• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Shop
  • Blog Coaching
  • Disclosures
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Amazon
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
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

The Traveling Child

If kids live there, kids can visit!

  • Affording Travel
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
    • Asia
      • Singapore
      • Thailand
    • Australia
    • Caribbean
      • Aruba
      • The Bahamas
      • Barbados
      • Cuba
      • Grand Cayman
      • Jamaica
      • Puerto Rico
      • Trinidad
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Italy
      • Spain
      • The Netherlands
    • North America
      • Alaska
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Kansas
      • Louisiana
      • Mexico
      • Nevada
      • New York
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
    • South America
      • Brazil
      • Colombia
  • Travel Tips
    • Tips on Traveling with Kids
    • Trip Planning Tips
  • Reviews
    • Airline Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Product Reviews
  • Lifestyle
  • Buy Our Book
  • Blog Coaching

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for the Traveling Family

November 16, 2017      Product 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.

Traveling with kids is one of the most joyous family activities we partake in. While it can seem like a daunting task with all the gear kids required with the right products you can have an amazing vacation.

As someone who has traveled to 17 countries with a 1 and 3 year old I’ve tested a lot of travel products on the market. Here are 13 products that will surely make traveling with kids easier so go ahead and add them to your Christmas List!  For a chance to win each product below be sure to follow us on Instagram as I will be giving out each product from December 1-12th.

1. The SmartMove Car Seat Transporter by Brica

Anyone who has traveled with a convertible or toddler car seat knows how heavy they are and what a struggle it is to get them through the airport. Brica has created a lifesaver with their SmartMove Car Seat Transporter, which turns your car seat into a stroller. This makes it not only easy to get your car seat from the parking lot to your gate but it also turns your car seat into a stroller while maneuvering through the airport so you have one less item to bring to the gate. Click here for my full review and watch the video below to see how it works!

2. Mountain Buggy Bagrider

Who wants one less thing to push to the gate but still doesn’t want to carry their child?!? If you answered yes and are like me then you need a Mountain Buggy Bagrider. It is  a 2-in-1 carry-on suitcase and stroller, the perfect option for when your little one is getting too heavy to carry but still not going to be able to walk all the way to your gate. Keep your little one secured all the way to your seat on the plane as the Mountain Buggy Bagrider rolls down the aisle like any other carry on suitcase. Watch the video below to see how it works!

3. Fly LegsUp Flight Hammock

Surviving an overnight or long haul flight is much easier when your child can sleep comfortably. This is why a Flight Hammock by Fly LegsUp is a must! This product turns your child’s airplane seat into a bed so they can sleep well on their own and not lying on top of you.  Use promo code “FLYCHILD” for 10% off. Click here for my full review.

little girl sleeping on the plane

4. The Shrunks Inflatable Bed Rails

One of my biggest fears when traveling when my daughter was too big for the pack n play but not truly big enough for a rail free bed was the thought of her rolling off the bed at a hotel. This meant she always slept in the bed in between myself and her dad. We had a bed rail at home but it was way too big to travel with. Then I discovered inflatable bed rails and we never had to share a bed on vacation again! The Shrunks Inflatable Bed Rails are extremely compact to travel with and give me a piece of mind not only at hotels but when visiting family members who don’t have toddler beds or bed rails of their own. Click here for my full review.

5. The Shrunks Junior Toddler Bed

If you are traveling to a destination where you won’t have two beds for your family, The Shrunks Junior Toddler Bed is the perfect solution for you. Gone are the days where your child sleeps in between or next to you kicking and constantly moving around interrupting your sleep. The Shrunks Junior Toddler Bed is perfect for sleepovers at a family or friends house as well as when traveling the world. We often times book a one bedroom Airbnb to save money so bringing a bed alone for my oldest daughter means both she and my husband and I will have our own space. Click here for my full review.


6. Cover Guard Car Seat Tote by Brica

Flying with your car seat can be a pain! If you aren’t using it on the plane and want to protect it and have an easy way of carrying to the ticket counter or gate the Cover Guard Car Seat Tote by Brica is perfect for you. It keeps the dirt from under the plane off the space your child lies their head and prevents scratches and tears to the material. The Cover Guard Car Seat Tote also allows you two ways to get your car seat from point a to point b; you can carry it backpack style or use the wheels to pull it behind you. Best part is it can fit both infant and convertible car seats so it will last you a very long time. See below for a video of me pulling it as well as photo of me wearing at as a backpack.

mom with baby in carrier and pushing other child in the stroller

​
7. Ergobaby 360 Carrier

There aren’t enough words to describe how helpful and necessary my Ergobaby carrier has been throughout our travels. My Ergobaby has allowed me to be hands free to carry our luggage, avoid the struggle of carrying a stroller with a child in it up and down the stairs in places like Venice, easily maneuver throughout crowded streets and fitting on crowded buses and subways. I never leave for a trip without my Ergobaby and I also use it at home when sweeping, vacuuming, and going to the grocery store. It is the most practical necessity of every parent and I couldn’t be happier with the Ergobaby 360 which has 4 carrying positions including front and back carry.

8. Motif Duo Battery Operated Breast Pump

Breastfeeding and traveling without your baby or traveling with your child and exclusively pumping can seem like a nightmare. Long haul flights, delays, or long connections means there will be no way you can make it without pumping. I have pumped on many planes and a compact, quiet, and battery operated pump is what you need. The Motif Duo is exactly that! It weighs less than one pound, can be used as a single or double electric pump but also has a battery option, which stays charged for 2.5 hours of use. Best of yet, it’s silent so you can discreetly pump wherever you need to. For more tips on traveling without your baby and breastfeeding click here.


9. EZ Packing Cubes

I was introduced to packing cubes on a trip with my girlfriends to Australia. One of my friends packed only a carry-on on her suitcase. I was amazed at how many clothes she was able to fit in her bag and how organized everything was. I ordered some as soon as we got back and my packing life hasn’t been the same. I love how easy it is to separate all of our clothes by each of us having our own set of packing cubes in our own color. I also love how easy it is to separate our clean clothes from our dirty clothes and how the EZ Packing Cubes keep the stench from the dirty clothes away from our clean clothes as they are fully sealed. If by chance your bag ends up being overweight you also no longer have to figure out what to take out and where to put it. Simply remove a cube from your luggage in one second and already have a place to store those extra belongings as they are already in a bag. Lastly when you need something from your bag last minute it makes it so much easier to find things than to dig through and mess up your neatly folded clothes. Just pull out the cube that has what you need, only go through that one and put it right back. Below is a video showing how my family of 4 used the EZ Packing Starter Kit to pack for all 4 of us for a weekend getaway. Use promo code ‘thetravelingchild’ to save 15% off Ez Packing Cubes.

10. My Little Seat Travel High Chair

Whether you are traveling the world, visiting your local restaurant or having dinner at a friend or family members home who doesn’t have kids you will want the My Little Seat Travel High Chair. It is great for infants who can’t fully sit up in a restaurant high chair which lacks back support and a 5-point harness, when restaurant high chairs are filthy, and avoiding having to bring your full-sized high chair to your families dinner. It is completely light-weight and folds down to the size of a diaper so it doesn’t take up much space. I’ve used mine all over the world and it’s extremely convenient. Click here for my full review.

11. Ergobaby Diaper Backpack

Adventuring around the world with kids means you need to be as hands free as possible but also comfortable! This is why I have always been a fan of diaper backpacks over diaper bags. Ergobaby had already earned my trust with their carrier so when I saw they created a diaper backpack I was eager to try it. I always traveled with a regular backpack as my “diaper backpack” but it wasn’t created with parents in mind with all the compartments we need, the ability to keep drinks warm or cold or the comfort factor in wearing it all day long. The Ergobaby diaper backpack meets all of these needs and still looks cute which I love.

12. Phil & Teds Traveller Cot

If you have an infant and have considered a traditional pack n play, think again! The Phil & Teds Traveller Cot is the LIGHTEST travel crib on the market at only 6lbs. It has been so convenient to travel with it as it also is small enough to count as a carry-on and doesn’t cost anything additional to fly with it. Better yet, if you are traveling with a full-sized suitcase it can actually fit inside! It takes only 3 minutes to put it together and comes with a nice carrying bag. Click here for my full review.


Want something on this list? Share it with your friends!

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.”

Share
Tweet
Pin
Email
Share

Newsletter Subscribtion

 
Join Our Mailing List
You'll get tips on affordable travel, flight deals and detailed itineraries for every trip we've been on (family, girlfriends getaway, baecations and solo) to make your planning process easier.
Thank you for subscribing!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Megan says

    November 20, 2017 at 8:14 am

    Would looooove to win this lot!

  2. Lydia Blanchard says

    November 20, 2017 at 9:02 pm

    I would love the car seat stroller. We’ve traveled twice with our toddler with a third planned for January and that would help tremendously with the lugging a car seat through the air port!

  3. sky says

    November 26, 2017 at 12:48 am

    i am most excited about the legs up for flying! this would be so great so the little’s can nap during flight time comfortably

  4. Lindsey says

    November 26, 2017 at 11:47 am

    That legs up flying hammock looks like a lifesaver – not to mention a lap saver! I’d love this for our 6-hour flight to see family in Florida over Christmas and then the long haul from SF to London in April! Thanks for all your tips; you’re my traveling mama idol!

  5. Vanessa says

    November 26, 2017 at 5:14 pm

    Completely agree on so many of these items!! I don’t have but MUST try the Mountain buggy Bagrider!! We ❤️ our Mountain Buggy Nano!

  6. Ayana says

    November 27, 2017 at 7:18 am

    The little seat travel high chair !

  7. Keara Elam says

    November 27, 2017 at 5:08 pm

    Wow!! These are all such great products that help to make traveling a breeze!! At this point I am most excited about the traveling box as my son is almost 4 and always wants something to do! I’m sick of handing him his tablet so this would be great! What a great list… thanks for sharing!

  8. Denisha says

    November 28, 2017 at 6:06 pm

    The traveling COT

  9. Asante says

    November 29, 2017 at 11:56 pm

    Wow, what an amazing list. I travel all the time with my 2 year old son, so I would be happy to win any of the products on your list.

  10. Narmaly says

    December 29, 2017 at 3:23 am

    Great article! I’d love one of these items, if not all!!!!

Primary Sidebar

  • Amazon
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube

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.

Newsletter

Subscribe to Our Newsletter
You'll get tips on affordable travel, flight deals and detailed itineraries for every trip we've been on (family, girlfriends getaway, baecations and solo) to make your planning process easier.
Thank you for subscribing!

Recent Posts

  • The Best Christmas Markets in Europe
  • The Best Christmas Markets in the USA
  • The 11 Best Eiffel Tower Photo Spots
  • The Best Places to Go for Halloween
  • Things to Do in Southern Idaho

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

Facebook

FOLLOW US ON PINTEREST

Copyright © 2023 The Traveling Child, LLC.