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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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Backyard Camping, The Perfect Staycation Idea for Families

August 3, 2019      Destinations, Florida, North America

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.

Since going on our first RV trip our daughters have been begging to do the “real” thing and go camping. However, we’ve had a busy summer and trying to fit in a camping trip didn’t seem like it was possible. So instead of crushing their dreams we enjoyed backyard camping and realized it’s the perfect staycation idea for families. 

Backyard camping is a fun, inexpensive staycation for the whole family! In this blog post, we’ll discuss backyard camp basics and give you some great ideas for backyard camping activities. We will also share essential items to bring when going on your next backyard camping adventure. It’s the best way to have an adventure with kids without going far. So grab your tent and sleeping bag because it’s time to go outside and have a blast with the family! Here’s everything you need to know for a successful backyard camping experience.

This blog post is sponsored by Backcountry but all opinions are my own and true. This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on any of the links below, I may get a commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. This helps offset the costs of running this blog & I appreciate your support. Please see my privacy & disclosure policy for more.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Taking Family Vacation Photos

Benefits of Backyard Camping

Camping in your backyard is a great way to spend time with the family. It’s also an inexpensive getaway that won’t take you very far from home. You can cook, play games, and enjoy nature all in your own yard! The benefits of backyard camping are endless.

Backyard Camping is Inexpensive:  Camping Without the Cost of Travel

Backyard camping is the perfect staycation idea for families because it’s an adventure with kids without the cost that usually comes with travel. There are no flights to buy, gas to put in the car, hotel costs, or excursions.

Camping in your own backyard means you don’t have to go far or pay a lot of money! You can plan an amazing “getaway” for less than $50 (if you already have camping gear. If you don’t have camping gear the initial investment is well worth it as it will last for years!) and you don’t have to pack anything since it’s just steps from your back door. 

Backyard Camping Doesn’t Require Much Planning

Planning vacations as a family can sometimes be stressful especially if you aren’t a planner. While we had an amazing time vacationing in an RV it required planning. Thankfully backyard camping doesn’t really require any planning and you don’t need a travel agent or to be an expert researcher as there isn’t much to research. If you don’t have a backyard you can still camp in your living room as we’ve recently done.

It’s the Perfect Introduction to Real Camping

Backyard camping is the perfect introduction to camping for those not familiar with real camping. It will give you a taste of what to expect to help you determine if you can really rough it in the wild. It’s also great for families with younger children as if you really need to you can always just go back inside your home.

Backyard Camping is Close to Home

Staying close to home means you won’t have a hard time getting back on track with the daily routine. You can go camping for an afternoon or stay all weekend long without having too much of an impact on your day-to-day life. This kind of getaway is perfect for families with children or anyone who doesn’t want to miss work.

You May Be Interested in Reading: 7-Day Southwest Road Trip Itinerary

Gear Needed for Backyard Camping

Before you can have your adventure you’ll need to get your camping gear if you don’t have it already. We were able to get everything we needed for camping from Backcountry.com. It’s our second time partnering with them after having a great experience using their gear for hiking Pedra de Telegrafo in Rio de Janeiro. You can use promo code HAMBRICK15 for 15% off your purchase.

A Tent

You obviously can’t camp without a tent. Since we don’t ever plan to go camping in the winter when it snows we got this Marmot Tungsten Tent which sleeps 4 people. It was more than enough space for the four of us to sleep in one tent and play games throughout the night.

Lantern

Once the lights go out you’ll need light in your tent. We used the Princeton Tec Helix Backcountry Lantern. It lit up our entire tent and is battery operated but comes with it’s own so you don’t even have to buy any. 

Mosquito Repellent

If you go camping in the summer like we did or in a tropical location with mosquitos you will definitely want to protect yourself from bites. Instead of spraying yourself especially young kids with a ton of bug spray consider buying this ThermaCELL Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent. It repels mosquitos for up to 110 square feet and is chargeable.

Camping Chairs

For relaxing outside of your tent you’ll need somewhere to sit. We got these amazing ALPS Mountaineering Spartan Chairs. They are currently 56% off which made them even more affordable.

Cooler for Drinks

You’ll need something to keep your drinks cool or anything else you pack that requires refrigeration. If you don’t already have a cooler it makes sense to get one as they are great for beach days, road trips and BBQs.  We have the Yeti Roadie 20 Cooler and love it. The only thing I wish is that it had wheels but otherwise it is amazing!

Comfort Camp Bed or Sleeping Bag

You don’t want to sleep directly on the floor so you’ll need a comfort camp bed or sleeping bag. Since we went summer camping we chose to get a comfort camp bed which is basically a thin blow up mattress. We got this Kelty Tru.Comfort Camp Bed Doublewide which says it fits two adults but you can definitely squeeze a small child on there as well. You can use promo code HAMBRICK15 for 15% off your purchase at Backcountry.

Pillows

While backyard camping obviously allows for you to use your own pillows if you want to make it more like the real experience get camping pillows. They will also come in handy if you decide to do the real thing. The Klymit Pillow X Camp Pillow blew up in three breaths and is so compact when deflated it’s easy to pack.

Fun Activities to Do While Backyard Camping

It’s a good idea to plan some fun activities before you go backyard camping. You want to make sure everyone in your family is having a good time, which means no boredom! These backyard camping ideas are fun for the whole family and can be done anywhere.

Explore Nature in Your own Backyard

Go exploring in your own backyard! You can get lost in nature without ever leaving your own home. Look for ladybugs, butterflies and any other wild animals that may be hanging around.

As you’re exploring the yard, go on a bug scavenger hunt with magnifying glasses and see who can find ants, beetles, worms and more! There are so many interesting things to discover when you get outside and look for them.

Make a Fairy House!

Making a fairy house is easy – it’s just a small house for fairies made out of natural materials. A creative afternoon camping craft is building a fairy house. All you need is some twigs, sticks, and flowers to create your own mini-adventure in the backyard!

This fun camping activity for kids will have them playing outside all afternoon long. You can even get creative with it by drawing up plans before you begin or including other materials like small stones. You can also include little trinkets or treats the fairy will love!

Fairy houses are typically built on tree stumps, rocks and near plants to help keep their environment intact. 

Play Flashlight Tag

Kids and adults alike will love playing flashlight tag in the backyard. This is one of those games that’s fun no matter how old you are and gets everyone outside moving around! All you need for this activity is a flashlight and somewhere to play (like your yard or neighborhood street.)

If it starts getting dark, make sure all players have flashlights so they can see and stay safe. The player with the flashlight is “it” and needs to find everyone else before they get tagged! If you’re playing with younger children, have an adult team up with each child.

Use a Sheet to Have a Backyard Movie

If you have a projector, hang a sheet on your fence and enjoy a movie outside. There is nothing like watching a movie under the stars!


Tell Spooky Stories in Front of the Lantern

This activity was my three year olds favorite while backyard camping. She loved telling us stories so much she pretty much hogged the lantern and wouldn’t let anyone else get a chance. Still it was so much fun listening to her express herself and be creative.

Play Games

Backyard camping was a great way for us to get off our phones and tablets and spend quality time. We played kids charades, uno, and junior monopoly and had so much fun without electronics. It actually showed us we should have at least one night a week like this. If you have young kids like us, I really recommend this Charades for Kids game as it’s great for non-readers.

Make S’Mores

Making s’mores has to be most people favorite part of camping. Even if you don’t have a fire pit at home you can easily make s’mores in the oven and enjoy in your tent!

Bring Back 90s Fun and Slip n Slide During the Day

Growing up I remember the excitement of my parents bringing the slip n slide out during summer time. It was great to introduce this childhood memory to my own family. We got this 3 lane slip n slide for under $20 and it was such a good investment!

 


Set Rules to Backyard Camping

When backyard camping you can set your own rules on how much or little you’d like it to be like real camping. Are you allowed to use electronics or not? Can you make your meals in the house but eat outdoors or are you only allowed to grill or eat meals that don’t require cooking? These are things to determine ahead of time to see how much roughing it you want.

If you’re camping with young children especially, you’ll want to make sure and set some rules before your adventure. If your children are old enough, discuss this with them ahead of time so everyone knows what’s expected.

Talk about what to do if they wake up in the middle of the night. If you’re camping in your backyard, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. But it’s always good to have a plan just in case!

Backyard Camping Is A Great Way To Spend The Weekend Together

We had so much fun backyard camping and the girls can’t wait to do it again. It was the perfect staycation for our family and prepared us to do the real thing! If you’re looking for a fun, inexpensive staycation idea that the whole family will enjoy- consider backyard camping. In this blog post, we’ve discussed how to plan your next campout and shared some of our favorite activities from flashlight tag to exploring nature in your own backyards. Which outdoor activity do you want to try first? Did you find this article helpful? Please share it to help someone else!

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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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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