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Shaminee

Shaminee is a U.S.-based mom and family travel blogger who designs detailed itineraries for her own family and turns them into practical guides for others. Her goal is to make family travel simpler, more organized, and more enjoyable. Read more →

Mosques, churches and Ottoman stonework sit side by side in Mostar’s old town.

Bosnia And Herzegovina: Mostar & Sarajevo in 2 Days

Planning a Bosnia and Herzegovina itinerary and wondering if you can fit it into a Croatia trip? You absolutely can — and Bosnia with kids turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of our entire Balkans summer. This 2 days in Bosnia guide covers our family road trip from Split, Croatia to

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Nefertari tomb, Valley of Queens, Egypt

Tomb of Nefertari (QV66): Is It Open? What It’s Like Inside

Status: The Tomb of Nefertari (QV66) has been closed to visitors since March 2024 for restoration, and no reopening date has been announced. The rest of the Valley of the Queens is open. Ticket prices and opening status change often, so confirm both on Egypt’s official ticketing site, egymonuments.com, before your visit. The Tomb of

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Hot air balloons rising over Luxor's West Bank at sunrise

Luxor Hot Air Balloon Ride with Kids: Our Family Experience & Tips

Travel Month – December A Luxor hot air balloon ride with kids was one of the highlights of our 9-day Egypt itinerary with kids, and it was our first balloon ride ever. We’d already lost a balloon ride in Cappadocia, Turkey, to bad weather, so this one mattered. After a week of temples, the kids in

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The Great Pyramids of Egypt

Egypt with Kids: 9-Day Cairo, Aswan & Luxor Itinerary (Plus a Red Sea Add-On)

We spent Christmas in Egypt — 9 hectic days covering Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor with a group of 19 family and friends, with our family of three splitting off at the end for the Red Sea in Sharm el-Sheikh. Our checked luggage never arrived after a missed connection at Heathrow,

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Croatia-Montenegro border crossing

Croatia to Montenegro Border Crossing : Things to know

Travel Month – July We had two nights in Kotor booked, a rental car for flexibility, and a plan that looked easy on paper. Then we hit the Dubrovnik–Kotor border, sat for 2.5 hours without moving, watched reported wait times climb past 6 hours, and turned back. Here’s what happened, why it happens, and what

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Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom) exterior view on Museum Island, Germany

3 Days in Berlin (Plus a Dresden Day Trip): A Family Itinerary

Travel Month: August Planning a trip to Berlin and wondering if Dresden is worth the extra day? This 3-day Berlin itinerary covers WWII and Cold War history, the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, and Checkpoint Charlie — plus a full day trip to Dresden, whose baroque old town and rebuilt Frauenkirche ended up being one

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Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), ornate 14th-century Gothic golden spire fountain surrounded by decorative wrought iron fence in Nuremberg's Hauptmarkt main square, Bavaria, Germany

Nuremberg 2-Day Itinerary: Nazi History & Old Town Guide

Travel Month: August Planning a trip to Nuremberg and wondering how to balance its heavy history with its charming old town? This 2-day Nuremberg itinerary covers both sides of the city — the sobering Nazi Party Rally Grounds and Nuremberg Trials Memorial, and the medieval old town with its thousand-year-old imperial castle — based on

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Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Australia

Great Ocean Road to Adelaide: A Family Road Trip

Travel Month – December  Most people who drive the Great Ocean Road turn around in Melbourne once they’ve seen the Twelve Apostles. We kept going. What started as one iconic coastal drive turned into a full Melbourne to Adelaide road trip — Bells Beach, the Twelve Apostles, Port Fairy, the Blue Lake at Mount Gambier,

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Sea lions, Kangaroo Island, Australia

Kangaroo Island With Kids: A Family Travel Guide

Travel Month – December Kangaroo Island sits off the coast of South Australia, just a short ferry ride from the mainland at Cape Jervis — Australia’s third-largest island, and one of its best for wildlife. Of everywhere we went on our 14-day Australia itinerary, it’s the stop that surprised us the most. We’d already had one

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Phillip Island, Australia

Phillip Island Penguin Parade With Kids: A Family Day Trip Guide (Nobbies Boardwalk + Tickets)

Is the Phillip Island Penguin Parade worth it with kids? Yes — it was a highlight of our Australia trip. In December, we did a day trip: the free Nobbies Boardwalk in the afternoon, then the Parade at sunset.  Travel Month – December Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d say: one of the highlights

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Maasai village visit near Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Maasai Village Visit in Tanzania: What to Expect, Cost & Tips

Maasai Village Visit in Tanzania: What to Expect, Cost & Tips Maasai Village Visit in Tanzania: What to Expect, Cost & Tips Maasai Village Visit in Tanzania: What to Expect, Cost & Tips On our way back from Ngorongoro Crater, our driver-guide arranged a 30-minute Maasai village visit for $50 per person. We joined the

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View of Lake Bled and the island church from the Ojstrica viewpoint

2 Days in Slovenia: Ljubljana & Lake Bled Itinerary

Travel Month – July After taking the train from Budapest to Ljubljana, we had just two days to fall in love with Slovenia — and somehow, that was enough. This tiny alpine country punches way above its weight: a laid-back, walkable capital in Ljubljana, and one of Europe’s most photographed lakes just an hour away

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Traveling from Budapest to Ljubljana by train through Central Europe

Budapest to Ljubljana by Train: Cost, Booking Tips & What to Expect

Budapest to Ljubljana by Train: What to Expect We spent two days in Budapest. The first was in Pest, with the Jewish Quarter, Heroes’ Square and a sunset Danube cruise. The second was in Buda, with Fisherman’s Bastion, the Castle District and an evening on Gellért Hill. (If you’re planning that part of the trip,

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View from Gellért Hill - Danube river with Buda and Pest

2 Days in Budapest: The Ultimate Pest & Buda Itinerary

One city, two very different sides — history, hills, and a sunset cruise Travel Month – July Planning a Budapest itinerary and wondering how to split your time between Pest and Buda? This guide covers both sides of the city across two days — Pest’s synagogues, grand squares, and a sunset Danube cruise, followed by

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Buda castle district, Budapest, Hungary

One Day in Buda, Budapest: Castle District, Fisherman’s Bastion & Gellért Hill

A different pace from Pest — hills, castle walls, and sweeping city views Travel Month – July After a day soaking in Pest’s synagogues, squares, and riverside sunsets, we crossed over to the Buda side for a very different kind of day. This Buda itinerary covers the Castle District, Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion, and an evening

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St Stephen's Basilica, Budapest, Hungary

One Day in Pest, Budapest: Itinerary & Sunset Danube Cruise

A walking day through Pest’s synagogues, squares, and a sunset boat ride past Parliament Travel Month – July Planning a Budapest itinerary that fits the Pest side into a single day? You’ve come to the right place. This one day in Budapest guide covers our walk through the Jewish Quarter, the grandeur of Heroes’ Square,

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Sunrise in White Sand Desert, Egypt

Egypt Desert Safari: Fayoum, White Desert & Black Desert

Travel Month — December  ·  3 families, 6 adults, 2 kids  ·  Private tour with Luster Egypt Tours  An Egypt desert safari across Fayoum Oasis, the White Desert, and the Black Desert is one of the most rewarding — and least crowded — ways to experience Egypt beyond Cairo and Luxor. Over three days, we

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