Travel

Last summer was the first time we took our kids to an amusement park. They had been on little rides and fairs, but our first trip to LEGOLAND® went so well, we decided it would be fun to visit again during the holidays. What I didn’t realize was just how cool it would be for our kids to experience Christmas at LEGOLAND.

Traveling with little kids can be seriously overwhelming. I’ve traveled with them since they were infants and I’ve learned a lot of things along the way. Given all the mistakes I’ve made, I figured it was about time I share little travel hacks that can make traveling with kids a whole lot easier and less stressful. Here are my top 6 tips to make traveling with kids a snap.

Everyone told me Rome was too touristy, too hot, too dirty. These comments were a good reminder that I should not care what people think or say because they were wrong. Rome was amazing. Sure, there were tourists, there were some dirtier streets and there were days that were hot, but the good far outweighed any bad.

Major news from the Freemans – we are moving to Boston! I can hardly believe it myself. I’m still in shock about it actually. If you didn’t get the title of this story – it’s a reference to this song and leaving the Valley of the Sun. I’m going to miss our chosen city, but Boston is calling.

In July, we had the chance to take our kids to southern California for a long weekend. Hilton invited us to check out three of their properties as part of their California Road Trip promotion. We also arranged visits to the San Diego Zoo and LEGOLAND. We were so excited for this trip and the kids talked about it for weeks in advance.

For my day job, I get to travel to a lot of cool places. In the last two years, I’ve visited 9 countries on five continents, so I’ve gotten really good at packing. I’ve also made my share of mistakes, so that’s why I wanted to share my carry-on travel packing hacks so you don’t make the same mistakes I’ve made. These 7 travel packing hacks will ensure you’re prepared for long flights, inevitable layovers and even delayed or missed flights.

Last month, I had the chance to visit Lisbon and Porto in Portugal. I didn’t do much research in advance of my trip, but I was pleasantly surprised that the work conference I attended brought me to some of the must-visit spots in Porto. If you have a chance to visit, here are the 7 things you must see in Porto Portugal.

The very first time I visited San Diego was in 2005. My nephew was getting baptized right after Christmas, so we drove down from LA, after first visiting my husband’s family (we also got engaged in Laguna Beach on the drive down!). Needless to say, I fell in love with San Diego almost instantly. A major reason for my love for the city was because we did the San Diego 59-mile scenic drive. It is absolutely one of the best free things to do in San Diego today or anytime you visit.

I recently traveled to Portugal for a work conference. I opted to spend my first night in Lisbon before heading to Porto. Although I was massively jet-lagged, I was determined to see some of Lisbon in the few hours I had available. Luckily, Pats contacted me a few days prior to my departure, offering me a personalized Lisbon walking tour. I was happy to take her up on the offer. She created a fantastic itinerary for me. Here is the run-down of my four-hour tour of Lisbon and a few other things you should know if you ever come to Portugal.