Category: Destinations
One Room or Two? Is Madison Saint Jean de Luz Good for a Family of Four?
November 4, 2026
Close the entry door at the end of the hall at MADISON Saint Jean de Luz, and the rest of the hotel disappears. What’s left: two bedrooms, two walk-in showers, and two room doors that swing shut the second you let go. Step onto the wrap-around balcony at sunset, and the sun goes down over the city […]
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Bargain or Hype? How Much Does Albania Cost for a Family Per Day?
October 27, 2026
It felt like we should have paid more for our meal. Rice balls that crunch on the outside and stay hot in the middle. Meatballs you want to drag through the side of tzatziki you ordered. Then pork tigania, a beer, a glass of red wine, and the walnut cake the boys would later call the best […]
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Want to Take the Arctic Sleeper Train With Kids? Here’s What It’s Like
October 13, 2026
I swear the Narvik sleeper train was an amazing experience for the boys. For me? Not so much. An hour into waiting for our late train, one of my ten-year-olds walked into the station café with blood running down the back of his head. A stranger with a med kit bandaged him up, and we made the train […]
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Is JW Marriott Venice Actually Worth It for Families? Read the Real Cost
October 7, 2026
The engine drops to an idle as the boat rounds into a quiet cove, the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa‘s private dock straight ahead. Olive trees lean in over the canal, the resort’s low white buildings tucked into the leaves. Someone already has our bags before we’ve climbed out of the boat. It felt like […]
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Want to Chase the Narvik Northern Lights? Here’s What It Actually Costs
September 29, 2026
Purple and green ribbons dance across the Arctic sky. Surreal, until you duck into a convenience store where a can of soda rings up at $5. Welcome to Norway. The lights are still within reach. Narvik Northern Lights with Kids has the full story: the drive, the closed tunnel Waze sent us into, the family photo with […]
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Westin Yilan Spa Hotel: Family hotel review. Is it worth it?
September 9, 2026
The boys drop their bags in the entryway of the Westin Yilan and let out a “Bro! Look at this room!” Then they slide open the door to the balcony and yell, “It has its own pool!” Close, boys. It’s a stone tub, not a pool, and it was empty (so clearly not a pool). […]
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Tromsø is Last Year: Try Narvik to watch the Fascinating Northern Lights
September 1, 2026
Ribbons of purple and green danced across the Narvik fjord sky. We pulled over, cut the engine, and watched through the glass roof while our two ten-year-olds jumped out of the car and stared. That’s the pitch for chasing the Narvik northern lights with kids: watching your kids, who always have something to say, go […]
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Domaine Riberach: Would You Believe Kids Get a Fine Dining Menu?
August 12, 2026
Hours at the table, a hushed dining room built for adults, and nowhere to send restless kids at course five during a multi-course Michelin dinner. It sounds like a plan for an evening to remember, and not in the way you’d want. But Domaine Riberach with kids isn’t that story. Okay, maybe it’s a nice dream, but […]
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Stationed in Europe? The Smartest Way to Travel Europe on Military Orders
August 4, 2026
Your sponsor apologized for the dog hair on the drive to TLF. He’d taken the family to France over the weekend, dog included, and hadn’t had time to clean the car. You had maybe four hours of sleep and still reeked of airplane cabin. Your first day stationed in Europe, and none of it felt real yet. […]
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Is Albania Worth Visiting in Winter With Kids? Read Our Full Honest Account
July 21, 2026
“Why Albania?” they’d ask, as they tilted their heads. “Why not?” we’d reply. Albania in winter with kids? Not the kind of thing that evokes a response of “that makes sense.” We got raised eyebrows and a few polite versions of “hm, interesting choice.” This post is what Albania in winter with kids looks like in […]
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