How One Family Traveled the World with Two Kids (and What They Learned Along the Way)
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music
On Episode 8, Jess Pawl of Kid-Friendly Stays joins me to share how her family slow traveled the world for a year with a baby and toddler—and what she learned about the joy, challenges, and misconceptions of family travel.
From Burnout to Bold Moves: The Start of Jess’s Travel Journey
Jess shares how a health scare prompted her and her husband to reassess their high-stress jobs and take a leap into a year-long slow travel adventure with their baby and toddler. Instead of waiting for retirement or “someday,” they used savings set aside for a vacation home to invest in time together as a family, prioritizing experiences and health over hustle.
What Slow Travel Really Looks Like with Littles
Slow travel wasn’t about chasing picture-perfect Instagram moments—it was about choosing destinations that aligned with their real needs as parents. Jess describes how they planned their route around direct flights only (no layovers with littles!) and intentionally sought destinations that allowed for both adventure and rest, like rocking a baby with a mountain view.
The Power of Compromise and Planning Around Everyone’s Needs
Jess and I talk about the importance of meeting both parents’ needs while traveling. Whether it’s splitting solo time or choosing locations that satisfy both the thrill-seeker and the peace-seeker in a relationship, Jess emphasizes the magic of balancing everyone’s vision for the trip—even with kids in tow.
Misconceptions About International Travel with Kids
Traveling abroad with young kids might sound like a nightmare, but Jess debunks this fear with stories from their time in New Zealand, Bali, Turkey, and Europe. The biggest surprise? Many places outside the U.S. were more welcoming to families. From strangers doting on babies to epic mountainside playgrounds, Jess shares how other cultures embrace kids with open arms.
Switzerland, Portugal, and Bali—Top Picks for Family-Friendly Destinations
Jess shares her top three destinations that best supported both children and adults: Portugal (affordable, walkable cities + beaches), Bali (incredible hospitality toward families), and Switzerland (jaw-dropping scenery and imaginative playgrounds tucked into the Alps). Bonus tip: Austria is a more budget-friendly alternative to Switzerland with similar perks.
Lake Life in Michigan and the Power of Simplicity
Jess and I reflect on how our childhood summers in Michigan shaped our parenting. Whether it was long days at the lake or staying in “tiny cottages,” the memories weren’t about luxury—they were about presence, nature, and unstructured time. It’s a reminder that adventure doesn’t always mean flying across the world—it can be just a car ride away.
Why Jess Created Kid-Friendly Stays
After returning home, Jess launched Kid-Friendly Stays to take the guesswork out of family travel. Her site curates vetted listings that are truly designed with families in mind. Whether it’s full kitchens, Lego bins, or peaceful outdoor spaces, Jess wants families to find places that feel just right for both kids and grownups.
Making Travel Easier with Small Shifts
Jess offers gold-standard advice for easing into travel as a parent: keep your routines in mind when booking, break each day into thirds (structured activity, unstructured play, and rest), and prep your kids with excitement and information before you go. She also shares tips for managing expectations and keeping travel restful and realistic.
Jess’s Outdoorsy Challenge:
Create a go-kit with your family’s outdoor essentials—sunscreen, snacks, quick-dry towel, and an impromptu picnic blanket. Keep it in your car or bag so spontaneous outside time becomes simple again.
Where to Find Jess:
Website: www.kidfriendlystays.com
Instagram: @kidfriendlystays
Want the full episode? 🎧 Listen to Episode 8: “How One Family Traveled the World with Two Kids (and What They Learned Along the Way)”
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Julianne Nienberg (00:00)
Welcome to the My Outdoorsy Mom podcast. I'm your host, Julianne Nienberg, mom of three, backyard adventure enthusiast, and your go-to gal for making memories outside with your kids. This is your space to ditch the pressure of perfect and embrace simple, soul-filling time in nature that fits real family life. Each week, we'll talk motherhood, nature play, travel, and entrepreneurship with honest stories, practical tips, and guest conversations that'll feel like chatting with a friend.
Whether you're raising wild little explorers or building a business during nap time, I see you. So grab your coffee, toss some snacks in your bag, and let's make some memories. This is the My Outdoorsy Mom podcast.
Julianne Nienberg (00:38)
Today's guest is someone who truly embodies the idea that getting outside, whether it's
close to home or across the globe is always worth it. Joining me is Jess Paul, the creator behind Kid Friendly Stays, where she helps parents navigate travel with little ones. Jess and her husband left their jobs to slow travel for a full year with a baby and a toddler. Yes, you heard that right. And now they're back to work, blending adventure into everyday life while raising their kids with an emphasis on outdoor exploration. Jess, welcome to the podcast.
Jess (01:08)
Thank you so much. What a lovely intro.
Julianne Nienberg (01:11)
So
you took the leap and slow traveled for a whole year with a baby and a toddler. I cannot wait to hear about this. I think it's something that a lot of parents find amazing, but also terrifying at the same time. What led you and your husband to make this decision?
Jess (01:28)
Yeah, you're right. It is terrifying. In fact, I think having it behind me now, was scarier than perhaps we even thought that it was initially. The trigger for such a huge life change for us was actually kind of it kind of came from a bit of a scary place, honestly. My husband and myself were both in corporate full-time jobs.
Julianne Nienberg (01:30)
Yeah.
Jess (01:50)
in kind of demanding roles and he started to experience what he thought was a heart attack and he ended up in the ER a couple of times and it ended up that it wasn't. It was stress related but it really was a trigger for us to kind of pause to reflect on where we were in our lives at the moment. you know part of my story is that I lost my mom a decade ago to cancer and my father has Alzheimer's so
Julianne Nienberg (01:57)
Hmm.
Jess (02:17)
We're just sort of living in this world where we're trying really, really hard not to take our health and the time that we have for granted. And we had a little nest egg that was saved up for maybe, you know, a vacation home or something like that. And we were like, you know, why don't we just hit pause for a minute and then try the reset button a little bit while later, I was we were going to have a second child. And so it just felt like
the right time.
Julianne Nienberg (02:43)
That's amazing. mean, when you hear the word slow travel, I'm imagining like super aesthetic, the things that I see on Pinterest. When you set out to do this, what exactly did you have in mind when you were
Jess (02:51)
you
Julianne Nienberg (02:57)
just about to embark on a year of slow travel. What did that mean for you and your family?
Jess (03:02)
Yeah, think slow travel was really driven by the fact that it was the only thing I could imagine with an infant and a toddler, right? We knew that it was going to be challenging logistically to be on the go with kids that young because we decided we were going to wait until the baby was six months old before we left just for health reasons, you know?
to make sure things were okay and good and we were okay to leave the country and venture where healthcare wasn't as certain as it is here in the US. so the idea of slow travel is really fueled by what can I envision myself capable of doing as a parent? it did open up doors and allow us to make decisions that were really based on...
why does the environment I want to find our family in? And I think if you were to ask my husband, he would say like, I want to be in places where we have access to adventure right outside our door. And I was like, I want to be in places where I can be rocking the baby overlooking a magnificent view or during nap time. I can be like reading a book.
you know, enjoying just our surroundings, whatever those looked like based on where we were. So slow travel was really dictated with that in mind. And I will say, too, the only criteria as we were mapping out our route was that I was adamant I didn't want to do connecting flights with these children. So we would literally like choose the next place that would follow in our itinerary based on where we could find direct flights.
Julianne Nienberg (04:07)
.
Jess (04:33)
so the key was like simplicity, but also environment, like creating an environment that felt like home and all of the comfort ways that we needed it to, but that also scratched that adventure itch.
Julianne Nienberg (04:47)
it sounds like you came together and decided what was important for
each of you, right? And like you've said, sometimes our spouse's idea of a vacation or an adventure or travel is vastly different than our idea of adventure and travel. And I loved how, as a mom, you were very realistic in saying, I want to be able to sit down because it feels like when you have a baby and a toddler, you're constantly up on your feet or you're feeding or you're making a meal for someone. And I love how you were just very realistic in setting the expectation that
Jess (04:52)
Yes.
Julianne Nienberg (05:19)
I want to be sitting down with a nice view. I want to be taking care of the baby, but in a place where I can look out the window and see something beautiful. I mean, that is so realistic. And it's just how we are wired as moms to just be thinking about what we're doing for our families. But can we also make it like in a very, you know, just beautiful environment?
Jess (05:39)
I mean, yes, it's so true. It's so true. Yeah. And you hit the
nail on the head because compromise, I think, is at the core of all of it from a relationship perspective. And one thing I can share is that my husband and I traveled long before we had children. And we really placed an emphasis on traveling and then continuing to travel once we had kids.
But the only reason that we've been able to enjoy it and do it successfully is because we found a way to balance what each of us needs and wants when we're on the go. Because they are completely different. You know, I am not like a planner of things and he is. we just have different styles, but yet we found a way to blend them and also understand when one person needs to step away and do their own thing and like create.
Julianne Nienberg (06:16)
.
Jess (06:28)
space for one another individually too. yeah, think that's the willingness and adaptability to do that is really important.
Julianne Nienberg (06:36)
I love that you learned that early on, in your marriage before kids, we did the same thing. We adventured before we had kids, we traveled before we had kids. And I was very much like, we're going to go on a 14 mile hike today. Yeah. It's like, this is what we're doing. This is what we're doing. And my husband was just happy to come along for the ride.
Jess (06:49)
You are my husband. Julianne, yeah, you are.
Julianne Nienberg (06:57)
And now
that we have children, it's like, you I really had to temper my expectations and what we're able to do. And of course, that's just something that comes with being a parent and the wisdom that you get over time. But back to this slow travel year, I mean, you went to Europe, right? And you went, so your daughter was what, six months old when you first got there?
Jess (07:17)
Well, so to make a long story short, we went west. So under that rule that we were only going to take direct flights, we knew we wanted to go to Hawaii. And so we took a direct flight to LAX and then stayed a couple of weeks in the desert in Joshua Tree. And then we took the flight to Kauai and spent time there. And then the route
Julianne Nienberg (07:23)
Okay.
Jess (07:42)
went to New Zealand, to Australia, to Bali, to Istanbul, and then into Europe. And Europe obviously is like, I mean, I didn't even realize how accessible it all is once you get yourself a vehicle and a little bit of time. But we spent quite a lot of time in Europe, kind of going from Montenegro and Croatia up through Italy and then into the Alps and then over to Portugal.
And then we hit New York City for a stint before we came home.
Julianne Nienberg (08:10)
Wow. So you're right. You know what? I found you. So for those of you who are listening, I found you, think, your perhaps it was your personal or a previous Instagram account. And I remember you starting in Joshua Tree and you had made the announcement that, know, we're embarking on this year of slow travel. And first you went west. And I just I can't even believe that that was, I mean, however long ago and you're already back.
You're kind of back into a normal routine. So you headed West first and I, you know, I have been following along. just love following along on your adventures and seeing where you guys ended up. what are some of the common misconceptions you think that people or parents have when it comes to traveling to very far away places with young kids?
Jess (08:51)
Mm-hmm.
I mean, listen, logistically, it feels like a nightmare, right? Especially when you're thinking of those faraway places. And I will say, I feel like we kind of cheated the system because nothing was that far away when it was just the next step in the path that we were taking. Time zones were not the huge issue that they might be when you're taking a one or two week vacation because we were just kind of like...
you know, typically changing a few hours max. but that said, there were just so many misconceptions. I'll caveat all of that with the fact that since we went on that big trip and came home from it, we have gone back over to Europe and done shorter vacations. And it hasn't been the nightmare that I think some people anticipate it will be in terms of
traveling on red eyes or, having these long flights or dealing with the time changes and naps and all of that stuff. I don't know. I really think that, and this is easy to say because if you have a child who's having a really difficult time, everyone's having a difficult time. But if you can kind of just embrace like a laid back attitude and mindset, I really do think it helps the kids. And if you can just kind of say, okay.
whatever happens, we're gonna roll with it, we have no choice, we're gonna make the best of it. The odds are pretty good. But that said, the biggest misconception I think is people looking outside of the US and thinking like, this is gonna be very challenging, very hard when the reality is, especially if you have young kids. In the US, I think parents are judged more harshly.
for the behavior of their children or the presence of their children, unfortunately, than anywhere else in the world. I mean, one of the things that was just startling and so appreciated by me was that everywhere else we went, people not only welcomed and accepted, but like really embraced and celebrated our kids. And it was amazing.
Julianne Nienberg (10:40)
.
Yeah, because I always hear how so many cultures outside of the US are far more accommodating
to families and little children than in the United States. As you traveled through all these different countries, was your experience in those countries with your children different? How was it different each place that you went?
Jess (11:13)
Yeah, it was funny. You know, I would say, obviously we started in the US and, things were the same. In New Zealand, New Zealand's just beautiful and it's kind of like the US, but just a lot fewer people and a lot more sheep. And the scenery, of course, is just remarkable. But when we got to Bali, that was the first place where it was like,
Whoa, this is definitely the other side of the world for lots of different reasons. But one of them being that people really did like our children more than they liked us. And to see your kids getting attention, in fact, it was almost like in Bali, our son, who was three at the time, everywhere we went, know, walking down the sidewalk, every shop owner.
would say, hi, hi, boy, wave, hi, five, hi, boy, hi, boy. by the end of the day, our social little guy was done saying hi to people every five steps. And then when we got to Turkey and spent time in Istanbul, my daughter Ella Jo, who was probably about 10 months old, she was the star of the show. was like in Istanbul. Everyone just wanted.
to see the baby and talk to the baby and touch the baby. Yeah, it was just so different. And then in Europe, in particular in Portugal, they just are so welcoming to families in general. And it's less about people doting on your children and more about the accessibility and convenience that are offered to families. In Switzerland, there are amenities that are provided to families in tourist-centric spots, like these epic playgrounds on the mountain sides.
Julianne Nienberg (12:31)
Hmm.
Jess (12:44)
It was just kind of like everywhere you went, there was a little bit of a different angle, a different bend on how that country embraced families or children specifically. But everywhere we went, it was better than home, which is so sad. it was eye opening. I wasn't expecting it. I think a lot of folks, lot of parents expect that it's going to be harder with kids when the reality is.
You're given a lot more grace as a parent, I feel, outside of the US than we are within it.
Julianne Nienberg (13:12)
in addition to parents often thinking that traveling with little ones, whether it's near or far, is going to be hard logistically. But also I think people sometimes I know that
I have felt sometimes just fearful, fearful of, you know, crime or things happening. And oftentimes I hear from so many people who have traveled with their kids is that the local culture embraces children and the sense of family far more than what we experience here, right?
I'm just trying to get some restaurants to like be accommodating and like have playgrounds and things like that here locally where I can sit down, have a good meal and watch my kid from
Jess (13:48)
now.
Julianne Nienberg (13:49)
you know, close by distance, watch them having a good time. And I know that that's one of the things that you've been really emphasizing in your content lately is just how family friendly, especially some of your recent posts in Europe, just how accommodating all of these places are to children and especially accommodating in the sense of being able to run around and have these alpine playgrounds.
What was your favorite spot when it comes to a destination that served everyone in your family? Whether it's having places to play or having good restaurants, what were your top three?
Jess (14:24)
Yeah, it's such a hard question. I Portugal, as I mentioned, is I feel like that's a really strong recommendation because it's easy for people to get to from the US. It's affordable, generally speaking. If you're going to be traveling to Europe, it's very affordable and it's very family centric. And not only can you get these like beautiful, rich, historic cities in Lisbon and Porto, you also
can explore the Algarve, which is like the most beautiful beach hopping you've ever done in your life. And I mean, I don't know about your children, but like my kids need nothing more than a beach to be happy and occupied for a day. So Portugal is, it definitely checks the box. If I can recommend something that's not realistic, Bali definitely does the same, you know.
There is a lot in Bali that is catered toward families. And while it's definitely driven by tourism to a much greater degree than Portugal, for instance, it was just fantastic and amazing. And if you're up for a grand adventure, that's definitely something to have on your list, especially if you happen to be over on that side of the planet.
And then Switzerland, as you mentioned, has been so fun to talk about because the there is this yin yang between these like insane playgrounds that just happen to be in the most beautiful settings you've ever seen on the mountains and the Alps. And and it's also coupled with the fact that there's all of this cool transportation. There's
trains and cable cars and funiculars and gondolas that you're taking to get up and down these mountains and these car-free alpine towns. So Switzerland, while it's very expensive to get to those playgrounds in many cases, it's also just like the prettiest spot on the earth. I've been told by many folks, Austria,
Julianne Nienberg (16:10)
.
Jess (16:22)
is a great alternative because it offers a lot of that same outdoor adventure and playground and beauty but without kind of the steep Swiss cost.
Julianne Nienberg (16:32)
Yes, I've been following a lot of your Switzerland content recently and it just looks magical. I mean, of course you've got these beautiful mountains behind you and then you have this just idyllic children's playground that has obviously had so much thought and intention put into it. You know, I would love to see you, you know, more playgrounds like that around here. Not even with the mountains, but just, you know.
Jess (16:55)
I know.
Julianne Nienberg (16:55)
More nature playscapes, right? Like I would, that is my dream for our kids to have more nature play settings and playscapes in our local communities.
Jess (17:00)
I
Yeah, yeah, and to the point you made earlier too, most of those...
Julianne Nienberg (17:05)
So one thing I wanted to.
Jess (17:09)
Sorry. I was just going to say to the point you made earlier, Julianne, about cafes and restaurants and a place where you can just enjoy a coffee or a drink or a bite. I mean, that was always there too. You know, it's just such a good option for everyone, which is a part of the appeal, of course. But yes, we need more of those here locally. I know. We always talk, my husband and I like...
We probably should just open one ourselves, but we don't know how to cook anything. We don't know anything about the food and beverage industry. So here we are. If someone else could do it, we'll definitely support.
Julianne Nienberg (17:42)
I think you would find a lot of parents that would be willing. I always think about this. I'm like, if I could just get a group of us to figure out how to start a place like this. And that's not a brewery. Okay, no, I'm not knocking breweries, but I just want to have a nice meal with an area that my kids can free and no one's judging me when my kids are rolling around on the ground, like wrestling each other. And I'm just having a nice drink.
Jess (17:58)
and
Yeah.
Julianne Nienberg (18:06)
One of the things I found interesting and that I learned about you before our podcast today is that you spent summers growing up at a cottage in Michigan, right?
How did your experience growing up in a little lake cottage in a little town in Michigan, how did that shape how you became a parent to your children?
Jess (18:18)
Yeah.
I feel like this sounds dramatic, but I don't think I would be the person I am today without this access that we had on a regular basis to nature and to water. I mean, this was a, it was like a cottage, right? That a lot of people who live in Michigan have up North. It was on an inland lake.
We had a pontoon boat and you know, we didn't really go on big vacations as a family because we had this cottage instead where we spent a lot of time. And especially when I got into my teen years going up to that cottage and having this brain space that didn't exist at home.
Because at home, like there was always, you know, a TV on or a radio on or something. And then when you got to the cottage, it was like you were out on the hammock or you were on the dock or you were, laying on a float in the water it was just a
reset and space to be and to think in a way that didn't exist at home. Of course, I think anyone can achieve this at home as long as they take the time to get
get out of the house and their daily routine. But for me, it just sort of changed the course of how I thought about my weekends, honestly. I was very lucky that I married into another family cottage and my kids spent a lot of their weekends since they've been born on
Lake Huron in Canada at the family cottage and that's on my husband's side. there is nothing that they are more excited about than to just go and have access to the beach and the water. we are in this teeny tiny little cabin, like all of us crammed, the grandparents and us, and sometimes cousins and uncles and aunts or whatever, but.
I don't know, I would love to hear your thoughts on it. You know, I think so often there's just this like...
presence of mind that comes with stepping outside of the home and whether it's on a hike or a little road trip weekend away or to a cottage or wherever there is this reset button. I use reset a lot and especially when talking about the trip but like you can just do it so simply and get that mindset shift you know when you just put yourself in a new environment.
and create that space.
Julianne Nienberg (20:51)
We have a running joke in my family that the last two summers, we have rented tiny, tiny cottages near Lake Michigan over in Ludington. And then last summer we rented a tiny cottage on Lake Huron. And my kids are always asking, why do we rent tiny cottages? And I laugh because, you know,
What they don't realize is my priority is finding something as close, if not on the water, right? As close as possible to the big lakes. And to be honest, we don't spend a ton of time in the cottage. We're on the beach, we're in the sand, but they always laugh. say, are we staying at another tiny cottage this time? And you know, if we're not out on the sand, we're like exploring the cute downtown area. But what I think is so funny when we talk about these trips is
My kids remember, they remember the tiny cottage and they remember how we just basically didn't watch TV in the tiny cottages. We would just be up staying late laughing. Even my kids, you know, being as young as they were during those times. have the funniest videos of them, you know, pretending to be sleeping. All three of them crammed into one little room. And it's just the sweetest memories that I have and that I cherish and that I hope they too in a few years look back.
and remember how they stayed up all night in the tiny little cottage bedroom and they're supposed to be sleeping. And I already kind of hear them talking about some of their sweet memories. So to your point, I think that getting out of the home, sometimes in a new environment just really gives room for your kids to grow and to also explore on their own terms and also kind of sometimes gives them a little bit of independence that they don't necessarily have at home.
when we can step back and let them explore and just give them a little bit of freedom. It is just so sweet. You know, the fruit of just letting them have that room to experience life. that's what I want my kids to remember is not, you know, the things that we had, or, you know, I want them to remember being together as a family, whether it's in different places or even just at home, but just the, know, that we had so much time together. And so
I laugh that they remember the tiny cottage, but I, in my heart, I think, I'm just so glad that they remember a space that where we all were, whether we were crammed on top of each other and sharing beds, but I'm so grateful that they remember a space that we could all just be together.
so knowing that you spent so much time really getting to embrace nature and spending time on the Great Lakes here in Michigan, and now as a parent, you've been able to travel the world.
and can you tell us a little bit about what kid friendly stays is?
Jess (23:27)
So Kid Friendly Stays was born out of me coming home and not being back to a full-time job and thinking, okay, this is my chance to do something on my own and devote time to it if I want to. And so, what was certainly top of mind for me was here we had this opportunity to really like
lean into travel. And I will say, I am the type of person who, when I'm home in the evenings and the kids are in bed, like I will be scrolling Airbnb, like people scroll Instagram or Facebook, and I'm just looking for the perfect place that we can plan a trip around. But I don't think your average person does that. So I, of course, was like, how can I make it easier for other parents who are also busy?
Julianne Nienberg (24:07)
.
Jess (24:15)
who want to prioritize making memories together and creating these experiences with their kids. How can I help make that easier? And one of the things I found, especially as we were traveling over the course of the year, was that it was really difficult and super time consuming to find the right type of place that would accommodate
a baby, a toddler, and ourselves while meeting our expectations as adults too. And so that was the genesis of kid-friendly stays. And the idea was that it would be part travel directory where we would really have like vetted accommodations, whether they were resorts or hotels or vacation rentals, and then also kind of content and articles and tips and itineraries that would be helpful for people too. So.
website was born and Instagram of course made sense to really reflect on everything that we had learned in our journey while also chronicling you know the travel that we're since and closer to home too and just kind of share the learnings that we picked up on so yeah that was how it all came to be.
Julianne Nienberg (25:24)
love that idea because as a consumer or as someone who has spent lots of time researching Airbnb's, mean, you just scroll and like you said, you're scrolling, I'm scrolling, I'm looking at this and I'm trying to decipher, is this really kid friendly? And right away, there's a lot of times you know in the first few,
minutes, seconds that you're looking through a listing on one of these places. You're like, hey, well, that's just, it's not for us, right? Like, it's like, this place is not for us. And it's so hard to find those places that are accommodating to young children, but also to parents. Like, I want to have a nice experience too, right? So I love that you've created this resource through Kid Friendly Stays where, cause I've, I've been on the site and it's like, you have,
Jess (25:51)
and
Julianne Nienberg (26:08)
all of these different listings in different parts of the country, different parts of the world, I believe. each one is really uniquely positioned for families. that's something that's so needed this short-term rental travel space.
Jess (26:12)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah, thank you. I'm glad you find it valuable. It reaffirms the effort that went into it. But yeah, you know, between hotels and resorts and vacation rentals, I know for us, especially having a baby, vacation rentals made it so easy to sort of replicate the home dynamic while we were on the go so that, there was a separate bedroom for the children and there was a full kitchen to be able to make meals at home because like I just don't
Julianne Nienberg (26:25)
Yeah.
Jess (26:46)
like taking my kids to restaurants all the time. And so yeah, you know, there are just unique needs of parents. while you want to be accommodating to your children, it's a lot of money to travel. And you want to get what you want to get out of it too, right? Understanding that there are always going to be certain sacrifices. So if everyone can have their needs met, I think it's just, you know, the ideal situation.
Julianne Nienberg (27:09)
when you know that you are going somewhere that has.
all of these amenities well thought out for parents and for families. Like for example, we stay at a home in Florida. One week every February, we stay with my in-laws and this home is laid out beautifully. I think the first or second year there, my son discovered a bin of Legos. And so now every year, he's not the first, okay, he's thinking about the pool, very close second, he's thinking about the Lego bins.
at the house in Florida. Like we have tons of Legos at our home, but the Lego bin in Florida is just the cherry on top for him. I love places that like hosts who think of those amenities and accommodations for families with young kids. And it just really puts that nice extra touch in it. It allows for
Jess (27:41)
you
Julianne Nienberg (27:59)
customers to become loyal customers who want to return or want to recommend these places to their friends because they know that, Hey, I've got small children. This place is perfectly set up for my family. and like you said, like cooking, we often cook even when I'm on vacation, because when you've got small kids, I don't want to wait till someone gets hangry or I don't want to wait.
every night for our reservation. it's just a lot easier sometimes in these little years to make as much as we can in the home. And then also being realistic with my needs and what I want to get out of vacation. kind of set the expectation that I'm happy to cook every other night. but then I need like the next night off and we can go out to eat and we can all look forward to that. but those are just some things, you know, that I've learned kind of through trial and error with traveling with small children.
But for someone who maybe has never traveled, with their kids before, what would you say? Or maybe, they've never traveled with kids, but they are just dreaming of that next getaway, whether it's the next town over, or it's across the country or somewhere overseas in a different country. What advice would you give about how to ease into that or how to prepare for that?
Jess (28:47)
Yeah, I love it.
Julianne Nienberg (29:09)
as a parent.
Jess (29:10)
Yeah. Okay. There's so much, I think depending on the age of your children, you know, whether you've got a baby, I think one of the things a lot of us overlook that is very helpful is sort of preparing the kids. I think when we look at the toddler age,
Julianne Nienberg (29:13)
Eh.
Jess (29:29)
A lot of parents are like, I'm not even going to mention it. Like, we'll make it a surprise because I don't want to deal with every second having to be like, no, we still have, you know, 10 days until we leave. Like, nope, okay, now it's nine days. But I know with my kids, we've really been able to get them as excited about a trip as we have been. And studies show that anticipation before the trip is accurate.
the best part, whether you want to believe that or not. Like that's the the peak of your excitement is really before you go. And so I love ensuring that children have the opportunity to really anticipate and be excited about too. And usually that means educating them about where you're going. So we try to find lots of fun ways to approach that. outside of the anticipatory part,
Just, think, again, being very realistic. One of the pieces of advice that I like to give, especially if folks are open to the idea of using a vacation rental, is to look for a place that's not completely unlike your own home. If you rely in the mornings on having a yard for the kids to play in or an open space in a living area where you can sit and have your coffee,
Julianne Nienberg (30:19)
.
Jess (30:41)
Try to find something that allows you to keep those same routines despite the fact that you're going to be someplace very different and it will be exciting and your day is going to be full of activity. But look for something that's not insanely different that will allow you to keep the comfortability of your day enough so that everyone is not completely thrown off track.
And then when it comes to actually the days themselves, I know we have found that taking an approach where I think of the day in three parts. One third is like an actual structured activity. Whether that's one activity or we want to do a couple small things, maybe it requires like the kids
following a path or going into a museum environment or something like that. One third of the day is unstructured, but it's new. It's exploration. It's running around a new city or going to a playground for the first time and hanging out or, you know, just something where kids can be kids and enjoy themselves, but also be appreciating this new environment and really soaking up.
Julianne Nienberg (31:26)
Hmm.
Jess (31:49)
the culture of a place. And then the final third is like rest or downtime. Because I know in my home, and this is me just as much as my kids, I need that to be able to enjoy the rest. Like I just, if we're running, running, running, I'm usually not appreciating in the way that I would like to. So, you know.
because I'm kind of a big piece of the family, I demand that we all take some rest and I'll be the first to say too, that might mean I go back with the kids and like they take a nap and I maybe take a nap or just sit out on the balcony or read or something like that and my husband goes and does a hike that is not kid friendly or whatever. But by kind of looking at things in those three pie slices,
Julianne Nienberg (32:32)
Amen.
Jess (32:39)
We've had a lot of success in making sure that our days are never too overwhelming and we're set up to have a successful following day because we're never like, we're typically not running on fumes by the end of the day. We're just trying to stay balanced. And I think that's the biggest challenge because so many of us are like, I only have this many days off of work. We need to pack everything into this vacation time.
especially if that's the way you traveled before you had children. So it's just such an adjustment, but if the goal is that you have a really genuinely good time and you kind of feel maybe a tiny bit rested at the end of the vacation and not completely overwhelmed or stressed enough so that you want to travel again and you're not like nixing travel for the foreseeable future, then I think you've done it right.
Julianne Nienberg (33:28)
I could have used this advice when I decided to take three kids solo to Disney World and do three days of back-to-back parks because I really by the third day everybody was losing steam. The steam was lost. It was gone. I felt, you know, we went to Epcot on the third day and we did not see nearly
as much because here I am thinking like we're only going to be in Florida for X amount of days. Like we just, we just got to power through it. And I went against my own intuition and I went against your seasoned advice. And you know what, by the end of it, my kids were like kind of almost begging to leave Disney world. They're like, we just want to go back and swim in the pool. I'm like, no, you know, but yes, I think you're, I think building in it, especially as my kids have gotten older.
Even though I do find they have a little bit more stamina to go, go, go, I have to remember that rest is important for everyone, including them, as well as mom. Like everybody needs that downtime and rest. But you're actually the second person that has mentioned to me this study about how sometimes the anticipation of a trip is far greater than the actual trip itself. This is kind of a piece that's kind of hard for me
to reconcile with because I am the parent that won't tell my kids. I have to whisper like as if they can hear me, but I won't tell my kids. I don't tell my kids what we're doing until like we're in the car getting ready to go do it because I've just had too many instances of someone getting sick, you know, and you're talking about it. You're building up all the excitement and anticipation and then your brother gets sick and we can't like we all can't go or something.
Jess (35:00)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (35:06)
So I have been historically in the past, parent that like, we'll mention it the day before we leave. But as I've heard you say that, and someone else has recently told me this, I'm preparing a solo trip to New York city with my middle child. And ordinarily I would probably wait until the day before to remind him that we're going, but he already knows. But now I'm thinking of your advice and I'm like, okay, maybe I can build.
a scavenger hunt for him and like print it out and talk about all the different things we're going to go see. Or we can watch some movies that we love that are based in New York City to get him excited about the trip. So that is a really great piece of advice. I'm taking that to heart this weekend as we prepare for our little solo trip to New York City. But yeah, I think that's so important that they're building in rest time and kind of structuring your day and also allowing your kids to be part of
Jess (35:55)
Yes.
Julianne Nienberg (36:01)
the anticipation and the excitement. And sometimes, depending on how old they are, they can also help with planning. I have a seven-year-old and I've been asking her lately, what is it that you would like to do when we go somewhere or what are you hoping to do? And sometimes it's just like, I just want to go play outside wherever we're going. it's just so eye-opening because I have to honor that. Like my kids,
Jess (36:09)
Yes.
Julianne Nienberg (36:25)
as much as they want to do fun and exciting things. I think they're pretty good about vocalizing. Like, I just want to like relax or like hang out and, play on a playground. And sometimes for them, that can be really, you life giving and restful too at the same time, right? Instead of just constantly being on the go and seeing new things.
Jess (36:40)
Yeah.
Yeah, I agree with you. I totally agree. you think about, know, especially if you are that planning type, like you think about what you want to do when you go somewhere and the more you think about it, the more you imagine how it will be, you know, and it just kind of, gets you in such a fun head space to anticipate it, but.
I know, obviously, with young, young children, they just have no idea what to expect. And so I have found, even in the case of like our three or four year old, I should say probably four and five, because it's at this age where it's become easier, even going to YouTube. And for instance, if you're going to New York saying like, going to YouTube kids and finding a...
introduction to New York or 10 cool facts about New York. it just is connecting little neurons in a way that would not have been otherwise. Like when they get to hear something and it's like crazy facts like how many football fields fit within Central Park or how many thousands of taxis drive down Fifth Avenue every day. Where I don't know I just
Julianne Nienberg (37:24)
.
Jess (37:45)
Yeah, I think there's something to it. So I think you're on the right track. But I want to say I totally understand in the case of like you're protecting your children against disappointment. I mean, if someone gets sick or if something gets canceled, like that is brutal. And I get that. I really do. That's that's tough.
Julianne Nienberg (38:03)
I love that idea about going to YouTube kids and finding, especially for my son, he's six years old, like he would love to just watch a little YouTube short about,
the history of New York or just like fun little trivia facts like that. I remember when they were about to get on their first plane, I found a YouTube video about like, how do we board an airplane? Like it was geared towards kids, but I made them sit in their chairs in front of the TV and pretend that they were boarding an airplane while they watched this YouTube video. So I love that advice. I think that is so helpful for parents. And those are just simple ways that parents can engage with their kids.
Jess (38:14)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Julianne Nienberg (38:40)
before an upcoming trip to get them excited, but allow them to process it before they get to their destination, right? Like sometimes if you have children who are more anxious, and I know that I have one, a child who is more anxious or likes to know the details of their day or if it thrives on a routine or a schedule, giving them...
just some information upfront before you leave for the trip can really do wonders in terms of those kids who maybe struggle with a little bit of anxiety.
Jess (38:59)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, totally.
Julianne Nienberg (39:09)
So did I read correctly? You're about to launch a guide on helping kids get excited for travel.
Jess (39:15)
Yeah, that's one of the things I've been working on lately. But again, with the idea of just making things easier for parents, you know, like we're talking about, travel is such an investment. And the chaos that comes ahead of a trip, especially for parents who are
not only managing all of the logistics, but like packing for themselves and packing for kids and getting everything ready. It's like there's so much going on in your brain that you don't necessarily have the time to step back and be like, OK, how can I make this a richer experience for my kids ahead of the trip to help them get the most out of it while they're there and to help build that anticipation, excitement and education component of it that like that really might not exist if we don't lean into it.
So it's a simple guide and it'll be a download, but it comes with a lot of tips kind of like the just head over to YouTube and look for a short and here is an easy way to search for it or head to the library to pick out a book about the history of a city or a country, the story of a child who lives in that city or country, and then some other fun ideas around how you can kind of
start the conversation at home in ways that feel very casual and then in some ways that are more formalized. So a little countdown coloring to the trip, allowing the kids to dream up what they're most excited to try in terms of flavor. So there's just like some fun coloring pages and activities that hopefully are easy and fun for everyone to do that really just help bring them along in terms of
the buildup beforehand.
Julianne Nienberg (40:55)
I'm so excited for this. This is going to be such a great resource for parents, like you said, who are preparing for a trip. You know, a lot sometimes rests on the moms to pack up the children. And then, before you know it, I have not given any thought to, I should tell the kids that, hey, we're going on this very cool trip. You know, I haven't done any work to prepare them or arm them with information because I've just been so wrapped up and.
getting everything packed and making sure that everybody has what they need. I love that. I think that's gonna be such a great resource for parents.
Jess (41:26)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (41:29)
Jess, this has been such a great conversation and you've shared so much wisdom today about making adventure and family travel feel much more approachable. I love how you make travel and outdoor adventure feel doable for families with small children, even for the busiest parents.
Before we wrap up, I always end each episode with one simple outdoorsy action. And it's something small that listeners can do this week to get their families outside. What's one easy thing that you would encourage them to try while they're planning perhaps their next adventure or their next family trip?
Jess (42:05)
Well, you kind of mentioned it already, but one of the things that we love to do, no matter where you're at, whether it's on your own block or, you know, in a different country is the scavenger hunt concept. That's been one that has been just so much fun with my kids and has made, the simplest outdoor activity like 10 times more exciting.
a lot of times too, we'll translate that into bingo and try to think up what we're going to find while we're out and about, or if we're someplace unique and different, really lean into bingo with like the types of things that we would see along our walk or tour. some days your kids
at least if they're like mine, run outside and you don't even need to think twice. Like the world is their oyster and you are just like the sun is shining and parenting is golden for the day. But other times it takes a little bit of work. That's a big one for me. And then the other thing is just, whenever we head out, like making sure that we have the things on hand that are gonna make it easier to stay outside, whether it's like our sunscreen or a
quick dry towel that's rolled up at the bottom to do an impromptu picnic or if someone wants to dip their feet in the water or if someone falls into a puddle, which I don't know, somehow always happens too, you know, just having kind of like that little go kit for parents has come in handy a lot of times, even if we're in the car and we just need a break, you know, we didn't anticipate spending time outside, but like you can tell everyone needs a minute to be in the grass and under the sky.
Julianne Nienberg (43:39)
Absolutely. Everybody, you know, no matter where, at least no matter where I go with my kids, someone always gets wet and dirty. So having these essentials in your bag really, you know, just help you feel prepared as a mom. And then it really, you know, it just allows you to be more prepared, but also not to just
Jess (43:46)
I guess.
Julianne Nienberg (43:56)
have the entire day ruined by like a soggy pair of socks. So I love love love that tip. And for yes absolutely. So for those who are excited about your upcoming guide, where can we go to find you online or where can we go to stay updated on when you're going to have that ready for parents to download?
Jess (44:01)
Yeah, because you know that happened.
Yeah, you'll kidfriendlystays.com. We have a weekly newsletter, so there's an easy subscription right there on the homepage, or certainly I'm always on Instagram, and that's kidfriendlystays as well.
Julianne Nienberg (44:27)
Awesome, I will make sure to include that in the show notes for those of you who are listening. Jess, thank you again for sharing your story and your wisdom with us.
Jess (44:35)
Thank you so much. It has been so much fun. I appreciate it.
Julianne Nienberg (44:39)
Thanks so much for spending part of your day with me. I hope this episode left you feeling encouraged and inspired to get outside and enjoy nature wherever your feet are. If you loved what you heard, it would mean the world to me if you tap those five stars or leave a quick review. It helps other outdoorsy minded moms find the show and grow the sweet little community. And if you're looking for more ways to simplify, slow down, and connect through nature, you can find me over on Instagram at myoutdoorsymom, read the blog at myoutdoorsymom.com, or explore all my digital resources and seasonal guides in the shop.
Everything's linked right there in the show notes. Until next time, take a deep breath, step outside, and I'll meet you back here next week.
