Volcanos. Glaciers. Whales. Geothermal pools. And SO so so many breathtaking waterfalls. Iceland is a nature lover's paradise, a quick flight from NYC area, and everyone speaks English fluently (more or less)! If the Land of Fire & Ice is not on your travel bucket list yet, I hope this blog post inspires you to add it right at the top!
While most travelers plan their Iceland trip during their more temperate summer months, I'm thrilled to show you why spring is perhaps the BEST time to visit Iceland (spoiler: there are zero crowds, there are gorgeous snowy landscapes galore, and you'll have enough night time for Northern Lights but long enough daylight for 12+hr sightseeing days). I'll share every aspect of my family's Iceland itinerary so you can quickly copycat our multigenerational family vacation, and I will include tons of tips and things to consider when planning and customizing your trip. If you want to sit back and be entertained with beautiful footage of Iceland, watch our 3-part youtube series first! Then read on for all of the details!!
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored but we were provided some tickets free to in exchange for including them in our vacation guide, and they're noted below. This post also contains some affiliate links below, noted with ** - as an Amazon Associate, I receive commission from purchases made after clicking those links.
FLIGHTS:
Flight times and prices will vary depending on your home airport and time of year, but I was able to find $280 roundtrip direct flights on Iceland's budget carrier, Play Airlines, for my family flying from Stewart International Airport in Newburgh NY (1 hr from NYC) to Reykjavik. INCREDIBLE!! It was about 4 hours there and 6 hours back, an easy peasy flight from the US east cost!
When on Play's website, play around (see what I did there LOL) with the dates to find the best fare, and definitely also check out Kayak and Google Flights to compare with larger carriers. Think of how much baggage you'll need to bring and calculate that into your total cost. For example, with Play, only a "personal item" (SMALL backpack) is included in the lowest fare ticket. My family purchased ONE checked bag to share, and it was an amazing deal for us! But if your family needs a checked bag for each person plus you want in-seat entertainment and meal service, a higher priced ticket with a traditional carrier might be a better deal.
If budget travel is your thing, make sure to come back and read these 2 blog posts (or click over and bookmark them now!):
ACCOMODATIONS:
We traveled with my parents (in their 70s) and our 3 kids (ages 8, 8, 11) and wanted to be together in a stair-free accommodation, so our needs were a bit exceptional. We decided to stay the entire trip in Reykjavik, because researching and finding a different place in each stop was too much of a headache. Plus, we didn't want to be driving a 10 passenger van all over, which would have been necessary to fit the 7 of us and our luggage. After hours and hours (no joke) of research, I booked a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom "Superior Apartment" with kitchen and balcony at Downtown Reykjavik Apartments on Booking.com**. It was PERFECTION! A true home away from home! It was very quiet while being centrally located in the city - just a 10 minute walk to the main street and bus depot. It was too cold to hang out on our 4th floor balcony but I set my alarm a few times each night to go out and look for Aurora and one night I actually did capture them on my phone from there!! They had an elevator, free wifi, we never had trouble finding a free parking spot, and there was a luggage room which worked out great because our flight arrived at 4:30am and our bus got us to the hotel at 8am but we couldn't check into our room until 3pm LOL! Just dropped our bags off, bundled up, and headed to breakfast at Sundholt Bakery followed by a FULL day on our feet sightseeing (more on that below)! If looking for a house, Airbnb** and VRBO** are great places to search.
Our 5-7 day Iceland Itinerary:
BLUE CAR RENTAL:
Figuring out who to rent a car from was another hours upon hours of research I put into our trip, but you can save yourself the hassle and just choose Blue Car Rental, which was amazing!!! AND you can save 5% with my commission earning affiliate code Usjapanfam by clicking this link**!! One thing that's so great about Blue Car Rental is they have an office at Keflavik Airport AND in downtown Reykjavik, so you can pickup and dropoff at either. Personally, we only used the city location because we wanted to get a 7-seater, which was just big enough for our group WITHOUT our luggage. The Kia Sorento was less than a year old, in perfect condition, and all of their cars have studded tires (see photo below!) so you don't have to worry so much about weather, well, not when it comes to the car anyway!
Car Rental Tips:
SELF-DRIVE ITINERARY:
Road Trip #1: Southern Golden Circle (12hrs)
Picked up our rental car at 8am and headed out bright and early... we all crashed at 6pm our first night so it was actually perfect, despite our bodies still being on Eastern Time (4 hours behind Iceland)!
Stop 1: Urriðafoss / Urridafoss Waterfall
Not super tall but large and powerful, very short path from parking lot i.e. you could do as few as 5-30 minutes here)
Stop 2: Lava Centre
An amazing hands on educational center that gifted us tickets in exchange for including them in our review. They had a beautiful volcano movie (with bean bags on the floor the kiddos loved) and so many exhibits where you could learn about how volcanos work, how Iceland is divided between 2 spreading tectonic plates so the country grows bigger at a rate of 2" per year! They even have an earthquake simulator!!! Very cool place!! We probably spent 1 hour here, followed by lunch on the road nearby.
Stop 3: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Beautiful tall (almost 200 feet) and narrow waterfall from a glacier-capped volcano. You can see it from quite a distance as you approach it by car. In summer you can walk behind the waterfall (bring a poncho) but in winter and in spring when we went, the back path is iced over and blocked off, and even the matted path in front was pretty icy (my kids loved "skating" around and had a hilarious fall a stranger caught on camera for us (see below photo!). We didn't want to risk my parents falling so they stayed back beyond where the mist was hitting (and freezing). This is a MUST stop, absolutely gorgeous! It's not far from the parking lot, maybe 5-10 minute walk, plan for at least 30 minutes here, more if you want to hike and see more waterfalls along the way.
Stop 4: Rútshellir Cave
A quick, free, and unique stop to break up the drive but you do need to be rather agile to maneuver the little ladder over a fence to access the cave (my 70 year old parents had no problem, but just a heads up). 10-15 minutes is all you need here.
Stop 5: Skogafoss Waterfall
This waterfall was spectacular, my favorite of all of them! Almost 200 feet fall and 82 feet wide. When we were there in early April, there was a lot of ice all around which made it even more stunning, there was a rainbow over it at one point, and you could hear ice break off and fall down occasionally. It is about a 10 minute easy walk from parking to the waterfall, plan for at least 30 minutes here, more if you are adventurous enough to climb the MANY stairs to view it from the top (we did not). You can walk right up to it but the mist gets heavier and heavier as you get closer (and the ground icier and icier).
Sólheimajökull Glacier:
We did not stop here but rather admired it while driving by on the Golden Circle, which was enough for us. There are plenty of tour groups that organize hikes here, they'll provide the gear and everything!
Stop 6: Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
A beautiful beach, infamous for "sneaker waves" which suck a few people each year out into the frigid open waters. There are warning signs up - never turn your back to the ocean and don't go past the dry sand too close to the shoreline. Even when waves look calm, there could be a random one that "sneaks" up on you. Best case, you get wet and someone adds a video of you to countless other Reynisfjara sneaker wave videos on TikTok. Worst case, it knocks you down, pulls you out, and game over. That said, it's a beautiful beach which my kids will tell you is NOT black sand, it's black pebbles LOL! And the gorgeous basalt structures to admire, just wow, I loved those!!
Stop 7: Vík i Myrdal
We didn't spend much time here but it's a popular place to spend the night if doing a multiple night ride around the Golden Circle. Defintiely see their iconic church and have dinner at Black Crust Pizzeria (it's not black from volcanic ash but rather charcoal, to go along with the black sand beach vibe - SO yum!! I highly recommend the #2 (pizza with duck, cream cheese, syrup soaked orange, cashew nuts + chilli), and the sweet bacon wrapped dates. OMG. I'm drooling just remembering these!!
Dinner completed our first road trip and we drove 2.5 hours back to Reykjavik, with a brief pit stop for ice cream and bathroom at a nice convenience store on the highway.
Road Trip #2: Northern Golden Circle (8hrs)
Stop 1: Brúarfoss Waterfall
This was a nice waterfall but a bit scary as there was a portion before the bridge that had no guardrail - if you have little ones, please be careful! The view over the waterfall from the small foot bridge is lovely! It's probably the longest trek from parking to a waterfall that we did, but still quite short, maybe 10 minutes, so schedule 30 minutes here to be safe. If I were forced to drop any of the waterfalls from our itinerary it'd probably be this one, but only if FORCED. It was beautiful, just a bit of a drive off the Circle and then a walk, so took quite a bit of time if you're rushed, consider dropping this one to save time.
Stop 2: Strokkur Geyser
There is an amazing visitor center here - very new and modern with a huge variety of delicious food options!!! Depending on your schedule, you may want to plan for a meal or a snack here, then head over to the geyser. It's a quick 5 minute walk and erupts with a spout of water 100 feet high every 10-20 minutes. Lots of bubbling hot springs around so just stay on the path. The larger Geysir is dormant now, unfortunately, but Strokkur was still impressive! Allow at least 30 minutes here.
Stop 3: Gulfoss Waterfall
This waterfall is incredible!! If you have time you can walk along the path for a few different angles, it's not far from the parking and this one also has a wonderful visitor center with great food options! Give yourself at least 30 minutes here.
Stop 4: Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Bakery Tour & Geothermal Baths
To be honest, I heard about this place on Netflix's Down to Earth with Zac Efron and reached out to see if they'd host us for a visit, and they did!! And this place did not disappoint!!! You MUST schedule this on your trip to Iceland, it's right on the Golden Circle and provides some once in a lifetime kind of experiences!!! Book the Geothermal Bakery Tour and they'll take you out to their lake, dig up bread that's been baking in the ground for the last 24 hours, and bury a new loaf for tomorrow's tour to dig up. You'll see the water in the ground actually boiling!! Geothermal energy, baby!!! THEN, you go inside and they cut the Icelandic Rye Bread open - it's still steaming hot!! And you'll eat it with fresh Icelandic butter and smoked trout caught in the very lake you are at!!! It was absolutely delicious!!!
We followed up the bakery tour by relaxing in their geothermal baths. Bring your own towels and swim suits or you can rent from Fontana. They have nice big locker rooms where you can safely stow your items and wear the key on a wrist band. You'll need to scrub down in the showers before putting on your swimsuit and heading outdoors to the various naturally heated geothermal pools. I'm not gonna lie, it was COLD when we went. They were having a wind storm and it was honestly probably 0 degrees Fahrenheit wind chill!!! You briskly walk from the locker room and then plunge down into the hot baths and it feels SO good!!! The lake was frozen but they pound out the ice so you can do a cold plunge if you please (we did not but many people did), and you've also got snowy mountains in the background. After bathing, head back to the locker room - they've even got shampoo and hair dryers for you (but no shower curtain... when in Rome)!
Both bakery and bath adventures at Fontana were so incredibly unique, this place goes down as one of my top 10 most memorable and recommended travel experiences ever, 100%!!!
Stop 5: Þingvellir / Thingvellir National Park
This is supposedly the only place on earth where you can see on land where two tectonic plates meet and it's spectacular. We learned at the Lava Centre the day before that the two plates are spreading apart, making Iceland grow 2" per year! To see it in person the next day was just really cool! The parking lot is very close so you could do this in as little as 10 minutes but it's a HUGE park if you want to spend hours hiking and exploring, you can. It's only 45 minutes from Reykjavik so this could be its own day trip if you have time, but we crammed it into the larger half Golden Circle trip.
REYKJAVIK ACTIVITIES:
Reykjavik is a really cute town! The main street is lively with lots of shopping and restaurants, really nice to walk along and explore, wide variety of architecture and colorful buildings going on which I really loved! But it's not a huge city. I would have been content with a single day in the city and the 2 full road trip days, but having 5-6 days gives you much more flexibility and more of a slow travel vibe. I found Reykjavik the perfect place to have as our base camp, so you can go about leisurely if you have extra time, or book last minute tours (or rental car) out of the city.
Perlan Wonders of Iceland Museum:
Perlan's observation deck has THE BEST view in town (see below)! You can buy tickets for just the observation deck OR an all-inclusive museum ticket, the latter which we were gifted in exchange for including them in our vacation coverage. It is an amazing museum with lots of hands on exhibits and ways to learn about the science behind this amazing land of Fire & Ice! Their manmade 100m long Ice Cave was one of the highlights of the trip for me - made with 350 tons from Iceland's Blue Mountains and is kept at a frigid 14°F (-10°C)!! I also really enjoyed their Northern Lights show in the planetarium, but several in our family slept through that one since we went on our first day in Iceland after flying overnight with no sleep... oops!
Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral:
Perhaps the most iconic building in Reykjavik - you can pay to go up top for a great view from their tower, but we just went inside for free and listened to beautiful pipe organ), and our kids had fun on the swings outside!
Whale watching tour with Reykjavik Sailors / Special Tour:
There are MANY whale watching tours running but Reykjavik Sailors had the best pricing I could find, definitely a splurge for us but totally worth it - we had a great trip! It was a nice big boat with TONS of seating inside (great for the 45 minute ride to and from the bay, if it's cold weather), drinks and snacks for purchase, free wifi, life jackets (required for kids under 12), nice bathrooms, and a great deck on top for viewing. We saw soooooo many whales and even a few playful dolphins. I was nervous about my son and myself getting motion sick but 99% of the ride was shockingly smooth and we all did totally fine!
Public geothermal swimming pool (Sundhöll):
If you have time, this is a really local experience that is fun for the whole family! Supposedly the indoor/outdoor public pools are where Icelandic people go to hang out regularly, all year round, and it seemed very much the case when we went!! Maybe bars and restaurants aren't as popular because alcohol is so expensive?? I digress... We went to the Sundhöll Reykjavíkur because it was very close to our hotel, but if you have time I think Laugardalslaug looks even more fun for kids (it has a huge water slide!) Kids are free, it's about $10 per adult. They have lockers and you just take the little key with a wrist band, they even had footies to cover your shoes so you didn't get the locker room dirty where people are walking around barefoot, and they had floaties for non-swimmers. You bring your own towel and swimsuit, scrub down (naked) then suit up and go enjoy the pools! They're geothermally heated - the pools were gloriously warm, the hot tubs were amazing, and ours even had a cold plunge (which my husband did, how!?!?!). They had an indoor pool that was being used for kids swim lessons, so we stuck to the many outdoor pools and it was such a unique experience. No cameras were allowed in the pool area so I don't have any photos or videos of that but we had a great time!
Grotta Lighthouse:
We drove since we still had our car but it's walkable from Reykjavik. It's a really cute lighthouse! Check the tide times though (they're listed there but it'd be better to know before hand so you can plan your day accordingly) - you want to have enough time to walk out and not get stuck out there!! This is a popular (dark) spot to come out at night to see Northern Lights for those who can't get out of the city.
Árbæjarsafn / Arbaer Open Air Museum:
This is another one we squeezed in because we still had our car and wanted to use it LOL! They provide a tour guide and you can learn a lot about Iceland's history, I highly recommend it, though younger kids may find it a wee boring.
Smáralind / Smaralind Shopping Mall:
This was another one we randomly added to our free day with a car. I love going to grocery stores and shopping malls in foreign countries, don't you!? One big plus about this one is they have a Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur store in the mall, where you can try the famous Icelandic hot dog without standing in line for an hour and eating outside in downtown Reykjavik with the rest of the tourists LOL!! Don't try to pick and choose your toppings, you need to go all in with the standard which includes onions, fried onions, ketchup, lamb/pork/beef hot dog, remoulade, and mustard! SO YUM!!!
There are tons of activities and museums and day tours you can do in Reykjavik, and tons of excursions that will pick up and drop off there. So do your research and figure out what are musts for your family - do you want to hike a volcano, explore a glacier, do the FlyOver Iceland ride, visit the Blue Lagoon (it was closed due to volcanic activity while we were there), see the Lava Show, take a walking food tour or book a bus tour out to see the Northern Lights? Viator is a great place to book your tickets and tours, and don't forget to install the Rakuten extension** so you can 10% cash back on Viator purchases!!
WEATHER / WHAT TO PACK:
In winter and spring, pack for super cold weather with some base layers. Inside is nice and warm but outside can be brutal. You need a WARM winter coat, hat, gloves, snow boots or waterproof hiking boots. I recommend my magical combo of sherpa lined leggings and wind/waterproof pants**. This fleece lined hat and neck gaiter** also did me goooood!! There are places you can rent gear in Iceland, but it's expensive and probably only necessary for those coming from warm places who do not already have a warm coat and boots. If you're coming from northern US or Canada, you'll be fine in your winter gear. To save money on your flight, just wear all your gear on the plane ;) No joke, we did, and it saved us from having to purchase a second checked bag!! You can bring a travel umbrella if you want, but we brought ponchos instead so we didn't have to worry about wind. In the end, we didn't have any rain the whole week we were there, only got a bit of snow while boarding our flight home!! Got really lucky!!
Don't forget to pack a bathing suit for visiting a geothermal pool or two, a waterproof phone pouch** for your phone if you want to take photos in the pool, and consider a tripod if you are serious about setting up for some amazing northern lights photos.
Of course you'll also need sunglasses, phone and charger and TRAVEL ADAPTER because they use different plugs (type C/E)!! We brought 2 because between the 5 of us we had a TON of devices. This Lencent travel plug adapter** folds in and has 4 outlets, 2 USB and 2 USB C, and this Trond adapter** has 3 outlets and 2 USB. They use different voltage (230v), which is fine for most phones and laptops and tablets have a wide range (110-240v) and will be fine, but triple check all electronics before bringing - hair dryers, sound machines and things like that will NOT be ok.
Iceland Travel Tips
aka things that surprised me about Iceland:
NORTHERN LIGHT TIPS:
PHEW! Did I warn you I was going to give you ALL you need to know about planning a spring vacation to Iceland or what!??!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions??? Leave them all below! We honestly LOVED Iceland and the whole vibe of this vacation SO much we are already trying to figure out when we can go back, definitely looking to go during summer next time because I want to see it all gloriously green and full of puffins and flowers!
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If you want a vacation that’s filled with both adventure and luxury, a yacht charter will certainly tick all of your boxes. With incredible freedom and unique opportunities, it’s an experience like no other.
Whether it’s your first time setting sail or you’re a seasoned enthusiast, a little preparation can enhance your trip. The more organized you are, the easier it will be to relax and have fun. Not sure where to get started? Then keep on reading! In this article, we are going to discuss eight tips that will help you prepare for your next yacht vacation. Research your destination. Each yachting destination offers a unique experience. From the Mediterranean coastline to the tropical Caribbean – be sure to spend time understanding the local culture, maritime regulations, and best cruising locations. Additionally, it’s important to look into not just where you want to go but the best time to visit. Weather plays a significant role and you don’t want to be caught in the wrong season. Choose the right yacht. The vessel you select can also make or break your vacation. Yachts come in various sizes and styles, each suited to different types of travel. You’ll need to do some digging to find something that works for your specific needs. Consider the number of people in your party and the amenities you require. These boat rentals at 12 knots are a great place to get started if you haven’t already made a booking. Confirm your certification and skills. If you plan to charter a yacht without a crew, it’s vital to possess the necessary certifications and skills. Each country has its own regulations concerning who can operate a yacht, and the last thing you want is to be in trouble with the local authorities. If you’re not comfortable, it’s best to charter with a crew or at least brush up on your skills with additional sailing lessons prior to your trip. It’s a lot of responsibility, and you need to know that you can keep yourself and your passengers safe. Pack the essentials. Packing for a charter is different from a typical resort vacation. Space is often tight, so pack light and bring only what’s necessary. Your essentials should include appropriate clothing, non-skid deck shoes, sunscreen, a good hat, and waterproof electronics. Don’t forget travel insurance, emergency contact information, and your prescription medication either. You should have everything you require for those days when you are exploring open waters. Understand yachting etiquette. Yachting has its own customs and procedures that you should be aware of. For example, it's normal to remove shoes when on board to maintain cleanliness and avoid deck damage. It’s also important that you communicate openly with the crew and respect their safety advice. This will ensure a safe and harmonious sailing trip for everyone. You don’t want to be stuck on board with people you don’t get along with. Plan the itinerary. One of the benefits of yacht charter vacations is that they are a lot more flexible than other trips. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have an itinerary mapped out in advance. Work with your charter company to plan a route that includes your preferred destinations, water activities, and excursions. There should be a balance between cruising days and relaxing days where you are anchored. Shop for food and water. When you’re out on the water you don’t have access to stores and markets. This means you’re going to need to plan to have enough food and drinks for the duration of your trip. As we mentioned previously, storage can be limited, so focus on non-perishables that can be easily prepared. If you don’t want to cook, hiring a chef can also add additional luxury and convenience. Be flexible. Finally, it’s essential to know that sometimes things don’t always go to plan during your trip abroad. Weather can change and sometimes a destination might not turn out to be what you expected. Use these instances as opportunities to discover new favorite spots or go with the flow and enjoy an unexpected detour. Often the best memories are made when you embrace flexibility. Final Words And that’s it! By following these tips and keeping in touch with your crew, you can prepare for your next yacht vacation. Remember, it may be different than what you expect, but there are so many unique things that make it the perfect way to spend time with friends and family. Good luck and have fun!
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The van life often looks like a dream come true on social media. Pictures of vans parked in breathtaking spots, with views of sunsets or mountains, paint a picture of endless freedom and beauty. However, the reality of living in a van isn't always as easy as it seems. That's why making sure your camper is as comfortable as possible needs to be a priority. When your living space is well-organized, cozy, and efficient, you can truly enjoy the freedom and adventure that drew you to van life in the first place. In this article, we will go over some of the essentials when it comes to living comfortably in a van or camper. 1 - Keep things clean and dry One of the biggest issues in a small, enclosed space is managing moisture, which can lead to mold growth. To prevent mold and mildew you need to make sure there is air flow in the camper or van. Fan-Tastic vents can help in keeping the inside of your camper dry and fresh. These vents help circulate air, removing dampness and condensation that can accumulate from everyday activities like cooking and breathing. Keeping it dry inside also involves being mindful of how you store items and manage space. Wet items like towels or clothes should be hung outside to dry whenever possible, rather than inside where they can increase humidity levels. For day-to-day cleanliness, you should have tools that get the job done but take up little space. A compact, rechargeable vacuum cleaner can work wonders for picking up dirt, dust, and crumbs from floors and cushions. 2 - Heating and cooling To properly stay comfortable, you’ll need to have a plan to manage the heating and cooling during extreme temperatures. Proper insulation is the foundation for maintaining a comfortable temperature. Insulating your van not only helps keep the heat in during winter but also keeps the interior cool when it's hot outside. For heating, portable heaters are a popular choice among van lifers. When choosing a heater, it's important to consider safety features, such as automatic shut-off in case it tips over. A/C is not usually practical in a van or camper, but some evaporative coolers to circulate chilled air are great. Parking in the shade during the hottest parts of the day can also reduce interior temperatures quite a bit. 3 - Good bedding To sleep well, you need a comfy place to rest. Start with picking a good mattress that fits in your van and feels nice to lie on. Whether you like a soft or firm mattress, make sure it's right for you and fits your van. Memory foam is a popular choice for bedding in vans because it offers excellent support and comfort. Memory foam mattresses come in various thicknesses, so you can choose one that fits your space and comfort needs. Inflatable mattresses can be good for very tight spaces or if you need to convert your sleeping area for other uses during the day.
Contributed post.
Planning a vacation overseas can sometimes feel like conducting a large-scale symphony with all the anticipation, excitement, and, let's be honest, stress. It's all too easy to forget important things that could make or break your trip in the rush of organizing your itinerary, finding places to stay, and booking your flights.
If you want to have a smooth and easy trip, here are some of the (genuinely important) things you’ve probably forgotten to account for and need to plan ASAP. Travel Insurance To start off with a reality check, let's face it: accidents happen, flights are cancelled, luggage disappears, and people can get sick or injured. Even though we always hope for the best, it's important to have comprehensive travel insurance to be prepared for the worst. But how much is travel insurance? This will depend on the type of cover you go for, and what you deem necessary. The more comprehensive your cover, the more you’ll be paying, but the less worries you’ll have. Regardless of what it costs, though, consider it your safety net, covering any unforeseen expenses on your trip that you certainly won’t want to be dealing with while you’re trying to enjoy a holiday. Health Precautions Your health is your wealth, and you need to pay extra close attention to it while visiting foreign places where you could be exposed to new diseases, climates, and foodborne illnesses. Speak with your doctor or a travel medicine specialist before heading off to a new destination to find out whether there are any vaccinations or preventive treatments you can or should be taking. Some common vaccinations can include typhoid fever, yellow fever, influenza, and hepatitis A and B, depending on the area you're visiting and your general health. You should also travel with a well-stocked first-aid kit containing all your usual medication as well as some extras for unforeseen emergencies. Currency Exchange Dealing with foreign currencies can be quite confusing if you haven’t done your research (and sometimes even if you have). Spend some time getting acquainted with the local currency and current exchange rates of the place you are visiting before you travel there. Although it could be tempting to exchange your money at the hotel or airport kiosk because of how easy this would be, keep in mind that these kiosks often provide bad exchange rates along with loads of additional fees. For the best deal, rather think about taking out cash from ATMs or exchanging money at local banks once you arrive. It’s also a good idea to keep a backup credit card on hand in case of any issues. Connectivity Thanks to the tech of our modern and hyper-connected world, staying in touch with your loved ones wherever you go is ridiculously easy. However, you still need to think about it and have a plan in place. Before you leave, check out what your options will be for staying connected – you could look into portable Wi-Fi devices or hotspots, buying a local SIM card when you arrive, or using international roaming plans. You’ll want to have a plan in place to get connected as soon as you can – you need to be online to access GPS and find your way around and, of course, to let your family know that you’ve arrived safely at your destination. Safety Precautions When traveling overseas, the phrase "safety first" is more important than ever. Foreign countries are always full of exciting adventures and new things to experience, but they also harbour unfamiliar dangers, especially for those who might be caught off guard. From political unrest and natural disasters to petty crime and theft, there’s a lot to be on the lookout for. Research the safety and security conditions in your destination country, including any travel advisories or warnings issued by the government, and keep yourself updated on local laws and emergency protocols. Personal safety equipment should also be kept on hand, and stay safe by avoiding unknown areas at night – especially when you’re alone. Backup of Travel Documents Every frequent traveller has had that unsettling nightmare of losing their passport or some other vital documentation on a trip and getting thrown in a foreign prison. Luckily, it’s unlikely to be that serious, but you should still be on the ball about keeping your travel docs on hand, and having backups as well – just in case. Digital copies are always going to be your friend, so keep all your files saved on a platform like Dropbox. But that being said, hard copies are usually preferred when it comes to travel documents, especially when flying, so try to keep your passport, ID, visa documents, and other important information in a travel wallet that you keep on hand at all times.
As a family of 5 we are always hunting for ways to save on flights and travel more. The dirt cheap tickets available through no frills airlines such as Spirit, Frontier, and JetBlue are definitely attractive, but once you start paying for a checked bag and carry on luggage, those fees really start to add up! Learning how to pack your personal item like a pro is key, and you start that off by finding the right small but mighty travel backpack for women, men, and kids! So let's get right to it - I'm going to show you how to pick the best travel backpack and how to pack your personal item to save money on flights!!
Disclaimer - this post was sponsored by Responsival and contains some affiliate links noted with ** after them. As an Amazon associate, I receive commission from qualified purchases made after clicking affiliate these links.
PERSONAL ITEM DIMENSIONS:
Every airline has its own maximum dimensions for the complimentary personal item every ticket holder in entitled to. If you're hoping to save on flights by not paying for a carry on or checked bag (or as few as possible), you'll want to know the dimensions of what bags and amenities are included in that ticket, and calculate the total cost including any bags you would need to purchase. For example, a no frills airline may have a cheaper ticket but if you MUST bring a full size carry on, check a bag, select your seat, and purchase a meal, a regular ticket with a bigger airline may be a similar or even better deal. Most airlines have set their max dimensions of the complimentary "personal item" at or above 17" x 13" x 8" (at least at the time of writing this post, which I confirmed for Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airlines, Play Airlines, Spirit Airlines) which is a small backpack, purse, or laptop bag. The reasoning is that it needs to go under the seat in front of you, and not take up their valuable money-making overhead space. Some budget airlines are notorious for making you gently plop your bag in the measurement device at the gate, without allowing you to push or adjust the bag, if even a handle is sticking out, they'll force you to pay a last minute carry on or checked bag fee, which can be a whopping $60 or so. Suddenly, your Frontier Airlines deals are no longer deals... So let's avoid that by making sure your bag is well within the limits - get one that is small enough and do not over pack it. THE BEST PERSONAL ITEM FOR FLYING: Have no fear, I have found THE BEST weekender bag, laptop backpack for women and men, whatever you want to call it. I was sent this set and paid for my review but these are honestly amazing!! At just 17" x 12" x 5" the Day Owl Backpack has a minimalist look AND size (i.e. within the dimensions for every regular and budget airline I mentioned above), yet holds a whopping 21 liters and has a ton of pockets and compartments, including a padded compartment that will hold a 16" laptop, as well as a water resistant insulated side pocket that will hold that 750mL bottle of wine you splurge on at duty free (or huge water bottle, of course). Plus, each backpack is made from 26 recycled plastic water bottles!!! The Pouch is a great add-on, a cord organizer (or little clutch to hold your wallet / phone / passport etc). Watch my Day Owl Backpack & Cord Pouch review video below for a closer look! PACKING HACKS:
WHAT TO PACK IN YOUR PERSONAL ITEM:
This list will differ if you're traveling with a carry on or checked bag (this is my FAVORITE 3 piece nesting luggage set** in case you're in need of gorgeous new suitcases!), or if you're only flying with your personal item.
When winter, spring, and summer breaks approach, we often think:
But there are SO many other types of amazing memory-making insta-worthy bucket list vacations out there... RIGHT HERE in the United States!! In this post, I'm hoping to open your eyes to two types that you may or may not have pondered on before: The Traincation and Coastal & River Cruises! I'm going to highlight some absolutely epic options, some kid-friendly and some adult-only, but ALL of them right here in our own backyard!
TRAINCATION
For train enthusiasts, a traincation is a sit back and relax bucket list kind of vacation, and can be done in a couple of ways. You can book each leg yourself, utilizing sleeper cars as well as hotel stays between segments. OR you can book a room and board type package with a travel agent or the train company itself!! Here are a couple of really amazing ones to consider (click through to their websites to discover their other destinations, there are tons!!)
Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer is the epitome of North American luxury train travel, offering a number of routes through the US and Canada. Their Rockies to the Red Rocks tour, for example, is 6 days 7 nights (2 of those days aboard their train with food included and a beautiful glass dome car for viewing scenery, other days' transport via coach) from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon, Moab, Glenwood Springs, ending in Denver. While most guests are adults, children are welcome but it's important to note train days are 8+ hours of sitting around in your assigned seat on the train, with no wi-fi... I don't know about you but that might be tough with my 3 kids. I see this as more of a luxury sightseeing getaway with your romantic partner or bestie(s), when you just want to sit back and not be stressed about traffic and driving!
Amtrak
Amtrak has two very affordable rail pass options. Their USA Rail Pass is $499 per adult for up to 10 days of travel in 30 days. The California Rail Pass is $150 per adult and $79.50 per child for 7 days of travel within 21 days, and you can upgrade segments for sleeper car as needed. Using the rail passes, you have incredible flexibility in your itinerary and can see all the major sights in California whether you do it in a rush or take all 3 weeks! Pro Tip: The Coast Starlight Train is said to be one of the most spectacular train routes, passing by mountains, forests, and the Pacific coast beach, from Seattle to Los Angeles.
For those wanting a more curated traincation, book an epic rail vacation through Amtrak Vacations. There's a 9 day trip from Chicago to Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon and Zion National Park, that includes 2 overnights on the train and 6 in hotels. There's another one out of Chicago, this one is 15 days with stops at Salt Lake City, Yellowstone, San Francisco, Seattle, and Glacier National Park! I mean, come on, is there a better way to see all of that in one trip!?? Certainly not renting an RV and trying to drive that monstrosity around! On a tighter budget or time limit? How about their NYC - Niagara Falls train package, just $399 per person including round trip train ticket, 2 nights hotel accommodation, and admission to the Skylon Tower Observatory Deck!
RIVER CRUISES
You won't find kids clubs or all of the bells and whistles of the GINORMOUS transatlantic cruise lines here, but you will find gourmet dining, nightly entertainment, much larger staterooms (all with river views, most with balconies), and a much more intimate laid back relaxing experience.
Viking Cruises
If looking for a unique getaway with your partner or your bestie, look into a sailing on one of the kid-free Viking Cruises such as their 8 day New Orleans & Southern Charms cruise or 12 day America's Heartland cruise, both going up and down the Mississippi River. Included in your booking you'll get one free shore excursion per port, free wifi, coffee / tea / beer / wine / soft drinks with onboard lunch and dinner, enrichment lectures, destination performances and more! The stateroom includes binoculars, plush robes, slippers, and underbed storage. And just check out that infinity plunge pool on the back of the boat (above photo)!!!
American Cruise Lines
Another great one to look into is American Cruise Lines, the largest river/small ship cruise line in the USA - operating 19 river boats and small ship around the United States in 2024 (5 riverboats on the Mississippi, 5 on the Columbia & Snake, and 9 small coastal cruise ships that operate river cruise itineraries along both US coasts). While kids are technically allowed on this one, there are no pools, babysitting, or even kids meals so one might assume guests are not expecting a wild bunch of kiddos running amok on board, and I would certainly take that into consideration if booking your family. That said, they have some incredible routes and accommodations!! Check out their 8 day Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise or Columbia & Snake Rivers Cruise. ACL boasts the largest staterooms in the industry - all facing outward with furnished private balconies. They use fully stabilized and intimate sized ships holding 90-180 guests, have onboard historians and entertainment, all-inclusive dining with wine / beer / soft drinks / wifi included.
COASTAL CRUISES
If you want the massive exciting kid-friendly cruise ship experience, but you are terrified of the open sea, consider one of the coastal routes by a major cruise line! Some of them are 100% domestic and don't even require you to have a passport!
Norwegian Cruise Line
NCL's Pride of America, for example, cruises around 4 of the Hawaiian Islands, you'd have to fly to Honolulu but from there you'd be hugging the islands for 7 days. Head ashore or stay on the boat which features 3 main dining rooms, a buffet, a few casual cafes, deck games, an arcade, 4 hot tubs, 3 pools, a (parent attended) playroom for babies and toddlers, drop off kids club (ages 3-12), a teen hangout room (ages 13-17), a theater with live entertainment, a jogging track, a spa, and more!!
Princess Cruises
Or maybe you want to explore glaciers up north? Princess Cruises has two routes to Alaska that don't require passports! They have two 7 day roundtrip routes from Seattle and an 11 day roundtrip cruise from San Francisco that hug the Pacific coast never veering too far from land. The boat is massive with 900 balconies, 3,000 passengers, freshwater pools and hot tubs, Discovery at SEA enrichment programs, sports court, live shows, a casino, a spa, and drop off kids clubs (ages 3-7, 8-12, and 13-17).
So, are you intrigued!??
Jumping to book one of these vacations?? Have you taken one before? Leave a comment below to let us know!!
With the first snow of the season upon us, I find myself fantasizing about leaving the shovel and brown street slush behind. But instead of hopping a flight to the Caribbean, what if we embrace the cold and actually seek it out!?
In case you're intrigued, or need some convincing, I've put together my list of the 7 best family friendly winter wonderland weekend getaways from NYC and New Jersey. My requirements include that the hotel has kid-friendly outdoor activities (ex. ice skating and snow tubing), water activities (heated indoor or outdoor pools and hot tubs), and is within a 4.5 hour drive of Newark NJ. With bonus points going to those with kids club! So... LET'S SNOW! I mean GO!!!
Type: All-Inclusive Resort (160 guest rooms and 70 privately owned vacation rental homes)
Location: Poconos (2hr drive from Newark NJ) Winter Festivities: on-property snow tubing & lake ice skating (and synthetic skating) Other Family Fun: Nightly entertainment and shows, indoor pool + water slide / climbing gym playground / bumper cars / toddler room / arts & crafts room, tons of outdoor activities, go carts, archery, and 30 scheduled activities a day! Noteworthy: AH-may-zing (not buffet) food! Like, SO good, and included in your meal plan (can choose 2 or 3 meals a day). Voted #1 Family Resort in the US in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023! My family has been to Woodloch 3 times (summer, winter, and fall - read about these stays here!), I cannot recommend it highly enough! Always SO much fun!!! Watch my winter getaway video below (but do note, it's from 6 years ago, we obviously need to go back for an updated video ASAP!)
Type: AAA Diamond Luxury Condo Hotel
Location: NW New Jersey (1.5 hr drive from Newark NJ) Winter Festivities: on-site glice (synthetic ice) skating; just 2.5 miles from Moutain Creek for Skiing and Snow Tubing; hot cocoa, fire pits, and marshmallow roasting Other Family Fun: Indoor pools (1 has a slide), swim out heated outdoor pool & hot tub, lots of organized activities for kids and adults (some free, some fee based); on site cafes and restaurants; great fitness club with fun classes guests can take for free. Noteworthy: I've stayed at Crystal Springs 4 times, it's one of my favorite resorts of all time! I've been with my family in summer and winter, and gone on a "moms getaway" in winter as well. We always get a suite at Grand Cascade Lodge - with a full kitchen, fireplace, balcony - so much fun for adults and kids. Just paradise!! Watch our family winter getaway at Crystal Springs video below, or read through all of my Crystal Springs blog posts here!
Type: All Inclusive Resort
Location: Hudson Valley New York (1hr 40min drive from Newark NJ) Winter Festivities: On site skiing (rentals and instructions included!), snow tubing, and ice skating - all included in your stay! Other Family Fun: Indoor pool with water slide and swim out heated outdoor pool and hot tub, organized activities, live shows and entertainment. Noteworthy: Meals, activities and horseback riding are all included with your stay!!! We went back in 2018 in the fall and had a blast - check out our video below or read about it here! At the time they had a free drop off kids club, but I can't find it on the site anymore so I'm not 100% sure they still have it.
Type: Mountain Lodge Resort with 105 suites
Location: Cortland NY (3.5 hr drive from Newark NJ) Winter Festivities: take a shuttle to nearby Greek Peak Mountain Resort for skiing, snow tubing, Mountain Coaster, cross country skiing, and more. Other Family Fun: on-site Cascades Indoor Water Park is amazing with a wave pool and water slides! You can get a hotel package that includes water park admission, skiing, or whatever extras you like! Kids arts & crafts room open (not for drop off) Fri-Sun. Noteworthy: we had a mini family reunion here in 2019 that was so much fun!! We got adjoining rooms with a full kitchen and really enjoyed the water park and mountain coaster - fun for the whole family!! Watch our highlights video below or read about it on the blog here!
Type: Mountain Resort with Luxury Suites
Location: Lake Placid / Upstate NY (5hr drive from Newark NJ) Winter Festivities: On site ice skating, campfires and s'mores. Nearby: skiing, XC skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, sleigh rides, dog sledding, 30' high toboggan chute that spits you 1000 feet over frozen Lake Placid. Other Family Fun: Heated indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, movie theater, family game room, ice cream parlor, bowling alley. Free summer camp; $25/hr babysitting.
Type: 5,500 Acre Mountain Resort
Location: Poconos (2.5 hr drive from Newark NJ) Winter Festivities: On site (fee based) ice skating, snow tubing, skiing, show shoeing, treetop adventure course, ice fishing and more. Other Family Fun: Lots of indoor and outdoor organized activities.
Type: All Inclusive Resort
Location: Hudson Valley New York (2hr drive from Newark NJ) Winter Festivities: On site ice skating, snow tubing, XC skiing, and snow shoeing - all complimentary to overnight guests. Other Family Fun: Nestled in 40,000 acres of forest with 85 miles of hiking trails. Indoor heated pool. Meals are included, as well as organized activities, live entertainment, indoor archery, yoga and fitness classes, and drop off KIDS CLUB for kids ages 4-11 (daily in summer, only weekends/holidays otherwise). Noteworthy: Voted #1 Resort in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Region by Condé Nast Traveler in 2023 and #2 Best All-Inclusive Resort by USA Today 10Best in 2023.
So what do you think!?? Have you been to any of these? Ready to book one!? Did we miss an amazing one? Let us know in a comment below!!!
Trying to book your spring break family vacation (or travels throughout the year) but feeling overwhelmed and nervous about your budget? You're not alone. Family of 5 here. Traveling can cost an arm and a leg but you're in luck cuz I work my butt off finding and reviewing the best family vacation spots, and am always looking for the best way to save money (and also featuring which things are worth splurging on!), so here are some of the hacks I use, wrapped up in one handy dandy "How to save money on your spring break family vacation" blog post!! Let's go!!!
Disclaimer: There are some affiliate links included below, noted with ** You don't pay more but I receive commission from qualified purchases or registration after clicking.
No Frills Budget Airlines When I say no frills, I mean no frills. Which means if you pick the right day, you can get tickets for dirt cheap! You'll pay extra for everything other than a basic seat and small personal item (i.e. purse or small backpack). BYO food and drinks (or purchase in flight), don't expect in-seat TV or power outlet. If you need a carry on and a checked bag for every passenger, or need to guarantee family sits together, you're better off booking with a regular "full service" airline, because the price will be the same and they have more flights and partner airlines. The no frills airlines usually don't have partner airlines, so if you miss a flight or it gets cancelled, you can really run into trouble re-booking, especially if you have a large family. Having travel insurance here is key and worth the extra expense (we always use Allianz Travel Insurance), though it can't save the time and hassle of re-booking, it can save you having to pay out of pocket for same day flights with a different airline or couple nights hotel waiting for the original airline to find seats for you. Some "no frills" budget airlines include Spirit, Breeze, Allegiant, Frontier (if you're single with a flexible schedule, look into their "Go Wild" annual pass - you pay $599 for unlimited domestic and international flights, or $149 for their monthly pass), and a newer international budget airline we just booked our upcoming spring break travels with is Play! I played around with the dates (this is key because you'll see one set of dates is 3x more than another set, so you really have to spend some time looking at all of the options), and I got us tickets from Stewart Airport in NY to Iceland for spring break in March for $280 round trip per person! CRAZY!!! It's $120 extra per 44lb checked bag round trip though, so we purchased ONE for our family of 5... packing will be interesting (or we may have to splurge for a 2nd bag at the last minute). For 2022 spring break we got great priced tickets with Spirit to Cancun ($290 per person roundtrip from NYC), and in 2023 spring break we saved huge with Frontier flying to Phoenix. Had a really great experience with both of them - we were careful to pay for 1 checked bag (the five of us shared!) and made sure each of our "personal item" was a small backpack each well within their size limitation. You hear some horror stories on TikTok about getting charged a huge fee to check your "oversized" personal item at the gate, so you really REALLY have to be careful with that!! When searching flights, not all travel websites include every no frills airline... Expedia** and Kayak do include Play, whereas Google Flights does not. So, check a few places and sometimes it ends up being on the airline's website where you can play around with dates to find the absolute best deal. Miles & Points Hacking If you're about to be applying for a mortgage or car lease, or if you are working hard to increase your credit score, you may not want to consider this... but for everyone else, I'll go on a (non-professional non-expert) limb and say that the benefits of "smartly" mile and/or point hacking with credit cards outweighs the risks of little short term credit score dings (consult a professional if concerned!!). I generally go for the credit cards that are free for the first year, to get the huge sign on bonus - this year I got 60k miles and 2 lounge passes from United's Chase card** and 100k points with Hilton's AmEx card**. Then before they renew and charge me, I cancel and sign up for another program/card. You really have to set reminders so you don't miss the chance to cancel before you get charged, and there are limits to how many times you can sign up to a certain type of card in a specific time frame, so be careful and read all the fine print! People who travel a LOT may find that some of the platinum card benefits with huge annual fees (we're talking $695) more than pay for themselves with all of the "free" benefits they offer. It's not worth it for me or my family, but I have a lot of travel creator friends who find theme extremely worthwhile. While we're talking about earning points, make sure however you're shopping, you're getting cash back or earning points or miles with your purchases through a great credit card AND cash back through Rakuten** (yes, double dipping FTW) - I have Rakuten installed as a Google extension and it activates every time I'm on a site they're partnered with. We're talking 10% cash back shopping on Hotels.com**, 8% back booking tours with Viator, up to 3% back on Walmart.com**, heck, I even got 2% cash back buying our new fridge on Lowes.com last month!! One of my credit cards gives me 3% cash back for groceries, and Rakuten gives me 1% back when I shop Aldi on Instacart - boom - 4% cash back!! Hotel Alternatives I love a good five star hotel or all-inclusive resort, absolutely LOVE them, but they're not always the best choice when it comes to finances and convenience. A rental home may be a better choice when vacationing as a larger family, with multiple families, or as a multigenerational travel group - plenty of separate rooms and bathrooms, a kitchen, you name it! VRBO** and AirBNB are the most popular sites for finding vacation homes, they have great features too in case you're looking for a more unique stay, like a tiny home, treehouse, house boat, ski-in, yurt, you name it! If you feel comfortable having others stay in your home, you could even consider house swapping casually or through an agency like Home Exchange where it doesn't have to be a simple 2 house swap (that can be hard to coordinate regarding time and destination), instead you earn points when you rent your home and use those points to rent another home, can be at the same time or another time. If you're up for roughing it, camping is always a very budget-friendly option, especially after the initial investment of tent and gear (or RV). We had a fabulous spring break staying in a cabin at Verde Ranch RV Resort last year (read about it and watch our video here)! KOA (Kampgrounds of America) is our favorite nationwide family-friendly chain of campgrounds, most have a pool, bounce pad, and even have cabins if you prefer being in a proper structure (with kitchen, tv, and mattresses!). Read about our experience at KOA Newburgh, just north of New York City, here!
Drive!
When I say drive, I mean two things... One is that driving to your destination, instead of flying or cruising, can really help you save a TON of money, especially for bigger families!! Bus and train are also options to consider. Back when we were a family of 3 living in Brooklyn without a car, we took the bus and train to a ton of places, as far as Montauk, Canada, and North Carolina! Now as a family of 5 with a car, driving is MUCH cheaper. By driving, I also mean: consider further away airports and cruise terminals. This week I was researching cruises out of New Jersey and New York and I found one out of Boston that would save our family about $2k as opposed to the same cruise out of NJ!! Yes, it ads a 4 hour drive for us but TOTALLY worth the savings!! When flying out of the NYC area, we generally look at Newark, La Guardia, and JFK. But did you know, there are a few other airports in the area we don't generally consider, but you can find some super cheap flights! For example:
Travel Writing, Content Creation & UGC:
My final "hack" is something anyone can do but not on a whim, per se. It's takes a lot of work to score free or even paid travel as a freelance travel writer, travel creator, or UGC (user generated content) creator. Outsiders sometimes belittle us "influencers" like we're just running around trying to get free stuff. But it's not like that at all. The value we offer (and hours we put in) is more than equal to the value of goods or services we receive (whether that's a comped week at an all-inclusive resort or a 2-hour glassbottom boat tour). It's always a very fair exchange of goods and service, or service and service. We spend hours filming, shooting, editing, and/or writing - spending much of our "vacation" behind the screen in order to deliver high quality content and "earn" our "freebies". As travel creators, we provide a personal point of view, helping potential travelers feel better about booking their trip, giving our communities and followers inspiration about activities, hotels, you name it! We also help the destination have a more varied and relatable marketing approach. Having a photoshoot and running an ad in a magazine, filming and running a commercial on Netflix, and hosting an influencer or content creator for a few days at your hotel all have vastly different budgets and goals in mind, but they all have value and ROI (return on investment). Whether you want to publish yourself or sell your content for someone else to publish, you have to spend a LOT of timing growing your skills, building a portfolio, building a following (if posting yourself), and be able to pitch yourself, your skills, and your content to people in the travel industry. When I'm planning a trip for my family, I sometimes end up pitching 20+ hotels, tourism boards, and activities. I've worked with Discover Puerto Rico, Hilton, LEGOLAND Resort, Crystal Springs Resort, Woodloch Resort, just to name a few. Back in October, tagged along my husband's business trip to Hawaii and was on my own. I pitched and was able to get comped tickets to 3 luaus, and aquarium, and 2 boat tours! When we went to Arizona for Spring Break last year, we were provided 5 nights accommodation, comped a week long rental car, and several amazing activities! But to get these amazing "free" activities, meals, or full on vacations, I spend HOURS and hours researching and pitching before the trip, spend a good portion of the trip behind the camera (and evenings editing and uploading daily coverage to Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube), and DAYS after the trip organizing everything in a blog post and 10+ minute youtube video. Furthermore, the days spent editing and publishing content after the trip are days I cannot be working earning actual money, which is its own cost to consider. This is a reason that selling your UGC for actual money in hand comes into play. So... yeah... it's all WORK! But it's fun work, and work that can help my family (and yours, if interested) to travel for less, potentially get paid to travel, or even have some adventures that you might never have had the chance (or budget) to take otherwise.
OTHER TIPS:
Have any tips on saving money while traveling? Want to know more about how we save or anything mentioned in this blog post?? Leave a comment below!!!
Whether you're looking for exciting outdoor adventures, historical tours, foodie activities, Amish encounters, or just want to relax and swim at a beautiful hotel in the quiet farm-filled rolling countryside of Pennsylvania, Lancaster County is the perfect destination for your next multigenerational family vacation. Seriously, from babies to grandparents, there are endless options here for everyone!
We've been going to Lancaster PA annually for 6 years, driving just 3 hours from NYC and now from NJ (our old getaway guides are listed at the bottom of this one). We just love the area and all if has to offer! So kick back and enjoy our highlights video from this summer's trip below (we brought my parents along for the ride this year for the first time) and read on for more details and links, which we hope will be very helpful in planning your own family's visit!!
DISCLAIMER: We were not paid but were provided free tickets, accommodation and meals in exchange for inclusion in our roundup. All thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased :) HUGE thank you to our partners on this trip, including Cartoon Network Hotel, Dutch Wonderland, Turkey Hill Experience, Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, The Amish Village, Smokehouse BBQ & Brews, and Discover Lancaster - the latter which is a GREAT resource when planning your visit, definitely check out their website, request a visitor's guide, and/or stop by their visitor's center!!
WHERE TO STAY!
Cartoon Network Hotel is the ultimate in kitsch meets cool accommoddations, and you can't beat the location if planning to go to Dutch Wonderland. You can literally walk from the hotel to the theme park and save the DW $22 parking fee (not to mention they have discounted DW tickets for hotel guests and you could even go back to the hotel for a couple hours to rest or let your toddler nap in the room). They have modern and fun cartoon-themed rooms, VR / arcade / and other great activities for kids down in the lobby, indoor and (seasonal) outdoor pools & splash zone, on-site restaurant and coffee shop (the latter turns into a bar at night), gift shop, and more!
This was our 2nd time being hosted by Cartoon Network and we just love it there! Last time we stayed in the Steven Universe Dream Suite and this time we got the Ben 10 Suite (watch the room tours below). SO SO SO thoughtfully designed with great art work, fun wall paper and bedding, and they give you tremendous space with suites featuring a primary bedroom and bathroom, living room and dining area with kitchenette, and a kids' area with 2 bunk beds (each bed has its own TV which is 1,000% my kids' favorite feature in the hotel). Cartoon Network Hotel is hands down my #1 hotel recommendation for families visiting Lancaster. It's such a fun spot, both kids and adults will love it!
BOOK YOUR STAY:
You can book a 384sqft King, Double, or Family room for 2-4 people (from about $147/night) on any site including Kayak, Booking.com, Priceline, Expedia, Hotels.com, etc. But if you have more than 4 people (like my family) you'll want to book a Dream Suite (max 6 or 8 people depending on the suite, from $399/night) directly on CartoonNetwork.com.
WHAT TO DO!
We've been visiting Dutch Wonderland annually since our twins were just 2 years old (when I was first invited to join their Influencer Ambassador Program) and we always have THE BEST TIME!!! It's so fun to back year after year and see them grow taller (see the photos above!) and enjoy different rides and activities each time. Last summer, my oldest kiddo (at 9 years old) was finally tall enough to ride every big ride in the park, which was a really exciting day for him because he finally got to go on their thrilling wooden Kingdom Coaster! This year? He rode it FOUR TIMES (and we all rode my favorite coaster, Merlin's Mayhem) THREE TIMES!
Awarded the Golden Ticket for Best Family Park by Amusement Magazine in 2019, 2021, and 2022, Dutch Wonderland celebrated its 60th Birthday this year! We brought my parents along for the first time this year and they thoroughly enjoyed many of the rides, and while we were off getting soaking wet in Duke's Lagoon and water slides, they explored the gentler rides such as Sky Ride, Monorail, and Turnpike.
While they have top notch big kid/adult coasters, little kid rides, animatronic Dinosaur "island", really exciting (and hilarious) diving shows, and all that fun, they're never crazy crowded like Disney. Most rides have no wait at all. I think the Double Splash Flume was the only time we waited more than 10 minutes in a line this trip! And there were a few that we rode 2-3 times in a row because there were no lines! Can't beat that at a theme park!
Summer hours are generally 11am-7pm daily from beginning of June through August with weekend hours here and there throughout the year including special Halloween Haunting and Winter Wonderland events. General admission $69.99 but they seem to always have some discounts available (currently an "end of summer" 35% off online), and kiddos under 3 years old are always FREE! Check their calendar and current discounts before booking your trip!
This was our second time attending one of the children's theatre lunches at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre and it was just as wonderful as last year's experience!! We got there around 11:30 to get our tickets, the buffet lunch opened at about 11:45. I can't speak of the dinner shows, but the lunch shows for kids has very KID FRIENDLY food i.e. things like chicken nuggets and corn dogs, cup cakes etc. There is a good salad bar, and coffee :) Staff is very quick to keep food available, clear your plates, refill drinks. Overall we enjoyed the food and it's a fun part of the experience - I definitely recommend getting the lunch + show ticket rather than just the show.
You continue sitting at your table during the show which started at around 12:45. They chairs are padded and comfortable, we simply turned them to face the stage so our necks wouldn't give us trouble. There was an intermission, which was appreciated since my kids had been drinking their pink lemonade non-stop! The sound, the singing, the dancing, the set, the acting - was all top notch! Just terrific performances by all!! This was a summer show and I believe involved the children's theatre camp program, so had some younger actors included, as young as 11!! They all did so great, we just loved it!! After the show, and I'm not sure if this is for every show or not, but they had a Q&A on the stage so kids (and adults) could ask questions to the cast, and after that the cast came out to the lobby and outside so you could take photos and talk to them. SO COOL! My kids, myself, my husband, and my parents all just absolutely loved this entire experience.
Can't recommend this place highly enough, whether you live in the area or just come for vacation like we do every year!! You can find their main theater 2023 schedule here (including Guys & Dolls, Escape to Margaritaville, and A Christmas Carol), 2024 schedule here (including Mousetrap, The Addams Family, Ragtime the Musical, The Full Monty, The Sound of Music, Jersey Boys, Hairspray, and White Christmas), and their children's theater schedule here (including Santa Claus the Musical, The Rainbow Fish Musical, The Sponge Bob Musical (Youth Edition), and Frozen Jr.)
You can't come to Lancaster and not do at least one Amish-centric activity or tour, but there are SO many to choose from! So, let me make it easy for you in saying The Amish Village is a GREAT one!! We're grateful to Discover Lancaster for coordinating tickets for us to showcase their Amish Village and Farmhouse Tour.
Our guide was so informative, teaching us about Amish life, culture, and religion as she guided us through an old Amish home. One thing that really stuck with me was the meaning I never realized about their women's clothing! At 16 years old, girls are given a white apron to wear to show they are of age to start dating (they encourage dating for a full 2 years before marriage since divorce is verboten). Once married, they're given a black apron to show they're married, since they don't wear any jewelry, including wedding rings or flashy buttons. So interesting!!
It was also fascinating to learn they do use some electricity, just nothing that ties them to a grid. So, utilizing propane gas and hooking up modern appliances to lawn mower motors for example, are quite popular. As are using peacocks as alarm systems, ha! Who knew, they're REALLY LOUD (watch the video!!) After the tour of the house we wandered around the property where they have some lots of animals, an Amish school house, wagons to climb into, and some yummy treats - I highly recommend getting some homemade whoopie pies!!
If you have time, you may want to get a more extensive tour such as their Premium Package Tour that includes a 90 minute narrated bus ride! See ticket and tour options here!
If you love ice cream, Turkey Hill Experience is a MUST DO. When they say that unlimited ice cream samples are included with admission, it's no joke. But they're not samples, they're FULL CUPS, and you can go back for as many as you want, of whatever flavor(s) omgggggg so good!!! Also, unlimited samples of a wide selection of teas and lemonades. Crazy thing is, the ice cream wasn't even the favorite part for my kids!!! It was all of the interactive activities like decorating their own ice cream containers, and filming their own Turkey Hill commercial using a teleprompter, microphone and green screen!!
For me?? It was the Taste Lab where we were schooled about all things ice cream and Turkey Hill and made our own ice cream with a bazillion flavorings, sauces, and mix ins!!! This place was such a fun stop, I can't believe we've been to Lancaster so many times and had never been here before!! General admission is $13.50 but you should definitely get the combo ticket with Taste Lab ($22.50). And be sure to give yourself at least 2 hours to enjoy it all (and make space to get down enough ice cream LOL).
WHERE TO EAT!
Smokehouse BBQ & Brews
Located in a serene area of Lancaster County on the 10 acre Plain & Fancy Farm, Smokehouse BBQ & Brews is a must for BBQ lovers, and really convenient if taking Aaron & Jessica's Amish Buggy Rides or visiting The Amish Experience - they're all on the same property! If their menu doesn't have you drooling, I don't know what will. We were treated to the "create your own platter" and it did not disappoint. I can honestly say, the BEST BBQ OF MY LIFE. So so good! My kids are extremely picky and they were eating off my plate after devouring their kids meals. I couldn't believe it! Don't forget to save space for Shoofly Pie, a Lancaster County favorite!
Cartoon Kitchen
Whether or not you're staying at Cartoon Network Hotel, if your kids love cartoons or Cartoon Network, this is worth a stop for dinner. Call ahead and see if you can request one of the "Dream Cube" pods, they're super fun for kids!! The dinner menu is not super extensive, but you've got the kid-friendly staples and for adults things like tangy chicken wrap and burger, and some great deserts too! Everyone leaves happy! And if you're lucky, you may get a meet & greet with Gumball or another character while you're there!
OTHER GREAT RESTAURANTS:
MORE FUN ACTIVITIES:
INDOOR ACTIVITIES (Rainy Day Backups):
See and read more in our past Lancaster family vacation guides:
Guest post provided by RhinoRank.
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Conclusion
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About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! Categories
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