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I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at th I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at this view from the top of the Kloof Corner hike! The biggest way we’re able to afford traveling so much is by letting the deals dictate where we go. Cape Town has been on our bucket list forever but with flights typically costing $1,200-$1,800 it hasn’t been a priority. But when Scott’s Cheap Flights (now called Going, I don’t like the new name but that’s besides the point) dropped this Cape Town deal for less than half of what it normally costs we jumped on it!

So often I hear “but there are no deals during school breaks”, YES THERE ARE! We went to Cape Town for Thanksgiving and the girls get the entire week off of school so they missed no days. Plus since there seasons are opposite it was late spring and the weather was amazing. Scott’s emails deals directly to your inbox for the airports you choose (we select our home airport and airports we can easily fly direct to and always have cheap flights because sometimes it’s worth flying to a city for a deal (known as a repositioning flight). They offer a free version but you don’t get all the deals so we have the Premium subscription which costs $49 for a year and you can tap the link in my bio and use code TRAVELINGCHILD20 for 20% off. They have an Elite membership level for business class seats. Because someone always asks, yes they give deals for nonstop flights but please remember you can’t fly everywhere nonstop. Beloved if you’re going to Thailand from the US you’re going to have a layover.

Anyway when in Cape Town you must hike, there are so many amazing ones! This Kloof’s Corner hike is perfect for sunset. It’s not stroller or wheelchair accessible as there are stairs but if Jordyn and Kennedy can hike it in 40mins (one way up) I promise you don’t have to be super fit!

P.S. when booking a flight from the US you have 24 hours to cancel & get a refund (on flights booked 7 days in advance). So many ppl told me they hesitated on this deal because they had to see if they could get off work/what dates worked for their travel partners. Always book first, think second & just cancel within 24hrs if you can’t make it work! What’s the best flight deal you’ve booked?
Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s every Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s everything you need to know about getting into South Africa (save + share this post):

1. Your passport must be valid for 30 days after your scheduled date of departure.

2. You must have 2 consecutive empty pages in your passport.

3. There is no visa required for US citizens for visits less than 90 days.

4. There are no shots required to travel to South Africa, unless you are traveling from or transiting through yellow-fever deemed countries, then a yellow fever shot is required. You can find a list of these countries online.

5. South Africa has opposite seasons than the US so our winter is their summer. December to February are peak travel due to the weather but if you visit in November like we did you’ll get good weather and avoid the massive crowds of peak season.

Have you visited South Africa? If so, which part? If not, is it on your list?
Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners? Are you the one in your group that plans the trip or do you just show up? If you’re the planner tag your friends 😅. If you just show up do you look at the itinerary or ask all the questions even though the info was given to you 👀?

Original reel idea credit goes to @kryssedeal, sis really nailed exactly how I feel!!
#sponsored Last year we were able to cross some am #sponsored Last year we were able to cross some amazing places off our bucket list. We want you to do the same so we’ve teamed up with @vrbo to give you the opportunity to win $3,500 and turn your bucket list trip into a book-it-list one! 

Just head over to the giveaway post on @vrbo, make sure you’re following them and tag 3 people you’d want to join you on your trip! 

So what is your book-it list vacation this year?

*T&Cs apply – link in bio

 #VrboTogether #BookItList
Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post):

1. Visit the various houses of worship like Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque. Suleymaniye Camii, Ortakoy Mosque, Chora Church and the Camlica Mosque

2. Tour palaces like Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace

3. Climb the Galata Tower for amazing views of Istanbul. You can even enjoy a meal here at the restaurant on the top floor.

4. Take a cruise of the Bosphorus to see both the European and Asia side of Istanbul.

5. Visit the cities Bazaars, the Grand Bazaar where you can shop your heart out and the Spice Bazaar where you can eat your heart out. Don’t leave without trying a Turkish delight!

6. If you want to go shopping Istiklal is the place to do so. They have a wide range of stores including international chains like Zara.

7. See a Dervish show at Hodjapasha.

8. Walk across the Galata Bridge to see fisherman at work and then walk under it to taste their fresh catches.

9. Take a day trip to the Princes’ Islands.

10. Experience a Turkish Hammam.

11. Explore the neighborhood of Balet, enjoying the colorful building and have some traditional Turkish tea or my favorite Apple Tea.

12. Turkey has some amazing food so go on a food tour or take a cooking class. If you don’t do either just make sure not to leave without having a traditional Turkish breakfast!

I recommend at least 5 days in Istanbul but you can easily spend a week or more exploring the city.

Have you been to Istanbul? If not is it on your list? For those that have been what was your favorite thing to do?

#istanbul #bucketlistadventures
Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post): 3 n Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post):

3 nights Siwa: Shali Fortress, 4x4 safari in the Great Sand Sea, sunset on Fatnas Island, emple of Amun and Temple of the Oracle, take a look or a dip into Cleopatra Spring, Mountain of the Dead, House of Siwa Museum, float in the salt lakes.

5 nights Cairo: Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx,  Egyptian Museum, Saqqara, Khal Al Khalil, Old and Coptic Cairo: Hanging Church, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Al Azhar Mosque and the Fortress of Babylon, see an Al Tannoura Egyptian Dance Heritage Show at Wekalet El Ghouri. For a break from the historical things with kids spend a day at Dreamland Park, Kidzania, or Ski Egypt. Stay at Marriott Mena House.

3 nights Luxor: Hot air balloon ride, Luxor Museum, Mummification museum, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Colossi Statue of Memnon and Hatshpsut

3 nights Aswan: High Dam, Temple of Philae, Nubian Villages, Sail on the Nile by Felucca, Nubian Museum, Abu Simbel

On the way to Aswan from Luxor you can also stop to see the Temple of Horus and Kim Ombo Temple. If you have extra time visit Alexandria, Bahariya Oasis, and White Desert National Park to see the White Desert.

Have you been to Egypt? Is it on your list? There is so much to see outside of Cairo! 

#bucketlisttravel #cairoegypt #luxoregypt #aswan
OUR MOROCCO ITINERARY (save + share this post):

🇲🇦2 nights Chefchaouen- painting class, hiking, enjoying the Blue City and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Fes- Royal palaces, Moroccan dance class, visit the tannery and more

🇲🇦6 nights Marrakech- Majorelle Gardens, explore the Medina, explore the various mosques, stay in a riad, take a Moroccan cooking class and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Sahara Desert- ATV tour, sand boarding, Bedouin experience and more.

For all the details of each trip tap the link in my bio for the itineraries of each city. Have you been to Morocco? Is it on your list?

P.S. the girls were 3 and 5 on this trip

#moroccotrip #thisisafrica #travellingwithkids

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8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience

August 7, 2018      Trip Planning Tips

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

We absolutely love Airbnb and have stayed in over 15 Airbnb homes! These include our $60/night Airbnb in Bangkok to our 15 person rental in Venice to our stays in Amsterdam, Costa Rica and Cuba. With all these booking we have become experts in picking a rental homes. If you haven’t joined Airbnb yet, sign up here and save $40 on your first stay. No need to be nervous about booking an Airbnb, just follow my 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience.

Woman sitting on a bed in a bedroom

Read the Airbnb Reviews

It is very important to read the reviews of the Airbnb host. While you shouldn’t let one person’s negative experience taint all the positive reviews be very diligent in reading as many reviews as possible. Unlike a hotel, there isn’t a manager you can go downstairs to speak with if something is not to your liking to get it fixed immediately.

Be Wary of Booking Airbnb Hosts With No Reviews 

I know that every Airbnb host has to start somewhere but I’m not interested in my family being a host’s guinea pig. I personally only book properties that have a minimum of 10 reviews with at least 3 being in the past 2 months. The only time I break this rule is if the host has other properties with excellent reviews. Airbnb has Super Hosts who have multiple properties and maintain a positive rating of 95% and above so I at least know the host is trustworthy and keeps up their properties.

Review the Airbnb Listings Photos

The photos are just as important as the reviews. They will show you exactly what to expect in the home, bedroom configurations, bathroom set-up, TVs, etc. If it looks a mess in the photos it will most likely look a mess in real life. When reviewing photos of the home check for consistencies in the listing. If you find there aren’t photos of the bathroom or the listing states 3 bedrooms but you only see pictures of 2 ask the host to provide there. If they’re reluctant it’s probably a bad sign.

This is the Airbnb we stayed in during our trip to Honolulu, it was half the cost of getting a hotel. Amenities included free parking, a washer/dryer, and restaurants on the same block.

Research the Location of the Airbnb

While Airbnb won’t provide the exact address of the rental until your booking is made it does give the proximity if you look at the location map. With this, you can typically find nearby cross streets that will allow you to figure out the neighborhood. Be sure to research this for safety as well as access to public transportation. If you’ll be without a car you’ll want to know how walkable the area is.

Message the Airbnb Host

Even if the listing is an Instant Booking I always message the host first. This allows me to see how quickly they respond and how helpful they are. If it takes them days to respond to your inquiry of when you’re trying to put cash in their pockets imagine how poorly their responses will be once they have it.

woman holding child in front of a green house

Ask for Any Special Requests Up Front

One of the things I love most about Airbnb is their hosts typically are much better at accommodating special requests. When traveling to Europe we typically take the red-eye landing us in our destination at 6 or 7AM. While most hotels won’t allow you to check in that early, most Airbnb hosts will and at no additional cost but ask in advance. As someone who travels with young children this is a huge deal as we usually need a nap before heading out to explore.

Determine What You Need to Bring and What is Provided

While unlimited towels, wash clothes, soap and other basics are expected at hotels not all Airbnb’s offer these. If it’s not clear in the listing ask your host if there are any basic amenities you need to bring.

Confirm the Check-In Procedure

Each Airbnb is different when it comes to checking in. In some cases, the host will meet you at the home to let you in and show you around. Other times there will be a lockbox with the key or a door with a keypad. We have also stayed in homes where we picked the key up from a neighbor or neighborhood store clerk. Just be clear of the check-in prior to your arrival so there aren’t any surprises when you get there.

Once you arrive to your Airbnb do a walkthrough of the place to check for any major issues. Look for things like misrepresented photos, an incorrect location, or cleanliness issues. If things are unacceptable take photos and be sure to contact Airbnb’s customer service immediately. Contacting them within 24 hours can make processing any necessary refund easier.

Why Stay in an Airbnb?

As a family of four Airbnb has saved us a lot of money and given our kids a lot more space to run around over a cramped hotel room, like our family-friendly Airbnb in Copenhagen. We get to live like locals and have a kitchen to cook meals when we don’t feel like eating out. Now sit back, relax and enjoy the savings and extra space booking an Airbnb has given you. Don’t forget to save $40 on your first stay by signing up here.

Learned something in this post on 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience? Share this post!

The Traveling Child is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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  1. 7 Days in Hawaii: The Big Island and Oahu says:
    August 28, 2018 at 3:14 am

    […] Related: 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience […]

  2. 7 Days in Costa Rica says:
    August 28, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    […] Related: 8 Tips for a Great Airbnb Experience […]

  3. 12 Ways to Earn Miles Towards Free Flights says:
    August 29, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    […] Delta Airlines also has an exclusive partnership with Airbnb and you can earn 1 mile per dollar spent on all Airbnb stays when booking through www.deltaairbnb.com. Don’t already use Airbnb? Sign-up here and get a $40 credit towards your first stay. Nervous about staying in an Airbnb, read this: 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience. […]

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Hi! We’re The Hambricks

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

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