Category: Travel with Kids

Best Mountain Towns in Colorado
Because we’re a fulltime travel family, we were able to spend four months living and traveling in Colorado this summer. We toured a good chunk of the state to bring you our picks for the best mountain towns in Colorado!
Some things to know about how we made our picks:
- We were here in summertime. I do think seasonality might play a part in which towns end up being people’s favorites.
- We love to hike. That means that amazing outdoor opportunities definitely influenced which areas we loved.
- We have small kids. We’re not able to spend a ton of time appreciating nightlife or fine dining.
- We don’t ski. Well, at least not on this trip!
- We’re not made of money. Places like Aspen are pretty, but my goodness are they bougie.
With all of that said, here are our favorite picks for the best mountain towns in Colorado:
#5 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Durango
Why we loved it: Durango was warm and welcoming, especially during the farmer’s market when we visited. This town is big enough to have amenities like an amazing children’s museum, but still maintains that small town vibe. There are a lot of fun events (like a river rafting festival!), but it’s far enough away from a big city that it doesn’t get packed. We enjoyed this sweet Colorado mountain town!
Our top picks for what to do: Ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, eat on the river at Animas River Beer Garden, take kiddos to The Powerhouse museum, enjoy the Durango Farmer’s Market, and don’t miss a trip to Mesa Verde National Park.
Where to stay: General Palmer Hotel (Hotel), Fairfield Inn (Hotel), Alpen Rose RV Park (RV Park)
#4 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Leadville
Why we loved it: Leadville is the highest incorporated town in the United States at 10,119 feet. It’s the smallest town on our list, but its one main historic street is packed full of adorable coffee shops and has artistic flair. It’s also super close to breathtaking Twin Lakes and a gorgeous mountain drive over to Aspen if you’re wanting to visit the iconic Maroon Bells.
Our top picks for what to do: Catch a show or take a tour of the Tabor Opera House, hike a famous Colorado 14er, kayak or paddle board nearby Twin Lakes, make some pottery at Fire On the Mountain.
Where to stay: The Timberline (Hotel), Free Camping in Twin Lakes (Camping)
#3 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Frisco
Why we loved it: Frisco is exactly the right combination of adorable mountain town and friendly approachableness that bougier places like Breckenridge lack. It’s cheerful and bright, and it’s ideally located right in the middle of all of the amazing outdoor adventures you could want.
Our top picks for what to do: Paddle the Dillon Reservoir, hike to an alpine lake, have fun at Frisco Adventure Park, try a local roast at Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters.
Where to stay: Frisco Inn (Hotel), Heaton Bay Campground (RV Park)
#2 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Crested Butte
Why we loved it: Crested Butte is a wildflower lover’s paradise. The whole town is surrounded by wildflower meadows so that you truly can’t miss them. It’s also a town that’s charming without being pretentious. Cute restaurants and bookstores are still relatively affordable!
Our top picks for what to do: Enjoy the wildflower festival events, eat at Butte Bagels, take a hike at Lupine Trail 2, drive Washington Gulch Road (with 4×4!)
Where to stay: Nordic Inn (Hotel), Blue Mesa Adventure Pods (Glamping), Campfire Ranch on the Taylor (RV Park)
#1 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Ouray
Why we loved it: Ouray is both an adorable town that’s eclipsed by it’s unbelievable mountain setting. Truly, there isn’t a bad view within 30 minutes of this town! The San Juan mountains offer amazing outdoorsy adventures, while in town has shopping and dining that’s sweet and not too crowded. We all agreed that two weeks wasn’t enough here!
Our top picks for what to do: Swim in the hot springs, drive Million Dollar Highway, try the Via Ferrata, take an ATV adventure
Where to stay: Hot Springs Inn (Hotel), The Beaumont (Adults-only Hotel), Riverbend RV Park (RV Park), Ouray Riverside Resort (RV Park)
I hope our picks for best mountain towns in Colorado helps you plan your Colorado adventure! For everything we’ve written about our time in Colorado, head here. If we’ve left your favorite Colorado mountain town off the list, let me know in the comments!
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
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August 21, 2024
Kids Hiking Boots: The Best Hiking Boots to Uplevel Hiking!
After four years as a fulltime travel family, we’ve put some serious miles on hiking trails as a family. When we first started out, our kids wore their regular outdoor play shoes to hike. But without a doubt, investing in quality kids hiking boots was the best thing we could have done to uplevel our family hikes! Well, that and simply…practice!
So today I wanted to share our kids hiking boots recommendation with you all because I feel strongly about these boots. We even bought the exact same boots in a size up for this year’s hiking adventures! That’s how much we love them. Before we get into the boots details, here’s some of our favorite family hiking gear and a whole post with hiking with kids tips if you’re looking for more advice. I also have many of our favorite family hikes blogged here.
Now let’s talk about some kids hiking boots!
Kids Hiking Boots Recommendation: KEEN Targhee Waterproof Boots
Without a doubt, we are absolutely obsessed with our kids’ KEEN Targhee hiking boots. We have them in two different colorways, shown here and here!
I’m going to get into some pros and cons down below, but just for context: we hike hundreds of miles every year in these boots. We’ve worn them from Arizona desert treks to climbing glaciers in Alaska. Our kids have worn them starting at 3 years old and up to almost 9 (so far!). We max out at about 8 miles of day hiking currently, and we have never.once.had.a.single.boot.complaint. If you have kids, you know that they can find just about anything to complain about (wrong color bowl! I hate that spoon! too much milk in my granola! not enough milk in my granola!). So the fact that our kids have never once complained about these boots tells you something.
Kids rocking their KEEN Targhee kids hiking boots in Valley of Fire State Park
Kids Hiking Boots: Targhee Pros
Okay, so let’s talk about why we love these kids hiking boots:
- They’re extremely comfortable. Like I said above, we’ve hiked for hundreds of miles in these boots with three kids of varying personalities and foot shapes. Not one blister or shoe complaint. This is worth any amount of money to me hahaha.
- They have amazing traction. We noticed our kids’ scrambling abilities immediately improve when we switched from regular sneakers to these hiking boots. Our kids never slip in these boots, even on slippery creek crossings or slick rock climbing. We tackled a challenging bouldering hike in Las Vegas, and these boots kept them safe the whole time. I really appreciate the incredible traction on these boots, and our kids do, too. When they first started wearing them, they called them superhero boots!
- Ankle support. Many kids hiking boots are shorter and don’t provide enough ankle protection for the types of hikes we do. For rocky terrain and scrambling, we appreciate that these boots are tall and sturdy enough to provide excellent ankle protection.
- They’re waterproof/water-resistant. We frequently have stream crossings or deep mud on our hikes, and our kids’ feet stay dry. My old hiking boots are leaky, but the kids’ boots never let them down! True, we don’t completely submerge feet for minutes at a time, so I can’t speak to that level of waterproof. But for normal hiking conditions, these boots are waterproof in our experience.
- They’re durable. Like I said, we’ve worn these for hundreds of miles, and they still look new. Our big kids’ boots have been outgrown before showing any signs of wear, and they’ll be handed down to our youngest. We will absolutely get our money’s worth out of these boots wearing them for literal years. I have no doubt that we’ll be able to pass them down to another toddler after we’re done with them, too. Seriously impressive.
- No laces. We have a kiddo who doesn’t know how to tie shoelaces yet, and this kid can still get these boots on. So nice that these boots help kids be more independent!
- They’re cute. Okay, this isn’t a primary motivator. But they really are cute on our kiddos. I love how outdoorsy and cute they look!
Kids Hiking Boots: Targhee Cons
Okay, so you’ve heard why we love these kids hiking boots. What are the cons?
- They’re not cheap. The only major con of these boots is the price, in my opinion. They’re not cheap, and I won’t lie about that. Full price, they cost about $75 each, and that really adds up when you’re multiplying it by several kiddos. But they do usually go on major sale for Black Friday, so consider stocking up at that time of the year. You can also sometimes catch other sales, too. For instance, the gray pair is currently 20% off as of writing this post. Keep an eye out, and you can probably score them for less than full price if you’re not in a hurry. Even if you pay full price though, I think these are more than worth it for how much wear you can get out of them (especially across multiple kids!).
If you’re interested in learning how to camp off-grid and get closer to those incredible trailheads, we have an e-book for that!

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I hope our kids hiking boot breakdown was helpful as you plan your family hiking adventures together! Feel free to let me know in the comments if you’ve tried these boots or are looking for other kids hiking gear recommendations!
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
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July 2, 2024
Free Things to do with Kids Near Me, No Matter Where We Are!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after spending nearly four years as a fulltime travel family, it’s that there are amazing things to do with kids near me no matter where we are. And as a family that’s always exploring new places, the activities budget can get out of hand fast. We often splurge on an exciting adventure or two, but mostly we spend our time on free or nearly free family activites. So we’ve gotten to be experts on finding things to do with kids near me, even when our front yard changes every week or two!
I’m excited to share some of our ideas in the hopes that they inspire you to get out and adventure together this week.
Things to do with Kids Near Me, Wherever We Are:
Libraries
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you’ll know that we believe libraries are the unsung heros of family life. I even have a post with 200+ library card policies around the continent! But even if we’re not talking about reading books, libraries are an amazing resource when I’m looking for things to do with kids near me. They often have incredible programming at the branches. We’ve met rescued raptors, taken a cartooning class, built lego robotics, painted watercolors, and more all at totally free library classes.
Many communities also offer free museum ticket vouchers for local museums through a culture pass program or similar. And increasingly, libraries are offering resources like free 3D printing (how cool!) or a free seed library so you can start your own garden. I’ll never stop sharing what an incredible place libraries are for families, especially families on a budget.
Free Museum Days
Even if you aren’t able to snag free museum tickets through your local library, most museums have some sort of free or drastically reduced admission program. Check the museums near you to see if they have weekly or monthly free admission days. And consider museums beyond just children’s museums. You might be surprised at how interested your kids are in modern art or your county’s historical society. Kids deserve to be in these spaces, too. More and more traditionally “adult” focused museums have weekend children’s programming, as well. We took a neat printing class at a very stuffy Quèbec art museum. You never know!
Playgrounds & Splash Pads
Okay, admittedly a playground is a little obvious, but hear me out. When looking for things to do with kids near me, I often seek out the most interesting playgrounds because we love visiting unique ones! Even if you’ve lived in a place for a long time, there are probably playgrounds or splash pads you haven’t tried. Make it a game! List all of the playgrounds in driving distance and try to visit all of them. Let your older kids create a ranking system and judge which one is the best!
Hiking
We think hiking as a family is a massively underrated activity. But I understand why! It can feel intimidating to get outdoors with kids, especially when you don’t see others doing it. But our kids have seen massive benefits, from visiting some of the most beautiful places to improving their gross motor skills. If you need tips for hiking with kids or recommendations on our favorite hiking boots, I’ve got you. Start small with a local stroll and work your way up to whatever outdoor adventures excite you!
Biking
Biking is another fun way to spend time together as a family outdoors, and the increase in the popularity of biking trails is so exciting for this! The biking options are truly endless, from simply pulling a kid bike trailer behind your own bike to gearing up for family mountain biking adventures. Even a bike around the neighborhood is a fun way to spend a Saturday morning. Our kids are often willing to bike when they might complain about walking somewhere, so this is always another good option.
Rockhounding
What is it about kids and rocks? Our kids are always thrilled to go out collecting and identifying rocks. It’s easy (and free!) to search for rockhounding locations near us and then spend an afternoon collecting beauties and identifying them. Plus it’s educational! We use a combination of rocks & minerals books and an app called Rock Identifier to figure out what we’ve found. We’ll even stop into local rock shops to share our finds and look at new ones. Our kids’ enthusiasm is always increased by another rock expert nerding out with them over their finds.
Water Sports
With kids (and especially when it’s warm!), you can never go wrong with water sports. Whether that looks like swimming in the local lake or pool, or kayaking down a river together, water sports are a great way to spend time together without spending any money. And almost everyone can find a nearby body of water (yes, even in the desert!). We invested in an inflatable kayak that we love, and I take my kiddos out in it one at a time. I’m hoping to get another one this year so that we can all go out together. Don’t forget the life jackets!
Even if your kiddo is too little for real water sports, you can find a shallow creek and let them splash for hours. These are often my kids’ absolute favorite days, when they just get to play in water that’s at their shins.
National Park Sites
We write a lot about visiting the big National Parks (and here are some traveling families’ picks for their favorites!), but did you know that there are over 400 smaller National Park sites around the country? Almost everyone will have one of these lesser-known sites nearby, and they’re always fascinating. Don’t forget to grab a National Parks’ Passport for your souvenir stamps!
Art En Plein Air
Art En Plein Air just means doing art outdoors! Nothing reinvigorates little artists more than taking their artwork outside. For toddlers, this might look like chalk drawings in the driveway or the park, or even coloring pages at your favorite picnic table. Older kids might like to sketch a beautiful view or practice watercoloring the sunset. Snacks and art supplies outside are a glorious way to pass an afternoon when I’m looking for things to do with kids near me. Here are some of our favorite art supplies and art books for inspiration.
Identify Local Flowers & Plants
I never would have considered myself much of an amateur botanist, but spending more time outdoors has us all fascinated by plants. When you take your time on a nature walk or sitting in a beautiful place, it’s so much fun to identify and learn about the local flowers and plants. We use field guide books and the Seek app to figure out what we’re looking at, and sometimes we even sketch what we’ve seen in a sketchbook. We love this book for learning how to nature journal.
Street Art Walking Tour
If you love looking at art, but the idea of an art museum with wiggly little bodies is too intimidating, then a street art walking tour is perfect for you! We love looking up street art locations in the places that we visit and figuring out how to visit them all on foot. We’ll often work in a cool dessert, as well! Everyone gets an amazing cultural experience and a bunch of exercise and some totally gorgeous photos! This is one of our favorite choices when I’m looking for things to do with kids near me.
Thrift Shopping
Thrift shopping with kids?? What a weird idea, you might be thinking. But I think it’s actually genius, and my kids NEVER complain. Thrift shopping is one of the things I like to do, and I’ve found that bringing my kids along actually makes for a pretty fun day for them, too, if I grab them something small. Sometimes it’s a fun shirt or a book, and sometimes it’s a new puzzle or board game. This isn’t totally free of course, but it’s pretty darn cheap. And it’s a great activity for bad weather days or when you really want to do something that you used to love before having kids.
I hope this list of things to do with kids near me that’s applicable to anywhere has given you some new ideas! Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed anything.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
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May 26, 2024
National Park Passport: The Best Souvenir!
We are a fulltime travel family of five, and I’m going to share why I think our National Park Passport is the very best souvenir option out there! We have visited almost 40 National Parks, and we have collected a lot of beautiful and sentimental items from those parks over the years. But this National Park Passport is the best! And I feel like a lot of folks we meet in the parks don’t know about them, so I’m excited to share this souvenir idea on the blog.
Before we talk about that, let me share all of our posts about National Parks and some of our absolute travel essentials with you! We absolutely love our Yoto players for entertaining kids on long road trips, too.
Okay, let’s chat about the‎‎ National Park Passport now!
National Park Passport: What Is It?
This little National Park Passport (find it here!) functions a lot like a regular passport would. Except obviously it’s not a legal document! But the basic idea is the same. You collect stamps as you travel into National Parks across the country. Here’s a sneak peek inside one of our pages:
National Park Passport: Where to buy it?
You can buy these National Park Passport books inside most of the big National Park visitor’s centers. However, you may want to consider buying them online in advance of your trip for a few reasons. One, those visitor’s centers are often PACKED with long lines and chaos. It might be easier to simply have one shipped to you before trying to hit a visitor’s center that’s busy and closes early.
Two, many of the National Park sites you might want to visit may not have extensive gift stores. You might know that there are 63 “National Parks,” but did you also know that there are actually 429 National Park units in the system? Yes, there are National Historic Sites, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas that most people don’t even know exist. When we lived in NYC, I had NO IDEA how many NPS units were all around us. But those sites count for stamping your National Park Passport, and they’re probably a lot closer to your home than you think! But they probably don’t have an extensive gift shop 😉
National Park Passport: Why is it the best souvenir?
Okay, so why is it the best? A few reasons.
One is that you buy the passport just once and then you can collect souvenir stamps from all of the National Park units for free for the rest of your life! Stickers might cost $4-5 each, ornaments might be $12-15, and shirts range from $25-50 at the parks. Those add up fast! If you want to collect those too, go for it. But this passport and stamp situation is so much more cost effective over the long term! We’re rocking our National Park Passport that we bought back in 2016 still.
Another reason is that most of the stamps you collect in the park have the date you visited attached to them. It’s fun to log when and where you’ve been that way, especially if you revisit a park many years later and can re-stamp with a new year!
I also like the passport because it’s compact and low waste. We live in an RV, so space for collectibles is at a premium. But even if we didn’t, I appreciate that I’m not collecting plastic items that will wear out and get tossed in a few years.
National Park Passport: Where do I get the stamps?
Okay, you’re convinced to get a passport, but you’re wondering how to find the stamps? I’ve got you!
They’re generally in the visitor’s center of the big parks. You can often find them sitting out on the counter near the rangers, but sometimes they have their own stamp table somewhere else in the building.
For parks that are really spread out, the ranger stations will sometimes have the stamps available so you don’t have to drive an hour just to get the stamp. If you’re really struggling to find one, don’t hesitate to ask the rangers!
And there have been a few times when I forgot to pack my National Park Passport. Never fear! There are usually squares of scrap paper next to the stamp, and I’ll just stamp one of those and glue it into my book later.
If you’re wanting to collect National Park stamps, but aren’t sold on the whole passport idea, I have seen people use the stamps in other items. My personal favorite idea besides the National Park Passport was when I saw a grandma buying her grandkids picture books and stamping inside the cover so they would remember when and where the books came from. So cute! If you’re looking for some book ideas, check out our list!
And if you’re planning a big road trip with kids or looking to learn how to camp off-grid near the National Parks, we can help with that! Check out our store with instant digital downloads:
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I hope this post was helpful in giving you a new idea for National Parks souvenirs! If you want other ideas, let me know in the comments 🙂
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May 16, 2024
Things to do in Palm Springs with Kids: Colorful Outdoor Fun!
If you’re new here, we’re a fulltime travel family of five, and we recently had the absolute pleasure of spending a month in the Palm Springs area. So today I’m going to share some of our favorite things to do in Palm Springs with kids!
Truthfully, Palm Springs with kids hadn’t really been on my radar, and we only ended up there because we were hoping to meet a bunch of other fulltime RV families. Which we did! The Thousand Trails RV park in Palm Springs is a fulltime travel family hot spot in winter. Mission accomplished!
But we actually thoroughly enjoyed Palm Springs as a family destination in itself! There are so many things to do in Palm Springs with kids that we didn’t even finish our whole list after a month. If you’re planning a family road trip, I can’t recommend our Yoto players enough as a family travel lifesaver. Now let’s get to the Palm Springs ideas!
Things to do in Palm Springs: Cultural Experiences
Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Springs Art Museum is small, but mighty! It’s got a bunch of fun modern art and works by local artists. They even offer free admission on Thursday nights! Just be sure to register in advance.
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum is a brand, new museum dedicated to the area’s original inhabitants. We always prioritize learning about the Indigenous people of the areas we visit, and this museum is really great opportunity to do so. It’s a small museum that will take just a couple of hours max. Keep an eye on the calendar for special events and family days.
Moorten Botanical Garden
The Moorten Botanical Garden is an adorable, family-run garden that costs just $5 to get in. The indoor cacti are particularly amazing, dubbed “the world’s first cactarium.” Go early in the day if you want cactarium pictures without other people in them.
Robolights
Robolights is an amazing outdoor art exhibit created by local homeowner Kenny Irwin. You can see the giant sculptures from outside the fence, or you can text Kenny in advance for an appointment to come inside. Be aware that Kenny expects a purchase or donation at the end of the tour. These sculptures are amazing, though!
Palm Springs Air Museum
The Palm Springs Air Museum is a fun stop for any kiddos who love things that go. Adult admission isn’t super cheap, but kids 12 and under are free!
Rent Bikes to Explore the Colorful Sights
Downtown Palm Springs is SO colorful and retro that just admiring the fun and funky colors is an outing in itself! Rent bikes (or bring your own) and jaunt around town checking out the street art, the famous Saguaro Palm Springs hotel, and the residents’ colorful doors. Here are a few brightly colored doors to mark on your list (be sure to be respectful and stay off of their lawns and walkways!):
- 2396 S Sierra Madre
- 2439 E Via Lazo
- 2455 E Via Lazo
- 2297 S Camino Real
- 1099 E Sierra Way
- 2344 S Yosemite
- 2063 Madrona Drive
- 1500 Lobo Way
- 1947 Cadiz Circle
To make it even more fun for the kids, consider printing out a rainbow scavenger hunt so the kids can check off door colors as you find them! My kids find any “adult” activity more fun if there’s a scavenger hunt involved.
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Things to do in Palm Springs: Hiking
Palm Canyon
Palm Springs has a surprising amount of gorgeous hiking nearby, and this hike was our favorite! The hike in Palm Canyon is as long or as short a hike as you want to make it, and it’s relatively flat once you walk down into the canyon. It’s on the Agua Caliente reservation so you do have to pay to enter, but I promise that it’s worth it!
Willis Palm Oasis
Willis Palm Oasis is right outside of Palm Springs and is a super easy hike in the Coachella Valley Preserve. If you’re looking for even easier and free-er than Palm Canyon, this hike is a good one. We did not complete the whole loop because we were with friends; we just walked to the second oasis and back.
Ladder Canyon
Ladder Canyon is about an hour from Palm Springs, but totally worth the drive! It’s by far the hardest hike on this list; my phone clocked us as walking almost 7 miles. There are also multiple tall ladders involved, so it’s not for toddlers unless you’re wearing them. The drive out is bumpy and we appreciated having 4 wheel drive for it, although we did see sedans parked at the trailhead. All that said, the slot canyons are amazing and super fun if you’re up for a challenge! As always with slot canyons, don’t go if it’s raining anywhere nearby. Flash floods are dangerous!
Ladder Canyon
Things to do in Palm Springs: Food Experiences
San Marcos Date Farm
San Marcos Date Farm is just outside Palm Desert and a super fun stop for families interested in where our food comes from. You can purchase local dates and take a guided tour of the farm for a nominal fee. City kids will especially love seeing the animals on the farm.
Canyon Creek Mushrooms
Canyon Creek Mushrooms is a less rural stop, but in the same vein of learning how food is grown! You can take a tour of the facility and then purchase fresh mushrooms to take with you.
Great Shakes
Great Shakes is right on the main drag in Palm Springs and has super fun milkshakes that kids of all ages will love! It’s a must-stop while in town with a family.
Cafe La Jefa
This adorable coffee shop is less for the kids and more for the grown-ups who need to refuel to take care of said kids. The adorable interior is super instagrammable, and the coffee is yum! Stop in for a coffee break here, you deserve it.
Palm Canyon
Things to do in Palm Springs: Day Trips
Joshua Tree National Park
If you’re headed to Palm Springs and you haven’t yet been to Joshua Tree National Park, it’s a must! You could spend days just in this park admiring the joshua trees (did you know they inspired Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax?) and climbing fun boulders. If you’re short on time, we recommend the following stops:
- Rock climbing at Skull Rock
- Walk the short Hidden Valley Nature Trail and hope to spot some wildlife
- Check out Arch Rock and Heart Rock for fun photo opps
- Stroll the magical Cholla Cactus Garden at sunset
Don’t forget to stop at a visitor’s center so you can get your kiddos their junior ranger badges!
Salvation Mountain
Salvation Mountain is a fun art installation about 90 minutes from Palm Springs that’s worth the drive if you like funky outdoor art. It’s a SoCal icon, and it makes for super bright and bold pictures.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
I hope this guide to things to do in Palm Springs with kids was helpful as you plan your trip! If you need ideas for how we keep our kids entertained and busy on long road trips, check out our roadschooling list. For more of our adventures, check out these posts:
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March 29, 2024
Powerful Black History Month Ideas for Traveling Allies
It’s Black History Month 2024, and learning about Black History is an important aspect of our homeschooling studies. One of my favorite things to write and share about is how we integrate our full time travel life with ideas about justice and helping to co-create a better future for everyone. I have several Black History Month ideas I’d love to share for allies who love to travel, families who are educating non-Black children (either homeschooled or supplementing a school education!), or anyone seeking to learn and expand their own ideas about equity.
Please note that I am not Black, I’m not an “expert,” and I will always defer to the Black community for how the non-Black community should observe Black History Month and what Black History Month resources are appropriate for us to use. I have spent about a decade (not long enough!) on my intentional anti-racist journey, and my hope in writing this is to share what I’ve learned and how I integrate it with those who are newer on their journeys and eager to learn.
Black History Month Ideas for Traveling Allies:
Shop Black Owned Businesses
One way we strive to “vote with our dollars” is by supporting Black-owned businesses as we travel (also note: we capitalize the word Black! Here’s why if you’re curious). There are some ways we look to find these businesses in new places, an easy one is to simply google something like “Black owned restaurants in Phoenix,” for example. Here are some other strategies I use:
- Use Yelp to search for “Black owned” and look for the app’s badge that notes where businesses have self-reported as being Black owned
- Try an app like Blapp that lists only Black owned businesses in the area
- Follow travel influencers and news outlets and save Black owned businesses to try later (they’re often especially recommended during Black History Month!)
- When presented with similar options for things like Airbnbs or RV parks, choose to spend money at the one with a Black entrepreneur at the heart
Ultimately, it may take a few more minutes to investigate what the options are for a Black owned business in the area you live in or are traveling to (and it’s more complicated because of…you guessed it…systemic racism!). But it’s absolutely the right thing to do to put in the extra effort to support these businesses as a non-Black family, and I think committing to supporting more Black owned businesses is one of my most important Black History Month ideas. Also, it’s no sacrifice because these businesses are totally rad. I mean, just check out these birthday cupcakes I got in North Carolina:
Black-owned bakery cupcakes in North Carolina
Take a Black History Themed Trip
I honestly don’t see enough non-Black families doing this in my opinion. We did a long weekend civil rights trip to Montgomery, Alabama with my homeschooling bestie, and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience. I plan to write about that trip in more detail soon, but in the meantime, here are some Black History trips I’d recommend:
- Selma, Montgomery, and Tuskegee, Alabama
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Topeka, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri
- Washington D.C.
- Harlem, New York
The Civil Rights Trail website has more ideas for locations to visit and even some suggested itineraries by state that are highly worth checking out! I wonder if more families don’t take trips like this because it seems boring or a “downer.” I’m here to tell you that you can be reverent, engaged, and respectful, and your family can still really enjoy themselves on a trip like this:
Civil rights trip to Montgomery
Experiencing the places where landmark civil rights struggles took place was at times serious and heartbreaking, but it was also so moving and profound that I would recommend it to any family who approaches it with a thoughtful heart. As someone who probably loves who travel (since you’re on my blog!), I hope a Black History trip gets added to your Black History Month ideas list.
Visit a Black History Museum on Other Trips
Perhaps a Black History trip isn’t in the cards this year (although you’ve saved it for next year!). The good news is that there are incredible hands-on Black History Month ideas for learning basically anywhere. A quick google search for the museums in your area might turn up some surprising local results. And if there aren’t any “Black History” specific museums, consider searching for “famous Black people from [your state]” and visiting their historical homes or places honoring their lives and contributions.
We had a fantastic time learning about legendary athlete Jesse Owens in his Alabama hometown. It was a quick day trip from where we were staying in Huntsville to renovate our RV. Any vacation or road trip you already have planned is an excellent opportunity to investigate and prioritize a stop to learn some new-to-you Black history. Either in your destination or as a quick stop along the way, taking the time will be a worthwhile endeavor, especially this month. I challenge you to find some Black History Month ideas in person near you in February!
Jesse Owens’ childhood home
Follow Black Travel Influencers on Social Media
The algorithm intentionally shows you people who are just like you, and that includes racially (ugh!). It takes intentionality to have a multicultural Instagram feed, but I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. If you love to follow travel influencers, consider replacing some of your lesser faves with some amazing Black travel influencers instead. Some of my faves are The Mom Trotter, Black Adventure Mom, The Traveling Child, Black Adventure Crew, and Mr Crim (who’s not strictly a “travel” influencer, but I found him because he taught me about St. Louis before we visited!).
Mitigate the Impact of Your Travel on Black Communities
This one is heavy and difficult, and there are no simple answers. But let’s take a deep breath and walk through it together for a moment. Just as we consider the impact we have on natural resources as we travel, we should be considering the impact our travel has on Black communities, as well. There are so many ways we can talk about this, but a few of the main ones that come to mind are gentrification, police violence, and climate impact.
Gentrification, where a neighborhood’s current residents are displaced by wealthier (and likely whiter) residents, is a real problem in Black neighborhoods. Airbnb and other short term rentals definitely exacerbated the problem, as well. That’s one of the many reasons why I sought to rent from Black owned Airbnbs when we used them, because at least the wealth was staying within the community more frequently that way. There’s no simple answer to the question “how do we stop gentrification?” but it’s a problem we should be aware of and talk about within the traveling community to avoid contributing more than we have to.
The other big elephant in the room when it comes to white folks traveling in historically Black neighborhoods is police violence. Nice white people (I’m including myself here!) were raised to think of police officers as community helpers and to call 911 in any emergency. And while I’m not saying to *never* call the police, I am advocating for white folks to be extremely, extremely careful about calling the police in any instance where non-white folks are present. Having lived in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, I can say that calling the police is a serious decision that many white people take way too lightly.
Finally, one of the most shocking statistics I read recently is that, because of the legacy of racist redlining, Black communities on average tend to be a full degree hotter than white communities. As we consider how to reduce our climate impact as travelers, we should keep in mind that the communities that suffer the most from climate change will not be the white ones. This section is definitely not the easiest on the Black History Month ideas list, but I feel it’s important enough to be worth saying in this post.
Black History Month Ideas for All Families
Listen, Watch & Read Black History Resources with Your Kids
Whether your children are homeschooled or not, it’s almost certain that their curriculum could use more Black History. Here are some Black History Month ideas to watch, listen to, and read.
John Lewis is a family hero after watching Good Trouble
Here are some resources we’ve loved watching together:
- Good Trouble documentary about the Civil Rights Movement and John Lewis (**We watched together and paused about 20 minutes in for a brief discussion of the N word**)
- Clotilda: Last American Slave Ship documentary
- High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Changed America docuseries (particularly good for recognizing that Black history didn’t begin with slavery!)
- I Have a Dream speech in its entirety, which is much more interesting than the pull quotes
- Hidden Figures
- And definitely check out the sections in Netflix and Disney highlighting Black stories this month
Here are some things we’ve loved listening to together (pulled from our favorite podcasts!):
There are just too many amazing books for me to list, but I’ve started a Black History Month ideas book list here with some of our favorites. Don’t forget to check out your local library for book recs, too! And I highly recommend following Stories of Color on Instagram for amazing kid book recommendations all year long.
Black History Month Ideas for Anyone
Pay Community Level Reparations
What are reparations? The NAACP calls for “a race-centered economic empowerment package for African Americans that builds generational wealth and accounts for not only slavery but the decades upon decades of economic pillaging.” So basically, money to pay back hundreds of years of stolen labor and subsequent racism that Black Americans have endured and which continue to set Black families behind.
So far, the political will isn’t there for nationwide reparations, but as individuals, we can do our own part. Consider a Black-led organization in your community to donate to or fundraise for this month. And remember that this isn’t charity, it’s owed.
A somber moment in Selma
Remember That Every Month is Black History Month.
Implement these ideas all year long, whether it’s February or not. Much like our family prioritizes learning Indigenous People’s history and culture whether it’s November or not, we also prioritize learning about the historical and current Black community all year, as well. We hope you do, too.
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
For more about how we travel and learn thoughtfully, check out these posts:
- Powerful Black History Month Ideas for Traveling Allies
- How I’m Talking to My Kids about Thanksgiving
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February 2, 2024
Best National Parks for Kids: Travel Families’ Insider Picks
So far, we’ve been to over half of the country’s 63 national parks! So I wanted to share our thoughts on the best national parks for kids. But you know who knows more about the best national parks for kids than one full time travel family? Multiple full time travel families. No one knows more than a group of families who collectively have decades and decades of full time travel under their belts.
So today we’re sharing picks for the best national parks for kids from some of our favorite full time travel families! We’re so grateful to these families for sharing their wisdom with us today!
Before we get to the national parks we’re highlighting today — for those of you planning a bucket list adventure with your families, might I suggest checking out our travel journal worksheets for kids? It’ll give kids a place to record their favorite memories, what they learned, and to reflect on what is so different and interesting about the places you visit:

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids

$2.00

If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids quantity

Category: Printables, Roadschooling

Tags: Homeschooling, Printables, Roadschooling

Let’s jump in to the best national parks for kids now, shall we? There are some amazing gems, some excellent insider tips, and some gorgeous photos as a bonus!
Best National Parks for Kids: Glacier National Park
Julia of Roaming Nomads (@roaming.nomads) chose Glacier National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Our favorite National Park with kids is hands-down Glacier. We’ve been there at least 6 times now, with babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers, and the last time with pre-teens and every single time it’s a visit we all keep talking about. It’s accessible enough to enjoy while breastfeeding or managing toddler naps, but interesting enough to keep the older kids engaged and fascinated.
Our favorite memories are:
• Swimming in and paddle boarding on Lake McDonald (don’t forget your watercraft launch permit!). It’s cold but worth it!
• Watching a Grizzly Mom try to manage her three cubs at the side of the road (my most relatable animal interaction to date) on the East side of the park
• Biking up the Going to the Sun Road when it was open still closed for cars in the spring. They open it up just for bikes for two or three weeks each year, depending on how fast their plowing is going. It was absolutely peaceful once you were past the day hikers, and great with the kids because we didn’t have to watch out for cars.
• Eating Bear Claws in Polebridge in a surprise snow storm. Polebridge is always worth the detour, both for the scenery and the bakery.
• Spontaneously deciding on a car camping trip out to Bowman Lake. It’s a long dirt road to get there, which means less people, more animals to watch and a peaceful sunrise on the lake.
And some tips on making the best out of your visit: Stock up before you go, because there’s not a lot of food to be found. Especially fresh stuff and especially if you’re headed to the east side of the park. If you’re driving up and down the Going to the Sun Road, get up early (to avoid the crowds and see the sunrise, and maybe even don’t require a vehicle permit), and going West to East is easier to drive. And don’t forget that your 4th-grader gets a free parks pass, even the homeschooled ones.”
Best National Parks for Kids: Yellowstone National Park
Ali Enerson of A Family Adventures (@a.family.adventures) chose Yellowstone National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Yellowstone National Park was high on our bucket list when we set out to RV full-time. Our goal is to make memories and spend more time with our kids while we’re traveling, so knowing there was this colorful, unique, smelly, other-worldly place not all that terribly far from where we lived in Wisconsin brought it toward the top. It’s a massive park, which can in some ways make it not super young kid friendly but we tackled it head on with a 8, 5 and 3 year old.
We were able to break it up into 5 days, our car was loaded with sticker puzzle books, car games, notebooks & pencils, mess free coloring pages, lunches and extra snacks in case the bison jam lasted hours. We looked at the map, broke the park into sections & prioritized. Then we chose the key features we wanted to visit in that section, knowing full well it’s impossible to see it all. We had a goal to hit our top 2-3 things for the day & considered anything else a bonus.
Some of our favorite things were the abundant wildlife viewing, making lunch along the river and just playing and relaxing away from crowded spots, our boondocking site, the boiling mud pots and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. We think even if you only had 1 day in Yellowstone, it would be worth it! Don’t discount the popular and busy parks, they’re usually busy for a reason and with a little pre-planning and preparation it can work for your family!”
Best National Parks for Kids: Olympic National Park
Ryane Smith of Roaming with the Smiths (@roamingwiththesmiths) chose Olympic National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Our favorite national park for kids is Olympic National Park! Nestled in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, this park offers a captivating blend of diverse ecosystems that make it an ideal playground for kids. The highlights for our little explorers were the abundance of banana slugs and hidden creatures in the tide pools! The park’s combination of lush rainforests, towering mountains, and breathtaking coastline offer very unique terrains with a wide variety of species all in one place! Olympic National Park isn’t just a place; it’s a natural classroom, a playground, a wonderland, a place where kids roam, learn, play, and develop a deep connection with the incredible diversity of the environment around them!
‘In Olympic National Park, nature unfolds its grand story, and each tree, mountain, and tide pool narrates a chapter of wonder.’”
Best National Parks for Kids: Joshua Tree National Park
Heather Metcalf of The Wandering Herd chose Joshua Tree National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Joshua Tree National Park provides plenty of opportunities for a memorable experience when traveling with kids! Two favorite activities we did were: the mesmerizing sunrise at Cholla Cactus Gardens, and the enchanting Hidden Valley Trail. Consider starting your day off venturing to Cholla Cactus Gardens for a breathtaking sunrise show. The soft glow of the rising sun illuminates the desert landscape, casting a warm glow over the sea of cholla cacti. It’s a serene and awe-inspiring moment that will create lasting memories against the backdrop of this otherworldly desert environment. The Hidden Valley Trail offers a short, 1 mile flat, family-friendly loop hike. It allows kids to explore the landscape, climb boulders, and discover the unique Joshua Trees. Together, these offer a perfect blend of adventure and natural beauty for families to enjoy in a half day excursion to this must-see national park, just in time for an afternoon nap!”
Best National Parks for Kids: Acadia National Park
Jamie Schumacher of Letters From the Road Podcast chose Acadia National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Our family loved Acadia for its accessibility, variety of activities, and stunning views. While you can drive up Cadillac Mountain with reservations and a small-enough vehicle, we found the hike up the South Ridge Trail to be a beautiful use of a day. It’s about 7 miles round trip and easy enough for little hikers if you take plenty of snack breaks. We also enjoyed the Jordan Pond House for popovers and bike rides on the carriage trails. We stayed at Narrows Too with our Thousand Trails camping pass and enjoyed that we could use the bus system to get into the park and Bar Harbor. As an added bonus, Acadia is a more dog-friendly park, with dogs allowed on many of the hiking trails. This is one we can’t wait to get back to.”
Best National Parks for Kids: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Mel Lahrs of Lahrs With Latitude (@lahrs.with.latitude) chose Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks stand out as one of our families top memories while traveling to the National Parks. These two parks are practically one as they are connected and you should definitely see both when you visit.
The parks are renowned for their towering sequoia trees, including the iconic General Sherman Tree, the largest living tree on Earth, providing children with a sense of awe and amazement as they marvel at these ancient giants.
One of my best memories is of our kids running through the downed trees on the trails in Grant Grove and identifying pine cones to find out that the smaller ones actually come from the largest trees. We were also very surprised by the beautiful Kings Canyon Scenic Byway.   To learn more details about our adventures and plan your own trip, head to our blog here.”
Best National Parks for Kids: White Sands National Park
Leanna Kreifels of Simply Scenic (@simply.scenic) chose White Sands National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“White Sands National Park is an absolute gem when it comes to family-friendly destinations. One of the highlights of our visit was watching our kids sled down the pristine white sand dunes, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Additionally, our daughter Kaylee participated in the Junior Ranger program as she does at every National Park we visit. This program not only sparked her curiosity but also taught our entire family about the unique ecosystem and history of the area. The park offers a variety of trails to explore, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the stunning landscapes and endless hills of sand. It truly is a place of unmatched beauty, making White Sands National Park an ideal destination for families seeking adventure and educational experiences all in one.”
Best National Parks for Kids: Saguaro National Park
Aimée Gading of Going with the Gadings (@goingwiththegadings) chose Saguaro National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“As lovers of trees & lush forests, we weren’t sure what to expect when visiting the desert (kids and giant sharp plants with venomous/poisonous creatures don’t seem like they’d mix, right?) but we quickly fell in love with Saguaro National Park and the varied plants and animals that call it home. There are a few shorter trails we frequented with kids aged 3 and 6, such as the Valley View Overlook Trail & Desert Discovery Nature Trail, both in the Tucson Mountain District, and loved the evening ranger-led hike we did in the Rincon Mountain District.
We felt confident and safe in our knowledge of what to do should certain situations arise with wild life in the area after reviewing information on the NPS website & speaking to rangers. There is a majestic quality to the saguaro cacti we didn’t quite understand until basking in their presence & watching their shadows dance across the land as the sun set against the explosion of color that is a desert sunset. While Saguaro National Park is still in Tucson, a considerably large city, you’d be mistaken to think you can’t find quiet, one-on-one time to make priceless family memories there.”
Best National Parks for Kids: Capitol Reef National Park
Clarie Hamm of Rollin with the Handleys (@_rollinwiththehandleys) chose Capitol Reef National Park as one of the best national parks for kids and had this to say:
“Capitol Reef National Park was a park that wasn’t on our radar on “must visit NP’s” but once there, it quickly became one of our favorites! We were there in October and the park seemed empty. The weather was perfect, the trees were a gorgeous yellow color and there was still fruit on the trees. We had Mule Deer walk right up to us for a snack while we were picking pears and it was the highlight of our trip. Capitol Reef is known to be a desert oasis with the Fremont River running directly through it. If you follow the river in the park, you can pretty much always find a secluded spot away from everyone for the kids to play. We explored for the day and ended up at the river each afternoon for lunch and water time. “
Best National Parks for Kids: Kenai Fjords National Park
I couldn’t leave this post without a little input from the O’Phalen family, right? My pick for one of the best national parks for kids is Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. I found Kenai Fjords to be much more exciting than Denali National Park. This is a bit of a controversial opinion, but one I stand by. If you’re planning a trip to Alaska, don’t miss our post with everything I’ve written about our RV trip to Alaska.
Besides an adorable visitor center in downtown Seward, Alaska, Kenai Fjords National Park has two main offerings: glacier hiking and water adventures. You can find more information about the glacier hiking in our post about the best hikes in Alaska with kids. But the climb to the Harding Icefields was one of my favorite (if challenging!) days in Alaska. Teens and adults might love an ice climbing tour that looks difficult and magical. The photo above is from a kayaking tour I took to Bear Glacier Lagoon that was also absolutely breathtaking. Younger kids may be more wowed by a wildlife boat tour out in the ocean, where sea lions, otters, puffins, whales, and more are readily available to marvel at. I’m not sure how you beat a park that has glacier hikes, ice climbing, glacial lagoons, and abundant sea life.
Thank you SO much to all of our full time travel family friends who contributed to this post! Your wisdom and generosity is so much appreciated.
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January 29, 2024
Museums for Kids: Spotlight on our Top Favorites!
We’ve been to 49 states and love a good museum. We’ve been to dozens of museums as a family! Some of those are museums that are geared towards adults and some that are specifially targeted towards kids and families. Today I’m sharing what I think are the best museums for kids in the United States (plus a few bonus museums abroad!). If you’re planning a family NYC trip, check out my post with the best NYC museums for kids.
What makes the best museums for kids?
Okay, so first off — what do I think makes a museum qualify as “the best”? We’ve taken our kids to so many different types of museums: some have been extremely high brow, while some are kitschy or silly. Some are so big you could never finish them in one day, while some you can read every display and only take two hours. Some are very well-known, while some are tiny holes in the wall.
Here’s what I think all of the best have in common:
1. If not targeted towards kids and families, at the very least accepting of our presence
2. Interactive and engaging, not just signs to read
3. Interesting for the adults as well
4. Affordable for a family to visit (or a bucket list experience)
5. Extra points given for experiences that are totally unique and can’t be found anywhere else
Tips for enjoying museums for kids
I truly believe that a museum experience can be fun for the whole family at most museums. That said, we’ve got a few tips for making the most of a museum experience with kids:
1. Choose museums that have something that will appeal to your particular kids
2. Pre-game any museum subjects that will get your kids more excited by watching documentaries, reading books, listening to podcasts, etc. (check our our kid podcasts post!)
3. Go at whatever time of day your kids are at their best selves
4. Bring snacks, water, and appropriate clothing so everyone is set up for success
5. Hit the highlights first so you’re not disappointed if your visit is cut short by cranky kids
6. Be prepared to bail if the kids aren’t up for a long day, and consider any time spent at the museum a great success
7. Check the museum schedule when you arrive for special events
8. Look for homeschool or reciprocal discounts on museum admission
9. Avoid visiting during school holidays if your time is flexible
10. Chat with your kids before entering about museum behavior expectations, especially for adult-centric museums
I’m of the mind that kids and families deserve to be in public spaces, and that includes museums. It’s okay if your kids aren’t “perfectly” quiet, and it’s okay if it takes practice for everyone to enjoy a museum day together. I think it’s worth it for all of the things you’ll learn and experience together!
So without further ado, here’s the promised list of our favorite museums for kids!
Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids

We’ve created a totally FREE PDF list of our favorite museums for kids that you can download right now by signing up for our newsletter.

If you do take a trip to a new museum or place, consider downloading our travel journal for kids so they can write about it!

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids

$2.00

If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids quantity

Category: Printables, Roadschooling

Tags: Homeschooling, Printables, Roadschooling
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January 9, 2024
Best Educational Podcasts: 22 Interesting Listens for Kids
We’ve been a homeschool family for three years now, and kid podcasts are an absolute staple of our educational journey. I’m always asked for our favorite podcasts, so today I’m bringing you a list of what we consider to be the best educational podcasts for kids!
We find podcasts fit into our daily in so many ways, which makes them such a good low-lift educational option. Here are a few of the ways we find time to listen:
- Together as a family in the truck on travel days (we travel full-time!)
- Linked to the kids’ Yoto players (do you have a Yoto player?) so they can listen independently
- When we sit at the table doing art projects or eating lunch
All of the podcasts I’ve listed below are specifically kid-oriented. But I’m not afraid to search adult podcasts on a specific subject for us to listen to together either! For instance, we listened to a bunch of adult Black History episodes together during Black History Month last year.
History, Culture & Current Events Best Educational Podcasts
Greeking Out
Greeking Out is one of my kids’ all-time favorite podcasts. It retells Greek myths in dramatic and engaging fashion; it’s definitely punchy and entertaining. That said, Greek mythology wasn’t exactly G rated. Greeking Out does a good job of retelling these stories in a kid-appropriate way. There’s also a content warning at the top of each episode to let you know specifically what you’ll be hearing about.
Who, When, Wow!
Who, When, Wow! is another O’Phalen family favorite. Host Carly travels through time to tell historical stories most of us have never heard of. This isn’t dry history, and the grownups always learning something, too!
The Activators
The Activators is one of the most inspiring podcasts imaginable. This podcast features stories of kids working to change the world in various ways. Not only is it inspiring to my big-hearted kids, but it gives me hope for the future, too.
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls is another really inspiring podcast that features real-life women who are out there kicking ass and taking names. Most of these women are women you’ve never heard of, but their stories deserve to be heard. If you’ve read the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls book, this style will feel familiar.
Forever Ago
Forever Ago is a history podcast that focuses on the history of things, rather than people. Each episode delves into the history of something as banal as chewing gum or complex as Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). The episodes are punchy and fascinating, and I like listening to them as much as the kids do.
A Kids Book About
A Kids Book About podcast is an excellent conversation starter for the big issues. The popular book series-turned-podcast tackles topics like racism and divorce. This is a great podcast to listen to as a family and have those juicy, important discussions about the state of the world.
Young & Indigenous
Young & Indigenous is giving Indigenous youth a platform for exploring their culture and how to share it with the world. The podcast explores issues like Thanksgiving from Indigenous perspectives, art and how it can heal addiction, and preserving Indigenous languages.
Molly of Denali
If you’re familiar with the PBS show Molly of Denali, you’ll immediately recognize the beautiful, gentle storytelling of the accompanying podcast. I love how Molly of Denali doesn’t preach, it just shows what life in a small Alaskan town with strong intergenerational bonds is like. My only complaint is that there aren’t more episodes!
Science Best Educational Podcasts
Brains On
Brains On answers science whys and hows in this fascinating and engaging podcast. Topics include things like “why are we afraid of the dark?” and “how do chameleons change color?” My science-loving kids think this is one of the best educational podcasts out there.
Wow in the World
Wow in the World is another great science podcast, but this one focuses on new science discoveries and explorations. Recent episodes include topics like cellular tattoos, and I find myself fascinated at the episodes, as well.
Tumble
The Tumble podcast is a science podcast that answers those questions kids ask that we don’t always have good answers for. These are questions like, “do dreams have meaning?” and “how do toilets work?”
Earth Rangers
Earth Rangers is a podcast for all of animal and nature-obsessed kiddos out there. For traveling kids, there is even a whole series of episodes about national parks! Plus, the show shares kid-friendly details about important legislation like The Endangered Species Act.
Storytelling Best Educational Podcasts
Circle Round
Circle Round is another family favorite, and it makes the top of my storytelling best educational podcasts list because it adapts stories from all around the world into beautifully produced radio plays. The episode quality is gorgeous. There are often famous and semi-famous guest actors, which is a fun bonus for grownups, too.
The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian
Finn Caspian is another one of my kids’ all-time favorites; we’ve listened to all 10+ seasons. It’s a science fiction serial based on kids who travel the galaxy and fight bad guys. There’s also a silly robot that cracks my kids up.
The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel
Mars Patel is a serial mystery for older kids (8+) that will keep kids asking for more. It’s also performed by actual kids, which is a fun added element. The production value is excellent!
Adventures of Cairo
Adventures of Cairo is a podcast that follows the fictional life of 7-year-old Cairo. The podcast teaches good values, and one of my favorite episodes is the one where Cairo’s family visits the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington D.C.
The Story Seeds Podcast
The Story Seeds Podcast is an absolutely brilliant concept where real kids with story ideas are matched with famous children’s authors (like our beloved Katherine Applegate!). They develop the stories together in a beautiful collaboration. I only wish there were more new episodes!
Story Pirates
Story Pirates is another storytelling podcast that combines kid story ideas and the silliness, jokes, and songs of a team of creative grownups. This podcast is over-the-top silly and musical, and my kids think it’s hilarious.
Julie’s Library
Julie’s Library is a podcast that stars THE Julie — Julie Andrews — and her daughter reading their favorite children’s books aloud. It’s adorable and sweet, and I wish there were more episodes!
Miscellanous Best Educational Podcasts
Million Bazillion
Million Bazillion is a podcast about money where kids and grownups alike can get some financial education. This podcast is an excellent one to listen to as a family and have important money discussions.
The Music Box
The Music Box is an absolutely excellent podcast for musical education. It explores music theory concepts like rhythm and pitch, and has wonderful episodes on various music genres like Funk.
Eat Your Spanish
Eat Your Spanish is a cute podcast that uses music and stories to introduce basic Spanish vocabulary. The themed episodes for holiday vocabulary are especially fun.
I hope this list of our best educational podcasts has been helpful for your family! If there’s one you think I’m missing, please feel free to drop it in the comments.
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January 5, 2024
Best Museums for Kids NYC: Insider Tips
We may be a nomadic family now, but we launched from Brooklyn! We lived in New York City for almost 15 years. So who better to share a list of best museums for kids NYC?
There’s a common misconception that NYC isn’t a great destination for families, but I think that couldn’t be further from the truth. True, there are certain transportation and crowd logistics to overcome. But it’s so worth it for the vast array of cultural experiences NYC has to offer!
This list encompasses my absolute favorite museums in New York City that I think are great choices for families. Some are children-oriented, but most are just amazing choices for anyone that happen to be interactive and kid-friendly. Those are the museums that are always my favorite anywhere — welcoming to children, but still fascinating for adults!
If you’re taking a vacation to NYC, let us help you plan! Learn how to have a fantastic trip from people who lived there:

NYC Made Easy

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Learn how to visit The Big Apple like a local!

We share 20 pages of tips, tricks, and must-see itineraries for every style of trip, written by people who lived in NYC for almost 15 years.

NYC Made Easy quantity

Category: Destinations, Ebooks

Tags: Destination, Ebook, NYC
Now let’s get to the good stuff!
Best Museums for Kids NYC List:
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is world-famous for a reason: it is amazing. It’s also massive! There are dinosaur bones, a planetarium and butterfly garden, rare gems, all the animals your heart could desire, and even an entire blue whale sculpture hanging from the ceiling. This museum is the quintessential big-city museum for animal lovers (like most kids!). Bonus points for watching A Night at the Museum before your visit to get the family extra excited.
Admission starts at $28 for adults, $16 for kids (suggested admission for Tri-State area residents!). Advanced ticket reservations required. This museum is right off Central Park, which makes it perfect for before or after a park picnic.
Museum of the Moving Image
The Museum of the Moving Image is one of those museums that I would recommend to almost anyone visiting NYC. It’s the only museum in the country dedicated to the art, science, and technology of movies. They have Star Wars memorabilia and a hands-on Jim Henson exhibit, plus a bunch of programming for families. There are exhibits like a booth where you can practice recording your own voiceover. It’s a super fun place! Plus, tickets are more affordable than some of the more famous museums.
Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for children. If you head to Astoria for this museum, get some Greek food in the neighborhood while you’re there!
New York Transit Museum
New York Transit Museum
The New York Transit Museum is the *ultimate* destination for kids who love things that go! The basement of this museum is a decommissioned subway station filled with vintage subway train cars. You can walk through all of them and observe how subway technology and comfort evolved. It is fascinating! There are also interactive kid-friendly exhibits upstairs like a nearly life-sized play bus. This museum is a can’t-miss if you have a train loving kid (or grownup!) in your group.
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children. FREE if you have a museum membership with ASTC reciprocity! This would be a great museum to combine with a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Of all of the many children’s museums in NYC, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is the best in my opinion. The Manhattan one is fun, but always absolutely packed. In Brooklyn, there are some small animals to observe, a giant bus to play on, a grocery store to pretend shop in, and rotating exhibits upstairs. My kids’ favorite part was always the water play section, though, where we have spent so SO many happy hours. Bonus is that parking is easy right outside this museum if you’re driving in.
Admission is $15 a person, free hours on Thursday afternoons. Consider adding on time in Prospect Park or at the Prospect Park Zoo to your day here.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Tenement Museum
The Tenement Museum is another super unique-to-NYC experience. It offers guided tours through historic tenement buildings to illustrate the history of immigrants in NYC. It’s a really interesting experience with paid actors leading the way. I would take mid-elementary kids and up, only because standing still and quiet might be challenging for the younger kids.
Admission is $30 per person. If you make it downtown to this museum, I highly recommend adding on time in Little Italy or Chinatown. Wo Hop is our favorite Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood.
The Morgan Library & Museum
The Morgan Library & Museum varies in its exhibits widely, but I’ve included it on the best museums for kids NYC list mostly because of the library. It took my breath away the first time I saw it because it truly resembles the library from Beauty & the Beast. If you have book lovers or Belle wannabes in your family, this museum is worth a stop. It’s also so conveniently situated near other outings you’ve probably planned in Midtown, unless the other museums on this list.
Admission is $22 for adults, free for 12 and under. This museum is right near the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, and 5th Avenue shopping you might already be planning.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is another one of those iconic NYC museums. It’s massive (you could never see it all in one visit or ten!), so there really is something for everyone. Some of the special exhibits are absolutely mind-blowing if you love art. Our kids always especially enjoyed the Egyptian rooms, where you can walk inside a whole temple. To help get your kids even more excited about visiting The Met, read The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The kids in that story live in the museum for a week!
Admission is $30, free for under 12 (suggested admission for Tri-State residents!). Afternoon tea at Alice’s Tea Cup would be the perfect combination with a visit to The Met.
The Cloisters
The Cloisters is an homage to all things medieval. Medieval art set in a building incorporating medieval architecture. Plus gorgeous gardens! What kid wouldn’t want to explore a castle and then stretch legs outside in a beautiful garden? This museum is a fun excursion way uptown where it’s a more relaxed vibe for anyone feeling overwhelmed by urban life.
Admission is $30, free for under 12 (suggested admission for Tri-State residents!). Explore Fort Tryon Park afterwards or hop across the river into the Bronx to tour Yankee stadium.
Queens County Farm Museum
The Queens County Farm Museum is a working farm that has been producing food for New Yorkers for over 300 years. There are livestock, seasonal events like hay rides, and an interactive children’s farm. This is the perfect outing for anyone looking to connect with local agriculture within the city limits.
Admission is free, except on certain ticketed days. Out of towners might consider combining a trip here with the New York Hall of Science or a delicious meal in Queens’ Koreatown.
New York Hall of Science
The New York Hall of Science is a fun and interactive science center for all ages. It’s packed full of hands-on exhibits that range from complex science to toddler play. My kids always adored the interactive bubble exhibit. This is the perfect way to end a trip through the best museums for kids NYC.
Admission starts at $22 for adults, $19 for children. FREE if you have a museum membership with ASTC or ACM reciprocity! Out of towners might consider combining a trip here with the Queens County Farm Museum or a delicious meal in Queens’ Koreatown.
Bookmark this post with the best museums for kids NYC from someone who lived there with kids for a long time! I hope it helps you as you plan your NYC visit. And let me know if you have any questions in the comments. If you’re interested in museums in other places, check out our best museums for kids list!
Disclaimer: Product links in this blog post may be Affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission for each purchase made through these links at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps fund our family travel and allows me to keep creating inspiring family travel content for you. I so appreciate when you use my links to make purchases you would have made anyway.
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December 20, 2023
Travel Journal for Kids: Instant Download Unique State Worksheet!
Today I’m really excited to share the printable travel journal for kids I designed! I’ve looked before for a state worksheet for kids that I felt captured the information I wanted my kids to journal about and remember. Since I never found one I loved, I designed my own!
This travel journal for kids / state worksheet is perfect for full time travel families who are roadschooling OR any family taking a family vacation! It gives kids the opportunity to document what they learned and reflect on the experience with questions like:
- What foods are special in this state?
- Who are the Indigenous people of this area?
- Did you see any new plants or animals?
- What was different about how kids live here?
- Share a random fact about this state?
- Share some topics you’d like to learn more about after visiting this state?
- Plus room to draw maps and tape souvenirs!
This travel journal has two different leveled options: one for young elementary kids who need more room to draw and less room to write, plus one for older kids with the ability to journal more in-depth. The other thing I’m excited about for this state worksheet is that it features two pages for parents or caregivers to journal about the trip, too.
I also love tying back what we visited and studied into our homeschool learning by reading books and watching documentaries. This journal includes space for you to log what you did in those ways, too.

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids

$2.00

If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids quantity

Category: Printables, Roadschooling

Tags: Homeschooling, Printables, Roadschooling
This kid travel journal is a digital download only. After purchasing, you can print as many copies as you want to right away!
I love the idea of kids keeping a log of what they’ve learned for years as part of an amazing homeschool portfolio or family travel keepsake.
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December 14, 2023

Free Library Card: The Ultimate List for Travelers

Image of hand holding free library card options | O'Phalen Adventures

It’s no secret that one of the best resources in the world is a free library card. Especially if you’re homeschooling! Our public library branch in Brooklyn was one of the hardest things for me to leave behind when we became a full time travel family. BUT that doesn’t mean we’ve given up on libraries!

And as I’ve spoken to a lot of traveling families, I’ve discovered that not everyone knows how easy and accessible it can be to get a non resident library card! So I’ve decided to put together a resource to help traveling families with information about where to get a free library card (or cheap library card!) as a non resident.

Why Get a Free Library Card as You Travel?

Libraries are an amazing resource just to visit, even without a library card. But when we’re in one place for a bit, being able to check out books for all of us is a gift. Libraries also offer some extra perks, depending on the library. California libraries, for example, offer a California State Park Pass to save you some money. Many libraries have discounted or cheap museum passes for their city, as well. And some libraries we’ve been to even loan household items like a leaf blower or Instapot!

Is Every Library on This List Offering a Free Library Card?

I included libraries that charge a small fee for non-residents. It’s often worth it to me to pay when we’re staying somewhere for a few weeks or longer!

Why Would I Bother With an E-Card?

Libby, Kanopy, and Hoopla offer electronic resources that are an invaluable resource. We check out hundreds of ebooks a year through the Libby app. I read the books on my phone and Kindle, and our oldest has her own Kindle that she can read library books on, too. Kanopy and Hoopla offer movies, music, and more! We love using them to check out a musical album to listen to for awhile or to watch an interesting documentary.

A few of these libraries even offer electronic cards that you can apply for online, meaning you don’t even have to drop by the branch to receive one.

Am I a Resident If I’m Staying Somewhere For a Month or Longer?

Keep in mind that libraries have varying responses to whether a campground address or bill is proof of residency. Libraries not included on this list may give out free library cards to “residents” of RV parks, but I haven’t included them unless someone has personally verified that or it is clearly defined on their website. Some libraries also give full borrowing privileges to people who work in the area, which doesn’t apply to us, but may apply to some traveling families.

Can I Buy You a Coffee for Putting This Together?

Yes, please! This list took over 40 hours to compile, and it is my absolute pleasure to share it with you. But if you want to buy me a coffee for my efforts, it would be appreciated!

Now, on to the library details 🙂

Free Library Card for Travelers Database:

Location	Non-Resident Policy	Cost	Virtual Card?	Ebooks?
Alabama

Gulf Shores Thomas B. Norton Public Library	Visitors with valid photo ID and home address can get card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library	Non-residents can get card for a fee, photo ID required	$20 annual fee for individual, $35 for family	Must visit in person	Hoopla
Mobile Public Library	Residents only, but “rent receipt” qualifies, so may accept RV park receipt	Free for residents of Mobile County	Temporary cards for residents available via online application	Hoopla
Tuscaloosa Public Library	Non-residents can get card for a fee, photo ID required	$10 annual fee per person	Must visit in person, must renew annually in person	Libby

Alaska

Anchorage Public Library	Out of state visitors can receive 3 month card with 3 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Fairbanks Public Library	Yes, contact a branch for details	Contact a branch for details	Must visit in person	Libby and Hoopla
Homer Public Library	Temporary visitors can receive a 6 month card with 10 item limit	“A small fee”	Must visit in person, share proof of home mailing address	Alaska Digital Library
Juneau Public Library	Visitors staying for 28+ days may receive a temporary card with 2 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Mat-Su Library Network	Non-residents can pay for card	$10/4 months and 3 item limit or $35/annual and full privileges	Must visit in person
Seward Community Library	Temporary visitors can receive a one year card with 3 item limit with local temporary address	$0	Must visit in person and share local reference (“landlord”)	None for temporary cards

Arizona

Apache Junction Public Library	Easy Access card with 3-item limit for anyone with any photo ID	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla
Camp Verde Community Library	Temporary cards issued without residency proof, limited access	$0	Must visit in person
Flagstaff City – Coconino County Public Library	Non-residents can receive a 1 year library card	$0	Must visit in person, temporary cards upgraded after 1 year	Libby and Hoopla
Lake Havasu City (Mohave County)	30 day non-renewable card if address not verified, local business receipt with name and address accepted	$0	Can register online	Libby
Mesa Public Library	Anyone who lives in Maricopa County for 30 days a year is eligible for a free card, or non-residents can purchase a card	$0 or $40/year	Can register for an e-card online here or a full card in person	Libby, Kanopy
Page Public Library	Temporary visitors can receive a 6 month card, 6 book limit	$25	Must visit in person	Libby
Phoenix Public Library	Easy Access card with 3-item limit for anyone with any photo ID, non-residents can pay for full access card	$0 or $40/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Quartzsite Public Library	Non-residents can receive a 1 year card	$0	Must visit in person
Scottsdale Public Library	Visitors can receive a 3 month card, 10 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Hoopla and Kanopy
Sedona Public Library	Visitors can receive a 1 year card	$25	Must visit in person, provide photo ID	Libby

Arkansas

Bentonville Public Library	Visitors can receive a 1 year card, digital checkouts only	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Fayetteville Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	Annual fee not disclosed, financial aid available	Must visit in person	Libby
Garland County Library (Hot Springs)	Non-residents can pay for an annual card	$30	Must visit in person	Libby and Hoopla
Texarkana Public Library	Non-residents can pay for an annual card	$20	E-cards for digital materials here	Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla

California

Anaheim Public Library	Anyone in the world can get a digital card to access digital resources	$0	Can apply online here	CloudLibrary
Kern County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for an annual card (CA residents free)	$25	Must visit in person with photo ID	Libby, Hoopla, CloudLibrary
Los Angeles Public Library	Non-residents can pay for an annual card (CA residents free)	$50 (pricey, but great ebook selection!)	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla
Monterey County Free Libraries	Out-of-State residents can apply in person	Ask in person	Must visit in person	Libby
Palm Springs Public Library	Non-residents can pay for tiers of cards	$12/1 month, $24/3 months, $36/year	Must visit in person	Libby
Riverside County Public Library	Out-of-State residents can pay for an annual card, will accept RV park receipt for free card	$0 or $10 for Out-of-State Resident card	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, CloudLibrary
San Francisco Public Library	Visitors can pay for temp card (CA residents free)	$10/3 months	Must visit in person and provide temp SF address	Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla
San Diego Public Library	Non-residents can pay for an annual card (CA residents free)	$32.50	Must visit in person	CloudLibrary
San Jose Public Library	Non-residents can receive a 1 item/digital items limited card	$0	Can apply online for e-card here	Libby and Hoopla
Santa Barbara County Library	Non-residents can receive 3 item card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Sunnyvale Public Library	Without proof of residency, instant e-card for e-books or limited 2 item card	$0	E-card available here, in person for physical materials	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Colorado

Boulder Public Library	3 week courtesy card with 5 item limit available	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Denver Public Library	Visitors staying for at least 1 month can apply for provisional card	$0?	Must visit in person	Libby and Kanopy
Mesa County Libraries	Temporary visitors may apply for a limited 3 month card or pay for full access	$25/3 months full access	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Ouray Public Library	Visitors staying 3+ weeks may receive temporary card with no item limit	$0	Must visit in persoon	Libby
Pikes Peak Library District	Limited cards may be issued when proof of address is unavailable	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Pitkin County Library (Aspen)	Full library cards issued with no proof of residency	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Summit County Library	Visitors can pay for a card	$10/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Connecticut

Ferguson Library (Stamford)	Visitors can put down a refundable deposit for a temporary card	$25/6 months, refundable	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Hartford Public Library	Without proof of residency, e-card is available	$0	Must visit in person	Libby and Kanopy
New Haven Free Public Library	Without proof of residency, e-card may be available	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Delaware

Dover Public Library	Non-residents can pay for an annual card	$25/year	Must visit in person, e-cards online with a Delaware address	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Rehoboth Beach Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/1 month or $25/year	Must visit in person, e-cards online with a Delaware address	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Wilmington Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a limited one-month card or full privileges annual card	$10/1 month and limited privileges or $40/year for full access	Must visit in person, e-cards online with a Delaware address	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Florida

Broward Public Library	Visitors can receive a free e-card or pay for an annual card	$0 or $38/year	In person for regular card, instant e-card online here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (Tampa)	Non-residents can pay for a card for physical items only	$35/year	In person only unless you have a local address	Not available for visitors
Miami Public Library	Non-resident cards are expensive, but e-cards for digital items are available with local address	$0	E-card online here	Libby, Hoopla
Monroe County Public Library (Key West)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$30/year	Can register online here	Libby
Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative (Destin)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$30/6 months	Must visit in person	Libby
Sarasota County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$15/3 months, $25/6 months, $40/year	Must visit in person	CloudLibrary and Hoopla
St. Johns County Public Library System (St. Augustine)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$7/1 month, $15/3 months, $50/year	Must visit in person	Libby and Hoopla

Georgia

Athens Regional Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Apply online for an e-card here or get full access card in person	Libby
Cobb County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$40/year	Must visit in person	Libby and Kanopy
DeKalb County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card, “rent receipt” counts to prove residency	$35/year for non-residents	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Fulton County Library System (Atlanta)	Non-residents can pay for a card, homeschooling parents in the area eligible for free card	$40/year or free for homeschoolers	Apply online, but must pick up card in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Live Oak Public Libraries (Savannah)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Hawaii

Hawaii State Public Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/3 months or $25 for FIVE years (!!)	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Idaho

Boise Public Library	Temporary cards are available for 3 months with a 2 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Coeur d’Alene Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$30/year	Must visit in person	Libby
Idaho Falls Public Library	Temporary cards available with a 2 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Lewiston City Library	Temporary cards are available	$0?	Must visit in person	Libby

Illinois

Champaign Public Library	Temporary resident card available, RV park may qualify, 6 month card/10 item limit	$0	Apply for an e-card here	Libby and Hoopla
Chicago Public Library	Visitors can use a Chicago address for an e-card or get full access by leaving cash deposit for items checked out	$0 or ???	Apply for an e-card here or visit in person for full access	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Lincoln Library (Springfield)	Temporary resident or non-resident card available	Call or visit for details	Can apply online here or in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Peoria Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	Call or visit for details	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Indiana

Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library	Temporary and e-cards available	$0, Visit a library branch to confirm eligibility	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Iowa

Cedar Rapids Public Library	Quick library card with no address proof, 3 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Davenport Public Library	Visitors can bring their home library card to borrow items	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Iowa City Public Library	Temporary cards for up to 8 weeks available with 2 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Sioux City Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/1 month, $25/3 months	Must visit in person	Libby and Kanopy

Kansas

Kansas City Kansas Public Library	E-cards available to anyone within the library’s service area, digital items only	$0	Can apply here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Lawrence Public Library	Temporary one year card available for campground residents, 3 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby and Kanopy
Salina Public Library	Cards may be granted to temporary out-of-state residents	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Wichita Public Library	E-cards available without proof of residency, digital items only	$0	Must visit in person	Libby

Kentucky

Boyle County Public Library	Visitors can receive renewable 30 day card, 10 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Louisville Free Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby and Hoopla
Mary Wood Weldon Memorial Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby and Hoopla
Nelson County Public Library	Non-residents receive a card	$0	Must visit in person

Louisiana

Calcasieu Parish Public Library	Temporary cards available for 3 months, 3 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby and Kanopy
Lafayette Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card, 10 item limit	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby
New Orleans Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$50/year	Must visit in person or email librarian	Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla
Shreve Memorial Library	Non-residents can pay for a card, 5 item limit	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby and Hoopla
St. Tammany Parish Library	Visitors can receive a free 1 month card or pay for a card	$0 or $30/year	Must visit in person	Libby and Hoopla

Maine

Jesup Memorial Library (Bar Harbor)	Visitor cards available	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person
Lithgow Public Library (Augusta)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$15/3 months, $30/6 months, $60/year	Must visit in person	CloudLibrary and Hoopla
Portland Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby
Wells Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/3 months, $20/year	Must visit in person	CloudLibrary

Maryland

Baltimore County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$50/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Montgomery County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Prince George’s County Memorial Library	Temporary residents can receive a free card	$0	Must visit in person for full access or apply online for 6 month digital access	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Worcester County Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/year		Libby, Hoopla

Massachusetts

Boston Public Library	Ages 13-26 can receive free Books Unbanned card for “frequently challenged” digital collection	$0	Apply online here	Libby
Springfield City Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$35/year	Must visit in person for full access or apply online for digital access	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Vineyard Haven Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card with a 10 item limit	$10/year	Must visit in person, card works at all Cape Cod libraries and Martha’s Vineyard/Nantucket	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Worcester Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/year	Must visit in person for full access or apply online for temporary digital access	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Michigan

Capital Area District Libraries (Lansing, etc)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/6 months or $50/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Gloria Coles Flint Public Library	Visitors can apply for a temporary e-card for digital access	$0	Apply online here	Libby, Kanopy
Peter White Memorial Library (Marquette)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$35/3 months	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Traverse Area District Library	Visitors can receive a 3-month card with 3 item limit (no digital)	$0	Must visit in person with hotel or campground receipt

Minnesota

Fergus Falls Public Library	Does not require documentation	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Red Wing Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$5/1 month, $10/3 months, $20/6 months, $40/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Scott County Public Library	Welcome cards for visitors, two item limit and digital access	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Winona Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/3 months, $20/6 months or $40/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla

Mississippi

Hattiesburg Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/6 months (may apply for waiver due to need)	Must visit in person	Hoopla
Jackson Hinds Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Laurel-Jones County Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10 one time fee	Must visit in person	Hoopla

Missouri

Joplin Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$12.50/3 months, $50/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Kansas City Public Library	Non-residents can receive a limited card for in-person items	$0	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
St. Louis Public Library	Without proof of residency, limited card available with 2 item limit and digital access	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Taneyhills Library (Branson)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$5	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla

Montana

Billings Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Bozeman Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Great Falls Public Library	Non-residents can purchase a temporary card	$10/3 months	Must visit in person	Libby
ImagineIF Library (Flathead County)	Visitors can receive a limited card	$0	Must visit in personn	Libby
Lewis & Clark Library (Helena)	Non-residents can pay for a card, temporary residents can receive free 3 month card	$45 for non-resident card (free in 2023)	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla
Missoula Public Library	Visitors may receive a temporary card	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy

Nebraska

Kearney Public Library	Library cards available to anyone regardless of residency	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Lincoln City Libraries	Non-residents can pay for a card	$5/summer, $15/3 months, $60/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Morton-James Public Library (Nebraska City)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby
Omaha Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$6.25/month, $25/3 months, $75/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Scottsbluff Public Library	Temporary cards available without proof of residence, 3 item limit for 3 months	$0	Must visit in person	Libby

Nevada

Las Vegas – Clark County Library District	Visitors can receive a free e-card, ask a librarian about full access card	$0	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Pahrump Community Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	“Small fee,” ask a librarian
Washoe County Library System (Reno)	Non-residents can receive a limited card	$0	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby

New Hampshire

Lane Memorial Library (Hampton)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/4 months, $60/year	Must visit in person	Libby
Manchester City Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$50/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Portsmouth Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$35/3 months, $55/6 months, $100/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

New Jersey

Atlantic City Free Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$30/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Atlantic County Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/4 months, $60/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Long Branch Free Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla
Newark Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$50/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

New Mexico

Alamogordo Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$15		Libby, Kanopy
Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library	Non-residents can receive a limited card	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Las Cruces Public Library	Visitors can receive a 3 month card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla
Santa Fe Public Library	Visitors can receive a 4 item card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy, Hoopla
Taos Public Library	Visitors can receive a temporary card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy

New York

Albany Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$50/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Brooklyn Public Library	Ages 13-21 can receive free Books Unbanned card for digital collection, anyone can receive Welcome card without ID for 3 items	$0	Apply online here for Books Unbanned, here for Welcome card	Libby
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library	Temporary residents of one month or more can receive a short term card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Caldwell-Lake George Library	Temporary residents of one month or more can receive a short term card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
New York Public Library	Visitors can receive a 3 month card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Plattsburgh Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/year	Must visit in person	Libby

North Carolina

Buncombe County Public Library (Asheville)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$45/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Fontana Regional Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$15/6 months	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Haywood County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
New Hanover County Public Library (Wilmington)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$15/6 months, $30/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Wake County Public Library System (Raleigh)	Temporary cards for 60 days/3 item limit or Non-Resident card with full access	$0 for Temporary, $25/year for Non-Resident	Must visit in person	Libby

North Dakota

Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library	Free temporary cards or paid Non-Resident cards	$0 or $30/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla
Fargo Public Library	Card can be mailed to you as proof of residence or Non-Resident cards available	$20/year for Non-Residents	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Minot Public Library	Temporary and Non-Resident cards available	$10 for Temporary card, $25 for Non-Resident card	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla

Ohio

Cincinnati Public Library	Temporary cards for physical items only	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Cuyahoga County Public Library	Opportunity cards for those in transition, 3 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Dayton Metro Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Toledo Lucas County Public Library	Non-resident cards available, ask a librarian for details	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Oklahoma

Pioneer Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Tulsa City-County Library	30 day / 2 item limit cards available for visitors	$0, ask about non-resident card fees	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla

Oregon

Astoria Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$18/3 months, $35/6 months	Must visit in person	Libby
Cannon Beach Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby
Coos Bay Public Library	Provisional cards for temporary residents	$0	Visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Eugene Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$11/month	Visit in person or call	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Hood River County Library District	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/3 months	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Klamath County Library Service District	Temporary cards available with 2 item limit	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Multnomah County Library (Portland)	Homeschoolers may be eligible for a free educator card	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Tillamook County Library	Temporary and Non-Resident cards available	$20/3 months, $50/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Pennsylvania

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh	Non-residents can pay for a card	$30/2 years	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Erie County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card for physical items only	$10/year	Must visit in person
Lancaster Public Library	Non-resident card options available, see the librarian	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Union County Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby

Rhode Island

Pawtucket Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$40/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Providence Public Library	Visitors can receive 2 month temporary card with hotel or other receipt	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Woonsocket Harris Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby

South Carolina

Chapin Memorial Library (Myrtle Beach)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$8/3 months, $20/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Dorcester County Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$35/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Florence County Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby
Greenville County Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	$45/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Spartanburg County Public Libraries	Non-residents can pay for a card, free 2 month Courtesy Card with 2 item limit	$0 or $35/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

South Dakota

Grace Balloch Memorial Library (Spearfish)	Non-residents can pay for a card, no digital access	$30/year	Must visit in person
Rapid City Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$9.25/month	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Siouxland Libraries	Non-residents can pay for a card, RV address not residency	$17/3 months	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla

Tennessee

Clarksville-Montgomery County	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby
Chattanooga Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card or volunteer to waive fee	$50/year or 20 hours volunteering	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla
Collierville Burch Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$50/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Texas

Brazoria County Library System	Texas resident with local address	$0	Visit in person or apply online here and card can be mailed to you	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Corpus Christi Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$12.50/6 months, $25/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Denton Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/6 months, $50/year	Must visit in person	Libby
El Paso Public Libraries	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/6 months, $50/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Harris County Public Library (Houston)	Several options for temporary visitor cards and full access e-card with local address	$0	Full access visitor card in person or apply for e-card here	Libby, Kanopy
Pflugerville Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Waco-McLennan Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$30/3 months	Must visit in person	Libby

Utah

Grand County Public Library (Moab)	Free Introductory card with local address for 1 year / 5 items, or paid Non-Resident card with full acess	$0 for Introductory card, or $15/3 months, $60/year	Must visit in person	Libby
Park City Library	Non-residents can pay for a card, homeschoolers may be eligible for a free 2 year card	$20/6 months, $40/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby
Salt Lake City Public Library System	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/1 month, $20/3 months, $80/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Kanopy
Washington County Library System (St. George)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/6 months, $33/year	Must visit in person	Libby

Vermont

Ilsley Public Library (Middlebury)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$15/3 months, $25/6 months, $45/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Kanopy
Norman Willis Public Library (Woodstock)	Non-residents can pay for a card	$70/year, but can request reduction or exemption due to limited income	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Rutland Free Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$45/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Waterbury Public Library	Non-residents can pay a fee to receive an annual card	$25/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy

Virginia

Fairfax County Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$27/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Lynchburg Public Library	Anyone can receive a free card	$0	Visit in person for full access or apply online here for e-card only	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Mary Riley Styles Public Library (Falls Church)	Opportunity Card for temporary visitors, 1 year card with 3 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Newport News Public Library	Anyone with local address can receive a free card	$0	Visit in person for full access or apply online here for e-card only	Libby, Kanopy
Roanoke Area Public Library	Temporary residents can receive card with 2 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Ask a librarian
Virginia Beach Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$10/3 months, $35/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Washington

Bellingham Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
King County Library System	Temporary residents of 1-6 months can get a 5 item card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
North Olympic Library System	Limted card available without residency proof, RV park may qualify for residency	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Seattle Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card, Ages 13-26 can receive free Books Unbanned card for digital collection	$25/3 months for non-residents	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Spokane Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$3.50/month, $42/year	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Timberland Regional Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$8/1 month, $25/3 months	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Yakima Valley Libraries	Provisional card for those without proof of address, 2 item limit	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy

West Virginia

Morgantown Public Library	Non-residents can pay for a card	$20/year	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Ohio County Public Library (Panhandle)	Temporary residents can receive 5 item card with hotel or campground receipt	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy
Raleigh County Public Library (Beckley)	Non-residents can pay a deposit to check out 2 items at a time	Ask a librarian	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla

Wisconsin

Kilbourn Public Library (Wisconsin Dells)	Temporary residents can pay a deposit to check out 2 items at a time	$20 refundable deposit	Must visit in person	Libby
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library (Eau Claire)	Temporary residents can receive a 3 month / 2 item card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla
Madison Public Library	Easy Access card doesn’t require proof of address, limit 3 items	$0	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby

Wyoming

Natrona County Library (Casper)	Temporary residents can pay a deposit to check out 3 items at a time	$25 refundable deposit	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Sheridan County Public Library System	Temporary residents can receive a 3 month / 2 item card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Kanopy
Star Valley Library System	Visitors can receive a one month card	$0	Must visit in person	Libby
Teton County Library (Jackson)	Seasonal card available for 6 months / 10 items	$0	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla

Canada

Calgary Public Library	Local address accepted online, must apply from within Calgary	$0	Visit in person or apply online here	Libby, Kanopy
Halifax Public Libraries	Visitors can pay for a temporary card, may accept campground address for free resident card	$40/6 months	Must visit in person	Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy

Mexico

La Paz Public Libraries	Visitors can check out books with a local address	$0	Must visit in person

My plan is to continue adding and updating as I have time. Feel free to email me information to add or update at kateophalen@gmail.com.

And please link and share this resource widely!

If you’re interested in more full time travel tips, check out these posts:

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One of my main goals when wintering in Florida was to paddle as many of the springs as possible, and so far it’s going pretty well! 😍

If you’re looking for a memorable experience during Black History Month, these are some of the valuable places we’d recommend visiting:

With news of the abrupt firing of 4,000 federal parks and forest service employees, our hearts are broken that our public lands are at risk and families’ lives are being disrupted.

Kayaking with manatees will never be anything but breathtaking 🥹

We had the perfect beach restaurant sunset last night in Bradenton Beach 🌊

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December 11, 2023

Family Holiday Travel: 7 Thoughtful Tips for a Happy Holiday
It’s that time of the year when visiting loved ones or taking a special trip often requires family holiday travel. It can be daunting taking small children on planes or a long road trip, but I promise you can do it!
After over three years of fulltime family travel with small children, we’ve learned a lot about how to maximize moods and minimize meltdowns. We’ve also learned a lot about setting our own expectations of ourselves and others appropriately.
Here are our 7 best tips for smooth family holiday travel:
1. Start small, practice now.
If you have young kids who have never traveled before or haven’t made a long trip in awhile, find ways to practice the skills they’ll need ahead of time. If the trip will require a long car drive, try to find a short weekend day trip to take now. Parents will get the chance to practice packing (and patience!), and kids will get the chance to practice their travel skills, too. Kids are remarkably flexible learners, and giving them the chance to get used to travel before the stakes are high for the holidays will set everyone up for success. We have some ideas for kid travel items linked here if you need some new options!
2. Download some family-friendly audiobooks.
We often start our long drive days listening to an audiobook together as a family. The Libby app on a smartphone connected to a local library will give you instant access to thousands of audiobooks that the whole family will enjoy. Bluetooth-enabled vehicles will allow you to listen through the car’s speakers, or pack headphones for a plane journey. We LOVE our Yoto players so each kid can listen to their own audiobook, too. Bonus points for audiobooks set in the place you’re visiting or written by a local author (we listened to Anne of Green Gables when we visited Prince Edward Island, for example!). Family-friendly podcasts are another great option, and I’ve written a list of our favorites.
3. Let go of some of the normal rules.
We’re generally a pretty low screen time and sugar family (no judgement, that’s just what works for us!). But we are way, way, way more flexible with the rules on things like screen time and sugar on long travel days. If an extra holiday movie on the iPad or a well-timed secret stash of lollipops helps everyone make it to their destination with less stress, go for it. It’s okay to abide by certain ideals at home for 98.5% of your kid’s life and let them go in high-stakes moments.
4. Plan extra time for every transition.
Nothing makes parents and their children more stressed than trying to get out the door or through an airport security line too quickly. Leave earlier than you think you need to for any flight with kids so that a blowout diaper doesn’t derail you. Add in extra time to cushion when you’re expected to make it to that second Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone will be more relaxed and regulated if there’s no need to rush.
5. Let kids have autonomy whenever possible.
There are some parts of family holiday travel that are non-negotiable — flight schedules and inclement weather, for example. Some things that may *feel* non-negotiable might have wiggle room that helps kids have some control over their own holiday experience. Consider allowing a tired child to skip out on that late night event that’s “tradition” if it helps everyone enjoy Christmas morning together more. Bring a safe food for selective eaters to have alongside an unfamiliar holiday meal. Schedule in quiet time for a sensory sensitive child who feels overwhelmed. The more a child can feel their own needs are respected and prioritized, the happier the whole family will be all season long.
6. Build in movement breaks for everyone.
Long holiday meals or formal family occasions might have everyone extra antsy. Add in intentional movement for everyone as a way of staying level-headed and sane. Maybe everyone takes an afternoon hike after opening gifts or maybe there’s a special playground that can be added to the itinerary. Little bodies will be grateful for the chance to be wild little kiddos, but don’t forget about the grownups, too. Even adults benefit from a quick walk outdoors in the fresh air, especially if family tensions are running high.
7. Prioritize family relationships, not others’ opinions.
It can be so easy to let cranky airplane neighbors or a judgy aunt affect the way we parent. Overstimulated and under-rested kids are more likely to have meltdowns or not be their best selves. But our job as parents is to do the best we can for our kids and tune out the societal noise. Our family dynamic and kids’ self-esteem are more important than avoiding that snarky comment.
If you’re traveling to a new state, consider printing out these kid travel journal state worksheets! They’ll be a beautiful memento of your trip and keep little hands busy:

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids

$2.00

If you’ve ever wished for an easy way to capture what your kids learn as you travel, this is it! Forget other state worksheets that require boring, irrelevant details like the state flower. Let’s write about what we learned and experienced! This state worksheet digital product includes leveled worksheets for kids: one two page log…

State Worksheet / Travel Journal for Kids quantity

Category: Printables, Roadschooling

Tags: Homeschooling, Printables, Roadschooling
For more about traveling with kids, check out these posts:
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December 7, 2023
Our Family Travel Adventures: Full Time Travel Family of 5!
If you’re new to our page, start here! I’ll continue to link new posts here so they’re always easy to access 🙂
Our family travel adventures have taken us to 49 U.S. states, 7 Canadian provinces, and 15 countries…so far! We had absolutely no idea what an epic adventure we were in store for when we left New York City “for the summer” in 2020 and became a full time travel family.
We lived in Airbnbs full time for a year and a half. Then we renovated a 2007 Keystone Raptor to live in. And now we’re sharing what we’ve learned.
Here are just a few of our family travel adventures from the past few years:

One of the main reasons for launching this blog was to inspire and assist families who want to set off on adventures together, whether those adventures are close to home or thousands of miles away. Family travel adventures don’t have to be blowout summers in Europe. Family adventures can look like visiting a new neighborhood to try a new restaurant. Or hiking a gorgeous trail that’s just 30 minutes away. Or taking a weekend trip to that wacky museum your kid would love.
Whether you’ve landed on our blog because you’re interested in full time family travel or you’re looking for resources that make family adventures seem more accessible, we’ve got you covered. I’ve organized everything I’ve learned and shared into categories here:
Traveling with kids lessons from our family travel adventures:
RV life tips and tricks we’ve shared:
Favorite travel destinations from our family travel adventures:
How we homeschool our kids:
Our life & lifestyle:
- Fun Things to do on Your birthday
- Matching Halloween Costumes
As I continue to share more of my thoughts on the blog, I promise to come back here and link everything so it’s easy to find in one place.
If there’s anything you’re desperate to learn more about, leave me a comment and let me know! Or book a personalized call on Buy Me a Coffee or reach out on my Instagram.
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November 30, 2023

Category: Travel with Kids

#5 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Durango

#4 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Leadville

#3 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Frisco

#2 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Crested Butte

#1 Best Mountain Towns in Colorado: Ouray

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Kids Hiking Boots Recommendation: KEEN Targhee Waterproof Boots

Kids Hiking Boots: Targhee Pros

Kids Hiking Boots: Targhee Cons

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Things to do with Kids Near Me, Wherever We Are:

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National Park Passport: What Is It?

National Park Passport: Where to buy it?

National Park Passport: Why is it the best souvenir?

National Park Passport: Where do I get the stamps?

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Things to do in Palm Springs: Cultural Experiences

Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids

Things to do in Palm Springs: Hiking

Things to do in Palm Springs: Food Experiences

Things to do in Palm Springs: Day Trips

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Black History Month Ideas for Traveling Allies:

Black History Month Ideas for All Families

Black History Month Ideas for Anyone

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Best National Parks for Kids: Glacier National Park

Best National Parks for Kids: Yellowstone National Park

Best National Parks for Kids: Olympic National Park

Best National Parks for Kids: Joshua Tree National Park

Best National Parks for Kids: Acadia National Park

Best National Parks for Kids: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Best National Parks for Kids: White Sands National Park

Best National Parks for Kids: Saguaro National Park

Best National Parks for Kids: Capitol Reef National Park

Best National Parks for Kids: Kenai Fjords National Park

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What makes the best museums for kids?

Tips for enjoying museums for kids

Download the FREE list of our favorite museums for kids

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History, Culture & Current Events Best Educational Podcasts

Science Best Educational Podcasts

Storytelling Best Educational Podcasts

Miscellanous Best Educational Podcasts

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Best Museums for Kids NYC List:

American Museum of Natural History

Museum of the Moving Image

New York Transit Museum

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Tenement Museum

The Morgan Library & Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Cloisters

Queens County Farm Museum

New York Hall of Science

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Why Get a Free Library Card as You Travel?

Is Every Library on This List Offering a Free Library Card?

Why Would I Bother With an E-Card?

Am I a Resident If I’m Staying Somewhere For a Month or Longer?