Looking for a Christmas getaway that your kids will remember for years? In this episode of Travel with Kids, I'm sharing festive destinations we've visited, plus the Christmas trips still on my bucket list!

From Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party to big-city decorations and cozy mountain towns, we're talking about different ways to experience the season as a family, including Vail when you don't ski!

Destinations covered in this episode:

🎄 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party: A festive night at Walt Disney World and a special way to celebrate with your kids.

🏰 Asheville, North Carolina: Christmas at the Biltmore Estate and our family's holiday getaway.

🗽 New York City: Iconic decorations, holiday experiences, and the excitement of NYC at Christmas.

🌆 Chicago, Illinois: A festive big-city trip with Christmas markets, ice skating, and plenty of hot chocolate.

🏔️ Vail, Colorado: A mountain-town Christmas with plenty to enjoy—even if skiing isn't part of your plans.

✨ St. Augustine, Florida: Nights of Lights and a warmer-weather option for a holiday getaway.

❄️ Leavenworth, Washington: We visited this Bavarian-style town in March, but it left me dreaming about a return trip at Christmas!

I'm also sharing the destinations on my Christmas travel bucket list: Quebec City, European Christmas markets, especially in Germany, Lapland in Finland, Park City, and possibly a cozy Vermont getaway.

Whether you're planning this year's holiday trip or collecting ideas for the future, come dream with me about where to make your next Christmas memories!

LINKS:

Blog Post: Magical Christmas Trips to Take in the USA with Kids

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If you have LEGO-loving kids, Billund, Denmark might just deserve a spot on your family travel bucket list!

In this episode, I'm sharing everything you need to know about visiting Billund with kids. We traveled to Denmark for a special birthday trip with my two oldest kids, and Billund was the perfect first stop, especially because one of those birthdays was celebrated at LEGOLAND!

We'll talk about what it's actually like to visit the home of LEGO, how LEGO House compares to LEGOLAND, how much time I'd recommend spending in Billund, and what our experience was like getting around without a car.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why we decided to include Billund in our Denmark trip
• Getting to Billund and what the town is actually like
• Our experience at LEGO House and why it's so much more than a museum
• Our favorite LEGOLAND rides, including Minifigure Speedway, Flying Eagle, and The TEMPLE
• What it was like celebrating a birthday at LEGOLAND
• Getting around Billund without renting a car
• How many days I recommend spending in Billund
• How we combined Billund with Copenhagen for a larger Denmark itinerary

If your family loves LEGO or you're looking for a European destination that feels especially fun and manageable with school-age kids, this episode will help you decide whether Billund belongs on your itinerary.

And stay tuned for the next episode, where I'll share our Copenhagen itinerary with kids, including Tivoli Gardens, Nyhavn, a canal tour, castles, pastries, and even a day trip to Sweden!

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Thinking about visiting Copenhagen, Denmark with kids? From colorful Nyhavn and Danish pastries to castles and rides at Tivoli Gardens, this city was a highlight of my birthday trip with my two oldest kids!

In this episode of Travel with Kids, I'm sharing our Copenhagen experience and ideas for putting together your own family itinerary with time for the big sights and a few pastry stops along the way.

In this episode:

• Exploring Nyhavn and seeing Copenhagen from the water on a canal tour

• Visiting the Danish Architecture Center with kids

• Making time for Danish pastries

• Exploring Strøget and Rosenborg Castle

• Spending a day at Tivoli Gardens

• Taking a day trip to Malmö, Sweden

Whether Copenhagen is your main destination or part of a bigger Denmark trip, this episode will help you start planning a city break with your kids.

I signed up for the Chase Sapphire Reserve when it was offering a huge 150,000-point welcome bonus. At the time, I figured I would take advantage of the bonus and benefits and then reevaluate whether a credit card with a $795 annual fee actually made sense for me.

But after traveling with it for a while…I think I'm keeping it.

This isn't a complicated points-and-miles breakdown or an attempt to calculate every dollar of value I've gotten from the card. Instead, I'm sharing how I've actually used the Chase Sapphire Reserve as a mom who travels frequently with kids.

Use my Chase Sapphire Reserve Referral Link! - Earn 100,000 bonus points with Sapphire Reserve® or 75,000 bonus points with Sapphire Preferred®. I can be rewarded if you apply here and are approved for either card.

In this episode, I'm talking about:

• How we used the $300 annual travel credit toward a hotel in the Galápagos Islands

• Using the StubHub credit to help pay for a Broadway show in NYC

• Why Priority Pass lounge access has become one of my favorite family travel perks

• The airport lounges we've visited in the Galápagos, Colombia, JFK, and Copenhagen

• How lounge access can save money on airport food when traveling as a family

• Using the DoorDash and Lyft benefits

• How I stacked hotel credits for an upcoming Christmas trip

• My dilemma about how to use my second $250 Edit hotel credit

• The $300 dining credit I still haven't used

• A few additional Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits worth knowing about

• Why I think this card might actually make sense for the way I travel, despite that $795 annual fee

Most importantly, I'm sharing why I don't think you should spend extra money just to use a credit card benefit. For me, the value comes from using these perks toward trips, meals, transportation, and experiences I was already planning to pay for.

I came for the 150,000-point bonus. I might be staying for the airport lounges, travel credits, Broadway tickets, hotel perks, and everything else that has made traveling with kids just a little bit easier.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chase Sapphire Reserve
Priority Pass airport lounges
The Edit by Chase Travel
StubHub credit
Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables
DoorDash and Lyft benefits
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit

Credit card benefits, annual fees, offers, and terms can change. Always check the current card terms and benefits before applying, and never spend more than you otherwise would just to earn points or use a credit.

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Planning a trip to New York City with kids? In this episode of Travel with Kids, I'm sharing the exact itinerary from my recent NYC trip with my 13- and 11-year-olds!

We packed a LOT into just a few days in the city, including some of New York's most iconic sights, a Broadway show, amazing food, and a few experiences that were especially fun with tweens and teens.

In this episode, I'm walking you through our itinerary day by day, sharing what worked, what I'd recommend for families, and how I'd plan a first trip to NYC with older kids.

We'll talk about:

• Where we stayed and why the location worked so well for our trip
• Exploring Times Square and grabbing a classic New York slice at Joe's Pizza
• Seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway
• Visiting the Statue of Liberty and what I'd recommend knowing before you go
• Riding the SeaGlass Carousel in Battery Park
• Visiting the 9/11 Memorial & Museum with older kids
• Exploring Chinatown
• Walking the Brooklyn Bridge and catching sunset from Pier 35
• Trying a classic NYC bagel at Ess-a-Bagel
• Visiting SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
• How much you can realistically fit into three days in New York City
• Tips for planning an NYC trip with tweens and teens

One of the things I loved about visiting NYC at this age is that my kids were old enough to handle LOTS of walking and long sightseeing days, but they were still excited about all of the classic New York experiences.

If NYC is on your family travel bucket list, I hope this episode gives you a realistic starting point for building your own itinerary—whether you have three days in the city or you're just looking for ideas that older kids will actually enjoy.

🎧 Listen to the full episode for our complete NYC itinerary, favorite experiences, and tips for visiting New York City with kids.

Links:

Portugal Trip

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Did you know you can visit the Galápagos Islands without taking a cruise?

Before planning our family trip to Ecuador, I honestly assumed a Galápagos cruise was the only realistic way to experience the islands. And with a family of six, I also assumed it would be WAY out of our budget.

Then I started researching land-based Galápagos trips.

Instead of sleeping on a boat, we stayed in hotels and Airbnbs on the inhabited islands, took a ferry between islands, planned our own activities, and booked a snorkeling excursion to Kicker Rock. It gave us more flexibility with the kids and allowed us to experience the Galápagos for significantly less than many of the cruise options I had researched.

In this episode of Travel with Kids, I'm breaking down exactly how we planned our 5-day, 4-night Galápagos trip with four kids, including what worked, what didn't, and what I would change if we did it again.

We'll talk about:

• Why we chose a land-based Galápagos trip instead of a cruise

• The pros and cons of land-based travel with kids

• How many days I think you REALLY need in the Galápagos

• Why we chose Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal

• Our complete 5-day Galápagos itinerary

• Flying into one island and out of another

• What it's actually like taking the inter-island ferries with kids

• Seeing giant Galápagos tortoises on Santa Cruz

• Visiting Tortuga Bay

• Our Kicker Rock snorkeling tour—and why it ended up being the highlight of our trip

• How our first-time snorkelers handled snorkeling in the open ocean

• The island I really regret skipping

• What I would do differently if I planned this trip again

• How much our Galápagos trip cost for a family of six

• Whether I would choose a land-based trip again—or splurge on a cruise next time

Our land-based Galápagos trip cost around $7,000 for our family of six, including our flights to Ecuador, flights between mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos, accommodations, transportation, park fees, excursions, food, and other expenses. We used miles for part of our international airfare, but I break down those costs in the episode so you can get a better idea of what to budget for your own trip.

And while I LOVED the freedom of traveling the Galápagos this way, my biggest regret is that we didn't stay longer. If I were planning this trip again, I would give ourselves at least 6–7 nights so we could add Isabela Island and another snorkeling excursion.

If the Galápagos Islands have always felt too expensive, too complicated, or like a destination you need to save until your kids are older, I hope this episode shows you that there's another way to experience this incredible destination as a family.

Read the full Galápagos with Kids guide:
https://www.emilymkrause.com/blog/galpagos-with-kids-how-we-planned-our-land-based-galpagos-islands-trip

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Thinking about visiting Ecuador with kids? In this episode, I'm sharing our family's experience traveling through mainland Ecuador, including Quito, Cotopaxi National Park, and the Amazon Rainforest.

Ecuador has had a special place in my heart since I first visited while studying Spanish in college, so getting to return years later with my husband and four kids was incredibly special.

One of the things I love most about Ecuador is how much variety you can experience in one relatively small country. You can explore a historic city high in the Andes, stand on the equator, ride horses beneath a volcano, and venture into the Amazon Rainforest, all in the same trip.

In this episode, I'm sharing what we did, what our kids loved, where we stayed, and a few things I would definitely do differently next time.

We talk about:

• How we flew our family of six to Ecuador using points
• What it was like flying Avianca with kids
• Visiting the Intiñan Equator Museum
• Exploring Quito with kids
• Riding the TelefériQo high above Quito
• Climbing the towers of the Basílica del Voto Nacional
• Dealing with Quito's high altitude as a family
• Our overnight adventure in Cotopaxi National Park
• Staying at Tambopaxi Lodge and horseback riding in the Andes
• The mistake we made arriving at Cotopaxi National Park too late
• Hiring a private driver to get around Ecuador
• Traveling from Quito to the Amazon Rainforest
• Staying at El Jardín Lodge & Spa in Misahuallí
• Canoeing, visiting a butterfly garden, trying a blowdart, and searching for monkeys in the rainforest
• What surprised us about traveling Ecuador with four kids
• Tips I would give another family planning a similar trip

And yes, our trip also included the Galápagos Islands, but I'm saving that entire part of our adventure for next week's episode!

If Ecuador has never been on your family travel radar, I hope this episode gives you a little inspiration. It was easily one of the most memorable family trips we've ever taken.

Resources Mentioned:

Portugal Women's Group Trip

Read my full Ecuador + Galápagos family itinerary

Read my Ecuador Packing List

Coming next week: I'm sharing everything you need to know about visiting the Galápagos Islands with kids, including how we planned a land-based trip, where we stayed, what we did, and whether I think the Galápagos is actually worth the cost for families.

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EMAIL ME AT:

hello@amomexplores.com

Welcome back to Travel with Kids! Season 5 is officially here!

After a very travel-heavy summer, I'm kicking off the new season with a catch-up episode. I'm sharing some highlights from our summer travels, what I've been up to during the podcast break, and what you can expect from Travel with Kids this season.

Then we're talking about something a little different: travel things I've been loving lately.

Not a packing list, but new-to-me (and truthfully kind of random) items, apps, services, etc that made travel a little easier and more enjoyable this summer.

• A quick welcome back and what's coming in Season 5

• A recap of our summer travels

• The travel gear I've been reaching for again and again

• Clothes that earned a repeat spot in my suitcase

• A few things that have made planning and managing travel easier

• Some of my more random recent favorites

• Why Swedish candy apparently deserves a spot on a travel favorites list

• Tobiq Bags

• Meliae Cognac Leather Camera Purse

• Clean Skin Club Travel Size Clean Towels

• Chase Sapphire Reserve (My personal referral link, not an affiliate link).

• Lemme Debloat Daily Digestive Gummies

• Wanderlog

• Skylight Calendar

• Walli phone case

• American Eagle jorts

• Old Navy running shorts

• Long-sleeve swimsuit

• American Eagle long-sleeve shirts

• Pact t-shirts

• Swedish candy

Want all the details (and links to everything I mentioned)?

Read the full blog post: Travel Things I've Been Loving Lately

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EMAIL ME AT:

hello@amomexplores.com

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you're following Travel with Kids so you don't miss what's coming in Season 5. And if you have a family travel question or an episode topic you'd love to hear this season, send me a message. I'd love to hear from you!