A concise itinerary for 2 weeks in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

If you need a place that checks off boxes for both adventure-loving adults and fun-loving children, that will not 100 degrees in the summer, then the Dolomites is it.

If you are looking for a beautiful place to spend a weekend while visiting Washington, DC, then look no further than The Wharf. We had a great overnight visit at the Intercontinental and were surprised at how family-friendly a city hotel could be.

Malahide Castle made it to our list because it is touted as a kid-friendly castle due to it’s fairy trail, diverse food choices, and small castle (which is easy to navigate in a tour). The playground at Malahide is also extensive and suitable for kids from all ages.

When people think of Dublin, they might first think of pubs and not add it to their family trip to Ireland. However, we thought Dublin was a great city to visit with our daughter. We felt welcomed in all restaurants, and it is an easy city for walk around. If you are roadtripping around Ireland, you will probably want to spend more time in the countryside, but you should not skip Dublin and the surrounding area.

If you visit Northern Ireland and ask for any advice on what you should do, most people will say to take a Black Cab tour. And I did not fully understand why until we listened to this advice and took a tour one summer day.

These political tours take you through the murals of Belfast and help make the Troubles more real. If you visit Belfast on your own, you might find yourself down by the Titanic museum or the W5 museum with children, or wandering around the grounds of Queen’s University, but you will likely not find yourself on the Falls road or Shankhill road.

The Dingle Peninsula is on everyone’s radar, and for good reason. This southwest coastal town is beautiful, and is the perfect place to spend a few days in the summer. We visited Dingle in July of 2024 with our 5-year-old daughter, as part of our road trip around Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Some of the most iconic photos from the Emerald Isle are often of Northern Ireland’s east coast. In two days on the Antrim Coast, you can easily visit well-known natural treasures, while also taking a beach day. Here’s our family friendly guide to the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede bridge, and the beaches of Portrush.

Many hiking enthusiasts head to Doolin, Ireland to explore the Cliffs of Moher.

However, if you are traveling with kids, you will probably not be hiking the slow cliffside trail, so you will need to find other kid-friendly activities in County Clare. We found Doolin to be a great home base for two nights while we explored the west coast of Ireland and the Cliffs of Moher.

Here are our some of our favorite activities and places from our 48 hours in Doolin.

In order to afford this trip during peak travel time, spring break, we used points for our hotel stay. If you, too, are looking for a quick getaway that does not break the bank, and want hear about our experience, then read on.

I’ve had a Capital One Venture card in my wallet for 6 years now, so it seemed like a good time to explain WHY I would not close this card, and how it’s served us over the past few years.

While we were there in July, many days in Budapest were close to 90 degrees, so in order to cope with the heat and entertain our 4-year-old, we found ourselves seeking water, the shade of trees, and a cool breeze. Margaret Island (Margitsziget), which sits in the middle of the Danube River, was the perfect oasis for our family trip to Budapest.

If you’ve ever seen a photo of Quebec City, chances are you have also seen a photo of Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. There is no doubt that the Frontenac is visually stunning from the outside, but we wanted to explore the hotel from the inside, too, and see if it lived up to the hype. Here’s our honest review of the Chateau Frontenac with our young kid.

On a chilly day in July, we took a few aerial cableways (very large and sturdy gondolas) from our hotel in Murren up to the Schilthorn.  On the way back down, we stopped at the Birg Thrill Walk. All in all, if you wanted to explore this part of the Bernese Oberland, you could spend an entire day working you way from top to bottom.

Come with us as we share our favorite, affordable road trip spots in the seacoast of New Hampshire and southern Maine.

Lucerne (Luzern) is a popular town in Switzerland, and for good reason. It sits on a beautiful lake, is halfway between the Bernese-Oberland and Zurich, and is a great starting point for family-friendly adventures on the way to Mount Pilatus.

You guys—Rick Steves was right! The Bernese Oberland is a must-see place in Switzerland. But I’m not sure he knew that the this area is also heavenly for children and families; we spent 5 weeks in Europe, and this was one of our favorite places.

When I think of the Bernese Oberland, I think of stunning views, epic adventures, and the best playgrounds for kids. We visited in June, and spent 4 wonderful days in this region with our 4-year-old.

If you loved hiking before you had kids, but can never motivate your little one to hike, then you need to spend a week or two in the Dolomites in summer.

In July of 2023, we spent a week in the Dolomites, exploring the towns of Ortisei (Urtijëi), Santa Cristina, and Selva di Val Gardena. On our last full day, we discovered what may be the perfect area for families with children to have a memorable adventure.

Our 4-year-old is a reluctant hiker, but on this day, she hiked over 1.5 miles without being carried. If you’re looking for a kid-friendly hike, then read on.

When you think of Amsterdam, you might think of “coffee” shops and stag parties. However, on our recent trip to Europe, we flew into Amsterdam and used this lovely city as a place to get over our jet-lag and entertain our 4-year-old.