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After spending 48 hours in Osaka we went to Kyoto. After spending 48 hours in Osaka we went to Kyoto. Here’s how to get here and where we stayed (save + share this post):

1. You can take the Shinkansen (bullet) train from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station if you have the JR Pass and it will only take you 15 minutes. If you don’t have a JR Pass the Shinkansen ticket costs about 1,420 yen (right now that’s about $11). 

2. If you don’t have the JR Pass you can take the Hankyu Kyoto Line or Keihan Main Line. These are regular non express trains and will increase your travel time to from 15 minutes to 45-55 minutes but they only cost 400 yen (about $3) so you can save money, especially for a large group.

3. There is also a bus that leaves picks up at Hotel Keihan Universal Tower, Universal Studios Japan and Namba and goes to Kyoto Station. I’m not sure of the costs.

4. If you flew into Osaka you can also take the Haruka Express train from the airport to Kyoto Station. 

In Kyoto we stayed at The Chaper Kyoto which is a Marriott property. The rooms are on the small side but the hotel is clean and modern. There is a bus stop down the block which we could take to get to Gion in 9 minutes. The room was about $240/night since it’s busy season.

The weather this time of year is pretty sporadic. Some days it was hot and sunny and some days cool and gloomy so definitely pack a variety of attire and bring some layers and the weather changes throughout the day. Will be sharing our itinerary soon.

Have you been to Kyoto? If you have other accommodation recommendations please share them below to help others!

📍Fushimi Inari Taisha
Want to visit Super Nintendo World at Universal St Want to visit Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan? You need to know this (save + share this post):

1. Just because you have tickets to the park doesn’t mean you’ll get into Super Nintendo World, it requires a timed entry ticket. These do run out so it’s not a guarantee you’ll be able to enter! If you get your park tickets in advance you might be able to grab an advanced booking in the app but if these are all gone by time you get your tickets you’ll need an area timed entry ticket. These are only available the day you’re visiting & you can only attempt to get it once you’re actually in the park! We got to the park when they opened at 8am & there were only two entry times left so arrive early! You can get them on the app (you must grant the app permission to see your location so they know you’re inside) or you can go to one of the ticket kiosks.

2. To really enjoy you’ll need a power band which are sold for about $35. If you don’t have one you can walk around & go on the 2 rides but you can’t play the games & collect coins.

3. The wait times for both rides are usually 1-3 hours! To avoid this you can purchase an Express Pass (most people said this reduces wait times to a mere 15 minutes). Express Passes were sold out the day we went so we only got to ride Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge but not Yoshi’s Adventure. To avoid the 2 hour wait for Mario Kart we actually went through the singles line. We did end up in two different karts but we only waited 20 minutes to ride instead of 2 hours. Yo Shi’a Adventure doesn’t have a singles line or we would have done that too!

4. If you want to eat at Kinopio’s Cafe you also need a timed entry ticket so be sure to grab this as soon as you get inside Super Nintendo World. It’s usually a 1-2 hour wait once you get your timed entry ticket.

5. Once you leave you cannot reenter (if timed entry tickets are required at the time) so be sure to do everything you want before leaving.

Universal Studio Japan is extremely popular & tickets do sell out often so buy in advance. The most popular sites to buy them are Klook (where we bought ours) & KKDay.

Hope this helps! Who has Super Nintendo World on their list?
How We Spent 48 Hours in Osaka (save + share this How We Spent 48 Hours in Osaka (save + share this post):

1. Kicked off the day trying soufflé pancakes, you’ll find restaurants all over the city that sell these. We personally had them at Belle-ville Pancakes.

2. Visit the Cup of Noodles Museum where you can make your own Cup of Noodles logo and then customize the flavor and toppings for your noodles. They also offer a ramen making class here in addition to the museum where you can learn the history of the company.

3. If you’re visiting in March check to see if the March Sumo Wrestling Tournament is taking place at Edion Arena Osaka. If so def try to get tickets in advance (they go on sale a month prior) or arrive early to get same day tickets. It’s a fun afternoon.

4. We also did a Tea Ceremony class but photos/videos weren’t allowed.

5. End the first day getting cheesecake at the infamous Rikuro’s for their jiggly Cheesecake.

6. The other day spend at Universal Studios Japan for thrilling rides, shows and to relive your childhood at Super Nintendo World.

Where to stay in Osaka? The W Osaka is gorgeous but a little pricey and the Fairfield by Marriott is more budget friendly with nice, modern clean rooms just less amenities and smaller rooms (will post stories of both so you can see).

How to get to Osaka from Tokyo: We took the Shinkansen bullet train which takes 3 hours but is such an experience as it goes up to 199mph. Be sure to sit of the right side of the train for views of Mt. Fuji. You can also take a quick flight!

Other things to do in Osaka we didn’t travel time for:

1. Visit the Osaka Castle

2. Go to the top of the Umeda Sky Building

3. Go out in the Dotonbori

4. Walk around Kuromon Market

5. Watch a show at the National Bunraku Theater

6. Explore the Sumiyoshi Shrine

Which activity would you most want to do? If you’ve been to Osaka before what other recommendations do you have?

#osakajapan #travellingwithkids #cupofnoodles #universalstudiosjapan
6 Ways to Earn Delta Skymiles without flying! (SAV 6 Ways to Earn Delta Skymiles without flying! (SAVE + SHARE this post):

1. Link your Lyft and Skymiles accounts to earn 1 mile per $1 on US rides and 2miles per $1 on airport rides.

2. When booking Airbnb stays go to delta.com/Airbnb instead and you’ll earn 1 mile per $1 spent on airbnbs.

3. Order groceries online with instacart? Go to instacart.com/delta to link your accounts and earn 1.5 miles per $1 spent. If you’re new to instacart you can also get 3 months free.

4. Link your Starbucks account with your Skymiles account at delta Starbucks.com and you’ll earn 1 mile per $1 spent at Starbucks. Plus on days your flying with Delta, you’ll earn DOUBLE stars at Starbucks.

5. Sign up for SkyMiles dining at  Skymilesdining.com and is link your credit or debit card. Every time you use your card at a participating bar or restaurant, you’ll earn between 1-5 miles per $1 spent.

6. And nope you don’t have to use a Delta credit card to get miles for any of the above, no matter how you pay you’ll earn BUT is you do pay for them with a Delta co-branded credit card (there are several and depending on which one you have) you can earn anywhere from a additional 1-5 miles per dollar spent on purchases, even if they aren’t Delta airline tickets.

The cash price for the flight we took to Tokyo was $2,600pp so it would have cost me over $5,000 for this since it’s peak travel to Japan (never in my life would I pay that, we would have went somewhere else). Instead I only paid $118 total by using all of these ways to earn Delta miles over the past few years which gave me enough miles to redeem even though we don’t get to fly Delta on a regular since they don’t have the strongest presence at MIA airport as it’s American’s hub.

Do you use travel credit cards and/or points and miles from loyalty programs to offset the cost of travel? If so what are your favorite ones? Let’s all travel for less!
Konnichiwa from Japan! So excited to be spending s Konnichiwa from Japan! So excited to be spending spring break here with Jordyn on our annual mommy and me trip. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Japan right now (save + share this post):

1. US passport holders don’t need a visa to enter Japan for stays under 90 days but if you hold a different passport you may, so definitely check as passport holders from only 68 countries can visit visa free! 

2. Japan still has panini restrictions. Adults must have 3 doses or provide results of a (-) test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Children 6-18 are exempt if the accompanying adult has 3 doses or they have 3 doses themselves. If the accompanying adult doesn’t they too require - test results. Children under 6 are exempt from all requirements.

3. While Narita airport is well known, Haneda is actually the closet airport to Tokyo.

4. Everyone regardless of age needs to fill out a the questionnaire on Visit Japan Web (https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/). It is used for Immigration and Customs declaration procedures and will speed up your process on arrival to the airport in Japan.

5. Japan uses the Japanese Yen and the current exchange rate is $1 to ¥132 but this fluctuates so be sure to always check current exchange rates. Credit cards are widely accepted including AMEX but always travel with a Visa or Mastercard as a back up in addition to cash.

6. The train system in Japan is extremely functional and the main mode of transportation even to get in between cities. You have to ride the bullet train (Shinkansen) at least once while here! Walking is also popular and Ubers are available.

7. The rainy season is officially June-Mid July and very humid while spring and fall are the most popular times to visit. When visiting in March and April especially since it’s Cherry Blossom season expect lots of crowds and be prepared to book hotels well in advance.

I first visited Japan in 2015 and so excited to see how it’s changed since then and do some things I didn’t do before. We’ll be visiting Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. If you have any recommendations especially on the best places for ramen and mochi ice cream please let us know!

Have you been to Japan?
When I tell you the #GalaxyS23 Ultra has it all an When I tell you the #GalaxyS23 Ultra has it all and I haven’t even scratched the surface of all the features this phone has. Can’t wait to share more but I promise you don’t want to miss out on these amazing features. 

Tap the link in my bio to learn more about the Galaxy S23 Ultra and consider switching to @SamsungMobileUSA! 

#SamsungPartner #TeamGalaxy #WithGalaxy
3 Ways to Get Good Pictures of Your Kids (save and 3 Ways to Get Good Pictures of Your Kids (save and share this post)!

Because spring break, Easter and graduations is coming up I’m resharing my tried and true tips of taking good photos of your kids.

Have you tried these? What trips do you have coming up that you can test these out on?

#phototips #travellingwithkids

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How to Spend 2 Days in Chiang Mai with Kids

February 17, 2017      Asia, Destinations, Thailand

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 did a tour of Thailand visiting the 3 major cities Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok. We only had 2 days in Chiang Mai which gave us a nice introduction to the city. If you’re short on time like us here’s how to make the best of 2 in Chiang Mai with kids.

48 Hours in Chaing Mai White Temple

When to Visit Chiang Mai

We visited Chiang Mai with kids in February after first visiting Phuket for a few days. It’s the dry season so the perfect time for a visit. It also means it’s hot so be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen.

How to Get From Phuket To Chiang Mai

After flying Qatar Airways to Phuket we took Air Asia, a local budget airline to Chiang Mai. There are no frills, you have to pay for water, etc. but the flight is only 1.5hrs so we didn’t need much and the $38 price tag was perfect. Checked baggage is priced by weight ranging from 15kg to 30kg. We only have one checked bag for the whole family that weighed 20kg. My daughters luggage was a carry-on and you are allowed 7kg for each carry-on.

How to Get From the Airport in Chaing Mai to Your Hotel

We took a metered taxi that we booked at the taxi counter for 200 baht flat. Be sure to go to the official taxi stand. There are plenty of drivers trying to flag you down but you run the risk of being overcharged.

Where to Stay in Chiang Mai

The RarinJinda Wellness Spa which is right outside the “square” of Chiang Mai’s old city. The resort was very nice and had some good amenities including free breakfast 7AM-10AM, a gym, pool, and a spa. The breakfast was buffet style at the restaurant across the street which is directly on the river. Waffles and eggs could be made to order. 

If you prefer to stay in an Airbnb in Chiang Mai you can sign up for Airbnb here and save $40 on your first stay. Nervous about Airbnb’s? Here are 8 Tips for Staying in Airbnb’s.

RarinJinda Wellness Spa hotel room with bed and sliding door

hotel pool with lounge chair

How to Spend 2 Days in Chiang Mai with Kids

Day One: Doi Suthep & Elephant Sanctuary

We got in very late the night before so I wanted us to be able to relax in the morning and booked a late half day tour. After breakfast we hung out by the pool for the 1st half of the day. We had lunch at On the Ping riverfront eatery and bar at the sala lanna Hotel. Although it was the most expensive meal we had the whole trip the food was excellent and probably also one of the best meals we had.I booked our tours while in Chiang Mai with Untouched Thailand. This 1st day we visited the Wat Phra Doi Suthep temple, the most famous temple in Chiang Mai. It is up in the mountains with a beautiful viewpoint of the city below. We spent about an hour here before heading to an Elephant Rescue Park.

mom holding baby on her back in a carrier in front of a temple in Thailand

When planning the trip I really wanted to go to the Elephant Nature Park, the top rated sanctuary and rescue park in Chiang Mai but since we decided on going to Thailand just 3 weeks before they didn’t have any spots left for the days we would be there. I was just glad to have found another rescue park and it ended up working out perfectly as we were the only group there by the time we arrived in the late afternoon. The staff was really attentive and made Jordyn feel like a Queen. They were so helpful and really tried there best to make our experience unforgettable. From taking pictures with my phone and video from my husbands they made sure we would have these memories forever without a price tag attached to it.

dad holding toddler bathing elephant in lake family posing with elephants at a sanctuary 

Day Two: The Golden Triangle Tour of Chiang Rai

Again our tour was booked through Untouched Thailand. We booked the Golden Triangle Tour, a 12hr tour, exploring Chiang Rai. The tour company would drop us to the airport after the tour saving us the 200 baht taxi. Our first stop was an hours drive to a hot springs where you can dip your feet into some mineral water that is supposed to be good for your skin. We only spent a few minutes here, I personally could have done without the stop but Jordyn enjoyed it and we were able to use the restroom.

girl dangling her feet over hot springs

Wat Rong Khun

Next we went to Wat Rong Khun better known as the White Temple. It was an hours drive from the hot spring and so worth the trip. A famous Thai artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat, funded the entire project. While the outside is beautiful and you can get some great photos with it as a backdrop the inside is uniquely amazing but unfortunately no photos are allowed. Believe it or not the bathroom is just as gorgeous as the temple, be sure to make a stop.

Across the street is a free museum filled with Chalermchai’s work and you should definitely check it out. Had we not had a tour guide we wouldn’t have known about it which is a shame because his work is truly one of a kind. Randomly enough the artist was actually there that day at a shop across the museum and were able to get a picture with him. Our tour guide was the one who pointed him out and mentioned on the 40+ times he has been to the temples he’s only seem him there 2 others.

family in front of a white temple in thailand

Karen Long Neck Village

After the White Temple we had for lunch which was included in the price of the tour. We stopped at what seemed like a hole in the wall restaurant but like most, the food did not disappoint! After lunch we headed to Hilltribe of the Karen Long Neck Village, about a 45 minute drive away.

Visiting this tribe is something I was hesitant about because I wasn’t really sure if it was ethical or not. Something about going to look at humans as if they were part of a zoo felt weird to me. I did a lot of research before ultimately deciding to go. From what I found online tourists visiting these villages was the main source of income for these villagers. This is because they are unable to hold jobs in Thailand.

The people in the village are from Burma and originally fled to Thailand due to civil wars. Now most come for better education opportunities for their children. They really do depend on the money made from the entrance fee and selling trinkets to support their families. So while I still felt kind of weird while we were there we made sure to buy something directly from the women.

Some spoke a little English and we were able to talk for a bit which was nice. My eldest daughter made a friend whose mom and I exchanged some words. Our tour guide was so sweet and stopped at a store before getting there, buying two cases of chips to hand out to the kids in the village. Jordyn gave this girl 5 bags, pretty sure that’s why they became friends.

Golden Triangle

Next we headed to the Golden Triangle where you can see Laos and Burma just separated by a river. We took a boat ride in the river and went to Laos where they have a little market. Everyone sells the same thing and they are very aggressive in getting you to buy something. We also stopped at the Opium Museum which my husband found extremely interested. I personally could have skipped the Golden Triangle, I was quite underwhelmed but I guess it’s better to see for yourself than wonder what you missed.

mom and daughter in front of welcome to Laos sign

After this, we headed to the airport, a 3.5-4hr drive. Our van had a pretty big flat screen TV equipped with plenty of kids movie for Jordyn to watch. The seats also reclined all the way back so I took a nap. Even though quite long it was a very comfortable ride. We were off to spend 2 Days in Bangkok, the last stop on our tour of Thailand. If you don’t want to fly or want a unique experience getting from Chiang Mai to Bangkok or Bangkok to Chiang Mai, take the sleeper train! Did you find this post helpful? Please share it!

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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Comments

  1. Ashley says

    February 27, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    How did your girls handle such a long day? My husband and I figured our days of quick travel, jam-packed days would end when we started bringing little ones along. It’s nice to see that little ones can handle an exciting day like that – although I’m sure it depends on the child 🙂

  2. Monet Hambrick says

    February 27, 2017 at 1:21 pm

    Hi Ashley! I thought the same thing but quickly learned I was putting more limitations on them than they really needed. I was afraid missing their scheduled nap time would cause havoc but realized being off schedule a few days was not going to have our lives fall apart and we should enjoy the moment. They still napped just not at their normal times.
    Our youngest was 11 months on the trip so still at the stage where she sleeps any and everywhere. She either napped in the car while in transit, since we had about 1hr in between each destination or she slept in the carrier while we were out of the car. My oldest who is 2 was so excited she refused to nap while in transit to each stop on the tour but she crashed about 30 mins into our drive to the airport. She was a little cranky when we arrived and woke her up but other than that she was fine during the day.
    It definitely depends on the child and I think by me always giving the girls, specifically the oldest one our itinerary for the day excites her so much. She is also used to traveling now and has learned to easily adapt to situations.

  3. gonzalo casas de las penas says

    April 10, 2017 at 6:43 am

    Next time you go you definitely have to check out “Chiang Mai Grand Canyon” it sounds boring, but it’s actually a huge canyon filled with water that contains a massive waterpark with water games. Loved it so much I went twice. I bet the kids would love it!

  4. Amanda says

    October 27, 2017 at 9:10 am

    What was the name of the elephant sanctuary you visited? The photos are gorgeous! Were the girls frightened of the elephants at all?

    • Monet says

      October 27, 2017 at 10:06 am

      Hi Amanda,
      It’s literally called Elephant Rescue Park lol, here is there website http://elephantrescuepark.com. Thank you, we had soooo much fun, def a highlight of the trip. I should add the video of Jordyn feeding them, Jordyn was hesitant at first but then she didn’t want to leave!
      Monet

  5. Liz says

    December 29, 2017 at 11:33 am

    I’m so envious of your trip! People think we are crazy for traveling so much with our 4 month old daughter (she’s been to Italy, Florida, and Colorado so far!). Did you have a car seat on the day trips with Untouched Thailand?

    • Monet says

      December 30, 2017 at 6:29 pm

      Yes, people think we are crazy too but life is short and we’d like to enjoy it as much as we can. And honestly traveling with a 4 month old is way more easy than a 22 month old in my opinion. Unfortunately Untouched Thailand did not provide car seats, only our tour company in Phuket provided them.

      • Mimi says

        January 30, 2018 at 11:26 am

        Since a car seat was not provided. Did you feel comfortable riding without one for your littles?

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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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