15 Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep in a Hotel

You spend so much time planning the perfect getaway, but it’s not so perfect when you’re wide awake at 3 am. Talk about frustrating! Those nights can be endless and makes me want to throw something. So, what can you do to ensure you get a good night’s sleep in a hotel? Here are 15 tips:

Before you get to the hotel:

CHOOSE YOUR ROOM WISELY

Not all rooms are created equally so don’t be afraid to make some requests. You may want to avoid rooms that are on the first floor, or near elevators, ice machines, or housekeeping closets.

PACK A PILLOW

If you know me you know I’ve been on the search for the perfect pillow for year. (Still haven’t found it…. gggrrrrrr) If you’re picky about your pillow choice, you may want to bring your own. Thick, hard pillows or thin deflated ones may be your neck’s worse nightmare.

GET SHADY

Nothing is worse than planning on sleeping in, when suddenly a ray of sunshine pierces your eyes at 6 am! Most rooms have light block shades, but an eye mask takes up almost no room in your bag, so you may want to bring on. It is better to be safe than sorry.

July 1, 2021 mytravelingkids.com

10 Tips for Taking Kids to the Fair

Fairs are a fun activity to do with families, but they can also be a lot of work. Rides, animals, food…so much fun! Here are 10 tips for taking kids to the fair.

HOW MANY RIDES WILL YOU DO?

Decide before you get there how many rides you are going to allow them to go on. Some fairs have unlimited rides but others require individual tickets and that can cost a fortune.

MINIMUM HEIGHT REQUIREMENT

Nothing is worse than having your kid wait in line only to find out they are one inch too short to ride. Save the tears and have them check the height requirements first. There is usually a place to measure your height right at the entrance.

June 24, 2021 mytravelingkids.com

Summer 2021 Bucket List

Happy first day of summer!!!

Summers are short and sweet in New England so we always make the most of them. We try to spend our days outside and make every moment count. A Summer Bucket List helps keep us on track and creating one lets us daydream of days to come. Last summer was a crazy one, but it did let us fill our days with family time. Here is our list for 2021!!

Go to a drive-in movie

Sunset dinners at the sandbar

Watch all of the X-Men movies

Go to Lake Fest, a summer concert on the water

Make our own gelato with fresh fruit

June 21, 2021 mytravelingkids.com

Tips for Nervous Flyers

Confession…I’m a travel blogger that doesn’t love flying. I can’t sleep on a plane, am never fully relaxed, and squeeze the heck out of the hand of the person next to me during takeoff. Kids learn from your behavior and I want mine to love flying so I’ve learned to keep it together during flights. I’ve developed some coping strategies that really help me while flying. Here are my top tips for nervous flyers:

GET DISTRACTED

Some of my tips for nervous flyers happen before they even get on a plane. Make sure you have plenty of things to do that will keep your mind off your worries. I love to get lost in a good movie, so I always download some onto my electronics. Don’t count on the plane to provide good movies; it’s always better to bring your own and not use them. I also load new music onto my phone.

PLAN ON NO ELECTRONICS

Ironically, takeoff and landing are the times when I’m most nervous and that’s when you can’t use electronics! I always plan things to do like a new book, a magazine, or a crossword puzzle. Here are some great books.

June 17, 2021 mytravelingkids.com

What to Pack for Sleepaway Camp

Summer camp is right around the corner and that means it’s time to start planning. One of the most stressful things about camp is your kids needing something but you not being able to give it to them right away. That’s where the planning comes in. With the right list you can sit back and relax that they’ll have everything they need. So, what should you pack for sleepaway camp?

TRUNK

My girls got their trunks from Everything Summer Camp. It has so many fun colors to choose from! Word of warning…they will be using this trunk for many years and bubblegum pink may be great for a fourth grader, but will they still like it in high school?

Fun stickers to decorate their trunk

Their camp requires you to bring a plastic chest of drawers

CLOTHING (Label everything!)

T-shirts/shorts

Long sleeve shirts

A pair of jeans

Athletic pants or leggings

Sneakers

June 9, 2021 mytravelingkids.com

10 Tips for Taking Kids to a Drive-In During COVID-19

10 Tips for Taking Kids to a Drive-In

Although the word is full of unknowns, we can’t stop having fun and making memories. We simply need to figure out how to do it safely. One good thing about social isolation, is it brought back some nostalgic activities…like baking bread, family game night, and movie nights. Every summer we do something that screams nostalgia…DRIVE-IN MOVIES! Do you know there are less than 350 drive-ins left in the US? I wasn’t going to let anything stop us from doing it this summer. Here is an article I wrote last summer, but I’ve added some tips for safely doing it during COVID-19. Enjoy!

One fun thing to do during summer is take your family to the drive-in. Not only is it cheap (It was only $28 for a car of 4 people), but it’s a fun nostalgic thing you can do together. Many drive-ins run throughout late summer/early fall in New England but in many parts of the country they are lucky to have them run year-round.

Here are 10 Tips for Taking Kids to a Drive-In:

BEACH CHAIRS/CAMP CHAIRS

Most people don’t sit in their cars like I had expected. Cars get hot and the windows can get foggy so it’s best to find a spot in front of your car. Bring a chair you can comfortably sit in for 2 hours. One family even brought bean bags for their kids! (Many drive-ins are operating at 50% capacity and making you leave space in between cars. Practice social distancing by always keeping 6-feet away from others and wear a mask if you’re near others.)

THINK COZY

There’s no one to impress, so dress code is all about being cozy. This is the time to bring out the yoga pants or sweats. Even better…best things for kids to wear to the drive-in are their PJ’s!

June 3, 2021 mytravelingkids.com

10 Tips for Going to the Beach During Covid-19

Summer for our family always includes trips to the beach to build sand castles, go boogie boarding, read, and play games in the sand. Last summer we thought we might miss out our summer tradition, but we made it. We hadn’t gone ANYWHERE all summer, so it was a hard decision to make. With a little planning, we spent an amazing day at the beach and can’t wait to go again this summer.

Here are 10 tips for going to the beach during Covid-19:

GET THERE EARLY

The early bird gets the worm…as well as the best beach spot. They may be limiting the number of people allowed in, so it’s a good idea to get there before the crowds.

STAY 6-FEET APART

By now you know…6-feet apart is the new norm, and at the beach I would suggest WAY more than that. No one wants people sitting close to them (even when there’s not a pandemic going on…lol), so make sure you are far enough away that everyone feels comfortable. You also want to be respectful and stay away when you are playing games, going on walks, and collecting shells around others.

June 1, 2021 mytravelingkids.com

First Class…Behind the Magic Curtain

I know I’ve said it before, but I have one of the sweetest husbands around. Last February, on our way home from Europe he sat with the girls in coach for our 9-hour flight and gave his mom and I first class seats! We felt like queens up there and it was a trip home we will never forget. If you’re like me, you may have wondered what it’s like to sit up there behind those magical curtains. Could it really be worth it? Here’s a peek at our first experience traveling in first class! (Remember that all planes are different, so experiences will vary. This was our United flight from Switzerland to Boston.)

OUR SEATS…

The seats were probably one of the best things about our flight. Our seats lowered into that dark area where your feet go so you could recline it as much as you wanted to, even making it completely flat.

May 28, 2021 mytravelingkids.com

Hampton Inn Portland Downtown – Waterfront

Photo Credit: Hampton Inn Downtown Waterfront

You know one of my favorite places in the United States is Portland, Maine. Lighthouses, cobblestone streets, quaint boutiques and waterfront views make it the perfect destination for families. My girls have not traveled in over a year and we were thrilled to finally be escaping to this fabulous city. When staying in Portland, location is key and I always stay in the Old Port, the historic waterfront district. The Hampton Inn Portland Downtown – Waterfront is a wonderful place to stay.

Read all about our stay…