Category: Family Travel

Hidden Gem: The Hood Canal, Washington USA

10/10/2016

We finally visited the Pacific Northwest last month and I'm in love. My favorite spot was along peaceful shores of the Hood Canal - a fjord located on the Olympic Peninsula about an hour outside of Seattle. We spent four tranquil days kayaking through smooth waters, eating massive oysters washed ashore on our backyard beach, hiking in the rainforest, and watching our toddler search for otters, seals, heron and bears (of the wooden variety).

Team B at the Hood Canal

I feel a little guilty writing about the Hood Canal because it's truly a hidden gem. Most people we met were local and when we told them we were from Boston, they responded, surprised, and asked us how we heard about the canal all the way "out east".

The truth is I had never heard of the Hood Canal until last year, when guest blogger Elizabeth raved about her family vacation there. After reading her story, Chris and I immediately added it to our 2016 travel list.

We rented a fantastic house on VRBO called Once Upon a Tide. This house had everything - a private beach with endless amounts of oysters, a kayak, SUP, a lovely deck, fire pit, BBQ, cozy living room overlooking the canal, comfortable beds and even a boat house with a ping pong table. The owners even left us a bottle of the local wine to enjoy.

Once Upon a Tide, Tahuya, Hood Canal House Rental Picture

Hood canal house rental, once upon a tide, fire pit , tahuya Picture

Hood canal house rental, once upon a tide , tahuya Picture

Hood canal house rental, once upon a tide , tahuya PicturePicture

Hood canal house rental, once upon a tide , tahuya, oysters, Picture

We enjoyed grilled Hamma Hamma Oysters and Washington State wine on our deck while watching the seals play in the canal. So relaxing!

My son LOVED the little details of the house like this little wooden bear that he hugged every time he stepped through the front door. There was a also a mimi moose chair inside that he hugged about 10x a day and ample games and toys in the living room closet.

Unlike east coast beach houses in places like Cape Cod, the Hood Canal is much more reasonably priced and there are no crazy crowds (at least when we were there during Labor Day week). It was the quietest, most peaceful place I've ever been in the USA.

Sunset on our stretch of the canal.

Every day incorporated a different adventure - hiking in Olympic National park, lunch at the stunning Alderbrook Resort (the only really nice resort along the canal), or oysters al fresco at Hamma Hamma (they sell their oysters to Island Creek Oysters in Boston - one of our nicer seafood restaurants).

Olympic National Park, Staircase Trails, Baby Hiking, Osprey Baby Backpack, Picture

We hiked the easier trails along the Staircase area of Olympic National Park. We are huge Osprey backpack fans. We used them for our trip around the world and they are still in amazing condition so we purchased the Osprey baby pack and LOVE it.

I've added this to a the list of tall people problems:)

Olympic National Park, Lack Cushman, Picture

Beautiful Lake Cushman

Olympic National Park, Alderbrook Resort, Washington Resorts, Hood Canal Hotel, Picture

Alderbrook Resort - the only fancy resort in the area. Beautiful property and friendly staff. This would be a great spot for a destination wedding.

Painting en plein air at the Alderbrook Resort. I could spend a week (or more) doing this every single day.

Kayak Hood Cancal, Baby Kayak, Hood Canal Activities, Once Upon a Tide, Picture

B and I taking a spin in the kayak at our home rental (Once Upon a Tide) . The house provided adults sized life vests, we brought B's life vest from home. The were barely any waves and I stayed in the shallow water near the shore while B was in the kayak. He loved it.

This was the perfect family getaway because of the beautiful destination, cozy house rental (ideal for a toddler who wants to run around and explore), outdoor activities, animals (we watched seals playing from our dining room) and delicious food from the market. The other special thing about the Hood Canal was it's tranquility. It was so quiet, which was incredibly welcome after a chaotic summer of work and events. Not only was this place tranquil but it was also very spiritual. It's hard to explain - maybe it was a combo of the beauty and silence - but I felt closer to nature and myself here. I haven't felt this way since biking through the mountains of Yangshuo China or stargazing on Heron Island, Australia. If you seek a quiet destination, quality family time and variety of outdoor activities, definitely check out the Hood Canal!

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Las Casitas Village, Puerto Rico: Why These Resort-Apartments are Ideal for Families

2/15/2016

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Now that we have a baby, we take slightly different approach to traveling.

We travel slowly. We have to stick to some semblance of a schedule. We have more stuff. And we stand out because everyone loves (or hates, depending on circumstances) a baby. It used to be easy to relax wherever we were, but now it's challenging to find time to just do nothing. So when planning vacation, we now put a more value on convenience.

On a recent trip to Puerto Rico to visit family, we spent a few nights in Fajardo to get away from the city and enjoy the beach. Knowing how much time we'd spend in our rooms because of the baby's nap schedule, we sought out an apartment style accommodation - one with a kitchen where we could prep and store B's food and also a place we would enjoy while the baby slept.

We found the perfect place in Las Casitas Village in Fajardo. Puerto Rico. We had stayed at the neighboring/affiliate hotel, El Conquistador, last year before the baby arrived and very much enjoyed the cliff-side sea view and spectacular beach at Palomino Island.

This time, since we were traveling with an eight-month old and my grandmother, we opted for a two-bedroom ocean-front apartment. It was PERFECT!!!!

This place is an ideal option for families. Here is why:

Space & Kitchen: Our two-bedroom apartment had a large living area, three full bathrooms, and two patios - one overlooking the ocean and one over the garden. If you aren't a fan of direct sun (important with a baby) there was always a patio with shade. Also, one of the bathrooms had a stand-up shower which was ideal for my elderly grandmother who has trouble getting in and out of deep bathtubs.

Service: While the apartment amenities are convenient, equally important is that it's a resort. This means your apartment is cleaned every day, there is a concierge, butler and room service at your disposal, and you don't have to go far for a bite to eat, a drink, the pool or beach. Apartment rentals are great, but traveling with a baby is a lot of work so the last thing you want to worry about is cleaning or cooking. All of that is taken care of for you (if you want) at a resort-apartment.

The entrance to our casita. One advantage of the top floor unit is the view.

We spent most of our time on this HUGE balcony overlooking the ocean.

The light-filled living room was spacious and you could see the turquoise ocean from every corner.

The kitchen came fully-equipped so all we brought was food/drinks. Here is my grandmother, probably about to make a cafe con leche, which she drinks like water.

The master bedroom was huge and opened up to the ocean view balcony.

Balcony with a View: We spent most of our time on the ocean-view patio while B napped. It was stunning and so relaxing. We brought our own drinks & apps and enjoyed the warm ocean breeze. Better view than any restaurant in town!

The views from our oceanfront balcony - paradise in every direction!

We overlooked a (recent) shipwreck - see it there on the bottom right?

We set up B's crib in the massive en suite bathroom off the master because it was dark and quiet. We would hang out on the patio while he napped a few feet away. Hopefully this isn't a major parenting fail and you won't judge us harshly for putting the baby to sleep in the bathroom. He loved it!

We rolled him out for air every now and then :)

Early morning wake-ups aren't that bad when this sunrise is right outside your window. Here was the morning view from our patio.

Family Friendly without Chaos: Many families were vacationing at Las Casitas - especially parents with babies & toddlers. All of the families we encountered were well behaved and if a little one cried, the parents would whisk them out of the pool area to calm down - much appreciated by all! Guests and staff were all very considerate. It never felt crowded either. The eternity pool was popular, but always had available chairs. There is a second pool in the central courtyard - we had this pool to ourselves both times we visited!

A father and son enjoy the eternity pool.

We typically had the central pool to ourselves. It didn't have a sea view, but it was surrounded by gorgeous flowers in every color.

B is clearly a fan of swimming. That third pic was actually a squeal of delight thought it might seem otherwise!

Enjoying the view and likely pondering why anyone would buy an apartment on that tiny island in the distance with no land access. Why?!?

Peace & Quiet: Another advantage to staying at Las Casitas was that we avoided the corporate crowd. Resorts in desirable warm destinations often book large corporate groups this time of year. Las Casitas Village was void of the corporate crowd and mainly full of families and couples on vacation. However, lots of action was available a short walk away at the resort if desired.

Palomino Island: Palomino Island is the resort's private island and the location of its white sandy beach. Ferries run every 30 minutes, and this is included in your stay at the main resort or the Casitas. Palomino is GREAT for kids. The water on the side of the island facing the mainland is calm, there is a restaurant on-site and lots of activities for older kids (mini golf, bags/cornhole, giant chess, basketball, sandbox, horseback riding, kayaking).

Our spot on Palomino Island

One of the many reasons why I like this beach for kids is the gentle tide.

Missing that turquoise water already...

Nani's first game of bags (or cornhole depending on where you live). B was cheering her on!

The beach-side mini golf course - a new addition to the island.

On the ferry ride back to the resort we saw our casita in the distance (the blue one on the top of the hill!)

Access to El Conquistador: As previously mentioned, another benefit of Las Casitas is that you have access to the main resort pools, restaurants, golf course, shops and other amenities. Each apartment at Las Casitas has 'butler' service. If you aren't up for the walk, you can call up and they'll drive you over tot the main resort in a van or golf cart. B particularly loved meeting this talking parrot that said "Hola". B is learning how to speak (in two languages) and the talking parrot is bound to confuse him even more!

This place was so beautiful. I'll include some more pictures of the grounds in my next post!

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Flying With An Infant: What to Pack

9/17/2015

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We took B on his first flight over Labor Day weekend. He had just turned three months old and our pediatrician gave us the OK to fly. Woohoo! B's first flight was from Boston to Puerto Rico - almost four hours of airtime.

Checking in to B's first flight!

Since we stayed at my grandmother's house, she thankfully borrowed or bought a few things for the baby, namely:

crib & sheet
baby bathtub, towel & baby soap
diapers & wipes

This was huge because...

Babies Require a Lot of Stuff

Like a TON. During B's first three months we had taken day trips and a couple of overnight trips - mainly to his grandparents' homes, both of which are close by in New England. Each time we packed for an overnighter, we were shocked that we FILLED the trunk of our car. It seemed preposterous, being that we traveled around the world for almost a year with just a backpack. However, after each trip with the little guy, we evaluated our packing and realized that we used everything. It's like the smaller the person, the more stuff they need! Very counter intuitive.

Traveling for 8 months with no baby: A backpack

Traveling for 1 week with baby: 6 bags, car seat, stroller

I wanted to travel as light as possible, so I researched what I really needed to bring and found a wide range of opinions and suggestions. Here is a list of what we brought for the baby:

Carry-On

Car Seat
Stroller Frame (gate checked)
Car Seat Base (gate checked in bag)
Boppy Pillow
Three bottles, pre-filled with formula powder
Bottle of water
Changing station (with extra diapers & wipes)
Change of clothes for the three of us
Mechanical pump & accessories
Hand pump
Nursing cover (I exclusively pump but this is useful if I need to pump in public)
Three pacifiers
Two blankets
Two toys
Several burp cloths & bigs
Boba wrap (didn't use)

Checked Bags

Sleep Sack & Magic Merlin Sleep Suit
Sleep Sheep
Sound Monitor
Onesies, burp cloths & bibs
Swim trunks, rash guard & hat
Nose bulb & nail clippers
Teething ring
Sensitive Skin SPF 30
Baby medicine (didn't use)
Medela Storage Bags (didn't use)

Here is more information on the usefulness of each item:

Carry-On: We flew Jet Blue and they allow passengers with a baby to carry on an extra diaper bag and to gate check the stroller and car seat. Check with your airline as rules vary.

Car Seat, Frame & Base - VERY USEFUL - for a few reasons:

Safety: We didn't buy B a seat on the plane but ended up getting an empty row of three on the way there. This meant we could carry the carseat on board and strap it onto the third seat. Safety wise, this made a big difference. When I was holding him, I worried there would be sudden turbulence and he would fly out of my arms. Being a nervous flyer, I wasn't able to relax unless he was belted into his seat. Note: when bringing a car seat on board a plane it must be FAA approved (label should say so) and it must go in the window seat. If you don't have a window seat, they will make you gate check the car seat.

Carrying Cart: When we were running around the airport I could put the boppy (essentially a giant neck pillow that goes around your waist for feeding the baby) in the stroller basket and hang his diaper bag from the hook on the handle. It was very easy to move around. Had I put him in the baby carrier, I would have been extremely uncomfortable.

Car Rental: It was worth bringing the car seat base since we rented a car. You can gate check the base with the stroller frame so you worry less about loss or damage. I'd recommend getting a bag for the base since the baggage handlers can be rough. You may also have to gate check the seat itself, and you'll definitely want a bag for that. Also, you could put the boppy in the bag until you are ready to board.

B, strapped into his window seat and ready for take off!

Boppy - VERY USEFUL - we used this on the plane when we held B and all the time in the house in Puerto Rico. Remember to wash it after your flight (or bring an extra cover).

The boppy came in handy for feedings and naps on the plane. Not necessary but very nice to have.

The blue pillow above is a Boppy. And yes, B looks like the Monopoly man before he went gray.

Feeding supplies required a lot of space in my backpack. Let's break it down: Three Dr. Brown's large bottles pre-filled with formula powder and a bottle of water. B mainly drinks expressed breast milk, but I had to supplement with formula a few weeks ago due to an illness I had. He did just fine with formula and it's much easier to travel with formula powder than pre-packed breast milk, which needs to be refrigerated and somehow always spills in my bag. I also brought Medela sterilization bags, mechanical breast pump, hand held pump, and anursing cover on board. I used everything in flight except the mechanical pump & sterilization bags.

Pacifiers - VERY USEFUL - B uses a paci to fall asleep so these were important.

Two blankets - USEFUL - One to keep him warm and another to cover his car seat if he was sleeping.

Three bibs and a handful of burp cloths - VERY USEFUL - This kid drools everywhere.

Change of clothes for the three of us - DID NOT USE - but I'm glad we had them in case of a major blowout. No one wants to spend four hours in a poop stained shirt.

Changing kit with extra diapers and wipes (just in case there were delays) - NECESSARY

Two of his favorite toys (plastic rings and a giraffe) - NICE TO HAVE - Definitely not necessary at this age but the rings entertained him for a little while.

Boba Wrap - NOT USEFUL - We didn't use it once during the whole trip.

On the way home, we found a secret lounge at SJU in terminal C. We hung out in these snazzy chairs while waiting for our flight to board.

Checked Luggage: We only checked two carry-on sized rolly bags. It mostly contained our clothes and the following for B:

Sleep Sack & Magic Merlin Sleep Suit - VERY USEFUL - B was transitioning from his Rock N Play to a crib so we were experimenting with different sleep suits since he is now too big for a swaddle (he can turn over). We found that Magic Merlin worked best, as long as the A/C was on and he was in the crib. He typically sleeps from 7:30ish pm to 6-7am. The sleep sack was good for the hotter temps during nap time. On the plane we just brought two light blankets and dressed him in a onesie, soft pants and socks.

Sleep Sheep - NICE TO HAVE - He loves falling asleep to the heartbeat setting. We realized that we could have taken just the noisemaker out of the sheep to save space.

Sound Monitor - NECESSARY - B sleeps in his own room so this is a must.

Medela storage bags - DID NOT USE -I pretty much produced on pace with B's demand for milk so I stored expressed milk in his bottles.

Nose bulb & nail clippers - VERY USEFUL - In hindsight it would have been smart to pack the nose bulb in the carry on in case he got stuffy on the plane.

Baby medicines (pain reliever, vaseline, saline drops) - NICE TO HAVE - luckily we didn't need to use this but it's good to have just in case. Depending on where you are going, you can also buy this stuff at a drug store.

Swim trunks, long sleeved SPF rash guard & hat - VERY USEFUL for the beach

Coppertone Sensitive SPF 30 - VERY USEFUL - I guess we aren't supposed to use suntan lotion on the baby until he is six months, but we put a little of this on his arms and feet since the sun is so strong in PR. We mainly kept him in the shade, but it's hard to avoid the sun 100% of the time there so we wanted to protect his sensitive skin.

Bibs, burp cloths and onesies - lots of these because he spits up so much. Sometimes we kept him in just a diaper because it was pretty hot (and he was so cute).

Teething ring - USEFUL - he has a tooth coming in and the cold was refreshing in the 90 degree heat.

I wish I could say that we managed to travel with carry-on only, but it was not realistic with a baby. I think we might be able to do it once he is off breast milk (the pumping equipment takes up a lot of room) but I have to say that it's nice not fretting about finding room for suitcases overhead in addition to all the other stuff we had to carry on.

B behaved really well on both flights. The first was an afternoon flight where he slept for maybe an hour total and then either ate or played with us the rest of the time. The second was an evening flight and he slept for most of it. Fingers crossed he remains a great traveler on future trips!

The best:)

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Baby on Board!

3/4/2015

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Chris and I are beyond thrilled to announce that we are expecting a baby boy this June! After being together for 17 years (half of our lives!), building careers and traveling around the world, we are ready to embark on our biggest adventure to date.

Among all the "typical" baby prep we've been doing, we have been reading a lot about traveling with kids. Thankfully, we live in an era where it's easier to travel with children given all the family-friendly accomodations out there. Plus, the proliferation of apartment rentals a la AirBnB make it more convenient to find affordable alternatives to hotels that provide the conveniences of home (e.g. a private kitchen). There are also many traveling families who share their experiences and recommendations online, helping to guide new parents like us. Here are a few articles & blogs on the subject that I've enjoyed so far:

Nomadic Matt - 7 Common Excuses People Use to Avoid Family Travel
Traveling Cauncks - Family Travel Section including 13 Tips for Successful Baby Travel
Walking On Travels - I like her destination pages (ie Portland) and all her family travel tips.
KidWorldCitizen.org - Activities that educate kids on various global cultures and customs.

What I love about these bloggers is their positivity and commitment to broadening horizons for their children through experience, despite the challenges they face as parents. When I think back on my childhood, some of my best memories were family trips. While all of my childhood travel was within the eastern US, (I didn't have a passport until age 19), we didn't need to go very far to have fun. We traveled locally – throughout New England - and to see family in Puerto Rico, where I spent many weeks every year. We enjoyed doing something new together, even if it was only an hour away from home.

We plan on brining our little guy along on many future adventures (hopefully near and far) and will certainly post updates and tips from our travels with him. We just can't wait to see the world through his eyes!

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Hidden Gem: The Hood Canal, Washington USA

Las Casitas Village, Puerto Rico: Why These Resort-Apartments are Ideal for Families

Flying With An Infant: What to Pack

Carry-On

Checked Bags

Baby on Board!

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