online and include everything from reminders to “put away lawn chairs” to turning on/off your water pump! I know that my in-laws had a pre-departure check list that they followed every morning prior to getting back on the road.

The RV Scene:

In general, my family found the RV scene to be severely lacking. Not only were the RV parks in the United States generally run down and nothing more than glorified parking lots with hook ups, the atmosphere was also lacking. My husband reports that the main evening activity was to sit outside of the RV and watch tv. Needless to say, after a long day of driving and being cooped up in the RV, my family was desperate for something active to do, but they seemed to be in the minority.

In contrast to RV parks in the United States, the provincial parks in Canada were amazing. Not only were they in wooded and semi-private spots (versus in a parking lot right next to another RV), the surrounding scenery was beautiful and there was always an excellent firepit to roast marshmallows late into the night. My family absolutely loved the provincial parks in Canada and would recommend it for anyone looking to camp, RV or otherwise. Unlike US campgrounds, they generally provide free, well-seasoned firewood. The Alaska state campgrounds were also great for camping, but in general commercial, for-profit US RV parks left something to be desired.

Other Considerations:

The major drawback to driving an RV to/from/around Alaska is that it is a large, unwieldy vehicle. Although the FR3 was a nice and spacious ride for the long drive to and from Ohio, my family ended up needing to rent two vehicles during our stay in Seward and Talkeetna. Moreover, my family elected to fly into Wrangell-St.Elias because although the road from Chitina (where they parked the RV) to Wrangell-St.Elias is only 60 miles, it would have taken hours for the RV to make the trip. As a result, unless you are willing to restrict yourself to RV friendly roads, traveling via RV will require additional expenses, like a rental vehicle and paying for a “parking spot” for the RV, should you choose to leave it behind. Although parking the RV in an RV park without hook ups costs approximately $10-20/day, parking an RV at a location with full hook ups can cost upwards of $50-75/day. In other words, an RV is hardly a “free” way too travel and stay. It may be slightly less expensive than a hotel room, but it also has significant draw backs and I would recommend that anyone looking to save money do the math very carefully to determine whether or not they will actually save money by traveling via RV.

Final Thoughts?

My family loved the RV experience and my son still talks about it fondly. But, having done the great journey to and from Alaska, I believe they are ready to put the RV days behind them. My husband has said that he would love to drive the Yukon and British Columbia with me someday, but that we will be traveling via SUV and staying at lodges, instead of an RV. And that’s just fine with me.

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December 9, 2017

Tips for Road Trips with Kids

I am not a fan of road trips, but we are a family who road trips. We live 300+ miles away from family and travel to see them at least five times a year. We also occasionally add on a road trip component to a vacation, like we did earlier this year when we drove from Los Angeles to Monterey and back, either because of flight costs or because we simply want to see things that we otherwise would not be able to if we didn’t spend time driving. As a result, we easily spend 3,000 miles a year in the car. That’s a lot of miles on the road with toddlers/kids/dogs. Over the years, we have learned a number of tips for road trips with kids!

#1: Start Early

First road trip to South Carolina before he was one month old!

My kids spend a lot of time in the car. We live in a major metropolitan area with tons of traffic and our daily commute to daycare/school can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on traffic, weather, general conditions. As a result, my kids are used to being in the car for at least 90 minutes a day from birth. We also started road trips early – when my oldest was less than four weeks old, we drove 9+ hours (over 500 miles) to South Carolina for a family reunion. Both kids traveled to my in-laws (300+ miles) by the time they were two months old. Starting early not only gets the kids used to being in the car, but also helped condition us to traveling by car with young children.

#2: Be Flexible

A longer than usual stop at a Walmart to stretch our legs. I’ve been known to pick up household essentials while stopped to save me from having to run to the store when we get home!

As everyone knows, kids go through phases and they include everything from sleeping through the entire car ride to screaming the minute they see a car seat. As a result, it’s important to be flexible. We have woken up our toddler at 3am to begin the drive to my in laws to avoid holiday traffic or simply in the hopes that he would stay asleep and sleep through a portion of the car ride. We’ve also driven through the night to avoid traffic and taken strange detours (including stopping for lunch at our local Walmart) simply to give sthe kids a chance to stretch their legs.

#3: Be Prepared

Being prepared is critical to a successful road trip with kids. Being prepared means having all your essentials ready and easily accessible – diaper bags packed and within reach, a general plan as to where your stops will be, including where you will stop for a meal, factoring in other needs such as potty breaks and nap times.

Devices: I also make sure that we have fully charged and loaded iPads prior to trips. Family practice when it comes to screen time varies and I applaud those parents who travel with kids without relying on devices, but this is the one time in which screen time is unlimited. I simply want to make sure we survive the trip with as few incidents as possible. If that means screen time, all the time, so be it. As a result, I spend a few minutes the night prior to any road trip ensuring that our iPads are fully charges and loaded with the kids’ most recent tv/movie/cartoon obsession. I also double check to make sure my kids have their headphones packed so that my husband and I don’t go insane listening to whatever it is they’re watching in the backseat.

Snacks: Being prepared also includes having necessary items at the ready. For some families, this means a steady supply of snacks. Due to a choking incident when my oldest was three, I am not a fan of food in the car for young children. As a result, I typically don’t let my kids eat in the car and prefer instead to simply stop and let them snack / eat at rest stops. I have gotten more flexible as the kids have gotten older (so yes, my eight year old is allowed to eat in the car, but not when his 2.5 year old little brother is riding next to him), but as a general rule, we don’t snack in the car. Water is permitted, of course, provided it is in the appropriate vessel (leak-proof water bottle / sippy cup for my toddler who tends to drop everything).

Diapering Essentials: For those traveling with young children, diapering essentials are necessary. When both my kids were infants, I simply packed a regular pillow in the car and changed the kids on my lap in lieu of using a public diaper changing station of questionable sanitation. As they grew, I packed towels or swaddle blankets, or disposable changing liners, to lay on a patch of grass so I could change them outside, instead of in a grimy bathroom. For boys (and girls!), it’s helpful to master the art of the stand up diaper change so that for most bathroom incidents, there is no need to even enter a public bathroom. A potty training or newly potty trained toddler adds a new level of difficulty and stress. Although many people have luck bringing a portable potty seat along with them on long car rides, neither of my kids used the portable potty. As a result, I put my kids in “travel diapers” for long car rides (basically a regular diaper that is there for emergency situations), pack lots of wipes (including Chlorox wipes for sanitizing public toilet seats), and many, many changes of clothes and plastic bags for holding soiled clothes. Luckily, the newly potty trained stage is short lived, and as long as you plan regular stops, we have been fortunate to avoid having too many issues.

My toddler is prone to car sickness, so I purchased these plastic paint buckets to keep handy in situations where he gets sick before we can safely pull over.

Other Essentials: I happen to have a toddler who is prone to motion sickness, so I pack puke bags and plastic buckets (I’ve found plastic paint mixing buckets to be the perfect size and quality for this purpose!), which I keep within reach so I can hand them over to him when he feels ill. If your child has any special needs, you will want to have within easy and immediate access anything you might need in the event a situation arises. As any parent with kids knows, “other essentials” also includes things like lovies and blankets, pacifiers, special toys… basically anything that your kid might suddenly demand during a long car ride. If you pack your child’s favorite stuffed animal in the trunk and they need the toy in order to fall asleep, then you’ll find yourself stopped in a parking lot, frantically unpacking and digging around for the stuffed animal. I say this from experience – save yourself the heartache and frustration and make sure you have these essential items up front and easily accessible.

Having the emesis bags handy helped prevent a major disaster during our drive from Monterey to Los Angeles.

Adult Needs: It is important to make sure that adult needs are taken care of. When you’re stopped, take the time to use the restroom, get a drink of water or a bite to eat, grab some caffeine or music that you want to listen to on the radio… The most important thing is that your family arrives as its destination safely and making sure that the adults (especially the driver!) have their needs taken care of is a necessity. This is also useful because you don’t want to find yourself needing to pull over for a restroom if/when the kids finally fall asleep!

#4: Have a Sense of Humor

Having a sense of humor and knowing that the most important thing is to arrive at your destination safely is key. No matter what happens, know that someday, you’ll look back at the road trip memories fondly (or so they say!).

Mastering the art of the roadside vomit clean up…

November 26, 2017
Why You Should Visit Copenhagen With Kids!
Guest Blogger: Lisa, the mom behind TwoTravelingTots, is an American expat living in Copenhagen, Denmark and traveling the world with her husband and two young kids. From far off wanderlust destinations like Australia, Thailand and Philippines to more local jaunts like Luxembourg, Finland and Italy, Lisa has traveled to 30 countries and 49 cities with her little ones in tow. Having lived in Copenhagen for over 5 years, Lisa is here to tell us Why You Should Visit Copenhagen with Kids and share her Top 10 Things to Do while there – with some Insider Tips sprinkled throughout. Follow her adventures, tips and tales on Instagram and Facebook. For her detailed tips on Copenhagen, check out #TwoTravelingTotsCPH on Instagram.

Traveling with kids and babies is not easy! Trust me, I know. My family and I travel the world with our 4 and 1.5 year olds. There are certain cities that make the experience enjoyable and magical for both parents and children alike. Copenhagen, Denmark is one of those cities! Denmark was ranked by the UN World Happiness Report as the happiest country in the world in 2016. In recent years Copenhagen, has received world-wide recognition for its New Nordic food scene, Danish design, and hygglig (cozy) lifestyle; however, what isn’t widely known is how child-friendly this city is. It almost feels like every aspect is geared to the reality that people have kids and they travel with them. These things make this city the perfect place for a family visit. From the free strollers found throughout Copenhagen Airport and the Lego play areas at the luggage carousel, to the ease of using public transport with strollers to the countless kids’ activities and green spaces found throughout the city; life in Copenhagen with children is AMAZING!

Copenhagen is in Scandinavia, so the weather isn’t always the best. Summer is by far the best time of the year to visit, with warmer and longer days (sun sets around 9:30 pm). December is also a very special time of year to visit because of the Christmas markets, street decorations and festive moods. However, the days are shorter, darker, and colder (sun sets around 4pm).

This post highlights our Top 10 Things to Do with Children while also including Insider Tips that we’ve learned throughout the 5 years we have lived here. You’ll also find section called “Good to Know Tips” for some general pointers about what kind of clothes to pack, the Copenhagen Card (which provides free entrances to many of the attractions), and public transport tips.

Stroget, the Walking Street, dressed up for Christmas.

10 THINGS TO DO IN COPENHAGEN WITH KIDS

#1: TIVOLI GARDENS

No trip to Copenhagen is complete without a visit to Tivoli Gardens, a fairytale-like amusement park located in the heart of the city said to have inspired Walt Disney’s Disneyland. It’s the second oldest amusement park in the world – second only to Bakken, another Danish amusement park located on the outskirts of Copenhagen. Tivoli is only open four seasons a year – the summer period (mid-March – mid-September), the Halloween period (mid-October to November), the Christmas season (Mid-November – December) and the winter season (February) (Please check exact opening times before you go). It is beautiful and magical all times of the year. The Copenhagen Card provides you free entrance, and children under the age of 8 enter for free.

Halloween at the Nimb Hotel in Tivoli Gardens.

#2: CANAL TOUR

Another favorite activity for parents and kids alike is the Canal Tour. Copenhagen is located on a harbor, so on a beautiful sunny day there is nothing nicer than seeing the city by water. This is also a good way to see the bronze statute of the Little Mermaid from the back (in my humble opinion, it is not worth your time to make a trip to see her as she is underwhelming small). You can catch the canal Tour at Nyhavn or Gammel Strand. The Copenhagen Card provides you free entrance to the Canal Tour but only at the Gammel Strand location.

Insider Tip: Strollers are not allowed on the canal boats, so I recommend you leave them by the ticket counters. I suggest investing in a simple flexible bike lock for your stroller so you can just lock it up wherever, and put your mind at ease.

Nyhavn, originally a busy commercial port where ships from all over the world would dock, is now the perfect place to enjoy a canal ride.

#3: ROSENBORG CASTLE

A Royal Hermitage set in the middle of the City Center and the King’s Garden. It was built by Christian IV in the early 17^th Century. Not to be missed is the Crown Jewels Exhibit – my kids’ favorite.

I recommend this castle because it’s not too big, easy to do with children and also in the heart of the King’s Garden. So, after a quick tour of the castle, you can set up a picnic in the King’s Garden, let the kids run around or visit the playground in the park.

Insider Tip: If you visit mid-summer, you may be able to catch a free puppet show (currently Tuesday-Sunday at 2pm and 3pm located near the restaurant Orangeriet.

#4: PLAYGROUNDS – INDOOR AND OUTDOORS

Copenhagen can be an expensive city, so a visit to one of the many amazing parks located around town is a good free way for the kids to let off steam.

Outdoor Parks

The biggest open space park is Fælledparken located in Østebro. There are several different playgrounds located in this massive park:
- “Mini Copenhagen,” just as it sounds, it’s a playground designed after iconic Danish buildings
- A cycling park where kids can rent bicycles for free and practice riding on fake streets
- Trampolines and swings
- A skateboarding area
- An outdoor gym both for kids and parents.
- A free waterpark (open in the summers)
“Mini Copenhagen”

Superkilen, is another massive park located in the Nørrebro district.

Superkilen

Indoor Parks/Play Areas

On a rainy day, which is quite often, try the FREE indoor playground called Remisen, located in Østebro, a short 10-minute bike ride or bus ride from the City Center.

Remisen

Ku.Be is another great indoor play area located in Frederiksberg; however, it is not free. There’s a climbing area and a café – great place for kids to get energy out.

#5: COPENHAGEN ZOO

The Copenhagen Zoo is a great zoo with elephants, hippos, polar bears, monkeys, giraffes and tons of other exciting animals. Also, there is free entrance with the Copenhagen Card. If you don’t take your stroller, you can rent a wagon for the kiddos. There are also two different playgrounds, a petting zoo and designated picnic areas (you can bring in your own food!).

Copenhagen Zoo

Insider Tip: If a day at the Zoo seems too overwhelming or you’re short on time, try the Free Petting Zoo, ByOasen, in the Nørrebro district.

ByOasen

#6: EXPERIMENTARIUM

Copenhagen’s new Science Center is fun for all ages, from little toddlers to parents! Two floors with 16 interactive exhibits from soap bubbles to a Labyrinth of Light to a Tunnel of Senses. There is free entrance with the Copenhagen Card. It’s located in Hellerup – a 15-minute bus ride from the city center.

Experimentarium

Insider Tip: It gets crowded on weekends, so go early. Also, if the café is too crowded, the Waterfront shopping center, located next door, has tons of eating options.

#7: THE LAKES

Another favorite is to walk or bike around the lakes that surround the city center. I love to pick up a coffee from Lagkagehuset and a free bread bun (boller) for the kids (see my tips below on “Where to Eat”) and take a nice stroll around the lakes. On a sunny summer day, we like to rent swans at Kaffesalonen and ride them in the lakes. They also have a great food menu!

Rented Swans from Kaffesalonen

#8: SMK – The National Gallery of Denmark

This museum provides more than 700 years of Danish Art. Plus, every weekend there are special art workshops for children, with tips and information on how your family can get creative at home.

Insider Tip: SMK is located near the King’s Garden and can easily be combined with a trip to the Rosenberg Castle.

#9: KLAMPENBORG – Dyrehave and Bakken

Take a 20-minute train ride out of the city center to Klampenborg station to visit Jægersborg Dyrehave and the Bakken amusement park. Jægersborg Dyrehave, the deer park, is a huge forest where approximately 2100 deer live among the woods. Also, located within the forest is Bakken, the oldest amusement park in the world!

Insider Tip: The entrance to Dyrehave is located right near Klampenborg station. When you reach the train station, go up the hill (over the over-pass) and make a left. Also, you can take a horse carriage ride through the park. Final tip, beware of tics.

Horse and Carriage Ride in Dryehave

#10: BABY-BIO

Bring your baby to the movies! As a new parent, the one thing I missed was going to the movies because let’s be realistic you can’t take a crying baby to the movies. However, in Copenhagen there is something called Baby-Bio – a couple of different films showings on specific days where you can bring your baby into the movie theater with you. The lights are not dimmed all the way so you can still see, and if the baby cries it’s no big deal. Also, if your baby is sleeping, you can leave him in his stroller by the movie attendant. Once your baby wakes up, the movie attendant will come get you. Win, Win! Google “BabyBio Copenhagen” for participating theaters near you.

WHERE TO EAT WITH KIDS

There are tons of great restaurants and cafes located everywhere in the city, and pretty much all of them have great children’s menus and high chairs. I’ve highlighted only a couple of our favorite places.

Torvehallerne

A food hall located within the city center near Rosenberg Castle. My kids’ favorites include the Fish and Chips and Oatmeal #2 from Grød. I would suggest visiting Torvehallerne in the morning to grab your lunch for a picnic, then head over to the Rosenberg Castle where you can have your picnic in the King’s Garden. After, you can even wander over to SMK, which is close by.

Inside Torvhallen

Boller (Bread Bun)

A favorite treat or after school snack for my kids is a Danish bread bun called boller (pronounced bo-lla). They can be found at different pastry shops throughout the city – try the ones from Lagkagehuset, Emmery’s and Myers. They come in different flavors – plain, with raisins or with chocolate.

Insider Tip: If you get yourself a treat or a coffee from Lagkagehuset, you may be able to get a free boller for your child – just ask!

Laundromat Café

This café offers a small play area right in the middle of the café, so parents can enjoy a relaxed meal while the kids play. They have three different locations – Nørrebro; Østebro and Frederiksberg C. The food is delicious!

Café Norden

Located right in the middle of the pedestrian walking street, Stroget, Café Norden is a favorite for locals and tourists alike. You can bring your stroller inside, and there’s great seating options upstairs with views of the walking street. The brunch plate is a must-try.

GOOD TO KNOW TIPS

After living in this wonderful city for over 5 years and raising our two kids here, I’ve learned lots of tips and tricks. Here are some of my essential “Good to Know” tips.

Copenhagen Airport

In my opinion, it is one of the best airports in Europe because it’s not too big and overwhelming, there is a kids play area in terminal 2; there are fantastic eating options and best of all there are FREE STROLLERS to use throughout the airport. So, feel free to gate check your stroller as you can just pick one up at the airport – they are around everywhere. They also lay flat, so they are suitable for all ages.

Free Strollers in Copenhagen Airport

Nursing and Diaper Changing Area

I’ve nursed my two little ones almost everywhere in Copenhagen with no issues whatsoever as it is very common here. However, if you’re in the City Center and would like some privacy and a break from shopping and sightseeing, stop by either Illums or Magasin. The rooftops of both department stores offer a special nursing area and diaper changing area – a nice break for parents and kids.

The nursing area at Illums Rooftop.

Strollers and Public Transport

Copenhagen is a very stroller friendly city in the sense that all the roads and sidewalks are paved (aside from a couple cobblestone streets), it’s flat with no hills so it’s a very walkable city, and strollers are allowed in most stores. There is a maximum allowance of two strollers per bus, and the entrance for the strollers is in the middle of the bus. The metro and trains also have special stroller sections.

Insider Tip: If there are already two strollers on a bus and you have an umbrella stroller, just fold up your stroller and get on the bus.

Yes, even our big double stroller fits on the bus!

Copenhagen Card

Invest in a Copenhagen Card: it provides entrance to over 70 museums and attractions plus offers free public transport.

Bring along two children under the age of 10 for free. You can purchase different cards depending on how many days you intend to spend in the city. You can pick one up at the CPH Airport Service Center or throughout the city.

Rain Gear

“There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.”

I love this old Scandinavian saying!! Depending on what time of year you visit, it is important to pack accordingly – think lots of layers for both yourselves and the kids. In the summer, even though your the weather may reach 65 degrees, in the sun it gets very hot and in the shade it might be too cool. Also, it’s very important to bring a rain jacket and rain boots. I know luggage space is precious – but it tends to rain often, and having the right gear will only make your stay more memorable.

I hope this is helpful! Enjoy your time in this beautiful city!

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November 2, 2017