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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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West Virginia Fall Road Trip: 3 Days Exploring the Potomac Highlands

October 24, 2021      Destinations, North America, West Virginia

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.

Living in Miami, FL we don’t have the opportunity to experience a true fall but that doesn’t stop us from leaf peeping. This year we headed to West Virginia for a 3 day fall road trip, exploring the Potomac Highlands region to get our fall fix. With the newest national park, New River Gorge, 35 state parks, and 9 forests West Virginia is filled with opportunities to experience beautiful fall foliage

The Best Time to Go on a West Virginia Fall Road Trip

Each year the fall foliage changes as far as when peak foliage is. Our trip to the Potomac Highlands region, specifically in Pocahontas Country on the map below took place in mid-October which ended up being peak leaf peeping! Each year this changes and September and both early to late October also have a lot of opportunity to see fall foliage so anytime during these months could be a great time for a West Virginia fall road trip. The state has a live fall map here so you can always check the status.

Getting to West Virginia for your Fall Road Trip of the Potomac Highlands

Since we came from Miami and didn’t have much time to spare we flew to West Virginia. The airport with the best times was Yeager Airport (CRW) in Charleston, WV. Delta, American Airlines, Spirit and United all have flights coming into and out of CRW. It’s a 3 hour drive from here to the Potomac Highlands.

A closer airport would be Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB) which is only serviced by United and offers non-stop flights from Dulles and O’Hare. This would cut your drive time in half but West Virginia is also within a few hours drive from New York, Philly, DC, and many major east coast cities. We rented a car from Hertz as they had the best deal for our dates.

We love a good flight deal and always check these websites to see what deals we can get. If driving to and from the airport is one think you don’t want to worry about, you can use a shuttle. Park ‘N Fly is a great option if you want to leave your car at the airport during your trip.

West Virginia Fall Road Trip: 3 Day Potomac Highlands Itinerary

We honestly could have spent a week exploring the Potomac Highlands but with only 3 days we had some choices to make. Here is how we spent each day of our West Virginia fall road trip.

Potomac Highlands Itinerary Day 1

Shavers Lake

After our three hour drive we took it easy on day one. We really just wanted to see all the beautiful leaves so we headed to Shavers Lake on the Snowshoe Mountain Resort property. Here they have a walking trail as well lots of water activities (kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards and more). First we explored the lake by foot going on the Backcountry Trail.

The trail is 1.6 miles and easy to hike for all levels. Hiking with two kids who were 5 and 7 they didn’t have any issues on any part of the trail. Just be aware some parts aren’t well marked so be sure to look out for the signs and don’t turn off on the Bailout or else you’ll be in for a more strenuous hike uphill!

After hiking the lake we decided to get on it. We took one of the canoes out for some paddling. The weather cleared up and it was such a beautiful place to take in all the fall foliage. In order to access Shavers Lake you’ll need to take the Ballhooter Lift at Snowshoe Mountain.

Potomac Highlands Itinerary Day 2

Cass Scenic Railroad

Shavers Lake was a great introduction to the Potomac Highlands on our West Virginia fall road trip. On our second day we drove one hour from there to Cass, WV. Here we took the Cass Scenic Whittaker Trip. They offer these 2 hour train rides Friday through Sunday at 11am and 2pm. There are other train rides including another 2 hour ride, a 4 hour, 4.5 hour and even an overnight ride. You can see the various rides offered here.

Halfway into the ride the train makes a stop at Whittaker Camp #1. It was a logging camp and skiffer set of the 1940-1966 era. It shows a replica of how those working along the railroad would live.

We spent about 45 minutes here so you have time to explore. There are bathrooms and picnic tables. You are allowed to bring food and drinks on the train so this stop is the perfect place to have lunch, especially if you take the 11 am train like we did. You can bring your own or order something from the Last Run Restaurant that is located where you board the train.

Snowshoe Bike Park

After a relaxing morning it was time for some adventure. While Snowshoe Mountain is known for skiing in the winter, the rest of the year it’s a popular destination for mountain biking. Hosting events like the 2021 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Finals we see why it’s recognized as one of the best bike parks in the US. We were so excited to try mountain biking out for the first time at such a great location.

The bike park offers a variety of lessons including Mountain Biking 101, Mountain Biking 202, Junior Group for ages 6-9, skills clinics for drop, jumps, berms and cornering and private lessons. Lessons are offered at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm daily and prices range from $39 to $75 per person.

We were so impressed by what we learned in two hours. The instructors were extremely patient especially with the girls and gave us great feedback to build our confidence. The girls stayed on the test trial and really crushed it. Us adults decided to take it up a notch and go down the beginners trail and we actually completed it without any falls!

Potomac Highlands Itinerary Day 3

Cranberry Glades Botanical Area

For the third day of our West Virginia fall road trip around the Potomac Highlands we explored the city of Hillsboro. We visited the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area which protects the largest area of bogs in West Virginia. Here we walked the 0.5 mile boardwalk to take it all in. 

According to the signs here sometimes you’re able to see black bears so watch out. We unfortunately didn’t see any but maybe you’ll have better luck! Still it was a nice walk and great to be outside in the fresh fall air!

Falls of Hills Creek

Just a ten minute drive from Cranberry Glades Botanical Area are the Falls of Hills Creek. We hiked the trail which led us to three waterfalls. It’s about 1.5 miles round trip and sometimes you’re walking along the creek.

Part of the trail is paved while there are some unpaved areas as well as stairs to climb to see some of the falls. It was such a beautiful hike during the fall, nice and cool and with all the colorful leaves.

Scenic Viewpoints Along the Way

On the way back to our accommodations we stopped at the various scenic viewpoints. There are quite a few of them and worth stopping at least once if time permits.

Where to Stay on Your West Virginia Road Trip

When we reached the Potomac Highlands we checked in at the Snowshoe Mountain Resort. We’ve never been to a ski resort other than ski season and it was a breath of fresh air. It wasn’t nearly as crowded and it was nice to see the mountain not covered in snow. Here we stayed in the Pedestal House, a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom rental home on the mountain.

The views from here, especially during sunset were unbelievable and we enjoyed having a front row seat to it each night. The house is nice and cozy with a fireplace we were able to warm up in front of during the cool evenings.

Staying at Snowshoe Mountain made it very convenient to get to most of our activities. Shavers Lake and the Mountain Bike lessons were both on the mountain and the other activities were within one hours drive. Traveling with kids it was nice having the village with lots of restaurants to conveniently get food. The fact that the property has a rock climbing wall, kids bungee rope, and a playground were all icing on the cake.

We had an amazing time on our West Virginia Fall road trip exploring the Potomac Highlands. It was so nice returning to the state with my family and being able to explore outside of Charleston where I interned. Hopefully we get to come back in the summer and try another adventure, white water rafting!

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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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