On average, I travel twice a month, either by car or plane. I'm in airports at least once a month. This is not as much travel as some people, to be sure, but it's enough that I've pared down my carry-on luggage to include only the essentials. Whether I'm traveling with my kids or solo for work, these five items are always with me. Number 5: My S'well insulated water bottle I own and love … [Read more...]
Travel Gear We Use: GlocalMe WiFi hotspot for travel
May 25, 2021 By
Let’s get real about WiFi usage and fees while traveling internationally as a family. When we travel, we embrace being off-the-grid most of the time, but we absolutely need wifi at various times. Sometimes, this is due to necessity: we need turn-by-turn directions out of a foreign city, or we need to call the credit card company to check our damage (I mean, balance). Other times, someone needs to … [Read more...]
Van life gear review: Thule Transporter Combi review
March 31, 2021 By
Much like last summer, most Americans will opt to travel by car instead of air this year, with a big uptick in road trip travel once it’s safe to do so. To kick off the start of the summer travel season, with hopes that travel will soon be part of our plans again, I tested out Thule’s Transporter Combi hitch-mounted cargo box. For me, this is the summer of #vanlife, during … [Read more...]
Stitch Fix for fall travel: wardrobe planning tool or indulgence?
September 6, 2018 By
So I finally tried Stitch Fix. Yes, I know I'm behind the times. I decided to take the plunge because I needed some fall travel clothing, and wanted to expand my style range a bit, and try a few new options. I'm not much of a shopping fan, and I'm not terribly concerned with style, so I wasn't sure if it would be for me. Here's what I learned. Stitch Fix for fall travel: Everyone who signs … [Read more...]
Lowa hiking boots review: Best hiking and travel hybrid shoe
February 2, 2018 By
I give Lowa boots a shout-out in our round-up of best hiking boots for the family, but this brand deserves its own post. Why? I now own three pairs of Lowa shoes, and I never travel without at least one of them. The Lowas I love are not hard-core, heavy boots, nor are they sneakers. They're perfect hybrids, allowing me to travel in comfort and then hit the trails, city walks and biking paths at my … [Read more...]
Travel Gear We Use: Top sleeping bags for backpacking families
April 28, 2017 By
It's time to think family camping! Get your family geared up for the summer camping season by snuggling up in a down or down-alternative sleeping bag! Today on Travel Gear We Use, we're listing our favorite sleeping bags for backpacking and camping families, with lightweight and kids' picks. Best sleeping bag we use for kids: We love our son's The North Face Dolomite 20F Youth … [Read more...]
Products for parents who work on the go
October 21, 2016 By
None of us want to, but sometimes as parents, we simply must work on the go. My job has me working on the fly on airplanes (pun intended), in cars, and in hotel rooms on just about every trip we take, and while I'm the exception, I know most parents have to check in with work at least a few times during most family vacations. Below are my favorite products to help ease the pain of working … [Read more...]
Travel Gear We Use: Eagle Creek USB Universal Travel Adaptor
February 26, 2016 By
Twenty-five years ago, I went on my first international trip on my own. One of my first purchases for my journey through Europe was a travel adaptor. It came in a big bag with lots of various-sized plug adaptors. A few months ago, I finally upgraded. As it turns out, gone are the clunky, multi-piece travel adaptors. Instead, adaptors now come in one sleek unit, and include USB ports. I … [Read more...]
Travel gifts for kids: best hydration packs for all-season use
February 20, 2015 By
As an extension of our Travel Gear We Use series, we also feature some of our favorite travel-related gifts for kids. First up: best hydration packs for kids. I used to think that hydration packs were 'overkill' when it came to kids' outdoor gear, but I've completely changed my mind! My kids love using hydration packs during outdoor-adventure travel, and I love that they stay hydrated. Best … [Read more...]
Summer travel gear pick: Trunki PaddlePak review
June 20, 2014 By
Now that's summer's underway, you're getting a good feel for what travel gear is working for you...and what's not. If you've been carting your pool and beach gear around in a standard backpack that A) your kids leave on the pool deck and B) allows wet swimsuits to leak through, leaving wet spots in your car, we have a solution. We recently reviewed the PaddlePak backpack, the latest offering … [Read more...]
