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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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5 Reasons to Travel Throughout Europe By Train

September 10, 2017      Destinations, Europe

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 embarked on a four-country trip through Europe with an infant and a toddler. This might sound expensive and daunting but it wasn’t. We made country hopping affordable by traveling throughout Europe by train. Here is why train travel is Europe is the best!

How to Get to Europe Cheaply

Getting to Europe will be the most expensive part. Always start your trip by flying into the cheapest city on your itinerary. For our most recent trip we went to Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Brussels. Scoring a deal on Delta for $400RT to Amsterdam, it was the cheapest city to fly into so that’s where we started. Here is are the websites with the best flight deals.

You May be Interested in Reading: 4 Reasons to but a Eurail Pass

Reasons to Travel Europe by Train

Costs Are Lower Traveling Europe by Train vs Flying

When looking at our options to get from Amsterdam to Paris, the train was the clear winner. While the cost for a budget airline was 37 Euros, the cost for the train was 35 Euros. I know what you are thinking it’s just 2 Euros more. However, when you add the cost of children and luggage the cost of the flights skyrockets. The budget airline charges full price for kids 2 and up. They even charges for lap infants under 2. The lap infant was 20 Euros so the cost for our family of 4 would be 131 Euros.

Budget airlines offer minimal free luggage. Most only allow 10kg (22lbs) of carry-on luggage and no checked luggage. While this can include a stroller, it would take the place of any other type of luggage you had. The stroller allowed can also only be an umbrella stroller, if you have a different stroller or car seat/stroller combo you would have to pay extra. Adults are allowed the same 22lbs of carry-on luggage. If your bag is heavier you will need to purchase additional weight starting at 13 Euros.The train however is free for kids under 4 and kids 4-12 are 50% off. There are also no restrictions on the weight or the amount of luggage you bring. Our total train cost was 70 Euros while we would have paid at least 144 Euros to fly a budget airline.

Less Hassle Entering and Departing Countries

Unless you are entering or departing London via Eurostar you do not have to go through security or customs to travel within Europe. You simply arrive to the train station a few minutes before departure, board, store your luggage, and find your seat, if you have one assigned. This alone cuts hours from your transportation time you’d normally spend arriving to the airport 2hrs in advance and then going through customs and immigration upon arrival.

You Arrive Straight to the City Center

Often times flying into large cities like Paris and London leave you in the outskirts of the city. Heathrow International Airport is 45mins outside of the city by public transportation and takes even longer driving due to traffic. St. Pancras Station on the other hand leaves you in the heart of London with many hotels nearby. This saves travel time on your arrival and your departure.

You’ll Be Taking the Scenic Route

Traveling Europe by train means you’ll get to see parts of the country you otherwise wouldn’t see and surely not from the sky. Enjoy the beautiful country side of each country your train passes through and have a relaxing ride.

Stay Connected When Traveling Europe by Train

Most Europe train systems offer free wi-fi so you can stay connected on your journey. Many also offer power outlets to charge all of your electronics. You will also be able to send and receive text messages or make a phone call in an emergency.

European Train Systems

There are many different Europe train systems. Here are are a few we have traveled by and had great experiences on.

Eurostar– What we took from Paris to London but it also goes to other destinations
NS International– What we used to get from Amsterdam to Paris and Brussels to Amsterdam
Trenitalia– Great for travel throughout Italy
Eurail– Great for extensive long term travel throughout Europe as it offers unlimited passes

I hope you have learned by it’s best to travel Europe by train and the best Europe train systems. 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. Cara says

    September 26, 2017 at 9:56 am

    This is such a great resource! Thank you for showing the actual break down in the cost difference between using a budget airline and traveling by train. I love love LOVE the concept of your blog, because I haven’t even had a little one yet but my husband and I hear all the time that traveling life ends once the babies are born, and it’s just something we refuse to accept and believe. My mother traveled with my brother and I all the time! Can’t wait to read more posts about your time with your family in Europe!

  2. Jasamine Hill says

    September 26, 2017 at 9:59 am

    Thanks for the tips! I have been thinking about a trip to Europe in the near future will def keep take your advice to make the most of my trip (and save money!)

  3. Randie says

    September 26, 2017 at 11:51 pm

    Wow. This was so informative. I had no idea it cost so much, especially for young children, to travel by air. It’s literally insane. Having to choose between luggage and a stroller? No ma’am.
    These tips are definitely good to have in mind when traveling. I honestly never even considered depending solely on public transportation when traveling abroad, but evidently it’s the best bet. Thank you!

  4. Taylor says

    September 27, 2017 at 11:08 am

    Great tips! First time I went to Europe we did everything via bus. Lol so slow but got to see a lot. This sounds much more interesting.

  5. Noelle says

    October 5, 2017 at 9:28 am

    Thanks for the train tips! Love your blog and beautiful family!

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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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