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How many of you have heard you will no longer be a How many of you have heard you will no longer be able to travel once you have kids? I find most people who say these things don’t even have kids or if they do they have never traveled with their kids!

I’m not really into counting countries and we enjoy visiting places more than once, seeing the beauty all over the US and right in our state too. You don’t have to travel far to give your kids amazing experiences but you can also take them wherever you want. Y’all know my motto, if kids live there kids can visit!! 

Where have you been that people said you were crazy for taking your kids (or your parents for taking you) but you were so glad you didn’t listen to them and went anyway.

#travellingwithkids #familytravel
Everything you need to know about visiting Chichen Everything you need to know about visiting Chichen Itza, one of the 7 Wonders of the World (SAVE + SHARE this post).

Chichen Itza is 2.5 hours from Cancun, 2 hours from Playa del Carmen, and 90 minutes from both Tulum and Merida.

You can get here by renting a car, booking a private tour on Airbnb Experiences like we did, coming on a tour bus or for budget travelers taking the ADO bus. 

Most tours from Cancun are all day long, leaving as early as 7/8 am and as late as 9 pm drop off. This is because you’ll visit cenotes outside of Chichen Itza and the town of Valladolid. Since we only had 4 days in Cancun we didn’t want to spend a full day on the road but also really wanted to visit so booking private transportation allowed us to skip all the other stops and just go there and back. We were picked up at 9 and back at the hotel by 4 so we could have a relaxing evening.

Current admission is $533 Mexican pesos for adults, $80 for kids 3-12 and free for kids under 3. That’s about $30 US for adults and $5 for kids.

Once inside there is the main attraction that everyone comes to see but there are also other Mayan dwellings and a cenote. I recommend coming with a guide or hiring an official guide once on site so they can give you information on the history.

Have you been to any of the 7 Wonders? If so, which one(s)?

Hubby and I climbed the Great Wall of China together in 2007, Jordyn, James and I have been to the Colosseum in Rome, the girls and I have been to Petra and we all visited Machu Picchu, Christ the Redeemer, Chichen Itza and the Great Pyramids of Giza together!

#chichenitza #7wondersoftheworld
Today is the last day of school and I could not be Today is the last day of school and I could not be more proud of Jordyn! Look at all those awards she racked up at her end of the year ceremony. She’s reading 3 grade levels above hers, was only 9 points away from a perfect score on her state reading test and made the Honor Roll every quarter of the year. It’s time to celebrate, let summer begin!!!
We’ve been to 34 states and while we haven’t v We’ve been to 34 states and while we haven’t visited them all yet these are 4 states you should consider visiting this summer. (SAVE + SHARE this list for inspo)

📍Idaho- Last year we explored Southern Idaho and it blew us away. City of Rocks National Reserve, Kayak to Shoshone Falls, white water rafting, and walking behind Perrine Coulee Waterfall are musts!

📍Alaska- We visited the South East part of Alaska, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan and WOW talk about stunning. You’ll love exploring ice caves, walking on glaciers, canoeing through ice bergs, seeing the volcano and hopefully spotting some bears!

📍Utah- From the famous national parks like Zion and Bryce to the lesser known areas like Kanab, Utah is stunning. You can’t miss sand boarding through Coral Pink Sand Dunes and ATVing through the gorgeous landscape.

📍California- Where else can you surf and ski/snowboard in the same day? California has the most national parks in any state so you know the beauty is beyond amazing. Having lived there for 3 years I’ve explored so many cities and there is something for everyone!!

Would you like me to share my website link for our itineraries for each of these trips in stories? Have you been to any of these? Which state intrigues you the most from this list? What city/state would you like to see us cover?

#visittheusa #bucketlisttrip #travellingwithkids
We have been traveling with our girls since they w We have been traveling with our girls since they were 6 weeks old. Is traveling with kids always easy? Nope! Are there added costs to traveling with kids? Yes! But having status with World of Hyatt has helped elevate our travels, making things a little easier and saving us money, here’s how (SAVE + SHARE this post).

1. Being a family of 4 standard hotel rooms can be kind of cramped. Having status with World of Hyatt means we’re eligible for free upgrades when available including suites as a Globalist.

2. Eating out for breakfast everyday on a vacation starts to add up really quickly. As a Globalist we get free breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children.

3. At hotels with club access Globalists also get free access which includes drinks and snacks, the perfect way to hold kids over until dinner without spending money.

4. I don’t know who decided 9 or 10am was a good time for check-out, hello we’re on vacation, we want to sleep in! Having status with World of Hyatt means you qualify for late check out at 2pm or 4pm depending on your level of status. So whether you sleep in, hit the pool or use the other amenities at the hotel you can enjoy a little longer. It especially helps us when we have flights later in the day.

5. After paying for our hotel room we hate having added fees. Thankfully when you have Globalist status with World of Hyatt resort fees are waived on free night awards and/or eligible rates.

6. Free hotel nights! There is nothing like booking a hotel and not paying a penny! Having joined World of Hyatt we rack up points (on more than just stays) and the higher your status, the more points you earn to get free stays faster.

7. As World of Hyatt members we even earn American Airlines miles on our Hyatt stays, getting us free flights faster to save even more money!

From being more comfortable to finding more ways to earn, you’re missing out if you haven’t joined World of Hyatt!

@hyatt #HyattPartner
4 Ways to Redeem Points at Hyatt Hotels & 7 Ways t 4 Ways to Redeem Points at Hyatt Hotels & 7 Ways to Earn World of Hyatt Points & (SAVE + SHARE):

Ways to Redeem
1. Redeem points for rooms at Hyatt hotels. There’s nothing like experiencing luxury without the cost, so glad I could redeem Hyatt points for this stay with one of the best views of Tokyo.

2. Redeem points to cover your meal at participating restaurants at Hyatt hotels.

3. Redeem Hyatt points to cover your spa treatment at participating spas at Hyatt hotels. 

4. Redeem points through World of Hyatt FIND experiences. With over 200 experiences like cooking classes, tastings, & walking tours there are so many activities to choose from!

Ways to Earn
1. Are you an elite member with American Airlines? If so, you can earn 1 Hyatt point for every $1 spent on AA flights. These are in addition to the normal miles you’ll earn on American, just sign into your AA account & link your World of Hyatt account.

2. Rent a car through Avis & can earn 500 Hyatt points per rental. Just provide your Hyatt membership number when making the reservation & use AWD code K817700.

3. Book a FIND experience by World of Hyatt and earn 10 points per $1 spent. Hyatt offers over 200 experiences such as culinary classes with celebrity chefs, hot air balloon ride in Arizona, guided bike tour over the Golden Gate bridge and more.

4. Even if you aren’t staying at a Hyatt property, if you eat at the hotel restaurant or book a spa treatment you can earn 5 points per $1 spent. We actually ate at a Hyatt restaurant in Kyoto & even though we weren’t staying there I gave my World of Hyatt number & received points!

5. Earn points on everyday spending with a World of Hyatt credit card: 2 points per $1 spent on restaurants, airline tickets, local transit, rideshares, & gym memberships plus earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

6. Transfer points earned on other credit cards who partner with Hyatt such like Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Freedom Unlimited & Freedom Flex. 

7. Book a cruise with Lindblad Expeditions & earn 5 points per $1 spent.

Are you doing any of these?

📍Andaz Tokyo

@hyatt #HyattPartner
If you visit Lisbon or any mainland city in Portug If you visit Lisbon or any mainland city in Portugal I highly recommend adding a trip to Madeira! It’s an island off the coast of Portugal, actually closer to Africa than Portugal. Here’s how I spent 6 days in Madeira (Save + Share this post):

🇵🇹Day 1: Pool day at my hotel (NEXT Hotel) for most of the day and then I went running up the crazy hills of Madeira to see Funchal by foot.

🇵🇹Day 2: I explored the NW part of the island visiting Seixal Beach, Ponto Moniz, Fanal Forest and Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela.

🇵🇹Day 3: I went on a sidecar adventure where I explored Valley of the Nuns, the Cabo Girão Skywalk, and the fishing town of São Pedro with @madeirasidecartours.

🇵🇹Day 4: Whale and dolphin watching tour but we only saw dolphins. In the evening I did an Airbnb Experience at a locals farm house where he cooked a great dinner where 90% of the items were picked directly from his gardens that day. He also taught us how to make poncha, a favorite local drink. The tour should already be linked in my Maderia story highlights.

🇵🇹Day 5: I toured the SE part of the island visiting Ponta do Garajau, Monte Palace, and ended the day at the most beautiful views from Pico do Arieiro (the shots of me on the clouds).

🇵🇹Day 6: I watched the sunrise from Miradouro Ponto do Rosto and then did an 8 mile hike of Levado do Caldeirão Verde. After the hike I relaxed at the pool!

If you want photos taken in Madeira I recommend @robframing.

Honestly Madeira was everything and I don’t see it dropping out of my top 5 international destinations anytime soon.

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7 Travel-Themed Children’s Books By Black Authors Your Family Needs

February 3, 2020      Destinations, Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Product Reviews, Reviews, Travel 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.

When I started my blogging journey nearly four years ago my goal was to inspire parents to travel the world with their kids while providing tips to make it easier and affordable. Then it became more than that! Not to everyone but to so many of you who send me messages saying thank you for showing you that life doesn’t end after having kids. Even more meaningful to me are the thank you’s I get for showing the world positive images of a black family and that black people do indeed travel.

If you type in family travel in google images you’ll see a trend and what you’ll notice is families that look like mine are missing. Instead of complaining about it and letting Google images dictate the norm I decided I wanted to take our positive images off the internet and into homes. So I wrote a book series on my families travels. My hope is to help diversify the book shelves of all families regardless of race but to also let little black girls and little black boys know the world is theirs and they can go every and anywhere they choose.

Thankfully I’m not alone in this journey and there are several black writers with similar goals. Here are 5 travel-themed children’s books written by black authors you need to add to your kid’s bookshelves. They are also the perfect gift for your nieces, nephews, God children or your local elementary school!

The Traveling Child Goes to Rio de Janeiro by Monet Hambrick

The Traveling Child Goes to Rio de Janeiro is the first book of my series, the Traveling Child Goes to. The series based on the travels of my family of four. 

This first book brings you along our 2019 spring break trip where they spent 7 days in Rio de Janeiro (read our itinerary here). Told from the perspective of 4 year old Jordyn and 3 year old Kennedy your children will learn about the culture of Brazil and follow along the girls as they visit various landmarks. The book is guaranteed to have you wanting to book your own trip to Rio de Janeiro. You can purchase the book on Amazon here. You can follow along our other adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

You Maybe Interested in Reading: Tips of Flying with Toddlers

Payton Goes to London by Shayla and Payton McGhee

Payton is a bright and energetic six-year-old that is taking her first trip to London, England. Follow her and her family as they visit popular London landmarks such as the London Eye, Tower Bridge, and Big Ben. A perfect travel book for kids and the first in a globetrotting series, Payton’s adventure will ignite your child’s curiosity about visiting different countries around the world and the popular sights to see while there.

Payton Goes to London was written to build curiosity for travel among young children, dispel the stereotype that African-American families do not travel abroad, and inspire other families to explore the world with their little ones. Follow Payton’s adventures on Instagram!

Follow the Takeoff Toddler to Cairo by Imani Bates

Follow The Takeoff Toddler is a series in the making with its first installment released in 2019. The books follow a character made in the likeness of the authors son, Nasir. It documents his families travels around the world, starting with Cairo! His mom, Imani Bates wrote this book to introduce children of color to the world of travel. The reading level varies from 3rd to 5th grade depending on the strength of the child’s reading! Yet, the book is still great for ALL! You can buy the book on Etsy Instagram. Follow along Nasir’s other adventures and life living abroad in China on Instagram.

You Maybe Interested in Reading: How to Survive Long Haul Flights with Kids


Captain Carson Goes to Bali by TeAndra Taylor and Carson Taylor

Captain Carson Goes to Bali is part one of the Captain Carson children’s book series written by mother son duo TeAndra and Carson. Carson has been to 11 countries and 18 states.  Anytime the Taylor’s travel, TeAndra would look for books to introduce him to their destination. It was hard to find books with little kids who looked like Carson so they decided to create their own. Captain Carson Goes to Bali can be bought on Amazon and you can follow their adventures on Instagram.

The Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete by Serena Minott

The Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete tell the stories of a little girl named Aya, who travels the world with her parents and her buddy, Pete. Aya and Pete are always ready for the adventure and excitement of exploring a new place. The Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete in Paris features highlights and interesting aspects of the city – geography, language, food, culture, currency and key landmarks – through fun exchanges between Aya and Pete. Purchase your copy of the book Amazon. Follow along Aya’s other adventures on Instagram.

Titan and The Worldschoolers Book by Tai Travels

Join Titan and his Mom as they travel on an adventure around the world from ‘A’ through to ‘Z’. Their book, Titan and The Worldschoolers gives us a glimpse of what ‘World-Schooling’ is all about! Read this kids book to learn more about homeschooling and how you can make learning fun. You can buy it here on Amazon. In addition to the book Tai Travels also has a corresponding activity book. This is the perfect way to entertain your child on your way to your next adventure. The exciting games also contain historical facts and stories bound to keep your child learning new things. It can also be bought here on Amazon.

You Maybe Interested in Reading: Tips for Planning a Family Vacation That Won’t Break the Bank


The Traveling Toddler Goes to Series by JD Boumah

The Traveling Toddler Goes to Series follows along the journey of toddler JD Boumah. There are currently two books in the series, The Traveling Toddler Goes to the Dominican Republic and the award winning The Traveling Toddler Goes to the Dominican Republic. Both books can be bought onAmazon. Follow along JD’s other adventures on Instagram and Facebook.


These five travel-themed books by black authors are bound to have your little ones excited about your next adventure. Do you have other books to recommend? Please drop them in the comments. If you found this article 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. Rhea says

    February 4, 2020 at 11:35 am

    This is incredible! I love that so many children and parents are seeing the world and documenting their experiences of all that God has created. Thank you Traveling Toddler JD Boumah and all the other little Kings and Queens, Parents, and families who are doing the thing! You guys rock! #inspired #travel #amazingkids #amazingparents

  2. Fatu Forna says

    February 4, 2020 at 5:44 pm

    I love all of them, but next time please include my book Puppy Princess Sheba Goes to Africa!!!

    https://amzn.to/399T5fK

  3. BK says

    February 4, 2020 at 9:09 pm

    Amazing! Thank you parents for sharing the world with your children through actual traveling and making the experience a book. What a hands-on learning experience.

    • BK says

      February 4, 2020 at 9:11 pm

      Keep writing Traveling Toddler!

  4. Tasha Cru says

    February 6, 2020 at 6:29 pm

    Thanks for the recommendations! It is amazing to see and conquer fears of traveling with kids. This is indeed a movement. We are living in a global world and it is great when kids can experience it through reading and traveling!

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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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