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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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6 Ways to Maximize Your Savings When Flying Spirit Airlines

February 16, 2018      Airline Reviews

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.

two toddler standing at the window of the airport with a spirit airlines plane in the background

Spirit Airlines is the perfect airline for those who love to save money. Why fly other airlines that charge you for bags, food, and other services you aren’t even using? Rather than spending your vacation dollars on getting to your destination spend it on activities at your destination!

On average my family of four saves a minimum of $160 each time we fly Spirit Airlines and it’s been as much as $1,000! With the major improvements they’ve made with their on-time performance I will continue to choose them over other airlines. They are a huge part in how we’re able to take 6-8 vacations a year. I’ll admit my first time flying Spirit I didn’t understand their rules, costing me money. Now that I know better I want to make sure you do too. Here are 6 ways to maximize your savings when flying Spirit Airlines

Buy Your Spirit Airlines Plane Ticket at the Airport

You can save $20.99 on one-way tickets or $41.98 round-trip by purchasing your ticket at Spirit’s counter at the airport. For a family of four it makes your total cost $168 cheaper and well worth the drive to the airport. Go with someone and have them drive around to avoid paying for parking.

It’s important to note is that if you are checking a bag you will not be able to get the cheapest bag price when booking at the airport. Instead of the price offered when booking online you will have to pay the fee offered when checking-in online but before paying at the airport the day of your flight. As the bags are $10 cheaper when bought when booking if you are checking bags this additional fee could eat into your savings of buying your plane ticket at the airport.

Baggage fee list

Pack Light and Buy a Spirit Approved Personal Bag Which Flies Free

The first time I flew Spirit to Aruba I was like many that don’t read the Spirit rules. I got mad because I felt like I was being overcharged and not saving money even though I booked a budget airline. Honestly I just assumed Spirit’s personal sized bag was super tiny. Really there was no way it could fit both my 3 year old daughter and I’s clothing for our 4 day trip, right?

I paid for a carry on bag and then got to the airport to see my mom with a bag she fit all her stuff in that she said she didn’t pay for. It was the size of their free personal item and it was a lot bigger than I imagined. I felt cheated out of my money but it was my own fault for not reading. For our next flight with Spirit I was prepared! I found the perfect bag that met their personal item size restrictions of 18x14x8. I was able to fit all my clothes for our 7 day trip to Costa Rica. Here’s a video of what I packed and how I fit it in the bag.

 

You May Be Interested in Reading: Light Packing Tips


Don’t Pay for Seats on Spirit Airlines

Selecting your seats in advance will cost you a minimum of $5 with some seats costing as much as $24. Instead of choosing your seat let Spirit assign you one at check-in. While this could be a gamble when flying with kids my family has only been assigned seats away from each other once. When we arrived to the airport I let the gate agent know and she relocated us with no hassle, the airlines really don’t want a 3 year old sitting in a different row from their parents.

Spirit Check-In Online

Spirit charges you $10 per person to check-in and get your boarding pass at the ticket counter. There are three ways to avoid this fee:

  1. Download the Spirit App for Android or Apple to check-in. The app allows you to get your boarding pass directly in the app. Just have TSA and the gate agent scan the QR code and you’re set.
  2. Check in online and print your boarding pass.
  3. Check in online and have your boarding pass emailed to you. You’ll scan the QR code at TSA and at the gate to get through.

For the options that allow you to scan the QR code be sure to take a screenshot your code.  This is incase there is no service at the airport and you can’t get into the app or access your email. It’s always better to be safe than sorry especially when a malfunction like that can cost you $10 per person.

Bring Your Own Snacks on the Plane

One complaint I hear often about Spirit Airlines is that they don’t offer free drinks and snacks. Honestly I’d rather save $100+ on my plane ticket than get a small bag of pretzels and drink that is halfway filled with ice. Instead of ordering food/drinks on board bring your own. It’s really easy to throw a homemade sandwich and snacks in your bag and they are allowed through TSA. For drinks, bring an empty water bottle and fill it up once you pass security, many airports have filtered water stations.

Bring Your Own Entertainment

While Spirit doesn’t offer in-flight entertainment yet their planes will soon offer WiFi for a fee. Instead you can bring your laptop or iPad to keep you and your kids busy. Download apps and games that don’t require WiFi to keep you busy. If you have a Netflix account you can also download movies and TV shows ahead of time to watch on the plane. One thing I always travel with is my portable charger to keep my electronics charged in flight.


Spirit Airlines has afforded my family the opportunity to do more things in the destinations we travel too and travel more since we save so much money booking with Spirit vs. other airlines. I hope you’ve learned some other ways to save even when choosing Spirit Airlines.

Disclosure: “Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. The commissions earned helps me offset the costs of running this blog so please support if you choose to purchase, it is much appreciated.”

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Comments

  1. Jasamine Hill says

    March 6, 2018 at 9:02 am

    Great tips! I will def use them the next time I fly. I have never flown with Spirit but now you have me curious lol

  2. Nakeya says

    March 6, 2018 at 11:13 am

    These really are great trips. I flew Spirit when I went to Cabo. The price was great and I followed most of your tips. I didn’t purchase my ticket at the airport, but I did have my boarding pass printedcand took snacks. Spirit does work great when you are prepared.

  3. Diana So says

    March 22, 2018 at 3:05 am

    Wow, I’ve never flown Spirit cos all I hear are complaints from friends and family but this will make me reconsider it when booking flights and the fact I’m about 15-20 minutes away from the airport makes the ticket purchasing in person a big plus! Thanks for the tips.

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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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