Travel Tips Archives – Parents with Passports

Costa Rica Travel Tips

July 2nd, 2023admin0 Comments

Costa Rica is a great place for a family vacation. You can be super active and do tours like zip lining and whitewater rafting, or you can relax and do easy hikes and soak in hot springs. With beaches and rain forests easily accessible around the country, there is something for everyone in Costa Rica. Don’t be afraid of the green season. The rainy (or “green”) season in Costa Rica is roughly from the beginning of May to the end of November. Most people instinctually want to go in the dry season (who doesn’t want sun in the forecast each …

Portugal Travel Tips

May 14th, 2022admin0 Comments

Portugal is a bit of a hidden gem in Europe. It is less visited than its Western European neighbors of Spain, France and Italy but is gaining in popularity as more and more people discover how much it has to offer. For a small country, it has huge diversity – incredible cities, gorgeous river and mountain scenery, stunning cliffside beaches. If it is not already on your European travel list, it should be. Visit as much of the country as you can. Portugal is roughly 150 miles north to south and 135 miles east to west, making it relatively easy …

Getting Around Portugal

April 25th, 2022admin0 Comments

There are lots of different ways to get around Portugal and we used almost all of them during our 10 days there. Below are Portugal transportation highlights and some tips and tricks for navigating the country. Inter-City Transportation Portugal is a relatively small country so a trip there will likely present you with the opportunity to visit several different cities or parts of the country. There are many ways to get between cities or major regions of the country. Trains Trains feel like a very European way to get around a country or between countries. I remember the excitement …

Galapagos Travel Tips

June 26th, 2021admin0 Comments

The Galapagos Islands is a bucket list trip for nature and wildlife lovers. But it is both expensive and difficult to get to so you need to be sure it is well planned. This is not a destination to go to and wing it. Check out my Galapagos travel tips below to help you make the most of this once in a lifetime trip. Consider a land-based trip. Lots of people will tell you that the only way to experience the Galapagos is by cruise ship. For a variety of reasons (cost, flexibility, experience for the kids), we thought a …

Florida Road Trip Travel Tips

April 24th, 2021admin0 Comments

A road trip is an iconic American vacation. There is something special about watching the states and towns tick by as you head towards your next destination. In general there are two types of road trips – the first is where you are heading to a far away destination and make stops along the way to break up the trip and the second is where the stops are your destinations. We took the second kind with stops throughout the state of Florida. Below are a combination of tips and lessons learned that will hopefully help you to get the most …

Alaska Cruise Travel Tips

September 21st, 2019admin0 Comments

An Alaska cruise is like no other cruise. Forget your typical tropical beach ports and miles of ocean on a Caribbean cruise and prepare for chilly glacier days and stunning scenery in Alaska. You won’t regret leaving those beaches behind. Cruise line matters. I can’t tell you how many times I read that cruise line doesn’t matter in Alaska. “You go to Alaska for the scenery, not the cruise ship” the argument goes. I disagree. Yes, the primary purpose of taking an Alaskan cruise is to see Alaska in all its glory. But we still spent 7 nights on the …

Vancouver Travel Tips

September 2nd, 2019admin0 Comments

Vancouver has a lot to offer for both city and nature lovers. Whether you are there on a stand-alone trip or as a launching point for a cruise or other travels, you will love exploring the area. Be prepared for the weather. It is going to be cloudy or rainy at some point in your trip. Just accept it and prepare for it. Only one of our three days in Vancouver was sunny but we were still able to make the most of our trip and enjoy the main outdoor sites. Don’t rent a car. Unless you plan to explore …

DC Travel Tips

May 26th, 2019admin0 Comments

Visiting the nation’s capital is a rite of passage for many kids growing up in America. Filled with history, culture, and national landmarks, there is enough to keep you busy if you took a dozen trips here. With so much to see and do, DC is a city you should look to cross off your family’s travel bucket list. For a short visit, stay in the city. We had 3 days in DC and in order to maximize our time, we stayed in the city. Hotels are more expensive in the district than in the suburbs, but there are lots …

Atlanta Travel Tips

May 9th, 2019admin0 Comments

Atlanta is a great long weekend trip from Charlotte. You can easily fill 3-4 days there with kid-friendly activities. Check out my Atlanta family travel tips below for help planning your own visit. Get the Atlanta CitiPASS. Save money and time waiting on lines by buying the Atlanta CitiPASS. The pass gives you access to 5 of Atlanta’s top tourist attractions. You’ll save money if you go to at least 4 of them. Stay downtown. This actually goes against the traditional advice. Everyone will tell you NOT to stay downtown because it shuts down at 5:00 and offers little in …

Guatemala Travel Tips

June 16th, 2018admin0 Comments

Due to safety concerns, traveling to Guatemala with children can be stressful. My Guatemala family travel tips below can help you plan an amazing visit to Tikal so you can enjoy the site without the stress. There are no border fees to enter Guatemala. When crossing from Belize to Guatemala, Belize charges a $40 BZ ($20 US) exit fee. There is NO fee to enter or exit Guatemala but many unscrupulous agents will tell you there is a 10 quetzales (about $1.35 US) immigration fee. They will then pocket the money. (Literally. They just put it into their pockets.) If …