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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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3 Reasons to Avoid Connecting Flights With Kids and 5 Tips to Survive Them if Unavoidable

December 13, 2016      Tips on Traveling with Kids

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 booking a cross country or international flight it can be very tempting to book a connecting flight due to it usually being cheaper. If flying alone it’s something I consider depending on how large the savings are but when flying with kids unless flying non-stop will seriously break the bank I avoid connecting flights like the plague!! Here’s why:

two toddler standing in the aisle on an airplane

3 Reasons to Avoid Connecting Flights With Kids

You Only Have to Board/Get Settled Once

In my opinion getting on the plane is the hardest part! You’ve lugged all your crap, got settled, your kids are entertained, behaving themselves, or even fast asleep. Things are going so smoothly but now it’s time to land because you have a connecting flight. Now you have to clean up, get all your stuff organized, God forbid wake the kids up from their sleep and then make your way to another gate to start over and hope they fall back asleep. Boarding and deboarding is my least favorite aspect of flying with kids so I try to limit this to only once.

Avoid Going Through Customs Twice

If you are flying international with a layover in a foreign country you will have to go through customs in the first country you land in and then again in the country of your final destination. Remember you will have to collect your bags* (strollers, car seats, etc. included) and get them to where your airline rechecks them which could be close to customs but it could not. If you are flying alone with your child and had help from the person who dropped you off to the airport they won’t be around to help you now so you will be responsible for all of your belongings.

*Countries apart of the EU has different rules

Avoid Getting Stuck In Your Layover City

If your 1st flight gets delayed you could miss your connecting flight. If it was the last flight of the night you could be stuck in that city. Depending on the reason for your delay the airline may or may not provide a hotel for you. If they don’t, your options are to sleep at the airport or pay for a hotel on your own, one you didn’t budget for. Even if they do provide a hotel you have to leave the airport, possibly maneuver a city you are unfamiliar with and then come back in the morning and go through security all over again.

This actually happened to us when we went to Sydney. The flight was cancelled at 12:30AM and we didn’t get to our room until 3AM. Luckily I only had Kennedy who was 8 months at the time so she slept in the carrier but imagine if I had my two year old as well.

There are many instances where flying non-stop is just not feasible, some destinations just don’t even non-stop flights. If a non-stop flight is not possible here are my tips on making a layover with kids easier.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for flying with babies or tips for flying with toddlers.

5 Tips to Survive Connecting Flight with Kids if Unavoidable

If You Can’t Do Non-Stop At Least Do Direct

This is where you don’t change planes in the layover city, some passengers just get off and new ones get on. Southwest has a lot of these types of flights.

Have Your Connection in the US If Possible

When departing from the US: Your bags will go to your connecting flight automatically and you won’t have to collect them to go through customs.

When arriving to the US: You will clear customs in the first airport you arrive from abroad. You will collect your bags here and re-check them to your final destination. You will not have to clear customs upon arrival to your final destination.

Make Sure Your Layover is Long Enough

If you do have a layover be conscious of how much time it is. A short layover like 30 minutes will not cut it with kids. This leaves no wiggle room if your 1st flight is delayed. Even if it did land on time just imagine if your connection is in SFO or ATL and your next flight is 3 terminals away. If you gate checked your car seat or stroller and/or are not sitting in the first few rows it could take 30 minutes just to get out off the plane and get your belongings.

Even if you get off the plane with your stuff in ten minutes you still have to maneuver through potential crowds at the airport. God forbid your child is so tired and won’t walk or you have to weave your stroller in and out of people to run as fast as you can to catch your plane. Even if you’re traveling with an infant and using a carrier you still can’t run as fast with the baby strapped to your chest. Believe me I tried one time when my 1st flight was delayed 2hrs and we landed 15mins before our connection was scheduled to leave.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Surviving Long Haul Flights with Kids

Be Conscious Of When Your Connection Lands

There are many connecting flights that land at 2 or 3AM and then you have to wait 2-3hrs for your next flight. As an adult I would be grumpy as hell, just imagine adding kids to that mix- avoid this scenario at all costs. If your flight does land in the middle of the night hopefully you have a Priority Pass membership so you can wait for your next flight in comfort.

Don’t Sit Still During Your Layover

Use this time to walk around with your little ones and get all of their energy out. Before flying see if your connecting airport has a kids play area and write down the location. Eat a good meal and/or buy more snacks for your second leg if you need to or anything else you realized you may have forgotten.

Do you prefer connecting on non-stop flights? Found 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. Kenni says

    December 13, 2016 at 8:39 pm

    Thank you for your great tips. I’m traveling with a 3 year old from ATL to Dubai on the 19th of December. I actually wanted the layover because a flight over 6 hours and my baby will go crazy. I have packed her a fun filled Activity bag.
    Thanks Again

    • Monet says

      December 14, 2016 at 9:20 am

      You are very welcome Kenni! We are considering Dubai for our vacation in February so I’d love to hear how your trip goes. I hope you guys have an amazing trip!!

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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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