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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Is the Tirana Marriott Worth It? Read the Full Premier Suite Tour
July 15, 2026
The woman at the Tirana Marriott front desk typed for what felt like an eternity. I ran through the usual list. Overbooked? Wrong dates? The reservation that exists in your head but not in their system. “Thank you for your loyalty. We upgraded your room,” she said, sliding two keycards across the counter. “This is […]
Is Wales Affordable? Wales Castles Trip Costs from 2011 and Honest 2026 Prices
July 7, 2026
Two hours into a Wales castles road trip, the sheep stopped us cold. A dozen of them, spread across the road like they owned it. I got out, waved my arms, clapped. I even tried yelling. Nothing. One of them blinked, I think. This post covers every pound we spent on a 2011 North Wales trip: two […]
North Wales Travel Guide: UK’s Best Castles + How to See Them Your Way
June 9, 2026
It’s June, the peak travel season. We arrive at the colossal fortress, Caernarfon Castle. As we push through the wooden doors, thick enough to cease a battering ram, we step into an immense empty courtyard of this fortress. Almost no one else is there. Meanwhile, at the Tower of London, thousands of people are stuffed like […]
Château Mentone: The Wine Estate You Want to Stay at in Provence
May 6, 2026
Day three at Château Mentone and the kids were already asking if we could stay longer. Day four, my husband started looking at extending our reservation. By day five, we were packing up and texting friends: “Book more nights than you think you need.” The estate sits outside Saint-Antonin-du-Var, in Provence’s Var countryside, about an hour […]
2 Days in London with Kids Budget: Honest Breakdown of Every Dollar
April 28, 2026
“How much did you spend in London?” It’s the question I get asked most when people find out we lived near London for years, and the honest answer? Our London budget for 2 days with kids came to £1,454.66 (about $1,847). But here’s what really matters: what that money actually bought us. “How much did you spend […]
2 Days in London with Kids: The Ultimate Trip Guide to Make It Amazing
April 14, 2026
Age-specific recommendations, realistic time estimates, bathroom locations (!), money-saving tips, and what to skip. Everything you actually need for a successful London weekend with toddlers, kids, or tweens.
St. Regis Rome: 540,000 Points for 3 Nights | Worth It?
April 8, 2026
Rome, Italy | August 2-5, 2024 We redeemed 540,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for three nights in Rome. That’s a lot of points. A lot. Everyone asks the same question: Was it worth it? Here’s what’s wild – it would have been cheaper to buy the points than pay cash. Even if we’d started from zero […]