08/09/2026
Waiting in a checkout line today, I overheard a conversation between a soon-to-be bride and some of her friends. The gist of it was that she needed to get all of her traveling in very soon because she wouldn’t be able to travel once she had kids.
I quickly disabused her of that notion—and of her next thought, which was that traveling wouldn’t be as good with kids.
It will be different, yes, but in some ways, it will be better.
Of course there may be times when she wants an adults-only getaway, but traveling with kids can be amazing! My children have been on the go their entire lives, and I don’t regret any of it- not the time our luggage was lost, nor when someone was grumpy and refused to wear their rafting gear in Alaska, there was the stomach virus that hit mid-trip, the Amsterdam connection that turned into an unexpected overnight adventure, the child who forgot ALL of her shoes, the altitude sickness at 13,000 feet, and yes- even the broken foot the day before our trip to Disney World… which was immediately followed by exploring national parks out west and then a week in Italy. She was a trooper!
We still made great memories. Those are some of the stories we talk about the most now and they have become part of our family lore.
Traveling with children isn’t always easy, but neither is staying home with them! Some of my favorite memories of being with my children happened because we went somewhere together.
Maybe that’s also why I get excited about helping families travel. I know firsthand that family travel has a lot of moving parts and that the right planning can make all the difference. Choosing the right destination, finding the best hotel for your family, and the ideal time of year is important. The pace of the trip matters. Matching your family to a cruise line, booking appropriate activities, selecting dining, knowing what to pack, and even knowing what not to do can make a trip better for everyone. It helps to have someone who has been there and knows that even the best-laid plans may need to change along the way.
So, to the bride-to-be in the checkout line:
Keep traveling now, but when the kids come along, keep traveling then, too.
Giving your children the world is a gift that will stay with them. They will learn, grow, and experience things they simply can’t at home.
The trips will be different. The memories will be, too, but I think you will find that some of the best ones are still ahead of you.
