Come Travel With Us

When I quit my job after my third child was born I really had no desire to re-enter the workforce.  With 3 kids under the age of 6, and the oldest not even in kindergarten yet, I was frankly exhausted.  But that didn’t stop people from asking me what my plan was and when I’d go back.  I always said that I would only go back to work for my dream job, but I didn’t even know what that was.  Until now.

My dream job combines a handful of the things I love:  my family, writing, photography, and travel.  I have a passion for travel and I’m trying to instill that in the rest of my family (I like to think I’m doing a good job!).  I always like to have a few trips on the horizon, and when we aren’t traveling we are exploring all there is to offer in our own backyard.  Part of the fun in traveling for me is all the upfront research and planning.  I’ve constantly got my nose in a travel magazine or book and I love to scour travel blogs and other travel sites looking for the perfect hotel, restaurant, hike, museum or activity.  And once we’re at our destination we love to immerse ourselves and really get to know the area.  We ask locals for their favorite spots and always find new things that we weren’t expecting.

We started traveling more extensively a few years ago with our kids who are a bit older now (12, 10 and 7) and more portable.  We no longer travel with strollers or carseats, and everyone can pack their own carryon and pull their own suitcase.  In the past few years we have been to Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Ireland, Turks & Caicos, Florida, Kauai, Maui, New York and Washington DC, as well as quite a few places all over California.  This summer we will be heading to Ecuador; The Galapagos Islands; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; the low country in South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and our annual “family camp” trip to West Virginia.  I think that traveling opens all of our eyes to different ways of life, teaches us to appreciate and respect other people and cultures, and instills a sense of adventure & curiosity.  I want my kids to learn to look beyond what’s right in front of them in order to find amazing adventures & hidden treasures wherever they are.

I don’t claim to be any good at writing or photography, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it and sharing it with others.  My hope is to combine all of my research and travel experiences and share it on this blog to inspire others and to be a source of information that others can benefit from.  There are a ton of travel blogs already out there so this concept certainly isn’t anything new.  What I hope to bring to the table is a fresh outlook to some favorite destinations, some new destinations that we are just trying out, and specifically how we travel with kids and find things that both adults & kids can enjoy.  Because let’s be honest, traveling with kids can be challenging at times.  But I find the reward is completely worth all the hiccups along the way.  And it’s quite possibly the hiccups that make the best stories and we remember the most!

**Top image – Hiking the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail in Poipu, Kauai (February 2016)