The Dutch take swimming very seriously. This is quite prudent for a country that coexists with the water, having around 40% of its land area below sea level. Since the moment we arrived we were told about swimming lessons. The Big Little saw others at school getting their diploma, and the freedom that came with …
Wroclaw topped my list of Polish cities to visit with kids. It is small and easily walkable. There are playgrounds and open space galore for the kids to run around. This is all before you add in the Wroclaw Gnomes that can be found all over town. Wroclaw lacks blockbuster sights, but that just adds …
When we upgraded our family from a Team of 4 to a Team of 5, along came a few big changes. People joke about changing from ‘man-to-man defense’ to ‘zone defense’ but I never found that an apt description. I’ve been more interested in the logistical and infrastructure changes for our travel. Western society has …
Vilnius can easily be a jumping-off hub for your Lithuanian exploration. There are two excellent sites you must see when you’re near Vilnius: Trakai and Kernave. The Trakai Island Castle is a gorgeous, red-brick complex built in the 1400s (10am-5pm, later in spring/summer). It’s similar in design and history to Poland’s Malbork Castle, though Malbork holds …
Kaunas is a hidden gem in Lithuania. It’s compact old city boasts charming accommodations and a thriving foodie scene. The easy parking (0.60 EUR/hour until 6pm, free on weekends) and proximity to attractions make Kaunas an excellent and reachable destination from Lithuania’s capital city of Vilnius. Kaunas is just an hour by train from Vilnius …
Oversimplifying traveller types to two categories could go like this: Type A travelers want to see things while Type B travelers want to experience things. This dichotomy leads down two very different paths so let’s use Paris for example. The Type As will spend their time ascending the Eiffel Tower and nudging their way past …
While I will never be able to pronounce the city name Hellevoetsluis, I give it my highest recommendation for a day-trip. It’s a town full of Dutch delights from a windmill to a historic fort – both accessible to the youngest of visitors. Beware, however, as German tourists have found Hellevoetsluis and you’ll be surrounded …
Gnomes. Elves. Dwarves. Kabouters. Whatever you call them, these adorable little creatures have taken over the Polish city of Wroclaw. My Littles spent the majority of their time in Wroclaw hunting down the Wroclaw Gnomes. Gnome hunting turned out to be a great way to get the kids to walk around the city without complaint. …
Exploring Dutch towns is one of my favorite pastimes. I never tire of the beautiful houses perched along the canals with markets overflowing. I once thought that seeing one small town here was just like seeing them all but I’ve come to appreciate the subtle differences in each town. Although I still maintain that Delft …
When you’re a mom of three boys it’s important to grab any opportunity you get for some adult girl time. With Amsterdam just an hour away by train from Delft a girlfriend and I took advantage of a free hotel night to explore Amsterdam without our kids or husbands in tow. We mixed a few …