I recently gave a talk at a special session of the Parents' Club of Palo Alto and Menlo Park. I thought I'd share what I discussed here, for those who didn't have the chance to attend. Thanks to Beth Delson for inviting me and the other two speakers, Kelly Rubingh of Family Travel and John Lofthus of Family Vacation Center in Santa Barbara. Here's the main portion of my talk:
Things to Consider
Before taking off a journey to the next town or the next continent, you should stop to consider the age and developmental issues for your child, health considerations, and your child's personality. You should also consider how well you handle stress, because there will be stress, no matter how meticulously you plan ahead. The key is to be prepared, keep an open mind, and keep your sense of humor intact. If you can do that, you will be way ahead of the game.
As a family, Frank, Alex, and I have visited 21 countries and 18 states together, so we are veteran travelers. Alex has been traveling since he was six weeks old, and has racked up quite a few frequent flyer miles in his six years of life. Many people think that traveling with small kids is just not worth the trouble, but our experience has been that it is worthwhile, fun, and rewarding. Every trip has been a new adventure, whether Alex was a newborn, toddler, pre-schooler, or now that he's a worldly-wise first grader.
One of the reasons that travel is so important to us, is that about a year before Alex was born, Frank's mother passed away. She had worked and saved her whole life, so that when she retired, she could travel the world with her husband. She retired, and the two of them went to Australia. A month after they returned, she died. The lesson for us was that we should not put off traveling, that we should make it a priority in our lives to see the places we've dreamed of seeing, and to make our son a part of those memories.
We take advantage of every opportunity to see a new place, whether it's a short drive or a long haul. It's something we love, and has been overwhelmingly positive for all of us. Every trip has been a teaching opportunity and learning experience for all three of us. We try to prepare in advance by reading books on the place we're visiting, watching shows on PBS and the Discovery Channel, and finding age-appropriate books for Alex on the country. We try to learn a few words of the language, so that we know the basics of "please," "thank you," "hello," and "excuse me."
Once you've made the decision to travel, where should you go? Some of the places we've been and loved:
Asia
- Japan - Japan cannot be beat for overall cultural
stimulation, beautiful landscapes and cities, and
countryside. We
loved Tokyo's towering skyscrapers, the serene Zen gardens of Kyoto,
and visits to Tokyo Disney and it's beautiful companion park, Disney
Sea.
- China - In Beijing, we took a bus tour of the Forbidden City and Summer Palace. We had a guide take us to the Great Wall. We found the local people to be warm and hospitable, and very friendly to children. Tickets for the 2008 Beijing Olympics went on sale last week, so get your tickets now and see the wonderful sights that China has to offer.
South America
- Costa Rica - Costa Rica is a terrific place for families, offering beautiful beaches and tropical rainforests with Latin American flair. If you go during the winter months, you can take an excursion to see the endangered Leatherback Turtles nesting. To support the turtles, check out the Great Turtle Race.
- Easter Island - Easter Island, with its amazing giant stone Moai statues is something that we dreamed of seeing when we were kids. The mystery of how the ancient Rapa Nui people managed to create these magnificent sculptures (and why) is something that has intrigued travelers for hundreds of years. The remote island is a territory of Chile, and the people are fluent in English, Spanish and Rapa Nui. If you go in February, you can take part in the island's cultural festival which features local families competing to elect an Island Queen. The competition includes races, singing festivals, and carving competitions.
- Galapagos - We took a National Geographic Family Tour through Lindblad Expeditions and had a wonderful time looking at wildlife on this cruise. There were about 80 people on the boat, and the cruise featured naturalists who led the tours and could explain all the animals, plants, and terrain to us. They had excursions for varying fitness levels, so that small kids and the elderly could participate in gentler walks, while the super-fit could hike up the side of mountains if they wanted to.
- Iguazu Falls - The falls span from Argentina over to Brazil, and it was thrilling to walk out onto a catwalk above the falls and see the amazing force of the water rushing below us. I read that because of drought conditions in the Amazon, the falls have now been severely reduced, so check the conditions before you go.
Canada
- Vancouver/Whistler - For great scenery, value, and family fun, you can't beat Canada. Vancouver has beautiful coastline and fun things to do with kids, and a few hours north in Whistler, there is great skiing. In the summer, Whistler has mountain biking, hiking, and gorgeous scenery.
- Maritime Provinces - We visited Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia last year, and had a wonderful time in the Eastern provinces of Canada. The islands boast beautiful landscapes, verdant rolling farmland, and lovely beaches.
- Polar Bears in Churchill - When our son was 2, we took a train trip from Winnipeg to Churchill, Canada, in the Arctic Circle, to witness the polar bear migration. We used John Steele Rail Tours, a Canadian company, that arranged for the train trip, lodging in Churchill, and sightseeing tours out to where the polar bears were setting out to do their winter seal hunting. The tours occur in October and November, depending on when the ice freezes.
Europe/North Africa
- Italy - Last year, we took an cruise of the Mediterranean that was led by Sky & Telescope Magazine. Our final destination was Libya, where the center line of the total solar eclipse was occurring. Along the way, we fell in love with Pompeii, where our then-5 year old loved climbing around the ruins, running up and down the Roman roads, and pretending to be a gladiator. We also stopped in Cairo, where we saw the pyramids and the Cairo Museum.
- Malta - Our final stop on the cruise was Malta, a small island-nation off the coast of Italy. The culture is a unique blend of Italian, English, and North African. It is an entirely Catholic country with beautiful churches and statuary, and an "old European" feel to it. This is a place we would love to go back explore more.
- Scotland - We did a driving tour of Scottish lochs and glens two years ago, and Scotland cannot be beat for beautiful scenery, friendly people, and fun things to do. We loved the castles, lakes, and even spooky Loch Ness.
Where Else Should You go?
- Anywhere you have family or friends.
- Anywhere you speak the language (but don’t let that stop you)
- Anywhere you have a connection (family history, family stories)
- Anywhere you can tag along on a business trip.
Tips & Tricks
- Plan a trip while you are pregnant for 3 months after baby is born. You might not want to go when the time comes, but it's good for you to take the plunge, just to see that you can do it.
- Rent gear if you can. Try Baby's Away for renting gear when you're traveling within the US, especially if you plan to be away for a long time.
- Get a personal tour guide, rather than join a tour. We've found that guides can give you the "inside scoop" on the locale, get you into some attractions that might otherwise be closed, and give you flexibility to cut the tour short if the little ones have had enough. A group tour for 4-5 people will probably cost the same as a hired tour guide and driver for the day, so it might not be as expensive as you think.
- For jet lag situations, don’t plan big activities for the day you arrive. Wait at least 2 days before you try Tokyo Disney or your hike in the Alps.
- Be flexible. Know when to pack it in and go home.
- Don’t set high expectations for yourself or your child. Know your limits, and do the best you can. Plan ahead, but don't be disappointed if everything does not go as planned. Try to relax and savor the time you have together.
Myths about Traveling with Kids
- “They won’t remember it anyway.”
- “I won’t enjoy it.”
- “My child won’t enjoy it.”
- “People won’t help me if I’m in a bind.”
- “I’ll wait until I retire.”
- “It will be better when they are teens.”
Benefits of Traveling with Kids:
- Gives kids the sense that the world is a wonderful place
- Learning opportunities
- Instant icebreaker: People are generally friendlier and more helpful when you have children along.
- Life doesn’t stop after parenthood.
- Shared memories
- You never know…
Web resources:
Travel for Kids
Travel with Your Kids
Kids Can Travel
Photo Credits: All photos were taken on our family vacations by Frank or me.